Is This the Year for the Cubbies?

Like this one hasn't been talked about every year since 1945.  For those of you keeping score at home, that's the last time the Cubs have been to the World Series, losing graciously to the Detroit Tigers.  As we all know, the Cubs have not won the World Series since 1908 with the famous Tinker to Evers to Chance combination.  So then why wouldn't I say that Cubs fans have been asking themselves that question since 1908.  Well, since they are currently going through the longest non-title drought in the history of American professional sports, I thought I'd lay off a little since they have been there once in the last 53 seasons. 

Every single season, the Cubs manage to captivate the imagination of all baseball fans, not just Cubs fans, with their ability to be either completely awful or on the brink of breaking through (See Leon Durham and Moises Alou/Steve Bartman).  Great players have come and gone, but the World Series has persistently eluded the North Siders.   

The 2008 season might actually give Cubs fans more to cheer about (I'm not a jinx).  Coming off a NL Central Division title in 2007, the groundwork for a run was laid.  They have one of the most dangerous players in the game in Alfonso Soriano, ridiculously good right-handed hitters in Aramis Ramirez and the improving-by-the-minute enigma Derrek Lee, Japanese phenom Kosuke Fukudome and perhaps the most intense (and volatile) pitcher in the NL in Carlos Zambrano.  

Still, I think the two biggest moves the team has made involves none of the aforementioned stars.  Instead, I am referring to Mark Prior and Kerry Wood. 

Chicago finally recognized that although Prior possesses enormous potential, he cannot stay healthy to save his life.  It seems as if merely putting on a glove makes him an injury risk.  Now, he is the San Diego Padres problem, and will likely not even see the mound until May or June.  Yippee. 

Then, there's Kerry Wood.  He, like Prior, has been on the operating table more times than he can count.  He hasn't lived up to expectations which had him as one of the greatest right-handers in this generation.  We've seen flashes, namely the 20 K effort against the Astros in 1998 which helped him win NL Rookie of the Year.  But then, a light went off.  From a pure talent standpoint, Wood is vastly gifted and should be able to handle anything thrown his way, barring that he doesn't get hurt while doing it.   In 2007, the Cubs tried him out as a reliever, and he did alright.  Not great, not terrible, just alright.  Then, it went to the next level.  Wood was in contention to become the Cubs closer for the 2008 season, duking it out with Carlos Marmol, Ryan Dempster, and Bob Howry.  When Dempster was promoted to the starting rotation, Wood won the spot.  

When I first heard this, I thought, "Wow, if he keeps it together, this could be pretty great for the Cubs."  I never had much faith in him as a starter.  I know he's posted double-digit wins in four seasons, but his inability to stay healthy dramatically affected his psyche.  I think the switching of roles could revive his career.  All the Cubs are asking of him is to get the final three outs, although he could be asked for more quite a bit.  Wood can still bring it, and he still has one of the better curveballs in the game.  Now, even though he will be pitching more often, he won't be throwing nearly as many pitches (hopefully).  Also, the mentality of the closer is much different from that of the starter.  If he can change from "I have to work at least five innings" to "I need three outs", there could be a dramatic shift in his output.  Wood has new life now, and is on the verge of becoming one of the NL's best one-inning pitchers...that is, of course, if he....well you know...can stay healthy.

The Cubs got rid of one rash and are trying to control the other.  With the amount of offense and solid starting pitching they have, I won't be surprised if they actually do it this year.  Then again, I won't be surprised if they blow a six-game lead with seven to go, if Derrek Lee collides with Fukudome on a shallow pop knocking them both out for the season, or if Zambrano's right arm falls off one strike away from a perfect game.  That's just how it's been for the Cubs for the past century.  But, there's no Leon Durham, no Bartman, no Billy Goat.  Just 25 Cubs.