Ok, so we've had a bad season. Yes, there were plenty of injuries that hurt. However, the main problem of this team is the inability to generate runs when nobody hits a HR. Its great that we have Lee and Ramirez (even greater that we don't have Sosa). These two guys are All-Stars and the team should be built around them. The problem is that right now there is no team around them. Where are the guys who hit for average and steal bases that should be batting ahead of them? The solution here is to steal two guys from the Braves: Marcus Giles and Rafael Furcal. If we plug those two into the top two spots in the batting order, we would actually be able to generate some runs even when the wind is blowing in. It would also allow Baker to put Murton and Pie at the bottom of the order while they learn big league pitching. The other major acquisition the Cubs need to make is a middle of the rotation starting pitcher. Yes, we have Prior, Wood, Z, and Maddux. We need another major starter because we can't count on all 4 of those guys being healthy. If they are healthy... great! Then we have the best staff in baseball to go along with a strong lineup and we can compete with St. Louis. If one of them goes down, then we have 4 top notch starters and one filler and we can win the Wild Card. Hendry needs to start banking on his team having injuries and getting the depth we need to compete.

Of course, all of that comes after Hendry goes out and signs a whole new bullpen. It should be a nice relaxing winter for him. *tic*

Try this on for size:

Furcal- SS
Giles- 2B
Lee- 1B
Ramirez- 3B
Burnitz- RF
Pie- CF
Murton- LF
Barrett- C
P

Prior
Zambrano
Wood
Maddux
?????

All new middle relievers

Dempster