2012 Chicago Cubs Predictions

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From 2007-2009 the Chicago Cubs won two division titles and recorded at least 83 victories each season. Unfortunately, the Cubbies took a big step back in 2010, winning only 75 games to finish fifth in the division.

They did end the 2010 season on a 24-13 run under Mike Quade after Lou Piniella stepped down.  That finish gave them some hope heading into 2011, but it didn’t take long for that hope to be squashed.

The Cubs finished 2011 with another fifth place finish and a 71-91 record.  Theo Epstein has been brought in to be the savior, and he’s wasted no time getting the rebuilding project underway.

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Matt Garza (R) – Garza quietly turned in a quality season for a struggling club in 2011. He went 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA and recorded 197 strikeouts in 198 innings.

Ryan Dempster (R) – He’s not a No. 1 but can be a solid No. 2 or No. 3 on a lot of staffs in the league. He has won at least 10 games and logged at least 200 innings each of the past four years.

Travis Wood (L) – Wood endured a bit of a sophomore slump for Cincinnati in 2011 but the Cubs felt he was worth the gamble. He dazzled at times as a rookie, especially when he dealt a near-perfect game against Philadelphia in his third career start.

Paul Maholm (L) – Maholm’s 6-14 record for the Pirates in 2011 didn’t tell the story. His 3.66 ERA did.

Randy Wells (R) – Since going 12-10 with a 3.05 ERA as a rookie, Wells has taken a step back the past two seasons. He posted a 4.99 ERA last year. If Maholm or Wells are struggling, we could see the Cubs go with former Marlin Chris Volstad.

Closer: Carlos Marmol (R) – Marmol, who saved 34 games last season, has some nasty stuff but walks continue to be an issue.

Projected Lineup

Geovany Soto (Catcher) – Soto has taken a step back since batting .285 with 23 home runs and 86 RBIs in 2008 when took home NL Rookie of the Year honors. Still, he remains an asset in the lineup and a durable backstop. He hit 17 round trippers and drove in a total of 54 runs last year.

Bryan LaHair (First Base) – Last year’s Pacific Coast League MVP, who led the minors with 38 homers, batted .288 in the majors after a September call-up.

Darwin Barney (Second Base) – Barney quietly had a solid season for the Cubs, batting .276 with 23 doubles and 43 RBIs.

Ian Stewart (Third Base) – The Cubs are hoping they get the Ian Stewart who averaged 21.5 home runs and 65.5 RBIs for Colorado from 2009-2010.

Starlin Castro (Shortstop) – Castro led the NL with 207 hits while batting .307 with 36 doubles, nine triples, 10 home runs and 66 RBIs.

Alfonso Soriano (Left Field) – Soriano hit 26 homers and had 88 RBIs in 2011 but his .289 on-base percentage was atrocious.

Marlon Byrd (Center Field) – Byrd could be primed for a bounce back season after missing considerable time last season with a broken cheekbone. He hits for average (has batted at least .276 the past five seasons) and is a doubles machine.

David DeJesus (Right Field) – The Cubs are hoping DeJesus can find the form that saw him average 12.5 homers and 72 RBIs for Kansas City from 2008-2009.

Prediction4th Place NL Central: Though it’s a rebuilding year in Chicago, Epstein has quickly assembled a team capable of winning 75-80 games.  The Cubs are listed at +1600 to win the NL Central.

About the Author: Jimmy Boyd is known for his consistency. He's a proven winner in college and pro football, college and pro basketball and pro baseball. He finished as the No. 1 ranked MLB handicapper in 2007 by earning $1,000/game bettors $50,050. He also finished as the No. 1 ranked basketball handicapper in the 2008-09 season, profiting $1,000/game bettors 38,530. His basketball plays have banked $1,000/game bettors nearly $80,000 the last five years. Check out Jimmy's premium picks for tonight!
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