As much as I appreciated the Cub's 2003 Steve Bartman ending and the 2004 final weekend ending, it will be nice to not worry about the Cubs actually winning anything for the next 5 or 6 years. I see a rebuilding in their future.

As much as I appreciated the Cub's 2003 Steve Bartman ending and the 2004 final weekend ending, it will be nice to not worry about the Cubs actually winning anything for the next 5 or 6 years. I see a rebuilding in their future.

I don't see Kotex Boy taking this too well.

 

Personally I don't think they'll rebuild. They've got too big of a payroll to start playing all of their young players.

Personally I don't think they'll rebuild. They've got too big of a payroll to start playing all of their young players.

They have some good minor leaguers that are going to need playing time soon if they plan on ever winning again.

They have some good minor leaguers that are going to need playing time soon if they plan on ever winning again.

 

And they will have AT LEAST $20 million in free payroll to spend next year. Closer to $30 if Nomar isn't resigned. Unfortunately, the Cubs will be fine.

Even assuming that Maddux gets dealt and Wood either keeps sucking or gets dealt, they have a lot of decent pieces. Zambrano and Prior clearly aren't going anywhere, which is a nice start. I know, Prior gets hurt too much, but this injury was pretty freakish, as was the collision with Giles. Lee obviously isn't going anywhere either. While I doubt he'll keep hitting like this, he should be good for about .280/30/100 every year. I also expect Ramirez to get back on track whenever he gets over this back thing. Some may be skeptical, but he has a ton of talent and I personally think he is over the chronic underacheiving from early in his career. They also have some decent younger players. They can sign some FA to fill their holes. Of course this is assuming that their goal is to win, which in the past they have shown is not true. I expect them to unload some players but not everyone and fill in with non-descript replacements, making them just competitive enough to appease the lemmings.

the cubs won't be in a complete rebuilding stage for awhile but their best shot at a championship was in the past 2 years no doubt. they'll have trouble putting together a team like those again.

And they will have AT LEAST $20 million in free payroll to spend next year.  Closer to $30 if Nomar isn't resigned.  Unfortunately, the Cubs will be fine.

Exactly. I think even if they aren't able to sign the guys they want, they'll just trade some of their farm guys to use up that free payroll.