Levine: Cubs Additions Make Sense For Now, Future

By Bruce Levine--

(CBS) -- The addition of starting pitcher Dan Haren and reliever Tommy Hunter appear to be the perfect fit for what the Chicago Cubs are all about in 2015.

Bringing in Haren bolsters a rotation that was void of both depth and veteran status in the lower quadrant of the pitching order.

Although Haren is eligible to become a free agent after the season, he comes at a reasonable salary ($3 million prorated down from $10 million for the season) and a wealth of experience to offer a young evolving ball club. Hunter brings a good resume to the Cubs bullpen that was in need of reinforcements, after a much-too-active first 100 games.

Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said earlier in the week that any trade the team made would have to fit into the present and future plans of the franchise. This caveat came with a warning that nothing would detour the group from the overall plan of becoming a playoff contender every season for the next decade.

As they stand today, the Cubs are a deeper, more professional-looking team as they attempt to make a run at the wild card this fall. They won't be favored to win, but without question they did nothing to disrupt the player development and cache of outstanding young talent moving through the minor-league system.

Manager Joe Maddon should have a more balanced 25-man roster once Kyle Schwarber becomes proficient enough to play left field four times a week. Nine relief pitchers and three catchers have made for a cumbersome roster with little wiggle room to manage the late innings.

With a veteran starter in Haren eating up some more innings as the fifth starter and Hunter picking up the bullpen, baseball could stay meaningful for the Cubs and their fans through September.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.