Where are the 2003 Cubs Now?

[The Ghost of Dave Rosello]

Wow, that team really doesn't seem very good. Who were the other SP?

 

Carlos Zambrano, Mark Prior, Matt Clement, and...I believe Shawn Estes/Juan Cruz?

 

That team really wasn't that good. Their pitching carried them and Alou, Sosa, and A-Ram carried the offense. The 2004 team was much better. That was probably the most talented Cubs team assembled in a very long time. Patterson, Alou, Sosa, Nomar (at least at the deadline), A-Ram, Lee, Walker/Grudz, Barrett. I mean, jeez, A-Ram was our 6 hitter and Barrett our 8th hitter.

 

We had Z, Prior, Wood, Clement, and Maddux. Signed KENT to bolster the bullpen. That team had so much freakin talent. It's unbelievable to me how they didn't win 100+ games and the World Series.

 

You can thank Dusty for that.

[SouthSideRyan]

I love how the '04 mission statement was to take the '03 team and make it stronger, and by '05, Zamrano and Ramirez were the only players remaining from that team, unless you count Prior and Wood as still being on the team.

 

Was there a reason to not count Prior as part of the team? Or were you able to see into the future that Prior would take a line drive off his pitching elbow causing him to miss all of 5-6 starts?