Expectations appear high for the 1998 Chicago Cubs. The revamped lineup offers a ray of hope for victory-starved fans. Possible achievements notwithstanding, here are some safe predictions that you can take to the bank for the coming season:
– Sammy Sosa will lead the league in strikeouts and post-homer waves to his mother.
– Ron Santo will breathlessly utter “it’s outta here” a minimum of 30 times.
– New star reliever Rod Beck will blow several ninth-inning four-run leads.
– Visiting fans from Iowa will continue to be appalled by Wrigley Field’s quaint parking facilities.
– Talk-show pundits once again will wonder how the Cubs outdrew the White Sox by 200,000 admissions.
– In several post-game interviews, Manager Jim Riggleman will say, “We sure had our chances to win it.”
– In late September, hopeful Cubs officials will state that “expectations are really high for 1999!”
