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I am going to write a new article about the Cubs every month of the 2005 Cubs season. Here is issue #3. Being a Cubs Fan
Stinks |
Starting Pitching
Cubs starting pitching has been pretty solid this year considering
the Wood and Prior injuries. Rusch has done a decent job, Mitre stepped
it up this week, Z will be solid all year, and Maddux should turn the
corner and roll off a few wins in a row a few times this Summer. Obviously
the new Prior elbow problem could mess everything up even more. I don't
know if that means Dempster would move back into the rotation. I think
he has found a home as the closer for now. This could be Hendry's call
to add another arm with a trade. I will talk about that more later.
Personality
This team lacks a definable personality. When I try and pinpoint
the team's personality I think of guys like Prior, Wood, and maybe Barrett
but we don't have any everyday position players that really stand out.
I guess that is what the Cubs front office wanted when they got rid of
Sosa and Alou but this bunch of guys is boring. They need some attitude.
OK I also forgot about Zambrano but we only see his ranting once every
5 days. We need a couple of colorful personalities like the BoSox had
last year. Guys that look and act like ball players. Mark Grace, will
you consider coming out of retirement?
The Sox.
We just saw the beginning of interleague play so I thought I would
talk quickly about the Sox. I have been thinking a lot about the Sox problem
in filling the Cell. I have come up with these reasons. 1) it is not cool
being a sox fan. There is a stereptype about Sox fans being trashy and
drunk. Stereotypes exist in part because they are true more times than
not. 2) There is a bad atmosphere at the Cell. A winning team can't seem
to change the fact that it feels weird at US Cellular. Maybe it is the
weird voice of the PA announcer or the steap upper deck or all the empty
seats but the atmosphere in and around the Cell is not fun. 3) As I just
mentioned, the upper deck plain sucks. My friends and I talk a lot about
going to Sox games but when we find out we can only get upper deck seats
we change our plans. The upper deck is way too high that it is scary.
And the food up there is way different and worse than the lower deck and
you can't get to the good food unless you have a lower deck ticket. Lame.
4) It is a numbers game. There are not that many sox fans as Cubs fans.
People that are not born here that now live here become Cubs fans because
it is more cool and fun to be a Cubs fan and to go to Cubs games. If 5%
of Cubs fans go to a game, Wrigley is full. If 5% of Sox fans go to the
Cell, the 1st base coach of the opponent will get beat up.
Trade?
OK sorry about that I had a lot of Sox comments. Back to my blood
- the Cubs. So should Hendry pull of a white flag trade and trade away
youth or should he unload some older guys on the team and hopefully get
something solid so they can make a run this year. I think he should do
both. Something has to change and I don't think that firing Baker is the
answer. I think we should give up on Patterson and trade him along with
Hollandworth and maybe Kelton and get an arm a top outfielder/leadoff
man. Maybe they could even get Lofton back. The Phillies are going nowhere
so not that Lofton is healthy, it might be time for them to move some
guys. I can't get over the fact that the Cubs had Lofton and Womack and
didn't keep one of them for more than a half a year.
Left Field
Dusty should let dubois get 90% of the starts in left. Give the kid
a chance. He can flat out hit. I know his defense is suspect but does
anyone remember a guy named Moises. That guy couldnt catch a cold if you
sneezed in his face and you were sick and then he would get sick because
you just sneezed in his face. Hollandsworth is way better off coming off
the bench and his hair is bad. Trust me I love Holly he is my buddy, but
is has more value pinch hitting or coming in late in the game for defense.
Make some noise for Dubois Cubs fans.