Cuz's Corner

Bob would rather be at "Murphy's Bleachers" right about now...

No need to post anyone under the “Ready” section this week. The Cubs are in a pathetic tailspin that doesn’t seem to be approaching an end. To quote the great Robert Earl Brenly, “We’re caught in a vortex of horse crap.” Since the last installment of “Ready & Not Ready”, the Cubs have been swept by the Pirates, lost 2 of 3 to the Reds and bowed out last night to the Marlins. Starlin Castro made his debut and although his first game was fantastic, he’s now showing us what I knew all along; that he’s not ready to play with the big club.

Not Ready

Starlin Castro – Starlin is not ready in the literal sense. After a record-setting 6-rbi debut performance, he’s gone 2-9 at the plate and last night made 3 bad errors. In my opinion, Starlin simply needs more at bats and innings played in the field at AA or AAA. He has a promising future, but it is just that – a future. Starlin Castro – Not Ready.

Aramis Ramirez – Aramis needs to sit out for an extended amount of games. I said this a week ago when he was sucking, and I’m saying it now as he’s sucking just as much. He needs to clear his head. And he needs to not bat 5’th in the order when he comes back. I sound like a broken record with this shit, but it’s true. Aramis Ramirez – Not Ready.

Lou Piniella – Throughout the season I’ve put a lot of the blame for our offensive struggles on Lou. Continuing to bat (and play) Aramis Ramirez, his unwillingness to move him down in the order, and his overall lack of willingness to let guys who are hitting the shit out of the ball bat in the fat part of the order. To add to that, on Sunday he decided to leave Ryan Dempster in against a left-handed slugger with men on 1’st and 3’rd in the 7’th inning. With left-handed specialist Sean Marshall warm in the bullpen, Lou let a tired Dempster hang a first-pitch slider to Joey Votto who deposited it into the right field seats, allowing the Reds to take the lead and win the game. In a mound meeting directly preceding the at bat, Dempster apparently told Lou that he wanted to stay in and that he still “felt good”. Any pitcher that tells you he wants to come out of the game in that situation is either literally about to fall over dead of a sore arm or is a gutless coward that I don’t want on my team anyway. Lou’s comment after the game? “If he’d told me he was tired, I would have taken him out. He was throwing the ball well. The guy hit it out of the ballpark. What are you going to do? The kid’s a pretty good hitter. It didn’t work.” No shit it didn’t work, Lou. Next time maybe you should remember that you’re the manager and you call the shots. Lou Piniella – Not Ready.

– Cuz