This won't be a shock to you, but you should know it's really frickin' cold in Wrigley Field these days. Sure, alot of it has to do with the weather. It is winter you know. But alot of that bitter cold feeling has to do with the team's off-season moves. Nothing too earth-shattering, except the trading away of Milton Bradley, and for that reason Cubs fans aren't exactly high on the upcoming season. Expectations are low in Cubdom, the Cubbie kool aid has too much sugar, my dear, Ronnie Woo Woo needs a cleaner uniform. St.Louis seemingly kept the same horses it had last year, (they did lose Mark DeRosa to San Fran, where he will ironically be a teammate of White Sox fan favorite Arron Rowand) and those horses took them to a divison title. Plus it doesn't help hearing how Dusty Baker's Cincinatti Reds have improved big time. If you ask the average Cubs fan they'll tell you that the Cubs did nothing this off-season. Boo to that theory.

Truth is while the Cubs seemingly did nothing, they didnt have to. Just like in all great relationships, its the little things that you do that make things work. The Cubs, thanks to new owners the Ricketts family, has done just that. While the spending has been limited, there really isn't anyone you'd want to throw your entire checkbook at. And in turn the moves that have been made have been to plug up potential and past potholes in pervious roads to the title.

The Ricketts have/are in the process of making Wrigley great again...which apparently starts at the bathrooms. Other upgrades are to come, but for now that's the most pressing need, much like trading away Bradley was during the winter. They could have gotten a bag of balls and 3 sheep for him, and in pitcher Carlos Silva, they may have gotten just that. Anything...anything at all Silva gives you is a bonus. But hey, let's ave all my Silva jokes for the Cubs pitching article, shall we?

The corners are covered by Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez. Just in case there's an injury, which seems to happen every year, they have quality replacements in Micah Hoffpauir and new signee Chad Tracy. Both are versatile players who canplay several positions if need be, yet the team needs a big season by both of their starting cornermen if they plan on going anywhere come October.  As for the middle of the infield, expect familiar faces in Ryan Theriot, Mike "chicken" Fontenot, and Jeff Baker, who came via trade last season and produced well. So why didn't the Cubs go out and try to trade for a quality 2nd baseman, you ask? Well the long and short answer of it all lies with Starlin Casstro. Castro is currently a shortstop with the Double AA Tennessee Smokies, and is considered the top prospect in the Cubs farm system. There is hope that if Fontenot and Baker falter, much like his counterpart on the southside, Gordon Beckham, Castro will be major league ready when his time comes, posiibly by mid-season.

Questions about the outfield were answered in the signing of former Yankee Xavier Nady. Sure, as of right now he can't throw a ball 100 feet, but again, its winter. Coming off Tommy John surgery, Nady always seems to have some sort of health issues during the season, which makes him a perfect Cub. I see a Mark Prior towel drill in his near future. His numbers show potential however, and a great season by him could make things alot easier for the rest of the line-up. Marlon Byrd and Sam Fuld will have to make up for the hard work and hustle of Reed Johnson, who may have over-priced himself this off-season making his return a no go.The Cubs also pursued former White Sox Jermaine Dye, but he didnt want to be a part-time player on a team full of part-time outfielders. Success lies within the potential break-out seasons from both Fukudome and Soriano...and make no mistake, the Cubs need Soriano to have a huge comeback season!

Mike Kincaide