A whole mess of things have to go right for a baseball team to contend. Then more luck must be in store for a successful postseason run.
And it all has to be supported by an owner's deep pocketbook.
So if Alfonso Soriano regains his power stroke, Carlos Zambrano finally pitches like a heavy-duty ace and the kiddie-corps bullpen doesn't implode, can general manager Jim Hendry go to new chairman Tom Ricketts in July to ask for flexibility in the $140 million payroll should a key player or two become available?
"I talk to Jim all the time," Ricketts said. "He knows if he has an idea that can improve the team, he can talk about it. People ask about the mid-season acquisitions. Typically they're not big-dollar acquisitions. It's usually just a piece. An extra veteran to fill in at a position.
"Jim is always working and we're always listening."
Sometimes those late-July pickups are critical. Hendry landed Aramis Ramirez and East Chicago's Kenny Lofton in perhaps his best-ever deal in 2003, the pair sparking the Cubs to within five outs of a World Series. If a similar pair is available in mid-summer, Ricketts won't lack for advice, as he's constantly stopped on the street already.
"I do meet a lot of fans," he said. "A lot of people walk up and say hello, which is terrific. Everyone in the family is a fan and we feel we're part of the fan base. A lot of people have good suggestions. A lot of them are good ones (about ballpark changes). A lot of suggestions for on-the-field changes aren't as easily to implement."
At least the Ricketts family doesn't hear the fan drumbeat for Soriano to be dropped from leadoff anymore. The owners' $136 million left-field burden is locked into the No. 6 lineup spot. Any improvement over Soriano's injury-wracked 20-homer, .241 season would give the Cubs a powerful middle of the order to complement Ramirez, Derrek Lee and newcomer center fielder Marlon Byrd.
But until the curveball-susceptible Soriano proves it at bat, he'll have a legion of doubters. One veteran scout said Soriano had a slower-than-desired swing in spring training and needs to consider using a lighter bat.
Without the clubhouse headache of Milton Bradley, the Cubs have more lineup depth with veteran Xavier Nady and rookie outfielder Tyler Colvin, who will have to prove his sensational spring training was not a Gary Scott redux.
Zambrano and batterymate Geovany Soto obviously are motivated for comeback seasons after shedding a combined 55 pounds over the winter. An in-shape, focused Zambrano could spearhead a quality Big Three rotation with Ryan Dempster and Ted Lilly, due back from shoulder-surgery rehab around April 19.
Two local products are crucial to the pitching staff.
Lefty Tom Gorzelanny, a one-time Lansing resident, starts the season in the rotation. He can keep his spot when Lilly returns by out-pitching right-hander Carlos Silva, the No. 4 starter, in his first three outings.
Meanwhile, Valparaiso's Jeff Samardzija has been shifted to a setup-relief role. A breakout season by the right-handed Samardzija could help the Cubs more easily get the ball to closer Carlos Marmol with three rookies populating the bullpen.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL | CUBS PREVIEW
Top Cubs
Manager: Lou Piniella.
Key coach: Hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo.
Lineup keys: First baseman Derrek Lee, third baseman Aramis Ramirez, left fielder Alfonso Soriano.
Starting rotation keys: Right-handers Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster, lefty Ted Lilly.
Bullpen keys: Closer Carlos Marmol, setup man Jeff Samardzija.
