The over/under for Cubs’ wins in 2012 is 73.5. The Cubs were 71-91 in 2011. Unless David DeJesus, Ian Stewart and Bryan LaHair have big seasons in 2012, the Cubs are going to have a hard time scoring runs. The Cubs should have a pretty solid starting rotation and back end of the bullpen in 2012, but they aren’t going to win many games if they can’t score. I don’t think the Cubs are any better than they were last year, so I would have to bet on the under.

The Cubs didn’t do a lot to improve the team over the winter. Adding Marlon Byrd and trading away Milton Bradley will likely give the Cubs a small upgrade offensively. The biggest keys offensively is getting catcher Geovany Soto to rebound and finding a way to keep Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano healthy all year long. Pitching wise I do like the top of the Cubs’ starting rotation with Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells. Ted Lilly is starting the year on the D.L. opening up the #5 spot in the rotation for Carlos Silva and that’s definitely not a good thing. I really like Carlos Marmol who is going to be a downright nasty closer for the Cubs this season but the bullpen really lacks any quality pitchers ahead of him in the pen. I see the Cubs finishing in 4th place in the N.L. Central this season and I would bet the under as I don’t see the Cubs being a .500 team in 2010.