ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reports that Cubs manager Joe Maddon is considering batting his pitcher eighth in the lineup. Maddon, no stranger to unconventional strategy, is a newcomer to the National League after opting out of his contract with the Rays in October. Rogers adds that Maddon hasn’t made any definitive decisions yet, so he could change his mind.
If Maddon does decide to go ahead and bat his pitcher eighth, he certainly won’t be the first manager to have done so. Former Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was a known proponent of the strategy.
Other atypical moves by Maddon have included bringing in penguins, magicians, cockatiels, and DJs (not our own D.J. Short, unfortunately) into the clubhouse.
