Well, Ian Happ is making me look real dumb. Like really dumb. On the latest episode of the 312 podcast, which was recorded less than 24 hours after I write this, I said Ian Happ was not an elite prospect. I explained that he was a solid player, but did not have the superstar potential that other Cubs prospects have been labeled during the rebuild.
While that claim isn’t completely useless, it might as well be because Happ has continued to crush the ball – and do more than homer like I implied in the podcast.
Ian Happ Home Run Cam pic.twitter.com/tJm4tkJrxZ
— Kevin Marchina (@kg_holler) May 13, 2017
Happ is currently slashing .357/.455/.786 with 2 home runs, 5 RBI, and 8 runs scored since being called up just 10 days ago. And with his switching-hitting power numbers, Happ profiles well directly behind Rizzo in the fourth or fifth spot in the lineup. Of course, this is a small sample size and Happ will eventually cool off, but right now the Cubs need him apart of the everyday lineup.
Perfect example was last night, as the Cubs began to mount a comeback against the Giants. After Javier Baez smacked a two-run homer in the bottom of the 8th, Ian Happ came into the game as a pinch hitter and clubbed his first Major-League triple. Ben Zobrist would bring him home shortly after with two-run-dinger of his own, bringing the Cubs within two runs of tying the game. Of course, the Cubs did end up losing that game, but it was Happ that helped ignite the offense while flashing his astonishing bat speed.
And while the strike outs are obvious, Happ has gone down on strikes nine times so far, however he has shown patience at the plate – walking five times. On top of this, his fielding has been unorthodox and awkward looking in moments, but he is making all the plays necessary of a center fielder. If his defense can continue to improve, a reasonable request for a 22-year-old player as versatile as Happ, it’s easy to envision Maddon penciling in his name into the lineup for years to come.
Just look at that stroke, it’s a thing of beauty.
Ian Happ with his 6th extra-base hit in 7th career MLB game (2 doubles today) pic.twitter.com/PBNDhqo543
— Kevin Marchina (@kg_holler) May 21, 2017
The difficult part about this scenario is that the only real opening on the Cubs roster is center field. With Jason Heyward and Kyle Schwarber manning the corner outfield spots, and with both Ben Zobrist and Javier Baez splitting time at second, the only way the Cubs can keep Happ in the everyday lineup is to play him over Albert Almora Jr. and Jon Jay.
Neither Jay or Almora have gasped the role of starter to start the season, but the argument could be made that Almora has not been given a fair shake at starting everyday. Part of that has to do with Almora’s struggles against right-handed pitchers, currently batting .200 with 11 strikeouts against rightys. Jay has looked great so far this season at the plate, slashing .321/.418/.410 through 37 games in his first season with the Cubs, however he has already costed the Cubs four runs according to Fangraphs’ defensive runs saved metric and provides almost no power at the plate.
If Happ keeps producing the type of offense he has in his first week with the Cubs, while showing he can do a competent job in center, there is no reason not to keep the 22-year-old out of the lineup for the remainder of the 2017 season. Even if it makes me look stupid.
