Alfonso Soriano not running out of the batter box on what he thought was a home run today was inexcusable.   It's not the first time this garbage has happened with Soriano.   And I understand completely why Bobby Cox and the Braves might be peeved off and want to fire a fastball into Soriano's earhole the next chance they get.  

My admiration and support of Lou Piniella is unwavering.   But he has horrible blind spot with Soriano that needs to end.   What needed to happen today was for Piniella to PUBLICLY make spectacle of Soriano.   Like in the same vein as Billy Martin yanked Reggie Jackson from a game in 1977 when Reggie played a ball hit to right field on about the 50th hop.   Sweet Lou was on that team by the way.   Because obviously Soriano isn't getting the message via other means.  

If my detractors want to make this an argument of me having long-standing disdain for Soriano, then so be it.   This viewpoint of mine has nothing to do with overall opinion of Soriano.   I would say the same thing if it were Ryan Theriot who did what happened today. 

Officially a done deal.   No details yet on the other players involved.    Ned Coletti is the worst baseball executive in baseball so it will be interesting to see what the Dodgers sent to the Red Sox for what will amount to as a 2 month rental before Manny signs $800 billion deal with the Yankees in order to torment the Red Sox for the duration of his playing career and give the Steinbrenner brothers more World Series trophies.        

75 words on the wall, take one down 74 words on the wall, 74 words on the wall, take one down 73 words on the wall, 73 words on the road, take on down 72 words on the wall, 72 words on the wall, take one down 71 words on the wall, tra la la tra la la tra la la ....75 words, 75 words,  75 words, 75 words, 75 words, 75 words, 75 words, 75 words, 75 words.  

For whatever reason the feast or famine offense that has alternatively gifted and killed the Cubs over the past decade has made it's return.   First couple months of the season it was like watching a brand new ballclub.   Taking pitches, working the count, hitting the other way, laying down the bunt, being aggressive on the basepads....   Lots of us pointed to the addition of Kosuke having some magical transformational powers.  

But now what?   Well, all I know is that going back to a feast or famine offense is sad recipe for major disappointment (again) in 2008.   Cubs have got to get back to being a diversified offense.   Two things I would do.     

1.   Coincidence or not neither Ramirez or Kosuke have been the same hitter since the later was moved up in the lineup.   Therefore with Soriano coming back lets put Kosuke back in the 5th hole hitting behind Ramirez.   Ramirez is the absolute most important member of the Cub lineup.   He is our best and most clutch run producer, a title that he has held since his arrival in mid-2003.   Getting back to offensive consistency starts with getting Ramirez back on track.      

2.   Ryan Theriot needs to stay at the top of the lineup.   And when I say top of the lineup, I mean leadoff spot.   Lets try something bold and put Soriano in the two hole.   It's not like Theriot steals bases (or at least should be stealing bases).   But he does run well and Soriano would surely see a heavier dose of fastballs given the fact that Theriot is always on base.  

Offense is sputtering.   It was bound to happen.   A lot of Cub hitters started out the year like a ball of fire.   Things have a way of evening themselves out.   The biggest concern right now has got to be Kosuke.   He looks like garbage at the plate the past several weeks.   Enough with the lazy flies to left and center already.   And where would this offense be without the continued excellence of Ryan Theriot?  

Oh well.    Bad patches happen for all offenses.   Lets just get this out of our system right now.   Milwaukee and St. Louis breathing down our necks is actually a good thing.   I'd rather have this team have to fight tooth and nail to make the playoffs then to get their via a cakewalk.   It will make us a better team come playoff time.  

Perhaps we see the value of Rich Harden in a couple days.   He's a shutdown pitcher, and with the offense sputtering he can be our slump buster.  

Is there really ANY mystery which pitcher should be shed to get back to a 12 man staff?   Michael Wuertz !   He has been terrible all season long.   His slider just begs to be hit.   And if his slider isn't getting tattoed then he is walking people like crazy. 

The pen should be....Wood, Marmol, Howry, Gaudin, Lieber, Cotts, Marshall.   Figure out what to do with Scott Eyre when he is ready to come off the DL.  

Bye bye Michael Wuertz.  

Like I've said time and time again, pitching is KING in baseball.   And like former manager Dick Williams used to say, "there is no such thing as a team having too much good pitching."   I think we are starting to see the importance of pitching.   

Those of us with brains and objective sense have recognized since the start that this team has screaming need for another primetime starter.   If we lose Carlos Zambrano for a long time?    Well, that will be devastating.   Regardless the situation with Z the imperative is for Hendry to make a blockbuster move for a Rich Harden, CC Sabathia or AJ Burnett type.   Otherwise 2008 will go down as yet another disappointing season.  

The bullpen?   Well, I get skewered for the thought, but I have little faith in Bob Howry.   He's all used up.   Scott Eyre?   Well, we saw tonight just how reliable he really is.   He is nothing more than a loogy at this stage.  A loogy that you wince at everytime he is brought into a ballgame?   Michael Wuertz?   Not good.   And classic example of how ERA is poor stat in and of itself for a relief pitcher.   So Hendry needs to get another bullpen arm too.  

We can sit and live in denial that a rotation of Dempster, Lilly, Marquis and Gallagher following up Zambrano is good enough to win October baseball.   Or to even get this team to the playoffs.   We can also sit and live in denial about the strength of this bullpen once you get past Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood.  

Jim Hendry....GET this team a primetime starting pitcher as well as another quality bullpen arm.   And do it soon.   I could really care less if you have to significantly mortgage the future to engineer these needed trades.   Just do it.  

Great game at the old ballpark today.   Electric atmosphere and one of the most satisfying wins in a long time.   Doesn't matter that it came against a wretched ballclub in Colorado.   Anyway, the lackluster performance of Ted Lilly in 2008 convinces me more than ever that we MUST acquire a primetime starting pitcher if this team is going to make it to the promised land.   Lilly has devolved into left-handed version of Jason Marquis.   Hopefully he can get it going.  

I like Dempster.   But I'm not going to be seduced into thinking he can keep pitching like a bonafide # 2.   I also like the promise of Gallagher.   But right now thinking of him as anything more than a # 5 type starter is a mistake.   So basically we are left with ace Zambrano, Dempster and three # 5 pitchers in Lilly, Marquis and Gallagher.  

Jim Hendry, get this team Rich Harden.   Trade whatever it takes to get him because THIS is the season that is our best chance in 100 years to win a bloody friggin World Series!!!!!    

Just as soon as he clears waivers on Wednesday.   And passes a physical.   Or so says Gordon somebody of the Chicago Sun Times.   Go to the Sun Times webpage and check it out.  

I've said for a few days Jim Edmonds was at least worth exploring.   Looks like Jim Hendry did a little more than just explore.    I think this is a good minimal risk move.   If it works, then great.   If it doesn't, then no great shakes.  

Bye bye Felix Pie.  

Slumps happen.   So I'm not about to overreact to the current losing phase this team is undergoing.   But objectively speaking, our pitching staff is not nearly as good as everybody thought it was going to be.   Even in a weak NL and weak NL Central.  

Zambrano is evolving into a true ace and is one of the elite pitchers in the game.   But the starting rotation behind him is dubious.   Dempster's been doing the job and giving this team desperately needed innings.   Lilly also seems to have turned it around.   But do we really feel good about that top 3 overall?!?   And behind these three we have question marks and garbage aplenty.  

The bullpen situation isn't much better.   Wood is going to cause indigestion everytime he takes the 9th.  While he can pitch lights out at time, it is the same old Wood where you always fear an implosion is right around the corner.   Marmol is the only pitcher in that pen who is exceptional.   Howry has become a question mark.   Wuertz is enigmatic.   Marshall is a long man at best.   Worst of all?   This bullpen is in danger of being burnt up before the dog days of summer arrive.  The second half of the season could get real ugly with this pen.   We've seen this before with Cub bullpens.   They aren't that good to begin with and get ridden too hard in the early months only to have a colossal collapse the second half.       

Solution?   Well, there probably aren't many.   I think Hendry absolutely positively needs to be in the market for whatever "top flight" starting pitcher may become available.   Much, much easier said than done.   Personally, I think he must find out about Rich Harden.   I know Harden is always injured, but fact is when he is healthy he is dominant.   Hendry also needs to find some help for this bullpen.    I would also like to see Sean Gallagher get a serious trial as starting pitcher.  

I am an unabashed supporter of Lou Piniella.   That being said he has horribly mismanaged Alfonso Soriano since day one of spring training.   Now Piniella has a full blown mess on his hands.  

This is where Piniella needs to earn his money.   This is where Piniella needs to stop coddling Soriano and stop with the rationalization of sunnier days in the future.    Soriano is a certified bust.   Banking on him getting hotter than shit for several weeks a season doesn't justify his presence the rest of the season.   Not even remotely so.  

The second worst contract disaster in baseball next to Barry Zito.