Byrd, Johnson valuable assets in 2012 campaign

With the Epstein youth movement underway, veterans like Marlon Byrd and Reed Johnson are likely to see diminished playing time during the upcoming season. David DeJesus and Brett Jacksonare potential starters, with the possibility of Yoennis Céspedes being added, as well. Soriano appears to be locked into some sort of a role with the Cubs, at least for the time being. With the Cubs set to go young, the veteran leadership and all-out play of Johnson and Byrd will be invaluable moving forward.

Cubs outfielder Reed Johnson robs a hitter of a base hit last season, while patrolling centerfield for Chicago.

Byrd and Johnson alike, made numerous plays defensively that were sheer effort. They aren’t the most talented guys in the league, and have never nor will they ever be perennial All-Stars. Dale Sveum intends to change the culture and the attitude the players put forward, something he discussed at Cubs Convention.

“They’re going to be held accountable,” Sveum said. “It’s not going to be OK. They won’t be able to walk past me in the dugout.”
Byrd struggled last season, especially after being hit in the face with a 93 mph Alfredo Aceves fastball on May 21. He did not return until July 2, with a specialized custom batting helmet to protect the left side of his face. He went on to hit .276 with 9 home runs and 35 runs batted in. However, the impact Byrd has on the clubhouse, as a whole, goes beyond his statistical numbers. Last spring, Mike Quade included Byrd in a list of players with the potential to lead the 2011 club.

“These guys can command the kind of respect where you would like to think players are listening and keep things together.”
With the influx of youth in the organization, there is a potential to reshape a culture that has developed where not running out ground balls, throwing temper tantrums, and not giving 110% on a daily basis was acceptable. In terms of leadership, I look at three players: Marlon Byrd, Kerry Wood, Ryan Dempster, and Reed Johnson.

Wood came perilously close to signing with another team, he indicated he had agreed to terms with another team, possibly the Reds, before the Cubs upped their offer to a 1 year/$3 million deal with a club option for 2013. He has become this generation’s face of the franchise, and bringing him back not only gives the team a reliable setup man, but also a favorite in the eyes of Cubs fans.

Dempster is in the final year of his deal, in which he has become the team’s most consistent pitcher, going 62-61 in his 8 seasons as both a reliever and a starter, with a 3.88 ERA. He is a strong pitcher, but more than that, he is known as a clown, someone the younger guys look up to who has the ability to lighten the mood in the clubhouse. In the first year of what many are calling a “rebuilding year”, this is something that cannot be taken for granted.

Reed Johnson agreed to a return to the Northside, with a one year/ $1.15 million contract with new Cubs management. He performed exceedingly well last season, with a .309 average as well as 5 home runs and 28 runs batted in, while appearing in 111 games. Johnson has showed that he is willing to give his body to win, something that is likely to be a staple in first year manager Dale Sveum’s gameplan this season.

With the likes of Tony Campana and Brett Jackson waiting in the wings, Byrd and Johnson will be mentors to their likely successors. Jackson is touted as a five-tool player, and Campana added 10-15 pounds of muscle, and is reportedly faster than he was last year. Yes, the man who stole 24 of 26 bases in only 95 games, and hit an inside the park home run at Wrigley got faster. Byrd and Johnson will be valuable assets to these two players in their continued development, and the Cubs’ return to the top of the National League.

Tags: alfonso soriano, chicago cubs, kerry wood, Marlon Byrd, reed johnson, ryan dempster