The Cubs, meanwhile, continue to make senseless moves with no apparent direction. This team's problems appear to have been on the mound, with the injuries to Mark Prior and Kerry Wood and a shaky bullpen. At least that's what gets blamed. Sure, that hasn't helped. But this team's losing because of its offense, because despite having a guy batting .377 in the middle of the order and being a legit Triple Crown threat, there's nobody setting the table. As always, some random thoughts: • Patterson should never have been leading off in the first place, and that's Baker's fault. Who should have? Well, Jerry Hairston Jr., for as woefully average as he might be, does have a .367 on-base percentage. He walks a bit, and unlike Patterson, doesn't strike out. As a team, the Cubs have a .312 on-base percentage in the leadoff spot, and that stinks. In the NL, only the Marlins and Mets are worse, and when Juan Pierre starts to hit, Florida will score more runs. The Mets have realized the error of their Jose Reyes ways (and nobody's sending him to the minors, despite his age). Hairston, in 36 games leading off, has a .384 OBP there. Just play him every day and lead him off. It appears that will happen now, but in center field. I would have chosen left field, now that Todd Walker is back to man second.