The End of the 2012 Chicago Cubs: Final Thoughts and
Predictions
Cubs MVP Award:
Alfonso Soriano
You could argue that Ryan Dempster, Paul Maholm, Anthony
Rizzo, Starlin Castro, or even Darwin Barney should win this award but Soriano
gets the nod from me. A guy that not
only is currently hitting .260 with 29 homers and 96 RBI, but who could
actually make a case for a gold glove this season. He not only did everything the coaching staff
and management has asked (besides being traded to the Giants) but he has
improved in his defense and proved to be a great leader in the clubhouse.
Cubs Hustle Award: Darwin Barney
Darwin Barney is the definition of Hustle! The guy not only gives the Cubs 110% everyday
he is doing it on a team that currently has 87 loses. That says something about his makeup and
drive. This season I saw Barney turn
singles into doubles, sacrifice his body on defense, and make plays that no
other 2nd baseman should make all because of hustle. This was the easiest award to give out.
Cubs Pitcher of the Year Award: Jeff Samardzija
This could be up for debate because of the job Maholm and
Dempster did but Shark just proved he may grow into the ace of this staff. Compiling a 9-13 record on a bad team with a
3.81 ERA is not easy. He had 180 SO in
174 innings and looked down right dominate at times. Nice to have him going into next season.
Cubs Impact Player of the Year Award: Anthony Rizzo
Rizzo stepped onto the scene with a boom and actually
resulted in the Cubs making a little bit of a run half way through the
year. Rizzo’s impact on the Cubs will
not be fully appreciated until next season and even beyond. It is not every day you get a player of
Anthony Rizzo caliber, at his age, unblocked, and on a rebuilding team. His level of play impacts how management
works this offseason and how the Cubs look going into next season. He is truly an impact player.
Cubs “26th man” of the Year Award: Tony Campana
This award goes to the guy that did everything right but
just not enough to play every day and is known as the up and down guy. This award goes to scrappy Tony Campana
because while notching 81 games with the Cubs he only had 168 Abs and was sent
up, sent down, started for Chicago, and went deep on the bench. You never heard him complain and he took
advantage of all his opportunities by scoring game winning runs to impacting
the game with his speed. Every team
needs a “26 man” and I am glad Tony is ours.
That does it for the award and now comes the 10 bold
predictions for next season-
1. The
Cubs will be in the playoff race for most of the year.
2. Anthony
Rizzo will be in the MVP talk next season.
3. Matt
Garza will be traded before Opening Day.
4. The
Cubs will add three starting pitchers next season via trade or free agency.
5. The
Cubs will resign Ian Stewart but will decline arbitration before doing so.
6. Alfonso
Soriano will start the year with the Cubs but will not finish with them.
7. Brett
Jackson will start the year in Chicago while Vitters will get traded.
8. Baez
will start seeing time at 3rd best next season in the minors.
9. The
Cubs will either decrease ticket prices next season or they will stay the
same. No increase next season.
10. The
Cubs will finish next year in third place with a record of 80-82.
That does it for this year’s Hot Stove Cubbies Blog. Of course I will break any major news as it
comes but for now I will be taking some time off from HSC. I will be updating any Cubs news year around
on Twitter @HotStoveCubbies and also update links to any posts from my blog on
Twitter as well. So make sure to give me
a follow on Twitter and look for the latest breaking Cubs stuff there. As for HSC blog we will see you after the
playoffs.
UNTIL NEXT TIME!!!!
