Nate Schierholtz hit his 18th home run to lead the Cubs over the Nationals in game one of their Wrigley series. Fellow journeyman Donnie Murphy also hit 2 home runs, and back up catcher
Dioner Navarro hit his 11th HR of the season.
Schierholtz and Navarro are both 20; Murphy is 30. Murphy was a mid season free agent acquisition. Navarro and Schierholtz were off season role players who had not had a starting chance in a long time.
Schierholtz has one year of arbitration left so he is under control through 2014. This season he has a 2.5 WAR.
Navarro signed a one year deal with the Cubs so he will be a free agent. The switch hitting catcher will get a large raise in the off season through free agency. This season he has a 1.8 WAR.
Murphy, in only 13 games as a Cub, has a 1.2 WAR. Murphy can also be a free agent in 2015.
The question is why did it take so long for these three journeymen to become potential full time starters with the Cubs? First, the Cubs are a bad team short on talent and depth at positions. Second, these guys are entering their prime playing years. Third, they have something to prove to the other teams that let them go. Motivation to succeed can be very powerful, in the short term.
It is doubtful that the front office thought these three players would give the power production spark that has been missing from the team. Sometimes, a GM gets lucky.
But there stays in Chicago will be short lived since the entire rebuild philosophy of the organization is to build from within with home grown prospects. The Cubs want a long term pipeline of young players who can be called up year to year like the Rays. The rebuild Cubs have always traded away veteran talent to acquire more prospects. The Cubs have traded 11 players so far this season. This trend is expected to continue in the off season.
If the Nationals can make the strange move to trade for David DeJesus, when the Nats are 10 games out of a wild card, then other teams may want to cherry pick the Cubs roster with the intent of building for next year today. Schierholtz and Murphy could be valuable pieces for a ball club that believes it is one or two players away from a championship season next year.
And the Cubs will accommodate those bidders. Because the Cubs do not want to build a club through journeymen.
