The hire of Jim Hickey as Cubs pitching coach had been predicted for several days before word got out late Thursday that he had been hired. It’s yet to be confirmed by the team, and likely now won’t until at least the next World Series off day on Monday.
But it was apparently the bullpen failure of the postseason, along with some issues in the starting rotation the first half, that led the Cubs to think that a new approach was needed and to the dismissal of Chris Bosio. And that appears to be all this is: a new message for Cubs pitchers.