2008 Year in Review: The Chicago Cubs

Despite many rumors that the Cubs, after getting swept by the D'Back in the '07 playoffs, would be adding a few players, they really only added one.

On December 11, 2007, Kosuke Fukudome, a free agent from Japan signed with the Cubs for four years.

Ryan Dempster worked all offseason to get himself back into the starting rotation, after spending the past few years as the team's closer.

In Spring Training he earned a spot in the rotation and also predicted the team would go on to break the 100 year drought and win the World Series.

Ryan Dempster ended up winning a team high (tied with Ted Lilly) 18 games. With Zambrano being unpredictable, at the time, Dempster was given the start in game one of the National League Division Series against Los Angeles.

When Spring Training began, it was uncertain who would take over the closing duties due to Dempster moving back to the rotation.

Bob Howry, Carlos Marmol, and Kerry Wood all competed for the closing duties. At the end of Spring Training, it was clear that Kid-K would be taking over the closing duties.

Kerry Wood went on to save 34 games in 40 opportunities. And he only went on the disabled list once!

Wood, who was a free agent at the end of the '08 season recently signed a two year deal with the Cleveland Indians. Carlos Marmol will most likely take over the closer duties for '09.

On the last day of Spring Training, Reed Johnson was let go by the Toronto Blue Jays, five minutes later, Jim Hendry was on the phone and a deal was in place. Johnson was brought in to be a backup outfielder, having the ability to play all three outfield positions.

After Felix Pie struggled once again, Jim Hendry started looking for a platoon mate for Reed in center. Mid May, the Padres let the former Cardinal superstar, Jim Edmonds go. Jim Hendry once again jumped on a cheap, quality outfielder and Edmonds went from hated to loved in a matter of weeks.

Kosuke Fukudome had an unforgettable debut as a Cub going 3-3 with a walk. Oh, and he hit a three-run home run in the ninth inning to tie the game.

The Cubs went on to lose the game four to three in the 10th inning. The Brewers took 2/3 from the series, the only game being won by "new" starter Ryan Dempster.

After just a handful of starts, Rich Hill was demoted to Triple A after a real rough outing against the division rival Cardinals. Hill was never able find his command and went all the way back down to extended Spring Training. It's not looking good for the young southpaw who just a year ago had won 11 games.

When you think of huge comebacks for the Cubs, home runs are provided from the power hitters, like Lee and Ramirez, not players like Blanco and DeRosa. Oh, and brand new Cub, Jim Edmonds who had yet to hit a dinger as a Cub.

The Rockies were up by eight, Lou Piniella had already taken a majority of his regulars out, it was all but over.

Then Fukudome hit his third homer. Jim Edmonds stepped up to the plate and took Cook out also, and Cubs fans started to warm up to a person they had grown to hate. But the Cubs were still down by five.

Henry Blanco stepped up to the plate in the seventh inning, hit his first home run in nearly two years, cutting down the lead to three. With two on, Jim Edmonds once again came up big hitting a double cutting the lead to just one.

Mark DeRosa then hit the go ahead homer, capping the best comeback game of 2008.

During the Wrigley series versus the crosstown rival White Sox, the Cubs swept the three game series. Some highlights include, but are not limited to: Aramis Ramirez's walk off homer in game one, and Jim Edmonds hitting two homers in one inning.

The Cubs did not fare so well on the south side. They were swept at the Cell leaving the season series tied 3-3.

At the end of July, the Cubs took control of the NL Central for good after sweeping a four game series at Miller Park against the Brewers.

Thousands of Cubs fans make the short drive up to Miller Park, so many more Cubs fans attend the Cubs/Brewers games than Brewers fans that it has been nicknamed "Wrigley Field North."

The former Notre Dame star Wide Receiver, Jeff Samardzija, made his debut in the majors during the month of August to fill a vacated spot by veteran Scott Eyre who was later let go to the Phillies.

Samardzija proved effective enough to be in the bullpen for the rest of the season and the playoffs, and could eventually in the future find himself in the starting rotation.

On September 14, the Cubs and the Astros agreed to have their games, postponed due to Hurricane Ike, at Miller Park in Miwaukee. Over 23,000 made the trip to Milwaukee to witness history.

Carlos Zambrano only gave up a walk, and hit one batter. the rest of the time, he put up the zeros and became the first Cubs pitcher to throw a no hitter since Milt Pappas in 1972.

This picture was taken by my dad, we were eight rows up on the third base side, that place went NUTS after Big Z got the final Astro to strikeout. It was the most dominating pitching performance I've ever been in attendance for (I would say in my lifetime, but Kerry Wood striking out 20 in '98 was a very dominating performance).

Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers spoiled the chance of getting the Cubs to what Ryan Dempster predicted they would do. Although, while Manny was Manny, and the Dodgers played great, the Cubs choked.

Ryan Dempster got the game one start, and had the worst outing of his comeback season.

Game two, aliens obviously abducted the major league team and placed Little Leaguers in their place. Or at least that's the way they played.

And in game three, despite getting the real team back, they had all but given up, and the Cubs once again were packing their bags for home after a short lived run at October baseball.

In November, Geovany Soto was named Rookie of the Year. He handled the greatest pitching staff in the National League, and he did it like a veteran.

He also called Carlos Zambrano's no-hitter, a rare feat for any catcher, much less one who was playing his first full season in the bigs.

He provided offensive sparks. He even had an inside the park home run against the Astros early in the season. Geo played incredible defense, rarely ever let a ball get by him. He played his heart out every game, and that's why he easily became a fan favorite.

It's not the award that Cubs nation wanted most of all, but it was certainly deserved. If nothing else, we came away with some great comebacks, a few rival sweeps, a no-hitter, and a rookie catcher who gave 110 percent whenever he was given the chance.

Some may consider 2008 to have been a waste since the Cubs didn't make it past the Division Series in the playoffs.

It was not a waste, and while the '08 season is over, this is the beginning of a team that will be great for quite a while. This team will continue to be contenders for the NL Central title for years to come. And it only takes 11 wins in October to win a championship.

2009 is just around the corner. Perhaps, as Ron Santo might say, this will be the year.