I don't know about by far. It's the same staff that started 2006, minus Maddux and plus Marquis. I'd say the pitching, as usual, has a wide range of possibilities. And terrible is quite possible. There's no guarantee Lilly or Marquis will be any better than people they are replacing, and last year's staff was terrible. Z Maddux Rusch Marshall Williams. no, even if your worst expectations are fulfilled, and barring injury of course, I doubt the staff is any where near the staff the Cubs started 2006 with. under worst case scenerio Z=Z Lilly Hill>>>Rusch Marquis=Marshall Prior/Miller/Guz/Marmol/Mateo/Marshall/Ryu>>>>>Williams the assesment for what transpired over the year would be about the same. Jerome Williams did not start 2006 in the rotation. His first 3 appearances was out of the pen. Regardless, what I meant was that they have the same bodies to choose from, minus Maddux and plus Lilly and Marquis. It's quite possible Lilly would be worse than Maddux, and Marquis will be at his worst, with both Miller and Prior incapable of providing help. I wouldn't predict that myself, but it's possible. The fact is it was terrible last year, and they haven't added anybody great, so, it could be terrible again. Yeah and Lilly could have a 3.20 ERA, Marquis could have a sub 4 ERA Hill will have a 2.34 ERA and Zambrano will have a 2.95 ERA. Obviously if people are going to say, it could be bad, they have to also say, it could be very good as well