Cubs OF cause for concern
Current alignment puts defense at risk; Lou says give it time
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Some ugly play in left field by Cliff Floyd in his first few games in the field and questionable routes that continue to plague newbie center fielder Alfonso Soriano have not caused Cubs manager Lou Piniella to rethink his outfield plans, the manager said Tuesday.
''No,'' he said with a laugh. ''I know Cliff had a little bit of a rough day [Monday], but, look, he's only been out there a couple of times. Let's give him a little time to acclimate himself.''
It's an issue that quickly could become a sore spot for the Cubs if plays that don't get made early in the season start costing games or overtaxing the pitching staff, especially in center and the gaps.
The question was posed the morning after right fielder Jacque Jones made his '07 spring debut in center during a split-squad game and, according to bench coach Alan Trammell's report, did ''very well.''
''In fact, he said he made a couple of really, really nice plays,'' Piniella said.
Soriano, on the other hand, still is getting his center-field legs as he makes his second position change in as many springs, with just one year of outfield experience before this year.
Piniella said he plans to stick with Soriano in center, Jones in right and Matt Murton and Floyd sharing left with occasional time in right -- Floyd likely being eased into games early in the season as he comes back from heel surgery.
One American League scout who followed the Cubs the first week of games and saw them again last weekend thinks that might be a mistake and said his assessment of Soriano in center hasn't changed.
''That lineup should score runs, but I'd be a little worried about the outfield,'' the scout said. ''I don't think [Soriano's] going to do it as a center fielder. There's [playable] balls he's not getting within eight to 10 feet of.''
Soriano hasn't made a running catch deep in the gap yet, a point underscored Tuesday when left fielder Buck Coats ranged far into left-center to make a diving catch of a Todd Helton drive. Soriano gets some slack on that because he was shading the lefty hitter toward right, but he also misplayed a ball to straightaway center during the Rockies' four-run fourth, giving up on the ball to play it off the wall before watching it die and hit the base of the wall.
A second scout who has followed the Cubs this spring said he thinks Soriano has done all right in center and made two of the same points that Piniella has: Soriano's athletic ability should help him become at least an average center fielder, and the transition to center should be easier than his move to left field last year because Soriano came up as a middle infielder, so reading the angles off the bat should be familiar.
''He'll be fine,'' the second scout said.
Piniella has said repeatedly he doesn't expect Gold Glove play from his outfielders; he just wants to see basic plays made.
And the relatively small dimensions of Wrigley Field should mitigate some of the defensive shortcomings.
And if he plans to get his four primary outfielders regular at-bats and keep Soriano in one spot all season, Piniella doesn't have many choices in how he sets up his outfield.
But the Cubs clearly are taking a risk with this alignment.
The best defensive outfielder in camp, Felix Pie, and another prospect opening eyes defensively, Coats, are undoubtedly headed to Class AAA Iowa, with no apparent room on the big-league roster for them. And the best defensive outfielder of the four regulars, Jones, looks like he'll stay put in right.
''Soriano, to me, has adjusted very well in center,'' Piniella said, ''and Jones has done a nice job in right field. We've just got to continue to work, that's all.''