Not in recent memory has a baseball team been poised to go from last to first in one single season. Yes, i'm aware of the Leland Tigers turnaround, but that wasn't expcted. The Cubs have new money, new management, new faces, new positions, and most importantly new attitude!
The excitment will simply be unbearable as the ass-kicking Pinella takes charge. The free spending Hendry has brought us the greatest grab of the the free agent market- Alfonso Soriano. With Soriano leading off and home on the range in center, he can make up for deficiancies of Jones in right and the Floyd/Murton combo in left. The infield is defensively solid, with a healthy Ramirez and D. Lee back. Barrett behind the plate rounds out an offensive powerhouse of a lineup.
Pitching is always the key and with Big Z receiving a new contract he should again be a horse. The linchpin is Prior who is in a career year. Whatever mysterious ailments he had have supposely been resolved. If he can even come close to old form, he will be invaluable. For me the greatest excitment comes with the conversion of Wood to a closer. He has the potential to be one of the best in the majors. Remember, no one ever aims to become a closer, it occurs by happenstance.
The final piece of the puzzle is the N.L. Central itself. It continues to be very weak even though the Cards won the series. They have been hurt by several departures. Cub nation has the potential to explode like never before with Pinella at the helm. No more dusting everything under the plate. Pinella tells it like it is and keeps everyday exciting. A bloggers dream.
2 comments:
With the Cards losing pitching, the Astros losing Petite and probably Clemens, the Central is right there for the taking. There might just be all the right conditions for the Cubbies!
Although we wanted the Sox in '90 to go all the way from last to first, the A's got us by 9 games in the end. However, it was the '91 twins who went fromlast to first, beating the Braves (who were also in last place the year before) in the 10th/7th game.
Strange, but both Central divisions look tough. cards are the champs, while the Cubs this year have done a lot of upgrading this off season. AL central seems to be the toughest div this year, with three teams (if Cleveland recovers, make it four) seemingly poised to have 90= win seasons again.
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