* Dave Sappelt could be the next Reed Johnson on the Cubs. Sappelt, who batted leadoff on Tuesday for the first time this season, is trying to impress the Cubs that he could handle the role that Johnson filled, which was providing a right-handed bat off the bench plus someone who could sub in the outfield.
“Since he’s been here, he’s shown us some realy good at-bats and shown the ability to hit a fastball and get his walks as well,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said Tuesday. “I thought I’d stick him in that leadoff spot and see what happens.”
A right-handed batter, Sappelt was hitting .333 against left-handed pitchers in 18 at-bats since he was called up from Triple-A Iowa Sept. 1. At Iowa, Sappelt batted .331 against left-handers and .236 against right-handed pitching. Johnson opened the year with the Cubs but was dealt at the Trade Deadline to the Braves.
* Sveum has recommended to third baseman Josh Vitters and outfielder Tony Campana that they consider playing winter ball.
“The more you play, the better you’re going to be,” Sveum said Tuesday. “I think some people nowadays use the winters too much sometimes to work out and rest when you can go play instructional league or [Arizona Fall League] or winter leagues. There’s no substitute for playing.”
Sveum said he and the front office have talked about having Brett Jackson spend the winter working on some of the adjustments they want him to make rather than play.
* Arodys Vizcaino, whom the Cubs acquired from the Braves in the Paul Maholm deal, was at Coors Field Tuesday to workout. Vizcaino is coming back from Tommy John surgery, and will be ready to pitch in Spring Training but Sveum said the right-hander is a starter candidate for 2014.
“He’s going to come into Spring Training ready to pitch but we’ll baby him through everything,” Sveum said. “We’ll baby that situation as much as you can and have him ready for the next season.”
