| Kyle Trompeter. 30th August, 2005 - 6:08 pm
 It’s that same old adage again. 97 straight years in a row and the same old song with the same lyrics keeps playing, “Wait Till Next Year.”
With September 1st call-ups only a day away and the Chicago Cubs eight games back in the Wild Card race, it is now time to start preparing for next year – again. That means the veterans who may not be back next year should take a backseat so that some of the young guns can see if they have what it takes to play at this level.
The veteran unloading has already begun as the Cubs have shipped OF Matt Lawton to the Yankees for prospects and jettisoned OF Todd Hollandsworth to the Braves for minor leaguers. 2B Todd Walker has been placed on waivers and OF Jeromy Burnitz remains in the starting lineup.
All those players mentioned either don’t have contracts that run through next season or they have a mutual or team option for next year. Either way, they are expendable, and with the playoff chances gone with the wind that blows out at the Friendly Confines, giving these players significant camera time is counterproductive.
We will now hopefully see a few young players that will get a serious look in consideration for a spot on the opening day roster for the 2006 season. Robbing those players of important on the job experience is an injustice to the player who has worked hard all season in the minors to get a chance to play with the big boys.
The great Cubs fans that will come out to Wrigley Field during September, as they always do no matter what the situation, should still have a reason to show. That reason should be seeing guys like OF Matt Murton, SS Ronny Cedeno, and RP Jermaine Van Buren wearing Cubbie blue while making strides on the field.
When you break down the roster for next year, there will be numerous spots open, particularly in the bullpen. Van Buren, who has been the closer for the Iowa Cubs this year, has posted 25 saves with a 1.98 ERA. He needs to be in the bullpen for the last month so that he gains the necessary experience. Why would you have him make his major league debut next season when there is more on the line?
September is a wonderful time for call-ups to get practice at the highest level in low pressure situations.
One vacant position will be shortstop. The rumors around the team have said the franchise may go after a free agent like Rafael Furcal. However, that decision won’t be made for a few months. Now is the time to see if Cedeno is capable of holding down a regular spot in the lineup.
Cedeno has been hitting quite well in AA and AAA this year. In fact, he has been hitting minor league pitching like the umpire has set up a tee at home plate and has removed five players from the field. A .350 plus average at AAA ball coupled with the big club out of contention means that the minor leaguer needs to play everyday.
He may not come out of all this with a starting spot for ’06, but it gives the Cubs options. Maybe a position change for somebody like Nomar Garciaparra to second base for next year is in the cards if Cedeno goes nuts here in the last month.
Also, the outfield play this year has been nearly as bad as the performance of the bullpen. Corey Patterson has been a ghost, Hollandsworth is gone for a reason, Burnitz has been inconsistent, Jerry Hairston has been average, and the Lawton experiment was a disaster. There is no reason that Murton shouldn’t already be starting on this ball club.
The Cubs demoted him earlier this month after he put up a .339 average in 25 games due to the triumphant return of Hairston from the injured list. He’s batting .339!
That is so Cubs.
If he and Cedeno don’t start at least 95 percent of the remaining games this season, then Santa Claus should put a pink slip in the stocking of manager Dusty Baker and GM Jim Hendry. |
