The idea that the Cubs need to counter the Cardinals' acquisition of Mark DeRosa is preposterous.
The Cubs' $134.8 million payroll on Opening Day was the third highest in the majors. They should not need any help, other than the return of injured third baseman Aramis Ramirez. And frankly, it's pathetic that such a talented club would miss Ramirez this badly.
Oh, the Cubs could use another bullpen piece, just like most contenders. But, give or take a DeRosa here, a Kerry Wood there, this group is not much different from the one that won the NL Central the past two seasons.
Enough excuses already. Enough drama.
Win some games.
The Mets, when healthy, often are criticized for lacking passion. The Cubs have the opposite problem. They appear in need of a group tranquilizer. They are wound so tightly, they often produce a meltdown a day.
Winning would put an end to many of their peripheral issues, though right fielder Milton Bradley and right-hander Carlos Zambrano are volatile even in good times. The Cubs should win, too, given the quality of their starting pitching. But right now they're 36-37, raising a series of troubling questions.
About Piniella's ability to get the most out of this group, and more pointedly, about the underachieving offense that general manager Jim Hendry assembled, from Bradley to second baseman Mike Fontenot to that enduring bust, left fielder Alfonso Soriano.
Hendry could have signed Raul Ibanez, Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu in free agency, but preferred Bradley, viewing him as more of a pure right fielder — and the type of fiery competitor the Cubs seemed to lack.
DeRosa, a right-handed hitter, was sacrificed to create payroll flexibility and more balance in the lineup. Could the plan have turned out any worse? The Cubs are 12th in the NL in runs per game after leading the league last season.
Bradley, a switch-hitter, is batting .194 against right-handers. The injured Aaron Miles, another switch-hitting addition, is batting .188 against them; Fontenot, a left-handed hitter, .236. If not for Kosuke Fukudome, the Cubs would be a complete wreck from the left side. And Fukudome is hitting .177 in June.
The bullpen is almost as big a concern as the offense. Newcomer Kevin Gregg is a second-tier closer and setup man Carlos Marmol has regressed, preventing the Cubs from reversing their roles and leaving the 'pen wobbly. Marmol allows too many walks, Gregg allows too many homers and the Cubs rank 11th in the NL in bullpen ERA.
Still, it's not even July. The Cubs could not have played any worse, yet they're only 3-1/2 games out of first place. They do not need to counter the Cardinals' acquisition of DeRosa. They need to get over DeRosa, get over their poor start, get over themselves
Interesting take on it
The Cubs' $134.8 million payroll on Opening Day was the third highest in the majors. They should not need any help, other than the return of injured third baseman Aramis Ramirez. And frankly, it's pathetic that such a talented club would miss Ramirez this badly.
Oh, the Cubs could use another bullpen piece, just like most contenders. But, give or take a DeRosa here, a Kerry Wood there, this group is not much different from the one that won the NL Central the past two seasons.
Enough excuses already. Enough drama.
Win some games.
The Mets, when healthy, often are criticized for lacking passion. The Cubs have the opposite problem. They appear in need of a group tranquilizer. They are wound so tightly, they often produce a meltdown a day.
Winning would put an end to many of their peripheral issues, though right fielder Milton Bradley and right-hander Carlos Zambrano are volatile even in good times. The Cubs should win, too, given the quality of their starting pitching. But right now they're 36-37, raising a series of troubling questions.
About Piniella's ability to get the most out of this group, and more pointedly, about the underachieving offense that general manager Jim Hendry assembled, from Bradley to second baseman Mike Fontenot to that enduring bust, left fielder Alfonso Soriano.
Hendry could have signed Raul Ibanez, Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu in free agency, but preferred Bradley, viewing him as more of a pure right fielder — and the type of fiery competitor the Cubs seemed to lack.
DeRosa, a right-handed hitter, was sacrificed to create payroll flexibility and more balance in the lineup. Could the plan have turned out any worse? The Cubs are 12th in the NL in runs per game after leading the league last season.
Bradley, a switch-hitter, is batting .194 against right-handers. The injured Aaron Miles, another switch-hitting addition, is batting .188 against them; Fontenot, a left-handed hitter, .236. If not for Kosuke Fukudome, the Cubs would be a complete wreck from the left side. And Fukudome is hitting .177 in June.
The bullpen is almost as big a concern as the offense. Newcomer Kevin Gregg is a second-tier closer and setup man Carlos Marmol has regressed, preventing the Cubs from reversing their roles and leaving the 'pen wobbly. Marmol allows too many walks, Gregg allows too many homers and the Cubs rank 11th in the NL in bullpen ERA.
Still, it's not even July. The Cubs could not have played any worse, yet they're only 3-1/2 games out of first place. They do not need to counter the Cardinals' acquisition of DeRosa. They need to get over DeRosa, get over their poor start, get over themselves
Interesting take on it
