Go Go cubbies!

The temperature has risen, the snow has melted, and the NBA season is halfway done. These are signs of one thing, a new MLB season. Continued success for some franchises, a hope for a better tommorow by most franchises, falls from glory for others, and a hope for anything, something positive for that damned team on the Northside of Chicago. Yes, its time for the Cubs and Cubs' hopefuls to claim that "this is the year we win it all", "be better than the White Sox", and the most important claim of all, appoint a "savior." This proclamation or adornment has been fixated on the heads of a new player each year since Corky Romano a.k.a Sammy Sosa left the team. With this blessing of being called a "savior" or "leader", comes several responsibilities:

1) Bring Power

2)Bring Leadership

3)Make the all-star team

4) Put up better offensive numbers than whomever the power hitter is on the Cardinals

5)Show up in the crosstown series

6) and most importantly, Single handedly lift the organization/fan base/team/history of the cubs out of the abyss and back into the World Series

These expectations seem lofty to everyone except for anybody affiliated with the red, white, and blue on Addison!

Milton Bradley, Marlon Byrd, Nomar Garciaparra, Corey patterson, Aramis Ramirez, Derek Lee, Alfonso Soriano, are just some that have came close, never tried, or failed horribly at accomplishing these feats.

Bradley could never get along with teammates, coaches, front office, nor the fans and was immediately shipped away.Garciappara was beyond his prime, but was a favorite in the clubhouse. Patterson never reached his potential. Ramirez cant stay healthy enought to be a season long all star. Soriano is Soriano.

With the Brewers adding two strong arms to their rotation, the Cardinals squeezing at least one more year out of the best player in the league,and the Reds fresh off a playoff birth, its hard to see any silver lining in this upcoming season for the Cubbies. Hell they even have trouble winning against the Pirates.

As a fan that bleeds black and grey (thats a referrence to the great White Sox), i honestly hope that this current trio of heroes, Byrd, Castro, and Colvin, can make the 2011 Cubs a decent team. Not just relevant in NL Central , but also in entire Major League. It hurts my heart that we dont have any competition from a team that is 13 stops on the redline away. The Crosstown series still draws sell out crowds, but is missing the glamour which could be present if both teams were playoff teams.

Chicago's 2011 has been fun so far. We already had the Bears reach the NFC championship game the Bulls are on pace to be the 3rd seed in the Eastern conference, and more than likely the Sox locking up a playoff spot. (its so hard not to add my southside bias)

Hopefully, this season shows a much improved Cubs team. One that is competitive and makes them relevant not just in the crosstown series, but also in October.