Cubbie Hole

Chicago Cubs 2007 Record: 85-77 (NL Central Division winners)
2008 Prediction: 2nd in NL Central


In

• Kosuke Fukudome (Japan) - signed to a 4 year, $48 million contract - 12/19/07
  
• Jon Lieber (PHI) - signed to a 1 year, $3.5 million contract - 1/16/08
  
• Omar Infante (DET) - acquired for Jacque Jones - 11/12/07
  
• Kerry Wood (CHC) - signed to a 1 year, $4.2 million contract - 11/26/07
  
• Scott Eyre (CHC) - 2008 player option exercised - 11/7/07
  
• Daryle Ward (CHC) - $1.2 million mutual option exercised - 11/3/07
  

Out

• Omar Infante and Will Ohman (ATL) - traded for Jose Ascanio - 12/4/07
  
• Cliff Floyd (TAM) - signed to a 1 year, $2.75 million contract with a club option for 2009 - 12/17/07
  
• Jason Kendall (MIL) - signed to a 1 year, $4.25 million contract with an option for 2009 - 11/28/07
  
• Mark Prior (SD) - signed to a 1 year, $1 million contract - 12/26/07
  
• Angel Pagan (NYM) - traded for Corey Coles and Ryan Meyers - 1/5/08
• Steve Trachsel (BAL) - signed to a minor league contract - 2/11/08
  

Remaining Free Agents

• Wade Miller
  

Projected Opening Day Starters
C - Geovany Soto
1B - Derek Lee
2B - Mark DeRosa
3B - Aramis Ramirez
SS - Ryan Theriot
LF - Alfonso Soriano
CF - Felix Pie
RF - Kosuke Fukudome

Projected Opening Day Rotation
Carlos Zambrano
Ted Lilly
Jason Marquis
Rich Hill
Jon Lieber

Improvements: The Cubs signed Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome to be the left-handed power hitter the Cubs lacked last season. His role to will be to split up the right-handed bats of Soriano, Lee and Ramirez in the batting order, giving the Cubs a very balanced 3-4-5-6 in the lineup.
Lack of improvements: Other than Fukudome, the Cubs weren't able to cash in on any other big name free agent or trade piece (a feat that is hard to accomplish after handing out around $300 million to free agents last offseason). But the Cubs did not upgrade their catching, and will rely on youngster Geovany Soto, who only had 54 at-bats in 2007, to do most of the catching duties.
Keys to success: Wood is going to have to show that he can still be the dominant pitcher he was destined to be, before injuries ruined his career. He has the potential to be a terrific closer for a good team, but he's going to have to stay healthy for the majority of the season for this to happen. And can Fukudome adapt to American baseball? If not, the Cubbies might want to go an hibernate for the summer.