The Mysterious (Baseball) Two-Hole and Other Bullets

anthony rizzo featureAt long last, my Arizona odyssey is over, and I’m headed back home today. The travel day means I’ll probably be in and out a bit, though you should hopefully see relatively normal posting. Thanks for bearing with me, and don’t forget to return your seats to their full and upright position.

  • The lineup remains a question as we start heading toward the part of the Spring where we’ll see more and more regulars, and we’ll start to get a more odious whiff of how those regulars will be used in the batting order. One question Cubs manager Joe Maddon is still having relates to the second batter: “The two-hole is like a mystery,” Maddon said, per Cubs.com*. All Maddon would say about the issue is that he likes to alternate lefties and righties, and he likes to see guys on base for the thumpers in the middle of the lineup. Since Dexter Fowler is a switch hitter and will be leading off, that doesn’t really tell us much about who will be in the two-hole. And, since the Cubs have some guys who are both OBP and thumper types, we don’t really get a lot there, either. For my part, I still really, really want to see Anthony Rizzo in the two-hole – best overall hitter, gets more at bats there than at 3 or 4, etc. – but, if that’s not going to work for whatever reason, then there are all kinds of combinations I could find satisfying. I wouldn’t hate Starlin Castro there. I wouldn’t hate Chrises Coghlan and Denorfia there, when facing the opposite-handed pitching. If Tommy La Stella is a regular and the OBP shines through as hoped, then I wouldn’t hate him there, either. I wouldn’t even hate Jorge Soler there, as a matter of fact. All of this depends a little on whether the day’s lineup has the pitcher batting 8th or 9th, of course.
  • *(PHRASING!)
  • Also: notice how, in the conversation about the lineup, Maddon casually includes Kris Bryant together with big leaguers Anthony Rizzo and Jorge Soler as his run-producer types? (Cubs.com) Soon enough, he’s coming.
  • Jason Hammel looked pretty good yesterday, and he attributes it to a bullpen session in which he threw 42 fastballs – only fastballs – work on his command (Tribune). It did look like he was using the fastball yesterday to set everything else up, and it felt like he was never outside the zone with his fastball, either.
  • Joe Maddon tossed some love to Jon Lester for not letting Welington Castillo take any blame – even privately, in the dugout – for Lester’s poor outing earlier this week (CSN).
  • Kris Bryant’s shoulder is getting better, but he still might not play in the field until Friday (Cubs.com). He says if it were the regular season, he would be playing, but nobody’s rushing anything right now.
  • Matt Szczur, who made some notable swing changes this offseason, is having a great Spring, and Joe Maddon is clearly taking note (Cubs.com). The rub, though, is that a guy who has made those kinds of changes needs to be employing them every day in game situations – which would seem to imply that the best place for Szczur to start the season is going to be AAA Iowa, where he can play every day.
  • Mark Gonzales says Daniel Bard will make his game debut in the B game on Thursday at Sloan Park (which is open to the public).
  • The Tribune with a look at the coming left field video board.
  • There are two good causes coming up at Sloan Park this weekend, and Carrie Muskat has the details here. One of them is the Respect Bald event that Joe Maddon is leading, in which you can participate on Sunday, if you’re going to be at the park.
  • Happy news for folks in the Champaign area: 24 Cubs games (from ABC-7) are being picked up by WCIX. (h/t to Aaron for the find)
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

    A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

    Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

    It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

    OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

    That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    Latest News

    Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    In their season opener on Friday, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks take on Nolan Jones and the Colorado Rockies, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.Keep reading to find out how to watch the Arizona-Colorado...

    Guardians vs. Athletics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Logan Allen will take the mound for the Cleveland Guardians when they square off against starter Ross Stripling and the Oakland Athletics in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Find out how to watch the...

    How to Watch Mariners vs. Red Sox: Live Stream or on TV

    In their season opener on Friday, Julio Rodriguez and the Seattle Mariners play Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at T-Mobile Park.Keep reading to see how to watch the Seattle-Boston matchup...

    How to Watch Padres vs. Giants: Live Stream or on TV

    On Friday, the San Diego Padres (2-1) take on Jorge Soler and the San Francisco Giants (0-1), with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at PETCO Park.Keep reading to find out how to watch the San Diego-San Francisco matchup...

    How to Watch Dodgers vs. Cardinals: Live Stream or on TV

    The Los Angeles Dodgers (2-1) host Paul Goldschmidt and the St. Louis Cardinals (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 10:10 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the Los Angeles-St. Louis matchup below.When is Dodgers vs. Cardinals and...

    OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

    That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

    Astros vs. Yankees: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The New York Yankees (1-0), led by Juan Soto, visit Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros (0-1) at 8:10 PM ET on Friday.Find out how to watch the Houston-New York matchup below.When is Astros vs. Yankees and when does it...

    How to Watch Rays vs. Blue Jays: Live Stream or on TV

    The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) visit Yandy Diaz and the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 6:50 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the Tampa Bay-Toronto matchup below.When is Rays vs. Blue Jays and...

    Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

    It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

    Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

    A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

    more cubs news