Chicago Cubs battle in the Central a tough one; People still hating on Castro

The NL Central, Castro and trade-deadline pitching targets

The Chicago Cubs got a lesson in how far they are from the summit of the NL Central after a weekend series against the St. Louis Cardinals. For a team that was cellar-dwellers in recent years, there’s plenty to love about this team. But the Cardinals appear to have no intention of giving up the crown, as they are the best team in baseball. The Cubs have the daunting task of being in the best division in baseball as they’ll battle with the Pittsburgh Pirates for a wild card spot, but it will only make them a better team, in the long run.

The fans and others continue to be on the offensive against Starlin Castro. One of the best hitters at his position, he’s still hated on a daily basis, often times by Cubs’ fans. But at 25, many point to his defense as a reason to “move on”. Yes, there’s other talent in Chicago, but none are approaching 1,000 hits at his age. Fans need to appreciate him as our Jacob Misener points out, the defense isn’t as costly as you think.

The Cubs front office has made no secrets about wanting to add rotation depth, either this year or next. Where the Cubs are in the standing in the coming weeks will determine if that’s now or next year. The Mets’ Jon Niese has come up recently, as this happens each time the Cubs play the Mets. They need a shortstop, we need pitching so let the rumors begin. Is Niese a viable option? And at what cost?

The “ballot-stuffing” Royals fans aren’t the first once to fill and All-Star roster. In 1957, fans–using the old paper ballot system–elected seven Reds to the NL starting lineup. So you can’t just blame technology for it.

These and other stories you may have missed:

‘Cubs face uphill battle in NL Central’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Cubs’ Castro once again getting plenty of hate’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Many ASG races still up for grabs’ – MLB.com

‘Cubs Rumors: Is Niese a rotation solution?’ – Cubbies Crib

‘1957 All-Star ballot the stuff of legends’ – ESPN.com

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