that Nady was D-Lee’s primary backup at first, and he was having an awful first half as well. A day off here and there may have helped a bit, but the way Nady was going, I would rather have had Lee in there. I think when guys have track records like Lee and Ramirez, you kind of fall into the trap of having the hunch that every day, “OK, today is the day they turn it around”. I know I felt that way. Give them their at-bats, and they will come around. Before long, it’s mid-June and you think, “Damn, they are still only hitting .200??” But still, with no one on the bench who could really be considered an able backup, that factored in too. But I agree that Lou had finally started to count down the days to retirement also.

Leeway, sure. But two months? Soriano got FOUR months in 2009. Too much.

Let’s hope guys stay healthy and productive this year. That’d solve this problem.

that they had injuries that kept them from playing well is what really upset me. Soriano was in many ways the most obvious but not until Sept when he took himself out was anything done. Funny how everyone was furious at Dusty for allowing the players to run out of control but it is OK to just let vets play for months batting at .200 because they have to be trusted to play through it? Realizing that a player is injured and needs to either go on the DL is part of running a good ball club.

From everything I’ve read, A-Ram was not injured in April, 2010. He had a sore triceps in ST, but that is not reported in April.

His sore left thumb is first reported in May 20. A-Ram goes on the DL on June 8. The Cubs did not take X-rays on the thumb until May 25, which was negative. They tried to treat and rest the thumb, it didn’t do the trick. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

Unless there is an acuter injury – yes, I watched Soriano hobble off the field after a hop – there is no straight line from poor play to the DL. This is medicine and it is clear cut.

Replacement player? That’s Baker or Tracy. And even Fontenot. There were no magic bullets out there to fill in. No great 3B sitting at home. And I’m thankful that Hendry didn’t waste a trade on a replacement player.

April OPS = .955, 88 ABs
May OPS = .657, 111 ABs
June OPS = .585, 106 ABs
July OPS = .992, 84 ABs
August OPS = .514, 81 ABs
September OPS = .286, 2 games

Yes, awful overall year. But the Cubs were chasing the cards for the division lead and actually in first for 3 days in August. There’s no way that Lou was sitting Soriano if he wasn’t injured. He has always been streaky and I’m sure Lou hoped that he could lift the club late in the year.

Soriano was shut down at the beginning of September and had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.