Current Actions Setting Cubs Up for Failure in 2012

Nobody from the Chicago Cubs had much to say after they dropped the last game of the season against the San Diego Padres. After all, when the team loses 91 of 162 games, there are not a lot of spins that can be made: The team was a failure. It was something Cubs fans are used to.

Carrie Muskat has posted an article at MLB.com titled "Dempster's year comes full circle in loss to Padres ." The details of the game are not important. The "positioning" and commentary of different players is important and I believe reflect certainly problems with the Cubs and perhaps baseball in general.

What about Ryan Dempster? Dempster had a good season last year and was rewarded handsomely for it. In fact, he has a $14 million option for next year. He will go home and, as Muskat's article says, decide over the winter what road to take based on what the Cubs want to do.

He gave up a three-run homer and grand slam in this last game against the Padres. Further, Dempster had a 10-14 record with a 4.80 ERA. Still, a lot of money is scheduled to come his way.

Carlos Pena would like to remain a Cub but was only signed for a year. My question is what type of team commitment can a player have for a year? After all if the team does poorly and he's gone the traces of failure are gone as well.

Aramis Ramirez was the Cub who probably did the best job but the team will probably lose him it has made no move to negotiate with him, in large of the absence of a general manager.

The issue of no GM is a huge one. The commentary coming from the Cubs organization suggests there will be no hurry to fill the position. That means that over the summer when negotiations occur and players/coaches are wondering what is going to happen, the club is paralyzed -- no one will know what is going to happen in 2012 until the last minute.

Unfortunately as long as Chicago Cubs fans fill the bleachers for every game, the organization doesn't have to worry about any form of accountability. Once again they are setting the team up for a losing season in 2012.

References:

MLB.com Website, Carrie Muskat, "Dempster's year comes full circle in loss to Padres"

MLB.com website, "Ryan Dempster Statistics"