Could this be our Magic year? Everybody pray.

[A New Era]

I'm pretty happy with the way the offseason turned out. We are deffinatly much better than we were at the beggining of 05. Everybody has already done the position to position comparison, so I will skip that. I trust youngsters Ronny and Matt to have great years! Cubs pitching to hold up, Miller to prove to be an incredible move, and Magic to happen now that Pierre and Derrick Lee are back together again. I like the makeup of this team. I think Prior will stay together all year this year, and that some youngsters will come up and prove themselves. .

 

And remember, all we gotta do is stay on top of our game, remain in contention, and come ASB, Jim WILL go out and get a killer addition to further solidify our chances at post season play. . . But as we stand right now, we are good.

 

Everybody pray. Please, let this be our year. .

[Scott G. F.]

I'm pretty happy with the way the offseason turned out. We are deffinatly much better than we were at the beggining of 05. Everybody has already done the position to position comparison, so I will skip that. I trust youngsters Ronny and Matt to have great years! Cubs pitching to hold up, Miller to prove to be an incredible move, and Magic to happen now that Pierre and Derrick Lee are back together again. I like the makeup of this team. I think Prior will stay together all year this year, and that some youngsters will come up and prove themselves. .

 

And remember, all we gotta do is stay on top of our game, remain in contention, and come ASB, Jim WILL go out and get a killer addition to further solidify our chances at post season play. . . But as we stand right now, we are good.

 

Everybody pray. Please, let this be our year. .

 

 

 

Attempting to put a positive spin on things I haven't come up with very much. Offically the excitment of 2003 is dead to me. I have zero expectations like I did going into 2004 and 2005. I'm at such a neutral place for the Cubs I wouldn't be suprized if they came out and smoked everyone or fell completely to pieces. The key for 2006 and from this year forward will be pitching. If the Cubs starters decide that they want to pitch at the major league level and not in simulated games then I'd say we have a pretty decent shot at things. If the Cubs keep putting the pitching staff on the DL and running up pitchers they accquired off the trash heap then we'll have the same result as the '04 and '05 seasons. The offense will produce what it will produce. The Cubs built the line up the last couple of years for the long ball. Now they have a veteran lead off man, solid 3 and 4 men, some youth on the left side and a vet pen. I like there chances. Either way I'll be watching and sipping the blue cool aide hope the wheels don't fall off, or Kerry Wood's arm.

[Bergy92]

cool-aide, cool-aide, cool, aide... :lol:

[kente777]

Prayer won't work....God is not a Cub fan.

 

Ken

[Big Fergie J]

I'm pretty happy as well as to how the off season has gone.

 

I'm not sure I like all these pre-season mags picking the Cubs so high though. I just picked up LINDY'S 06 preview and it has the Cubs winning the division. Street and Smith has them in 2nd place. It seems like every time expectations are so high in Feb. they totally crater by June.

 

Anyhow, I'm cautiously optimistic as always and have started icing my right shoulder to "try" to help Kerry Wood stay healthy.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Here's to hoping the Cards, Stros, Brewers, Pirates and Reds just suck really bad. I don't think we're going to be stellar unless Rachel Phelps buys the team and Lou Brown is brought in as manager.

[FergieJ31]

Prayer won't work....God is not a Cub fan.

 

Ken

 

I think He fell asleep at the switch and woke up with a start in the 8th inning, game 6 2003 NLCS, Castillo at the plate: "Huh wha ... what the ... whoa!! What's going on down there?!"

[EricG]

does anybody know voodoo?

[hardcorecubfan]

Prayer won't work....God is not a Cub fan.

 

Ken

 

Not true, He is did he not leave the Jews out in the desert for 40 years or Noah out in that boat for 40 days or Rachel and having the son. It will happen I see this as a test of faith. I figure it will happen soon I have been a Cubs fan for 40 years now.

[Magnetic Curses]

I'm pretty happy with the way the offseason turned out. We are deffinatly much better than we were at the beggining of 05. Everybody has already done the position to position comparison, so I will skip that. I trust youngsters Ronny and Matt to have great years! Cubs pitching to hold up, Miller to prove to be an incredible move, and Magic to happen now that Pierre and Derrick Lee are back together again. I like the makeup of this team. I think Prior will stay together all year this year, and that some youngsters will come up and prove themselves. .

 

And remember, all we gotta do is stay on top of our game, remain in contention, and come ASB, Jim WILL go out and get a killer addition to further solidify our chances at post season play. . . But as we stand right now, we are good.

 

Everybody pray. Please, let this be our year. .

 

you better believe in magic.

[RynoRules]

Prayer won't work....God is not a Cub fan.

 

Ken

 

Not true, He is did he not leave the Jews out in the desert for 40 years or Noah out in that boat for 40 days or Rachel and having the son. It will happen I see this as a test of faith. I figure it will happen soon I have been a Cubs fan for 40 years now.

 

I just hope that those of you who aren't circumcised don't have to do so in order to straighten this whole thing out. :shock:

 

 

 

:wink:

[fiver]

does anybody know voodoo?

 

I'm traveling to New Orleans this weekend and will see what I can do.

[daske17]

Not true, He is did he not leave the Jews out in the desert for 40 years or Noah out in that boat for 40 days or Rachel and having the son. It will happen I see this as a test of faith. I figure it will happen soon I have been a Cubs fan for 40 years now.

 

Days Noah was stuck on the ark: 40

Years the Jews were stuck in the desert: 40

 

Years since the Cubs have won the World Series: 98

 

It's okay. I've come to terms with the fact that God has deserted Cubs fans.

[Omar]

does anybody know voodoo?

 

I'm traveling to New Orleans this weekend and will see what I can do.

 

From what I know, you need hair for vodoo...

Very few Cubs have hair that you can actually grab... off the top of my head, Walker, Dempster (especially with that whig), Ohman, and other bullpen guys, Murton...

[scs_paradise]

I don't know where some of you are getting your optimism but I don't see it. This team is not exciting, not promising, and not going to do well. Too many holes(SS, RF, LF, 2B?), too many bad choices in the off season (trying to trade walker, signing Neifi, signing Jones)

[otis89]

does anybody know voodoo?

 

Bring in Pedro Cerrano!

[Mizzou]

I complained all offseason and was upset with most of Hendry's moves, but the optimist in me is coming out. I feel confident that this team will contend.

[noisesquared]

I don't know where some of you are getting your optimism but I don't see it. This team is not exciting, not promising, and not going to do well. Too many holes(SS, RF, LF, 2B?), too many bad choices in the off season (trying to trade walker, signing Neifi, signing Jones)

 

The optimism comes from the same place it has for the last few years. Zambrano, Prior, and Wood. If those 3 pitchers each can give 30+ starts and 200IP, the Cubs make the playoffs, regardless of the ineptitude of the offense or manager.

[VicCub]

I'm optomistic too. I think Murton will be very good and I like the pen. No reason to write off our chances just yet. I think we hang around till ASB and then pull a trade like the OP said.

 

If so, we should at least have an exciting season and maybe make the playoffs. And if we are in the playoffs, it will be because of pitching and nobody will want to face our playoff rotation.