So, Joe Maddon got awfully creative with today’s “bullpen day” against the Cardinals, turning it also into something of a bench day:
Cubs lineup vs Wacha. Soler batting second in right, Jackson leading off, Castro/Baez middle infield, Ross catching pic.twitter.com/3R7D0tbeK8
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) September 19, 2015
That’s gotta be one of the best benches in baseball history.
Before you lose any of your collected bits about the lineup, consider that: (1) Michael Wacha is a reverse-split guy, who is hit much more by righties than lefties; (2) guys like Russell, Coghlan and Fowler could undoubtedly use a blow; and, most importantly, (3) this gives Maddon the option of switching guys into the game later on to optimize match-ups.
I’ve said it before, but Joe Maddon is a freaking kid in a candy store with this roster. You can’t do this kind of thing and succeed without extreme depth, and the Cubs have it. The lineup you see starting the game will not be the lineup you see finishing the game.
All of this goes double on a day that’s a “bullpen day,” and double switches are likely to be frequent.
Also: JORGE SOLER!!!