2002 roster had Cub immortals like the ill-fated prodigy Todd Hundley, 6-finger Alfonsesca, (unfortunately he stayed) and Crime dog McGriff, in short they were not only unproductive and highly paid but also locker room poison assassins. Needless to say the team was more than disappointing, winning less than 70 games. That winter Hendry traded one very bad contract for two disappointing veteran contracts (Grudz who ended up re-claiming his career for another 5 years) and 1B Eric Karros. More than the statistical change that both veterans had in 2003, both players contributed mightily in the make up of the team and locker room. 

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The season was a brutal effort to watch as this team, rarely played as one, even though its apparent talent and some individual performances were there, most were not really. I think I knew it when Reed Johnson stated the obvious projection in mid-July saying that now that they reached first place the players can begin playing as a team and not seeking individual results. That actually never materialized.

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Captain Obvious holds that: Cubs and Cards are tied where both are 9 games over .500 (Cubs have 35% of the season remaining while the Cards have 33% of the season left.) These are the contenders. Both teams are 1.5 games behind the wild card leader (Colorado the Cubs next opponent where they are 12 games over .500), where San Francisco sits in between the Cards and Cubs. 

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It appears the offense for the most part has been resurrected scoring 93 runs since the All Star Break leading the team to a 11-4 break out. The starting pitching despite injuries has been there all year where a rookie surprise in Wells has stabilized the stars of Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster and Harden. Adding a young veteran in Gorzelanny will hopefully keep the situation ordered until Lilly returns later this month, hopefully fully recovered. The issue is the bullpen isn't it?

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Peter Gammons in his blog today made that statement in discussing the Indians dismantling a team that once was on the brink of the WS just a year and a half ago, the startling statement jumped off the page for me.  In fact here is the accounting where again let us not get the full facts get in front of a nice hyperbole.

1. New York Yankees      $201.449M     (+2.5)   AL EAST           1st
   
2. New York Mets             $135.773M      (-9.5)   NL EAST           4th
   
3. Chicago Cubs              $135.050M     (+0.5)   NL Central        1st
   
4. Boston Red Sox          $122.696M     (-2.5)     AL EAST            2nd ----1st in WC
   
5. Detroit Tigers               $115.085M     (+2.0)    AL Central        1st
   
6. Los Angeles Angels   $113.709M     (+3.0)    AL WEST          1st
   
7. Philadephia Phillies   $113.004M     (+6.0)    NL EAST           1st
   
8. Houston Astros            $102.004M     (-4.0)      NL Central       T3rd
   
9. LosAngeles Dodgers $100.458M    (+7.0)     NL WEST          1st
10. Seattle Mariners           $98. 904M       (-8.0)      AL WEST          3rd

13. St. Louis Cardinals     $88.528M        (-0.5)      NL Central        2nd----3rd in WC

14. SF Giants                     $82.528M        (-7.0)      NL WEST          2nd ----1st WC

18. Colorado Rockies     $75.201M         (-8.5)      NL WEST          3rd------WC

22. Texas Rangers          $66.646M         (-3.0)      AL West              2nd----WC

But Gammons point is well taken outside the Mets in that the top seven teams in payroll have claims right now on the 6 playoff spots and the top nine have claims on the 7 of 8 playoff spots. This tells me much as it should you. Spend money and your chances increase greatly. Only the Mets, Astros, Mariners [and Atlanta, Chicago White Sox]. Yes the ChiSox and Braves are still in the division races but right now both are in 3rd place to teams that spent even less than them. My question is why didn't the Astros sell once the Cubs series ended.