King Kaufman Mocks Dusty "The Philosopher King" Baker

[DrCrawdad]

Here's a column that will surely enrage some Cubbie fans.

http://images.salon.com/col/src/kkaufman.gif

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Cubs manager Dusty Baker: We just need to gain a game a week. Translation: We're screwed.

...That game-a-week stuff is code for "Stay interested, boys. We can still make the playoffs even though we're not going to win the division."

LINK (http://www.salon.com/news/sports/col/kaufman/2004/07/12/monday/index.html)

[DrCrawdad]

Here's a column that will surely enrage some Cubbie fans.

Mr. Kaufman got a prediction right...

...I think that's a better bet than putting my money on the Cubs to repeat. The Cubs haven't repeated at anything, or at least anything good, since they won back-to-back championships in 1907 and '08.

...Anyway, it's always risky to expect Dusty Baker's teams to underachieve, but I'm guessing that even with that strong starting rotation, the Cubs will live up to the baseball adage that a team that improves suddenly one year backslides a bit the next. And remember, even though the Cubs almost went to the World Series, they won only 88 games last year.

Predicted finish:
1. St. Louis
2. Houston (wild card)
3. Chicago


And Kaufman unfortunately got this one wrong...

I'll pick the White Sox and leave it at that because I want you to be able to write me outraged letters wondering how I could analyze the American League Central without mentioning a single person who doesn't play for the Detroit Tigers.

Predicted finish:
1. Chicago
2. Minnesota