Cubs Live
As the NLDS approaches, one of the main topics discussed is who is going to pitch game one for the Cubs (as well as the Nationals now that Scherzer has a tweaked hamstring). While I’m very interested to see who the Cubs decide to take to the mound for game one, I’m just as interested to see who will be the 8 position players to go along with the pitcher.
The Cubs have the luxury of having a very deep bench. Players that would start almost anywhere, such as Ben Zobrist, Ian Happ, Albert Almora Jr, Kyle Schwarber, Tommy La Stella and Jon Jay are far from locks to be everyday starters in the playoffs. While the majority of these players will likely come off the bench a solid amount of the playoffs, I think some of them deserve to start every game if we want our best chance to win. The lineup that I believe gives the Cubs the greatest chance of beating the Nationals is Rizzo at first, Javy at second, Russell at shortstop, Bryant at third, Contreras at Catcher, Schwarber in left field, Almora in centerfield and Happ in right field. There are some notable names left off this list, such as Jason Heyward, who is expected to start in right field. While Heyward has improved at the plate compared to 2016, the only reason why he’s an everyday starter is for his defense. While Heyward (.326 OBP) and Happ (.328 OBP) get on base at nearly an identical rate, Happ is much more dangerous as his slugging percentage (.514) is significantly higher than Heyward’s (.389). Heyward is a much better outfielder, but against the Nationals, the Cubs will need to have their most dangerous bats at the plate as much as possible, and the only position player with a lower OPS than Heyward is Zobrist. I can see an argument for his defense being valuable enough to earn him starting play, but if Almora is playing in center, we can get away with having Happ in right field. If Jay is starting in center, I can see an argument for Heyward being in right field. Another player that is left off that list is 2016 World Series MVP, Ben Zobrist. Zobrist is known for his big game heroics and has been a vital part of many memorable moments from the 2016 postseason, such as game 4 of the NLDS and game 7 of the World Series. Last year at this time, I would want Zobrist at the plate over anyone on the Cubs during the big moments. While he has improved offensively over the course of the season, his numbers aren’t good enough to keep Schwarber out of the lineup. While Schwarber’s 2017 season wasn’t as great as we expected, he has an OPS of .897 in the second half of the season. Of the usual starters, only Contreras, Bryant and Rizzo have posted a better OPS during the second half of the season. Schwarber isn’t an elite outfielder, but neither is Zobrist. What Schwarber has been able to accomplish in the postseason so far in his career is enough to be remembered by Cubs fans for decades to come. Zobrist will always have the clutch moments from the 2016 postseason run, but I think he should be used as more of a situational hitter and midgame substitution. The players that should be starting every game without question should be Rizzo, Bryant, Contreras, Javy, and Russell. Our infield should look the same every single game, as that is our best chance to win offensively and defensively. The outfield can change in many different ways, as I can see arguments for Almora, Jay, Happ, Heyward, Schwarber or Zobrist starting. My prediction for game one, while I don’t agree with it, is Schwarber at left, Jay in center and Heyward in right. Jay playing instead of Almora isn’t too much of a liability, as Jay is a very solid leadoff hitter, isn’t a major risk in the outfield and is a machine at getting on base. I will feel fine starting Jay over Almora, although I would love to see him get the chance to make a big impact this postseason. In a series where scoring runs are going to be so crucial, our most dangerous hitters are going to need as many at bats as possible. Ian Happ had a monster rookie season and I wouldn’t be surprised if he continued it into the postseason if given the chance. I don’t see Madden taking Heyward out of the lineup, however, so I’m not getting my hopes up early on. Hopefully the Cubs make a deep enough run for this to continue to be a topic of discussion.
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Kyle MalzhanFounder who is an aspiring journalist who covers the Chicago Cubs daily. Archives
April 2020
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