Wait for it.

One thing not really being said about last years edition of the Cubs is that many of their hitters had sub par years last season. There were injuries and lack of support from their teammates to be sure, but the potential of the top three sluggers on the team was not fully met.

Soriano= Whether it was injuries or just getting used to the team,
Fonzy batted .299 and had 30 Hr's - very nice. His 70 rbi's were pretty good for a leadoff hitter, especially in the NL. However, 130 k's and a .337 oba leave a lot to be desired.

Derrick Lee= The potential Superstar of the lot had an off year. His .317 BA was great, but his 82 RBI and 22 Hr's in 587 at bats were way below his potential.

Aramias Ramirez= had the best year of these three. He hit .310 and had a .366 OBA. He also had 101 RBI's, a great total for 132 games played. But he has done, and was expected to do, better.

It was just enough to get this team over the poverty Brewers in the lame ass NL Central. Four losses instead of wins, and the Cubs would have been rite when I figgered they'd be = a .500 team. The rest of the division were all below .500.

Now, having written that, one mite think this is a Cub bash. It is not. The genisis of this coloum was my reflection on Lee's non production. Again, there were many factors involved, but it was way below his 'near' Triple Crown season. In a similar way, all three named players can do not just better - but much better.

And that's just it. Despite my mocking the NL Central, the Cubs should have been in the playoffs in '07. They did what they had to do to win the division. True, the sweep by Colorado was justified, but the regular season showed that they played like a team. They, to write the frase, deserved it. If these three - and new acquisition Fukedome - have better years in '08, the Cubs will obviously repeat in the division and may actually have a chance to make some noise in the NL as a whole.

And don't forget - The '06 Cardinals had won 83 games, yet won the World Sseries. The New England Patriots of the NFL were deemed unbeatable last month in the Super Bowl - but lost to the Giants. I state that the Cubs- if they get monster production from these players, production from the others, avoid injuries, and play as a team as they did last year - could even contend against the various frightening Monsters in the Al. Then again, look @ the '05 Red Sox, the '06 Sox, the '07 Tigers - Time is tite.

Spring training. 29. Feb. Anything can happen. I even think the Sox are looking tite. T'ever it is, lovely to hear'm on the radio again.