Tony Campana is being ill-served by remaining with the parent club. He needs to re-boot his skills as a pure slap hitter in the minors. I'm one of his biggest supporters, but the time has now come. He needs at-bats on a continual basis as he should be learning to consistently hone in on skills that pertain to a specialty hitter. Choking up, slapping down, dragging bunts, etc. Playing fewer days given the current OF restructuring, only delays his long term adjustment for next year when we could really use him and his blinding speed.

Ultimately Tony is here to serve the Cubs not the other way around. If the Cubs don't see him as a viable starting option, he can still be valuable for many years as a bench player... which is where he is right now.

They can send him to winter ball to get more ABs.

Unless his OBP is near .350, he can't be an everyday player. He needs to improve his game or his future is a late inning pinch runner. I like your idea to send him down to the minors to work on his skills because he can't get enough playing time now.

I'm beginning to see already that Sveum isn't seeing him as a viable option as a starter. How about teaching a guy to utilize assets, and potentially solve the lead-off position for years to come down the road? You can't do it hitting every third or fourth day. Nobody can.

Yeah. At the end of the day I was hoping he'd be better than a mere pinch runner. Guess I'm guilty of thinking big! If he can't learn to pull it off at AAA or even AA, his career will be totally re-defined for the lesser. That would be too bad.

"I'm beginning to see already that Sveum isn't seeing him as a viable option as a starter. How about teaching a guy to utilize assets, and potentially solve the lead-off position for years to come down the road? You can't do it hitting every third or fourth day. Nobody can."

Did you miss the part about winter ball?

MLB is not the place for on the job training for Kampana. He should have learned how to "use his assets" years ago. He is nothing more than a professional pinch runner.

Too early to write him off. Speed guys are notorious late bloomers. Michael Bourn and Doug Glanville had their breakout seasons at 26 and looked like total garbage prior to that. Podsednik had his breakout at 27 and also looked like total garbage before that.

What Campana has done thus far in his MLB career and in the minors is comparable to what those guys had done before their breakouts, if not better.

I'm not saying we should bet on him to be another Michael Bourn, but it wouldn't be wise to bet against him either. All of those guys had some serious issues and looked terrible at the plate over an extended time prior to their late emergence.

...except that he currently ranks 2nd in all of MLB in steals, and that's without having a starting job. Keep him as a PR and a 5th outfielder. Tony Campana is the absolute least of our problems right now.

He is an asset off the bench... and he doesn't take up much space. :)

With only 295 MLB ABs it's way to soon to say he can't get better.

Campana's future with the Cubs is as a pinch runner and defensive sub.

Yes, and I'm in agreement with sending him there. My thinking goes along the lines that for all practical purposes, the season is kaput. Get him some full time at-bats somewhere so he can be better in the future. Riding the pine is only stalling his progress, real or imagined.

I'm not denying his excitement or the adrenaline rush he brings to starved Cub fans. I was just hoping he could do it on a more consistent basis in the future. Everyone needs the chance to improve their game. He obviously is getting dramatically reduced chances with the Cubs. And, you are correct by pointing out that other things need quicker mending.

I'm hoping you are wrong on this one, X-man.

Why do you hope I'm wrong by saying Campana is a pinch runner/defensive replacement?

Prospect wise our outfield is pretty crowded with Soler, Jackson and Szczur. Also, Vitters, Lake and Baez could (and in Vitters and Lakes case probably will) make the switch to the outfield.

You pretty much know that Kampana will never be Michael Bourn because he never hits the ball solidly. He's a slap hitter by nature who strikes out WAY too much. I can count on one hand how many times he has squared the ball up. It's mostly little dribblers to the infielders or pitcher. That is a sign of a guy who is not a hitter.

I'm saying it in the sense that if he was ever to better his game, his speed on a consistent basis would be irreplaceable. Nothing wrong with thinking about good bangers, but the idea of blazing speed plus bangers is a difficult combination to beat. Rarely, if ever, can I recall a guy like T.C. who can drive a defense nuts. Lou Brock drove me insane with StL years ago. It would be nice for once, if the shoe was on the other foot. Of course, these are all big "IF'S."

I wouldn't be surprised to see DeJesus and or LaHair traded , so a spot might open up for Campana.

What you mentioned could easily happen. I hope I'm not coming across as being four-square behind Campana because the jury is still out on him. He's looked horrible at the plate when he does get a chance to play. He simply needs more at bats somewhere. To pigeonhole him for the rest of his life as a pinch-runner and late inning defensive replacement, COULD be premature. If it is proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he'll never cut it as a starter, I don't have a problem with him being a sub. But, we'll never know that by him not getting a chance, somewhere. I'd actually prefer some more AAA experience, and then rejoin the parent club in September or start of next year. That would appear to be a no-lose proposition.

Campana is better hitter when he's batting second in the line up rather than as a lead off man. That's because when a man is on base, Campana's able to take full advantage of his bunting skills to advance the runner while also attempting to bunt his way on base.

Campana is currently hitting .272 with a .308 on base percentage. But as a lead off man, he's only hitting .226 with a .241 on base percentage. So batting lead off, instead of second, has put a serious drag on Campana's batting average and on base percentage.

Castro's the best lead off hitter on this team! The last time Castro was allowed to bat lead off, in 312 at bats, he had a .327 batting average with a .370 on base percentage and a .471 slugging percentage. Imagine, an All Star lead off hitter that gets on base and can slug and steal his way into scoring position. And the Cubs have such an All Star lead off hitter--- and they won't even use him!