Come To Think of It...Sinking Cubs Replacing Hill in Rotation

Some observations while watching the Cubs lose for the sixth time in eight games:

I'm tired of hearing "it's early" or "wait until the weather warms up" and other idiotic statements.

These games mean as much as the games late in the year. You can just as easily lose a division in May as you can in September.

It's not too early to know the Cubs aren't playing well. In fact, they weren't really playing well when they were winning.

I don't care that the Cubs set a record with 17 wins in April. You don't get a trophy for that. Besides, the Cardinals set their own record with 18 wins in April, in case anyone noticed.

Alfonso Soriano is not a "ballplayer", he's an all-or-nothing slugger who will hit you home runs but strike out at an alarming rate, play horrible defense, and can apparently no longer run the bases.

That is not what you'd expect from someone who's the highest-paid player on your team. Again, isn't it just the Cubs luck that the Tribune finally opened the vaults and the best guy out there was this guy?

I know, I know -  he hit the home run to tie Friday night's ballgame against the Cardinals. He also badly misplayed two balls in the field.

Not to keep picking on Soriano, but I know one thing. If I was the GM, his ass would have been on a bus to Iowa or wherever to get some ABs before returning from the DL. 

Also, he would hit where I put him in the lineup, his preference for leading off be damned. With more than $100 million remaining on his albatross of a contract, he'd do what I'd tell him to do.

Kerry Wood is failing as the closer. I like the guy, but it's time to give Carlos Marmol a try.

Felix Pie is not only a not-ready-for-prime-time hitter, but his defense is lacking as well. Did you hear Bob Brenly take him to task Friday night for not taking charge as the center fielder instead of almost getting Ryan Theriot killed on that pop fly?

Then, Pie almost did it again when Mark DeRosa caught a ball that Pie should have taken charge of.

Patterson, Pie...has anyone looked at the Cubs minor league fielding and hitting instructors lately? What exactly do these guys do wrong that these kids keep coming up without a clue of the strike zone and without knowledge of the fundamentals?

Yeah, I know, that stuff is supposed to be learned at a young age, but baseball is a game of repetition. The fundamentals must be taught at every level.

Chad Fox? Are you kidding me?

I'm just asking, but...how would Cub fans feel if, at the end of the year, Kosuke Fukudome ends up hitting .300 with a .390 OBP but only six HRs, 52 RBI and 15 SBs? Nice, but is that worth $12 million? Again, I like the guy, but just asking...

I'm convinced that Rich Hill will be replaced in the Cubs rotation by Jon Lieber. Clearly, Lou had no patience for Hill's inability to find the strike zone on Friday night.

In fact, the Cubs need an extra reliever after blowing through the bullpen on Friday, so look for Hill to be sent to Iowa and a reliever brought up as early as Saturday.

It's time for another Sweet Lou dirt-kicking meltdown.

Finally, what is the Cubs record vs. winning teams this year? Come to think of it, it's hard to stay positive when you're a Cubs fan.