Is This Next Year?

I sure hope so because I'm getting tired of crapping the bed in the playoffs.

Last year we came into the playoffs riding high with the most wins in a season since 1945. We had every right to believe that our Cubbies were in for a big showing; the eight times in history that the Cubs had more wins, they made it to the World Series 7 of those times. I like those odds. We all liked those odds. There was just too much going for us to fail, right?

And then we crapped the bed. Again.

This year we come in with basically the same team with a few additions and just as high expectations. The team adds a couple of right handed pitchers, Aaron Heilman from the Mariners and newly-anointed closer Kevin Gregg who we swiped away from the Marlins. The biggest addition is Milton Bradley moving into right field, displacing Fukudome in the outfield. Let's take a little deeper look at the 2009 team.

Infield: The infield is the same for the most part this year. Geovany Soto comes off his rookie of the year campaign looking to hold off any sophomore slump. Mike Fontenot joins his fellow LSU alum Ryan Theriot in the starting lineup, moving into the second base slot. Fontenot and Theriot were both .300 hitters last year and we're looking for more of the same from them this year. Lee and Ramirez at the corners gives you about 50 HR and 200 RBI combined, much needed power numbers in this lineup. Micah Hoffpauir and Aaron Miles will be important pieces of the bench as well.

Outfield: We have two starters set with Soriano in left and Bradley in right. Centerfield, however, is somewhat garbled. Reed Johnson and Kosuke Fukudome will seemingly be platooning based on opposing starters at the beginning of the year. Speedster Joey Gathright makes the short drive northeast from Kansas City to make the picture a little more murky. We'll just have to wait to see who comes out of the pack.

Starters: Our top four are the same as last year, with Big Z getting the start Monday night. We need a full year out of Rich Harden which could be a stretch as injury prone as he's been. Sean Marshall won the fifth starter job, keeping Aaron Heilman in long relief. Samardzija was expected to make a contribution, but he'll begin the season in the minors.

Bullpen: Kevin Gregg and Carlos Marmol were in the running for the closer job this year after Kerry Wood left town for Cleveland. Gregg came out spring training with the job, putting Marmol back in the setup job. He did a good job last year in the setup role, with a 2.68 ERA in 82 appearances and even 7 saves.

I don't think I have to say that I think we have a great chance this year to win it all. But that's how it is every year, hopefully we can go all the way.