![]() Keeping Montero fresh is a benefit, and the plan also keeps Schwarber’s bat in the lineup while Soler gets at-bats those days Schwarber catches. That leaves Miguel Montero for the other three starters. So the plan is for Schwarber to catch Jason Hammel most of the time, while David Ross is Jon Lester’s guy. The emergence of Willson Contreras in the minors is one reason, and the Cubs don’t want Schwarber to be worn down by the position anyway. It could actually be what his career looks like - as no longer is he in line to be the everyday backstop. The Cubs have basically decided Kyle Schwarber will continue as a part-time catcher and part-time outfielder. So what’s the catching situation looking like? It makes sense until the Cubs need a long ball late in the game, and instead of Bryant at the plate it’s Zobrist, but remember the season is 162 games and Maddon can make a change - and undoubtedly will - at any time. Will Maddon indeed bat him third as he’s done a few times this spring? Having Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant hit with men on base and with some protection is paramount to Maddon, so there’s a good chance Dexter Fowler, Jason Heyward and Zobrist will bat 1-2-3 in front of the sluggers. That’s definitely a question which could be answered in these final days of spring training. What, if any, will be Maddon’s regular-season batting order? If he takes his one at-bat per game like it’s do-or-die, then he’s in trouble. When he gets his chances at the plate he’ll need to show patience and act like he’s an everyday player. He’s already come a long way in centerfield, and Maddon still loves his instincts, so he’ll probably enter a lot of games he doesn’t start. His role won’t be easy - and that’s just on offense where plate appearances might be at a premium. Is Baez healthy and ready for his new super-utility role?īaez needs some at-bats this final week as he’s been slowed by a jammed thumb. The Cubs' Javier Baez will have to find a way to stay sharp at the plate in a utility role. But for what? A “B” prospect? Keeping him is the best move and lightens the load on the entire bullpen, which includes Clayton Richard, Travis Wood, Trevor Cahill, Adam Warren, Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon. Ramirez is out of minor league options so the other choice is to trade him. He has very good breaking stuff so there might be enough upside there to keep him around. He believes he’ll get back to the upper 90’s on his fastball, but even if he doesn’t, he’s slowly learning to pitch with less velocity. ![]() ![]() Why feed another body? And Ramirez will tell you it’s still a process with his shoulder strength. Maddon already will need to find at-bats for quasi-starters Javier Baez and Jorge Soler. It’s the smart move for two reasons: It leaves one fewer position player on the bench, and Ramirez still might be a really good reliever. The Cubs are leaning towards Ramirez getting a spot, which means they’d keep eight relievers to begin the season. Let’s tackle a few here before Joe Maddon does the same by next Monday:ĭoes reliever Neil Ramirez make the team? One week to go until Opening Day for the Chicago Cubs with several questions still needing answers. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |