I'd Like To Say That I Saw It Coming

With the NL Wild Card game currently in progress and the first game of the NLDS a few days away, again I will take another look back at the 2007 Chicago Cubs.

I'd like to say that I saw this thing coming.

In February, I coined the phrase "This is the year that Cubdom strikes back," an obvious play on "The Emperor Strikes Back." However, back in October is when I began to believe.

On October 18, 2007 I posted a blog called "The Flashback, The Vision, The Prediction," which described a three-pronged event that was triggered by the Bears historic comeback. That blog is linked here for your viewing/reading pleasure. In short, here's what I had to say:

• The Flashback refers to a conversation I had in which I said I'd land the girl of my dreams the day that the Bears, Bulls, Cubs and SIU win championships.
  
• The Vision refers to a dream I had that night. In short, I was at Opening Day 2007 claiming that 2007 was the year and only myself and someone who was with me agreed.
• The Predictions actually went eerily well. I shook of a "curse" that had been plaguing me, SIU won the MVC and went to the Sweet 16, the Bears won the NFC and went to the Super Bowl (and there were several Super Bowl songs about the Bears), and the Bulls did indeed knock off the Heat and advanced in the playoffs for the first time in the post-Jordan era. And the Cubs have completed phase one of their championship campaign by winning the NL Central.

THINKING ABOUT THE PLAYOFF ROSTER

With the Cubs officially in the playoffs, manager Lou Piniella has until Wednesday morning to turn in his playoff roster. The Cubs have a lot of questions to answer before then. In early September, I took a crack at what I thought the playoff roster should look like. Today, I have a different outlook.

STARTING PITCHERS (4)

Zambrano
Lilly
Hill
Marshall (if necessary)

It appears that the Cubs will go with a three-man rotation featuring Carlos Zambrano (games one and four), Ted Lilly (games two and five) and Rich Hill. But if it was up to me, I'd risk starting Jason Marquis, who was 8-3 at Wrigley Field in 2007. That would push Zambrano to game five (if necessary.) Big Z was 12-4 with a 3.06 ERA on the road compared to 6-9 with a 4.96 ERA at home.

Sean Marshall is more likely to make the playoff roster because of Marquis' recent struggles (mostly with his mechanics) and because he'd be another left handed pitcher out of the pen.

RELIEF PITCHERS (7)

Dempster
Howry
Eyre
Marmol
Wood
Wuertz
Hart

Despite his recent struggles, Ryan Dempster will likely be the Cubs closer in the playoffs with Bobby Howry and Scott Eyre as his primary set up men. Eyre has posted a stellar second half line: 2-0 with a 0.81 ERA in 28 second half games.

And despite every Cubs fan's request, Carlos Marmol will not be the Cubs closer. Instead, he will serve the role of bullpen ace when the Cubs need him in closer-like situations in the 6th, 7th and 8th innings.

Kevin Hart likely will take the spot that would have been reserved for Marquis. Hart was acquired from Baltimore in the trade that sent Freddy Bynum to the Orioles. In 11 innings of September work, Hart posted no record and a 0.82 ERA to go along with a 4.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio by striking out 13 and only walking four.

THE STARTING EIGHT (8)

Soto
D. Lee
DeRosa
Theriot
Ramirez
Soriano
Jones
Floyd

Even though I think Jason Kendall will get the starting nod, Geovany Soto is a better choice in my opinion. In his last 10 games, Soto is batting .424 (14-for-33) and has been stellar from a defensive standpoint.

Jacque Jones' play in the second half has turned him from whipping boy to center field savior. Jones hit .326 with a .369 on-base percentage with 45 RBI's. And to think, Jones was almost traded to the Marlins. My initial feelings about that non-trade is recapped here.

Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez will have to do in October what they did in September--and that is carry the Cubs offense by hitting the long ball. The three combined to hit 29 home runs in the final month.

THE BENCH (6)

Kendall
Ward
Fontenot
Murton
Pie
Cedeno

Configuring the bench will be the Cubs biggest challenge. Daryle Ward might not be 100%, leaving the opportunity that rookie Sam Fuld would take Ward's spot. Originally, I had reserved a spot for outfielder Craig Monroe, but upon further review I decided to give his spot to another one of the former whipping boys, infielder Ronny Cedeno who can play second base, third base and shortstop in a pinch. Matt Murton will likely start game two in right field against Diamondbacks lefty Doug Davis. Murton is hitting lefties at a .326 clip in his three year career. Felix Pie is your late inning speed and defense guy.

That's all, for now.

*Note: It is now 10:38 and the NL Wild Card play-in game/tiebreaker is still in progress (6-6 in the 12th inning)

**Editor's Note: I forgot the most important part that I really wanted to make note of. And that was something I mentioned to my mom (I mentioned it in the blog about "The Flashback, The Vision, The Prediction"):

To enforce my vision, my mother and I spoke today. I told her the following: "I was all about Joe Girardi coming to manage the Cubs. I thought that it'd be perfect that the local product, life-long Cub fan and former Cub leads this team out of a 98 year drought. But I thought about Piniella signing and I think it'd be more fitting that a guy named 'LOU' did the job." In response, my mother said "You know, I was thinking the EXACT SAME THING!"