Season Over

It was official two weeks ago but the Cubs season is over. There will be no playoffs this season and the World Series drought will hit 99 years. So what is left to do this season. If I was GM, here is what I would do:

1. DFA both Neifi Perez and Tony Womack. Both serve no purpose on this team. Perez is supposed to be a defensive whizz and has made three huge critical errors this season. Womack is terrible at bat and in the field. They should not be around next season and the Cubs can probably get more production with a lot less money by somebody in the minors. Also it doesn't allow Dusty to play them over Cedeno or Murton (3-4 today by the way).

2. Trade Juan Pierre. Al suggested this a couple of weeks ago. Again Juan and his .280 OBP will get out of the leadoff spot and he serves no purpose for this team. If you want to bring up Felix Pie, this might be the season to do it. There is no pressure on the young players to do stuff this year, with no need to win anymore.

3. Hold on to Scott Williamson and Glendon Rusch and then trade them in mid to late July when teams are looking for extra pitching help. Jerome Williams could take Rusch's spot as the long man, and the Cubs have two very good set up men along with a good closer. I will not include the last two Dempster outings in his assessment. He has been awesome the last two years.

4. Do NOT trade Todd Walker, unless he asks for it. He was jerked around all last winter and finally stayed here and he has been a great asset in moving to first base when Lee got injured. He deserves to spend the rest of the season here if he asks for it.

Those are my ideas along with changing the batting order. Juan Pierre is pulling a Corey Patterson (Cub days) at the leadoff spot. He needs to get out there. I plugged the Cubs lineup into the Baseball Musings Lineup Analysis and got this lineup:
1. Todd Walker
2. Michael Barrett
3. Aramis Ramirez
4. Matt Murton
5. Jacques Jones
6. Juan Pierre
7. Ronny Cedeno
8. Jerry Hairston (whoever plays 2B)
9. Pitcher

Better than anything Dusty has run out there recently.