8/07/2003 09:21:00 AM by Rob

Cub portion of today's postings

Cubs manager Dusty Baker in today's Tribune:

"We don't have to make a trade, Ramon is a very good second baseman. Everybody thinks it's a quick fix if you trade for someone, that the person you're getting is better than what you have.

"But every time you trade for somebody, especially as the season gets later, it changes the personality and the equation of the team for a while."

He's 100% right, in my opinion, and it is refreshing for once to hear a manager say that he is OK with the people currently in his clubhouse. So many these days blame deficiencies of upper management in filling holes. Dusty is loyal to his guys, to a fault (see Estes, Shawn).

As it was nice to see Prior pitch well, so it was to see Wood pitch well, too, after two disastrous starts. By disastrous, I mean he would mow people down for several innings before losing it all at once, like a crash-test dummy hitting a barrier at 35 mph with no seat belt.

It is no longer time to make small trades, but the Cubs are still winning games without much margin for error. Last night, Reg'lar Joe made a one-run lead stick. On Saturday, he couldn't. One run games are very sticky, and I wish we had less of them. I cannot in good conscience call the Cubs a pennant contender while they are just squeaking by with the barest minimum of offense, and a career journeyman saving the games.

Did you know that Borowski was once traded for Pete Rose? Junior. I always wondered about people that would pay to see Frank Sinatra, Jr., and Desi Arnaz, Jr., etc. What is it like to sit and watch a pale imitation of the real thing? That's what they are doing in Joliet, as the Great Pete Rose, Jr. (MLB BA .143) is lighting up the Northern League.

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