The Week in Review

The team has to be happy about being back home tonight. I am sure stranger road trips have been endured, and a 4-2 record isn't anything to complain about. But take into account the following from this six game road trip:

• 
  Three of the six games went extra innings, with a total of ten extra innings being played in seven days.
• 
  The team record was 4-2. Starting pitchers posted both losses. Relief pitchers chalked up all four wins.
• 
  The winning run in the last game was scored on an error on a double play ball hit by our Ace pitcher.

In earlier posts I argued that the pitching rotation needed some adjustment. Jon Lieber has thrown nine and a third innings this year and has yet to give up an earned run. Meanwhile Rich Hill has allowed five earned runs in nine innings. Ted Lilly has given up an astonishing 14 earned runs in his three games and hasn't made it out of the fifth inning yet. I think Lieber deserves a chance while we let these two guys get some bullpen time to work their problems out.

As for the lineup, which has been a question since Opening Day, I think we follow the lead of Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. His suggestion after opening day was that neither Theriot or Soriano should be leading off, but Fukudome. His only negative on that thought is that it puts our two lefties, Fukudome and Pie separated only by the pitchers spot. I can fix that. Play Reed Johnson instead of Pie. If you want another left handed hitter in the lineup, play Fontenot instead of DeRosa.

When those two have started this year they have normally hit second. I choose Johnson as the two hole in the lineup I propose. That puts Fontenot hitting sixth after Soto. Both Johnson and Fontenot have hit solidly this year. I recognize DeRosa's contributions so far (see earlier posts) this year and am not down on him. I just like Fontenot and if the argument is needing another left hander, I am picking him over Pie. If you like DeRosa, then move him to right and Kosuke to center, as Lou has often done, and pull Pie.

I would prefer we play Reed Johnson over Pie regardless of the Fontenot decision. Give me a guy who can hit from the right side instead of someone who stands on the left side of the plate any day. I can't wait to see how Lou sorts this out and who gets a chance this week.
The week ends with the team third in the standings, just 1.5 games out of first place. The top two teams in the division, St. Louis and Milwaukee, face off to start the week. Tuesday night Dusty Bakers returns to Wrigley Field, but as manager of the Cincinatti Reds. Why is that important?

In 2003, the Cubs were 7-5, starting their fifth series of the season, at home facing the Reds on April 14th. Arguably, that was the last great Cubs season. In 1908, when they only played 154 games and the season opened on April 14th, they faced the Reds. This early in the season, I am going to look for any similarity to successful summers past for the Cubs.