Cubs fans: "Wait Til Next Year!"

            By Vince Alexander
            You’ve got to be a Chicago Cubs fan to fully understand.
            I’ve seen the pattern for about 40 years; others for longer.
            For years, by July, Cub fans have shouted, “Wait til next year!”
            This year is no different; therefore, it’s time for the Cubs to make a trade or two and call up a couple more minor leaguers.
            As a longtime Cubs fan, I propose two moves after watching the Cubs lose a series to the lowly Kansas City Royals. To fix the Cubs problem and keep Cub fans interested in the team, first the Cubs should trade first baseman Carlos Pena while he’s hot to a contender for a strong starting pitching prospect.
            In the post-steroid era, teams are winning with strong starting pitching and defense. The Cubs need a strong fourth and fifth pitcher to go with current starters Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, and Matt Garza. Since Randy Wells and Andrew Cashner were injured to start the season, every pitcher the Cubs have used fell short of major-league standards. Rodrigo Lopez couldn’t get it done. Doug Davis couldn’t do it. James Russell couldn’t do it. And despite the many opportunities – Casey Coleman wasn’t ready.
            As for Wells, his arm still isn't right.
            Pena should be traded for a top pitching prospect. In Pena’s place, the Cubs may as well see how Bryan LeHair will fair against Major League pitchers before they shop for a Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers or Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals. Both Fielder and Pujols are first basemen who will be free agents at the end of the season.
            Before the Cubs dip into the free agent market for a slugging first baseman, they need to see if LeHair can play. This season, LeHair, 29, was hitting .369 with 21 home runs and 60 RBI in 74 games for Triple A Iowa. He is 6-foot-5 and weighs 240 pounds.
            Why not give LeHair a shot? This season, the Cubs had a record of 32-46 and going nowhere fast. LeHair could be put in the middle of the lineup with right-handers Aramis Ramirez, Alphonso Soriano, and Marlon Byrd.
            The second trade should involve Cubs catcher Geovony Soto. Soto hasn’t hit well since his rookie season, and he could be traded for another pitching prospect. In Soto’s place, it’s time to call up catcher Wellington Castro. Soto was hitting .220 with seven home runs and 18 RBI. At Triple A Iowa, Castro was hitting .313 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI.
            After all, Zambrano was right: The Cubs are “playing like a Triple A team.” If that’s the case, bring up the team’s deserving Triple A players and at the end of the season get involved in the Fielder or Pujols bidding war -- and “wait til next year!”