Felix Pie is still suffering from the ankle he injured in late June that cost him a chance to come up with Matt Murton for that series in Florida. The Cubs’ trainers misdiagnosed Pie’s injury (surprise) and he reinjured it. They expect he’ll finish the season at West Tenn and play in the playoffs then come to Wrigley for the last couple weeks of the season. I’d say given the history of the Cubs’ medical staff that’s a possibility and another possibility is that a flesh eating virus will leave him one leg away from what they call in the medical business “the full Santo.”
The Cubs think they’re still in a playoff race. This is not surprising, they’ve played like they were this clueless all year long.
Dusty says he’s fine with Jeff Kent going off on Milton Bradley. Why wouldn’t he be. Last I checked neither Kent or Bradley were Cubs. Besides, of course Dusty likes it when players are hardasses, then he doesn’t have to be.
The Bears lost three players yesterday, not the least of which includes Bobby Gray. This means another year of the Todd Johnson Experience, which is fine because he loves to hit guys with his helmet, but not so fine in that they’ve normally gained 40 yards before he hits them.
I like the concept of hiring a guy like Charlie Weis, I like the things he says and you can’t argue with the success he had in New England, but I just get the willies (yes, the willies) about counting this much on a guy who’s never been a head coach at any level other than high school. I’m not saying he’s going to be Gerry Faust, but I wonder if Notre Dame has the patience to let him learn on the job.
Mariotti puts down the doughnut to rightly rip the Andy MacPhail “regime.” He even lays out a plan for fixing the Cubs and it includes hiring Billy Beane (I’m sure he’s not available, but it’s a good thought), demoting Jim Hendry (just keep him out of food service), hiring Jim Leyland (uh…OK, you lost me there), and giving Derrek Lee $100 million bucks this offseason. OK, now that’s just dumb. You never pay a guy before you have to, and while Lee is an excellent player, he’ll be much more affordable after his numbers stabilize next season at like .315 with 40 homers and 110 RBI. But keep up the good work, nitwit.
By the way, do you want to know where Jim Leyland will be next year? If the Cardinals win the World Series (and let’s hope that doesn’t happen) he’ll be their new manager. Tony LaRussa’s ready to go to somebody’s front office. He wants to be a GM. So it’s not out of the question that if he finally wins one in St. Louis that he’ll step aside as manager, work one year in the front office with Walt Jocketty and then head off to sucker a team into letting him run it. I’m not saying. I’m just saying.
John Donovan finds something wrong with every contender. How nice.
Mike Kiley wonders if the Cubs will trade guys like Todd Walker, Todd Hollandsworth or Jeromy Burnitz. Why the hell wouldn’t you trade Holly or Burnitz? You should probably keep Walker because unless you trade for, or sign a second baseman, you don’t have one ready to take over. Unless that’s where you’re going to use Ronny Cedeno there. That would just be “so” Cub, wouldn’t it? Take a real shortstop and play him out of position so an old guy with one leg and no groin can play short. Perfect.
The world’s greatest newspaper says that hookers are finally selling gift certficates. Well, it’s about time.
