Cubs tab Jaramillo to be hitting coach
I'm very much in favor of the Chicago Cubs giving Rudy Jaramillo a three-year contract to be their hitting coach ... but those expecting miracles are in for a disappointment.
Jaramillo could well be the best hitting coach in baseball, but he would need to work miracles of biblical or mythical proportions to get the Cubs to produce the way they once did. Alfonso Soriano is clearly on the decline, Aramis Ramirez can't stay healthy, Mike Fontenot and Jake Fox have glaring holes in their swings that are exposed if they play too much and Geovany Soto is way off track.
Milton Bradley might be the Cub whose performance could stand to improve the most with the addition of Jaramillo. With that said, his signing is not worth it if it means the Cubs hold onto Bradley, hoping he can be salvaged. He's a cancer, and another distraction-filled season awaits if he comes back ... one that likely will end in disaster.
But if Bradley is traded, Jaramillo could, to some extent, help the Cubs improve their woeful offense. Soriano has worked with him before, successfully, and his no-nonsense approach could be beneficial in getting the spinning out of Kosuke Fukodome's swing or the work back in Soto's work habits. Without making major upgrades in personnel, the Cubs aren't going to lead the National League in runs scored next year ... but Jaramillo could help get them further from the basement.
