Come To Think Of It...Sweet Lou Striking Sour Notes

It's certainly not Lou Piniella's fault that Jim Hendry didn't land Brian Roberts, effectively leaving the Cubs manager without a viable leadoff option. But he still has a responsibility to make the best with what he has. And thus far, his decision-making is suspect, to say the least.

I mean, Ryan Theriot batting leadoff? Sure, he has speed and has had success when stealing bases. But as the old adage goes, "You can't steal first base," and Theriot had a .266 average with a .326 OBP last year.

Not the kind of numbers you want for your leadoff hitter.

And just as soon as you try to rationalize that by thinking that at least they moved Soriano out of the leadoff spot, you quickly realize just where Lou moved him to. 

He's batting second? What?

Your second hitter should be someone with patience, giving the leadoff hitter time to steal (assuming he's on first, which assumes you have a real leadoff hitter, so back to original point).

He should also be someone who is willing to sacrifice, bunting the runner over, with an ability to handle the bat and hit to the right side. Soriano hasn't demonstrated any of those skills.

Lou thinks that Soriano will thrive in the second spot because he'll see more fastballs.

First of all, that's assuming Theriot gets on base, because, if he doesn't, and brief history suggests he will get on just 32 percent of the time, there's no reason for the pitcher to throw more fastballs at Soriano.

Second, he's apparently either not aware or doesn't care about the research by Baseball America that has indicated hitting with a man at first bothers the hitter more than the pitcher.  

And a free-swinger like Soriano who strikes out so much doesn't need distraction at the plate.

Here's another thing: why is Lou batting Pie eighth in the order?

The eighth-place hitter either needs to be a guy with good pitch recognition, or, at least, a veteran who isn't fooled easily.

That's because, with the pitcher hitting behind him, there is little or no reason for a pitcher to ever throw a strike to the eighth-place hitter. And, to a young free-swinger like Pie, that's not a good thing.

Look, I can't go out and get Roberts for him, that's Hendry's failure. But Lou should bat Fukudome either first or second. Or use Fukudome to break up the middle of the right-handed lineup, neither of which Lou is intending to do. 

Early last year, Piniella looked like a deer in headlights, as he juggled the order every day.

But that was blamed on him not knowing his personnel.

Alright, we gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Then, he pulled a stunner of a stupid decision in the playoffs, removing Zambrano early from a game in order to save him for game four of the playoff series.

A game, might I remind you, that never happened.

Something strange seems to happen to otherwise good baseball men when they become Cubs. 

Come to think of it, maybe that's it: they become Cubs.