The transformation of the Cubs offense continues.
The signing of right fielder Milton Bradley to a three-year contract worth a potential $30 million is yet another sign the front office is serious about building a team around high-on-base-percentage hitters. For years, the Cubs had thumbed their noses at the importance of stats such as OBP, but things began to change in earnest last year with the signing of Japanese free agent Kosuke Fukudome. Even though Fukudome had a poor second half, he wound up with a .359 OBP, and the Cubs led the NL in OBP at .354. The high OBP also helped the Cubs to lead the league in runs scored, with 855.
Manager Lou Piniella can sprinkle several high-OBP guys throughout the lineup this year: Bradley (who led the American League in OBP last year), Fukudome, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto, Mike Fontenot and Ryan Theriot, who led Cubs regulars in OBP at .387.
The trick will be placing all of these hitters. Piniella may choose to break up Nos. 3-4 hitters Lee and Ramirez, who both bat right-handed, and put switch-hitting Bradley in the cleanup spot.
The other problem will be Alfonso Soriano, who likes leading off but whose OBP was a respectable, but not great, .344. Piniella may want to lead off Theriot or Aaron Miles on some days and try to take advantage of Soriano's power lower in the order.
