Chicago Cubs manager hints at keeping the line-up unchanged – MLB News
The Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum on Tuesday, June 19, hinted he will keep the line-up unchanged as the team braces itself to face the rival teams from this week. The Cubs are to play the Arizona Diamondbacks and to confront them, Chicago will have to come up with an equally strong side.
The National League game scheduled this week will then have the players whose names the Cubs had slated earlier. The team manager alluded to this in categorical term once asked about the line-up. "That's basically what we'll hang onto as much as we can," Sveum said.
Which essentially means the team will go with the same option of playing David DeJesus in the centre with Bryan LaHair having his place designated in the right field.
The line-up has seen some changes that have not gone unnoticed. For example, LaHair was tasked with outfield earlier to see if he clicks there. The result has not been particularly discouraging for the management.
With the new role to DeJesus, on the other hand, there are some points to weigh. DeJesus is aging and the decision to play him in the centre may have its critics. Nonetheless, the Cubs await the arrival of Anthony Rizzo, one of the top prospects of the team. By the time he arrives, LaHair can play the desired role.
As for DeJesus, Sveum is confident about him and the instrumentality he has. "The one thing about David is his routes are going to be really good all the time," Sveum said. "He understands how to get balls, how the balls come off a right-hander's bat, a left-hander's bat. He's very athletic with the way he can move his body. He's done an awesome job in right field.”
And age, at least for Sveum, is not a matter of concern. He has reposed his confidence in DeJesus. "I saw [Jim] Edmonds play center field at 40 years old and it was one of the smoothest things I've ever seen," Sveum said.
It will be indeed interesting to see how the two play their roles simultaneously given the amount of challenge involved.
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