Will Maddon please stop with the manta of playing players out of position?
There was absolutely no reason to play Travis Wood in LF during yesterday's Rockies blowout of the Cubs. None.
The bullpen has been hit with a surge of injuries and tired arms. You do not need one of your healthy lefties to go out and try to cover the vast space of left field, in thin air, just to save Jason Heyward who had not played in three consecutive games.
Calling it a Maddon "fun" interjection in a bad game is no excuse. Yes, Wood got a single in his only at-bat while the rest of the team mustered three. But what if he got hurt playing left in a meaningless game?
The more times Maddon does this stunt, the odds increase that someone will get hurt.
The Cubs cannot believe they are coasting to the playoffs. The bullpen continues to be a concern, and the starting rotation needs skip-start rest. With Montgomery and Cahill being the spot-start tandem, that thins out the regular bullpen availability of relievers like Wood.
In September, the Cubs will bring up additional outfielders and infielders and as many live arms that they can find. But until then, Maddon needs to just play players in their natural positions.
