Time to blow up the cubs!

Yep, after last night i have given up on the team this year. This team just can't win. They are too far back and havent shown that they have the right make up to win. I have given up on getting to the playoffs this year. Its time to decide who can help you win next year and get what you can for people that dont fall into that category. Because i do think this team with some tweaks could win next year.

(Note - I wrote this before Z's blow up this weekend. more to come on that)

1. D-Lee. I love him as a cubs player but he is about the best trade bait you have. Plus, the cubs have guys they could plug in at 1b, be it soriano, vitters or Aram. Lee is a free agent this year and the cubs shouldnt want to lock him up longer term. He has a great glove and a good team leader but his slow starts have killed the cubs in 2 out of the last 3 seasons and he cant carry a team offensively. He is a good player but he is presence in the lineup is not irreplaceable. See what you can get for him and pull the trigger.

2. Fukudome. He has to go. Not only is he overpaid but the cubs have better players that need to play over him. He has this year and next year left on his contract at $12 million. Yes, he is overpaid but he can help a team in contention with defense and OBP. Colvin needs to play everyday and the cubs wont be sitting the 18 million man or byrd.

3. Carlos Silva. Yes he has been the cubs best pitcher which is why he needs to go. No other cubs pitcher has a higher trade value and im not sure anyone believes that Silva can pitch like this past this year(he is signed through next year). Plus if you trade him whatever you get back is just another bonus from trading Milton Bradley. A contender would love a groundball innnings eater like Silva.

4. Small parts - Xavier Nady could be a good pitch hitter/4th outfielder on a contending team. John Grabow could maybe be a lefty arm out of a bullpen. Teams are always looking for lefties.

Ryan Theriot - He is a solid baseball player and my favorite cub but if you can get something for him the cubs have a few middle infielders in the minors. Randy Wells - He is still young but he will never be better than a 4th starter and there are a lot of those guys. If you can get value, pull the trigger.

Guys who shouldnt be traded

Starlin Castro - the future, Ryan Dempster - great cub and man, heart of the team, Geo Soto - his a young catcher who is having a comeback year, hard to find, Alfonso Soriano - who would take his salary?, Marlon Byrd - Hard nosed player who is needed to win, Carlos Marmol - he has the best stuff in the majors not named Stratsburg, Sean Marshall - is there anything situation in which this guy cant pitch?, Ted Lilly - I know he is a free agent but he is a winner and the cubs need to resign him to win next year, Aramis Ramirez - Here's why you keep him and not DLee. He plays a tougher position to find a good player, 3B. He also could be moved to 1B very easily. The cubs also dont have any 3b in the pipeline besides Vitters and he is atleast a year away.

If the cubs can move these guys, they would free up money and hopefully get some value/prospects back. This could set up the cubs for a winning year next year by getting some young guys experience and let them sign some players in the offseason.

Trade Winds a blowing...

The trib is reporting that the cubs have had talks with the angels about DLee or Nady. The angels have a huge hole at 1B after the Morales disaster (so glad i kept him in my other fantasy league and built my team around him). Both DLee and Nady will be free agents after this year which is exactly the short term solution that the Angels would be looking for at 1b. The question is which one do the cubs trade? The cubs have too many OFs including Nady and he doesnt really take away from their current team. In fact, it might help the team because Colvin could get more playing time. But, the return on Nady is probably minimal. DLee is another story. He has historically gotten hot beginning in June and is a proven slugger in the middle of the lineup. He would bring more in return from the angels as well. But trading DLee would be giving up on this year. The cubs dont have another 1B or more importantly someone who can hit 3rd in their lineup. The fact that DLee is even being discussed is interesting and may signal that the cubs' management thinks this team cant get it done. Watch closely......

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-0603-around-town--20100602,0,803615.column

3rd week in april right?

Did i miss the entire summer? where did all the panic come from? Its 3 weeks into the season. The cubs have played 15 games!!!! And the cubs have put their ace in the bullpen???? Has lou gone senile?

Really lets look at what is going on here. Right now, the cubs have 2 starters in silva & gorzelanny who have had 3 good starts. I love that. Thats awesome. Except the list of people that have 3 good starts and then fall off the planet is endless in MLB. Teams play top dollar for guys who you can pencil in for 200 ips a year. Carlos Zambrano is one of those guys. Every year since 2003 he has pitched atleast 188 ips except last year in which he pitched 168. There is almost no question he is the cubs ace pitcher and has the best and most dominant stuff on the staff. And we just put this guy in the bullpen??? Unless this guy pitches every day, i want him to start and give my team the best chance to that day. I want hiim to pitch 6+ ips the game he is in because he has the chance to win the game on his own that day. What if the cubs go 4 days without a close game. What has Zambrano resting in the bullpen won you then. Bullpen pitchers have value and are important to the team but there is a reason they dont make the money that starters do. When they get in the game, some starting pitcher has already determined how the game is gonna go. Very good relief pitchers pitch 70 ips in a season. Starters pitch 200+. Starters get hurt and most wont make 30 starts a year yet we just put one that has made 30+ starts in 7 straight years in the bullpen. He pitches every 5th day and gives you a chance to win that day!!!!

Yes, the cubs bullpen has been bad. yes, it most definitely is better with zambrano in it. the problem is that they are a worse team without him pitching every 5 days and having him pitch less innings.

The desparation shown by Lou is saddening. Arent managers suppose to have the big picture, the whole season viewpoint? Arent they in charge of doing what is best for the team over 162 games? Does this make sense to anyone?

Bob Brenly comes out firing!

Every year i think Bob Brenly gets better as a cubs announcer. He makes listening to cubs games on TV very enjoyable. He also tells it like it is. BB's target today was none other than the cubs' 18 million dollar man and his lack of running on a fly ball. In case you missed it, Soriano hit a ball last night in NY that hit the centerfield wall. After hitting the ball, he trotted his hr trot and watched the ball except that the ball didnt get out and Soriano was only able to get a double and didnt score. Here are some BB quotes on the subject:

discussing Ted Lilly's attempted steal during a rehab start in Peoria. Brenly then interjected: "Wouldn't it be refreshing if we could get our left-fielder to run as hard as Ted Lilly does?"

As for Soriano's comment that the "important thing was I made a very good swing at the ball," Brenly said: "That's all true, but that's a very selfish attitude to take. This is about winning ballgames. It's not about how I can pile up my numbers or how cool I look when I hit a ball hard."

Asked on WSCR if he would've benched Soriano, Brenly said he's not in the clubhouse, but added: "From what I've seen from the press box, I think it should've been done a long time ago."

Thank you BB for saying what has been on every cubs' fan mind since the start of the season.

Opener thoughts.....

- Yep I was at the home opener for the 4th straight year. did i notice any differences at the park? nope besides the posters on the outside of wrigley. my bathroom still has no urinals (i dont care, i dont mind the troughs) but i do think they might have put more lights in the bathroom which is kind of awkward.

- cubs offense showed life. thats good. but they cant be a team that scores just on hrs. they will never win consistently like that.

- soriano, if possible, looks worse/more confused in real life. from my seats, down the right field line above the bullpen, you can tell how not close he is to breaking balls and how off balance he is. why would you every throw this guy a fastball. it would be hard to bench a guy making 18 mill but if something doesnt change soon i think Lou will have to.

- ryan braun will torment cubs fans and NL baseball fans for years to come. he might be the best hitting young player no one talks about. prince fielder is still fat and i hate him.

- im not worried about the bullpen. yes there will be some bumps. but these young kids have live arms and there are enough them to have a couple become solid bullpen guys. the russell kid looks like he has a live arm and might be very solid. could the cubs really have 3 dependable lefties in the pen?

- baseball season makes everything better in life!

Best BB line in a while

In case anyone missed listening to len & bob on the cubs TV broadcast last night, they are getting better every year they are together. This was a gem from Bob last night commenting on "the wave" by the fans & the fans themselves..........."from the looks of it, this is about the exercise these people get"

As to the game, it was a tough loss but grabow is an experienced pitcher and wont do that much. Tip your hat to chipper and congratulate dempster on a great game and move on to the next one. No need to worry yet.

How there will be baseball in October

Alright so I'll post a lot about the cubs this season so ill try and make this preview short & sweet. These are things the cubs need to have happen in order to be playing in october (i figure they need to win 88 games to win the division or wild card).

55 victories between Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster & Wells - that is around 13-14 W's a man. This will mean that they all stay healthy & make 30+ starts each.

450 ABs for Aramis Ramirez - It became evident last year that A-ram was the most feared & consistent hitter in the cubs lineup & it is drastically different w/o him. I expect atleast 1 trip to the 15 day DL but him missing anymore than 20 games will cripple the cubs lineup.

250 batting average & 35 hrs for Soriano & Soto - I dont expect great things from either of these guys but i would think they could produce these #s. Sadly these are pretty average numbers but much better than what they produced last year. It would be a decent season from the cubs #6 & 7 hitters.

4.20 ERA & 30 saves from the bullpen - I think marmol will be the closer the whole year but the rest of the bullpen is unsettled. Its young but with a lot of talent. With a solid starting staff the cubs dont need the bullpen to be lights out but just average to above average. A combined 4.2 ERA would be average.

300+ at bats for Castro & Colvin - This isnt because i think they are gonna hit the crap out of the ball. Its because they make the cubs a better defensive team and with that win more games. Colvin is by far the best defensive outfielder the cubs and Castro is a better defensive SS than theriot. I dont care how it happens whether it be through poor performances by veterans, stellar performances by these young guys, or injuries, these 2 young kids make the cubs better now.

Like i said above, i think the cubs need to win 88 games to be playing in October. Thats only 5 more games than they won last year. They dont need to re-invent the wheel to get those extra 5 games. They need improvement in a few areas and performances similar to 2009 from most of their team. If these 5 things happen, I will gladly buying old styles for everyone in october.

Hey monopoly man, shut the hell up!

Does Milton Bradley realize he is making himself look like a bigger joke of a human everyday? I mean does anyone actually believe this guy for 1 second. I'm fed up with his lies and now it appears the cubs brass and players are too.

Quotes from Hendry today:

"That's absolutely ridiculous," Hendry said. "That couldn't be farther from the truth. I think it's time maybe Milton looked at himself in the mirror. It is what it is. He didn't swing the bat; he didn't get the job done. His production was the only negative, or lack of."

Cubs players:

Soriano

"We don't have to think about that," Soriano said. "It's 2010. He played one year here. Now he's in Seattle, so he has to be happy and focus about Seattle, and we have to focus about our season. We can't win anything if we're paying attention to Milton and what he says. Everybody's happy now, and there's no pressure. It's nice."

Dempster hinting that Milton didnt play his hardest

" I think if you give 100 percent and you prepare as hard as you can and take pride in what you do, that seems to work for no matter where you are playing or who you are," he said. "I care a lot about winning and doing things the right way. I don't always do things the right way, and I'm not perfect.

"But they're fans, and they have every right to boo if they feel you're not giving 100 percent or not giving you best effort. But at the same time, I've always said about Chicago, they love their Cubs and they're very forgiving people and just want you to do well."

and Steve Rosenbloom from the Trib seems to sum it all up:

The more Milton Bradley talks, the more irresponsible, if not delusional, he sounds. He’s reiterating that he felt like a prisoner in his own home in Chicago, the home he reportedly skipped out while owing rent, and felt Piniella should apologize to him in front of the whole team for calling him a “piece of (naughty word).’’ Bradley has never taken responsibility for his failures. It has never been the fault of any of his multi-polar personalities. He’s crazy, but we all knew that, and whatever he says will be no surprise

Cubs play at Seattle June 22nd. I've already circled that game. For some reason, I think there will be some cubs fans who make that trip and have some special words for milt

the wheels have started to fall off

it moments like this that remind me that i am a cubs fan. the cubs top right-handed setup man, Angel Guzman, not only has a season threatening but a career threatening. This blows. The cubs already had a young bullpen with good arms but little experience. Well now they dont have an experienced righthander as a setup guy. Sorry, Smarj looks like you will not be starting but be the main setup guy unless there is a deal made. Damnit, its only the 4th day of camp................

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/03/cubs-guzman-suffers-career-threatening-injury.html

Cubs outfield complete

It looks as though the cubs have just signed xavier nady to a 1 yr deal to be the team's 4th outfielder. Nady has the potential to be a starting OF but he hasnt been healthy throughout his career. It looks as though the deal is for 3-4 million. I dont think Nady can play CF so i also think that this move almost guarantees a spot for either sam fuld or tyler colvin as the 5th OF because both of them can play CF. This signing will probably end the reed johnson era. I loved watching reed play and his hustle and heart on the field. Reed you will be missed. Nady, here's hoping your main role is a pinch hitter because that means that Fuku & Soriano are healthy and producing.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/columns/blog?name=levine

Welcome back Mad Dog!

He is brother is one of the highest paid pitching coaches in the MLB. Greg Maddux the sure fire hall of famer will be joining the cubs and helping their pitching staff this spring. Look, we know that Greg wont go into the HOF as a cub but he is one of the all time greats and it will be great to have around the cubs again. He was known to be more prepared than anyone and i'm sure his knowledge of the league and pitching can only help the cubs. Could this be a preview to him sharing the bench with another cub great in 2011???

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/01/cubs-hire-maddux-to-assist-hendry.html

Bye Bye Monopoly Man

Look, it wasnt the perfect trade but it was better than i thought it was gonna be. Total out of the deal the cubs make 3 mill. But, what else are the cubs gonna do? I mean they lost out on Matt Capps to the nationals. Does anyone really want to go there? The collection of CFs they are potentially looking at makes me yawn. Bascially, the cubs will be going into next season with the same team miss the monopoly man. Does that really make them contenders with most of their lineup a year older? Man, so glad i get to pay extra money this year for my tickets and the same team that didnt make the playoffs last year............

cubs trade

so the cubs shipped jake fox and aaron miles to the A's and basically got prospects back. i have no problem with the trade. they added to their farm system which we all know they need to do. i mean they basically still have the same players on their bench. Fox hit well last year but he will never be a full time player in the NL. He is kinda of like Cerano from Major League, he cant hit a curveball. i just wondered if he sacrificed a whole fried chicken to Jubo before big games. Hoffpaiur gives you a lefty Fox off the bench. Thank god Aaron Miles is gone with his todd hundley like season. Andres Blanco has a better glove and is more versatile anyway. ill continue to hold my breath on this offseason till Milt the shithead is gone.

Cubs All-Decade Team

I was going to do my own all-decade team but elliott's is so well done, i feel no reason to repeat most of what he has said. However, i would differ on a few selections.

Second Base

I would have to put EY above Derosa. Now both players have very different games. DeRosa had a great season in 2008 but the intangibles that EY brought to the game make him my nod. The guy hit almost .300, scored 98 runs and had an OBP of .367. Plus i feel as though his range in the field gives him an upper hand on DeRosa.

Shortstop

It hurts to say this because Theriot is my favorite current cubs player and because one of the worst moments of my life was when this guy booted the ball, i would go with Alex Gonzalez at shortstop. While Alex Gonzalez may not have had the average at the plate, he more than made up for it in the field. His arm, his range, and sure handedness (yes, this is extremely ironic) plus decent production at the dish in 2003 make him the selection. Perhaps the most ironic event of the decade is him booting the ball in 2003 after being the best statistically defensive shortstop in all of baseball that year.

*I feel as though Nomar should at least get a shout out here. In 2004 and 43 games with the cubs, Nomar hit .297, scored 28 runs, had 49 hits, more BBs than Ks, a OBP of .364 and 20 rbis. Pretty impressive. A shame he couldnt do it for a full season.

I dont really differ anywhere else with Elliott's picks besides maybe 2005 Dempster as closer. But i would like to everyone to take a close look at Sosa's 2001 stats. They are staggering. Literally i was in shock when i read them again. Those are numbers that im not sure will ever be replicated in a Cubs jersey and one of the best offensive seasons ever.

The 2000-2009 Chicago Cubs: A Decade of Summer Memories

I've heard people say that they remember specific moments in their lives through music. Upon hearing a certain song, one can be transplanted back to where they were at the time of the song's release and open up old memories. I won't dispute this and in fact I especially support it when it comes to summer memories. The scant and bizarre chance of hearing Primitive Radio God's "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" reminds me of hot concrete at Northside Pool. During the summer of 1996, when this semi-obnoxious, melodramatic song was a favorite on the pool intercom, I specifically remember running, rather than walking, to the concession stand (to buy a plate of nachos or ice cream bar) so the bottoms of my feet wouldn't melt into the hot ground. Likewise, any Boards of Canada song works in a similar fashion by sending me back to the summer of 2006. I know I spent my time in Bloomington that summer doing something besides driving home from landscaping work listening to The Campfire Headphase, but according to the Boards of Canada that's all I did.

For me, a different medium brings back even stronger memories than music; the Chicago Cubs. Being a Cubs fan (a real one, not the kind you find hanging out at John Barleycorn at 2 a.m. wearing khaki shorts and a polo shirt) the past ten years has certainly had it's ups and mainly downs. But regardless of the emotion, the memories will always be alive. For instance, twenty years from now I might have no clue what year I was a part-time bagger at Kroger if it wasn't for the Cubs. The only thing I really remember about that job, or care to remember I suppose, is that I quit sometime in October of 2003 so that I could watch the NLCS between the Cubs and Marlins. Similarly, just hearing the name Jon Lieber oddly evokes memories of my dentist's parking lot. A routine check-up in 2001 came at in opportune time as I had to leave the "Pat and Ron Show" in my car for the dentist in the middle of a Jon Lieber no-hitter. (Lieber would later give up a hit and finish with a one-hit shutout and Dr. Brennan told me I had my first cavity.) As I grow older, and my memories become fewer, I can only imagine what will bring me back to the 2008 playoffs. For now, I'm fine with the image of myself losing my shit over James Loney's grand slam in Game 1 of the 2008 NLCS.

While there were some somber moments, like the Loney slam, the 00's decade (2000-2009) is without much debate the most successful decade in Cubs history since the 1940's. The 1990's featured two winning seasons, for example, but the 00's featured six. (Remember this the Cubs' history, so winning seasons are an achievement.) The Cubs made the playoffs three times in the decade, which is the same number of playoff births from 1945- 1999. A record eight players made the All-Star team in 2008 alone. Needless to say, it was a decade that produced fantastic players and vivid memories. The following All-Decade team I created consists of a different player from a specific season at each position. This list does not take in consideration career achievements, rather the greatest single season of the decade at each respective position. Hopefully this list of Cubs from 2000-2009 brings back to life a few recent Cub memories for you as it did for me. It seems part of remembering what you love is remembering how you got here.


Catcher: Geovany Soto, 2008 (.285 avg 23 hr 86 rbi)

• An easy, no-brainer selection. Geo not only won Rookie of the Year during this impressive year but was also an All-Star starter.
  
• Honorable mention: Joe Girardi, 2000 (.278 avg 6 hr 40 rbi and his only All-Star selection) and Michael Barrett, 2006 (.307 avg 16 hr 53 rbi).

First Base: Derrek Lee, 2005 (.335 avg 46 hr 107 rbi 120 runs)

• A stunning and near triple crown season from the Cubs masher Derrek Lee. Lee not only led the league in batting average, hits and doubles but also won a Gold Glove.
• Honorable mention: Fred McGriff, 2002 (.273 avg 30 hr 103 rbi) and Mark Grace, 2000 (.280 avg 11 hr 82 rbi).

Second Base: Mark DeRosa, 2008 (.285 avg 21 hr 87 rbi 103 runs)

• A very strong year out of the fan favorite DeRosa. Although he only played 95 games at second base in 2008, his power numbers are reason enough to give him the All-Decade selection. This was a very close race as Eric Young and Mark Bellhorn both quietly put up strong seasons in the decade.
• Honorable mention: Eric Young, 2000 (.297 avg 47 rbi 98 runs 54 sb) and Mark Bellhorn, 2002 (.258 avg 27 hr 56 rbi 86 runs).

Shortstop: Ryan Theriot, 2008 (.307 avg 38 rbi 85 runs 22 sb)

• Since this crop arguably had the weakest offensive seasons to chose from, The Riot gets the nod based off his great average and steals. Yet another selection from the 97 win team in 2008.
• Honorable mention: Ricky Gutierrez, 2001 (.290 avg 10 hr 66 rbi 76 runs) and Alex Gonzalez, 2003 (20 hr 59 rbi 71 runs).

Third Base: Aramis Ramirez, 2006 (.291 avg 38 hr 119 rbi 93 runs)

• 2006 was a fabulous season from one of the better hitters in all of baseball this decade. At the plate Ramirez did it all that year including setting career highs in home runs and runs batted in.
• Honorable mention: Ramirez, 2004 (.318 avg 36 hr 103 rbi 99 runs). Almost all the other Cubs that played this position in the decade (and 80's and 90's for that matter) were a bunch of fuckos and might find themselves on the All-Decade Blooper Team.

Left Field: Moises Alou, 2004 (.293 avg 39 hr 106 rbi 106 runs)

• Besides peeing on his hands to toughen the skin, Alou displayed some gaudy power numbers in 2004 along with an average near .300. Alfonso Soriano's first year with the club was a very close second.
  
• Honorable mention: Alfonso Soriano, 2007 (.299 avg 33 hr 97 runs 19 sb) and Jacque Jones, 2006 (.285 avg 27 hr 81 rbi 73 runs).

Center Field: Corey Patterson, 2004 (.266 avg 24 hr 72 rbi 91 runs 32 sb)

• In 2004, Patterson played the most games in his career with the Cubs and showed why he was such a valuable prospect. The "could have been" Patterson narrowly beat out Juan Pierre and his 200 hit season.
  
• Honorable mention: Pierre, 2006 (.292 avg 87 runs 58 steals 87 runs) and Jim Edmonds, 2008 (19 hr 49 rbi 47 runs in 85 games played).

Right Field: Sammy Sosa, 2001 (.328 avg 64 hr 160 rbi 146 runs)

• What, you were expecting Milton Bradley or Jeromy Burnitz? In 2001, Sosa put up numbers so rich in one year that a good player would struggle to match in two full seasons. 306 combined runs and rbi in one year is no easy feat. This is not the proper forum to debate the "s" word, so all I can offer is this right now: Amongst his peers in that era he crushed the competition. Judge him by that.
• Honorable mention: Sosa, 2000 (.320 avg 50 hr 138 rbi 106 runs)

Starting Pitcher: Jon Lieber, 2001 (20-6 3.80 era 232 ip)
Starting Pitcher: Mark Prior, 2003 (18-6 2.43 era 245 k)
Starting Pitcher: Kerry Wood, 2003 (14-11 3.20 era 266 k)
Starting Pitcher: Carlos Zambrano, 2004 (16-8 2.75 era 188 k)
Starting Pitcher: Ryan Dempster, 2008 (17-6 2.96 era 187 k)

• This fearsome-fivesome, in no particular ranking, all brought something a little different to the plate this decade. Lieber was the only 20 game winner this decade, finished fourth in Cy Young voting and ate up innings. Prior and Wood in 2003 were the most dominant 1-2 punch in the majors and maybe should have done what Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling did for the Diamondbacks; win a World Series in their primes. Carlos had a number of good years this decade, I took the one with his lowest earned run average. Dempster was an All-Star in 2008 and had an all around fantastic season.
• Honorable mention: Matt Clement, 2002 (12-11 3.60 era 215 k)
  
• Honorable mention: Greg Maddux, 2004 (16-11 4.02 era 212 ip)
• Honorable mention: Ted Lilly, 2008 (17-9 4.09 era 184 k)

Relief Pitcher: Carlos Marmol, 2007 (1.43 era 96 k)

• One of the better years for a reliever this decade throughout all of baseball. This was an easy choice as Carlos was filthy all year and recorded 96 strike outs in only 69 innings pitched.
• Honorable mention: Kyle Farnsworth, 2001 (2.74 era 1o7 k) and Bob Howry, 2006 (3.17 era 71 k).

Closer: Joe Borowski, 2003 (33-37 saves 2.63 era)

• Let the debate begin. Picking a Cubs closer of the decade was not easy. Joe Bo gets the nod because of blowing only 4 saves and having a nifty era. Kerry Wood could have earned this in 2008 as he was an All-Star, but he deserved a starting spot in the rotation.
• Honorable mention: Tom "Flash" Gordon, 2001 (27-31 saves 3.38 era), Ryan Dempster, 2005 (33-35 saves 3.13 era) and Wood, 2008 (34-40 saves 3.26 era).

Manager: Lou Piniella, 2008 (97-64 record and Central Division Title)

• I suppose this could go to Dusty in 2003 for making it longer in the playoffs (hell, winning a game) but having 8 All-Stars and the most wins in the majors is far enough for me, Sweet Lou.
• Honorable mention: Dusty Baker, 2003 (88-74 record and Central Division Title).

There you have it folks, the brightest and best seasons from the Cubs this decade. Please comment if you feel I left someone out or email me at: thechicagosportscritics@gmail.com. Go Cubs.