The Cubs are starting a new series tonight – back at home, thankfully – and here’s their lineup for Game 1.
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
- Jason Heyward, CF
- Nicholas Castellanos, RF
- Kris Bryant, 3B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Javy Baez, SS
- Kyle Schwarber, LF
- Jonathan Lucroy, C
- Tony Kemp, 2B
- Cole Hamels, P
Tyler Beede has been crushed particularly well by left-handers this season (.296/.383/.507), but righties can hold their own, as well (.276/.341/.481). And as a matter of fact, the Cubs tagged him for 4 runs on 10 hits (3 homers) back on July 24th, which is good news for tonight.
But I still don’t understand why Tony Kemp is (1) in this lineup or (2) drawing as many starts as he has been.
Since joining the Cubs, Kemp has just six hits (4 singles, 1 double, 1 triple) and no walks against 7 strikeouts in 33 plate appearances (that’s good for a 9 wRC+ … 9). And as it turns out, in the 26 plate appearances he’s made against righties, he’s done even worse (-18 wRC+). And before we get going on small samples, his 76 wRC+ against righties this season isn’t any more inspiring.
But I just don’t have it in me to repeat HE’S NOT A STARTER, SO STOP STARTING HIM night after night and game after game. Joe Maddon clearly loves him in the starting lineup and I have no idea how that’s going to change, because he hasn’t done anything to earn it in the first place. Like I’ve said many times over, I really do like Kemp off the bench and think he can be a useful player, but this constant starting lineup stuff just isn’t it – not when Ian Happ or Addison Russell or even David Bote are all technically options. Ben Zobrist is close, too. Maybe this won’t be a thing for too long.
As usual, we’ll have your full Pre-Gamin’ post closer to game time (7:05 CT).