For his latest trick, Joe Maddon managed to put all three Cubs catchers on the field at once
This browser does not support the video element.
If there's one thing we know about Joe Maddon, it's that he's never afraid to flout the rules of conventional managerial wisdom -- things like "don't put a reliever in left field with the game on the line" or "Spring Training is maybe not the best place to bring live bear cubs."
So, while most managers only play one catcher at a time -- both because it's important to keep one available in case he's needed later and because there is, in fact, only one catcher position -- Maddon decided to do things a little differently during Monday's 10-2 loss against the Phillies. Wanting to give Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo some rest with the game out of reach (and bring us that much closer to the age of the all-catcher infield), the Cubs skipper put Willson Contreras at third, Miguel Montero at first and Kyle Schwarber behind the plate.
While Contreras began his Minor League career at the hot corner and Schwarber was originally a catcher before moving to the outfield, this was Montero's very first action at first base. And, because the Baseball Gods are not without a sense of humor, Daniel Nava tested the new infield on just the second pitch of the inning:
As always, Maddon is playing chess while the rest of us play checkers.