Writer suggests Piniella firing (UPDATED)
Our old pal Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports opines today that the Cubs should consider firing Lou Piniella as manager if things don't turn around (some early reaction below):
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Lou-Piniella-may-be-out-of-work-if-Cu...
Here is a little of what Rosenthal writes:
"But if it (a turnaround) doesn't happen, the Cubs should seriously consider changing managers. That's right, they should consider dumping Lou Piniella and replacing him with his polar opposite, the team's mild-mannered bench coach, Alan Trammell."
Don't know if Kenny's aware that Tram can get the red you-know-what just as easily as Lou can. With the Tigers as a player, Tram was as fierce a competitor as there was. That said, he is a terrifically nice man.
Rosenthal goes on: "Trammell, mind you, isn't necessarily the answer; he was a failed manager with the Tigers from '03 to '05 albeit under trying circumstances. but Trammell would be sort of an anti-Lou _ positive, reassuring, upbeat. Different, that's for sure."
UPDATE: Jim Hendry was more than willing to talk about this. He had a lot to say. We'll get to some of it here and more with perspective for the paper tomorrow and online. Jim's first reaction was this:
"I'm absolutely completely confident in Lou Piniella," he said. "I've never any thought about Lou not being the manager here this year. I have complete faith in the coaching staff, also. I have no intention of making any changes at all."
Bottom line: Lou isn't going anywhere soon.
Lou has never been comfortable talking about his own situation, but he handled it with good humor.
"I've said all along that we're going to get better," he said. "I feel that way. And we've got the team here to do it. Jim and I have worked closely together, and you go through some tough times, and you go through some good times in this business.
"What do I care about speculation. I've been doing this for 23 and a half years, and I'm going to be worried about speculation? I don't think so.
"Thank God that the guy (Rosenthal) likes me. If he didn't like me, he'd want me put in jail or something."
It's the old change-as-a-spark theory. Since Starlin Castro came up and "sparked" the Cubs, they're 3-6.
To me, the Cubs' record will improve when Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez start hitting. This may well be Lou's last year anyway. And he's been positively grouchy of late. His postgame press conferences go about a minute and a half. Lou helped pull the Cubs out of their doldrums in 2007, when things were worse than they are now. I think he deserves a shot to do it again.
We'll be back later with lineups, notes and minor-league news (Brett Jackson returned to Daytona's lineup as DH yesterday).
Now the lineup
Fukudome, RF
Castro, SS
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Colvin, CF
Soriano, LF
Fontenot, 2B
Hill, C
Wells, P
Lou says Ryan Theriot needs one more day with the elbow.
As far as the minors go, we'll make it brief. Brett Jackson, last year's No. 1 pick, came back as the DH for Daytona yesterday after missing five games with right-foot injury. Daytona is 14-23. "I'm frustrated," manager Buddy Bailey told the Daytona Beach News Journal. "We're just not doing enough things right. It's that simple."
Andrew Cashner starts for Iowa tonight. Jay Jackson pitched 2 scoreless innings of relief for the I-Cubs yesterday.
Lou definetly needs to resign but he is to stupid and stubborn to do the right thing for the team.Zambrano's roll becomes a mop up guy in the bull pen and you tell me there is no disenntion?Only person that needs to go more than Pinhead Pinella is that jackass Hendry who really doesn't understand the ins and outs of the game without running it by the manager first.The garbage needs to be taken out on the top floor.
Some of Lou's decisions can certainly be questioned, but I don't think Lou should be fired. I do think you have to get Zambrano back in the rotation. I really think Zambrano should be in Gorzelanny's spot. Gorzelanny has pitched pretty well, and may yet be a good starter, but Zambrano's track record is established. I can also see Wells in the pen if necessary.
Not that I think Lou needs to be let go but I've always thought that Tram would be a nice replacement once there is an opening. If the Cubs are going to trend towards going young once Lou's gone then Tram is a guy with a lot of experience in that area.
I don't think I've ever seen a Cub squad put up the numbers they have early in a season with so little to show for it. Without a doubt Lee and Ramirez have struggled.
I also can't recall a Cub manager making so many changes so quickly and often other than Lou in '07.
Last year or not.....Lou is not responsible for the teams early struggles. It's been a frustrating streak but it's a long season.
Bruce.....Can you see any creative way to get Tracy beck up at some point. I thought he was a great pick up and hated to see him sent down. But at least he's getting AB's.
He showed great promise with the D'backs before he got hurt.
Only Cub fans who have watched most games would agree with your statement - but you are right the Cubs are putting up good numbers. A lot of things we worried about before the season started are going right. It's frustrating they have found so many ways to lose. Biggest problem is Lee and Ramirez...high LOB numbers, especially runners in scoring.
I also agree with you about recalling Tracy.
Can Baker play the outfield? If so, Cubs could send down Colvin and call up Tracy. Colvin needs to go to minors to get at-bats. Problem is that Lou needs him late in games to do the defensive switch for Soriano.
Still the elbow?
Theriot is available off the bench tonight and he should be able to start tomorrow.
...the Cubs go through managers (some with winning pasts) while teams like the Cards, Angels, Red Sox, Twins and Braves have the continuity of one guy?
Could it be the organization is broken and not the manager?
Firing Lou would be silly. It would be akin to the old days when a Frank Lucchesi or Joe Altobelli came on to finish a season from a failed manager. They aren't going to the post-season, might as well just play the guys you have, keep your manager and finish out the season. Then, if at all possible with this bloated payroll, start off 2011 with a serious plan and eye to the future. That plan may not include either Lou or Hendry, but launching Piniella serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever, other than a phony placation of a few fans who still think this squad can make the post season.
Getting Zambrano back in the rotation is enough reason IMO.
The sarting pitching hasn't been the problem from what I've seen. Z has had his moments but he's never been a shutdown #1 sarter. Can he be?..... He will surely get the chance again to prove he can be......but I can wait for that.
Maybe he can be part of a big trade?
Still like the move.
for this type of move. Granted, if you looked up the current definition of the word, "underachievers", you'd see a picture of the 2010 Cubs. But I don't see Ricketts making such a drastic move so early into his ownership and upsetting the honeymoon phase he's still enjoying.