The Cubs really needed former top prospect Felix Pie to step up early this season when they suffered multiple injuries to outfielders but he never did.  Pie has played in 74 games this season for the Cubs and he is 35 for 165 (.212 avg, .601 OPS) with 25 runs scored, 2 homers, 19 RBIs and 6 stolen bases.  The Cubs are so disappointed in him that they might be willing to trade him during the Winter which is something they refused to do last year.

Cesar Izturis has lost his starting job at shortstop because he just wasn’t giving the team enough with the bat.  Izturis only hit .242 in the first half of the season with 13 runs scored and 8 RBIs in his first 186 atbats of the season.  Look for him to get traded or be nailed to the bench in the 2nd half of the season.  Jacque Jones has also lost his starting job because of his poor first half performance.  Jones is only hitting .233 this season with 24 runs scored, 2 homers and 20 RBIs.  The Cubs have tried and tried to trade Jones and he could be moved in the next couple of weeks.  Rob Bowen has been absolutely awful since he has arrived in the Windy City.  He has played in 9 games this season for the Cubs and he is 2 for 27 (.074 avg) with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs.  Bowen has also whiffed 11 times for the Cubs.  He would start losing playing time but the Cubs other catcher is Koyie Hill and he is also struggling with the bat.  Hill is only hitting .148 (9 for 61) with 5 runs scored, 1 homer and 6 RBIs.  Super prospect Felix Pie also has been slumping lately.  Pie is hitting only .216 with 19 runs scored, 2 homers, 18 RBIs and 6 stolen bases in 139 atbats this season. 

Matt Murton needs to hit to play and he hasn’t done that lately.  In his last 4 games, Murton is only 1 for 14 (.071 avg, .204 OPS) with 1 run scored.   The Cubs need Murton to hit as they are depending on him to share time with Cliff Floyd in the outfield.

Cesar Izturis is an outstanding defensive shortstop, but he needs to hit a little bit to be an overall asset to the Chicago Cubs.  He’s played in 16 games so far this season and he’s only hitting .174 with a .516 OPS!  Those are horrible numbers!  He’s 8 for 46 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs so far this season.  The Cubs could tolerate Izturis hitting in the .250 range because of his defense, but he’s got a long way to go if he wants to get his average that high.

Michael Barrett is off to a very slow start to the 2007 season.  He is 5 for 26 (.192 avg, .507 OPS) with 1 runs scored and 4 RBIs.  Barrett is too good of a hitter to not break out of his slump soon.  The Cubs need him to hit well because Henry Blanco is a great defender but not much of a hitter.