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In a perfect world, Ramirez would be healthy and he would share the leadership role with Derek Lee. Both are stand up guys and both are productive players. Of course, there is nothing such as a perfect world in Cubdom.
Who knows when Ricketts will end up taking over the ownership of the Cubs, and even if it did happen soon, it is extremely tough to make big changes in the middle of a season. Fine. The Cubs current roster has the rest of this season to make the best of it.
But as soon as the World Series is over, jerseys must be burned and this club needs to start over. With Soriano’s massive contract, you aren’t moving him.
Soriano is part of the problem on the field, but he isn’t part of the problem in the clubhouse and the tabloids. I would just drop him to sixth in the order where his power will play up and his .300 OBP will play down. He certainly doesn’t belong in the leadoff spot.
Zambrano should be on the market and the Cubs should be open to all offers. Trust me, there would be plenty. They could get a haul of young players for him.
The Cubs would have to eat most of Bradley’s salary, but it would be worth it to get him into another uniform and out of Chicago’s nightmares.
Lilly? See ya.
Soto stays, but only because the marijuana incident is the only blotch on his resume with the Cubs. So the kid gets a second chance. But any more hiccups and he is out.
And while I’m at it, I would give Pinella a long, hard look. It’s not his fault that he was given a roster with this many buffoons, but then again, he hasn’t done anything to suggest that at 65-years-old he can manage any batch of egos. Pinella is a great manager, but the end comes at some point for everyone.
Give me Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, Ryan Dempster, and Rich Harden. That’s where I start. Those are my leaders. Complementary pieces like shortstop Ryan Theriot and Reed Johnson are great if the leadership is in place.
The Cubs will always have an inside track to talent, because Wrigley Field is one of the most desirable places to play and Chicago is a great place to live.
But every winner has a foundation of productive players with high character. That’s a fact, and the Cubs will never win anything as long as they are known more for blow-ups than true ballplayers.
I want to enjoy the Cubs and the Wrigley Field atmosphere, which is second to none during October. But until the vision is changed from the top down, we are only going to get more dented water coolers.
You can reach Teddy Mitrosilis at tm4000@yahoo.com.
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