Holmes: 'Passive' Cubs should be setting the market, not reacting to it

(670 The Score) The Cubs entered this 2024 season with the hope of emerging as a legitimate contender in the National League. Instead, those plans have fallen flat.

The Cubs were 35-39 and in last place in the NL Central entering action Wednesday. They're part of a significant pack of teams in the league’s wild-card race vying for a spot in the postseason.

In the mind of 670 The Score midday host Laurence Holmes, part of the Cubs’ struggles stem from a flawed organizational philosophy that starts with president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.

“You’re supposed to be the team that’s setting the market and not always reacting to it,” Holmes said. “And I feel like that’s part of Jed’s nature as an executive, is passive. And I would like for him to be less passive. Instead of letting things happen in the National league, why aren’t you setting the agenda? In this division and in the league. And then, when they don’t get to where they want to go, it feels like, ‘Oh, everything kind of happened around us.’ There were things that were in your control that you decided, 'Let’s wait.'”

Holmes pointed to the success of the Dodgers, who are 46-29 and in first place in the NL West despite a rash of injuries to key players like star shortstop Mookie Betts and ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

The Cubs host the Giants on Wednesday afternoon in the rubber match of their three-game series at Wrigley Field.