The Cubs would score runs in more innings, and thus do better in low-scoring games, if they had hitters who were better adapted to the top of the order. Obviously, Byrd is not a leadoff hitter, nor does Baker belong anywhere other than six through eight. Can either of them bunt, or hit and run, or beat out an infield hit and swipe second ahead of Lee and Ramirez? Fukudome is old and slow. It’s a funny thing about Theriot and Fontenot. By reputation they are “scrappy,” but really they are the opposite. They are not small-ballers. Both men try to play bigger than they are. Theriot bunted in the lead run against Houston last week, but bunting is not his game. (That particular bunt was barely fair and was crossing the foul line when the first baseman opted to field it.)
Help is on the way, though. Tennessee leads the ten-team Southern League in stolen bases (and most other offensive categories including BA and OPS). Tennessee has three speedsters, Campana, Guyer and Castro, who are off to fast starts in AA and could conceivably slot into the Cub lineup, at one or two, later this season.
Peoria is second in the sixteen-team Midwest League in steals. Center fielder Jose Valdez is tied for first in the league with 9 SBs, while shortstop Hak-Ju Lee is third with 7. Last night, Lee reached twice and stole second and third both times. He scored one of the runs in a 2-1 win.
Below is a system-wide (Peoria through Iowa, plus Boise when they get going) base-stealing spreadsheet that I will try to update at least weekly.
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