NEWSLETTER
The Brewers come to Cubs Park today an hour later than they would have yesterday. That’s because Arizona is weird, and their time didn’t change today. So those 2:05pm CT games are all now 3:05pm CT games. Today’s is on Cubs.com (audio), if you’d like to listen in.
Kyle Hendricks gets his second Spring start, which is a mild surprise to me, given the theoretical other number of competitors the Cubs have for not only the roster, but the back-end of the rotation. If Hendricks is absolutely being sent to AAA to start the year, as the Cubs have indicated, I suppose it’s a high compliment that he continues to draw starts.
The lineup finally features something I’ve been waiting for: both Ryan Sweeney and Junior Lake. And the guy in center field is … Lake. I suppose there remains a tiny chance that Lake heads to AAA Iowa to start the year to continue working at center field, but I’m thinking he’s the guy there in Pittsburgh on Opening Day for the Cubs. As I’ve said a number of times before, in center field, Lake has the potential to be an above-average regular. In left field, I’m not sure that would ever be the case. In a season like this, might as well see what kind of value Lake can create for himself (and the organization) in center.
Oh, and Javy Baez is starting at shortstop, but no one cares about that, right?
Lineup:
- Matt Szczur, LF
- Luis Valbuena, 3B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Justin Ruggiano, DH
- Ryan Sweeney, RF
- Javier Baez, SS
- Junior Lake, CF
- George Kottaras, C
- Darwin Barney, 2B
