12/18/2003 09:19:00 AM by Rob

Heated debate in the Coven

Cub Blog Nation doesn't know yet what to make of Michael Barrett, that much is clear. Hell, even the mainstream press don't know what to do with the information at hand, either. Of course, that can be expected, considering the steaming filthy mess they have made with the whole A-Rod/Nomar/Manny/Magglio/Perez/Konerko/....shit, they can drag it out to where they can get Augie Ojeda involved in this mess, and he's just minding his own biznass, up in Minnesota, or wherever, doing signs of the cross and thanking the Lord that he still has a paying gig.

One thing I will mention though is that I am not feeling well after reading what Bruce Miles is reporting today. If I can read English, and I think I can, it seems to me that the Cubs not only believe that Barrett is THE answer, that they are also going to end up with, as one possible scenario, Glendon Rusch and Chris Singleton. GUH!

Yep, Barrett, Singleton, and Rusch batting 7-8-9. That compares favorably with all the other pennant winners, yep.

In the Coven, though, and I'm nothing except a daily advertisement to the best damn discussion site on Planet Cub, Adam a/k/a Socherball and Josh a/k/a Bull Durham a/k/a Ben T. Dick are ramping up for a battle royale. These are two of our younger guys, twentysomethings who we old fucks have managed to pollute with our cynicism, sarcasm, and, yep, uncouthness. Either one are always welcome to break bread with me whenever they are in the beautiful Corn Hole, Illinois area.

Soch has been emboldened by our great run last year, and he has faith that Barrett will be nothing more than a backup to a high priced Latino catcher to be named later. While Josh is convinced that this is the Trib trying to catch lightning in a bottle, yet again, trying to get by on the cheap.

Josh points out that the "management" of the club (Dusty, Hendry) may want to win, while the "ownership" (Tribune) may value profit, ratings, and other considerations above winning at all costs. I believe at this point in time, that Hendry may be convinced that he CAN build a winner at $85M, even though if he were able to back away from his work a little, he may see what we do...the club is only one fine-hitting catcher away from, on paper at least, being truly pennant-caliber.

And, here in the weeks before Christmas, paper is all we have to go on right now.

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