Can Someone Tell Me...

...what is so damn fascinating with Ryan Theriot and why most delusional Chicago Cubs fans have him as this great, outstanding player? And now Lou Pinella is falling into this absurd trap.

Lou's new plan is to have Theriot hit leadoff. And if that plan wasn't stupid enough, he plans on hitting Alfonso Soriano second. Now, if you're not going to hit Soriano first, which I'm all for, hitting him second isn't the answer. What does this do for you? Add a couple RBI's to Soriano's final numbers? Admittedly, your ideal second hitter would be able to move the leadoff hitter over once that person gets on base. But now you're taking a bat out of one of your offensive weapons. And even if he doesn't try to purposely move the runner over, the one thing you don't want out of your first or second hitters is a high strikeout rate, which Soriano has. He struck out 130 times last year in 617 plate appearances, which is bad, really, really bad. Soriano would be much better suited for the cleanup or 5th hole in the lineup and RF Kosuke Fukudome hitting second. Of course, it would be that much better if Theriot was just out of the lineup all
together. Bleh. Theriot doesn't get on-base at any outstanding rate, his slugging percentage last year, his first full season in the majors, was under .400. And he's a 2B, not a SS. But he'll be playing SS unless the Cubs swing a deal for a SS somehow. And if the Cubs still swing the deal
for 2B Brian Roberts from the Baltimore Orioles, it will be for Roberts to play 2B, which would still leave Theriot at SS. It might move Theriot out of the leadoff spot, but not out of the lineup altogether, which is the ideal result.