2009 Chicago Cubs - WTF?

So as I'm listening to the game last night on the radio, and listening to Ron Santo moan and groan his way through another broadcast, I couldn't help but realize that my fantasy baseball team and my favorite real baseball team have the same problem, they have zero team chemistry!

Now that's to be expected on a fantasy team as none of these guys actually interact with each other nor do they ever really compete with each other, and after watching this years version of the Chicago Cubs, I'm starting to think the same can be said.

Now you can go back to the Mark DeRosa trade, the non Kerry Wood signing, the trade for Kevin Gregg, or even the signing of Bradley. Or how about the much ballhooed trade for Aaron Heilman (A guy Jim Hendry has been chasing for years for some odd reason). And in the end of this entire mess, I couldn't help but ask myself this one question.......

Has Lou Pinella lost it as a manager?

Lou has made a lot of bone headed moves lately, from not telling Koyie Hill he was going to be replaced in a game causing the team to have a player in the game they didn't want, or his insistence on playing aging struggling veterans like Derrek Lee or Milton Bradley, rather than hot hitting Micah Hoffpauer or Reed Johnson or even Lou's his insistence on using a total of 3 guys in a 6 person bullpen, essentially playing 3 guys down.

Anybody remember David Patton, the Rule 5 kid as Lou calls him, well guess what, that kid is still on the roster and has pitched a total of 15 innings this year, and with the exception of one bad outing at St. Louis on April 25th, his numbers aren't horrible, but no one would know that as this kid is still on the roster, but never plays!!!!! Great idea for a bullpen already struggling, let's keep a guy in there who NEVER PLAYS!!!! Now don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating for more playing time for Patton, I'm asking for him to either play or go away. I know the rule 5's procedures, and that the Cubs have to release him if they cut him, but which is worse, keeping your team a player short so you have a mop up guy, or getting someone in here that can actually help.

The question you have to ask is, is this Cubs team done in June? My answer, with great sadness in my heart, yes they are, but not for the reasons you may think.

It's entirely possible this team can turn it around, the veterans who have produced in previous years could very well get it back, and this team could make a run, however, the one area should be the main area of concern for everyone is the bullpen. I know it's an easy area to pick on after last night....But the reason there's no chance for help right now is because of the team's really lousy ownership situation.

Jim Hendry right now is completely hamstrung by the Cubs ownership situation, this does not allow him the luxury he has had in previous years, that luxury is the ability to buy your way out of your mistakes when you are a big market team. There's a reason you don't hear the Cubs name mentioned with guys like Jake Peavy or Roy Oswalt, because right now this team cannot afford to make a move like that. Every move the Cubs make from here out has to be an even money swap until Ricketts and Zell figure out a way to play nice.

What does this mean, it means unless there is a cheap pickup that can be made, a minor league kid who may catch lightening in a bottle (That's assuming Lou even puts them in the game) or Heilamn, or Gregg, or even Marmol some how fix their mistakes, this is the roster we're stuck with Cubs fans. Happy Summer!

The question I leave you with is this, once the Ricketts family takes over, is a house cleaning in order? Does the new ownership say the last few years have been a total failure, and fire everyone from Crane Kenny (rumored to be staying with the Cubs after the ownership change), to Jim Hendry to Lou Pinella, is a fresh start needed for everyone involved with this team?