More Spring Training...

Meanwhile, back in Mesa, position players have reported. There was a lot of talk of leadership yesterday, mostly from Nomar (who every reporter wanted to talk to) and Todd Walker (who wanted to talk to every reporter). Walker went on about how there were 25 captains on the team now, while Nomar insisted he's not taking over the Sammy Sosa role on the team, and that he'll lead by example. So who exactly is going to provide the leadership on this team? It's really up to them, who they're going to look to, and as we saw last year, when the players that set the tone were Sammy Sosa (as captain) and Moises Alou(as the unofficial captain) that can be a crucial point. Would the Cubs have won the Wild Card if they hadn't spent the entire year arguing with reporters, umpires, opponents and each other? Nobody knows, but it might have helped. So with great purge of Hendry complete, who will the team look to? Well, I'd like for Dusty Baker to actually, you know, take control of his clubhouse, but I'm not holding my breath for that to happen. So here's hoping that the man who sets the tone for the Cubs in 2005 is Derrek Lee. Why? Well, he's one of the only guys I don't remember bitching all year. He never blamed the umpires, never attacked the press, and played in 161 games. He's a good offensive player and outstanding defensivly. So, maybe instead of a year of hysterics and tantrums, our boys can take a page from Lee and stay on even keel. Let the chemistry experiment begin.