Cubs' leadoff spot still a work in progress

The leadoff spot for the Chicago Cubs has been in flux lately, and it may remain that way for a while longer.

Kyle Schwarber lost the gig recently, and manager Joe Maddon has used Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez and Jon Jay there.

For Friday's 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field, Maddon placed rookie Ian Happ at the top spot, with Zobrist fourth and Schwarber seventh.

"I'm trying to read into everything going on with the tea leaves," Maddon said. "Zo's doing a great job leading off. But I also believe that he definitely needs to be behind Rizzo for us to be successful offensively.

"Versus lefties it could be something different. Just trying to toy with different ideas."

Schwarber (.163) was pinch hit for in the sixth inning with the bases loaded after striking out twice. Jay wound up grounding into an inning-ending double play.

"The fact that he has struggled as long as he had, two months now, they are working on some things," Maddon said. "I thought push him back down and give him a chance to really work on it. Plus, probably and possibly, the one-less-at-bat-per-game theory. One less trip up there until you start getting it back together."

Of course she said yes:

First baseman Anthony Rizzo is engaged. He proposed to Emily Vakos Thursday on a boat on Lake Michigan.

"It's the best," Rizzo said. "You want to find somebody who you want to spend the rest of your life with, and I'm lucky enough to have that. It feels good. It's exciting."

Rizzo had some fireworks accompany the proposal, and those fireworks were noticed by former teammate Dexter Fowler, now with the Cardinals.

"I'm out there in my room," Fowler said. "I see the view. I heard the fireworks going off. I was like, 'It's kind of early for fireworks.' I texted Riz. He told me he was proposing. I was like, 'OK, Riz.' I texted him after, and I go, 'No way those fireworks were for you.' And he goes, 'You know it.' I feel like I was there and a part of it."