This page has a lot of love for Lou Piniella for single handedly turning the Cubs organization around. But there has been a lack of acknowledgement of a big part of the turnaround.

Gerald Perry was brought in with minimal fanfare. What he's done to the Cubs' team approach to hitting in less than one year is nothing short of remarkable. Yes, dumping idiots like Caesar Izturis and Michael Barret while adding patient hitters like Kosuke Fukudome are part of it. But it's more than that.

It was noticeable earlier in the season when there were games where no player swung at a first pitch nearly two times through the lineup. Then you see the improvement in the OBP of guys like Aramis Ramirez. The steady approach of Ryan Theriot. The turn around of Jim Edmonds.

Gerald Perry doesn't get enough credit for this. The Cubs' approach to hitting is a big reason they are 20 games over .500. Gerald's the man in charge of that area of the team.

Yeah, he's not a miracle worker or Felix Pie would be here and Alfonso Soriano would only be insulting with his defense. But that the team leads the majors in OBP and scoring is a credit to the work Perry's done in the last 16 months.

Give that man a cigar.