The Cubs Clearly Think Mike Fontenot Can Be the Backup Shortstop
Mike Fontenot is locked in a battle with Jeff Baker to be the starter at second base (even though it’s a natural platoon situation, but whatever - I don’t get paid $4 million by the Chicago Cubs to make these decisions like Lou Piniella), but the Cubs are hoping he can also be the backup at shortstop.
And so far, so good.
Manager Lou Piniella also was pleased at something that didn’t show up in the box score: Mike Fontenot’s performance at shortstop.
“That’s one of the highlights of [Monday's] game,” Piniella said. “He made a couple real nice plays and felt real comfortable out there. We’ll continue to play him there from time to time. It gives us different options, if we chose.”…
“I enjoy moving around,” Fontenot said Tuesday. “It’s fun to do that. Most of the time, if I’m not starting, I’m probably at shortstop. It breaks up the monotony.”…
Fontenot had been slowed by a sore right shoulder, which he injured last Thursday in the Cubs’ first Cactus League game when he took a tumble at third base. He hasn’t had any problems since.
“I completely forgot about it,” he said.
The Athletics didn’t waste any time testing Fontenot’s throwing ability, as he fielded several grounders in the early going.
“They tried to get me right off the bat,” Fontenot said. “That’s usually what happens is you get out there and someone hits a missile at you. It was just good to get out on the field. I hadn’t played in a few days.”
The throw from short compared with second base is different.
“It’s a little bit further,” he said. “You just have to move your feet a little more and make sure you’re not just sitting back. You have to get your feet set.”
The left-handed-hitting infielder batted .305 in 2008 and was tabbed the Opening Day second baseman for ‘09. But he batted .236 in 135 games last year. The good news is that he never let his offensive struggles carry over onto the field.
Fontenot doesn’t mind moving back and forth in the infield.
“It’s always good to show the Cubs, or anybody else, that you can play multiple positions,” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen. I look forward to any opportunity I can get on the field, even if they want to throw me out in the outfield. I’m available for anything.”
Last year, pitcher Sean Marshall was moved to left field for one batter so he could stay in the game in relief. If Marshall can handle the outfield, so can Fontenot. But the Cubs will worry about the infield for now.
“I was encouraged by what I saw,” Piniella said. “He feels comfortable with it, which is more important than anything else.” cubs.com.
Interesting that Fontenot said it’s good to show the Cubs or anybody else that you can play multiple positions.
To me, it’s pretty clear that the Cubs are not going to carry an extra infielder for defense. Andres Blanco’s knee injury didn’t make the decision, but it didn’t help. Piniella is already touting Fontenot’s ability to handle shortstop, and that’s really all he needs to know. Ultimately, it’s probably fine. Ryan Theriot will rarely sit, and if he’s out for an extended period of time, the Cubs will bring up a defensive shortstop - Starlin Castro or otherwise.
ShareAndres Blanco Injury Has No Effect on Starlin Castro
Chicago Cubs reserve infielder Andres Blanco, a dazzler with the glove, had a fair chance to make the Cubs, but a recent knee injury, which will keep him out for a couple weeks, put a damper on those hopes. But if Blanco doesn’t make the team, who’s going to back up shortstop?
If manager Lou Piniella has his druthers, it will be Mike Fontenot on the rare occasion that Ryan Theriot doesn’t play. But what about Starlin Castro? If Fontenot shows he can’t handle backing up shortstop, would the Cubs considering carrying Castro on the bench?
Praise Jebus, the answer is no.
The Cubs have no other veteran shortstops in camp to back up Ryan Theriot, but Piniella ended any speculation that Blanco’s injury would open the door for Castro.
“This will give me a chance to play (Mike) Fontenot at shortstop, which I said I needed to do,” Piniella said. “We’ve got (prospect Rex) Barney in camp. We’ve got enough.”
Any way the Cubs would keep Castro at short, and move Ryan Theriot to second?
Piniella laughed.
“No, no,” he said. “Starlin is going to start the season in Triple-A and play. Now the only way Starlin would come into this equation, and I’ve said this before, is if he shows he’s ready to play here and there’s a problem physically with Theriot.
“Now, we don’t want that. But I’ll tell you what, I’ve been very impressed with Starlin. He’s smooth up there, got a nice throwing arm, good hands. I’ll tell you what, he gives you a nice at-bat. But no, we’re going to go with Theriot at shortstop, and certainly (Castro) wouldn’t be up here backing up under any circumstances. We want this kid to play.”
So why not let him play at short?
“You guys are starting trouble already,” he said. “Four games into spring training. No, let’s just leave it the way we’ve said it (would be). … I’m happy with ‘The Riot.’ And remember, Castro has played only briefly in Double-A, and no Triple-A. Blanco is a two-week thing, tops. lf we needed a backup infielder, it would be more Barney than it would be Castro.” Chicago Breaking Sports.
The Barney to which Piniella refers is Darwin Barney, another slick fielding shortstop. What happens to him will be interesting - if he doesn’t make the Cubs, he would have been expected to be the starting shortstop for AAA Iowa, but Castro could put a crimp in things.
Most likely, the Cubs will start working him a bit all over the diamond at AAA, grooming him as a utility player, capable of replacing Andres Blanco on the roster, if Blanco - who is out of options - doesn’t make the Cubs this year, and is claimed by another team.
As for Castro, this is very good news. No sense in stunting the kid’s development just so the Cubs can have a maybe slightly better backup at second base.
God’s Wrath Watch: Andres Blanco Suffers Sprained Knee
Chicago Cubs reserve infielder Andres Blanco is battling in Spring Training for one of the last two spots on the bench, and things took a dark turn for him yesterday on a pick-off play at second base.
Andres Blanco underwent an MRI on his right knee after suffering a Grade 2 sprain in the sixth inning Saturday. He’s expected to be out seven to 10 days. He apparently got his spikes locked in the infield dirt at HoHoKam Park when he made a play at second base on the White Sox’s Jason Botts. Blanco tried to turn and his cleats locked. Muskat Ramblings.
Recall, Lou Piniella’s plan appears to be having Mike Fontenot as the primary backup at shortstop, which would obviate the need for Blanco anyway. But that plan is far from a guaranteed success. With Blanco missing a couple of critical weeks, young shortstop Darwin Barney (great with the glove, Blanco-ish at the dish) will see a great deal more action at shortstop with a chance to win a spot on the team, should the Fontenot plan fail.
All-universe prospect Starlin Castro will see more time at short now, as well, but you have to believe this has no impact on the Cubs’ plans: unless Castro makes the team as the starter at short (not gonna happen), he’s not going to be carried as a reserve.
ShareGod’s Wrath Watch: God Hates Cubs Shoulders
Yesterday we learned that Chicago Cubs second baseman Mike Fontenot has a bum shoulder, which isn’t a huge concern, as he’s expected to be back tomorrow or early next week.
The shoulder injury that really shook the Cubs’ world, though, was that of reliever Angel Guzman. He’d been rehabbing from offseason knee surgery when he had some “discomfort” in his shoulder last week. The Cubs shut him down with the hopes that he could slowly come back - and he did, for a little while. But yesterday was apparently a breaking point, because the Cubs have completely shut him down, sent him for an MRI, and said that he’s unlikely to be ready for the start of the season.
We’ll reserve our PANIC until hearing the results of the MRI, but either way, for a bullpen already short on certain options, losing Guzman is a real kick in the crotch. The Cubs have the depth to replace him, but not necessarily the reliability. You better believe if Jim Hendry wasn’t working the phones before, he is now.
ShareFontenot Didn’t Explode His Knee
In yesterday’s first Spring Training game, Chicago Cubs second baseman Mike Fontenot slid awkwardly into third base in the fourth inning, banging his knee on the dirt. Fortunately, he’s ok.
“My knee hit,” said Fontenot, whose left knee required an ice pack. “I haven’t practiced that slide for awhile. The first thing I hit was my knee. I never hit my head.”
Fontenot is competing for playing time at second on the Cubs with Jeff Baker.
“You should’ve seen the smile on Jeff Baker’s face,” first baseman Derrek Lee said as reporters talked to Fontenot.
Lee was joking. Muskat Ramblings.
Was he?
Ok, yes, he probably was. But it interestingly reveals that the players in the clubhouse are keenly aware of the competition at second base, and everyone is thinking of it that way.
Think what you will of who should end up the nominal starter at second base, but I think we can all agree that no one wants the decision to be made by injury.
ShareAlfonso Soriano’s Knee is Going to Be An Issue All Year
Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano was something of a non-issue last year.
Not because there weren’t storylines swirling around him, but instead because he didn’t really show much to talk about on the field. He missed a third of the season with knee issues, and when he did play, he put up the worst numbers of his career. The Cubs hope offseason knee surgery will straighten things out, but we’re certain to continue hearing about the knee all season.
“He’s healthy, and we expect him to be a better all-around player,” Piniella said.
Soriano has been working hard with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. One suggestion Jaramillo has made is for Soriano to shorten his stride. Second baseman Mike Fontenot and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome also are trying to make that adjustment.
This will be the first year in which Soriano will not be leading off for the Cubs. He was dropped to sixth in the lineup last July 4. He batted .268 in 41 games there while hitting .228 as the leadoff man.
“I think he’s fine with it,” Piniella said of the switch. “We’re not going to expect 30 stolen bases from him or anything like that. Hitting in the sixth hole, he can save his legs a little more.
“What we need from Alfonso is some power and RBI production. The six hole is a really nice spot to hit in a National League lineup. I know he’s comfortable with it because I’ve asked him. Let’s hope he has an injury-free season and gets back to where he was a couple years ago and [is] a little more disciplined and [has] a healthy season, and a productive one.”
Being healthy should definitely help Soriano in the outfield. He totaled seven outfield assists last season, the first time he did not finish in double figures since he was converted to an outfielder. Soriano led the Major Leagues with 22 assists in 2006. A big part of the problem was that he couldn’t plant on his left leg because of his sore knee.
Whether or not the Cubs will sub someone in late innings for Soriano has yet to be determined.
“Let’s see how this team is put together,” Piniella said. “I was talking to my coaches today and we have some work to do here outfield-wise. We need to find one other outfielder in camp who can swing the bat a little bit and at the same time play good defense for us.
“Right now, I’d like to just let them play and let them go. One thing we need to do is I need to rest [Soriano] a little more. We’ll do that.” cubs.com.
Soriano is expected to play in his first Spring Training game this weekend, and the Cubs will assuredly take it easy with him all Spring.
Putting Soriano down in the order is, of course, a good and necessary idea. But putting him in the six-hole, where the hitter behind him will likely be someone like Mike Fontenot? That could create a lot of non-fastball at bats for Soriano, where we all know he’s bound to fail. Hopefully he shows he’s fully healed and has his bat speed back so that the Cubs can move him at least to the five-hole where he’s more likely to see fastballs, with men on base. Marlon Byrd may do some things well, but getting on base is not one of them.
ShareFirst Spring Training Lineup Holds Clues for the Season
The Chicago Cubs will play their first Spring Training game tomorrow, and manager Lou Piniella has released the lineup for the game:
1. Ryan Theriot SS
2. Kosuke Fukudome RF
3. Derrek Lee 1B
4. Aramis Ramirez 3B
5. Marlon Byrd CF
6. Tyler Colvin LF
7. Mike Fontenot 2B
8. Geovany Soto C
9. Randy Wells P
Now, this lineup is, of course, both early and not necessarily indicative of the lineup Piniella has in his head for the regular season, but a few things should jump out at you.
First is, well, first. Ryan Theriot is batting leadoff, and not Kosuke Fukudome. This could be a sign that Piniella would rather have Theriot leadoff, generally, than Fukudome. Next, note that Marlon Byrd is fifth, with Tyler Colvin - who is holding Alfonso Soriano’s spot - batting sixth. This is almost certainly how things will play out at the start of the season, short of an offensive explosion for Soriano in Spring Training.
Then there is Mike Fontenot getting the nod at second base. This might mean nothing more than the fact that Fontenot was the presumptive starter last year, or that the Cubs expect to face a right-handed starter. But still, it’s interesting. It’s also interesting to see Geovany Soto all the way down in the 8 hole. Wouldn’t it be nice if he had a productive season?
SharePiniella: No Plans to Platoon at Second Base
One of the few open competitions on the Chicago Cubs this Spring is at second base. Incumbent, nominal starter Mike Fontenot had a terrible season last year after tearing it up in 2008. Mid-season, the Cubs acquired versatile back-up type Jeff Baker, who went on to hit .300 with the Cubs.
So who’s the starter in 2010?
It’s been a reasonable assumption thus far that the answer was: both of ‘em. Predictably, Fontenot, as a lefty, is generally a better hitter against righties, and Baker, as a right, is generally a better hitter against lefties. The Cubs would like to have Fontenot in the lineup as much as possible, given that he would be just the second lefty after Kosuke Fukudome. But for his career, Fontenot puts up a pathetic .630 OPS against lefties. Jeff Baker against lefties? .889!
So this is a pairing that just screams platoon. Right? Well, not to Cubs manager Lou Piniella.
“I don’t think it will end up as a platoon,” Piniella recently said. “It could end up that way, yes. We haven’t played any games yet this spring, and we’d like to see this thing how it works on the field. What it’s going to depend on is who swings the bat. They can both play defensively. It’s whoever brings the best bat to the party is the one who’s going to get the bulk of the playing time.”
Oh, Lou. Guys don’t just suddenly start dominating in ways that they’ve previously sucked for years. Fontenot will never be a great hitter against lefties, and Baker will probably continue to be a great hitter against lefties. So unless Piniella is secretly saying he thinks Baker will be the everyday starter, a refusal to platoon is really going to irk me.
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