I still think the guy is the 23rd guy on a good team roster.

That said, I’m starting to be cautiously optimistic that he might be more than that.

I heard someone this past week say that the reason they love him is that he had a long history of crushing ground balls so if they could increase his launch angle it should translate into a big time power bat.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

To me, there are three playing time decisions, with Bryant shuffling between 3B/LF/RF, and Heyward between RF/CF:

1. Bote vs. Descalso at 2B (or 3B if Bryant is in the OF)
2. Almora in CF vs. Zobrist in RF
3. Schwarber in LF vs. Russell at 2B

Bote should be starting against all lefties and all but the top 20 RH starters in the NL. And he should start every game in an AL park with Bryant moving to LF.

If they are winning, the late inning defense should be Rizzo/Russell/Baez/Bote (or maybe Rizzo/Bote/Russell/Baez against some lineups), Bryant/Almora/Heyward.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

Bote= Greatest player in the Cubs braintrusts minds not named Schwarber.

That is accurate. His exit velocity has long been good, he just needed to get the bat lower on the baseball and turn those ground balls into line drives and long fly balls. That 3 million a year contract is already looking like a great bargain. He is also a plus defender.

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Go Cubs!!!!

What's intriguing about Bote is his career risp batting line is pretty much across the board higher than his standard career batting line.