Author: Dean DeChiaro
This time last year, Sports Illustrated declared that the Chicago Cubs would win National League Pennant. Much to the dismay of Cubs fans everywhere, SI’s bold prediction would not stand. And while Carlos Zambrano promised it would happen a year earlier in 2007. The Cubs were swept in the first round of the playoffs. Despite the results of ’07 and the looming realization of the Cubs being a cursed franchise, Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster went on to make the same promise in 2008. Only to find themselves faced with another first round sweep. This year, none of the Cubbies have made the awful mistake of guaranteeing a title before the start of the season, but perhaps someone should.
Chicago hasn’t played in the Fall Classic since 1945, and everyone knows that despite being one of baseball’s premiere teams, having a fan-following more loyal than perhaps any other team, as well as fielding a team capable of capturing a third consecutive Central Division title, the Cubs haven’t won a championship in over a century. But if ever there was a Cubs squad that has a chance to do that, it’s definitely the 2009 team.
The 2008 Cubs won 97 games and made the playoffs after conquering their division, but despite a strong regular season performance, the club made yet another poor showing in the Division Series against the Dodgers, who were, with the exception of Manny Ramirez, a team who on paper should not have beaten the Cubs, let alone sweep them in a 5 game series. Nonetheless every bit of skill and magic that we saw from the 2008 club is back for this season, not to mention the addition of a few new faces, that could make all the difference.
While during the off-season, the team did manage to lose closer Kerry Wood via free agency, they made up for the loss with the acquisitions of young stand out reliever Carlos Marmol as well as experienced veteran closer Kevin Gregg. Both Gregg and Marmol, posted good numbers last year, and should be able to solidify the Cubs bullpen problems. Another positive addition to the club is utility outfielder Milton Bradley, a great hitter whose only Achilles Heel is his health; he hasn’t played more than 90 games in a season since 2006. Nonetheless if Bradley remains healthy for a good amount of the season, the Cubs are looking to field one of the leagues most offensively gifted outfield. This platoon would consist of Bradley, Japanese phenom Kosuke Fukudome, and Alfonso Soriano, who is an MVP candidate year in and year out.
If the Cubs can get rolling in the first month of the season the way they did last April, no one in the NL Central is going to catch them. The 1-2-3 combination of Alfonso Soriano, one of the best leadoff hitters in history, Kosuke Fukudome, and Derrek Lee, sets the table for a most impressive offense. And the pitching staff is as good of a rotation you can find in the league. One that boasts big league ace Carlos Zambrano, the ever consistent Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly (who represented the USA in this year’s World Baseball Classic) and newcomer Rich Harden.
No one likes the phrase “Wait ’till next year,” because let’s face it, no one wants to ever wait until next year. While the Cubs have essentially lived and died by this phrase for the past century, “next season” has come for Chicago. As long as there aren’t any freak injuries to their pitching staff and Milton Bradley provides the offensive spark he is capable of, match that with their continued success at Wrigley Field (55-26 at home last season), the Cubs will win the National League Pennant and return to the pinnacle of October baseball, the World Series.
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