With Cubs’ bench, opportunities will abound
There will be plenty of opportunity for Cubs bench players this year other than pinch hitting and pinch running.
Ÿ Left fielder Alfonso Soriano will need to come out of games in the late innings for defense.
Ÿ First baseman Bryan LaHair and third baseman Ian Stewart may need breaks against tough left-handed pitchers.
Ÿ Center fielder Marlon Byrd is pushing 35.
Ÿ Geovany Soto, like all catchers, can’t work every day, and already he has been set back by a groin injury in spring training.
Because the Cubs play in the National League, where there is no designated hitter, they’ll need a versatile bench featuring a mix of speed, defense, pinch-hitting ability and flexibility to match up against both left-handed and right-handed relief pitchers.
Let’s take a look at the benchmarks.
The candidates:
Like most teams nowadays, the Cubs likely will carry a 12-man pitching staff. That means versatility and flexibility become even more important.
The Cubs will have one backup catcher to Geovany Soto, either Welington Castillo or Steve Clevenger.
They’ll need a middle infielder to give shortstop Starlin Castro and second baseman Darwin Barney a break now and then. Adrian Cardenas, obtained from the Oakland organization, is on the 40-man roster. Holdover Blake DeWitt is back, but as a nonroster man after the Cubs moved him off the 40-man to make room for Cardenas.
Veteran Jeff Baker is on the team. He can play first base, second base, third base and the corner outfield spots.
Perhaps the most interesting candidate, and the one making the most noise in the Cactus League so far, is Joe Mather, a 29-year-old journeyman who has been in pro ball since 2001. Mather, who has spent most of his time in the Cardinals organization, has 126 games of major-league experience.
A right-handed batter, he can play the infield and outfield corners. Through Thursday’s Cactus League action, he was 8-for-18 with a homer and 6 RBI.
“It’s been pretty impressive to have a guy do what he’s done with the bat, especially against right-handed pitching,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum told reporters in Arizona. “It’s not like he’s going out there against left-handed pitching and doing it.”
In the outfield, veteran Reed Johnson is back after re-signing. Speedy Tony Campana became a fan favorite last year, and Dave Sappelt came from the Reds in the trade that sent reliever Sean Marshall to Cincinnati.
Speed and defense:
Campana might be the fastest player in the major leagues. He can run the ball down in the outfield. But he’ll need to get on base more and use his great speed.
Johnson, an old favorite of former general manager Jim Hendry, brings a veteran clubhouse presence, something president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer say they also value. Johnson had a nice year last season, with a hitting line of .309/.348/.467 with 5 homers. Although Johnson has endured chronic back problems, he still plays a creditable defense at all three outfield spots.
Flexibility:
The Cubs have added left-handed hitting to their starting lineup with the additions of Stewart and right fielder David DeJesus. LaHair, a left-handed hitter, replaces first baseman Carlos Pena, who also hit left.
The Cubs can use Baker, who rakes against left-handed pitchers, to give any of the three starters a break. Campana bats left-handed, as does Clevenger.
Mather is a right-handed batter who has 9 major-league home runs but 124 in the minor leagues. If he makes the team, he could give the Cubs an intriguing pinch-hit possibility, especially when they need an extra-base hit.