Spring training is starting this week. I have seen some of the early analysis about the division and the Cubs’ chances in it. I am surprised that the media has decided that the Cubs are the favorite to win their division. As a Cub fan, I know better. The Cubs should never really be favored to win; whatever curse they have is alive and well.
I think the favorite to win this division is Milwaukee. They have great young talent in Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks, and J.J. Hardy. Things will have to go riht for their pitching to be good enough, but that isn’t so hard to imagine. Last year, they fought us to the end without Ben Sheets there for a full season. One of these years, the Brewers will win the division because Sheets stayed healthy for a full year and they found just enough pitching to surround him with.
Baseball has shown time and again that teams with young skilled hitters are winners. Some examples are last year’s Dbacks and Rockies. Every few years, the Cubs win the division because the competitors were all having a down year together. That was true in 2007. The Brewers were not quite ready to take that next step. The next step is harder in organizations that have gone so many years without success as have the Brewers.
What the Cubs have done this offseason has not impressed me (except Fukudome). I am really excited about our new import.
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