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I wonder if Ross like lefty, righty or he doesnt care.
Could go
Bryant
Rizzo
Baez
Schwarbs
or switch out Rizzo and Schwarbs.
I don’t think it has anything to do with trade value. It has to do with oba and he is the best base runner on the team. He ranked 78th percentile in sprint speed last year. He is over looked on his speed. Cubs aren’t going to steal bases. It’s putting the most guys on base for schwarbs and BaezHe lead off in college. So this is not a stretch at all.
If I had to guess Ross is thinking Heyward hitting #2.
So
Bryant
Heyward
Baez
Rizzo
Contreras
Schwarber
Then I would expect 2B and CF in a platoon situation with Almora/Happ in center and Bote and either Kip or Descalso at 2B.
Over all based off of last year it should go
Schwarber
Bote
Happ
For the majority of the first 1/2.
But I just see this as they are pushing up Bryant's PA's to build up trade value.
I don’t think it has anything to do with trade value. It has to do with oba and he is the best base runner on the team. He ranked 78th percentile in sprint speed last year. He is over looked on his speed. Cubs aren’t going to steal bases. It’s putting the most guys on base for schwarbs and Baez
Vs RHP
Bryant
Rizzo
Baez
Schwarber
Contreras
Heyward
Happ
Kipnis/Descalso
Pitcher
Personally I may move up kipnis/descalso; bat the pitcher 8th and put happ 9th as he does take walks giving Bryant chances with people on base and rizzo behind him.
Really tired of having guys that are home run hitters, hit leadoff. I hate seeing a guy with 30+ homers and under 80rbi. It’s just a waste of run production IMO. Let him hit 4th and drive in 120. Sad what they turn to because they still haven’t been able to find a decent leadoff hitter since Fowler
Is there a difference between hitting hr in the 4th spot with nobody on base vs hitting them in the leadoff spot with nobody on base?
The fact is the two guys who get on at the highest rate are bryant and rizzo.....we have plenty of power guys behind them (Baez-schwarber-contreras) who dont get on as much.
Ideally there would be a left handed hitting cf who gets on base a ton hitting leadoff but that guy doesnt exist on the roster right now (not much in baseball)
So Bryant/Rizzo is the best 1-2 combo for now
Your argument is flawed at best. To argue what’s the difference between hitting a hr batting first with nobody on or 4th with nobody on assumes that Bryant will see the bases empty the same amount no matter which spot he hits.
Sure, it’s just the first time thru the lineup, after that it’s all random. But, 1 AB is roughly 20-25% of at bats. Not to mention he would be coming to bat after the pitcher and worst hitter on the team, further limiting the runners on base for him. That’s a significant chunk of at bats that you are guaranteed to hit with nobody on base. That’s just silly IMO to limit the runners on base when Bryant comes to hit.
I acknowledged that this is being done because of the lack of options. I’m simply stating that I don’t like it and I wish the cubs would actually make a move to get a legit leadoff hitter to allow Bryant to hit in a spot much more in line with his abilities.
He lead off in college. So this is not a stretch at all.
If I had to guess Ross is thinking Heyward hitting #2.
So
Bryant
Heyward
Baez
Rizzo
Contreras
Schwarber
Then I would expect 2B and CF in a platoon situation with Almora/Happ in center and Bote and either Kip or Descalso at 2B.
Over all based off of last year it should go
Schwarber
Bote
Happ
For the majority of the first 1/2.
But I just see this as they are pushing up Bryant's PA's to build up trade value.
First half of the first year hear, Heyward batted 2nd and blew the billy goat. Too much pressure. We have been thru this already.
Man oh manHeyward is one of the worst playoff hitters ever. Literally ever. So I don’t get why people don’t understand he needs to limited as much as possible at the plate. Guy has like one big hit in May and people think he’s clutch or something.
Seems I was right with Ross thinking.
Bryant
Rizzo
Baez
Schwarbs
Contreras
Heyward/Happ
as your 1 through 6
Bryant becomes Cubs' newest leadoff hitter
MESA, Ariz. -- After Kris Bryant wrapped up his opening press conference of the spring, a discussion that lasted more than a half-hour with Chicago media on Saturday morning, the slugger headed back into the clubhouse. Bryant was then greeted by manager David Ross. "I said, 'Step into my office,www.mlb.com
No, Rizzo was told he is the number 2 hitter.I think you are reading into it too much.
So, is Rizzo the No. 2 hitter?
"Maybe," Ross said with a laugh.
The manager also said he values alternating the handedness of his hitters, if possible. So, reading between the lines, that means Bryant, Rizzo, Javier Báez, Schwarber, Willson Contreras and Heyward could form the Nos. 1-6 portion of the batting order. Ross reminded that he has a number of ways he could go with the lineup.
"You want to put those at-bats as close to the top," Ross said of Bryant and Rizzo. "And then you start to think about some sluggers behind those two at the top. ... If we start talking about it and thinking about it, we've got that set. You know what I mean? It just feels like a dynamic lineup as it starts playing out."
Ross said another factor behind this decision is the reality that the Cubs' offense did not get the most out of a slew of great individual seasons in '19. The manager wanted to "do something different" to maybe breathe some life into the lineup, and the fact that Bryant was all-in with the concept made it easy on Ross.
"Kris Bryant is a really good at-bat, gets on base," Ross said. "His baseball IQ is extremely high. So, when you talk about putting the best players in baseball at the top of the order, I think that's our best player, and I want to put him at the top."