There are a couple of refreshing articles about the Cubs on the team's website that I thought I'd share.
The first features the new manager's bunting competition: "Cubs Bunting Competition Heats Up at Camp."
The second is a feel-good piece about Sveum: "Sveum All Business In First Camp At Helm."
It's highly improbable that the Baby Bears will be a legit contender in the NL Central. If I'm a betting man, I'm going with the Reds. However, with the relative mediocrity of all of the teams in the division, you never know.
The Cubs winning the Central isn't going to happen though. With the projected starting lineup and rotation below, they aren't going to strike fear in anyone.
Projected Starting Lineup:
1. Starlin Castro (SS)
2. David DeJesus (RF)
3. Marlon Byrd (CF)
4. Alfonso Soriano (LF)
5. Geovany Soto (C)
6. Bryan LaHair (1B) with Anthony Rizzo waiting at AAA
7. Ian Stewart (3B) with Josh Vitters at AAA
8. Darwin Barney (2B)
Projected Starting Rotation:
1. Matt Garza
2. Ryan Dempster
3. Randy Wells
4. Chris Volstad or Paul Maholm
5. Travis Wood or Jeff Samardzija
6 comments:
There's a rumor on the Internets that the Cubs will be playing their 2013 season at US Cellular Field.
I doubt that'll ever happen. It's not unprecedented though since the Yankees played at Shea during the 70s.
At least from early reports, it sounds like DeJesus will hit leadoff with Castro either hitting second or third.
Without looking it up, I bet DeJesus is the only guy with greater than a .330 OBP
Castro has a career .343 OBP thanks to a solid batting average, so he doesn't walk much. The most recent article about him focused on his work this off season on his defense, which needs work.
The Cubs can only go up with their defense since they were dead last in defense in MLB last year.
But, yes, DeJesus has a career .356 after a rough last year in Oakland.
After checking for my own entertainment, Foz, here are the career OBPs of the probable starting lineup on Opening Day:
1. DeJesus, .356
2. Castro, .343
3. Byrd, .339
4. LaHair,.335 (only 65 games total in career but had a .377 OBP in 20 games last season)
5. Soriano, .323
6. Soto, .348 (with up and down seasons)
7. Stewart, .323 (with a horrible season last year)
8. Barney, .310
That's not so good.
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