Jon Greenberg of ESPN Chicago gives a pretty good rundown of why Joe Girardi shouldn't come to the Cubs:
Girardi also described himself as a man of faith who doesn't worry about the future. Which, of course, makes him tailor-made for the Cubs. After all, faith is paramount to taking a job that is known solely for the burden of its expectations, and the presumed hope that the future will yield better results.
So, Chicago differs from New York because you're expected to do well in both places, but in Chicago there's no reasonable hope of it actually happening. But maybe it comes down to money. Girardi makes $2.5 million per season under his current contract, and he's earned a raise. The question is how much will he want, and how much will the Steinbrenners be willing to pay him? You could make the case that with a roster like the Yankees have, they're going to be competitive regardless of who manages them.
- Its About The Money wonders about an unmentioned issue with young pitchers: college.
It’s times like these that make me wonder why pitchers with (Strasburg's) ability even bother with college baseball. Yes, a lot of teams, especially the teams who tend to pick at the top of the draft, have an infatuation with college pitchers because they’re closer to the majors than high school pitchers. But they’ve also got much more wear and tear and, in some cases, downright abuse on their arms. Frankly, some of the things college coaches do to their pitchers, especially seniors, is just scandalous. Guys have thrown 150+ pitches, come in on the other side of a long rain delay, started both games in a double-header, you name it.
I know that Tony Gwynn handled Strasburg carefully, at least last season, but the point is interesting in a general sense. In the end, though, injuries to young pitchers are just about a given, because throwing a baseball overhand at 95 mph is simply physiologically unnatural.
- Finally, some good news: Andy Pettitte is rehabbing and not feeling any discomfort. 2-3 more successful bullpen sessions, and he should be back in the rotation.