Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
May 16, 2006
Tough Time for Dusty Baker

Dusty Baker acknowledges his troubles:

''It's been harder lately because I lost Steve Howe, who was a friend, and another longtime friend of mine [died] a few days ago,'' Baker said. ''The hardest part is going home to yourself or going out and knowing people are going to bombard you with negatives. It's hard because some of it is justified.

''This has been a tough 17-game stretch, and I knew it would be. It started tough and went downhill.''

That's what happened to King Lear. Just when you think it can't get any worse, it does. If you're looking for negatives, here are the Cubs batting splits since 4/20, the day after Lee's injury. Apart from the right fielder, nobody is hitting. The most damning thing in my mind, however, is the lack of production from first base. Lee's replacements averages are .193 BA, .272 OBA, .229 slugging. I don't expect them to find another Derrek Lee, but it shouldn't be that difficult to find someone who can hit to play the position. Where is Chicago's Ryan Howard? Don't they have a slugger at AAA or AA who can hit .250 with a .450 slugging percentage? Take the best bat in your system, put him at first and see what happens. It has to be better than this.


Posted by David Pinto at 08:37 AM | Management | TrackBack (0)
Comments

It does make you wonder what the Cubs braintrust was thinking when Hee-Seop Choi waltzed through waivers at the end of spring training...

... or why the likes of Kevin Millar (to name someone who should be available for very little), or Jeff Conine, or Craig Wilson, or Matt Stairs are still sitting on a bench at the major-league level...

It's hard to remember that the Cubs were 14-11 after 25 games.

Posted by: Douglas at May 16, 2006 02:58 PM

Craig Wilson maybe--but Conine, Millar and Stairs all seem brutal this year.

One bat--even if it's DLee's--will not cure what ails the Cubs. They have the lowest, avg, obp, slg and are last in walks in the NL.

Since Baker has been here they haven't changed their offensive philosophy, which is swing and swing some more. Add to that their terrible fundamentals and who cares who they might get in a trade?

Posted by: The Zoner at May 16, 2006 06:41 PM
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