Spring training is supposed to be about public relations, fan service and hope for the season. Everyone believes a team has a chance to be successful. Championship is the goal. Players and managers feed the press the public relations that things will be different. The team is improved. We will compete. Anything can happen. The good vibes are supposed to translate into home ticket sales.
But for the lower tier teams, mere improvement is the reality. A harsh reality.
And it appears that the Cubs are looking ahead . . . to 2014.
Manager Dale Sveum basically said that yesterday, when he remarked that another wholesale roster sale at the July trade deadline is probably going to happen. "That's part of the
business," Sveum said. "If your team is out of it, to start building and
getting a healthier organization, unfortunately or fortunately, that's
part of the business. Hopefully, we don't have to worry about that.
Hopefully, we're buying people."
Fans are not buying that the Cubs will be competitive this year. The Cubs look to finish last in the NL Central. Most of the new players have not impressed so far. Scott Baker has yet to throw a pitch. Matt Garza tweeked his side muscle in a set back. Carlos Villanueva's first outing on the mound was a disaster. Even longshot Dontrelle Willis' comeback lasted only 7 pitches before injury.
Last year, the Cubs dealt Ryan Dempster, Paul Maholm, Geovany
Soto and Reed Johnson for prospects. One can already begin putting together The List of assets to be traded in July if healthy: Garza, Baker, Feldman, Marmol, DeJesus, Soriano and Hairston.
