Cubs Held Back

As many of you know, this Cubs season is proving to be of record-breaking caliber.  With Geovany Soto being the first rookie catcher to ever start for the National League All-Star team and Ryan Dempster proving to everyone that he's a legitimate starting pitcher (after taking a trip to the bullpen, which proved to be a fruitless effort for himself and the Cubs), this team seems to have a certain aura about them that will lead to an almost certain playoff birth. 

However, not to be negative, but I think the one name that is holding them back and will continue to hold them back, is Bob Howry.  I can't help but feel a little disgust in myself for when saying that name.  Countless times has he been put in a situation in which he inherits runners and allows them to score.  These unearned runs have proved to be detrimental to the Cubs winning efforts, and while they have not necessarily lost the game each time, they have turned blowouts into close games. 

A perfect example came Tuesday against Houston, when Howry served up a first pitch two-run homer to Carlos Lee to give the Astros a 7-6 lead.  While the Cubs offense fired right back in the bottom of the inning, it should not have even come to that, but did, due to Bob Howry. 

In my opinion, the one move Jim Hendry should make before the postseason begins is to not acquire a player, but to release one, that being Bob Howry.  I have never been impressed with him, and he does not seem to have electrifying stuff, like that of Samardzija or Marmol.  The last thing this playoff-bound team needs is a washed up veteran who can't help but serve up a lead-blowing, two-run homer in the 7th innning in a game the Cubs should easily walk away with. 

In my opinion, dump him and his lead-washing tendencies away!

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