TCR Friday Notes (presented by OfficeMax)

we kid...we kid.

Observations from the first three games:

• A bad idea is a bad idea and I'm glad Lou doesn't take 20 games to come to these conclusions. Theriot batting leadoff was just never a good idea and Soriano batting second is even a worse idea. Soriano doesn't have the patience or bat control needed for that spot and Theriot doesn't get on nearly enough that it's going to help the teams bottom line - scoring runs. Kudos to Lou to for the willingness to admit his mistake quickly and moving on just as quickly.
• Has Geovany Soto been listening to Henry Blanco or did he dust-off a copy of "Michael Barrett's Defensive Drills for Catchers"? It's never good when between you and Jason Kendall, Kendall looks like the better defensive backstop.
• While legal, Weeks took one heckuva cheap shot at Soto. I'm not sure if Weeks was just angry at getting plunked a few times, but he's made a career of getting hit by pitches, so he needs to get over it quick. As for the play itself, the ball wasn't all that close to Soto and it wouldn't have taken any effort by Weeks to go around him. I'm frankly shocked that the Cubs didn't retaliate later in the game. On the other hand, we needed the win pretty badly and maybe it's best to save that for down the road.
• This Fukudome character is pretty good.

- I'm a bit surprised people are buying into this story from Moises Alou that he wouldn't have caught the infamous Bartman ball. Let's compare and contrast:

(The night of the game)

"I timed it perfectly, I jumped perfectly. I'm almost 100 percent that I had a clean shot to catch the ball. All of a sudden, there's a hand on my glove."

(4+ years later)

"Everywhere I play, even now, people still yell, 'Bartman! Bartman!' I feel really bad for the kid," Alou told Associated Press columnist Jim Litke.

"You know what the funny thing is?" he added a moment later. "I wouldn't have caught it, anyway."

Maybe he was just caught up in the heat of the moment that night and disappointed about the outcome, but I think it's far more likely that his memory of the event was a bit clearer just a few hours removed than four and a half years later. Personally, it just sounds like Alou's trying to be gentlemanly about it all and try and cut poor Bartman a break.

- Finally, the folks at cubshub.com have started a new website called "Keep It Wrigley". The name says it all, so head on over and sign the petition to lend your support in keeping corporate naming rights where they belong, in the hands of the Wrigley corporation.