Cubs, Cubs, Cubs.

The Chicago Cubs are one of baseball's oldest teams and also have one of the oldest stadiums in baseball. They have been one of the well respected teams in the league but as of lately they haven't been that team in years. The Cubs are one the oldest teams without a World Series title in over 100 years; last title was back in 1908. Cubs’ fans believe they are cursed, as we know the black cat running on field, the curse of "The Billy Goat", and the most famous one of all Steve Bartman.

This was a guy who was huge Cubs fan and it just happen that he interfered with a live ball that was catch able that would have ended the game and the Cubs would have went on to World Series in 2003 but yet again another curse hit against them. Now a days the Cubs are really not one of the best teams, the last division title they won was back in 2008 but when you look at this team there is just no improvement. The Cubs did sign two big free agents this offseason in starting pitching Matt Garza and first baseman Carlos Pena who both came from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Cubs will also have a new manager this season after long time future hall of fame manager Lou Piniell retired last year, they will have Mike Quade running things now for a full season. Most people are asking the question, is he the man for the job and should have the Cubs went out and got someone better? Guess will find out this season.



The Cubs pitching staff is very weak well the first two pitchers aren't too bad but the rest are just not that good. There are a lot of "ifs" and "maybes" in this pitching staff and I just don't think their strong enough to play in this division with the Cardinals, the Reds, and the Brewers who have made some moves. The number one guy in the Cubs rotation is Ryan Dempster who had a pretty good year with a 3.85 ERA, 15 wins, 12 losses, and 208 strikeouts. He is the ace of this pitching staff. Then comes in the new guy Matt Garza who was 1 of 5 players to throw a no-hitter last year had an up and down year for the Rays with a 3.81 ERA, 15 wins, 10 losses, and 150 strikeouts.

After that the three, four and five spot in this rotation is really up for grabs in spring training. They have Randy Wells, Carlos Zambrono who is a guy if can get his head put on straight I would have to think he would be their number three guy and he is a pretty good pitcher and then you have Carlos Silva. So there really isn't much in their pitching staff and their bullpen really isn’t that good either.



The Cubs key players in the infield and outfield are a huge reason why they didn't finish in dead last, besides the part the Pittsburgh Pirates are the worst team in baseball, but the Cubs do have some pretty good hitters in young shortstop Starlin Castro who as a rookie played pretty well. He hit .300, 3 home runs, and drove in 42 RBI's. This kid is the future of this team and is a big key for them.

Then the Cubs have left fielder Alfonso Soriano who has been part of this team for the last 4 years and he hasn't really turned into the player the Cubs wanted him to be. Last year Soriano hit .258, 24 RBI's, and drove in 79 RBI's, he is also getting up there in age at 35 years old. Next we have a kid named Marlon Byrd who last year had a really good year with the Cubs his first season with the team. He is old but he still showed last year that he still has it out in center field. Byrd hit .293, 12 home runs, and drove in 66 RBI's. After Byrd comes in catcher Gevoany Soto who is a pretty good catcher and had a good year with the Cubs and I think as he gets older and more matured he will be a better catcher, maybe one of the best in the NL. Soto hit .280, 17 home runs, and hit 53 RBI's. We now move over to third base in Aramis Ramirez who I think needs to have a bounce year to try and help the Cubs become a better team and maybe finish ahead of the Huston Astors. Ramirez last year hit .241, 25 home runs, 83 RBI's.

Last on my list is new comer first base man Carlos Pena who had an terrible season last year and just wasn't the same player he has been in the last 3 years. Pena is such a young player and has so much talent it sad to see him struggle; hopefully he will get himself going in 2011 with a new ball club. Pena in 2010 hit .196, 28 home runs, and drove in 84 RBI's, I don’t know how but somehow those numbers are right.


So the Cubs in 2011 have made some moves but all and all I just don't see this team going anywhere or becoming better, but what I do think is, they will be somewhat better and finish over .500. The Cubs have a lot of work to be done this season.