What can we expect for next season?

[Jody]

Pain Confusion Suffering

[Andy]

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that the Cubs will actually be a very good team next year. The talent, despite our bitching, is certainly there. In 2008, we saw what they're capable of when everything goes well. In 2009 we saw what happens when everything goes wrong. Presuming the team doesn't make any major moves, we'll be around 92 wins and in post-season contention.

[veryzer]

<!--quoteo(post=66982:date=Oct 22 2009, 10:12 AM:name=Andy)-->QUOTE (Andy @ Oct 22 2009, 10:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that the Cubs will actually be a very good team next year. The talent, despite our bitching, is certainly there. In 2008, we saw what they're capable of when everything goes well. In 2009 we saw what happens when everything goes wrong. Presuming the team doesn't make any major moves, we'll be around 92 wins and in post-season contention.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


i wish i could feel that way.

[Mikey]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->11/3 Marmol to save 34 games in 2010
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Today at 4:37pm

Milton Bradley will hit 18 homers and drive in 64 runs next season, Alfonso Soriano will belt 30 homers, and Carlos Marmol will total 34 saves. Those are the predictions in the just-released Bill James Handbook 2010.

"In any season, the vast majority of players play in a manner that seems a natural extension of what they had done before," James says in his new book. "When that happens, our projection should be reasonably accurate."

James says Derrek Lee will bat .291, hit 30 homers and drive in 98 for the Cubs; and Aramis Ramirez will hit .292 with 26 homers and 97 RBIs. James says Geovany Soto will hit 20 homers and drive in 79, and that Bradley will rebound and hit .276.

As for the Cubs pitchers, James projected Carlos Zambrano will go 12-8 with a 3.60 ERA and Ted Lilly will finish 11-8 with a 3.76 ERA.

James has Bradley listed with the Cubs in 2010, but the outfielder most likely will be doing that somewhere else.

* Akinori Iwamura is about to be traded, but not to the Cubs. The Rays reportedly dealt the second baseman to the Pirates on Tuesday for reliever Jesse Chavez. Some reports had the Cubs interested in Iwamura, who batted .290 for Tampa Bay.

-- Carrie Muskat<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->