Cubs Options At Third Base Could Cause Challenge For Manager

The Chicago Cubs feature a multitude of options at third base this season.

That’s a good thing.

It’s also going to be a bit challenging for manager David Ross.

The top candidates to play third base include Edwin Rios, Patrick Wisdom, Christopher Morel and Nick Madrigal, among others.

“Depth, man," Ríos told reporters at spring training in Mesa, Ariz. "The great teams have a lot of depth, and I think that's what Chicago is doing right now. We've got a lot of guys that you can just stick them out there, and you know they're going to do a great job."

The Cubs will need to utilize spring training to figure this situation out.

But it’s going to be fluid.

If Rios, for instance, starts the regular season at third base and gets red hot at the plate, it could alter the platoon system.

"Third base is probably the spot where there's more options," Ross said. "It's one of the things where we'll try to find the right mix and who complements each other well and make sure the buy-in is real."

All four of these potential third basemen have solid ability to have a breakout season.

Depth is terrific but it won’t be easy for Ross to manage on a daily basis.

"You definitely don't want all the same hitter sitting over there," Ross told reporters. "If you need a crooked number, you can go to a guy that's got some power over there. Or, (if it's) a guy that dominates righties, you can go to a lefty or vice versa.

"Man at third, less than two and you need a base hit and need to pinch-hit for a matchup, then contact matters, right? Putting the ball in play. All those things are the way we kind of think about it."

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