Mike Quade has announced the Chicago Cubs’ lineup for Sunday’s Spring Training opener:
Kosuke Fukudome, RF
Starlin Castro, SS
Marlon Byrd, CF
Aramis Ramirez, 3B
Carlos Pena, 1B
Alfonso Soriano, LF
Geovany Soto, C
Blake DeWitt, 2B
Pitcher
Obviously, it’s just a Spring Training lineup, but, given that these are the presumed starters, the tea leaves are screaming: as of right now, this is how Quade likes the lineup. It’s not horrible, but I have two beefs: (1) Marlon Byrd, God love his attitude and effort, should not be batting third, and getting more at bats than Ramirez, Soto, Pena and Soriano – his production simply doesn’t support it; and (2) how much longer must Geovany Soto be one of the best hitters on the team and yet toil away in the bottom third of the order? I’d like to see him and Castro swapped.