(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Speaking as a Cubs fan, it is amazing to me that this team is only three games behind St. Louis in the NL Central standings. Among all their problems, the two-time defending division champs are still in the hunt for the division crown.
The Outfield
The outfield (Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome, and Milton Bradley) combine to earn more than $33 million. Their individual stats just make a Cubs fan sick to his stomach. For how much they're are making, the outfield has definitely been the Achilles heel of his team.
Bradley's stats, halfway through the season, make me ill. He's only batting .241 and has hit six home runs along with only 19 RBI.
To me, those are good stats for April. Not July!
Soriano has been slumping for about a month now. Apparently he has a bad knee. If that is the case, sit him down!
If he's injured, Soriano shouldn't be playing. Place him on the 15-day DL and call up Sam Fuld to take his place. The worst that can happen is Fuld won't hit, either. They aren't losing anything on defense.
Soriano's stats make me sick, too. He's hitting .230 and has hit 14 home runs and only has 32 RBI. His OBP is .292! That sounds like a batting average!
To think Soriano was the leadoff hitter with an OBP of .292. Amazing.
Fukudome has been a bit better as of late. He is showing flashes of what he can do. I know, he should've been showing flashes in April and May and producing now. But if he can get it going now, I'll take it.
Fukudome's stats are a bit better. Fukudome is hitting .242 with six home runs and 26 RBI. The new leadoff man has been hitting the ball pretty well and his OBP is .380. It should be a bit higher, but I'll take it for now, sadly.
Hitting
The hitting has been off and on. The people who are supposed to be the big producers, besides Derrek Lee, aren't producing. Geovany Soto, reigning NL Rookie of the Year, is hitting a mere .230 with eight home runs and 27 RBI. That is not acceptable.
Aside from the struggling hitters, there has been some good news. Lee has carried this team.
As of now, Lee is hitting .284 with 16 home runs and 53 RBI. That is pretty good. He's on pace for over 30 home runs and over 100 RBI. I'll take it.
Ryan Theriot is another bright spot in the somewhat struggling lineup of the Chicago Cubs. Theriot is hitting .287 with a surprising seven home runs and 30 RBI.
The power surge of Theriot is enjoyable to watch. He's a young, gritty ball player who can really play well.
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