Being a Cubs Fan is Hard Work

Of course Mark Prior will probably be starting the season off on the DL; we wouldn't have it any other way. And there is no telling if Kerry Wood is that healthy. Granted, we do have the luxury of having Sergio Mitre, Ryan Dempster, and Glendon Rusch; all capable starters. But capable and Mark Prior are simply two different animals all together. It makes you wonder if Prior is going to be yet another one of the should of/could of. I mean the guy is arguably the best pitcher in the national league when healthy, but "when healthy" are the key words. If he's never healthy, then I really don't give a shit if he's the second coming of Christ; oh, woe is me.
The line-up seems pretty solid, the defense does not. Ramirez and Lee are solid at the corners, but Todd Walker and Nomar Garciapara are not exactly the threatning double play team-up one would hope for. Patterson is no Andrew Jones in centerfield, but he's got the speed to run down some fly's; if he only had the judgement to catch all of them. Harriston Jr. is the back-up, but wasn't he a second baseman in Baltimore. And in general it's nice to see how they traded Sosa for a player they're not even going to start. I assume Hollandsworth is going to be the main starter in left, oyvay! And while Burnitz is probably a defensive improvement in right, that's not why they got him. Over his career, Burnitz has been a homerun killer in Wrigley, but we all know how well that works when they start playing for the actual team. I know Chris knows what I'm talking about.
As far as hitting goes, who the hell knows? They'll hit some homeruns. Ramirez and Lee could both easily hit 40 Hr's and have a decent average, so they're solid. Patterson's gotten better at taking pitches and going for contact over power, but he has said many times he does not like to hit lead off, so that's not reassuring. Burnitz might belt out thirty, but only hit .218 or so. Michael Barret's got a solid bat, but I don't think he'll repeat his highs of last year. Garciapara just isn't the hitter he was a few years ago, and as far as Walker and Hollandsworth, who knows? Dusty Baker does have some good stuff on the bench to help him out though. Jason Dubois and Macias are very capable hitters, as is Harriston. I assume Tom Goodwin is starting off in triple-a, but he's a good bat to bring up with the inevitable injuries of either Ramirez or Garicapara. Not to metnion, Zambrano, Wood, and Rusch have a good enough bat to help themselves out when they start.
Don't get me wrong, I think they have a solid team; I just wish they didn't have the question marks going into the season. It's almost like the Titans last year; you knew either they were going to win a bunch or lose a bunch, and unfortunately it was the latter. I just hope it's the former for my Cubbies.
T-minus seven hours until the opening pitch. Looking forward to it.