Mattie T’s Preview of the 2009 Chicago Cubs..

Spring training is officially underway, as pitchers & catchers reported yesterday to Mesa, Arizona!

Now it’s time for me to personally offer my thoughts on the Cubs & see if they can get back to the playoffs for a 3rd straight season.

Obviously, our postseason run ended in major disappointment for the 2nd consecutive year as the Cubs were swept in 3 games by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Some big changes were made which now only leaves 7 Opening Day Starters from 2007, which was Lou Piniella’s first season as manager.

I have heard a lot of complaints over the team not choosing to keep both Mark DeRosa & Kerry Wood, but you know what? If we get to the playoffs & don’t win, then changes will be made. Even if the Cubs won the World Series last October to break their 100 year slump, changes would’ve still been made. It’s just a part of the business that everyone needs to accept. Yes i’m sure that DeRosa & Wood were fan favorites & leaders in the clubhouse, but you just have to take it and move on.

The rumored deal to land San Diego Padres’ ace Jake Peavy looks like it probably won’t happen, but the Cubs still have a deep rotation & were the only team in baseball last season to boast three starting pitchers with 14 wins or more. (Ryan Dempster/Ted Lilly with 17 wins apiece & Carlos Zambrano with 14 wins).

New additions to the offense include 2008 All-Star Milton Bradley, who will play a majority of games in right field & is a switch-hitter. Bradley ranked 3rd in the American League with a .321 batting average & ranked 3rd in all of baseball with a .436 on-base percentage, trailing only Chipper Jones & Albert Pujols in that category.

Bradley’s consistent approach of getting on-base definitely fits in with the Cubs’ patient approach at the plate, as the team ranked 1st in the National League last season with a .354 on-base percentage.

Another new addition is 2nd baseman Aaron Miles, who figures to split time with Mike Fontenot.

Miles is not known for his power, but he can get on-base frequently as evidenced by his .355 on-base percentage last season with the Cardinals, which was a career-high.

Paul Bako returns to the Cubs for a 2nd stint & will serve as a backup to 2008 National League Rookie of the Year & All-Star catcher Geovany Soto.

During Bako’s two previous seasons in both 2003 & 2004, the Cubs ranked 5th & 3rd respectively in Team ERA.

The key to the Cubs’ starting rotation is Rich Harden, who will begin his 1st full season on the North Side.

In 2008, Harden made 25 starts between the A’s & Cubs, which is the 2nd-highest total of his 7-year career. Harden also finished with a career-low 1.77 ERA & endured a stretch last August where he pitched back-to-back shutouts and allowed just 4 hits.

The key battle to watch in the bullpen will be who wins the closer job between Carlos Marmol & Kevin Gregg, who spent last season with the Florida Marlins.

Marmol has some numbers that really stand out from 2008, such as his .098 average against righties & his post All-Star stats, as he gave up just 5 runs in 35 innings of work for a 1.29 ERA.

Kevin Gregg has saved 61 games in the past 2 seasons for Florida, but has also given up 77 walks in over 152 innings of work.

In comparision to Kerry Wood from 2008 & Ryan Dempster in 2007, the twosome combined to allow just 48 walks in 132 innings of work.

At some point during the season, the Cubs will need to call up or trade for another lefty reliever since Neal Cotts is the only southpaw available in the bullpen.

Of course, this could change if Sean Marshall doesn’t win the battle for the 5th starter. He will be in competition with Aaron Heilman & Chad Gaudin, who both have experience as starters & relievers.

The Cubs’ offense once again will feature a powerful combination of left fielder Alfonso Soriano, 3rd baseman Aramis Ramirez & 1st baseman Derrek Lee.

Ramirez has been a model of consistency during his 5 & a half years with the Cubs, as he has hit at least 25 homers & driven in 100 runs in every season except for 2005.

Aramis is also very clutch with RISP, as 86 of his 111 runs batted in came with men on base last season.

Derrek Lee has hit a combined 86 doubles in the past 2 seasons, but has not hit 25 home runs or more since his outstanding 2005 campaign which saw him finish 3rd in the Most Valuable Player award voting.

Alfonso Soriano will try to complete a injury-free season, as Alfonso has suffered a pair of major injuries during his first 2 seasons in Chicago.

Soriano will also try to be more aggresive on the basepaths, as his 2006 stolen-base total (41) is more than his total in 2 seasons as a Cub (38).

So to end my thoughts, The Cubs are obviously the favorite to win the National League Central for a 3rd straight year & seems to have the most complete team in the division.

But starting April 6th in Houston, Lou Piniella’s team will have to prove it.

Let’s play ball!

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