Although Jim Hendry needs to share a part of the blame for the Cubs failure this year (not addressing the glaring need for bullpen arms in the off-season), Dusty Baker is responsible for squandering the talent he was given for the last two and a half years. Dusty’s tendency to prefer certain players over others even when there is extensive evidence to the contrary and his stubbornness about making changes, drives many fans crazy.  How long did it take Dusty to figure out that LaTroy Hawkins wasn’t a closer? And it remains to be seen if Dusty hasn’t done permanent damage to Cory Patterson’s career by penciling him in the leadoff spot over and over when it was clear he wasn’t willing or able to play in that position. What manager in the big leagues would leave their closer in to pitch in a save situation after he walked four consecutive batters upon entering the game?  I know it worked that particular time, but is that considered good managing? In game six of the 2003 National League playoffs, why didn’t Dusty come out of the bull pen and settle down his players after Bartman foul ball? I was at that game and after Alou’s outburst in left, the whole energy of the game changed. A good manager would have gone out to the mound to settle down his young pitcher and rally the troops. Not Dusty and we know how that turned out.

The excuse of injuries that the fans hear over and over is just that, an excuse. Are there teams that have NO injuries during the year? Did Baker and Hendry actually believe that Wood, Prior, and Garciaparra would play injury free the entire year? Garciaparra was let go from Boston because it was believed he was no longer healthy enough to be their starting shortstop. Wood has pitched only one season in his career where he didn’t spend considerable time on the DL. That fact that these two players have not played most of the year is apparently only a surprise to Baker, Hendry, and the Chicago media.

And lastly and the maybe most important reason some fans get on Dusty is because he’s a whiner. It’s always someone else’s fault and he’s always implying that he’s being treated unfairly.  Last year he even blamed the sportscasters in the Cubs booth and they were run out of town by the Tribune Company.  Dusty makes four million dollars a year! That’s more than most Cubs fans make in a lifetime. If I was leading a project at work that was going this badly after such high expectations, my job would be in serious jeopardy. And I don’t make that kind of money, so suck it up Dusty and take some responsibility for managing the Cubs into an under-.500 ball club. You deserve it.