Mike Fontenot gets the nod as Chicago Cubs second baseman

With Mike Fontenot being named the regular second baseman Saturday, the Cubs lineup is beginning to take shape with left-handed batters spread throughout.

[PJW]

Do not waste 350 ABs on Miles! Fontenot probably will not post the OBA that he has in the past, but he should give the Cubs something in the 0.36-0.37 range. That should keep the Cubs well up on the rest of the NL in runs scored.

[Kenny B]

Cory Koskie will lead you to the world series championship. He is the spirit your team needs to get over the hump. He will play third, first and left field he can also play goaltender for the Hawks in a pinch and is a world class volleyball player. He is hilarious in the club house and whoever chose to pick him up is a genious.

[dan godinez]

fontenot is the only left handed batter(on the cubs) to hit a ball over the bleachers onto sheffield in recent memory. tough little sucker.

[Cubs fan in OR]

Soriano
Fukudome
Lee
Bradley
Ramirez
Fontenot
Soto
Theriot
Pitcher

That's Piniella's lineup?! He cares too freaking much about getting Righty-Lefty matchups, then getting his best players at-bats. Yes, lets move down in order our best, most consistent hitter the past 5 years (Ramirez), and lets leave in the 3 hole a hitter who hasn't topped 100 RBIs the past 2 years (Lee), so that a switch hitter can provide some power from the left hand side (Bradley), never mind that Bradley has topped 500 at-bats just once in his career, and 400 at-bats just twice, or was DH primarily last year and his splits were so in favor of his games at Arlington.

I don't even need to mention the idiocy of Fukudome batting second (granted if Fukudome plays like he was supposed to, he'll make a great #2) with Theriot 8th, or Fontenot batting in front of Soto batting 7th, or even getting Miles 350 ABs.

I love the Cubs, and they'll win their division, but really, nothing about Lou's lineups makes me think they are a better team than last year.

[Wait till 2108]

Cubs fan in OR wrote:

Soriano
Fukudome
Lee
Bradley
Ramirez
Fontenot
Soto
Theriot
Pitcher
That's Piniella's lineup?! He cares too freaking much about getting Righty-Lefty matchups, then getting his best players at-bats. Yes, lets move down in order our best, most consistent hitter the past 5 years (Ramirez), and lets leave in the 3 hole a hitter who hasn't topped 100 RBIs the past 2 years (Lee), so that a switch hitter can provide some power from the left hand side (Bradley), never mind that Bradley has topped 500 at-bats just once in his career, and 400 at-bats just twice, or was DH primarily last year and his splits were so in favor of his games at Arlington.
I don't even need to mention the idiocy of Fukudome batting second (granted if Fukudome plays like he was supposed to, he'll make a great #2) with Theriot 8th, or Fontenot batting in front of Soto batting 7th, or even getting Miles 350 ABs.
I love the Cubs, and they'll win their division, but really, nothing about Lou's lineups makes me think they are a better team than last year.

Well said. Lou seems intent on giving Fukudome opportunities he clearly doesn't deserve (like starting 2 games in last year's playoffs). If Fukudome is going to play CF, he should be hitting 8th until he proves last year was fluke.

[commonsense]

The Cubs are an embarrassment to all sports.

[Rusty Baker]

I remember when Angel Guzman was being touted as the future of the Cubs rotation by Len and Bob years ago when Baker was still manager.

[Dicky Buhtkis]

Rusty Baker wrote:

I remember when Angel Guzman was being touted as the future of the Cubs rotation by Len and Bob years ago when Baker was still manager.

HAHA, as do I! What a joke that turned out to be.

[Dicky Buhtkis]

commonsense wrote:

The Cubs are an embarrassment to all sports.

You're an idiot .. What are you, some flat brim wearing Obama supporter who likes the Sox because your favorite fried chicken joint is right next door? Cubs WILL win it this year, whether your monkey ass likes it or not.

[ripsnorter]

Don't worry about Funkodome. Lou isn't worried about recovering any of that $50 mil they gave him. He's earned his spot. lol

I figure he'll be hit about .108 by the end of May, and Lou and Hendry won't be able to cover for this guy, and he'll hit the bench. By then the Cubs will be about 10 games out, and it will be all over for them for 2009. I'm a Cubs fan, but I don't see it this year.

As for batting order, they are weaker this year. The runs will not pile up like last year. Somebody ought to tell these multimillionaire suits at the Cubs front office that scoring runs wins games. It amazes me that after 100 years of losing, they still haven't figured that out.

[bhawks61]

I don't know what to think about the 2009 season other than I hope the team overachieves this year because on paper they are worse than the 2008 team.

This lineup does not impress me at all.

With that said,
Go Cubs!!!

[Bart]

Wait till 2108 wrote:

<quoted text>
Well said. Lou seems intent on giving Fukudome opportunities he clearly doesn't deserve (like starting 2 games in last year's playoffs). If Fukudome is going to play CF, he should be hitting 8th until he proves last year was fluke.

Since you are smarter than Lou Piniella, what line up do you Suggest?

[Bart]

Cubs fan in OR wrote:

Soriano
Fukudome
Lee
Bradley
Ramirez
Fontenot
Soto
Theriot
Pitcher
That's Piniella's lineup?! He cares too freaking much about getting Righty-Lefty matchups, then getting his best players at-bats. Yes, lets move down in order our best, most consistent hitter the past 5 years (Ramirez), and lets leave in the 3 hole a hitter who hasn't topped 100 RBIs the past 2 years (Lee), so that a switch hitter can provide some power from the left hand side (Bradley), never mind that Bradley has topped 500 at-bats just once in his career, and 400 at-bats just twice, or was DH primarily last year and his splits were so in favor of his games at Arlington.
I don't even need to mention the idiocy of Fukudome batting second (granted if Fukudome plays like he was supposed to, he'll make a great #2) with Theriot 8th, or Fontenot batting in front of Soto batting 7th, or even getting Miles 350 ABs.
I love the Cubs, and they'll win their division, but really, nothing about Lou's lineups makes me think they are a better team than last year.

Since you are smarter than Lou Piniella, what line up do you Suggest?

[Bart]

bhawks61 wrote:

I don't know what to think about the 2009 season other than I hope the team overachieves this year because on paper they are worse than the 2008 team.
This lineup does not impress me at all.
With that said,
Go Cubs!!!

What paper have you been looking at? Zig Zag?

[Glum]

ripsnorter wrote:

Don't worry about Funkodome. Lou isn't worried about recovering any of that $50 mil they gave him. He's earned his spot. lol
I figure he'll be hit about .108 by the end of May, and Lou and Hendry won't be able to cover for this guy, and he'll hit the bench. By then the Cubs will be about 10 games out, and it will be all over for them for 2009. I'm a Cubs fan, but I don't see it this year.
As for batting order, they are weaker this year. The runs will not pile up like last year. Somebody ought to tell these multimillionaire suits at the Cubs front office that scoring runs wins games. It amazes me that after 100 years of losing, they still haven't figured that out.

Good pitching beats good hitting and the cubs have neither. I am not excited about this year's team.

[Chicos Bail Bonds]

If Geo reduces his strikeouts by about forty, (that would be reasonable to expect from someone who is just entering his prime and has had a full season to learn the league and the umpires strike zones) he will get up into that 30 HR, 110 RBI range. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I see his bat, defense, and leadership and I see Gary Carter without the narcisisstic attitude. Geo is a stud. They should be fun to watch and should score a lot of runs regardless of the lineup, but Geo has to be higher than seventh. I also love Micah Hoff as the heir apparent to Derek at first base (and another LH stick in the lineup) If D Lee's bat slows doen in midsummer once again I wouldn't mind seeing him getting spelled more often, if not platooned. I could easily see him getting the full time gig sometime in 2010.

[Kaisuke needs new shoes]

Fukudome batting second?

Love the guy's fielding ability but the ground crew is still unscrewing his shoes that he left in the the batter's box from last season-

[Alex B]

FukoDopey,this guy belongs in the minors. Soriano & Bradley, the two poor fielding fragile outfielders belong in the AL as designated hitters.

While the Cubs were smart enough to hire Pinella, he is not smart enough to take Soriano out of the lead off spot.
All this wasted money on the pathetic mentally and physically fragile outfield is a big mistake.

Pitching wins championships. Hendry is clueless, the pitching is barely average considering the starters and bull pen.

[Mr Houston]

Eh, I'm not really much of a fan of Fonte "not", but I guess he'll have to do.

[Corms]

Piniella said Fonty will get about 350 at bats which means he isn't the regular 2nd baseman, he's the left handed part of a platoon. In platoons the lefty usually gets 350-400 at bats and the righty 250-300. Miles' other at bats will come from backing up short and 3rd. It amazes me that people like Dave Van Dyck have jobs covering baseball and can't figure this stuff out.