12 September 2002

Cub Reporter has a quote from Cubbies interim (hopefully) manager Bruce Kimm, regarding his hopes for the team's approach with men on base:

"I don't want Bill Mueller taking pitches to try to draw a walk so Sammy Sosa can drive him in."

What?! Granted, this was taken from the context of a conversation in which he was saying, essentially, that he wishes the other guys on the team would hit with men on base. Who wouldn't? But, not eveybody can be Sammy Sosa or Fred McGriff. Some guys have to be tablesetters.

Besides that, doesn't this just sound like a stupid thing to say? Do these guys even listen to themselves while they speak? It occurred to me that one way to point out how ridiculous this position is would be to turn the tables:

The Cubs are playing the Diamondbacks. Arizona has a runner on second base, and Craig Counsell up. Luis Gonzalez is up next. If you're the manager, would you rather:

A) Have Craig Counsell try to drive in the run himself, even if the pitcher is (evidently due to temporary insanity) trying to pitch around him? Or.....

2) Have Counsell try to work a walk from this idiot pitcher, and then allow your Best Hitter to try to drive in two runs?

Seems like a pretty easy choice to me. I'll take my best hitter with two men on base over a mediocre/bad hitter with one man on any day of the week, thankyouverymuch.

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