All-Star home field reminder

The National League won its first all-star game in what seems like nearly 20 years, and it was everything a Cubs fan could wish for. In that decisive inning which decided the game Marlon Byrd came up with a runner on first and third. I leaned over to my brother and said. "perfect, runner in scoring position with 2 outs and a Cub is at the plate." Byrd promptly went down 0-2 at which point he fought back against the White Sox lefty hard thrower Matt Thorton. After watching a couple of high fastballs in the 97-98 mph range, Marlon worked his way to a walk which prolonged the inning for Brian McCann. McCann then drove a screaming line drive to the wall in right scoring all three runners and eventually giving the NL a 3-1 lead. Byrd of course scored the final run on McCann's hit and my brother's and I jumped as we were filled with a false sense of uphoria watching this game. Later on in the 9th inning Marlon came up huge again. With a runner on 1st, there was a short pop to right field, with Byrd charging hard David Ortiz (on first) had to hold half way. The ball dropped in front of Byrd, however knowing Ortiz was inbetween 1st and 2nd Bryd turned and gunned a strike into 2nd to cut down Ortiz, which ended up being a very important out.

Hours after the NL's win, reality sunk in for Cubs fans, or at least those that dared to watch the all-star game. That reality is the Cubs team that came out of Spring Training will not be close to the team that finishes the year. While watching all of the all-star's in the back of my mind is always, "why don't we ever have those players?" I, like all Cubs fans, am ever optimistic that soon we will have some of "those players."

Here are a list of some players that will be dangled out there to anyone that will listen to the Cubs GM Jim Hendry:

Derrek Lee 1B
Ryan Theriot 2B/SS
Jeff Baker IF
Xaiver Nady OF/1B
Mike Fontenot IF
Kosuke Fukudome OF
Ted Lilly P
Carlos Zambrano P

The Cubs, knowing that none of their players have produced up to standards, will likely trade any of these players for prospects. Of these prospects there will be no one that you have ever heard of, however this paves the way for the Cubs to aqucire the next Hanley Ramirez, or the next Ubaldo Jiminez through trades. When you attempt to move players with the names of a Derrek Lee, or even Ted Lilly, you have the opportunity to build your system, which will eventually make your team better. These trades can also bring valuable players in which the Cubs can use to lure other bigger stars back into the organization through trading in the years to come.

I think anyone would be hard pressed to say that the Cubs will compete in 2011, but with the opportunity to move some of these players this team could be a contender in 2012 and beyond. So as a Cubs fan, and the ever optimist that all real Cubs fans are, this could bring the players that this team needs to be a competitor, as well as bring the coveted World Series back to the North Side.