When Will The Cub Stop Kicking Us In The Nuts?!
Written by Godfrey Logan, Monday April 27 2009 playerpres.com

The Chicago Cubs, favorites to win the National League Central Division for the third straight year are in 4th place with the Cardinals with a roster full of no names and a hall of fame manager are leading the division and looking like it's theirs to lose.

I ripped the Cubs for signing Milton Bradley. He currently has one hit this season and has spent more games on the bench than on the field and is already creating waves by announcing who he will and will not speak to when it comes to the media. Not to mention saying he played last year basically when he felt like it. I thought the guy should only come off the bench anyways considering how little time he's spent on the field in recent years. I have always had great respect for Jim Hendry for being the type of General Manager to take the big risks. Go after the top names in baseball. He makes the trade to get Aramis Ramirez and Derrick Lee. Signed Mark Derosa coming off of a career year with the Rangers after being a bench player for most of his career at that point. I believe he has a great eye for talent but he makes some choices that make me scratch my head. I ripped Jim Hendry for trading Mark Derosa who if the Indians remain on the losing path they're on Derosa might be on another team by the trade deadline. The Cubs are short of a clutch hitter which Derosa has been since he'd been in Chicago. Derrick Lee's numbers are down and I personally am hoping he gets traded. If he does we're basically waving the white flag because I don't know who is out there that could replace not only his bat but his gold glove defense. Much had been made of the Cubs not having a player on the DL to start the season in 20 plus years. Since then several players have been taken out of the lineup with nagging injuries including our reigning National League Rookie Of The Year, catcher Giovanni Soto with a hand injury. But he's also out of shape from playing in the WBC. The Cubs have a short bench that leaves them in a tight position if a starter was to go down. Regardless of the state of our bench with Derosa still a Cub it wouldn't matter. We'd be getting great production and wouldn't be in 4th place right now. I know it's not good to dwell on the past, losing 6 straight post season games but what matters is what you do to pick yourself up. Some are saying that the Padres will eventually fall off and Jake Peavy will become available again. My question is who do we have to go after him? Had we gotten Peavy this season I would have no doubt we'd have the pitching staff to take us all the way. The Cubs have a great staff now but there is also a history of not producing for them no matter how well they pitch. I am looking at this season with a glass half full attitude because I believe that they can and will win the division but not as they are configured right now. I believe this team when healthy can go deep into the post season like the 2006 Cardinals did based on their veteran leadership. But this leadership might be on the DL by the time the season ends if Jim Hendry has done nothing to shore up the bench. He's been running around like a chicken with his head cut off worrying about the bull pen and who should be closer. I think the pen will be fine in the end and continue to be one of our strong points. It's the health of the guys who play the field for nine innings every game that is my concern.