Joe Maddon On Criticism That He Needs A Consistent Cubs Lineup: 'Makes No Sense'

(CBS) To those suggesting Cubs manager Joe Maddon needs to settle in on a consistent lineup to create more consistency for a team that's hovered around .500, he has a message.

That's not happening.

"I've never believed in that concept, ever," Maddon said on the Spiegel and Parkins Show on Tuesday in reference to having one go-to lineup.

"To work under that assumption, I don't think we could have won 200 games over the past two years. It makes no sense to me. Sorry."

In the Cubs' first 43 games of the season, Maddon has utilized 33 different lineups for a team that's gone 22-21 and sits in third place in the NL Central after winning the World Series last year. Their offensive production has been middling, as the Cubs are seventh in the NL in runs scored.

Such a topic has come to the forefront in part because of the stellar production of rookie infielder/outfielder Ian Happ in his first couple weeks in the big leagues. Hitting .357 entering play Tuesday, Happ was out of the lineup in a 6-4 loss to the Giants on Monday night. While making clear Happ will play a lot, Maddon has pushed back at the idea that he's an everyday player. He reminded that Happ is a rookie who hasn't played such a long season before, and the Cubs took a similar approach with then-rookie catcher/outfielder Willson Contreras last season.

Outside of that, Maddon has a great desire to keep every player on his roster engaged and playing every few days at least. Maddon emphasized he will continue to choose lineups by prioritizing that day's matchups and needs and not the result of the previous game while also pointing out he does play Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber daily.

"It's an oversimplification," Maddon said. "For me, it doesn't work that way. To assume the next day is going to be the same as the previous day just based on the number of runs (scored on the first day), it's just an entirely different method for me.

"You don't tinker normally with the meat part of it. If the word is tinkering or whatever you'd like to utilize there, it's primarily with guys in the latter part of the lineup that you're moving around a bit."