While I am paying attention to spring training I thought it would be a good time to predict the Cubs future. Many people see a Japanese superstar that can finally lead the team to a curse breaking season. I also see many holes in the Cubs pitching staff, mostly in the starting rotation. Finally, I will predict where the Cubs will finish.
First I am going to address the Cubs offense and Fukadome. Sadly I have to say the Cubs will have the best offense in the N.L. central. Now we will address Fukadome. Many see him as a savior and the missing piece to a Cubs World Series. I see a 31 year old player, with a wounded elbow, who has never seen a MLB pitch. Fukadome missed half of last years season with a shattered elbow. Not just a hurt elbow, a shattered elbow. So I think he will start off good, get hurt and not return to his all-star potential.
Now to the pitching staff. Many Cubs fans see Zambrano as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. I will be the first to say that he is good, but not great. First he is in the National League so it is difficult to compare him to AL pitchers who have to pitch against far supieor hitters. Second he is too emotional. Remember his fight with Michael Barret? He is too easily swayed and affected by a bad day. WIth the rest of the starting rotation, personally I believe that it sucks. They have Lilly who is an average NL pitcher. Then after that it is complete garbage. Marquis, Marshall, Leiber, and finally the biggest joke Ryan Dempster. After Dumpster managed to blow win after win last season they decide to make him a starter. But the geniuses at the Cubs think, " Hmm, he can't pitch one inning effectively to win a game, lets have him pitch 5-6 innings because he will probably do better when he pitches more and his arm gets tired." And now they want Howry to replace him instead of Carlos Marmol. Remember Cubs fans pitching and defese makes teams, thats something you seemed to forget.
Now to how the Cubs will finish the season. Here is how I see the NL Central Finishing: Brewers, Cubs, Cardinals, Reds, Pirates. The Cubs lack of pitching will ruin them. Their offense will score 6 runs a game but they will give up 7. This will be the story of the Cubs year. The curse continues.
Consecutive Playoff Streaks
Comments (10)
A bone spur is not a shattered elbow Dr.
Z_Aug:Bow to your Sensei | 03/10/08, 12:48 PM
Report Offensive Commentwell they had the second best era in the Nl last year so there rotation really dosent suck all that much i mean look at the competetion its better then most also you forgot the astros are in that divsion 6 teams not 5 fukudome is hitting over 400 in preseason not that it means much but its not like he cant hit although none of what you say surprises me the sox who id assume you like are gonna suck they make the cubs look like a juggernaut so if you cant see that you suck you try an bring somebody else down
woooooo | 03/10/08, 01:07 PM
Report Offensive CommentYour comment about "far superior" hitters in the AL is a little off too if you look at the stats. Last year, out of the top 20 hitters in MLB with the highest batting average 11 (more than half) were in the NL, out of the 25 guys who hit 30+ home runs 19 (way more than half) were in the NL and finally out of the top 20 RBI producers 10 (half) were in the NL.
Z_Aug:Bow to your Sensei | 03/11/08, 01:06 PM
Report Offensive CommentWhat about Houston? aren't they still in the division? I agree with you about the rest of the Cubs rotation. I think they pitched over their heads last year, and I don't think Lilly will repeat that performance in his second season in the NL. Hill still has potential, but Marquis and Dumpster are garbage, and Lieber is just old.....not sure how much he will contribute.
TenRingsSTL | 04/04/08, 02:59 PM
Report Offensive CommentFukudome looks pretty good playing with a shattered elbow.
Z_Aug:Bow to your Sensei | 04/07/08, 07:18 PM
Report Offensive CommentLilly was terrible again yesterday......
TenRingsSTL | 04/18/08, 10:18 AM
Report Offensive CommentWell, I just joined the Nation, and looking through, I came across your post, you did forget about Houston as a few has pointed out, Fukudome looks ok to me right now, I don't think he will be the savoir but he will make a impact, Big Z is looking good, and Dempser has won his starts, not to say he is going to be the best thing since Apple pie, as far as the rest of the rotaion, I can not say that its still too early but they are scaring me, and this came from a die hard cub fan, I like the win over the Mets last night, but I actually wanted to see Wood in a situation where we were only up by one run and playing against one of the best teams in the NL, all and all i think the Cubs will win the division but I don't know how much farther we will go.
dlovell3 | 04/22/08, 12:20 PM
Report Offensive CommentCubs are flailing now that they are on the road playing good teams, and Milwaukee is on a roll. Look out below...........
TenRingsSTL | 06/20/08, 11:46 AM
Report Offensive CommentTenRings is as moron. The cubs without Soriano have actually increased their lead over the tweetybirds.
As for this blog ha ha ha. So much for giving up 7 a game the Cubs lead the NL in era and yes the MLB in hitting. Still have the best record in baseball. Oh and brilliant call out on Dempster who is 9-2 with a 2.63 era
Sooner in WA- Cardinals blow | 06/23/08, 03:02 AM
Report Offensive CommentSooner - my point was, that the Cubs have benefitted from a lot of home games lately. As soon as they went on the road in Tampa, against a good team.....they got swept. No question the Cubs play very well at home, but they have more road games in July and particularly September, so they need to figure out how to win more consistently on the road. The Brewers are rolling and the Cards are going to get some of their key people back (maybe), so I'm just saying that it is going to be a good race all the way through.
As far as Dempster....he has certainly exceeded expectations and pitched very well. My concern for the Cubs would be that he hasn't pitched this many innings since 2002. I'd look for a possible deadarm in August/September. Also, as long as Marquis is in the rotation late in the year, everyone else has a shot. And yes, before you say it, I know he has pitched well lately. He turns into a different guy in late summer, though.
TenRingsSTL | 06/26/08, 10:16 AM
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