Scott Podsednik didn’t single-handedly lead the White Sox to a World Series championship last season, but the speedy leadoff man helped transform their offense after his arrival from Milwaukee.
Now the Cubs are hoping to emulate the Sox’s success, with new leadoff hitter Juan Pierre as their catalyst.
With Pierre, Jerry Hairston, Jacque Jones, Derrek Lee and Matt Murton on the roster, the Cubs appear to have more team speed than they have had in years, though that’s not saying much.
Since their last championship season in 1908, only two Cubs players have stolen 50 or more bases in a season: Ryne Sandberg had 54 in 1985 and Eric Young also had 54 in 2000.
Hairston is hoping Pierre’s presence will convince manager Dusty Baker to gamble more on the basepaths. The Cubs finished 10th in the National League in stolen bases last year with 65, or eight more than Pierre swiped himself for the Marlins.
Lee and Corey Patterson had 15 steals apiece to tie for the team lead, while Hairston and Neifi Perez tied for third with eight apiece.
Hairston stole 29 bases in 40 attempts with Baltimore in 2001 but hasn’t been the same on the bases since suffering a broken right foot in ’03 and a broken left ankle a year later. Feeling healthy and energized now that he has a chance for more playing time, Hairston is looking for a chance to strut his stuff.
“This year I’ll be able to run,” Hairston said. “I wasn’t really at full go last year. I expect to steal some bases when I’m in there.
“[Pierre] is probably as good as it gets stealing bases, with his speed. It’s not just the stolen bases, it’s the threat that’s always there. When Juan is on and [Lee] is at the plate, if he can distract that pitcher enough, [Lee], as great as he is, can really capitalize on mistakes. That threat is big.”
It’s not out of the question to picture four or five Cubs with 20 or more steals. Lee swiped 21 with Florida in 2003.
Jones is not exactly Rickey Henderson, but he has some speed. Playing on an American League team, he never took many chances. Jones stole 13 bases in each of his last three seasons in Minnesota, and his career high in attempts is only 23, in 2004.
“I had the green light in Minnesota,” Jones said. “I try to pick my spots. . . . I’m not a burner like Pierre, not a base-stealer.”
Murton, the everyday left fielder for now, has deceptive speed, though he didn’t run much in his brief stint with the Cubs last year. At Double-A West Tenn, however, Murton stole 18 bases in 23 attempts in 78 games last year.
“No doubt, I think I can steal bases up here,” Murton said.
The Cubs have one of the more knowledgeable base-stealers in the game in veteran Marquis Grissom, who will be competing for a roster spot as a reserve outfielder.
Though Grissom hasn’t been a base-stealing threat for several years, he can teach others how to read pitchers and get a good lead. Grissom has 429 steals in his career, ranking fourth among active players.
After two years of stumbling around the basepaths, the Cubs may want to listen to what Grissom has to say.
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psullivan@tribune.com
