Ahhhh, but Hendry would need to force Dusty's hand here. Murton could be sent down for Fontenot! Or Theriot! Theriot is hitting .299! That's like .300! Second basemen everywhere!

Even if Murton is sent down for Restovich, will Restovich play? Womack got 66 games in the outfield for the Yankees last year. Freddie Bynum would give Dusty speed and no base-clogging.

Imagine this Dusty lineup possibility:

CF Pierre
SS Neifi
3B Ramirez
1B Walker
RF Jones
2B Womack
LF Bynum
C Blanco

Has that happened yet? Because it will. It will.

I predict Walker will lead off on the twelfth of never.

But nooooooooooooooooo! It can't be the manager's fault! He doesn't control which players are out on the field. And it's not the lineups either because every position in the batting order comes to the plate an equal number of times. Do you have your head in the sand? The Cubs are just two injured players away from being a 95-win team.

Why Baker insists on doubling his misery by batting Neifi second is beyond me. It was a fireable offense last season, and it remains one this season.

As we've said since 2003, the only way to stop Dusty from putting these horrid lineups on the field is to strip the bench of players that he can't resist misusing. Perez and Womack are just the kinds of speedy useless hitters that Dusty in his playing days probably saw hitting in the 2-hole a lot. Of course, he was also playing in an era where you usually had a few guys in the lineup who weren't all that hot with the stick but made up for it with the glove. That's not really true anymore. Neifi should be hitting 8th, and probably 9th when Zambrano pitches. (OK, Neifi shouldn't be hitting at all - he shouldn't be on the roster anywhere, but that's just a pipe dream.)

And put me in the camp who believes that Restovich wouldn't play if promoted. He didn't play the first time he was up. With Womack and Bynum both able to take starts in the OF and provide the speed that Dusty thinks we need to accomplish "small ball", Restovich will become last bat off the bench for 3 weeks until he gets sent back down to make room for another reliever or Angel Pagan or something like that.

UCCF, you should just copy that whole post and send it to Hendry.

I'd quibble with Neifi being "speedy".

Dusty is turning into Don Baylor before my very eyes. Just watch as the Cubs inch their way up the sacrifices list (they're currently 5th in the NL).

It's a good thing Rothschild isn't as competent as Acosta - or we'd watching for a staff mutiny when LR and DB inevitably go at it.

Looks like the days of a crappy LF platoon are back.

Looks like the days of a crappy LF platoon are back.

####. And another prospect bites the dust. Where's Jody Gerut playing this year? I'm sure we could ship Murton out to reacquire him. Freddie #### Bynum. I really thought it would be Womack who would ultimately send Murton to the bench.

Murton's game is really going to improve now that he spends most of his time on the bench. Everyone knows that not playing is the best way to learn.

I hate this ####### team sometimes.

Me too, UCCF, me too... Unfortunately - those "sometimes" are increasingly what I'd call my "waking hours".

At least Angel looked pretty good in relief today.

Where's Jody Gerut playing this year?

Last I heard, Gerut was sitting on the DL in the Pirates' minor-league system. I don't think he's played at all this season.

I don't think he's played at all this season.

He's having problems with his surgically repaired knee.

Should we start the 2007 opening day left fielder pool?

I'll take Dave Roberts.

I'll take Tony Womack. He's already here, and unless he completely craters (read: plays like he usually does) he'll blind Dusty just like Neifi did.

Either that or Felix Pie.

Should we start the 2007 opening day left fielder pool?

I say Barry Bonds.

Should we start the 2007 opening day left fielder pool?


Carlos Lee

Felix Pie will be the LF on opening day for the Cubs.

Quinten McCracken will be the LF by June.

What's happening with Pie in Iowa?

What's happening with Pie in Iowa?

.257/.326/.407

I don't see him in the starting lineup next season. His K rate is atrocious: more than 25% of his ABs.