Kyle Schwarber....lead off hitter?

[Sammy Sofa]

Sure, but what are the odds he ends up one of the 4-5 best hitters in the lineup any time soon? Seems like a good spot for him for a while.

[David]

Sure, but what are the odds he ends up one of the 4-5 best hitters in the lineup any time soon? Seems like a good spot for him for a while.

 

Unlikely but not that crazy.

 

Nothing wrong with hoping it happens nor will I be shocked if he breaks out as he figures things out a little more this year.

[Sammy Sofa]

Nothing wrong with hoping

 

OR IS THERE.

[David]

Just for shits and giggles, I'm gonna try to lay out a scenario where I could see ranking Russell in our top 5 hitters

 

Rizzo

Bryant

Heyward

Schwarber

 

Russell

 

Soler

Montero

 

ok horsefeathers this yeah it's gonna be really hard. great problem to have. kind of crazy that i can't even come up with a scenario where a guy as talented as russell with his pedigree and minor league track record will outhit 3 guys out of our everyday lineup. the main reason is i think soler is gonna be legitimately good offensively. russell still obv way more valuable as a player because of position and defense, but i'm even having a hard time putting him ahead of him on offense alone (even though i did while brainstorming up there).

 

if soler is MEH and zobrist kinda shows a little decline, i guess i could see russell having good enough of a year at the plate to be ahead of those two and montero.

[David]

Had heard mention of this on the radio...looks like Joe is kicking around the idea of setting the table with Fowler, Heyward, and Zobrist before Bryzzo.

 

"If you put Dexter, Jason and Zo in front of Bryant and Rizzo, they should be at the dinner table doing it a lot that way," Maddon said.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-batting-order-versatile-spt-0308-20160307-story.html

[WrigleyField 22]

Had heard mention of this on the radio...looks like Joe is kicking around the idea of setting the table with Fowler, Heyward, and Zobrist before Bryzzo.

 

"If you put Dexter, Jason and Zo in front of Bryant and Rizzo, they should be at the dinner table doing it a lot that way," Maddon said.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-batting-order-versatile-spt-0308-20160307-story.html

Does it really matter how we organize our order?

[jersey cubs fan]

Had heard mention of this on the radio...looks like Joe is kicking around the idea of setting the table with Fowler, Heyward, and Zobrist before Bryzzo.

 

"If you put Dexter, Jason and Zo in front of Bryant and Rizzo, they should be at the dinner table doing it a lot that way," Maddon said.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-batting-order-versatile-spt-0308-20160307-story.html

Does it really matter how we organize our order?

Kris down, Schwarbs up, that's the way I like to slug

[David]

Had heard mention of this on the radio...looks like Joe is kicking around the idea of setting the table with Fowler, Heyward, and Zobrist before Bryzzo.

 

"If you put Dexter, Jason and Zo in front of Bryant and Rizzo, they should be at the dinner table doing it a lot that way," Maddon said.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-batting-order-versatile-spt-0308-20160307-story.html

Does it really matter how we organize our order?

 

Not really.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Having our three best hitters from last year(by a significant margin) hit 4-5-6 isn't ideal, although Heyward and Zobrist's likely output is in between Fowler and the worst of the 3(Schwarber) which isn't *terrible*.

[WrigleyField 22]

Heyward

Bryant

Rizzo

Zobrist

Schawrber

Russell

Montero

Pitcher

Fowler

?

 

That gives our best hitters the most AB right?

[sneakypower]

keep the line moving

 

Fowler (BB)

Heyward (1B)

Bryant (HR)

Rizzo (HBP)

Zobrist (2B)

Schwarber (HR)

Montero (BB)

P (K)

Russell (HR)

 

and then we just score 7+ runs most innings instead of dong-wasting stupid b2b2b HRs

[tfarks]

Heyward

Bryant

Rizzo

Zobrist

Schawrber

Russell

Montero

Pitcher

Fowler

?

 

That gives our best hitters the most AB right?

 

Then it would be:

 

Rizzo

Bryant

Schwarber

Heyward

Zobrist

whatever

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Having our three best hitters from last year(by a significant margin) hit 4-5-6 isn't ideal, although Heyward and Zobrist's likely output is in between Fowler and the worst of the 3(Schwarber) which isn't *terrible*.

 

To clarify this a bit further, if it were me, I would hit Rizzo/Bryant no lower than 3/4, and Montero/P/Russell are locked in at 7-9. Literally any permutation within those two guidelines I could get on board with. As it stands now, my mathematical ideal is probably something like Heyward/Zobrist/Rizzo/Bryant/Schwarber/Fowler/Montero/P/Russell, but that probably won't happen.

[JennieGarthAlgar]

I think its pretty obvious that Fowler is going to lead off every time he's starting unless he starts off slumping or Joe just wants to throw a weird lineup out there to shake things up.

[JennieGarthAlgar]

As it stands now, my mathematical ideal is probably something like Heyward/Zobrist/Rizzo/Bryant/Schwarber/Fowler/Montero/P/Russell, but that probably won't happen.

 

I like this lineup but I'd switch Fowler and Schwarber. Theres just something about Fowler on first with Schwarber at the plate that gets me all excited..

[Andy]

I like Fowler at the top. Zobrist at 2 is fine, Schwarbs there would be cool. Bryzzo 3/4. But there aren't many wrong answers with this group.

[CubinNY]

Fowler

Heyward

Rizzo

Bryant

Schawrber

Zobrist

Montero

Pitcher

Russell

 

KB breaks Hack's RBI record by September.

Edited March 8, 2016 by CubinNY

[Bull]

Heyward

Bryant

Rizzo

Zobrist

Schawrber

Russell

Montero

Pitcher

Fowler

?

 

That gives our best hitters the most AB right?

 

Then it would be:

 

Rizzo

Bryant

Schwarber

Heyward

Zobrist

whatever

 

I just love seeing Heyward listed fourth. I live outside StL and constantly get crap over how much the Cubs are paying Heyward, how cards fans are so much smarter because the Cubs are looking to Heyward as the savior and they (cards fans) know better. I reply, with, "savior? Nah, we have three of those in Rizzo, Bryant and Arrieta. The Cubs just need Heyward to get on base in front of the big boys." It just makes them seethe that the best hitter on the Cards team last year is our third or fourth best hitter this year. So much fun.

[Bull]

Having our three best hitters from last year(by a significant margin) hit 4-5-6 isn't ideal, although Heyward and Zobrist's likely output is in between Fowler and the worst of the 3(Schwarber) which isn't *terrible*.

 

To clarify this a bit further, if it were me, I would hit Rizzo/Bryant no lower than 3/4, and Montero/P/Russell are locked in at 7-9. Literally any permutation within those two guidelines I could get on board with. As it stands now, my mathematical ideal is probably something like Heyward/Zobrist/Rizzo/Bryant/Schwarber/Fowler/Montero/P/Russell, but that probably won't happen.

Why not switch Russell and Fowler? Now that we have new-and-improved fowler to lead off, fowler can be that "extra lead off hitter" Joe likes, and Russell can join the ranks of the dongers.

[bukie]

Zobrist

Heyward

Bryant

Rizzo

Schwarber

Russell

Montero

P

Fowler

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Having our three best hitters from last year(by a significant margin) hit 4-5-6 isn't ideal, although Heyward and Zobrist's likely output is in between Fowler and the worst of the 3(Schwarber) which isn't *terrible*.

 

To clarify this a bit further, if it were me, I would hit Rizzo/Bryant no lower than 3/4, and Montero/P/Russell are locked in at 7-9. Literally any permutation within those two guidelines I could get on board with. As it stands now, my mathematical ideal is probably something like Heyward/Zobrist/Rizzo/Bryant/Schwarber/Fowler/Montero/P/Russell, but that probably won't happen.

Why not switch Russell and Fowler? Now that we have new-and-improved fowler to lead off, fowler can be that "extra lead off hitter" Joe likes, and Russell can join the ranks of the dongers.

 

Because Fowler is a better hitter until Russell takes a pretty big step forward. He could take that step, so by June my preference might be different, but at this point he's firmly entrenched as the worst hitter in the group.

[RammyFanny]

Maddon's running Fowler/Heyward/Zobrist/Rizzo today as David posted in the gamethread. My immediate reaction is that I still kind of like stacking your best hitters early instead, but it would also be a little funny for a pitcher to have to labor through some long AB's 1-3 and look up to see Rizzo Bryant and Schwarber coming up.

[Banedon]

Apparently Jed said on 670 today that they're contemplating the idea of making Schwarber the personal catcher for one of the pitchers.

[David]

Apparently Jed said on 670 today that they're contemplating the idea of making Schwarber the personal catcher for one of the pitchers.

 

My guess would be Hammel...based only on the fact that I think he caught him the other day and Hammel seemed to make a point of saying good things about it.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Apparently Jed said on 670 today that they're contemplating the idea of making Schwarber the personal catcher for one of the pitchers.

 

I don't recall where I saw this originally, but the rumor I heard was Hendricks. Jeff Sullivan even addressed it in his last chat.

 

klof: Rumors of Schwarber being caddie for Hendricks. Seems like a terrible idea since Hendricks relies on location so an above average framer seems like a must. I’m just guessing Schwarber is not this. How much of a hit would it be for Hendricks to only pitch to Schwarber? Would Hammel or Lackey make more sense? I can see how it could make it easier on Schwarber to only have to really learn one pitcher’s quirks if he’s only catching once a week.

 

Jeff Sullivan: I think, if the Cubs are insistent on having Schwarber catch, Hendricks might actually make the most sense. You want to give him a regular, consistent partner so he can get used to the movements and get an idea for the game-calling, but Hendricks also is the softest thrower with his fastball and changeup, so he might be the easiest of all of the starters to receive. Give Schwarber a spring of learning the right techniques and I think this could work out just fine

 

The hardest pitches to frame are the fast, darting ones and the ones that end up far away from the target. Hendricks doesn’t throw very many of either