Cubs on fire early this season

The Chicago Cubs have a new manager, a new superstar hitter and a new regular season awaiting them next month.

But these are the Cubs, and hope doesn’t spring eternal among their long-distraught fans.

Already, one fan has started an Internet site called FireLouPiniella.net.

The site explains its reason for existence: “Because someone had to start this up.”

Just wait till next week

FireLouPiniella.net is compiling reasons why Piniella should be fired.

Among them: “Piniella has scoured the planet to find the best available people to become Cubs coaches. And who has he come up with to be his bench coach, his right-hand man in the dugout? None other than Alan Trammell, the manager of the 119-loss 2003 Detroit Tigers. I am sure that Trammell will be able to help Lou come up with even more ways to lose a game.”

That is reason No. 4 of four. But it’s early.

Trivia time

Who managed the Seattle Mariners to a record-tying 116 regular-season victories in 2001?

Asked and answered

Stu Nahan is improving in his fight against lymphoma, and the website LARadio.com had this anecdote about the longtime broadcaster from Jerry Clark, executive director of the Southern California Sports Broadcasters:

“A few years ago, Stu Nahan was reminiscing with Tim Mead at an Angels game.

“Mead, vice president of communications for the ballclub, happened to mention that he was born in Greece.

“Stu, taken aback by the fact, said, ‘Tim, I’ve known you for 20 years and you never told me that -- why were you born in Greece?’

“ ‘Because that’s where my mother was,’ Tim replied.

“Consternation is the only word that can describe the look on Stu’s face, as others in the group broke up with laughter.”

Week 9 Power Rankings

This was the week that wasn’t for Tom Lasorda and Gary Matthews Jr., or so they wish ...

1. HGH: And people say baseball isn’t a growth sport.

2. Bubble teams: Right now, college basketball is littered with teams not sure but hoping they belong in the NCAA tournament. Pro football has a version of this. Those teams are called “the NFC.”

3. Baseball veterans committee: Nothing and no one get past them. Kings send a scout to Cooperstown to offer goalie tryouts.

4. PETA: Animal-rights activists move to stop Kansas State fans from tossing live chickens onto the basketball court. Where were these people when Rex Grossman was throwing wounded ducks at the Super Bowl?

5. Mia Hamm: Elected to U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame with 97.16% of the vote. Which raises a question. Who didn’t vote for her?

6. James Worthy: What’s weirder? Worthy beating out Elgin Baylor as the Lakers’ all-time greatest small forward in a Times’ online poll? Or Luke Walton coming in fourth?

7. The Big Game: Bored with global domination and no games for a month, the NFL has nothing better to do than hire lawyers to try to steal “the Big Game” away from Cal and Stanford. Good thing its players are so well behaved.

8. Jake Plummer: Says he’d rather quit than play for Tampa Bay. Just like the rest of the 2006 Buccaneers.

9. Dre’ Bly: Free at last! Free at last! Traded from the Lions to the Broncos, free at last!

10. Vladimir Radmanovic: Registration fee for Winter Olympics fantasy camp is half a million dollars.

Trivia answer

Lou Piniella.

And finally

Ernie Johnson, wishing the weighty Charles Barkley a happy birthday during a TNT NBA studio show: “Not coincidentally, your 44th birthday comes on Fat Tuesday.”

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mike.penner@latimes.com