Brett Anderson and Mike Montgomery Are The Key To The Cubs Future
While their roles are small right now, their impact will weigh heavily on the Cubs future decision making
Anderson vs. Montgomery. Some might assume I’m talking about the next UFC title match without context. But, of course, those are the names of the two Cubs starting pitchers duking it out for the 5th and final rotation spot for 2017. While this fight lacks the typical punch you see in a title match, the two are major pieces to this Cubs roster this season. Whether or not the two can find success this year could make a major impact in how the Cubs approach the 2018 season.
Mike Montgomery
He might forever be known as the answer to the tricky trivia question of, “Who was on the mound when the Cubs won their first World Series title in 108 years?” However, he has been anointed the frontrunner by most beat writers coming into Spring Training. Originally a starter and a former № 6 overall pick by the Royals in 2008, Montgomery arrived in Chicago via a midseason trade between the Mariners and the Cubs and spent almost his entire time on the North-Side as a reliever. The Cubs knew when they traded for him last July that the plan for “Monty” was always to try him out as a starter. His stuff is truly elite, particularly his curveball, which was the toughest pitch hit in baseball last season, per Brooks Baseball.
Everything with his makeup says Montgomery should probably be a lock in the Cubs rotation, but his career numbers as a starter leave an unsavory taste in fans mouths. With a 4.23 ERA as a starter, Montgomery has allowed a bewildering 17 home runs compared to just two as a reliever. Of course, he has had more time as a starter than a reliever (125.2 IP as a starter compared to his 64.1 IP spent in the pen), but even with his stellar 2016 season in the bullpen, Mike Montgomery isn’t necessarily a lock to be the team’s 5th starter.
The other name is oft-injured goofball Brett Anderson
who the Cubs signed this offseason to compete for a rotation and roster spot. The 29-year-old Anderson looked great in the Cubs first spring training game of the season, recording one scoreless inning and inducing plenty of groundballs. Health has always been the main question for Anderson, who has proven to be a superb rotation piece, but even he’s not sure how this season will shake out injury-wise.
“If I’m healthy, everything else will work itself out and I’ll take my chances.” Said Anderson on Monday after the Cubs tied the White Sox.
The crafty lefty could possibly benefit from working out with the pitching whisper Chris Bosio, who has already tweaked Anderson’s approach on the mound. Bosio has Anderson landing on the toes of his right foot as he finishes the windup to alleviate some of the pressure on his lower back after missing almost all of 2016 due to back surgery. The Cubs know they must handle Anderson with care, as he has dealt with a slew of injuries ranging from back spasms to Tommy John surgery and has only mustered to pitch over 100 innings three times in his seven-year career.
However, Cubs skipper Joe Maddon has mentioned the duo of Montgomery and Anderson possibly sharing the 5th spot in the rotation, referring to it as a ‘hybrid’ position.
Maddon hopes to get roughly 165–170 innings out of Anderson this season, which would come close to his career-high of 180 innings, recently set in 2015 with the Dodgers. If he were to share time with Montgomery as the part-time 5th starter, it could be exactly what a guy like Anderson needs to stay healthy and effective. The same could be said for Montgomery, who’s ERA inflates to a concerning 4.05 his 2nd time through the lineup. Limiting his exposure to teams could make him harder to gameplan for, which would make him more effective in the National League.
Now, the immediate benefit of the Cubs adding Anderson alongside Montgomery is of course to keep the other starters in Jon Lester, John Lackey, Jake Arrieta, and even Kyle Hendricks fresh throughout the season and ready to perform this postseason. But if the duo can prove they can be reliable options in the rotation, the Cubs might not need to throw a ludicrous amount of money at soon-to-be free agent Jake Arrieta, who is about to make some serious coin this offseason. Having Mike Montgomery and Brett Anderson help stabilize this rotation after Arrieta’s likely exit could give the Cubs a cheaper option while their young arms like Dylan Cease or Duane Underwood work their way into the MLB.
The Cubs might not have a real heavy-weight matchup between Brett Anderson and Mike Montgomery, but their impact on the team’s future is clear. If both struggle early on, the Cubs might have to seriously consider re-signing Arrieta to a monster contract or even seek a pitcher to acquire via the trade deadline. But if the two succeed in their new roles, it gives the Cubs plenty of options in their rotation and leverage in any negotiations the front office has with Arrieta next offseason.
Regardless, the Cubs continue to relish their time as baseball’s best, and it’s moves like these that look to ensure they stay there for the foreseeable future.
Sean Sears is a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs and also a fan of anything pretzel.
