MLB Team Preview – Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs‘ “curse” has been running strong for just over 100 years now, and fans and bettors alike are anxious to know if this is finally the season they break the jinx. Sportsbook oddsmakers certainly seem to think they have a shot.
At +450, Cubs odds to win the World Series are telling. Chicago rolled up an impressive 97 wins last year, tops in the National League and tied for second in all of baseball.But, as usual, things fell apart when the games really mattered, and the Cubbies failed to win even a single postseason game-the second time in as many seasons they’ve gone winless in the playoffs.
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So what can we expect from Cubs lines this season? Well, much of the roster remains intact, which is a great sign for the rotation. Chicago was third in ERA among NL teams and first in strikeouts. Having Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden in the same rotation is unfair, even if both carry injury risks, and there are a lot of teams that wouldn’t mind having Ryan Dempster or Ted Lilly to bolster their pitching staff.
Kevin Gregg will open the season as the team’s closer after beating out Carlos Marmol this spring. Watch for Marmol to take over the job at some point this season though, as he’s got better numbers and talent than Gregg.
Offensively, the Cubs pack a mean punch, and they led the National League in run scoring last season. There are still some concerns this year, though. Slugger Derrek Lee turns 34, and his power numbers have dipped considerably since his 46-homer campaign in 2005.
Another question mark is Kosuke Fukudome. Last year, as a 31-year-old rookie, the right fielder kicked off the season with a great start, scoring 59 runs and producing a .383 on-base percentage in his first 90 games. It all fell apart after the All-Star break, though, and he managed just a .217 batting average the rest of the way, with dips across the board in all his numbers. If they can get pre-All-Star break Fukudome, the offense would get a big boost.
So how does it all shape up if you’re going to bet on the Cubs? Well, consider them a lock in the NL Central; Milwaukee is finished without C.C. Sabathia, and St. Louis doesn’t have the ammunition to make a play for the division crown.
In terms of the bigger picture, the Cubs are the pennant favorites in the National League. Sure, there are a few questions, but the good easily outweighs the bad. Unless you’re a superstitious man and “the curse” scares you away, go with Cubs odds in the National League.
One reply on “MLB Predictions / Previews: Chicago Cubs”
First Boston won a World Series, then Philly won last year, so it has to be the Cub’s turn.
While I’m a big Phillies fan and would love to see them repeat, if they don’t I would love to see the Cubs first beat the Mets and then beat the Yankees. In the infamous words the Beatlles…’Money Can’t Buy You Love”