If shortstop Shawon Dunston has his way, there will be a new lineup Tuesday night when the Cubs face the Florida Marlins in the opener of a seven-game homestand.
Dunston, batting second in the order since the middle of July, left the field after Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies and marched into manager Jim Riggleman’s office after the game.
Neither he nor Dunston would say exactly what the discussion was about. But Riggleman said, in general, it was “about the lineup, and we’ll let you know about it Tuesday.”
When he was moved to the No. 2 spot in the order, Dunston had played 70 games and driven in 43 runs with a .343 average. In 25 games since then. Dunston is hitting .290 with just 10 RBIs.
Riggleman moved Dunston to the No. 2 spot because Rey Sanchez was failing to advance runners. Dunston has helped, but he clearly feels uncomfortable in the spot, and just as clearly believes he can contribute more hitting lower in the order.
Left-handed batter Luis Gonzalez, who has been on a tear lately, hitting .379 (25 for 66) in his last 19 games, was the No. 2 hitter for the Astros before he was traded to the Cubs at the end of June.
Having a lefty in the No. 2 spot is advantage because it is easier to use the right side of the infield when the leadoff man gets on base. But having the hot-hitting Gonzalez behind Sammy Sosa has been a plus, too.
Sosa was 8 for 18 with four homers and 11 RBIs in the Colorado series.
One disadvantage of moving Gonzalez to the No. 2 spot would be having two left-handers back-to-back–assuming Mark Grace stayed at No. 3.
Handcuffed: Sanchez, out of the starting lineup with pain in his left hand and wrist, says he is pretty sure he will be available by Tuesday.