I’m not prepared to post about today’s game at Wrigley right now because I’m fed up with certain aspects of the team right now and it has nothing to do with the outcome of the game.

I had a terrific time at the game despite the final score. It was a beautiful day and the game was quite entertaining. However, seeing the team in person affords me the opportunity to get some stuff off my chest.

Back to Sox fans, I completely understand why you couldn’t stand watching Nick Madrigal. I’m not against small ball or diminutive players, rather I’m tired of watching him and his ilk. By his ilk I mean Miles Mastrobuoni and the Cubs catching tandem of Yan Gomes and Miguel (don’t call me Mike” Amaya.

For the better part of the last decade, I watched Craig Counsell work wonders with mediocre position players. He got the most out of some pretty okay (at best) players and would cut them lose after they served their purpose. He squeezed more out of AA and AAA players than any manager during that time period. Of course he was working in concert with the GM’s. Everyone has his favorites and they tend to hang with them too long and it’s good they do because it’s still a people business. But sometimes cutting a guy loose is good for him as well as the team.

For all the hype surrounding the Cubs minor league system, we don’t hear much about prospects or even guys with options that can play middle infield. And I know David Bote is hanging on in Iowa (because of a crazy multi-year deal). I haven’t checked their option status, but I don’t know why Counsell is married to Mastro and Maddy. I get that Jed Hoyer has a thing for Mastro because they got him from the Rays. Boy is that misguided thinking. The guy isn’t Ben Zobrist or Ben Grieve for that matter.

It stinks that nobody in the lineup is hitting right now and that the middle infield hasn’t played (well) for a while. but the injury bug (soft tissue injuries) doesn’t wash any longer. The bottom four of the Cubs everyday lineup stinks on toast.

Gomes is currently “hitting” .182 with 2 homers and 5 RBI and Amaya is contributing with .181 and 2/12. And their defense is not currently an asset. After the Cubs traded Randy Hundley back in the 70’s, Cub fans suffered through some really crappy backstops. Chew on these names for a few minutes: Dave Radar, Mike O’Berry (is that a real person?), Steve Swisher, Tim Blackwell, and Bruce Kimm. Heck, right now I’d kill for Foote’s 22/65 and .240 average in two+ seasons.

I’m not questioning effort, rather results and it extends beyond the above cited guys. The other night Seiya Suzuki misplayed a fly ball into a double and when he reached/dove/fell for it, I expected him to end up on the IL with a pulled/strained something. That’s the way the season has gone so far.

As I mentioned the other day, everyone expects Hoyer & Hawkins to make some spectacular trade for pitching. I want them to juggle the position players on the roster. While 1b/DH Garrett Cooper may have been a redundancy, he was productive for 10 minutes or so and they could use more players like him-if only temporarily.

Hopefully, I’ll report on the specifics surrounding today’s 3-2 Pirates’ victory. I need a little time to find the right head space.

Seventh Inning stretch from my seat.