National League Hitters Cry a Little Inside

The Mets landed Johan Santana pending agreement on a contract extention. This makes the Mets major players in the NL. I won't anoint them just yet. MLB seasons tend to dole out some wicked surprises every year. However, the Mets have clearly made a splash with this move (I assume they will get the contract situation squared away) and it certainly has to make some of the other NL contenders a little nervous.

The loudly voiced sentiment in Chicago is "for that price, why didn't the Cubs get him?" This is the perennial cry from the Cub faithful whenever a superstar gets moved or signs a free agent deal. The typical fan seems to think these things are just a matter of having Chicago executives decide they want something and it's a done deal. These same fans also continue to scream about how cheap the club is despite the evidence to the contrary in recent years (I'm not saying they spent well, but they spent).

Hendry seems to be indicating that the Cubs aren't done yet, but I think he is just expressing the usual thought that if something will improve the team and is doable, they will consider it (but I won't be surprised if something materializes). The Roberts rumors are fading fast and the Bedard situation continues to be a swirling cloud of dust in an empty field. I won't say that Santana in a Cub uniform wouldn't make me smile, but the fact that the Cubs were looking elsewhere doesn't turn me into a bitter anti-fan before spring training even starts.

I think the Cubs look better than they did last year. The naysayers disagree vehemently on this point. I look at the new bullpen version of Kerry Wood, Fukudome anchoring right field and legitimate competition for the 4 and 5 starter positions as big improvements.

The late inning pen situation looks outstanding and the offensive lineup will produce. If the Cubs break camp with DeRosa at second base, I don't see that as a negative. DeRosa was a gem last year. I like the competition Fuld provides Pie in center. A lineup with Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, and Fukudome is welcome.

I can hear you screaming from here. Soriano isn't a leadoff man! Fukudome will never hit for power! Lee had a down power year! Ramirez is fragile! Rich Hill, you have to be kidding me! Wood will never last the season! DeRosa isn't an everyday player! Theriot was awful in the back stretch! Soto?!?

Every team has questions. The Yankees haven't won every World Series despite the payroll and the talent. Injuries happen. Some players will underperform. Some will do the opposite.

As a fan, and not a victim of years of failure, I choose to see how the team can succeed. You can call that unrealistic, but where is the joy of admitting defeat in January? I know you are a better person, a better GM and a better talent evaluator than the Cub brass. You just choose to work at Joe's Tool and Die because you wanted to spend more time with the kids. Even knowing that, the unfulfilled dreams of fantasy general managers that would have swung the deal of Pie, Marshall and 4 cases of Old Style for Johan Santana are of little use to me.