NEWSLETTER
This one comes from way out of left field. I have been fairly vocal in my position that Joey Gathright is completely superfluous, and should not be guaranteed a spot on the 25-man roster.
Until recently, my calls went largely unnoticed. Now Bruce Miles has joined the party, and says Gathright may not make the team. But the replacement is So Unlikeable.
Speaking of the outfield, could So Taguchi make the team as a nonroster guy ahead of Joey Gathright? We’ll see. Lou talked up Taguchi yesterday, saying he “gives you a professional at-bat.” Gathright today rainbowed a throw home from left field.
Well that’s half right, and I fear that Tagachi’s recent “cut” from the team may not be enough to prevent it from being fully right.
Gathright out is a step in the right direction, but replacing him with Taguchi would be more than ridiculous. It takes a guy who is superfluous and awful out, and replaces him with a guy who is superfluous, awful, and not lightning fast. Taguchi was sent to minor league camp yesterday, but that’s no guarantee that he won’t somehow magically find himself on the roster. There are, after all, three open spots on the 40-man.
Choosing between Gathright and Taguchi is a lose-lose proposition. Gathright sports a career (hilarious) OPS of .632. And though not nearly as comically low, Taguchi isn’t much better at .717, and was a spritely .580 last year. And Taguchi will be 39 this year.
Talk about a Hobson’s Choice. This is like choosing whether you want to stuff your mouth with dog doo or your neighbor’s doo. Can’t I just not stuff my mouth with doo?
If Gathright is getting bounced, let’s hope Lou Piniella and Jim Hendry are doing it because they realize there is exactly one back-up infielder that can play 2B, SS, or 3B on the roster, and the Cubs need another.
