Cubs coach Mike Quade weighs in on outfield outlook

TUCSON, Ariz. - When most people see Cubs coach Mike Quade, they see him directing traffic from the third-base box.

What most people don't see is the early-morning work Quade does with the outfielders in spring training.

Standing in the dugout at Hi Corbett Field on Saturday, Quade addressed several areas of interest concerning the Cubs' outfield.

Quade began by saying how he impressed he was by the catch left fielder Alfonso Soriano made Friday against the White Sox. Soriano ranged into the gap in left-center and flagged down a drive by Alexei Ramirez.

"That's one of the best plays I've seen him make," Quade said.

Here is Quade's take on the key issues:

Soriano: "When looking at all the left fielders in baseball, Sori's just fine. He's getting better. He worked extremely hard two years ago when he first came over. Last year was OK, but he got hurt.

"His energy level is excellent. He wants to play. He loves to play. And he likes to work. And I do think in watching him take balls off the bat that he's maybe even enjoying it more."

On Kosuke Fukudome going from RF to CF: "My general feeling is that Kosuke is one (heck) of a right fielder, and we're hoping that it translates into playing center field.

"The demands on Kosuke playing center field will be a little bit physical and probably will be a 50-50 thing between physical demands that are going to be required of him, particularly in front of him and behind him, and then the experience of taking charge. He's so good instinctively. He's so attentive to the homework we do before a series of where we want to position guys, how Larry (pitching coach Rothschild) and his people are going to pitch guys, that will go a long way in helping, too."

On RF Milton Bradley: "We know that Bradley is a good outfielder and has been from Day 1. The only thing that would take that away would be your legs. He knows how to play outfield. He knows how to position guys. That's all been good, all-start type stuff."

Bradley will have to adjust to the sun and wind at Wrigley Field. On top of that, the foul lines at Wrigley are the deepest in the major leagues.

"He'll be fine" Quade said. "He's just got to get familiar with it. There's just a tendency to start working your way toward the right-field foul pole, and in 95 percent of the ballparks, you don't have the extra 30 feet to cover. Once you get used to that, combined with the sun and wind, everything should be fine."

On Reed Johnson: "He's consistent as the day is long."

On Wrigley Field: "Because of the well (the curves in the wall in left and right fields), whether you're Sori or whether you're Milton, you will be asked to make plays that you've never had to make in your life in the outfield going to the lines.

"By the time you think, 'This ball should have been a home run,' you've got 10 more feet.

"The other thing that's unique to Wrigley Field is the basket (on top of the outfield walls). You've got to deal with this overhang. Everywhere else, it's you, the wall and the ball. That's another difficult thing to have happen. When your gaps are so shallow, there's a lot of action in our ballpark."

On Micah Hoffpauir: "He's obviously the least experienced of the bunch, and we're working hard to get him caught up as best as we can. He's never going to be a Gold Glover. But you don't want a potent bat to be left behind for defense. That doesn't mean he has to be Kosuke or Milton. He's got to catch what he gets to."