Nearly two months after completely melting down in the first round of the playoffs, Lou Piniella took some shots at his team during a radio appearance on Wednesday, saying of his lineup, “It’s right-handed, it’s power-hitting and it’s not very quick.” Wait, Lou, isn’t this somewhat fast left-handed hitter in your lineup?:

Piniella isn’t exactly hiding his disdain for Kosuke Fukudome these days. He’s also not entirely pleased with the recently re-signed Ryan Dempster going on the record as saying that the team wasn’t prepared for the playoffs. Lou’s comments came while he was on WMVP’s “Waddle and Silvy Show” yesterday.

The CHICAGO TRIBUNE has a roundup of Lou’s appearance.

The strangest comment concerned Fukudome, about whom the Cubs are considering a new approach:

He said the Cubs have talked about a more “Americanized” training regimen for Fukudome, though he didn’t elaborate.

Lou apparently doesn’t want Kosuke doing all that judo and drawing anime and fighting Mothra and whatever else it is that’s involved in a “Japanese” training regimen.

Or maybe he meant “American League-ized” regimen, as that’s where he’s probably like to see Kosuke playing next year.

MLB TRADE RUMORS says the Cubs seem to be giving the Kaz Matsui treatment to Fukudome, and are actively shopping the Japanese star, who actually put up good numbers in the first half of the season before slumping badly late. MLBTR claims the team is trying to acquire Mark Teahen from the Royals, and is looking for someone willing to take on the $38 million still owed to Fukudome. The Teahen interest is a bit odd, though, as his .715 OPS last season was dreadful, and lower than Fukudome’s .738. Teahen has a .753 OPS and only 47 home runs in four full seasons with the Royals.

One wonders if the manager has demanded that Kosuke be elsewhere next season.

Piniella also disputed Dempster’s claim of the team’s lack of preparation, which was perhaps a shot at the manager:

“Look, the team was prepared…the bottom line is we didn’t play good baseball.”

Dempster just signed a four-year, $52 million contract to remain with the Cubs. The Cubs were in on the Jake Peavy discussions, but say that payroll limitations will keep them out of serious talks.