Cards in Town, Cubs Fall Short
Lou Piniella should head on down to Office Max and stock up on printer paper. He should buy so much that they could replace all the sod at Wrigley Field with it. After all, on paper, the Cubs are pretty good.
Lets see, after they won 66 games in 2006, they added the biggest bat free agency could buy, and their resident MVP candidate was coming back from injury. Pick up an aging slugger with some pop on the cheap, mix them up and the offense is sure to score more runs than last season.
Then, pick up a few steady starters and add reinforcements to the bullpen. Even the mediocre new guys will be a huge upgrade over the greenies last season. Really, anything less than 82 wins this season should be considered a massive disappointment. And you know what? I know this. I know that this team isn't a great team by any stretch, I just happen to think they're good enough to contend in a weak National League.
Well there's one thing the Cubs forgot to upgrade this offseason. Shortstop. What I've seen these last two weeks is an absolute abomination. Cesar Izturis and Ronny Cedeno, I'm talking to you. For starters, lets look at your batting average. Thus far, you've combined for a sparkling .140 Batting Average, with one Home Run and four RBIs. And if that's not bad enough, your defense has been "spotty". If it's not the THREE ERRORS in ONE GAME, it's the hesitation on an easy grounder two nights ago that cost the team game one of the Atlanta series, Cesar. And then there's today.
After a one-out single by Mark DeRosa in the 9th inning of a one-run game, Lou uses Cedeno to pinch run. Curious move, I was thinking at the time. DeRosa's not especially slow, and Cedeno never struck me as a "smart" baserunner. He was only 8 for 16 in SB attempts last year, and I'm pretty sure he got picked off at least five times. But whatever, he's in for DeRosa. Some how, some way, Jacque Jones draws a walk on a 3-2 pitch where the runner was going. Incredibly, Cedeno over runs the bag and gets thrown out. On a walk. I can't ever remember seeing that in all my years watching baseball. Ridiculous.
And don't even get me started on the botched "triple play." A lucky call puts the two Cub runners back on with only one out and they follow it up with back-to-back strikeouts. Way to shift the momentum guys.
I wonder if this guy is still available?