While I'm waiting for the side effects of my shingles vaccine to kick in and trying to not look at any politics, I'm passing time going down the rabbit hole of Baseball Reference. Specifically, which Cub position players were the best to never make a top line B-R mention as the "starter" at any position as a Cub.

My four for the last 25 years, in no particular order: Glenallen Hill, Henry Blanco, Mike Fontenot, and Reed Johnson. Honorable mention to Dionner Navarro, who got traded at the deadline and thus was not listed as the season-long starter.

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

whistler vibe

_________________

Paul Popovich

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

Albert Almora Jr

_________________

Yeah, absolutely. But I'm bored, I have a slight headache, I don't want to work, and Kristin Bell isn't going to show up to blow me. So humor me.

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

I loved Popovich as a kid, mostly because he hit a grand slam in the first game I ever attended in person, in 1971.

But really, he was kind of a shitty player, even for a Cubs middle infielder. Although he had a long run in the Pirates' front office once his playing career ended.

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

.

Hector Villanueva
Doug Dacenzo
Randall Simon

_________________

_________________

_________________

Maddon pegged his role accurately

Mark DeRosa

Todd Walker

Gay vibe.

Paul motherfucking Popovich...never understood why Leo hated using him

And in scanning this website in the last few minutes, I've seen the word hector both as a noun and a verb, so that's good

2018 Tommy La Stella as a sub. 307 402 420 822. That year as a PH 24/77

Zonk

_________________

See I'm not old enough to remember 1969. The first baseball memory I have was being sick from school and watching Banks' 500th live the following May.

I maintain that if Buck O'Neill had been given a chance in 1966, he would have understood how to get more out of that team, especially Banks. And he would have avoided the CF fiasco and spotted in guys like Popovich more successfully at 2B/SS. Earl Weaver showed how to aggressively pinch hit for Mark Belanger, with 7 man benches there was no reason why Kessinger should ever have gotten a fourth PA when they were losing.

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

Pete LaCock or Tarzan Joe Wallis.

mike vail. whenever he played, line drives all over the place.

Bill Mueller in 2001 (backing up the Coom Dog at 3B).

_________________

Except that the options were Popovich and Nate Oliver.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

Back then starting pitchers finished a lot of games. Hitters would get 4 or 5 ABs against some legendary guys. Kessinger was a 252 ba 314 obp career. 4th and+ AB vs starting pitchers in a game he was .272 .328. He was a slap hitter like a lot of no power guys then.

Jay Johnstone

Steve Lake

_________________
An unjust law is no law at all--St. Augustine of Hippo

Cause tried and true
I see the light in you
Oh, can you dig in my soul?
Could you smell my whole...
life?--Gener and Deaner