While there is certainly a coolness factor to having a player who can regularly hit leadoff homeruns, I still believe that Alfonso belongs further on down the lineup. However, right now the Cubs are hot, Soriano's bat is like lightning, and Lou is unlikely to change something that's "working."
Then again, the pitcher aside, the Cubs may actually have so solid a lineup that The Fonz just might get a lot of RBI opportunities. I'm not exactly expecting him to be the first leadoff hitter in the history of the game to finish the year with 100 RBI - assuming it's never happened before - but he very well could drive in a lot of runs this season.
Take today, for example. Alfonso led off the game with a solo shot, but the Cubs are playing white hot, everybody's getting on base, and consequently Alfonso had two men on for his second homerun in the 2nd inning. And on top of Alfonso's longball, his apparent partner in crime Geovany Soto also hit a homerun, giving them both 8 on the season, and marking either the second or third time in recent memory in which they both went deep in the same game.
Look at it this way - when the Chicago Cubs can score 7 runs despite a 1 for 11 effort from their 2-4 hitters, then you know that they are solid. I think it's pretty common knowledge that I am far from being a Jim Hendry fan, but Sweet Fancy Moses, he's managed to assemble a hell of an offense.
Meanwhile, Sean Gallagher continues to make his case for why he should be a regular part of the Cubs rotation. He went 6 innings, allowing only 1 run, while striking out and walking 3. Bob Howry relieved him and got lit up like Tokyo at night (maybe not his fault; maybe he shouldn't have gone 2 innings, although I think we can understand Lou's desire to give Marmol a rest), but Kerry Wood came in to secure his 9th save of the year in a hitless 10-pitch, 8-strike outing.
Yep, things are definitely looking lovely in Cubland right now. And now, three celebratory photoshops, including a new one.
This last one is deserving of more credit than you might be inclined to give, as it was made long before Alfonso ever put on a Cubs uniform. I'm just saying.
Jim Hendry
"I think it's pretty common knowledge that I am far from being a Jim Hendry fan, but Sweet Fancy Moses, he's managed to assemble a hell of an offense."
I don’t dislike Hendry, but I do believe that Pinella deserves more credit than Jim does.
On so many fronts Lou forced Hendry’s hand by refusing to play the trash that Jim saddled him with (Perez, Izturus, Jones, etc…)
I also believe that over the last couple of years Pinella has been a sounding board for the G.M, as Baker also was. Look at the difference in talent that’s been acquired since Pinella has been onboard compared to the Dusty era?
I don’t think its coincidence that in just two years, significantly better players have been acquired with Lou as the manager.
I for one would love to see Lou step up as the G.M if he ever decides to hang up his coaching cleats, as he (in my ever so humble opinion) shows a greater knowledge of established personnel then Jim does. I believe because of Pinella, Jim gets more credit than he deserves.
With Wilkins finding the young talent and Lou’s knowledge of the current crop of known entities, this team seems to definitely be on an upward trend.