Should The Cubs Acquire Jordan Pacheco?

Chicago, IL- The Cubs were struck a blow to their offense on June 3, 2014 when Welington Castillo was placed on the 15-day DL for left rib cage inflammation. According to Baseball Reference, the backstop was hitting .242 with 5 HR and 21 RBI before his injury. He showed a lot of promise last year when he hit .274 with 8 HR and 32 RBI. Even though his production has decreased this year, he is a vital key of the Cubs offense.

According to the Cubs, they will carry a temporary replacement of John Baker/Eli Whiteside. John Baker has been the Cubs backup catcher all year, but he is not starter material in any way. Baker has provided solid defense behind the plate, but his woes are with at bat in his hands, as he has maintained an awful .148 average with 0 HR and 3 RBI. When Baker needs an off-day, his replacement is far worse than he is. Eli Whiteside, who is well known for catching Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter, has not appeared in a Major League Baseball game since 2012. His statistics this year at AAA explain why Whiteside has not seen Major League time in awhile. During his tenure down at Iowa, Whiteside batted .171 with 3 HR and 13 RBI. Having Whiteside as the backup catcher is like carrying Koyie Hill or Blake Lalli on the team. If the Cubs expect to stay competitive in games, giving Whiteside a start will hurt the team more than looking for other options.

For the Cubs to continue this duel at the plate, they are just wanting to lose ballgames. It's worth noting that on Cubs.com, Castillo's return date is to be determined. Instead of having to make a trade to find a suitable fix for the catching position, the Cubs could take a look at who's available on waivers. The one player the Cubs should look at is Jordan Pacheco. Pacheco, who has played for the Colorado Rockies, was designated for assignment on June 4, 2014. So far this year he has hit .236 with 0 HR and 8 RBI. While the Coors effect has worked for him (.296 average at home v.s. .200 average on road), he still would be a better option than Baker or Whiteside. The twenty-eight year old has showed promise, as he hit .309 with 5 HR and 54 RBI in 2012 in 475 at-bats during the 2012 season. Like many players, a change of scenery could be just what Pacheco needs. Giving him the starting catcher job would see what he's capable of, and move Baker back into the role that suits him best. If Pacheco tends to be capable of providing offensive and defensive production, he could be a nice asset on the Cubs bench for the future. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)