Stark Drinking the Kool-Aid

People in Chicago would be amazed how many scouts following the NL Central report that they either think (a) the Cubs are a better, more talented team than the Brewers, or (b) the Cubs will end up winning the division. “I know they’ve played spotty, to say the least,” one scout said of the Cubs. “But I think they have a chance to rip off about 14 [wins] out of 15 one of these days.” The scout’s theory is that the Cubs have played tight, in great part because they haven’t adjusted to Lou Piniella’s personality and he hasn’t adjusted to them. “I think they’re at a real turning point,” the scout said. “If Lou can use that [suspension] time to watch from afar for a few days and then come back and make some adjustments, I think that team could take off. And knowing Lou, I think he can and he will.”