Derrek Lee sent Michael Barrett a text message on his cell phone the other day reminding him of what to expect during the long road ahead.
“He [said]: `This is our year,'” Barrett said Friday on the opening day of the Cubs Convention. “That’s the way we feel, and I know that’s the way the fans feel. We’re going to do everything we can to meet those expectations.”
Usually teams that finish with the worst record in the National League spend January talking about rebuilding toward respectability. But coming off a 96-loss season, the 2007 Cubs are making bold statements about turning into instant contenders, and they are putting it on the record for posterity’s sake.
“I can promise you two things,” general manager Jim Hendry told a packed ballroom at the Chicago Hilton. “We’re going to be good, and we’re going to stay good.”
New manager Lou Piniella compared the Cubs with a certain NFL underdog that shocked the world in less than 12 months.
“Look, the perfect example of what we’re talking about here is the New Orleans Saints,” Piniella said. “They were 3-13 last year, and on Sunday they’re playing for a trip to the Super Bowl. That’s how quickly things can turn around in sports, and that’s what we’re going to look forward to this summer.”
The biggest cheers during the introductions went to Piniella, Cubs icon Ron Santo and a trio of popular players: Lee, Carlos Zambrano and newcomer Alfonso Soriano.
There was little actual news to report on the first day of the convention. Zambrano has a new perm and wants Barry Zito-type money, Mark Prior is throwing and Felix Pie will get a shot in center field this spring.
