So, just who is going to leadoff for the Cubs this year?
Won't it be that guy they usually have?
You know... that guyyyyyy, uh - he's got 3 heads, maybe 4?
I think his last name is like Community or Committee or something like that?
Yeah that's the guy - and I should know because I just drew him and put him in this post.
Just who was the last real leadoff guy the Cubs had?
I mean, who was any good?
Bob Dernier?
Did you ever really think Alfonso was a "leadoff hitter"?
Theriot?
Kenny Lofton was pretty good for about five minutes.
Mark Grudzielanek, Brian McCrae, Eric Young, Doug Glanville, Corey Patterson, Delino DeShields, Lance Johnson... not alot of Hall of Famers there.
Oh well, I'm certain we'll see what Starlin Castro can do.
Blake DeWitt is the second baseman who could lead off by default, I guess.
Kosuke Fukudome, Jeff Baker...
Here's what Mike Quade said awhile back in this article on Cubs.com:
"You look at this club, as I do right now, and you say, 'Who's a perennial leadoff guy?'" Quade said. "'Who's the prototypical leadoff guy? Do we have one?' And I would say, 'I don't think so.' OK, when the answer is 'I don't think so,' I can mix and match."
Ah anyway, just talking about the Cubs...
And we can dig it.
(You were fishing for a Shaft-related response, weren't you?)
Posted by: jhj | January 28, 2011 at 01:20 PM
I've always been intrigued (and confused) by the truisms of MLB. Not the least of these truisms is the solemn importance of batting order position. And not the least of BOP is the "leadoff role". But how many teams have a true prototype leadoff guy? Not many. So why annoint one anyway?
I'm with Quade on this..."mix and match"
We don't have a Lou Brock (we used to) or Ricky Henderson or Ichiro. If we did we wouldn't be talking about this.
All we need is a patient, discerning contact hitter with a great OBP and the ability to steal a base, take an extra base, keep out of the DP and, as a result, score a lot of runs.
That's a rare bird, folks!
If your OBP guy also has too much power, he's gonna be hitting 3rd or 4th (see Pujols, et al). If he's not a patient, contact hitter, he's in the middle of the order (see Soriano, et al). Not a smart baserunner and the guys behind him are gonna hit into a lot of GIDP's (think Theriot and Lee).
You could go on and on.
Here's the bottom line for me (and Quade). While you may not have one prototypical, obvious leadoff guy on your roster, you have guys who are "hot" this week, or this month or against this pitcher. You have guys who are injured. You have guys who get cold after a month or two (e.g. you have Fukudomes)
In other words, you have situations and you have players for situations. And that's why you have managers.
Posted by: Bud | January 28, 2011 at 01:22 PM
Hey! That looks like the three-headed ogre from Monty Python and the Holy Grail!
I'd actually like to see Fukudome leading off against righties and either Castro or Baker leading off against lefties. But, I expect the Cubs will NOT take advantage of their platoon splits and instead do something crazy like bat DeWitt leadoff.
Posted by: cubsstats.blogspot.com | January 28, 2011 at 01:36 PM
I hope the three-headed Cerberus will be under good reigns of Quade, for as hopeless as 20 and 10 might look on paper, a Cubbie win is still a Muses in my ears.
Field some real team, can't THEY? Go Cubbie!
Posted by: Chicagointaipei | January 28, 2011 at 02:36 PM
jhj.
Yesterday, I experienced a nearly 6 hour plane delay in the Miami airport that included 3 planes with "mechanical issues", a knife, checked luggage, 9/11, American idiocy, and a warlock.
It began at noon in Miami and ended about 11:30 in Chicago.
So, I'm not exactly clear headed.
And your photo and comment completely buffaloed me.
But I guess to answer your question: HELL YES!
I'm always fishing for SOME kind of Shaft thing.
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | January 28, 2011 at 03:33 PM
So you think the leadoff guy should be Geo?
Just kidding.
It was fun looking back at some of those names, tho, trying to find a Henderson or something in there.
Nope.
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | January 28, 2011 at 03:37 PM
I swear you'll be right and it'll be DeWitt.
Because... well if it's not Ryno it just SEEMS like it's always the second baseman.
Don't forget Aaron Miles is still out there!
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | January 28, 2011 at 03:39 PM
Mike Quade is one of the reasons I'm looking forward to 2011.
I'm hoping the team adopts his sort of real, basic personality.
And hopefully he makes some good decisions and the team finds some luck.
I guess I'll keep this 3 headed guy around, btw.
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | January 28, 2011 at 03:42 PM
do NOT even joke about getting Miles!!
Posted by: Justin | January 30, 2011 at 12:08 AM