Chicago Cubs

2009: 83-78 (2nd)

So Long: OF Milton Bradley (no one else matters)

Welcome: OF Marlon Byrd, P Carlos Silva, OF Xavier Nady, IF Chad Tracy

Projected Starting Lineup (courtesy of rototimes.com)
1. Ryan Theriot, SS
2. Kosuke Fukudome, RF
3. Derrek Lee, 1B
4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
5. Marlon Byrd, CF
6. Alfonso Soriano, LF
7. Geovany Soto, C
8. Mike Fontenot, 2B

Rotation - Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly (DL), Randy Wells, Carlos Silva, Tom Gorzelanny
Setup - Esmailin Caridad
Closer - Carlos Marmol

Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for, our meaningless pre-season commentary on your 2010 Chicago Cubs! Four words pretty much sum it up: Milton Bradley is gone. Alright, we've probably been piling on him too much, as has every other Cub blog and member of the mainstream baseball media. After this paragraph, we shall never speak of Bradley again. Unless of course he does something monumentally stupid, and we can all derive a cheap laugh. Alas, he's gone, and we're all moving on, as a franchise and a fanbase.

Ted Lilly will be out of the rotation for at least the first couple weeks of the season, recovering from a shoulder debridement procedure. Nothing too serious. The only problem is that it forces Piniella to put Precious Silva and Tom Gorzelanny in the back end of the rotation. Ugh, I don't care if they've each had the best possible Spring Training, I'd rather take a weed whacker to the shins than watch them on the mound. Whether we like it or not, we're stuck with these two. Though Marshall would be a fine stand-in, he is certainly more valuable in long relief. And Samardzija? C'mon. The only way this kid is going to be starting games is if we're 15 games out of the race come September.

The bullpen remains a perennial issue for Rothschild and Piniella to manage. To their credit, and Hendry's, they're transitioning toward youth, as opposed to throwing money and innings at retreads like Bobby Howry and Scott Eyre. Oh wait, Hendry signed John "Freaking" Grabow to a two year deal. Sigh. Well, at least they can offset his lack of production with kids like Justin Berg and Esmailin Caridad, who bring no expectations and hefty salaries to the table.

The offense should technically be a shade better than last year. Piniella will likely put his Opening Day lineup on the field more than last season. He Who Shall Not Be Named, and his penchant for injuries and hissy fits, is in Seattle. The long national nightmare of batting Soriano in the leadoff position has mercifully come to an end. It's hard to justify Theriot in that spot, but really, what other choice is there? Tyler Colvin should prove to be a more-than-adequate bench player, and will immediately step in as soon as one of the big three outfielders is hobbled. According to Vegas, the over/under on Soriano, Byrd, or Fukudome getting hurt is April 15, so Colvin has a chance to pay immediate dividends.

PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: neuroses. The players and fans alike share symptoms of this crippling psychological disorder. Oh, the players will say that they're just doing their job, and things like history, curses, and day games don't matter. But that shit gets in your head, and burgeons forth at the most inopportune time. Still, one of these days...

The 'Precious: Based on the novel Push, by Sapphire' Award: Carlos Silva. This award is really just an excuse to put up this hyperlink.

The 'Please Don't Be Like Milton' Award: Marlon Byrd. OK, seriously, no more Milton Bradley talk. We sincerely hope that Byrd fits right in and becomes another in the long line of beloved African American Cubs. By all accounts, he will.

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