Season in Review: Chicago Cubs

2013 Record: 66-96 - Home Record: 31-50 - Road Record: 35-46 Record by Month - April: 10-16 - May: 13-14 - June: 12-15 - July: 14-13 - August: 8-20 - September: 9-18 Longest Winning Streak: 5 Longest Losing Streak: 6 2013 Salary: $104,150,726 2013 Attendance: 2,642,682 (7th of 15)

Summary
.For the first 4 months of the season, the Cubs played close to .500 baseball before going 17-38 in the final 2 months of the season. They needed real growth from players such as Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo, but instead saw frightening regression from both. The Cubs also continued to rid the team of seemly every veteran presence on the team as they continue their rebuild. The season ended with Manager Dale Sveum being fired

Transactions
Traded Alberto Gonzalez to the New York Yankees. Received player to be named or cash. Traded Drew Carpenter to the Colorado Rockies. Received future considerations Traded Ian Dickson (minors) to the Washington Nationals. Received Henry Rodriguez. Traded Brent Lillibridge to the New York Yankees. Received player to be named or cash. Traded Hisanori Takahashi to the Colorado Rockies. Received player to be named. Traded Steve Clevenger and Scott Feldman to the Baltimore Orioles. Received Jake Arrieta, Pedro Strop and cash. Traded Carlos Marmol and cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Received Matt Guerrier. Traded Scott Hairston, cash and player to be named to the Washington Nationals. Received Ivan Pineyro (minors) and player to be named

Traded Matt Garza to the Texas Rangers. Received a player to be named later, C.J. Edwards (minors), Justin Grimm and Mike Olt. The Texas Rangers sent Neil Ramirez (minors) (August 23, 2013) to the Chicago Cubs to complete the trade Traded Alfonso Soriano and cash to the New York Yankees. Received Corey Black (minors) Traded Guillermo Moscoso to the San Francisco Giants. Received player to be named or cash Traded David DeJesus to the Washington Nationals. Received player to be named or cash

Offense
Total Runs Scored: 606 (14th out of 15) Average Runs: 3.7 Offensive WAR: 13.3 Lineup (WAR) C: Welington Castillo (4.4) 1B: Anthony Rizzo (2.6) 2B: Darwin Barney (-0.5) SS: Starlin Castro (-0.6) 3B: Luis Valbuena (1.6) LF: Alfonso Soriano (0.8) CF: David DeJesus (1.6) RF: Nate Schierholtz (1.4) Best Offensive Player: Welington Castillo (.274/8/32) BA Leader: Welington Castillo (.274) HR Leader: Anthony Rizzo (23) RBI Leader: Anthony Rizzo (80) SB Leader: Alfonso Soriano (10) OBP: Welington Castillo (.349) SLG: Nate Schierholtz (.470) OPS: Nate Schierholtz (.770)

Pitching
Total Runs Allowed: 689 (10th out of 15) Average Runs Allowed: 4.3 Pitching WAR: 10.5

Rotation/Bullpen (WAR) 1: Jeff Samardzija (1.0) 2: Travis Wood (4.4) 3: Edwin Jackson (-1.3) 4: Scott Feldman (0.9) 5: Matt Garza (1.5) RP: Carlos Villanueva (1.4) CL: Kevin Gregg (0.5) Best Pitcher: Travis Wood (9-12/3.11/144) Wins: Travis Wood (9) ERA: Travis Wood (3.11) Saves: Kevin Gregg (33) Innings: Jeff Samardzija (213.2) SO: Jeff Samardzija (214)

Manager
Dale Sveum (fired) Career Record: 134-202 (Brewers, Cubs)

Three Up/Three Down

+ Minors is stacked with talent ready to contribute + Theo Epstein was able to bring the Red Sox a World Series Title, why not the Cubs + Wrigley Field to get $500 million in renovations - Make it 105 years without a World Series - Still need to find a manager - Starlin Castro contributed negatively to his team, not good for a hopeful franchise cornerstone

References
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2013.shtml http://deadspin.com/2013-payrolls-and-salaries-for-every-mlb-team-462765594 http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2013/index.jsp?c_id=cle#list=cle