The Cubs are in the midst of a bad spring camp. Winning is not important, but losing game after game is a grind.
But most stories from camp focus in on the reaction of scouts, players and fans on the Cubs prospect core of Almora, Bryant, Baez, Johnson, Hendricks and Soler. A consensus is that, but for Soler, all these young guys, especially Almora, are more mature than their age or experience.
It seems like the notion that the Cubs front office has cloned the perfect GQ major league player has taken hold in the media. The secondary social skills and media savvy only adds to the expectation level for these players as they move through the system.
The Cubs have added to the hype by bunching these prospects together in spring training games; a prelude to big league action in 2018.
But such stories need to be tempered by reality. Just 1 1/2 years ago, Soler was the number one topic of hope in Cubs circles. He was the top prospect in the Cub system. He was going to be Sosa-like. But today, his stock is beginning to fade. He is no longer the Cubs #1 prospect; some lists have him as low as 7th.
Times change; competition gets tougher. The pressure to advance gets greater. There are more injuries. Players for the first time in their careers need to learn to adapt to injuries, slumps, family issues, failures and expectations. That is why so few highly touted prospects actually become impact major league players. In all the media attention to these prospects, fans need to see these players through more a mature lens.
