After starting the season 2-4 and then coming home and taking 2 out of 3 from the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs were set up to make a nice run, with upcoming series' against the 1-8 Houston Astros and the lowly New York Mets. Unfortunately, the bullpen grew soft and the bats softer.
After taking the first game against the Astros 7-2, the Cubs have followed that up with 3 straight losses, 2 to the now 3-9 Astros and losing game 1 to the Mets. Speculation in New York was that Jerry Manuel's Mets were playing to help him keep his job and if they keep playing the Cubs all season, he may get a contract extension instead. The Cubs are going to need some help to get their offense going, but there is none coming.
Some teams struggle with their offense through April as main parts of their offense recover from offseason or spring training injuries. The Cubs were fortunate as Alfonso Soriano was deemed healthy in spring training and their was no major injuries to the Cubs regulars besides Ted Lily. That hasn't stopped Cubs hitters from starting off poorly, however. Kosuke Fukudome, Marlon Byrd and Soriano are the only regulars who are hitting above .270 right now. Ryan Theriot is 5th on the team in batting average at .222, everyone else is worse. With nobody coming of the DL to give them a boost, the Cubs are going to need Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto and Derrek Lee to get hot for the offense to turn it around. The sooner the better.
After taking the first game against the Astros 7-2, the Cubs have followed that up with 3 straight losses, 2 to the now 3-9 Astros and losing game 1 to the Mets. Speculation in New York was that Jerry Manuel's Mets were playing to help him keep his job and if they keep playing the Cubs all season, he may get a contract extension instead. The Cubs are going to need some help to get their offense going, but there is none coming.
Some teams struggle with their offense through April as main parts of their offense recover from offseason or spring training injuries. The Cubs were fortunate as Alfonso Soriano was deemed healthy in spring training and their was no major injuries to the Cubs regulars besides Ted Lily. That hasn't stopped Cubs hitters from starting off poorly, however. Kosuke Fukudome, Marlon Byrd and Soriano are the only regulars who are hitting above .270 right now. Ryan Theriot is 5th on the team in batting average at .222, everyone else is worse. With nobody coming of the DL to give them a boost, the Cubs are going to need Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto and Derrek Lee to get hot for the offense to turn it around. The sooner the better.
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