The Cubs offense has had a lot of issues this season, but David DeJesus has not been one of them.
Dale Sveum's squad ranks at or near the bottom of the league in just about every major offensive category. But there is one area the Cubs have excelled -- getting men on base at the top of the order.
Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer made DeJesus their first acquisition when they took over the Cubs. The signing didn't wow fans, but DeJesus fit the mold of players targeted by this new front office -- a guy that doesn't do one thing particularly well, but works the count and does a little bit of everything.
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DeJesus has done exactly what he was signed to do. While the Cubs offense has struggled -- especially during the recent 12-game losing streak -- he has put up a .289 average with a .379 on-base percentage. The .416 slugging percentage leaves a little to be desired, but DeJesus already has four triples and is second on the team with 21 walks.
He's spent the majority of the year in the leadoff spot, which has helped the Cubs to a .373 OBP from their leadoff hitters, second in the NL to only the Cardinals.
DeJesus is seeing 4.07 pitches per plate appearance -- which puts him in the Top 20 in the NL -- and is currently in the midst of a modest eight-game hitting streak.
The 32-year-old outfielder boasts a career line of .284.357.420, so this season is not a mirage. As the Cubs search for more offense, they can take solace in the fact that they already have a solid top-of-the-order hitter in DeJesus, who is under team control through the 2014 season.