Our own leadoff plan
Since one is the lonliest number, and two can be as bad as one, we'll make it a three-blog night.
It's pretty clear Lou wants nothing to do with talking about moving Soriano out of the leadoff spot. "Let's see what we do," he said tonight when asked if Sam Fuld could get another shot, say, tomorrow. Fuld has been a sparkplug on offense and defense the last two games. It's pretty simple. When you get on base, your big guys can drive in runs.
Soriano has not been getting on base, to the tune of a .296 OBP. He's also not hitting homers or playing very good defense. So what to do?
Enter your consultant.
From now until the break, you put Soriano in left field and bat him sixth or seventh. If I'm Lou, I tell him, "Look, clear your head, and we'll see how this looks after the break."
And if I'm Lou, I make it very clear, as I've said a million times, that I'm not changing my mind in 24 or 48 hours.
Then you can bat Fuld leadoff in center field (his natural spot) one day, and play him in right the next. That gives Fukudome and Bradley, neither of whom is doing much anyway, some rest.
Yeah, this will get complicated next Monday, when Reed Johnson and Angel Guzman and Aramis Ramirez come off the DL. But we'll worry about that then.
But for now, the Cubs need a spark at the leadoff spot, and they should ride Fuld until he shows he can't do it. Yeah, I know about small sample sizes and all that.
Couldn't hurt.
I'll collect my consultant's fee on the way out of the park tonight.
Until the hitting comes around, it's time to go wtih a defense minded line-up.
This would take some guts to sit the "stars", but it would allow them to heal if needed, and practice as needed to get sharp. It's time to preach "best man plays", go with the hot hand, etc.
If Fukudome, Bradley, and Johnson are in the line-up; put Bradley in left, Johnson in center, and Fukudome in right to maximize the defense. Move Blanco to short, and Theriot to 2nd. If Ramirez is in, I could live with Fox in LF to get a live bat. Obviously move Soriano down to 7th if he's in.
If the bullpen needs improvement, I'm still on the soapbox for moving Harden to relief. Take his 5-innings per week and put him there. Rotate Marmol, Harden, and Gregg as closer until you find a winning combination. With Guzman coming back, this could then become a stellar pen. The old way of thinking needs a makeover, and it obviously needs to come from within.
Lastly, I am NOT a fan of this Baker trade. Quit trading young talent for mediocre vets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lou should put Fuld in cf and leave him there until he fails to produce. We finally have a true leadoff hitter and yet lou decides to go back to what wasnt working. Hope Sori proves me and the rest of Cubs nation wrong.
With all the guys about to come off the DL here in the next several days I would not be the least bit suprised to see Soriano take on a DL stint himself. Maybe its anxiety.... Well, that's what we can call it anyways.
Well, the lineup is in, and Soriano is back in the leadoff spot with Fuld slated to ride the pine. Apparently loyalty is more important to Lou than having someone on base for Lee, Bradley, Fox and Soto. Terrible decision, just terrible.....Dustylike terrible.
It is way too soon to say that Fuld is an answer to anything. But as I just posted elsewhere, what is definitely obvious is that when you get a guy who eats pitch after pitch in that leadoff spot it completely changes the game. If Lou stubbornly keeps Soriano in the leadoff spot at the detriment to the team he is liable to lose everyone. The players aren't stupid and everyone knows that a guy with a .296 OBP should not be hitting leadoff no matter how much they make in salary or how long they've been in the game.
It is obvious that Soriano is banged up. Now is the time to get him healed and see what else you have so you can line up your best guys for the second half and put them in the right places.
Any chance someone besides Blanco is on the way out when Ramirez returns to the active roster? Like the new guy or maybe the much-beloved Aaron Miles? The Cubs already ate the chunk of Freel's contract they had left--why not the season-and-a-half left on Miles'?
You could make the case for sending Fontenot down. Fox has done well against right-handed pitching. The Cubs have overthought that aspect of things anyway.
Let's hope Lou sees the light....at least his "let's see" comment leaves some hope.