Alfonso Soriano

So, Lou Piniella is finally starting to show signs of the manager we all thought he was.

He's sent troubled Milton Bradley home. He's sat down struggling Alfonso Soriano. He's even gotten thrown out of a game—Wednesday versus the Pirates on what appeared to be a bad call at first base.

But he needs to continue to be the tough guy and continue to sit Soriano. Sadly, it's not likely.

Now, I don't say this simply because Soriano's replacement, Sam Fuld, had a great game on Wednesday. I say this because Soriano has hit below the Mendoza line in June.

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This is not about a billy goat, a Bartman, or some new Century Club Curse hanging over the Chicago Cubs. Yes, the Cubs haven’t won a World Series in over 100 years now, but it’s no longer about a lack of talent or a propensity to choke.

Everybody wants to bury the Mets this week for their underachieving ways, but at least their struggles can be largely related to their lineup that has been decimated by injuries, a bullpen that lost its power set up man, and one misguided contract given to Oliver Perez.

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I don’t care how comfortable Alfonso Soriano is in the leadoff spot—he has to be moved.

Soriano is a very dangerous leadoff hitter, but only when he makes contact with the ball, which nowadays is not very often. The Cubs' leadoff hitter needs to have a batting average near .291, which is Soriano’s current on-base percentage.

We’ve just finished the bad and it wasn’t pretty, but this is just downright ugly. Here is the final chapter in the trilogy I have written about Jim Hendry’s term as General Manager of the Chicago Cubs.

When Alfonso Soriano was acquired by the Washington Nationals prior to the 2006 season, the club wanted to convert him from a second baseman to an outfielder. The Nats already had a second baseman in Jose Vidro, but Soriano wanted no part of the switch and sat out a few spring training games as a protest.

Eventually, Soriano gave in to the wishes of his manager (so as not to forfeit any salary) and made the All-Star Game as a left-fielder.

Callers have almost jokingly proposed it on sports talk radio in Chicago the last couple weeks.

Apparently, Lou Piniella can't come up with anything better.

Rumors are swirling that, for the first time in years, the Cubs will put Alfonso Soriano at second base.

This move would open left field for Micah Hoffpaiur, getting his potent bat into the lineup on a more regular basis since first baseman Derrek Lee isn't going anywhere. Minor league bomber Jake Fox might see a promotion soon as well.

Alright everyone, get your payroll jokes and your “Where’s your World Series Championship trophy?” jokes out of your system before you start reading.

Yes, since the Milwaukee Brewers came to be in 1969, they have not won a World Series and have won just a single pennant in that span. And, of course, living north of Chicago, we all know the Cubs are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Theodore Roosevelt Lilly III.

That about sums up Opening Day 2009 at Wrigley Field.

Rain delayed the start of today’s game for an hour and 12 minutes, but couldn’t put on a damper on the Cubs home opener or the mood of the 40,077 fans that showed up to spite it.

Ted Lilly walked catcher Chris Iannetta in the third inning and didn’t allow another Rockie to reach base until Garrett Atkins singled with two outs in the seventh to end the no-hit bid.

The Chicago Cubs opened a three-game homestand in Wrigley North with a 4-3 loss to last year’s Wild Card squad, the Milwaukee Brewers.

With one swing of the lumber, Koyie Hill provided Rich Harden with his first lead of the game via a two-run, sixth-inning bomb.

Milton Bradley got his first hit of the season, a solo jack to lead off the fourth inning. While Bradley has gotten off to a slow start hitting wise, it hasn’t been for lack of good at-bats.