Smyly aims to improve on impressive 2022 performance; excited with Cubs' new Gold Glovers
MESA, Ariz. (CBS) -- Drew Smyly quietly had a solid season for the Cubs last year, registering an ERA of 3.47 over 106.1 innings pitched in 22 starts. It was enough for the Cubs to bring back the left-handed starter on a two-year, $19 million dollar deal.
Marshall Harris talked with Smyly about returning to the Cubs, and hopefully improving as well.
HARRIS: "Coming here in Spring Training, what you're looking to maybe take something from last season and bring into this season?"
SMYLY: "Just build off my second half of last year. I thought I finished really strong, and strung a lot of good starts together. And going into this season, I just want to stay healthy first and foremost, and then just be a presence for some of the younger guys to come to, and ask questions, and just help this team continue to be on the uprise."
HARRIS: "So many new faces in the room. Does the room feel different? Do the expectations feel any different maybe a year ago [compared to] now?"
SMYLY: "Oh, I think for sure. I think, I mean Spring Training every year, I think every team has high expectations. You know, there's just baseball. You never know. You never know what, how it's going to play out. You play a lot of games, and sometimes the teams that might get picked last win it all."
"But going into this season, I feel like we've got a lot of veteran guys mixed in with some really good young talent. They went and got Tucker [Barnhart], and he's a two-time Gold Glove catcher. You know, he's going to fit right in. We already have [Yan] Gomes. He's been the veteran presence on the team last year, and he's going to stay there. So those are two guys that love to work with their pitchers, and … they know what they're doing back there. Everyone can trust them."
"And then, on top of that, we've got Eric Hosmer, and [Cody] Bellinger, and Dansby [Swanson], and it's just like, I think they've all got Gold Gloves, so that's a lot of good defense behind us. So going into this season, I think everybody's very excited, especially pitchers, to just go attack these hitters, let them put it in play, and watch all those fielders run it down."
Cubs' newcomers Barnhart, Bellinger, Hosmer, and Swanson have a combined eight Gold Gloves in their careers. Meantime, Cubs outfielder Ian Happ won his first Gold Glove last season.
The Cubs play their Cactus League opener Saturday at 2 p.m. Central time. Marcus Stroman will start that game.