(670 The Score) What has impressed Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer the most about MLB as a whole on the field in 2020 has been how teams have played with their usual edge despite disjointed preparation, day-to-day uncertainty and no fans in the stands amid the pandemic.
"The intensity of the game is the same," Hoyer said on the Dan Bernstein Show on Tuesday morning.
So what's impressed him the most about his Cubs? It would be a couple related characteristics, which he weren't evident often enough to his liking in the Cubs' disappointing 2018 and 2019 seasons.
"There's a crispness I feel like we've played with, an energy and a crispness that I think is -- besides the rundowns (on the bases) -- there's an energy and crispness that we've played with that's been really satisfying," Hoyer said. "And I think part of the reason we were frustrated the last couple years is we saw this team and most of the same players play that way in '15, '16, the second half of '17, where you just felt we didn't make mistakes, we made all the right plays. It was an immensely satisfying group of players to watch. And I think we got away from some of those things for a couple years with our defense and our baserunning. And it feels like we're right back there. The left side of the infield in particular has played fantastic defense this year. I feel like we're on the road back to where we need to be in that regard."
The Cubs sit atop the NL Central after a strong 10-3 start. That's 4.5 games up on the Brewers and Reds. The Cubs are mathematically up four games on the Cardinals (2-3), who have played just five games due to a coronavirus outbreak and whose season seems to be in jeopardy.
"The margin for error in our division is really small, and I think that giving extra outs on the bases or giving extra outs on defense is going to kill you in our division," Hoyer said. "I just think we've done an excellent job so far of taking care of our outs and playing inspired baseball. I think it's shown so far."
