JEFF'S CHICAGO SPORTS BLOG - WILL JIM HENDRY DO MORE THIS OFF-SEASON?
YOU WON'T SEE THE CUBS DO MUCH THIS WINTER! 
Well Cub fans it might be another season of false hopes in 2008. With a disappointing exit from the playoffs Cub fans revel in what next season might bring but here come the obvious roadblocks. Jim Hendry says on the Cubs website that fans shouldn't expect a whole lot during the winter meetings/off season. He refers how he has to deal with the players the Cubs currently have and that he might look for another left-handed bat and some starting pitching.
This is frustrating for me as a life-long Cub fan since it was clear that although we can contend in a weak division we don't have a team that's good enough to make it to the World Series much less win it. The quick exit exposed the Cubs for who they are and made it pretty obvious that they were a product of a weak central division.
Wasn't it clear that we need a productive leadoff hitter and that Soriano should bat 5 or 6? Wasn't it clear that we need another Starting Pitcher we can count on? Wasn't it clear that we needed a left-handed bat in the middle of the line-up who could hit for average and power? Wasn't it clear that Ryan Dempster wasn't the closer we hoped for? Well, the Cubs made a feeble attempt to address this as they now have said that Dempster will be a starter for the Cubs and that Carlos Marmol, Bobby Howry and Kerry Wood will battle for the closer role. That's, of course, assuming the Cubs would resign Wood who Hendry indicated would be a priority for him to address.
I see a regular pattern with Hendry and the Cubs. They look at the weak division they're in and have made it a philosophy to say let's just compete for the division and if we can make a good trade in the stretch run so be it. Otherwise if we get into the playoffs you never know what can happen. Certainly the doubt provided by who will own the Cubs doesn't make this situation any better and again becomes a good excuse for the Cubs.
It's a shame because I really believe that Lou Piniella was told otherwise and now is realizing that this current organization is committed to excuses, false hopes and the idea/dream of a championship rather than a whole organizational commitment to being the best. YOUR THOUGHTS?
DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO SPORTS EDITOR,
JEFF ARDITO
