Cubs Update: Murton maybe LF 2006

The Cubs are finally starting to come around to the idea that they might have a LF next season in Matt Murton. He has made Dusty play him by hitting and just hasn't stopped. Hopefully with this experience under his belt he can mature into a LF that will help the Cubs for many years. He is going to be the bright spot in the Garciaparra trade for the Cubs not Nomar himself. Matt needs to improve some defensively, but I see him being a very good #2 batter for the Cubs next year.

Also Jerome Williams is making a case for staying in the rotation next season. He has been very inconsistent since joining the Cubs, making a decent start and then coming back with a below average start. Williams this month has been on the money for the most part and looks to have found the confidence he had lost earlier this year in San Francisco. Williams had some off-season family issues that didn't help him and came into camp out of shape and he has acknowledged that and says he is determined to come to camp in shape next year.

My Corey Patterson update: It looks as if Corey's last days as a Cub are coming soon. I know the team publicly is supporting him, but it just looks as if he is stuck and needs a fresh start. Every time it looks like he might be starting to improve his hitting he finds some other area to screw up in. I wish him the best as I don't think he deserves the boo's, but Corey needs to find a hitting coach that he will listen to and soon or he will end up like Ruben Mateo, Oddibe McDowell, Jerome Walton, etc...

Baker

Why on earth did Dusty Baker put Sergio Mitre on the mound in the 9th inning to face Willy Mo? He barely uses him in mop-up situations, what made him think that this was Mitre's time to shine? What goes through Baker's mind when he is managing? What about the bench coach, the pitching coach, any coach for that matter, why didn't they say something to Dusty when they saw Mitre warming up in a 1 run game? Had Dusty already thrown in the towel?

This is one of the main reasons that Dusty should be fired at the end of the year. He is just a horrible game time decision maker and keeps proving it over and over. Hopefully the Tribune Company will let Hendry cut his loses on Baker and fire him at the end of the year.

Cubs: Update

Wow, I hadn't realized I have been such the lazy person lately and not posted a thing in 2 weeks. I have been swamped, but that is no reason to be so out of touch.

The Cubs have decided to finally show up and play some baseball. During the road trip the Cubs put on a display that actually looked like the team they had advertised all year long. Winning 8 of 10 on the road trip, the Cubs now only sit 5 1/2 out of the wildcard. I think the only chance they have of getting in is probably winning all but 2 of their remaining games and a lot of help from other teams. The chances of this happening are very very slim and I don't expect them to happen, but I will cheer for it to happen. It would be awesome if they could make such an amazing comeback from the dead, but as I stated earlier I don't think it will happen.

Ronny Cedeno finally gets some at-bats and then get hits on the hand and probably breaks a bone. Hopefully it heals fast and maybe Ronny can go and play some winter ball to get ready for next season. I think he will be a good piece to the Cubs in the future, but sometimes I wonder if the cubs actually think so.

Matt Murton should be starting every game out in LF and should be batting higher than 8th. This guy just can get on base and looks to have the pose of a savvy veteran at the plate. Currently batting .342 he is leaving Dusty no choice, but to start him everyday. I wonder if Dusty ever thinks back at what it would be like now if he had started Murton those 30 or so games that he just left him on the bench for Hollandsworth.

Corey Patterson, a favorite of mine, might have to go. He has struggled all year and now is saying that he is not sure if he wants to go to winter league to try to improve his batting. If anything Corey should want to go and try to improve without the Cubs even having to ask, but instead he is not committing.