Welcome to SB Nation FanPulse, a survey of fans across MLB. Each week, we send 30 polls to plugged in fans from each team. Cubs fans, sign up HERE to join FanPulse.
By the July 31 trade deadline, the Cubs had added four players to the 25-man roster by trade: Nicholas Castellanos, Tony Kemp, David Phelps and Derek Holland. The cost to acquire these four: Mike Montgomery (via the Martin Maldonado deal, who went to Houston for Kemp), minor leaguers Alex Lange, Tom Hatch and Paul Richan, and some cash considerations.
That’s a pretty good haul — and doesn’t even include Jonathan Lucroy, who was added Thursday, a week after the deadline. And in the latest SB Nation FanPulse survey, the overwhelming majority of members said that was a good thing:
I thought the Cubs got a bit of a short shrift (not even being mentioned) in the question asked of respondents representing all 30 teams:
The Yankees didn’t really do anything, and neither did the Dodgers. The Cubs should have at least been in that conversation, I think. No doubt, the Astros do appear to be the team to beat this season.
In the meantime, this week’s numbers are up a bit for manager Joe Maddon. 78 percent expressed confidence in Joe, up from 68 percent the previous week. Overall confidence in the direction of the Cubs sits at 60 percent, which isn’t great, but up considerably from the 40 percent season-low figure from the previous week.
It’s not too late to have your voice heard. Sign up for FanPulse at the link at the top of this post.