Super Bowl XLIV Preview: Indianapolis Colts vs. New Orleans Saints

 

So who's it going to be in Super Bowl XLIV? The Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts or the Drew Brees-led New Orleans Saints? The favorite Colts, or the underdog Saints? Will Manning cement his legacy by winning his second Super Bowl, or will the Saints rise to the occasion and give the citizens of the state of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans something to remember for a lifetime? What team is facing more pressure?

Reasons why the Colts will win: 

Peyton Manning. 

In my opinion, Manning is the best and most valuable football player in the league. Every season. Take Manning away from the Colts, and they would most likely be mired in mediocrity. Manning is without a doubt the team's leader, especially on offense. All week, analysts and reporters have tried to figure out how (and if) Manning can be rattled. It's basically impossible, as even opposing players have testified. True, Manning does not have the best track record in the postseason, but I can't see how Manning doesn't show up tomorrow in Miami. He won his 4th MVP this season, seemed to be slightly perturbed at missing out on a chance to go undefeated through the regular season, and you can bet he'll want to finish what he started. And in the AFC Championship Game against what many felt was the league's best defense in the New York Jets, he finished the game with this line: 26-39, 377 YDS, 3 TD, 0 INT, and a 30-17 win.

Dallas Clark.

Dallas Clark had 100 catches for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. From the tight end position. And yet, we heard more about Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis, and Jason Witten all season. It helped that Marvin Harrison was gone, Anthony Gonzalez was hurt, and the Colts offense had to incorporate inexperienced receivers like Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie into the mix (coupled with a horrible running game), but Clark is more than capable of putting up the same numbers even as part of an offense that has all of its pieces. Dallas Clark is one of the most underappreciated players in the league, and at 6'3", 250 lbs, is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. He's too fast for most linebackers, and he uses his size to get between the football and defensive backs. Clark has been relatively quiet this postseason, but that is due to the emergence of Garcon and Collie. I predict that he'll make noise tomorrow.

Colts defense.

It's hard for a defense to make a name for itself when seemingly everyone feels that the Colts are a team predicated on offense. But the Colts had an above average defense this year, finishing 18th in total defense while allowing 19 points a game, good for 8th in the NFL. Their defense has been even better in the postseason, allowing 20 points through 2 games, and shut out the Jets offense in the 2nd half of the AFC Championship Game. Granted, the Colts drew two not-so-hot offenses in the Baltimore Ravens and the Jets, but those two teams are very good at running the ball. Against the Colts, they averaged 87 yards on the ground, and as good as the Saints passing game is, I believe their running game is equally important. Despite the possibility that right end Dwight Freeney might not play, the Colts numbers without him are virtually the same, and Raheem Brock is no slouch.

Reasons why the Saints will win:

The city of New Orleans.

Unless you've been under a rock for the last 5 years, there is no way that you're not aware of the natural disaster that was Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A city that struggled a great deal before the hurricane was basically demolished afterwards. The Superdome became a refuge of sorts, and all most of the citizens had left besides their sanity were their beloved Saints. This is a city that is still recovering, even almost 5 years later, and if you've ever watched a game on TV, the crowd puts the Seattle Seahawks "12th Man" to shame. These fans are not only cheering for a football team, they're rooting for a restoration of order in their city. Mardi Gras is one of the grandest celebrations on Earth, and I read that it paled in comparison to how the people of New Orleans celebrated after the Saints clinched a spot in Super Bowl XLIV. I guarantee that anyone watching the Super Bowl will know there are Saints fans at the game.

Saints wide receivers and running backs.

Most point to Drew Brees as the guy that makes the Saints offense go, but I disagree. I'm not saying that Brees hasn't been instrumental in their turnaround, but this is a Saints team that has the most offensive weapons in all of football. Reggie Bush, touted by some as the next Gale Sayers after coming out of USC, isn't even the player that stands out the most. He was barely a blip on the radar at times, despite all of the attention that is paid to him. Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell make a fairly formidable two-headed monster at running back, and Bush is nothing more than a change of pace back, albeit a good one. Although Marques Holston is probably the Saints best receiver, he's not THE guy. Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, and tight end Jeremy Shockey are all players that must be accounted for on every play, as each player has the capability to stretch the field and make big plays. It's pick your poison with this Saints offense. SIXTEEN different Saints scored an offensive touchdown this season, and that's not including how dangerous Reggie Bush is in the return game.

Saints defense.

Again, most pretty much ignore what the Saints defense has done this year, because most have focused on the Saints offensive prowess. The Saints defense has been far from stellar (actually one of the worst defenses in the league), but is opportunistic, and is led by ballhawk free safety Darren Sharper. Sharper picked off 9 passes this year, returning 3 for scores, and Vilma, while undersized, is a very good inside linebacker. Roman Harper is the Saints strong safety, and has been good in run support, notching 102 tackles, 84 solos, and 10 for loss. After a down 2008, defensive end Will Smith had a career-high 13 sacks this season, and Charles Grant is more than a serviceable defensive end on the opposite side. The Saints scored 5 defensive touchdowns this season and look to advance the ball downfield after creating turnovers, making it even easier for the powerful Saints offense to put points on the board.

My prediction:
The Saints have a more powerful offense and more weapons on that side of the ball than the Colts. However, the Saints have given up almost 420 yards and 21 points a game this postseason. Yes, they've played the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings, two teams with great offenses of their own, but there's no way they can afford to allow the Colts to rack up those numbers. NO WAY. I assume Manning can put 21 points on the board against any defense in the league, so spotting him that many can only spell doom for the opposition. Against a Saints defense that might be a little too eager to make a play (knowing they can't shut down Manning and the Colts O), I feel the Colts will be able to move the ball up and down the field without a problem. In addition, the Colts have the trump card: Peyton Manning. Colts win, 31-17.

Cubs, Carlos Marmol avoid arbitration...

The Cubs signed closer Carlos Marmol to a one-year, $2.125 million contract, avoiding arbitration. Marmol made $575,000 in 2009 and was asking for $2.5 million while the Cubs offered him $1.75 million.

Marmol became the closer in mid-August, after newly acquired Kevin Gregg failed to convert numerous save opportunities. He finished 11-for-11 in save opportunities, but struggled with his control all year, walking close to a man an inning, 65 in 74 innings. Still, he was virtually unhittable, as hitters hit only .170 against him.

The Cubs are headed to arbitration with...RYAN THERIOT?!?!?!

Yes, you read right. The Chicago Cubs are going to arbitration with light-hitting, weak-armed, above-average speed having, shortstop Ryan Theriot. This is the first time since 1993 that a Cub has gone to arbitration. That player in 1993? First baseman, Mark Grace, and he lost his case. He asked for $4.1 million and was awarded the Cubs offer of $3.1 million. Theriot's agents have asked for $3.4 million, while the Cubs have offered $2.6 million. Either way, Theriot will get a hefty raise from the $500,000 he made in 2009.

Like many Cubs fans, I was outraged to learn that Theriot didn't accept the Cubs inital offer, and that he would actually take them to arbitration. Before you burn your Theriot t-shirts and jerseys, I'd like to first defend his case:

The 2009 season was definitely a disappointing one for the Cubs, and Theriot was one of the bright spots (albeit not very bright). He finished with a .284 BA, .343 OBP, .369 SLG%, 7 HR and 54 RBI (both career highs) and 22 SB. He actually improved in the field, playing in 5 more games in 2009 than 2008 and making only one more error. His UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating, I'll explain this and the following sabermetrics later) was 7.7 (up from .4 in 2008), his RF/G (Range Factor Per Game) was 4.1 (up from 3.7 in 2008), and his RngR (Range Runs Above Average) jumped to a 5.7 in 2009 (up from -.1 in 2008). On a team that saw various guys miss chunks of time due to injuries, Theriot stayed healthy and played in 154 games. He performed at this level while making "only" $500,000, less than the following shortstops: Luis Rodriguez (San Diego Padres), Augie Ojeda (Arizona Diamondbacks), Craig Counsell (Milwaukee Brewers), Omar Vizquel (Texas Rangers), and much less than Alex Gonzalez (Cincinnati Reds/Boston Red Sox).

Now I will argue against his case:

His .284 BA was 23 points lower than his 2008 BA of .307, and while his SLG% was 10% higher than his 2008 number, his OBP was a shocking 44% than what he posted in 2008. For a guy that doesn't provide much power and hits at the top of the order, an OBP of .343 is just unacceptable. Yes, he stole 22 bases, but his success rate was barely above 66%. He hit 7 homers in 2009, but he hit 5 of those in May and didn't hit another after June 29 (a game against the Pirates, no less). He only had 38 RBI in 2008, but he was more of a directional hitter whose FB% (fly ball on balls in play percentage) was 20%, and he had a GB% (ground ball on balls in play percentage) of 57%. In 2008, he had a GB/FB (ground ball to fly ball ratio) of 2.80. He hit more fly balls (30%) and less ground balls (50%) in 2009, which again, isn't good for a guy that doesn't have much power. He also walked 51 times (compared to 73 in 2008) and struck out an alarming 93 times (to only 58 in 2008), which also isn't good for a contact hitter placed at the top of the order.

Once again, the 2009 Cubs season was a disappointment, and Theriot was one of the few players that didn't completely drive Cubs fans up the wall with his poor play. But seeing as how prospect Starlin Castro is simply waiting for his chance to man the shortstop position, Theriot should be more focused on getting back to what made him a successful shortstop in the majors instead of trying to get every possible dollar that he can. I doubt he wins the hearing, and assume that he'll somehow find a way to be satisfied with making $2.6 million, even as a shortstop that can't throw out AJ Pierzynski from the 5-6 hole. February 8-20 should be a very interesting time for not only Theriot and the Cubs front office, but the fans as well...

Are the Blackhawks the best team in the NHL?

As of today, February 3, 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks record is a stellar 37-14-4. If the playoffs were to start today, the Blackhawks would be the #2 seed and would face the #7 seed Nashville Predators. Obviously, it has been some time since the Blackhawks have performed at this level, and luckily, it doesn't seem as if the Blackhawks are showing any signs of slowing down. Many Blackhawks fans feel that they are the best team in the NHL, despite being behind the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference standings (a perennial Presidents Trophy contender, but also a perennial early-round loser) and the Washington Capitals, (owners of an 11-game winning streak and the best record in the East, with the best player in the league, Alexander Ovechkin) who seem to be a legit Stanley Cup contender this year. The Blackhawks are a young, fast team, that is 4 lines deep with very good defensemen and 2 solid goaltenders. Some of their NHL rankings:

• 2nd in wins (37)
• 3rd in points (78)
• 4th in goals per game (3.18)
• 2nd in goals allowed per game (2.27)
• 6th in power play percentage (20.7%)
• 5th in penalty kill percentage (85.5%)
• 1st in shots per game (33.7)
• 1st in shots allowed per game (24.2)

Some of the Blackhawks individual NHL rankings:

• Patrick Kane is 9th in scoring (60 points)
• Duncan Keith is 2nd in scoring amongst defensemen (49 points)
• Keith is 2nd in time on ice per game (26:33)
• Brian Campbell is 8th in scoring amonst defensemen (34 points)
• Jonathan Toews is 8th in faceoff percentage (57.4%)
• Antti Niemi is 1st in GAA (1.99) and tied for 4th in shutouts (4, despite only making 18 appearances)
• Cristobal Huet is also tied for 4th in shutouts (4)

The Blackhawks are the only team with 2 defensemen in the top ten in scoring for their position. Despite some erratic play, Huet could still be in line to win the William Jennings Trophy (given to the goaltenders that play for the team that allows the fewest goals during the regular season) along with Niemi. Keith could possibly win the Norris Trophy (given to the best defenseman in the NHL), and on top of a possible Presidents Trophy for the Blackhawks (an award given to the team with the best regular-season record), coach Joel Quenneville could win the Jack Adams Award (given to the NHL's best coach). Taking care of business against common foes, the Blackhawks have the 2nd best record in the NHL against their own division, behind the Capitals, and the 4th best record against their own conference, behind the Sharks, New Jersey Devils, and Capitals. In addition, the Blackhawks also have the NHL's 2nd best home record (21-5-1), just behind the Washington Capitals, and the 4th best road record (16-9-3), again, behind the Sharks, Devils, and Capitals.

This is not a team that leans on one or two players, either. At least 11 Blackhawks have 21 points, and 9 have at least 11 goals. Newcomer Marian Hossa is 7th on the team with 30 points (15 G, 15 A) despite playing in only 32 out of a possible 55 games because of a shoulder injury. Only 3 players have a minus rating, and as I said earlier, the Blackhawks get production from lines 1-4.

What are the Blackhawks' weaknesses? Turnovers in the defensive zone, erratic goaltending from their #1 (Huet), and at times, making one pass too many and not properly taking advantage in power-play situations. Other than that, the Blackhawks are a very good all-around team, that usually gets beat (rarely) rather than beating themselves.

Is this the best team in the NHL? Some would say it's the Capitals (Ovi, Varlamov, Backstrom, Green), the Sharks (Thornton, Marleau, Nabokov), the Devils (Brodeur, Parise, Langenbrunner), or, according to my friend Jon, the Penguins (Crosby and the Crosbyettes). Honestly, it doesn't matter to me who is the best team in the NHL as of this very moment, or who would hold what seed if the playoffs ended today. All I care about is the Blackhawks hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup at the end of June...

Bears hire Mike Martz to be their new offensive coordinator...

Finally, the Bears have their offensive coordinator. Mike Martz has been hired today as the Chicago Bears new offensive coordinator. I feel that Martz should have been the first and only guy interviewed for the job all along. Now Bears fans will have to wait and see whether head coach Lovie Smith abandons his "We get off the bus running" philosophy in favor of an offense that throws the ball downfield more. With Jay Cutler at QB, Greg Olsen, Desmond Clark, and Kellen Davis at TE, and  Devin Aromashodu, Devin Hester, Johnny Knox, and Earl Bennett as the top 4 WRs, I'd like to see the Bears throw the ball around more than they have in the past. Obviously, Martz's hire doesn't solve the O-line's woes, Matt Forte's newfound ineffectiveness, Cutler's erratic play, or the raw talent of the WRs, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Martz will add at least 1-2 wins from the 7 the Bears notched last year. A healthy Urlacher, Briggs, Tillman, and Tommie Harris on the defensive side should also give this team a boost in 2010.

Cubs sign Kevin Millar to minor-league deal...

The Cubs have reached a minor league agreement with first baseman Kevin Millar, reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.  The deal will be announced later this week. The Cubs signed Chad Tracy last week, so Millar would compete with him for a backup job. Millar, 38, hit .223/.311/.363 in 283 plate appearances for the Blue Jays last year. Millar and starting pitcher Ryan Dempster are good buddies, so if nothing else, Cubs fans should be in store for a few laughs

Could it be...Mike Martz?

Mike Martz arrived at Halas Hall on Friday to interview for the vacant offensive coordinator position with the ChicagoBears. Martz worked with head coach Lovie Smith in St. Louis, and he is considered the mastermind of "The Greatest Show On Turf". He helped the Rams win the Super Bowl in 1999, and he led an offense that scored 500 points a NFL-record 3 seasons in a row. Martz eventually became the Rams head coach, hiring Lovie Smith to be his defensive coordinator. The Rams made another appearance in the Super Bowl in 2001, losing to the New England Patriots. Martz has a reputation as a know-it-all, and many believe that he ignored Marshall Faulk's ability to run the ball during his tenure, as his tendency is to throw the ball around. After leaving St. Louis, he was the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in 2006 and 2007, and held the same position for the San Francisco 49ers in 2008. Martz is the fourth candidate to be interview for the job, and easily the most accomplished and has the highest profile. It has been reported that QB Jay Cutler has been involved in the process of hiring a new offensive coordinator, and I assume that we will learn shortly of the Bears decision.

Baseball Prospectus makes their 2010 MLB predictions...

Many have learned of Baseball Prospectus's 2010 MLB predictions, and what they think of the Chicago Cubs. The site has predicted that the Cubs will finish 77-85, 9 games behind the first-place St. Louis Cardinals, and 4 games behind the second-place Cincinnati Reds. How BP figures the Cubs will finish behind the Reds is beyond me. Even more perplexing is that BP has only 3 teams winning 90+ games, and all 3 teams are in the AL East (Red Sox, Yankees, Rays). Surprisingly, the Oakland A's will win the AL West, the Atlanta Braves will win the NL East(my pick to win the NL East, but still, surprising), the Washington Nationals will finish ahead of the New York Mets in the NL East, and the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies will finish ahead of the San Francisco Giants in the NL West(not surprising, depending on who you talk to). I'm not sure who made these predictions or how they came up with them, but I think it's safe to say that they're possibly a little...off. To see BP's predictions: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/fantasy/dc/

Derrick Rose makes first All-Star Game...

Chicago Bulls second-year point guard Derrick Rose has been named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team. It will be his first appearance, and he will be a reserve. This should be considered special because the reserves are selected by coaches, and not the fans. Rose's jersey is the 4th-best selling in the NBA, so we should expect many more All-Star Game selections for Rose to come. Here are the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star rosters: http://www.nba.com/allstar2010/players/

I'm back...

I've been more than a little busy the past few days, and I realize that I've missed a few things. Allow me to catch you up...

Andre Dawson to wear Expos cap on his Hall of Fame plaque...

The Baseball Hall of Fame announced today that outfielder Andre Dawson will wear an Expos cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. Since finding out that he had been voted in, many people wondered whether Dawson would don an Expos cap (the team that he began his career with) or a Cubs cap (the team that made him most popular and where he won his only MVP). With catcher Gary Carter as the lone Expo (who also didn't spend his entire career in Montreal) in the Hall of Fame, I assume that the Baseball HOF wanted more even representation.

Andre Dawson was slightly before my time, but I still remember his powerful bat, good speed, and rocket arm. I assumed all along that he would go into the HOF wearing an Expos cap, but I honestly figured that Dawson would make that decision. I'm glad to know that most Cubs fans don't have a problem with the Baseball HOF's decision, and are simply happy to see a player that gave us joy for years finally get his just reward. Whether Montreal Expo or Chicago Cub, congratulations, Mr. Dawson.

Cubs sign Chad Tracy to minor-league deal...

Bruce Levine has reported (http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=4861096) that the Cubs have just signed 1B/3B Chad Tracy to a minor-league contract. Tracy will make $900K if he makes the team, with a bonus based on plate appearances.

Cubs add Nady, A's reach for Sheets...

The Cubs have reached a tentative one-year deal with 31 year-old outfielder and righty-hitting Xavier Nady, pending a physical. Nady had his SECOND Tommy John surgery last season and only played in 9 games total, with 2 of those coming in the minors. His last full season was .2008, split between the Yankees and Pirates, when he hit 25HR, knocked in 97RBI, and finished with an .OPS of .867. He hit .330 with an .OPS of .919 for the Pirates in 89 games in 2008, so I'm hoping that had more to do with his familiarity and success in the National League than a hot 90-game period. It seems Nady will be the fourth outfielder, and most likely spell rightfielder Kosuke Fukudome against lefthanders.

On the West Coast, the Oakland Athletics signed righthanded starting pitcher Ben Sheets to a one-year deal, in the $8-$9 million range. As everyone has probably already said, that is a GREAT deal, considering Sheets didn't even pitch in 2009. The money is guaranteed, and there have been performance bonuses included. Sheets made 94 starts from 2005 to 2008, never making more than 31 in one season, and his ERA was never higher than 3.82. The Cubs and Rangers were also interested in Sheets, but I'm sure they backed off after it was learned that he was seeking more than a few million dollars over one year. The A's rotation will most likely consist of Sheets, Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson, Dallas Braden, and either Vin Mazzaro or Gio Gonzalez. Look for this rotation to be a force to reckoned with in the next 2-3 years, as Cahill, Anderson, Braden, Mazzaro, and Gonzalez are an average age of 23 years old.

Cubs in the hunt for Park...

It has been reported that the Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays are pursuing right-handed pitcher Chan Ho Park (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/01/cubs-rays-after-park.html). Park, 37, is coming off a season with the Philadelphia Phillies in which he finished with a 3-3 record, with an ERA of 4.43, making 7 starts, and appearing in 45 games. Obviously there's no way he starts unless it's in an emergency role, so I assume he'll be a middle reliever, which should be...interesting.

The scene outside of Wrigley Field during the 1935 World Series. Ah, what a great time to have been a Cubs fan...

We won't forget you, Derrek...

When Derrek Lee was traded to the Cubs for Hee Seop Choi in December after the 2003 season, I was ecstatic. Well, first, I was a little bitter. Lee was instrumental in the Marlins come-from-behind NLCS win over the Cubs, so I wanted to beat him over the head with a pillow case full of quarters before welcoming him to the north side of Chicago. I digress. We were getting a 28 year-old first baseman that had just come off a .270/30HR/20SB season while having an excellent defensive year to boot. A guy that was durable in the Florida humidity and seemed to be a great guy on and off the field. A Cubs fan would only have to think back less than a decade to find a first baseman that contributed more to the Cubs success.

2004 wasn't a bad first season in Cubbie blue for Mr. Lee. His offensive numbers dropped a bit, but it didn't surprise me. Making the transition from playing in front of a few thousand devoted fans in South Florida to playing in front of 40,000 devoted ones in Chicago would be difficult for most players. I imagined that it was hard for Lee to reach the pinnacle with his Marlins teammates only to be traded away as well. 2005 had many Cubs fans thinking that general manager Jim Hendry was the smartest executive of all time. After the first half of the season, Lee was hitting .372 with 27HR and 72RBI. Not only was DLee seemingly everyone's midseason NL MVP, he was also in contention for a Triple Crown as well. One above-average second half later, and Lee had to settle for just missing out on a batting title but winning the homerun title with 46 taters and his second Gold Glove. A serious wrist injury in 2006 shortened his season, and while his '07 and '08 seasons were pretty good, they were nothing to write about.

The 2008 offseason was a tumultuous one. Owners of the best record in the NL, the Cubs were quickly swept in the NLDS by the LA Dodgers. There was pressure from manager Lou Piniella to balance the hitting lineup with more lefthanded hitters, and ace Jake Peavy expressed interest in being traded to the Cubs by the Padres. The Cubs let longtime fan favorite Kerry Wood depart via free agency, and instant cult hero Mark DeRosa was traded to the Cleveland Indians, joining Wood. Second-class ballplayers such as Aaron Heilman, Kevin Gregg, Aaron Miles, and Milton Bradley were signed with the hopes of getting the Cubs over the hump. Some suggested/predicted that the Cubs should/would trade Lee to free up room to possibly land Peavy or another big hitter/pitcher.

The start of 2009 was not a good one for Lee. He hit .189 through March and April, with an .OPS of .537. I, being one of those people that clamored for Lee's departure in the offseason, didn't even want to see Lee trot out to first everyday. I wanted him GONE. I had grown tired of seeing him ground into double plays (killing rallies), swinging at borderline pitches and harmlessly flying out, and looking bad on strikeouts. With a contract that would expire after the 2010 season, I simply wanted the Cubs to get something for Lee while they still could. Somehow Lee managed to turn his season around by the All-Star break, hitting .280 with an .OPS of .865, and posted even better second half numbers, hitting .336 with an .OPS of 1.092. 2009 was easily Lee's second-best offensive season in a Cubs uniform. Lee went from being the Cub I wanted to see gone the most to easily our most valuable player.

The Cubs won 83 games in 2009, and I don't even want to think about how that number would've been negatively affected had Lee been traded away. "Bad offensively" doesn't properly sum up the 2009 Cubs hitting woes. Offensively, the 2009 Cubs were ATROCIOUS. By NL ranks, the Cubs were12th in batting average, 13th in hits, 10th in runs scored, last in steals and success rate, and below league average in several other offensive categories (slugging %, OPS, OPS+, total bases). Without Lee, I think the Cubs would've struggled to win 80 games, as guys like Soriano, Soto, Miles, Fontenot, Bradley and ARam either dealt with ineffectiveness, injury, or both.

Fortunately, the Cubs got an overall great performance from their pitching staff. They still found themselves in the hunt for at least a wild card berth with a little more than a month to play in the regular season. This was due to a Cardinals team that refused to put the Cubs away when they had the chance, and a NL West where no one wanted to wrap the wild card berth up.

We know how the story of the Cubs 2009 season ends. No playoffs, Bradley is traded for an even worse player, Miles is finally put out of his misery, new owners take over, and the expectations of Cubs fans reaches a fever pitch.

Or has it? In my honest opinion, I believe that Cubs fans aren't looking forward to much in 2010. We understand that while other teams, not only in the NL but in the NL Central, have made moves to improve, the Cubs front office has pitched the "addition by subtraction" malarkey to us. Oh yeah, don't forget the 3yr/$15mil deal we gave centerfielder Marlon Byrd. Our biggest offensive contributor, Lee, and our biggest contributor from the pitching staff, Ted Lilly, have contracts that will expire after the 2010 season. Will Soto and Soriano bounce back. Is Ramirez fully healed? Are Mike Fontenot and Jeff Baker even able to platoon? We shall see if Starlin Castro can help usher weak-armed Ryan Theriot away from the shortstop position and whether our fourth outfielder will come in the form of someone from within the organization rather than an aging, worsening Jermaine Dye.

Really, there are just as many questions that needed to be answered and holes that needed to be filled after the 2009 season as there were after the 2008 season. I figure Lee and Lilly won't be back next year, and the Cubs will scramble to find replacements, most likely finding players that are nowhere near the caliber of the two. Oy vey. Such is the life of a Cubs fan...

Welcome, I guess...

I understand that the start of the Cubs regular season is more than 2 months away. I understand that the Cubs will be lucky to win 90 games this year. I understand that many Cubs fans are simply waiting for 2011. Still, I am a Cubs fan that often likes to vent. I've read many Cubs blogs, and I can honestly say that I dislike many of them. One particular woman seems to be the toast of Twitter, and I find her to be very pretentious and whiny. I've tried subscribing to a few, but I found their level of disdain for Milton Bradley to be very ridiculous and downright scary. I digress...
This will be the blog to end all other Cubs blogs. I will be as honest and raw as I can be. No one will be spared, from the owner to the trainers. I will also do what I can to make this blog as interesting as possible. My goal is to not only converse with Cubs fans, but baseball fans in general. Now run along and tell your imaginary friends...