The Cubs went into this offseason needing to make a bit of a change, yet keep the same core team around that won 97 games last season. The need for a solid left-handed power hitter became obvious after the second straight playoff sweep. The Dodgers just used right-handed pitchers the entire series, which of course neutralized the Cubs right-handed hitters. The team also needed to make some decisions on key free agents Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood.
Dempster was the priority of the off-season and the Cubs were able to get him at 4 years $52 million. Perhaps they gave him a bit too much money for somebody who only had one good season as a starting pitcher, but they paid a bit under market value so thats not a big deal to me.
Letting Kerry Wood go was hard to see, but he wanted/deserved more money than the Cubs were willing to offer. Maybe the Cubs are able to get him for cheaper than they thought, but who knows. Hopefully he is a lights out closer in Cleveland.
Coming into Chicago are closer Kevin Gregg from the Marlins, Milton Bradley from the Rangers, Joey Gathright from the Royals, Aaron Miles from the Cardinals, Aaron Heilman from the Mariners, and catcher Paul Bako from the Reds.
I won't lie, I'm pretty dissapointed in this offseason for the Cubs, but as the last two years have shown that winning the paper offseason has nothing to do with in season results. One thing is for sure, this team will not be winning 97 games. That doesn't mean they won't win the NL Central, because it appears to me that nobody in the division has gotten any better meaning that barring an unforseen jump in skill from the Reds young pitchers or the Cardinals magic dust striking a lot of people, the Cubs should be in the playoffs for the third year in a row. I don't say that as a cocky Cub fan, but by saying that the Cubs have regressed only a little, and certainly haven't regressed to be even with the rest of the division.
More to come.
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