The Cubs have it all figured out during the regular season. It's the postseason that has them stumped. After back-to-back Central division titles and back-to-back 0-3 sweeps in the National League Division Series, the Cubs continue to build for the long haul. "We had as good of a team as there was in the National League," GM Jim Hendry says. "We had the best record (97-64). We just played bad baseball for three days."
There is no magic wand to wave during the postseason to make the players hit, pitch and play better defense. Hendry dismisses critics who think the team is not built for October and hopes the team can prove him right by advancing deep into the postseason in 2009.
Management
Piniella is signed through 2010 after an option was picked up, and Hendry is inked through 2012, so it appears that those two bosses aren't going anywhere anytime soon, even though the Tribune Co. is planning on selling the team in 2009. A bad economy probably isn't going to hurt the Cubs as much as it will hurt some other sports franchises, but the club does have several contracts that are backloaded and kicking in for some big bucks this year. The Cubs are probably not going to be freewheeling spenders near the trading deadline. But Hendry has shown some creativity in the past, and the Cubs will not stand idly by if some needs arise during the season. All of Piniella's coaches, including pitching coach Larry Rothschild, are back.
Difference maker
Right-handed relief pitcher Carlos Marmol has shown electric stuff during his two years as a setup man and made it to the All-Star game in 2008. But pitching in the ninth inning is a lot different than pitching in the seventh and eighth innings, and he will be given a shot to show what he can do as a closer in the wake of the departure of Kerry Wood (34 saves) for Cleveland. If Marmol fails, the Cubs have insurance in Kevin Gregg, who saved 29 games with the Florida Marlins in 2008.
Final analysis
After a full century without a World Series title, Cubs fans are getting tired of watching the team fail to win the ultimate prize. In fact, after two years of winning the division title only to fail miserably in the playoffs, the fans are getting downright irritated. The Cubs should be favored to win the division title for a third straight year, and if that happens, somehow the players need to transfer a little of their confidence and solid play from the regular season into the postseason.
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