When Joe Maddon inserted Kris Bryant at shortstop for an inning late in the Dodger game, one reaction was that the move was "little league."
He is moving players around like a little league manager, Bruce Levine said on the radio. Levine also noted that the Cub players do not fear playing new positions.
But that still begs the question: why?
No team has won the World Series by fielding eight utility players.
By playing players out of the normal position a) increases the chance of injury (Schwarber in LF); and b) lessens the quality of defense (Heyward in CF). It is very rare for a player to be very good at more than one position. Ben Zobrist has made a career on being a super utility player (SS, 2B, 3B, OF). Javy Baez's best position is shortstop. He has the arm and range to play third and second base.
Other than Zobrist and Baez, no other Cub players are plus defenders outside their natural position. It is fine to send Bryant to LF to insert Baez at third when a ground ball pitcher like Jon Lester is on the mound.
But most players will tell you that they like a normal routine. They are creatures of habit.
But Maddon is not. He likes to keep the team loose, and off-guard. Putting Bryant at shortstop was a wake up call to the bench. Bryant did not have a ball hit to him or had to make a play at short, but objectively, it could have been one of those WTF moments. A grounder deep in the hole could cause Bryant to strain muscles or his arm trying to make a jump throw to first. Or worse, trying to make the double play at second base moving his body across the bag, throwing against his body and being hit by a base runner.
A manager needs to be a risk assessment manager. There is no upside for Bryant playing shortstop. The risk of injury against his routine positioning and throwing motions makes it an accident waiting to happen. Bryant has shown he is an above average third baseman. He is OK in left field. Let him play his natural position so he can concentrate on hitting.
