Would only be a matter of time before we got to hear the Cubs management or press say “We’re not out of it yet, just look at what happened with the Astros last year.”  This time it was Carrie Muskat who said it.  I used to really like Carrie, but she has totally turned into the Scott McClellan of the Tribune’s Administration.  The Cubs management keeps feeding us the same crap every year, and I get the feeling that she’s being told to say it, even though she can’t honestly believe it.  Can she?

The Cubs management has said too many times “Why would we lie about [Prior or Wood’s varying illness/injury], just trust us.”  And then Prior goes out for two months.  I certainly hope that management (Hendry, Dusty, and McFailure) can at least understand why we the fans don’t trust them anymore.  I almost always find the information on Prior and Wood from ESPN or other sports sources sometimes even days before Cubs management.  My patience has worn thin to say the least.  The Cubs (aka the Tribune) have made a fortune in the last almost 100 years off of Cubs fans’ hope, and I’ve got to say I’m tired of it.  I don’t think I’m alone either.

So what’s the solution?  I have no clue, but here’s the thing.  Hendry needs to sign Dusty Baker to an extension right now, or fire him right now.  My vote is to fire him, but I’m just a dumb fan that’s tired of seeing all the players who come to the Cubs suddenly look like they just got out of high school in regards to fundamentals (honestly, I had better swings in 6th grade when I was terrified of getting hit by the ball than Pierre has had as of late).  I know that people getting injured and playing horribly are not Dusty’s fault, but the fact that EVERYONE on the team seems to lack fundamentals (apart from Father Maddux, who’s the only glimmering star on our team), and they’re not getting any better cannot be just blamed on all the individual players can it?  Why are they not engraining it into Pierre or Jones or Ramirez’s head – “Patience, patience, don’t swing at crap?”  And then if the players don’t get better, bench them?  I think the main thing with Dusty is that he’s just really, really bad at coaching an injured team.  If your team is full strength (preferably with at least one steroid induced slugger), he’ll do fine, but if he has to improvise with a team that has some struggles, he’ll get the GM to pick up Neifi Perez, then play him everyday in place of any decent rookie who coud use the experience you may have.

As you might be able to tell, I’m not very happy.  I’ve just had enough.  I’ll still continue to pull for the Cubs, watch the games, and cheer like crazy if they win, but I am not going to fall for the “The Astros did it last year” line anymore.