02-22-2009, 07:31 PM
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->"I hate leadoff," Theriot said. "I just want to hit third. I think 'D-Lee' should hit leadoff."
D-Lee, a.k.a. Derrek Lee, who has primarily batted third his entire career, was sitting in the middle of the Fitch Park clubhouse, calmly reading the newspaper when Theriot tried to oust him from his spot.
"No," Lee said, shaking his head.
Lee's home run numbers have dropped the last two seasons -- he hit 46 in 2005 and 20 last year -- but Theriot doesn't seem a likely fill-in. The shortstop hit one home run last year. One.
"How about fourth?" Theriot said, knowing better than to argue with the 6-foot-5 Lee.
Piniella has the ultimate say, even though there are times when he seems a little fickle. Early last week, the Cubs manager surprisingly suggested that Soriano would be dropped in the order. That prompted plenty of discussion as to where Soriano should hit -- fifth? Sixth? Three days later, Piniella confirmed the left fielder would stay No. 1.
Piniella was talking about Cactus League games, but confirmed Soriano is the leadoff man again for the regular season. It's worked so far -- the Cubs were 69-36 with Soriano leading off last year -- even if he isn't the typical get-on-base, take pitches kind of hitter.
"He's a different leadoff hitter," Theriot said. "With one pitch, he can win the game for you. First pitch of the game, bam, he hits a homer, and the other team is like, 'Oh, no, here we go.'"
The Cubs' 3-4-5 combo was a bit of a mystery with the addition of Milton Bradley. <b>Piniella says he's leaning toward a batting order of Soriano, Aaron Miles, Lee, Bradley, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, Geovany Soto and Theriot.
</b>
"That seems like a real nice lineup to me," Piniella said. "Left, right, left, right -- we have some balance, we have some speed."
Those who doubt Piniella's projections should remember the Cubs led the National League and ranked second in the Majors in runs scored last season (855), the first 800-run season since 1998. They finished with a .278 team batting average, the highest since 1937, when the Cubs batted .287. Five players had 20 or more home runs (Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, Soto and Mark DeRosa) and four had 80 or more RBIs.
The addition of Miles and Bradley, both switch-hitters, gives the Cubs the balance the front office felt was missing. Bradley led the American League last year in on-base percentage and will likely help Ramirez reach 100 RBIs for the fourth straight season.
Maybe Bradley could bat leadoff? He did just that in 2003 with Cleveland.
"Once I got hitting in the middle of the order, I liked having that pressure on me, so I feel I'm better suited for that," Bradley said.
That means the only real switch in the middle is Ramirez, who batted fourth in all but two games last year. It shouldn't require much of an adjustment.
Theriot primarily batted second in 2008, but adopted a leadoff hitter attitude.
"'Sori' is an aggressive leadoff hitter," Theriot said. "Early in the count, he's making contact. More times than not, the pitcher has thrown only a few pitches. I was basically a leadoff hitter last year. I had to go up there and take some pitches for 'D-Lee' and 'Ramy.' I approached last year that, even though I wasn't the leadoff hitter, my responsibilities to the team were similar in what I had to do.
"I like hitting first. I'd rather hit second, obviously, because I have 'Sori' in front of me and 'D-Lee' behind me. I think hitting first would help with the stolen bases for me. I could be more aggressive, I could take advantage of some of the steal opportunities."
Soriano has felt stronger this spring than the last few years and says he wants to revive his running game, possibly swiping 30-plus bases. Ramirez also reported ready to go. Both trained at the team's academy in the Dominican Republic for about a month.
Where does Soriano want to be in the lineup?
"Be in the lineup, that's my preference," Soriano said, not picking one spot. "I like to play and be in the lineup. That's more important to me than anything."
Either Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, Bradley or Soto could handle the three-hole. Theriot? Remember, he hit one home run in 2008.
"I've been working on it," Theriot said of his power stroke.
Reminded that he connected on one last season, Theriot laughed.
"Let's hope I get one this year," he said. "I'm just happy I didn't get zero."
Piniella has Theriot slotted for eighth, and the shortstop smiled.
"I don't care as long as I'm in there," Theriot said. "A lot of that stuff changes. That's just all subject to who's doing what and the lineups. I think I'll hit third or fourth."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Link(Cubs.com)
D-Lee, a.k.a. Derrek Lee, who has primarily batted third his entire career, was sitting in the middle of the Fitch Park clubhouse, calmly reading the newspaper when Theriot tried to oust him from his spot.
"No," Lee said, shaking his head.
Lee's home run numbers have dropped the last two seasons -- he hit 46 in 2005 and 20 last year -- but Theriot doesn't seem a likely fill-in. The shortstop hit one home run last year. One.
"How about fourth?" Theriot said, knowing better than to argue with the 6-foot-5 Lee.
Piniella has the ultimate say, even though there are times when he seems a little fickle. Early last week, the Cubs manager surprisingly suggested that Soriano would be dropped in the order. That prompted plenty of discussion as to where Soriano should hit -- fifth? Sixth? Three days later, Piniella confirmed the left fielder would stay No. 1.
Piniella was talking about Cactus League games, but confirmed Soriano is the leadoff man again for the regular season. It's worked so far -- the Cubs were 69-36 with Soriano leading off last year -- even if he isn't the typical get-on-base, take pitches kind of hitter.
"He's a different leadoff hitter," Theriot said. "With one pitch, he can win the game for you. First pitch of the game, bam, he hits a homer, and the other team is like, 'Oh, no, here we go.'"
The Cubs' 3-4-5 combo was a bit of a mystery with the addition of Milton Bradley. <b>Piniella says he's leaning toward a batting order of Soriano, Aaron Miles, Lee, Bradley, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, Geovany Soto and Theriot.
</b>
"That seems like a real nice lineup to me," Piniella said. "Left, right, left, right -- we have some balance, we have some speed."
Those who doubt Piniella's projections should remember the Cubs led the National League and ranked second in the Majors in runs scored last season (855), the first 800-run season since 1998. They finished with a .278 team batting average, the highest since 1937, when the Cubs batted .287. Five players had 20 or more home runs (Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, Soto and Mark DeRosa) and four had 80 or more RBIs.
The addition of Miles and Bradley, both switch-hitters, gives the Cubs the balance the front office felt was missing. Bradley led the American League last year in on-base percentage and will likely help Ramirez reach 100 RBIs for the fourth straight season.
Maybe Bradley could bat leadoff? He did just that in 2003 with Cleveland.
"Once I got hitting in the middle of the order, I liked having that pressure on me, so I feel I'm better suited for that," Bradley said.
That means the only real switch in the middle is Ramirez, who batted fourth in all but two games last year. It shouldn't require much of an adjustment.
Theriot primarily batted second in 2008, but adopted a leadoff hitter attitude.
"'Sori' is an aggressive leadoff hitter," Theriot said. "Early in the count, he's making contact. More times than not, the pitcher has thrown only a few pitches. I was basically a leadoff hitter last year. I had to go up there and take some pitches for 'D-Lee' and 'Ramy.' I approached last year that, even though I wasn't the leadoff hitter, my responsibilities to the team were similar in what I had to do.
"I like hitting first. I'd rather hit second, obviously, because I have 'Sori' in front of me and 'D-Lee' behind me. I think hitting first would help with the stolen bases for me. I could be more aggressive, I could take advantage of some of the steal opportunities."
Soriano has felt stronger this spring than the last few years and says he wants to revive his running game, possibly swiping 30-plus bases. Ramirez also reported ready to go. Both trained at the team's academy in the Dominican Republic for about a month.
Where does Soriano want to be in the lineup?
"Be in the lineup, that's my preference," Soriano said, not picking one spot. "I like to play and be in the lineup. That's more important to me than anything."
Either Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, Bradley or Soto could handle the three-hole. Theriot? Remember, he hit one home run in 2008.
"I've been working on it," Theriot said of his power stroke.
Reminded that he connected on one last season, Theriot laughed.
"Let's hope I get one this year," he said. "I'm just happy I didn't get zero."
Piniella has Theriot slotted for eighth, and the shortstop smiled.
"I don't care as long as I'm in there," Theriot said. "A lot of that stuff changes. That's just all subject to who's doing what and the lineups. I think I'll hit third or fourth."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Link(Cubs.com)
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