Come To Think Of It...Take Heart, Cubs Fans: There Is Hope

I know that being a fan of the Cubs may not seem to be a very hopeful situation right now. After all, the team is on the verge of completing what has been a very disappointing season, with seemingly little hope due to payroll inflexibility caused by expensive, long-term contracts.

But I'm here to tell you that all is not lost.

Yes, on the surface, things may look bleak. But when you consider what our competition is facing as well as a new owner coming in, there may be some legitimate reason for optimism after all.

First, the Cardinals, who had a great season, may lose Matt Holliday. He has almost single-handedly helped push the Redbirds into an NL Central cakewalk. He has hit .352/.410/.604 with an OPS of 1.014 since bring acquired by St. Louis. He is eligible to be a free agent following the season, and though they have expressed serious interest in bringing him back, there is certainly no guarantee. 

Meanwhile, one of the Cards' biggest question marks, the health of ace Chris Carpenter, has been answered in a very positive way. He is a Cy Young candidate, with a 2.24 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP in 2009. But there is no guarantee that Carpenter will stay healthy in 2010, especially considering his recent injury history.

Meanwhile, the Cubs will make a strong attempt to wash out the bad taste that the 2009 season has left in their mouths by moving the likes of Milton Bradley, for example. Though it cannot be easily measured, the impact of a divided clubhouse cannot be discounted as one of the many reasons the Cubs lacked leadership in 2009.

The loss of good guys like Kerry Wood and Mark DeRosa go beyond statistics.

In fact, Ted Lilly very recently said that he wants to see the Cubs bring back DeRosa and re-sign Reed Johnson.

So, the loss of Bradley may turn out to be a net gain for the Cubs, despite his on-base percentage and obvious talent. And I fully expect him to improve his offensive performance next year.

Bringing in the right player to handle center field, allowing Fukudome to return to a defensive position in which he can excel (right field), will be a key component of the Cubs offseason moves.

Second base is another position in which the Cubs can bring in someone to help them improve. No, Jake Fox isn't the answer there; hopefully, the Cubs will begin to take defense seriously, though they also need offensive improvement.

Barring trades, the rotation is solid, with Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster and Wells occupying the first four spots. But the catcher position will likely continue to be a sore spot for the team next year, unless Soto improves.

Bottom line, the Cubs need to improve and the new owner will want to make a solid first impression to Cubs fans by pumping some money into the payroll. I hope he also watches how Jim Hendry spends that money, as his performance needs to be evaluated regardless of his contract situation.

Some guys will return because you cannot do anything about it. Alfonso Soriano, for example. But a full year of Aramis Ramirez, combined with the hopeful improvements in the outfield and second base, should combine for a better season in 2010.

Hey, after following this team over the past 40 years, there has to be something positive to fall back on, come to think of it.