Juggling At-Bats A Continuing Puzzle For Cubs' Joe Maddon
(CBS) There hasn't been too much for Cubs manager Joe Maddon to fret about amid his team's red-hot 24-6 start, but there's an important task that consumes his attention daily and can be quite the challenge.
It's how to get ample at-bats for semi-regulars in outfielder Jorge Soler, infielder Tommy La Stella and infielder Javier Baez. Maddon has to weigh how to get maximum productivity out of the one lineup slot typically available for those three while also continuing their development.
"All these guys have to play and be developed," Maddon said Tuesday during his weekly hit on the Spiegel & Goff Show on 670. "And with Tommy, even though you might not consider him an everyday player, this guy can hit. We want to keep his bat sharp by having him play on occasion. And there's some really great matchups (for him). So yes, I want to get Javy out there as often as possible, but he's been out there, game in progress, if we're ahead, you'll notice he's out there a lot. Him and Tommy have really participated a lot even though they haven't started (a lot).
Maddon reiterated that Baez is "an everyday player, absolutely" in the future. Baez is hitting .306 with two homers, five RBIs and an .823 OPS in 48 at-bats across 18 games. Maddon often uses him late in games because of his defensive prowess.
Maddon likes to get the lefty-swinging La Stella -- who's hitting .362 with a 1.104 OPS in 47 at-bats -- in favorable matchups against right-handed pitchers.
"For right now, I think the way we're doing it and how we're utilizing them, putting them in the right spots, they're really developing their self-confidence so when they get the opportunity to play regularly, you're going to see something good happen," Maddon said.
Maddon cautioned not to read into the reduced playing time of Soler, who's hitting .181 with two homers, six RBIs and a .552 OPS in 72 at-bats.
"No, you can only play eight guys on the field, you know?" Maddon said. "There's a pitcher and eight players. We have different guys -- just imagine if (Kyle) Schwarber was still here and how you try to fit all that in. We talked about it in the offseason. So no, there's nothing to read into. It's just an opportunity to get them out there, trying to keep them all sharp, like I said. Soler, La Stella and Baez are pretty much among that trinity right there that we're trying to keep active in getting them to become better Major League Baseball players. So nothing to be read into it -- just trying to pick the right spots for Jorge, Javy.
"I'm just trying to balance it. That's it, pure and simple."
Listen to Maddon's full interview below.
