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OK, another baseball season is over. Which means Cubs fans officially can start waiting till next year — if they haven’t already started.
The 2011 season was something of a bust for Cubs fans.
With the St. Louis Cardinals completing a comeback for the ages by beating the Texas Ranger 6-2 in Game 7 Friday night at Busch Stadium, fans — well, other than those of the Cardinals — can begin to focus immediately on 2012. Which is where the accompanying photo of Jennifer Hugunin in a Chicago Cubs top comes in. A little something to tide some fans over till spring training. Or at least until Cubs Convention.
With the Cubs bringing in Theo Epstein as president of baseball operations, plus his hand-picked additions of Jed Hoyer at general manager and Jason McLeod as head of scouting/player development, there is some cause for hope among Cubs Nation. Then there is the possibility that Ryne Sandberg may replace Mike Quade as manager. More theoretical cause for hope.
The major area that needs change: the big-league roster. For the sake of speculation, let’s say the Cubs go after Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, a free agent. Let’s even say the Cubs sign him. They will have improved and weakened St. Louis simultaneously. The Cubs also will have taken on a huge contract that will make player development — and of the quick to the major leagues variety — a necessity. Unless the Ricketts family is willing to have an increased payroll — and that seems unlikely.
The Cubs could go after Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder, also a free agent and one who might be less costly than Pujols. Let’s even say the Cubs sign him. They will have improved and weakened Milwaukee simultaneously. Losing Fielder would seem more of a blow to the Brewers than losing Pujols would seem to the Cardinals.
Yes, the Cardinals offense likely would be diminished. Then again, they also have starter Adam Wainwright, who missed the season because of injury, coming back as a No. 1-type pitcher.
In a world in which Ryan Theriot is the leadoff hitter in a Game 7 of a World Series and is on the winning team, it might be time to ponder possibilities beyond belief. Such as the Cubs in their first World Series (1945) and actually winning their first Series crown since 1908.
With the new regime in place at Wrigley Field and chances for immediate improvement in the field might be lead to a case of something more than:”Wait till next season.” Cubs faithful might want to start thinking a little bit about: “Wait till next offseason.”
And so we bid farewell to the 2011 baseball season and look ahead — to what exactly is unclear. There is a certain melancholy to having no more baseball for the next few months. Speaking of melancholy, is there any better way for fans — Cubs variety in particular — to say goodbye to the 2011 campaign than by the classic tune featuring Steve Goodman: