More of the Same

The Cubs started a season and got no offensive help from their leadoff hitter and got no pitching help from their closer.

Isn't this the same movie that Jim Hendry has presented year after year after year?

Other that for 6 weeks in 2003 when Kenny Lofton was here, Jim Hendry has never capably filled the leadoff slot for the Cubs. Yes, he did somewhat for a year with Juan Pierre, but Pierre wasn't good enough. Then Hendry, after dealing a boatload of prospects to get him, let Pierre walk leaving the Cubs with nothing.

Alfonso Soriano is destined to hit fifth in this lineup and Kosuke Fukdome (how do you write FYC in kanji?) will eventually hit second leaving the 8th place hitter, Ryan Theriot to hit first and the seventh place hitter, Felix Pie, to bat 8th.

And what of Kerry Wood? He's not as big of a problem as leadoff as It's doubtful he will be this bad all year (unless he's hurt already). But counting on him is silly as his history shows he deserves no such trust. Carlos Marmol may get a promotion sooner than later.

But the bigger issue is that, beyond Bobby Howry, this team does not have a guy who has ever been a closer. And is Bobby Howry ready to return to that role now? Doubts abound.

One of the great hopes for 2008 was that the Cubs would be sold and Jim Hendry would be gone by now. Well, Jim has usually been a better in-season GM than an off-season GM. That trend needs to hold.