Can the Curse of the Billy Goat be Erased? The Chicago Cubs 2007 Season Preview
For those who bleed the Cubbie Blue, it was another season in a continuous line of disappointment in 2006. With a last place finish in the National League Central, Cubs GM Jim Hendry instituted a radical change in the roster. With the Cubs not having won the World Series since 1908, and not having an appearance in it since 1945, the folks in Chicago are now becoming restless and wondering if and when they’ll ever see a trophy.
As the Cubs have been criticized in the past for not spending any money on premier talent, and only looking to make a buck and fill seats; this winter the Cubs spent about $300 million in acquiring free agents and talent in hopes of winning the NL Central and getting back into the World Series. Dusty Baker who led the Cubs to the playoff in 2003 is out; Lou Piniella who was lured out of the broadcast booth is now the Cubs new manager.
The team spent a lot of money this offseason to secure free agents like Alfonso Soriano, Ted Lilly, Mark DeRosa & Jason Marquis. The Cubs also spent big money to re-sign Aramis Ramirez, Kerry Wood and Wade Miller. The offense should be greatly improved to complement a hopefully healthy Derek Lee. The Cubs last year were killed by injuries, lack of offense and poor pitching production. Gone from the team is Juan Pierre who signed a huge deal with the Dodgers, and Greg Maddux who was traded to the Dodgers in July of ‘06.
As much as the Cubs spent in the offseason, the offense may score a lot of runs, but the pitching situation is still shaky as ever.
The starting rotation is anchored by Carlos Zambrano, who is probably one of the best starters in the game. He went 16-7 with a mid 3 ERA, and his wins accounted for nearly a quarter of their wins. For the Cubs to have a shot at the postseason in ’07, Carlos needs to be on. In addition to being a free agent in 2008, it is unknown whether the Cubs will re-sign him, but a good season from him will set up an even larger payday from what he’s expecting already.
After Zambrano, the Cubs go into the unknown in terms of their rotation. Ted Lilly was one of the ballyhooed free agents signed by the team and was given a contract that many thought was a bit much for his abilities. He finished with a 15-13 record and a 4.31 ERA, and he could do slightly better in the NL, his track record shows that he should finish a few games over .500 with an ERA in the 4’s. The Cubs will need to rely on him to win games and pitch quality outings.
Jason Marquis is a coming a very poor year with the Cardinals, as he was 14-16 with an ERA at 6. He was so bad and unreliable in ’06 that the Cardinals left their longtime pitcher off the playoff roster. He’ll be one of the wild cards in the rotation as he really needs to be a lot better than he was in 2006. His history shows that he should bounce back and keep in line with his career numbers. It is critical that he pitch well in 2007 in order for the Cubs to be contenders.
The other wild cards in the rotation include Mark Prior and Wade Miller, as both men are trying to recover from injuries and a poor 2006 season. Mark Prior who showed flashes of brilliance in his career, and once won 18 games, struggled to come back in ’06 only winning 1 game and losing 7 along with an ERA over 7. In addition, his pitching looked flat and he was hit hard. Hopefully, he can come back from his bad ’06 and produce in ’07. He’s only 26 and perhaps could regain some of the magic and form that made him seem like the “next big thing? before all his problems. As well, Wade Miller will be trying to come back from injuries as he only pitched in a handful of games before missing the rest of the season. If both Prior and Miller can contribute for the Cubs, then the team might be in decent shape.
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