The Chicago Cubs have gotten off to a so-so start. Despite having Kerry Wood and Mark Prior available to pitch instead of later in the season, they are now without Nomar Garciapara and Todd Walker, both on the DL with injuries. With Garciapara's groin injury against the Reds on Monday, another infielder(s) will be needed to take over duties at shortstop. Nefi Perez has been given the assignment so far and has been hitting over .300. His defensive glove balances well in the infield with Lee and Ramirez playing at the corners, but he's not going to drive in the amount of runs Nomar is capable of this year.
Being a long suffering Cubs fan it bothers me to see that the Cubs General Manager brought over Jeromy Burnitz in the off season. Sure this guy provides another potent bat in the lineup and is a decent outfielder, but doesn't come close to replacing Sammy Sosa and Moises Alou. The Cubs GM and Owner need to think bigger and look at possible candidates such as Lance Berkman, Jose Guillen, and Adam Dunn. These guys will most likely have a tremedeous impact on the offense. If the Cubs could trade a starting pitcher and few prospects in exchange for one of these guys it would be worth it. The scoring per game would increase and they would win more close games. There is no doubt that the Cubs need another power hitting outfielder. This will make it easier to fit slugger Corey Patterson in the #2 spot or lower part of the lineup, enabling him to get better pitches to hit. The Cubs Owner shouldn't wait too long to make deals, especially if Nomar is determined to be out for 2-3 months. They need to get an edge on their rivals in the Central division therefore, having less pressure put on themselves late in the season to clinch the playoffs.
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