Kyle Schwarber might be the Cubs' next leadoff hitter

Joe Maddon knows that Kyle Schwarber isn’t the traditional major-league leadoff man, but the Cubs manager never has shied away from being unconventional.

Schwarber, who surprisingly returned from two torn knee ligaments to make a big impact in Chicago’s World Series win last postseason, has only eight plate appearances as a leadoff man during parts of two seasons with the Cubs. He primarily has hit second, but there’s a method to Maddon’s madness. He envisions Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist hitting behind Schwarber.

"There's pause involved there," Maddon told MLB.com. "If you don't want to pitch to [Schwarber], the guys coming up behind are pretty interesting. It's formidable so it's uncomfortable from the other side."

"I'd prefer that he subscribe to the Brian Downing method of leading off," said Maddon, referring to the part-time leadoff man from the 1970s/1980s/1990s who stole 27 bases in his career.