Progress Report

We're now 23 games into the 2013 season, and clearly the Cubs aren't exactly world-beaters, but really, only blind optimism would cause expectations to be much beyond than the 9-14 record where they currently sit.

Their current three-game win streak, all against the hapless Marlins, has more or less coincided with Darwin Barney returning from the disabled list and getting his feet wet. After struggling at the plate in his first five games, in the past five he's put up a pair of multi-hit games, contributed a game-winning extra-inning home run and Friday made a highlight-reel snag of an errant throw to second by Scott Feldman to save a double-play.

Barney's absence I think was bigger than expected. We knew the Cubs were toast in 2006 the moment Derrek Lee was hurt, and relying too heavily on Aramis Ramirez staying healthy enough to produce runs was a long-term concern, but for a little guy with limited power who doesn't hit for high average, the Cubs were rudderless without their Gold Glover on the field. Two errors in his last 192 games at second is world-class.

Injuries are a huge X factor in determining what the Cubs really have to work with this year. Poor Steve Clevenger can't seem to catch a break, and is on the 60-day DL. We can only guess when Matt Garza and Scott Baker will debut in the rotation, and Arodys Vizcaino has yet to step on a field after his acquisition last July. Kyuji Fujikawa lasted exactly one day as the official closer before a forearm strain sidelined him.

As for my preseason concerns, Anthony Rizzo has been a real head-shaker. While hovering around the .200 mark, he's set the Cubs' April record for homers by a left-handed hitter and driven in twice as many runs as any of his teammates. Clearly his power is a force to be reckoned with, but strikeouts and consistency are concerns, and I don't think this month has really given us any idea of what to expect two or three years down the road.

And as for my concern over the closer role, that's still up in the air too. At least Carlos Marmol is out as the go-to guy, and his ERA started falling back to earth as soon as he was taken out of the role. The walk totals are dangerously high, but otherwise the numbers are old-school setup-man Marmol. Hits are way down, strikeouts are up, and he's only given up one inherited run and none of his own in his last nine appearances over a total of nine innings pitched. I'd wager none of his many detractors have even noticed, but if Dale Sveum keeps using him the way he has over the past two weeks, people will eventually start paying attention. If his Cub future lies as trade bait, the rest of the league will be noticing as well. In the meantime, Fujikawa should be eligible to return today, and he said when he went down that the forearm strain has happened before and is a 10-day recovery. We'll see.

Beyond that, I've started to question the coaching staff. Dale Sveum has called out his team over fundamentals, when really that should come down to coaching. There are only three position players over 30 on the roster, and with a team that's banking on its revamped farm system to come through when they're ready to compete regularly, they're going to be in serious trouble if their coaches and manager can't bring out the best of a roster full of young players.