David Ross is Trolling Cubs Fans at This Point

I am well aware that basically every single fan base complains about the same things throughout the season and that includes lineup decisions. I get it, hell, Cubs fans were doing it with Joe Maddon when the he had the best team in the National League for multiple seasons. Anyway, I just do not understand some of the moves that David Ross is making nowadays, but I guess this is what happens when you’re desperate to get some offense.

Still, this is just trolling at this point from Ross because Miles Mastrobuoni batting second was weird earlier this week against the New York Mets and now to begin their weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds, Ross has left-handed hitting center fielder Mike Tauchman batting third.

Uhhhh, OK.

So, of course there are several factors that go into making lineup decisions. Right now, Patrick Wisdom has been brutal, so you don’t want him in there and especially not against Reds starter Hunter Greene, one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball. And I’m assuming because of that, Ross has also elected to go with Mastrobuoni at third base again because he is a solid contact guy.

But man, for the Cubs to give Eric Hosmer so much playing time in April, when he was bad, I would have thought that they would give at least more than a few at-bats at a time and see what they have in Edwin Ríos? The left-handed slugger made the Opening Day roster, but then was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on May 5, after only getting 25 plate appearances through the team’s first 31 games.

Ríos was called back up last week, when the Cubs played the Philadelphia Phillies, but in six games and you can now make it seven if he doesn’t play Friday, Ríos has had a total of two pinch hit at-bats in blowout losses.

I’ve just been so confused as to how the Cubs, Ross, whoever is responsible for these choices, have handled the bench.

One other thing, the Cubs have five lefties in the lineup against Greene, but the Reds starting pitcher has actually been better against lefties than righties.

Hunter Greene Splits:
vs. Right-Handed Hitters: (103 At-Bats) .320 Batting Average, .386 On-Base Percentage, .602 Slugging Percentage
vs. Left-Handed Hitters: (98 At-Bats) .224 Batting Average, .309 On-Base Percentage, .357 Slugging Percentage

Greene has given up eight home runs this season and six have come against right-handed hitters.

So yeah, I’m not sure that batting Tauchman third and having back-to-back lefties in the middle of the lineup and then three lefties in a row at the bottom of the order is all that advantageous for the Cubs.

And well, Jameson Taillon is starting for the Cubs. Uhh, it would be nice if the veteran righty could actually be somewhat decent. He went on the injured list back in April and it looked like he was rushed back, but it has now been multiple starts of him getting hit around. Some of it has been tough luck, with soft hits getting down, but that’s kind of what happens when a pitcher like Taillon lives in the zone and doesn’t locate as good as he has in the past.

Hopefully today’s game will be the start of a good streak for Taillon, who has not pitched more than five innings in any of his seven starts this year.

Or make that on Saturday for Taillon.