Chicago Cubs' Dale Sveum finds progress in club’s defence – MLB News
The Chicago Cubs' manager Dale Sveum on Sunday, September 2, stated that the club’s defence has made good progress. Although things have not quite gone the Cubs’ way, the recent developments are encouraging and positive for the team.
The fact that its defence has fared well despite being full of young players shows that it has all the potential to become a force to be reckoned with in the days to come. Big names in this regard are that of Starlin Castro, David DeJesus and Darwin Barney, along with the veteran Alfonso Soriano.
"I think the most progress is definitely the defense," Sveum said Sunday. "For the most part, we've had a couple ugly games, and for the other 130 games, we've played pretty solid defense, especially up the middle with [Starlin] Castro and [Darwin] Barney and [David] DeJesus and even [Alfonso] Soriano. For what his legs can do, he's played heck of a left field."
The Cubs have remained fifth in the National League Central ranking, ad have recently done well with some good fight against the rivals, especially against the Milwaukee Brewers wherein they won a game by 12-11.
Among other things, in the defence remains a dominant figure like Darwin Barney, a youngster who has now the record of 117th straight errorless games. That is what fills the tea, especially the team manager with hopes.
Considering last season’s record wherein they had committed 134 errors, this year the defence has had 85 errors, a substantial decrease as far as a team that is in a rebuilding phase is concerned.
"The young catchers have come around this last month of buying into and sticking with game plans and slowing the game down," Sveum said. "I think our defense has come to grips with positioning and the importance of it all.”
The Cubs are now looking toward to the series against the Washington Nationals, scheduled to begin on Monday. As the Nationals remain a dominant team, the Cubs will definitely try to give a tough challenge to their rivals. Defence, it goes without saying, will have a bigger role to play in it.
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