Stroman: "I love everything about the city of Chicago" |
The Stro-Show has been fun this season.
Chicago Cubs ace Marcus Stroman has dazzled this season as an All-Star and has guided the team with a 2.88 ERA, 1.09 WHIP in 20 starts this season. Stroman knows that the trade deadline is coming up in a few weeks, and the Cubs organization will have to decide on moving him if the team doesn't start showing signs that they can win the division. The ace pitcher wants the Cubs to think long-term, not just this season. “Everyone’s always putting this emphasis on, ‘Oh, we need to play good in seven days, ten days, and then we can be buyers,’” Stroman said. “But I truly don’t believe in that. This division’s wide open. And then, if you even look deeper than that, as an organization, why would you not want to be competitive for multiple years, year after year after year? Stroman has had a wonderful time in the Windy City and hopes the team wants him, too, when he hits free agency again at the end of the season. “I love everything about the city of Chicago and this organization,” Stroman said. “No matter what happens, I would hope that they’d be in the mix in the offseason when it comes to my free agency.” Stroman shared that veteran outfielder Cody Bellinger is enjoying his time in Chicago too. “I know Belli wants to stay,” Stroman said. “I know I would love to stay here, but a lot of that’s out of our control. At the end of the day, it’s business, so we have to treat it as such, even though we have this love for this fan base and this organization.” Bellinger is hitting .305 with 12 homers and 35 RBIs this season. “As an organization, why would you not want to be competitive year after year? Bellinger is a guy that has changed your lineup," Stroman said. "Why would you want him to get away? “Why would you want to get rid of a guy like myself that gives you quality starts in a league where it’s incredibly hard to do it?”
