What is it that this team is searching for?
*Consistent starting pitching? Sure, Wakefield went from giving up 6 earned runs in a span of 6 batters on Friday, to spinning a masterpiece yesterday. Next outing, who knows?
*Solid defense? Definitely needed. Renteria has been as close to a bust as you can get. We have a patchwork at first base, Manny, well, you know, and now Trot is out.
*Timely hitting? Eh, it comes and goes.
*A third base coach? We have two right now, Jeckyl and Hyde. Hold everyone some days, send John Helmethead from first another day.
*A 1-2-3 ninth inning? Remember those? Me either.
*A frigging major league lineup? Ahhh, that would be nice, wouldn’t it?
So the answer is “yes”, to all of the above. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, what this team really needs is an identity. 2003 was “Cowboy Up”, last year was “Idiots” but the 2005 club is still searching for the magic, the chemistry, that made those other teams…well, a TEAM.
But how can a team find their groove when the faces are changing almost daily? The clubhouse door is ever-swinging, making the hinges as smooth and loose as good old Laura Bender. And if you know Laura, well, you know that’s saying something. Poor Youk has worn a rut in I-95. Yeah, the actual highway. And some nights Dave Wallace must think it is “let the fans dress and hang out in the bullpen night” there are so many new faces.
Some of this is forced behavior due to injuries, some is simply the keep-trying-people-out-until-we-find-one-that-doesn’t-suck-too-bad mentality. One thing is sure: the team that took the field yesterday is not the team that is taking us to the Promised Land starting next week. And now that we’ve broken ground there and set up our tents, we want to go back. So expect changes, big changes. Things have been quiet regarding trade talks. As they say, too quiet. There is a blockbuster deal coming, you can almost smell it. And it might just smell like Adam Dunn.
Whatever trades occur, it would be nice to stop hearing about the plethora of young arms we have and actually see some of them come up and help the club. MDC looked great in his first appearance, robbed of a possible win by our own Mr. Svuem. Let’s see some of the others. Wait, did I just say “plethora”…time for night-night.
