Chemistry is what its all about.

This is not a guarantee of success, but I do believe the Cubs will be a much better "TEAM" this year. The players they acquired this offseason such as Jeremy Burnitz, Jerry Hairston Jr., Chad Fox, Henry Blanco, etc. are all guys who know how to work and put the team ahead of their own interests. The guys who remain are all quieter, except for Latroy. The recent "injuries" to Prior and Wood are a good thing, because they have already lowered expectations, which in Cub Nation should never be that high. The offseason moves could be characterized as addition by subtraction, on paper the losses seem like they will hurt, here are some reasons why you can't only judge the players on statistcs. The guys they got rid of, such as Sosa, Alou, Mercker, etc. were not the best fit for what you would want in a team. Sosa, before he became a diva, was a hard-working player, don't know if what was the team or fame that motivated him but up until the last couple years he played to win. Ever since being hit in the head by a Solomon Torres fast ball, he has not been the same. Corking his bat, standing a mile away from the plate, he reverted back to the "Sam-me" of old. Alou, who I really believe is a great player, just could not stop complaining, mainly about the umpires. It may have been his frustration with the way the team was playing down the stretch, but still just keep your mouth shut, and let your bat do the talking. Kent Mercker was just a moron, who worried to much about the press coverage, and not enough about placing his pitches somewhere other than the heart of the plate. Enough negativity, this years Cubs, knock on Wood, are a group of guys who put the team ahead of their interests, and except of Latroy Hawkins, are very good at dealing with the press and avoiding unneccesary distractions. Peter Gammons seems to agree with me, if you are an ESPN Insider, check the article out here.