What Really Grinds My Gears

It's now time for another installment of "What Really Grinds My Gears." Today's episode: Keeping Cliff Floyd in the Field in an 8-2 Ballgame.

Last night, the Cubs lost to the Astros at Minute Maid Park, 8-2. Cliff Floyd, the human statue, was allowed to remain in right field for the entirety of the game. Now, what really grinds my gears about this is that two very young and very athletic and very agile young men were brought up from AAA Iowa to play the outfield for this team. What I don't understand is why neither of them were used, say in the latter innings when Luke Scott came to the plate and jacked a two-run triple over a jogging...well, it could be yogging...could be a soft "j"....over the head of a yogging Cliff Floyd's head.

We all know, and certainly Lou must as well, that Cliff Floyd couldn't outrun Ron Santo, and Ron's got no legs. In fact, I bet a young Forrest Gump could outrun Clifford, even without his magic legs.

I'm not saying that putting Eric Patterson or Felix Pie or even Jock Jones in RF would have guaranteed us a win last night, but either one of them would have gotten underneath that ball and prevented at least a run from scoring. More importantly, my point is that Cliff Floyd is done as a regular player. He can't move out there and he should only be spot-starting and pinch hitting. Do I have a solution? Hell no. But, there are about 47 outfielders on the current roster, and I'm sure Lou can figure something out.

The Brewers got pounded yesterday, losing 19-2 to the hot Rockies, whom the Cubs travel to next. The Beermen are handing this thing over on a silver platter and the Cubs are turning their noses up at the dish. They better wake up, because opportunities to give their fans what they want have been few and far between in the team's history. Let's go, Cubs. Wake up and smell first place, and stop grinding my damn gears.