Pretty simple this month, here's what I want from you. Your honest to goodness, straight up, no b.s., OBJECTIVE opinion on how the White Sox, Cardinals, and Cubs will fare in 2008. Here's how I see it.
2008 Chicago White Sox - I honestly see the red-headed stepchild of Chicago baseball having a solid, if not spectacular season. I know, I know, they play in the AL Central which houses two pretty darn good teams in Detroit and Cleveland. At the end of the day, Detroit is just too stacked with talent to not win the division. Think about their lineup for a moment, Miguel Cabrera, Gary Sheffield, Magglio Ordonez, Curtis Granderson, Edgar Renteria, Ivan Rodriguez, Carlos Guillen, and former AL Batting Champ Placido Polanco. Yeah, it's that good. However, I can definitely see the Sox possibly competing with Cleveland for the second spot in the division, and maybe, just maybe the AL Wild Card. The lineup will have to score runs, and I mean a LOT of runs to compete with the big boppers in Detroit and Cleveland, but a lineup with a rejuvenated Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, Nick Swisher, and Orlando Cabrera can and should put up a few crooked numbers. The big question is the back end of the rotation with newbies like Gavin Floyd and John Danks. If those two are serviceable at best with the trio of Beuhrle, Contreras, and Vazquez....then look out. The South-Side bullpen is a giant question mark at best right now. Closer Bobby Jenks is one of the best in the business, and GM Kenny Williams threw decent money at veteran relievers Octavio Dotel and Scott Linebrink this offseason. Both have the "stuff" to get consistent outs, but they've been shaky at best this spring. The 2008 Sox have "sleeper" written all over them.
2008 St. Louis Cardinals - As a life-long Cubs fan, nothing would please me more than to see the Cardinals lose about 95 games and finish behind perennial NL Central doormat Pittsburgh in the standings. But I don't see it happening. Now I sure don't have a "feeling" about the Cards the way I do about the White Sox. But I don't believe they'll be nearly as bad as some of the national hardball experts expect them to be. Granted, they're depending a lot on the young guys and some beat up pitchers to keep them in contention, but any squad managed by Tony LaRussa and featuring Albert Pujols will always be dangerous. At the end of the day though, I don't see St. Louis finishing any higher than fourth in the division. They just lost way too much talent and didn't do much to replace it. Troy Glaus could be a nice addition, but like the exiting Scott Rolen, he's hurt....and I do mean hurt a lot. Cesar Izturis is an absolute turd at SS who couldn't hit his way out of McMillan Field in Gibson City. Adam Kennedy or Aaron Miles at second? Yuck. Why they don't put the youngster Ludwick there is beyond me. To me, Rick Ankiel is still a bit of a mystery. He hit a ton when recalled late last year, then tailed off once Major League pitchers figured him out in the early fall. He'll either be a monster, or a duplicate of St. Louis' other outfielder Chris Duncan. A home run or a strikeout. Pitching-wise, any staff with Todd Wellemeyer and Matt Clement in it isn't one to write home about. Reyes lost 100 games last season, and Chris Carpenter won't be back anytime soon from Tommy John surgery. Mark Mulder almost seems like a forgotten man by now. On a much more positive note, newly minted staff-ace Adam Wainwright has the goods to be one of the top pitchers in the Senior Circuit...and he'll get nothing but better. But still, this is the St. Louis Cardinals, and I think that at the end of the day, they will still show up and play competitive baseball, at least until super prospect Colby Rasmus is called up at mid-season.
2008 Chicago Cubs - Now you know as well as I do that could write a thesis on the Cubs, but I'll spare you the extra reading time. Honestly, objectively, here's what I see transpiring on the North Side in 2008. A division title, perhaps a divisional round playoff victory, and a butt-whooping in the NLCS. I like the lineup a lot, there's a lot of potential there. But is it a World Series caliber lineup? Nope...not even close. Brian Roberts would have been a step in the right direction, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen. The "Big Three" of Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, and Alfonso Soriano is a potential murderer's row in the heart of the lineup, but unfortunately, it's surrounded by question marks on either side. They're identified by the names Fukudome, Theriot, Pie, Soto, and to a lesser degree, DeRosa. A table setter like Roberts would have enabled Lou Piniella to put Fukudome at the second spot (where he belongs) and Soriano down in the lineup where his power could be put to better use. Soto and Pie have all the potential in the world, but then again so did Corey Patterson. The staff is solid at best. I see Carlos Zambrano having a Cy Young type of campaign, but after that, it's a crap-shoot. The one bright spot should be the bullpen. It appears Lou Piniella is attempting to put together a modern day version of the "Nasty Boys" with Kerry Wood, Carlos Marmol, and Bob Howry. I gotta leave it right there. If Hendry is able to pull off a move before Opening Day, or at mid-season, then yeah, maybe they finally get to the Fall Classic. Unless that happens, I see a very good, but far from great season in Wrigleyville.
So that's it. That's the way I see it in 2008 for the area favorites. Remember, be OBJECTIVE, and let me know how you see the 2008 MLB campaign shaking out. No matter how you look at it, it's wonderful to have America's Pastime back and rearin' to go!!!! Leave your comments below, and maybe we'll read them on the 7:30 AM report of sports Monday thru Friday. Thanks for participating!!
