Unlike past years, when we’ve won ( or at least thought we’d win ) on the strength of our pitching, this year is different. The Cubs, once again, are going to be a lopsided team. Only this time, the batting lineup is going to have to carry us.

Pray for someone on the pitching staff to step up, because after Carlos Zambrano, we’ve got two very average and very overpaid veterans in Lily and Marquis, injury question marks in Prior and Wood, and then the 2nd year players who are still unproven.

These second year arms, I believe, is where the fate of the 2007 Cubs is going to lie. Hopefully, one or two of them will have a break out season … I really liked Marmol last year — he came up with what I thought looked like a live arm and a lot of composure. His stats at the end of the season, though, surprised me. 5-7 with a 6.08 ERA? I guess he had some good outings mixed with some where he got shelled.