1. Starlin Castro will steal 25 bases.
Castro, known for his raw speed, didn't have much luck stealing bases at the Major League level in 2010. Being thrown out eight out of 18 tries and being picked off multiple times, it was clear Castro has some work to do when it comes to knowing when to run and how to recognize pitcher pickoff moves. This is something Mike Quade and his staff will surely work on in Spring Training, however, because Castro's speed may be the only real speed on this team.
Byrd is known for his great clubhouse chemistry and attitude towards the game, and his fielding range in center field is outstretched by very few. Clearly this sets a great example for young teams looking for a leader. And although Byrd's contract with the Cubs runs through 2012, I see him being traded in most scenarios the Cubs could run into this season. If the Cubs are well out of contention, he will be dealt at the deadline in July. If the Cubs hang around and hover near .500, he will last the season but be traded in the offseason to beef up the pitching or veterans in the field. If the Cubs win the division and play very well all season long, he will probably stick around. But as we know, that's highly unlikely. Why would the Cubs want to trade Byrd? Because center fielder Brett Jackson, the Cubs' 2009 1st Round Draft Pick, is rapidly on his way towards the Majors. Jackson's five tool ability makes him the perfect fit for the center field at Wrigley Field. There probably isn't room for both Jackson and Byrd in this town.
3. Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, and Matt Garza will combine for 45 wins.
In the rotation for a full season barring injury, all three are locks for 10 wins. Garza will be moving to the National League and out of the hitter-happy AL East, meaning he should only get better. Considering he already wins 15 games in that AL East, there's no reason why he shouldn't in the NL Central. Ryan Dempster also had a 15-win season in 2010, his first since 2008 but only the third in his career. Dempster has never had a stretch of three seasons as dominant as the last three in his career, and actually posted a career high in K/9 innings at his 2010 age of 33. He should be able to get there. Carlos Zambrano for 15 wins? I know it sounds like a stretch. But Zambrano learned how to pitch last season; like actually learned to locate. His fastball might top out at 90mph on a given night, but unlike earlier years, he can still win with that. Keep that in mind heading into this season, and I see these three being an a-okay trio at the top of the rotation.
4. The 2012 Cubs will make the playoffs.
It's as simple as that. Although Carlos Pena is a free agent after 2011, this could mean the Cubs will want him back on a long term deal or, more likely, the Cubs will go after free agent Prince Fielder. Either move should give the Cubs enough to contend in 2012. 2009 1st Round Draft Pick Brett Jackson should be in the Majors at some point in 2012, and he will be a special player who should make an impact immediately. Another year of progression for Starlin Castro, who should be a star by then, will also help. The Cubs' strong farm system, still strong despite dealing three of its top ten prospects to Tampa Bay in the Garza trade, has many pieces that will be contributing soon.
The scrappy Theriot isn't hard to miss, but his radio appearance on a St. Louis radio show was. Theriot, just sucking up to Cardinals fans upon arrival, said that it felt great to "finally be on the right side" of the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry. While it was no specific attack on the Cubs, Cubs players took offense to it. Mike Quade is going to get his squad more emotionally pumped than Lou Piniella did, and retaliation to Theriot's comments could be an excuse for these Cubs to give the Cardinals a wake-up call and send a message that it isn't just St. Louis and Cincinnati for the division title.
6. By a wide margin, Kosuke Fukudome will lead the lead in bench warming, even if he is traded at the deadline.
Tyler Colvin didn't show us all of his potential in 2010 and became less effective at the plate as the season went on. Colvin will continue to develop and have an even better season in 2011. While Fukudome can get on base, this is pretty much all he offers offensively. That is a highly-regarded trait at the Trade Deadline, however, so he could be moved for his defense and on-base percentage. Colvin's play will demand starting everyday while Reed Johnson actually offers more defensively than Fukudome does, making Fukudome dispensable.
7. These Cubs will prove that they actually do have emotions, and will show them.
This ties in to #5 as well. The 2010 Cubs, for most of the season, appeared to be many of the 'living dead'. The Cubs were on pace to lose well over 90 games, and yet with the exception of Carlos Zambrano there was no frustration to be seen on or off the field from the players. This showed the fan base that the players didn't care enough, and the fans responded by not coming to games.
It's already clear that second base will be a major offensive weakness for the Cubs, and two below average hitters won't cut it. The plan is to play DeWitt against righties, Baker against lefties. It won't work because DeWitt can't hit enough to sustain a starting job (or platoon for that matter) and Baker's power contributions probably will be few and far between. For a hitter like Baker who can hit for power when he gets in a roll, it's hard to build an base of consistency when you play around every other day but could go five days without playing.
9. You will have a sudden urge to splurge for that $15 replica helmet stuffed to the brim with loaded nachos.
See? Your mouth is watering already. Whether the Cubs are winning or not, there's nothing like a nice distraction. The food options at Wrigley Field are, slowly, getting better. And if you haven't tried this monster bowl yet, do it just once. It's more experience than food, and hey, it's a darn good conversation starter.
10. The Cubs will finish at .500 or above, but miss the playoffs.
The Cubs have talent there; the key will be getting a swagger back. The whole 'Sweet Lou' and 'It's Gonna Happen' swagger of 2008 took a huge hit with the playoff loss to the Dodgers and was gone after a depressing 2009 season. There was little to no swagger of the 2010 Cubs and this is something every winning team needs. These Cubs will be younger than teams before, and young players bring energy. This energy could by what the Cubs are fueled by. The talent the Cubs do have is not stronger than that of the Reds, Cardinals, or even Brewers. But we haven't seen the potential of hardly any of the prospects yet, and these Cubs could go anywhere. If I have to make a prediction, I say they're a .500 team.
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