MLB Team-By-Team Previews 2009: Will This Be The Year Of The Cubbies? Or Just One More Disappointment?

by ChristiSunshine

The 2008 season held promise for the Chicago Cubs. Eight players were selected to the All-Star team (a NL-tying record), and at the break, they (along with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) had the best record in the major leagues. Despite chalking up their winningest season in 63 years (97 wins), the Cubs fell to the LA Dodgers in 3 games in the NLDS. The signing of Joey Gathright could be the biggest (or at least best) news of the off-season. He has swiped 78 bases in his four year career and he is a versatile outfielder, which will be helpful given that Alfonso Soriano is injury-prone. The general consensus is that the 2009 regular season will be similar to the 2008 season, and that the Cubs should finish a good 10 games ahead of the closest competition in the NLCS (the Milwaukee Brewers).

Key losses: Kerry Wood, Mark DeRosa, Jason Marquis

Key acquisitions: Milton Bradley, Aaron Miles, Kevin Gregg, Joey Gathright

Projected lineup:

1. LF Alfonso Soriano
2. SS Ryan Theriot
3. 1B Derek Lee
4. RF Milton Bradley
5. 3B Aramis Ramirez
6. C Geovany Soto
7. CF Kosuke Fukudome
8. 2B Mike Fontenot
9. (pitcher)

Projected rotation: Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Rich Harden, Ted Lilly, Aaron Heilman

Strengths: Pitching. Three starting pitchers should pitch at least 200 innings this season…Zambrano, Dempster, and Lilly. If a pitcher is pitching 200 innings, it means he is pitching deep into his games, which usually means he is pitching well (and hopefully winning). This will allow the bullpen to stay fresh.

Weaknesses: The month of October. Given the fact that the Cubs are one of the few teams with a payroll not affected by the economy, it is unspeakable that they should have consecutive division titles with no playoff wins.

Player(s) to watch:

* Geovany Soto: Soto won 2008 Rookie of the Year honors. If he is able to avoid a sophomore slump, he could continue to prove himself one of MLB’s finest catchers.

* Milton Bradley: While playing in the AL for the Texas Rangers in 2008, Bradley hit 22 HR’s and 77 RBI’s with a slugging average of .321. He also led the AL in On Base Percentage (OBP). If Bradley’s transition into the NL goes smoothly, he could prove to baseball fans that he is the real deal.


Projected finish: 95 wins, best record in the National League

News and notes: The acquisition of Gathright added some much needed speed to the Cubs’ roster. One question to be answered is whether Fontenot can handle 2nd base as skillfully as DeRosa. While there is no question Marmol can handle his job as a closer, the absence of both Wood and DeRosa will be felt, especially in the clubhouse.

Originally Published At:
http://www.faniq.com/blog/MLB-TeamByTeam-Previews-2009-Chicago-Cubs-Blog-20691

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