A LOOK AHEAD FROM BEHIND

Here is a look at the Cubs 2014 Opening Day roster:

PITCHERS (12 + 3 DL)

11-Kyuji Fujikawa, RHP (15-Day DL)
29-Jeff Samardzija, RHP
33-Carlos Villanueva, RHP
36-Edwin Jackson, RHP
37-Travis Wood, LHP
39-Jason Hammel, RHP
40-James Russell, LHP
41-Jose Veras, RHP
46-Pedro Strop, RHP
49-Jake Arrieta, RHP (15-Day DL)
52-Justin Grimm, RHP
53-Wesley Wright, LHP
55-James McDonald, RHP (60-Day DL)
56-Hector Rondon, RHP
63-Brian Schlitter, RHP

CATCHERS (2)
12-John Baker
5-Welington Castillo

INFIELDERS (6)
13-Starlin Castro
15-Darwin Barney
24-Luis Valbuena
30-Mike Olt
44-Anthony Rizzo
64-Emilio Bonifacio

OUTFIELDERS (5)
6-Ryan Sweeney
19-Nate Schierholtz
20-Justin Ruggiano
21-Junior Lake
51-Ryan Kalish

WHO IS LEFT FOR 2015?

PITCHERS (15)

11-Kyuji Fujikawa, RHP
29-Jeff Samardzija, RHP
33-Carlos Villanueva, RHP
36-Edwin Jackson, RHP, on the rocks as a starter; may be gone or cut
37-Travis Wood, LHP, on the cusp of being traded or bullpenned
39-Jason Hammel, RHP, on second tour of combat duty with Cubs
40-James Russell, LHP
41-Jose Veras, RHP
46-Pedro Strop, RHP, key set up man
49-Jake Arrieta, RH, tries to put back-to-back successful seasons for first time in career
52-Justin Grimm, RHP, on the cusp of 5th starter or AAA
53-Wesley Wright, LHP
55-James McDonald, RHP
56-Hector Rondon, RHP, the quiet closer
63-Brian Schlitter, RHP, probably is the last man in the bullpen cuts

CATCHERS (2)
12-John Baker
5-Welington Castillo, will be traded since Montero and Ross are signed as catchers

INFIELDERS (6)
13-Starlin Castro, starting SS will feel some pressure from AAA Russell
15-Darwin Barney
24-Luis Valbuena
30-Mike Olt, the lowly caretaker of 3B until Bryant is called up
44-Anthony Rizzo, has to fight possible slump season
64-Emilio Bonifacio

OUTFIELDERS (5)
6-Ryan Sweeney, barely a 5th outfield candidate
19-Nate Schierholtz
20-Justin Ruggiano
21-Junior Lake, is probably out of the mix to make team
51-Ryan Kalish

HALF OF THE FIRST 25 MAN ROSTER WILL NOT BE WITH THE CUBS ON OPENING DAY 2015. This is another dramatic turnover of the roster by the Cubs, who continue to lack consistency in their daily lineups.

NO HOPE

After Matt Garza beat the Cubs 5-2, he spoke of his time with the Cubs.

CSNChicago reports that Garza stood at his locker and met with the media for less than three minutes. He insisted that this was just another game and that he was just trying to keep his mechanics in line and stick to the game plan. It was still enough time to deliver a few money quotes, because the Cubs still strike a nerve.

“It’s a lot of fun to win,” Garza said. “You go through three years of constantly hoping, you kind of run out of hope. You come to a team like this, where every day we’re going out to win. We’re not going out to hope to win.

“We’re going out with the attitude that we’re going to win. It’s a lot different. It brings up a lot more emotion, a lot better emotion than hope. It’s confidence. That’s what we’re playing with a lot right now.”

This is a constant drumbeat so far this year. Many different articles have quoted different players, including former Cubs, current Cubs and free agents that passed on the Cubs who all have put great emphasis on one thing: losing.

Jeff Samardzija must be channeling Garza about now. After three seasons of "rebuilding," the Cubs team as currently constructed is unwatchable. Fans have lost hope about the team even winning a series, let alone have a competitive record. Management and ownership does not seem to care, which adds to the depressing "no hope" bandwagon.

Gordon Wittenmyer of the Sun-Times was more harsh.

As if the Cubs have become baseball’s Alcatraz, where players do time until free agency or the inevitable trade while the lucky ones get reduced sentences by virtue of one-year flip contracts.

Just listen to Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Matt Garza’s advice to Jeff Samardzija, who will be on the trading block this summer.

“All I can tell him is keep pitching; pitch your way out of it,” said Garza, who was acquired by the Cubs in 2011 to help the team win, but instead endured the worst three-year stretch in franchise history. “Keep your eyes focused, your eyes straight ahead and just pitch. There’s nothing else you can do.”

When the Cubs could not sell out the most important day on their home schedule, Wrigley's 100th birthday party, the rest of the season will be down hill from there. Hope is the expectation and desire that something will happen in the future. But reality is a cruel knife that cuts through the misty dream fog of a Cub dynasty. There is nothing that bodes well to change the rut the Cubs team is currently mired in. The best pitcher in the Cubs system, C.J. Edwards, has come down with a shoulder injury. That is never good with a young pitcher with whippy mechanics. Observers now have concluded that Mike Olt is not a third baseman but a DH stumbling about the infield when he gets a chance to play. The Cubs bullpen continues to be a messy AAA turn style. Fan patience has gone the way of hope.