New Year is coming
Well, many of us would liek to forget the 2004 Chicago Cubs. It was a team that was real up and down all year. The one good thing is the fact we finished over .500 for the second straight year. At least we were in the race until the end, but where does this leave us for the 2005 ball club.
Pitching
The rotation looks set with
Prior
Wood
Maddux
Zambrano
Rusch
The key here is health. Both Wood and Prior missed time last season with trips to the DL. Maybe this is because the Cubs did not have a qualified trainer. Muddux was bad early and much better after May. Zambrano has become the Ace of the staff, but will his arm hold up? Losing Matt Clement will hurt, but will Rusch be able to keep up his great 2004 numbers? Not a good bet. After rebounding from a 1-12, 6.42 ERA in 2003, he put up a 6-2 record with a 3.47 ERA in 2004. Reverting to his old numbers seem likely, but if he has turned the page, then the Cubs have a true bargin.
Infield
Barrett
Lee
Walker
Garciaparra
Ramirez
Barrett had a career year last season, so expect a slip, but if hits .275 I would be fine with that. The rest of the infield is pretty solid. Having Walker and Nomar up the middle helps for a full season of work. Ramirez is coming off back-to-back great years, and he is looking like a he is well on his way for a great career. Lee put up another solid year with good defense. This might be the best combined hitting infield in the league.
Outfield
Patterson
Sosa?????
Hollandsworth/Dubois/Kelton/somebody else
The only spot where the Cubs seem to be uncertain is in the outfield. It looked like Sosa was out the door, but I just have a feeling he is still going to be around. Patterson put up better numbers in 2004 than 2002 (His Last full season), but down from his 2003 first half stats. He seems to be making progress, but 2005 will tell the tale.
Bullpen
Hawkins
Dempster
Borowski?
Remlinger
Farnsworth
Wellemeyer
Wuretz/Ohman/????
The bullpen looks the almost the same, but gone is Mercker and it looks like either Borowski, Hawkins or Dempster will close in 2005. If Big Joe is back to form, then I am ok with it, but if he is getting hit again, then it might be time to go get somebody. I would think something will happen here, maybe a trade.
I will try and post when there is something to talk about.
Pitching
The rotation looks set with
Prior
Wood
Maddux
Zambrano
Rusch
The key here is health. Both Wood and Prior missed time last season with trips to the DL. Maybe this is because the Cubs did not have a qualified trainer. Muddux was bad early and much better after May. Zambrano has become the Ace of the staff, but will his arm hold up? Losing Matt Clement will hurt, but will Rusch be able to keep up his great 2004 numbers? Not a good bet. After rebounding from a 1-12, 6.42 ERA in 2003, he put up a 6-2 record with a 3.47 ERA in 2004. Reverting to his old numbers seem likely, but if he has turned the page, then the Cubs have a true bargin.
Infield
Barrett
Lee
Walker
Garciaparra
Ramirez
Barrett had a career year last season, so expect a slip, but if hits .275 I would be fine with that. The rest of the infield is pretty solid. Having Walker and Nomar up the middle helps for a full season of work. Ramirez is coming off back-to-back great years, and he is looking like a he is well on his way for a great career. Lee put up another solid year with good defense. This might be the best combined hitting infield in the league.
Outfield
Patterson
Sosa?????
Hollandsworth/Dubois/Kelton/somebody else
The only spot where the Cubs seem to be uncertain is in the outfield. It looked like Sosa was out the door, but I just have a feeling he is still going to be around. Patterson put up better numbers in 2004 than 2002 (His Last full season), but down from his 2003 first half stats. He seems to be making progress, but 2005 will tell the tale.
Bullpen
Hawkins
Dempster
Borowski?
Remlinger
Farnsworth
Wellemeyer
Wuretz/Ohman/????
The bullpen looks the almost the same, but gone is Mercker and it looks like either Borowski, Hawkins or Dempster will close in 2005. If Big Joe is back to form, then I am ok with it, but if he is getting hit again, then it might be time to go get somebody. I would think something will happen here, maybe a trade.
I will try and post when there is something to talk about.
posted by Chris at 4:53 PM
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