I also said that Starlin Castro should be sent to Iowa to work on his defense. And he's been quite good since.
Then yesterday I said that Tyler Colvin should be sent to Iowa so he can get some at-bats. Then in his second straight start he gets 3 hits.
Ok...here we go...the Cubs should DFA Derrek Lee. Why am I saying that? Because as soon as I say that, he'll start playing better.
Time to hang it up, Derrek!
(AP photo)
Ok, but in order for that to work, I have to give some logical reason why they should release him and give a reasonable alternative to Lee on the team.
This isn't going to be easy....
Ok, so Lee appears to be completely clueless right now at the plate It is obvious that at age 35, he has nothing left. He has failed that the "leader" of this team. He's in the last year of his contract and probably want to retire at the end of the season.
If the Cubs really think they have a shot at this division title, then they must try to replace the weekest link right now in their batting order, and that is Lee.
Oh, but you ask, what about all the good Lee has done for this team over the last 6 season?
My response to that is, what good? Four disappointing seasons and 2 sweeps in the playoffs? Blah! He's been the leader of this team for most of those 6 years and he has led the team to NOTHING!
It's time for some new leadership. It's time for a new captain. It's time to let Micah Hoffpauir take his rightful place in the Cubs lineup as the cleanup hitter in the line up.
Hufflepuff! Our hero!
Yes...Micah Hoffpauir has waited patiently at Iowa for the Cubs to make the right move and let him play everyday at first base on the big league club. Hufflepuff is a left handed hitter, which the Cubs need badly, and a left handed fielder, which is a big advantage in the field over a clumsy right handed goof who is afraid of every wall he sees when going after a pop-up in foul territory.
Ok...what about Lee's contract? He's in the last year of his deal...so really, we are talking about only eating about 2/3 of the $13 million he is owed this year. That isn't that big of a deal. In fact, I think the Cubs were willing to eat more of the Milton Bradley contract until Seattle came around and acted like complete morons ("here is a good pitcher who we told can't see his mommy...we'll take Bradley...we can change him...you'll see...he's really a great guy...oh...and here is $9 million on top of that.").
So there you have it...
Now Derrek Lee can start to hit the cover off the ball and be everything we know he can be.
