Maybe The new owner of the Cubs will want a playoff winning team rather than be content to make millions by just providing entertainment to fill the seats. If he does these are changes his administrative staff will need to make:
Hotdog Soriano goes
Hotdog Zambranno goes
Relief pitcher Gregg goes
Outfielder Bradley goes
Fukudome is not a franchise player
Soto had one good year and that may have been his best.Derek Lee is probably the only franchise player and he is not getting any younger. Ramirez? Hmmm.
Not enough space here to say why these changes are needed but if you watch them play and know the game, the reasons are obvious. The whole team at times looks lethargic and not highly motivated. The team lacks just that, playing like a "team" that doesn't always swing from their heels with two strikes or the need to advance a runner.
Needed: one power hitting outfielder and one starting pitcher, preferably left-handed. And a closer. That is if they can get the lead which has been hard to do this year.
Maybe its time for Pinella to go. Maybe upper management tells him to play some of the big salaried players like Bradley and Soriano, but he doesn't always put his healthy best players in his starting lineups. His players have confidence to hit mediocre pitching but do not seem confident against better pitchers, even against 42 year old John Smoltz in tonight's game. Two runs in the first inning and a 3-2 loss against the Cardinals. Theriot gets picked off base and first man up for Cards hits a homer off a third rate Cub relief pitcher; game over.His imagination is not much better than Dusty Baker's. Seldom, a squeeze play or even a safety squeeze. Few hit and run plays, players seem to not know how to advance a player from 2nd base when there is no one out. Some pitchers can't bunt and their sliding technique is often wanting.
Not even the playoffs this year. What the Cubs need is real change. I can't wait another 100 years.
My credentials? I have some. Next post.
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