Adidas golf apparel is an ever changing line of clothing. It seems as if it is always evolving. Their outerwear, footwear, tops and bottoms are constantly changing to meet the needs of PGA and amateur golfers across the world.

Adidas over the years have aggressively pushed themselves into the golf apparel industry at full force. Offering many different technologies that we will cover in this edition.

Formation- technology is form fitting engineering which is sport specific towards fit and comfort.

Climactic- technology is great at managing moisture on your body while providing breath ability

Climate- Is a fabrication that moves moisture away from the body and offers advanced evaporation. This fabric is a bit heavier and has an anti-microbial. It also works well in a cooler environment underneath another garment

Childproof – This fabric is great for the harsh environments offering breath ability in cool conditions and protection against snow, rain or wind. Look for Childproof to keep you tough under tough circumstances.

Tech Fit Power web – Incredible compression support the abs, back, thighs and more. Great for posture enhancing along with moisture sicking and breathes well too

Thermal Compression- Compression with warmth is the basic feature to this item. Jackets and under layers that offer superior warmth and posture enhancing

Climate Cotton – Finally a cotton that will keep you dry and wick moisture away from your body without sacrificing the great feel of cotton.

Climacteric – The beauty of wearing something lite and not bulky but is incredibly warm for the outside harsh environment
With all this being said how can you not a find a golf shirt, outerwear, pant or short from Adidas. There is something for everyone. If its harsh cold elements or a hot sticky day if you don’t have this technology in your closet you are missing out.

The golf shirt styles for Adidas this winter are bold colors but with great technology. Adidas this fall is offering a new line called “adipose.” This new golf shirt collection from Adidas is for the upper class golfer you is wanting to spend a bit more money for a higher end product. This new line offers a sanded jersey fabrication with stretch for added freedom of movement. The majority of this line is 90% Polyester / 10% Lycra with a tailored fit. Very subdue colors like black, tans and creams. I find this line more for the business man that wants to wear a nice collection of apparel to work and also be able to play golf in it.

Adidas Golf shirts and apparel are truly here to stay and be a leader in the https://golfuniversityau.com/product-category/golf-apparel/mens-golf-apparel/ industry. Choose your shirt wisely based on the technology you want and you cant go wrong.

Certainly, when we think about purchasing soccer gear, we aim for varieties that improve performance and enhance prowess. Sporting lines and brands would all promise to offer excellent goods, however, only a few of them would surely deliver varieties that are durable and of quality. Most of the time, soccer gear that are of ideal make come with hefty price tags, however it is an investment one has to make if top-performance and a physically demanding sport is what is aimed to be achieved.

. Considerations to take for Soccer Shoes
Soccer footwear are crafted in a manner that allows ease of movement and optimum performance. Sneakers are not meant for soccer. When shopping for soccer footwear, go for designs that are reflective of standards like those produced by Nike and Puma.

. Which Soccer Jerseys to Choose?
Jerseys are made to represent a team and they are usually produced in bunches to ensure uniformity all throughout.. A soccer player need not shop for jerseys on his own. However, you might one to have an unified guise by complementing jersey colors with the rest of your gear.

. Choosing quality shin guards
Protective devices are very important in extreme sports like soccer, and that is what shin guards are for. Unlike before where they only come as accessory, quality shin guards are to be strictly used today for purposes of protection.

. Well-fitted Soccer Socks
A soccer uniform is never complete without a pair of soccer socks. Other than securing shin guards in place, a pair of well-fitted soccer socks also adds up to the user’s comfort. Other than providing the perfect shoe fit, a good pair of socks is also needed for a not too tight nor too loose shin guard cling. Just like apparels, socks are made of different colors, and one have the liberty to choose the hue that represents him best.

In sports of any kind, the need for comfort always supersedes the desire for style and fad.. It is always best to have jerseys that are of perfect cut, prescribed soccer shoes with appropriate fit, and equipment and gears that are guaranteed to be of finest quality. It is always easy to distinguish shoddy ones from superb varieties for they come with less impressive features and compromised durability.

Perhaps the most challenging physical sports activity known to men is Soccer. What they may be doing may appear uncomplicated, from catching the ball, throwing it, and passing the ball. Nevertheless, as the game extends, the players will feel the fatigue and at the same time the pressure of winning the game. Once they are in the game, soccer players don’t want to face any problems which can stop them from doing their thing. The most common thing they generally encounter is the kind of apparel they are wearing. They most effective way in avoiding this outfit disaster is by putting on high-quality clothing such as Mess Jersey. Soccer shoes should also be given importance. It should have good quality brands like Puma and Nike Soccer Shoes.

Some people say, in order to be the best in soccer, you should have the appropriate gear and equipment. This information is somewhat true. Since these stuffs are essential in polishing you to become better and efficient in soccer. Specialized equipment for such game normally include:

. Balls for soccer
. Equipment for Keeper
. Goals (soccer)
. Ref gears
. Equipment for exercising

When you find yourself, loving soccer, one attribute you should focus on is putting on the right shoes. Look for shoes that have the ideal fit, designed for soccer, and can endure extreme foot works. Nike shoes and Puma shoes are the most preferred soccer shoes, when you talk about sturdiness and coziness. Explicitly designed built with spikes, in addition, they have great colors and amazing styles that is right for you. Other extras that should comprise your soccer equipment are:

. Soccer Sports knapsack and bags
. Shin Preventive Pads
. Soccer socks
. Sports hats
. Sports Jersey (soccer)
. Short pants for soccer

Whatever brand you opt for, make sure the quality is not compromised to ensure your safety when playing the game. You can still be trendy and maintain the efficiency of the equipment you are utilizing. There are many Georgia bulldogs hats apparel shops you can check out to ensure you get the perfect gear. A mess jersey might also be your choice, if you go for personalized and comfortable gears. Always remember never forsake convenience and quality.

The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, two original AFL teams and AFC East division rivals, are separated by less than 500 miles.

In terms of franchise success, they couldn’t be further apart.

One team, a perennial playoff contender and National Football League powerhouse, sits on the high end of the spectrum. The other, which cannot (or, will not) forget success from its distant glory days, is the on the low end. If you want answers, you need not look past 2001 to figure out why the Patriots are so superior to the Buffalo Bills. Whether you look at players, records or coaches, one franchise sits at the top of the mountain while the other stays locked in a vicious cycle of mediocrity.

For everything the Patriots represent on one side of the coin, the Bills wholeheartedly represent the other half. The Patriots are everything the Bills are not.

In 2001, Buffalo had not made the playoffs in two years and New England was coming off of a 5-11 campaign under new head coach Bill Belichick. The playing field was pretty even at this point. But 2001 marks the year New England would start its unbridled dominance over Buffalo. In the years since then, the Patriots have won 22 of 24 games against the Bills, outscoring them — are you ready for this? — 702-352.

Some of the games were close. But many were absurd blowouts, like something you might see in a Pop Warner football game. Losses like the 56-10 drubbing on NBC’s Sunday Night Football in 2007 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Pats quarterback Tom Brady threw 4 touchdown passes to Randy Moss (JP Losman had one touchdown… total). Or look at the game this year, when New England scored six straight touchdowns en route to a 52-28 whitewashing.

The worst part is, Bills fans have come to accept this dominance. Anymore, asking a Bills fan if they’ll beat the Patriots is like asking if this is Lindsey Lohan’s last stint in rehab — probably not. Fans look back on the 34-31 win at the Ralph last season — the Bills first since 2003 — as a legitimate bright spot. Shouldn’t a ‘rivalry’ constitute both teams legitimately competing at a chance to win?

These last 12 seasons can be pretty much summed up in one game: Bills at Patriots in 2009 on Monday Night Football. Buffalo, led by Stanford product Trent Edwards, were beating the Patriots on national television. That is, until, Leodis McKelvin fumbled a kickoff return instead of making the smart play and taking a touchback. The Brady bunch got the ball in ridiculously good field position. You know the story. Brady throws a touchdown to tight end Benjamin Watson and New England wins, 25-24.

Continuity. New England has it. Buffalo does not. Since 2001, the Pats have had one coach. The Bills have had five. New England has had two quarterbacks (if not for Brady’s torn ACL, Matt Cassel would never have started). Buffalo has had eight (8!). New England has five Super Bowl appearances (three of them wins), five conference titles and nine (soon to be ten) division titles. Buffalo Bills — zero playoff appearances.

Belichick knows which players will fit best in his genius system. In his tenure, he’s had 26 players go to the Pro Bowl. If you combine the years those players have made it, it adds up to 51 Pro Bowl appearances. The Bills have had 14 players make it with a combined 18 appearances. The numbers don’t lie.

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An interesting part of Buffalo Bills history is how they got their name; a naming contest resulted in naming the team after the AAFC Buffalo Bills. The Bills merged with the Cleveland Browns in 1950, part of the All-America Football Conference. The original Buffalo Bills were so named for the sake of William Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody. The Bills official mascot is Billy Buffalo. Even though there are three New York teams, (the Bills, Jets, and Giants) the Bills are the only ones to actually play their home games in New York State. The Jets and the Giants both play in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which is right outside of New York City.

Beginning with the 2008 season, the Bills team added one home game each year to be played in Toronto to their schedule. They are currently the only team to have two home stadium locations, and only the third in NFL history that has had more than one home site in a season. In the 60’s, the Buffalo Bills began playing as a part of the AFL. During 1960, the AFL and NFL merged, and created a new franchise for the Bills. The Bills first played at War Memorial Stadium, and then moved to Ralph Wilson Stadium in 1973. They have remained there ever since, although the Stadium was also known as Rich Stadium and Bills Stadium at some points through the years. As mentioned earlier, they now play one game each year at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Once they became a part of the NFL franchise system, the Buffalo Bills history became much more notable. They faced a 1-13 record in 1971, along with scoring a record least amount of points that season. Lou Saban was re-hired in 1972, and the team took a turn for the better. In 1973, the team began playing at their new stadium, and Joe Ferguson became their new quarterback. O.J. Simpson, Jim Braxton, Paul Seymour, and Joe DeLamiellure known as the “Electric Company”. The “Electric Company” inspired a local hit in Buffalo Bills history, “Turn on the Juice”. Electric Company allowed the team to make the playoffs in 1974, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. As part of Buffalo Bills history, this group of players has created many collectible and valuable memorabilia items in the market place.

The rest of the 70s and the 1980s was a rocky time in Buffalo Bills history. There were many ups and downs, and plenty of winning and losing seasons. However, in the 1990s, the Bills worked to change to a hurry-up offense, and brought themselves back to the spotlight. Two significant events in Buffalo Bills history are their trips to Super Bowl XXV, as well as Super Bowl XXVI. A third Super Bowl appearance was made in 1992, then another in 1993 making them the only team in NFL history to play in four consecutive Super Bowls!

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Could the 4-time Super Bowl Champions of Buffalo be putting a move in play to challenge for the 2009 division title? There are more than a few fans who think this scenario is very likely. This is why sales of Buffalo Bills tickets are holding steady even though the 2008 season was far from stellar.

For the ninth consecutive football season, the Buffalo Bills have not made it into the post-season playoffs. Not that they have lacked enthusiasm, and the team has certainly been delivering some spectacular moments on the field. Any of their fans will tell you that this season was one of the times when opportunities slipped from their grasp and the Bills failed to live up to expectations. The Buffalo Bills football dynasty has a history of turning defeat into a run at greatness and this is why fans are planning to have Buffalo Bills tickets in their hands for the 2009 season. They do not want to miss the next great comeback and many are sure that this year will be a winning season.

The Roller Coaster History of the Bills

The saga of the Buffalo Bills team began on October 28, 1959. Ralph C Wilson was presented with the franchise for the seventh AFL team and “Bill Mania” was just about to begin. For almost 50 years the players, coaches and fans have truly experienced the ecstasy of winning and the painful agony of frustration and defeats. Through it all, the team has been a glowing example of perseverance and determination.

Success would come early for this team when they tied the Patriots for the AFL Eastern title, but they would lose the playoff bid. They then took the division title in 1964 and 1965 by defeating the San Diego Chargers both times. The revered Lou Saban was the Bills head coach during this rush to greatness, but left after the 1965 title was secured. In 1966 Buffalo narrowly missed being in the debut Super Bowl. The next 16 years saw fewer moments of glory for the team, but during the early 1970’s, Saban returned and OJ Simpson set records as their star running back.

Head coach Chuck Knox helped spur the demand for Buffalo Bills tickets when he helped them take a 1980 AFC Eastern title. Buffalo even went to the playoffs in 1981 but were unable to defeat the stellar game of a hot Cincinnati team. Marv Levy stepped in as coach in 1986 and made Buffalo into a juggernaut. The team took 5 AFC Eastern titles in 6 years and played in an incredible 4 Super Bowls. Buffalo Bills tickets were being sold fast and furious on the open market and over 630,000 fans attended the 1991 season games, which set a record at that time.

Present Woes and Future Foes

The 2008 season schedule set them up against their nemesis, New England and New England was minus superstar Quarterback Tom Brady. This was the game of the decade but a tumbling fumble took this game right out of Buffalo’s win column. Some things just tended to go wrong no matter what the team attempted. Coach Dick Jauron could only watch as his team went from a 5-1 beginning to a 7-9 season end.

There are some great players wearing the Bills uniforms though, and this team never stops trying which is why Buffalo Bills tickets are a hot commodity. The community supports and loves their home team without reservation. Fans are willing to remain in their corner and cheer them on through these less than golden moments. No matter who and where they play the fans know the Buffalo team will give their all for the sport.

This team may be still experiencing some rocky moments but their intense and dedicated playing remains a huge draw. Fans continue to be optimistic and they are already planning to purchase their Buffalo Bills tickets at the earliest opportunity. The team has a history and legacy that many other teams can only dream about and 2009 may be the year that ushers in another title and maybe even another Super Bowl appearance.

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As you drive through the Wasatch Front down into Utah Valley, you cannot help but be overwhelmed by the tall and majestic mountainside. The valley lies nestled between these mountains and Utah Lake, an ideal setting for one of the greatest Universities on earth (and one of the most unsafe school mascots.) Brigham Young Varsity was set up by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1875.

It is a personal owned University and has an amazing student body of over 35,000 enrolled. Found in Provo, Utah, this faculty has very high standards ( out and out of the study room ). However, the students of Brigham Young College definitely know the way to fun.

If any one knows the meaning of an excellent time, it would be BYU mascot, Cosmo. One of many bushy school mascots in sporting, this cougar made his first appearance in October of 1953. Dwayne Stevenson was the brains behind the mascot. It is said that his name Cosmo sprung from the cosmic forces of the universe helping increase the prowess of the students at BYU.

Cosmo is like other school mascots and takes part in a number of college sports occasions including the prominent Cougar basketball and football teams. This BYU school mascot was joined with a female Cougar named Cosmette once in awhile, but principally keeps the school lively all on his own. Though some students attempted to bring back a live cougar as other institutions have done with their school mascots, Cosmo was too loved to be let go.

Driving past BYU you can not help spot the enormous white Y painted on the mountainside. Just as school mascots are, this Y is in integral part of school spirit. Like BYU mascot Cosmo, the Y has a long record all the way back to 1906. Using that same team spirit they are renowned for, students of BYU stood eight feet apart from the base of the hill all the way up to the Y while transporting the material. Though the original intent was to have all three letters on the mountain, the work was so intense that they stopped at Y. Standing 380 feet high and 130 feet wide, it covers just about 33,000 sq. feet. It also remains one of the biggest emblems in the US for a faculty.

One of the most spectacular sights to see the Y lit up at night. There are roughly five nights a year where you’ll find the Y illuminating the valley and campus on which it looks over; homecoming, freshman orientation, Y Days, and August & April graduation ceremonies. This practice started in 1924 during Homecoming, when a hoard of students trailed up the mountain and lit fire to oil soaked mattresses. It was a grand custom then, and still remains today. However, lighting the Y now is done with lights rather than fire, a little more safe and controlled of an environment.

It appears as though there is always something occurring on BYU campus. It hosts a score of performing groups that always seem to put on spectacular performances. In the last 35 years, BYU has performed in all fifty states and over one hundred countries. Quite a feat for a University! Their performances are frequented over TV and radio as well. Between the performing groups, the fun campus life and great school mascots, BYU students stay upbeat and enthused year round.

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The BCS has caused controversy through the sports nation, and with good reason. Two sides have pleaded their case, the automatic qualifiers vs. the non-automatic qualifiers, and proper attention has yet to be applied to the situation. The six BCS conferences continue to hold firm to their automatic bowl selections, while the likes of Boise State, TCU, Utah, BYU, and other top tier non-AQ’s attempt to claw their way into the big bowls. Sometimes they’ve made it, sometimes they haven’t. These teams have been required to produce unblemished records, and sometimes that hasn’t even been enough. However, should these non-AQ teams have the chance to compete for a national championship, or are they simply inferior teams? Let’s look at some key seasons to see if these questions can be answered justifiably.

Season #1 – In 2001, the Brigham Young Cougars entered into their last regular season game with a perfect record. Their next opponent was a hungry Hawaii team, always pumped to beat their old conference team. The Fiesta Bowl had been scouting the Cougars as potential material for their bowl game. This would have been the first time a non-AQ had broken the BCS bubble, yet, it was not to be. Before the BYU vs. Hawaii game had even started, it was announced that BYU would not be accepted to the Fiesta Bowl. BYU was thereafter crushed by the Rainbow Warriors so badly that no one questioned the Fiesta Bowl committee’s decision, and maybe rightfully so. However, it is important to note that Luke Staley, BYU’s main offensive weapon and that year’s Doak Walker award winner had broken his ankle, taking him out of the last two final games of the year. Had Luke Staley remained uninjured, it is possible that BYU would have remained undefeated.

Conclusion: Non-AQ teams have been flirting the BCS bowl games since 2001. BYU may have even been improperly denied their rightful chance to play in the Fiesta Bowl, and considering they were rejected before ever having lost a game simply shows the BCS simply didn’t respect their victories. They however had no marquee wins.

Season #2 – In 2004, Urban Meyer led the Utah Utes to a perfect season with Alex Smith at the helm. They beat Texas A&M, Arizona, and Pittsburgh, all of which were members of BCS conferences. Texas A&M would end up winning seven games, beating three ranked opponents on the way. Arizona only won three games but were little challenge for the Utes anyway. Pittsburgh was an eight win team beating the likes of Notre Dame and West Virginia before being humiliated by the Utes 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl. Come NFL draft time, Alex Smith was the number one pick and Urban Meyer would pack up and head to coach the Florida Gators.

Conclusion: This was the first time a non-AQ team cracked into the BCS picture. However, the Utes were still shunned by being pitted against a Pittsburgh team that was obviously inferior. It was a step in the right direction though, and started to awaken the nation’s eyes about the BCS system. Other points worthy of mention is that great coaches and players can indeed be products of non-AQ conferences. Urban Meyer is thought by many to be the best college football coach currently coaching in the entire nation. Alex Smith is also slowly making his mark in the NFL.

Season #3 – Boise State cruised its way to a perfect season in 2006, though it’s only BCS victory came against an Oregon State team. However, that Oregon State team won ten games, including a bowl victory against Missouri, and the Beavers were also hammered by the Broncos 42-14. Boise State was then pitted against the mighty Oklahoma Sooners in what was supposed to be a slaughter. But the Broncos stuck with the Sooners the entire contest, and what has been deemed one of the greatest football games of all-time had the underdogs winning 43-42. David had slain Goliath, and the Non-AQ’s were 2-0 in BCS bowl games.

Conclusion: Utah’s perfect performance was quickly duplicated only two years later by the Broncos. Boise State showed the nation that it would not be a rare occurrence for Non-AQ teams to pitch perfect seasons. They also showed that with the proper preparation, Non-AQ teams can play with the big boys on the big stage.

Season #4 – The Hawaii Warriors fought their way into a BCS bowl game in 2007. Their marquee win was ironically from a non-AQ team, Boise State. They were pitted against a high-octane Georgia team in the Sugar Bowl and were annihilated 42-10.

Conclusion: This was originally thought to be a huge setback for the non-AQ teams. The Warriors were utterly humiliated and the questions arose once more whether or not these non-BCS teams were worthy to play in the big bowls. Non-AQ’s dropped to being 2-1 in BCS bowl games.

Season #5 – The setback wouldn’t last, as Utah produced another perfect season in 2008, beating the likes of Michigan, Oregon State, #12 TCU, and #14 BYU. Utah was ranked so high they were assured a bid to the Sugar Bowl. However, they were challenged by a very capable and talented Alabama team. The nation was braced for an easy game for the #4 Crimson Tide. But as per usual, the predictions were of little value, and Utah brushed Alabama aside with surprising ease. The final score, 31-17, was actually deceptive as the Utes creamed Alabama both on the offensive and defensive side of the football. Utah ended the season ranked #2 in the nation.

Conclusion: This was the 3rd season straight that non-AQ teams landed a BCS Bowl game. Utah rose questions as to whether a non-AQ team truly can be the best team in the nation as they received 16 first place votes in the AP poll. Non-AQ’s now stood at 3-1 against their BCS foes.

Season #6 – In 2010, Boise State and the Mountain Western Conference made a big splash. BYU opened up their season beating #3 ranked Oklahoma, Boise State crushed a very powerful Oregon team, and TCU’s defense smothered every offense that confronted them. Utah also played quite well, only losing a close battle to Oregon followed by defeats to TCU and BYU. At the end of the season, TCU, BYU, Boise State, and Utah were all ranked in the top 25. Both TCU and Boise State scored BCS bowl games. The problem was, however, that they were pitted against each other. The BCS, most likely scared their system would once again be exposed as heavily flawed, found a solution by ensuring that neither TCU or Boise State had a chance of beating one of the BCS powerhouses. Boise State won in a close contest.

Conclusion: The BCS is now frightened of the powerful non-AQ teams. Imagine the scenario had TCU beat Florida and Boise State beat Cincinnati. There would had been such an uproar that the BCS would have had no choice but to make some serious changes to their system. Easier to not give the non-AQ’s the chance to prove themselves at all.

There you have it. The overall record for the non-AQ’s vs. the AQ’s in BCS bowl games is 3-1. The non-AQ’s continue to question the legitimacy of the current college football system. The Mountain Western Conference has shown itself to be mightier than some of the BCS conferences, with win after win against BCS opponents. Why are non-AQ’s continually spurned the chance to prove themselves as the #1 team in the nation?

The non-AQ’s received the largest sum of money they’ve ever received from the BCS after the 2009-2010 season, at a total of 24 million dollars. Four of the BCS conferences received 17.7 million dollars…each. The other two? Even more, at 22.2 million dollars each. That means that eleven conferences are getting roughly the same amount as one BCS conference. Texas Republican Joe Barton probably said it best when he said, “What is the BCS theoretically about? I thought it was about the best teams playing the best teams. This simply acknowledges the reality that’s it’s not about that, but about revenue sharing. It’s an economic cartel.” The BCS is obviously not for college players’ benefits, but for the benefits of a few selective organizations. It’s time the walls came down, and that all schools, no matter what conference, should be given a chance to be #1.

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The Cubs finished up a superb 2008 season by winning the NL Central in relatively easy fashion with a final record of 97-64, with one game being canceled due to inclement weather. Unfortunately, the Cubs were then swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in three games in the Divisional Series, leading to yet another crushing exit for Cubs fans to deal with over the winter. The outlook for 2009 still looks strong, with the addition of Milton Bradley in right field and a returning core that includes standouts Derrek Lee, Geovany Soto, and Aramis Ramirez, along with starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano. Look for the Cubs to be the favorite in the NL Central again in 2009, led by a solid offense and good pitching across the board.

C Geovany Soto – Soto had just about as good of a rookie year as you can have, leaving the Chicago Cubs with a tremendous catcher under their control for at least the next five seasons. He put up a line of .285/.364/.504 while playing in 141 games. He displayed good power, with 23 home runs and 35 doubles. He showed solid plate discipline that still has plenty of time to improve, and a good approach at the plate. Soto was also outstanding defensively, throwing out 29 of 84 basestealers and providing solid defense behind the plate. With Soto’s offensive prowess, he could be a complete zero defensively and still have a future in the league, but he looks to be a star for the forseable future due to his combination of offense and defense at the catcher position.

1B Derrek Lee – Lee put up solid numbers in 2008, but will probably never approach the massive 2005 that he had when he hit 46 home runs and batted 335 for the season. Lee is a dependable bet to hit around .280-.290 with 40+ doubles and around 25 home runs. Defensively, Lee is pretty average at first, where he makes the plays he should, but doesn’t really have a good enoguh first step to take advantage of his massive frame and get to a ton of balls. Lee is still only 33 years old, so he might have a couple more good seasons before he starts to decline, but at some point in the next couple of years, the Cubs are going to need to think about replacing him. He still should be a solid bet in 2009, and should put up a line somewhere around .280/.370/.480, certainly good production from first base.

2B Aaron Miles – Miles comes into spring training having signed a two-year deal with the Cubs after spending the last three years with the Cardinals. He is projected to be the starting second baseman for the Cubs, and is a below-average hitter who is average defensively. His only season in which he posted an OPS+ of greater than 100 was in his first season, when he got only 12 ABs, which can be completely discounted due to small sample size. He will hit for good average, but does not walk much and has almost no power to speak of. Defensively, he has decent range and a solid arm, but will not dazzle you in the field. He’s a safe bet at 2B, but definitely not a long-term solution for the Cubs, though he should do an adequate job in 2009.

3B Aramis Ramirez – Ramirez has become one of the best offensive third basement in the majors, with last season being the only time in the last five that he has not reached the .900 mark in OPS, missing it with a .898. Ramirez has solid plate discipline, and good power and gap power. Look for him to put up a line of .290/.370/.530 in 2009, as he has been one of the most consistent hitters in baseball over the last five years. Defensively, he is right around the league average for third basemen, though he occasionally does show better range than many people give him gredit for. While Ramirez tends to get left ouf of conversations with David Wright and Alex Rodriguez, there is no doubt that he is not far behind them and is certainly one of the top third basemen in the majors.

SS Ryan Theriot – Theriot has spent the last two seasons as the primary SS for the Chicago Cubs and has been adequate offensively while being just about average defensively as well. He saw his OPS rise to .743 in 2008, largely on the back of a .343 BABIP that might be unsustainable in the long run. Theriot does have a good approach at the plate that draws a fair number of walks and works counts effectively. Look for him to post an offensive line of around .280/.360/.360 next season, which certainly wouldn’t be a huge drop from this year. Defensively, he is an average defensive shortstop, making routine plays and occasionally getting to balls that he shouldn’t. He’ll be a solid contributor to the Cubs in 2009, but don’t expect anything extraordinary from him.

LF Alfonso Soriano – Alfonso Soriano is a tremendously talented offensive player whose only reason he is not a superstar is because of his pitch selection. In 105 games last year, he hit 29 home runs. In the same span, he walked on 41 times. This was nearly double his career walk rate. It certainly is possible that Soriano finally caught on to what pitchers were trying to do to him, but it is more likely that his walk-rate will return to somewhere near his career rate of 5.7% in 2009. Defensively, he will be patrolling LF for the Cubs next season, and is a fairly average defender there, though he has managed 29 OF assists due to his strong arm over the course of the last two seasons. Look for another solid season out of Soriano with an OPS in the mid-high 800s for the Cubs in 2009.

CF Kosuke Fukudome – Fukudome came over from Japan in 2008 and posted a decent first season, putting up an OPS of .738 in his first taste of the majors. He showed good patience and a solid approach at the plate, though he seemed to see more of a drop in his power numbers than other Japanese hitters who come over to the United States. Fukudome will move from RF to CF in 2009, with Milton Bradley coming in to play right for the Cubs. Fukudome was an excellent defender in RF, but it remains to be seen whether or not this translates to CF, as there is only a limited sample size from 2008. Look for him to improve on his 2008 numbers at the plate, and he should put up a line of somewhere around .270/.370/.430 in 2009.

RF Milton Bradley – Bradley has always oozed natural talent, but his temper and ability to translate that talent onto the field have meant that he has had a hard time securing a solid job. With his monster 2008, that changed, as the Cubs signed him to a three-year deal for $30 million in the offseason. While Bradley is unlikely to put up an OPS of nearly 1.000 again, he should find himself somewhere around the .900 mark with consistent playing time in Chicago. Defensively, he gets good jumps on balls and will make all of the plays that he is supposed to, though he is prone to the occasional gaffe. Look for him to thrive in Chicago with the comfort of his new deal, and he should bring a significant amount of offense to the Cubs, who need him to push them over the edge in the playoffs.

SP Carlos Zambrano – Zambrano had a solid 2008, posting a 14-6 record with a 3.91 ERA at the top of the Cubs’ rotation. However, Zambrano’s 2008 was also filled with some troubling signs for the big righthander. First, he spent two separate stints on the DL for a “right shoulder strain” and “rotator cuff tendonitis.” Second, his peripherals posted a huge drop, as his K/9 has dropped from sitting in the 8+ range in 2004-2006 down to 6.20 last season and his HR/FB also dropped to 9%, which might be unsustainable in the future. While none of this points to an inevitable decline over the next season or two, it certainly is troubling from a max-effort guy of his size. Zambrano’s 2009 should look something like last year, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he started to break down a bit more or fall off a bit, and if 2008 was the first sign of this.

SP Ted Lilly – Over the past few seasons, Lilly has transformed himself from an afterthought at the back end of a rotation into a legitimate, #2/3 starter in the majors. In 2008, he went 17-9 with a 4.09 ERA, giving up 187 hits and striking out 184 in 204.2 innings. Lilly’s biggest problem is the lack of truly great stuff, but he keeps hitters off-balance with his attack, and manages to keep them off the bases. He is prone to giving up the long ball, as he has averaged nearly 30 home runs against him in the last three seasons, but they tend to be of the one-run variety, and not three-run bombs that can cripple a pitcher. Look for Lilly to have a solid 2009, with numbers right around where he was in 2008 for the Cubs.

SP Ryan Dempster – Dempster has spent the last five seasons with the Cubs, but only returned to the rotation in 2008. He was very solid there, going 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA and striking out 187 in 206.2 innings. While it might be a bit tough to say he’s going to be that good again, since his BABIP allowed in 2008 was twenty points below his career average and his home run rate dropped as well, he certainly has established himself a a solid #3 for the Cubs. Look for him to notch 13-15 wins in 2009 and have an ERA in the high-3s, as long as he can continue to sustain his K-rate to make up for the fact that his BABIP against is most likely going to regress.

SP Rich Harden – Harden came over to the Cubs in a mid-season trade and was absolutely dominant, posting a 5-1 record with a 1.77 ERA while striking out 89 in 71 innings. So why do we have him listed as the Cubs’ fourth starter? In the last four seasons, he has never had more than 25 starts in a season, with two seasons of less than 10 starts. Harden is the prototypical dominant starter who simply cannot stay healthy. In every season, he comes in as a potential Cy Young candidate, but simply cannot log enough time in order to be seriously considered. A prediction for Harden in 2008 would have to start somewhere around a 2.5 ERA with a K/9 of 9.5, but inning totals and win predictions could vary greatly, so we’ll stay away from them and not even bother.

SP Sean Marshall – LHP Sean Marshall is now 26 years old and has a chance to solidify a spot in the Cubs’ rotation out of spring training. He has good stuff, and should be able to lock down the #5 spot for the season. Last season, he started 7 games for the Cubs while appearing in 27 out of the bullpen, going 3-5 with a 3.86 ERA. He struck out 58 batters in 65 innings, which was a bit above his career rate and we can expect some regression, but he has the ability to be a good pitcher in this league. Look for him to post an ERA in the mid-high 4s during his first real shot at a full-time starting spot with the Cubs.

CL Carlos Marmol – Marmol was the primary 8th inning guy for the Cubs last year and also spent some time filling in for closer Kerry Wood when he was either out or simply overworked. Marmol has some of the best stuff in baseball, with a K/9 above 11 in each of the past two seasons. Unfortunately, he has also had a BB/9 above 4 in each of the past two seasons, which is a large portion of the reason that the Chicago Cubs are somewhat hesitant about handing him the closer spot out of spring training. It looks like he’s the frontrunner for it, and should be able to handle it, but closers who walk a lot of batters tend to run into repeated trouble. He’ll need to square away his control problems a bit, but if he does, he will be an absolutely dominant closer in the majors.

The Chicago Cubs are coming off a very disappointing season filled with losing and frustration. From the frustrations with ace pitcher Carlos Zambrano to the issues with Lou Piniella and his retirement. It was an overall bad 2011 season with the Cubs. I know personally, that I had high hopes for the Cubs going into last season. They were picked to be one of top teams in the National League and were one of the clear favorites to compete for a division title. The Cubs ended up underachieving and put up results that were way below what was expected. Carlos Zambrano was removed from the starting rotation and even spent some time in the bullpen to help fix some of his issues. Slugging third basement Aramis Ramirez had an awful season and probably the worst season of his professional career which hurt the Cubs a lot, because he is by far one of the biggest run producers for the Cubs. Key players like Ryan Theriot, Derek Lee, and Mike Fontenot were traded during the latter part of the season, which was also very disappointing. There were just too many problems and too many holes to fill for the Cubs to even have a chance to compete last year which was very disheartening with all the expectations that were put in front of them before the 2010 season began.

During the off season, General Manager Jim Hendry, made some very good moves that could help the Chicago Cubs get back on track for 2011. Jim Hendry made about four key moves that I think will help this ball club in the long run. The first move Hendry made was the signing of slugging first basemen Carlos Pena from the Tampa Bay Rays. Carlos Pena is a left handed first basemen that will hopefully fill the void of Derek Lee who was traded to the Atlanta Braves last season. Derek Lee was a fan favorite but if Pena can come in and produce, fans will welcome in Carlos Pena with open arms. Carlos Pena signed a one year deal which is a smart move being that if he does not do what the Cubs expect from him, they will not have to owe him any money after this season. The second best move that Hendry made was the signing of ace pitcher Matt Garza. Matt Garza was also a Tampa Bay Ray last year and had a very respectable year winning 15 games in the very tough American League East division. Matt Garza signed a three year deal and is still a very young pitcher who is entering his prime so this was a very smart move. Matt Garza should fit into the top of the Cubs rotation very nicely. I expect great things from both those free agents from Tampa Bay. The third best move that Hendry made was the signing of set up man, and former Chicago Cub great, Kerry Wood. This move made a lot of sense for both sides. Kerry Wood wanted to be back in Chicago and the Chicago Cubs needed some more depth in the bullpen. Kerry Wood had some good appearances with the New York Yankees towards the end of last season, so he proved that he can still pitch at a very high level. Wood will be a great guy to have in the bullpen for many reasons. For one, he will hopefully be able to highly contribute on the field and secondly he will be a leader in the bullpen that has some young guys in it. The young guys in the bullpen will definitely be looking at Kerry Wood for advice and mentoring. It is very good to get Kerry Wood back in a Cubs uniform and I think he will be able to do great things for the Cubs this season. The fourth and final major move that I believe Hendry made was the signing of Cubs closer Carlos Marmol. This was a huge deal to get done before Spring Training camp broke into action in middle February. This is simple a deal that had to get done. Carlos Marmol is by far the best arm that the Chicago Cubs have on their roster. He is nearly unstoppable when he takes the mound in the ninth inning. Last season he set the major league record for strikeouts per nine innings which is very impressive. Marmol will be a key player on the roster this season. If the Cubs can hold a lead until the ninth inning, I believe Marmol will finish the job and get the win for the Cubs. He is a key component to the success of this team going into the 2011 season.

Well it is pretty obvious that Jim Hendry has done a pretty good job this off season with some of the acquisitions and signings, so we at least know that Hendry plans on competing this year and in no way is trying to rebuild the ball club. Another signing that will have a huge impact for 2011 Chicago Cubs is rookie manager Mike Quade. When Lou Piniella retired last year, everybody was expecting the Cubs to go out and find a “big name” candidate out on the market. People even speculated that former Cubs second basemen and Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg would fill the void left by Lou Piniella. After interim manager, Mike Quade, posted a very good record down the stretch at the end of the season, so it was a pretty easy decision for Jim Hendry to stick with Quade as the full time manager for the Cubs. You could really tell that the players responded to Mike Quade when he took over for Piniella. It is almost like they wanted him to get the job so they played their hearts out for him and we can only hope the players will still play hard for him going into this season. The one thing that some people might not know about Quade is that he grew up a Cubs fan and actually grew up in the Chicago area so he has a lot of familiarity with the Chicago Cubs and all the stigmas that surround the team. Hes no stranger to the “curses” or all the losing that has been going on over the years. I believe he is the perfect guy for job because of all the passion he brings to the game of baseball. He wants guys to work hard and to do their best to get better day in and day out. He respects his players greatly and I feel like they will pay him back with that same respect. Quade wants this team to win a world series title more than anybody in the Cubs organization, so with all the passion and hard work he brings to the table, I cannot see why the Cubs won’t come out and play good baseball for him for the entire 2011 season.

Overall, the Chicago Cubs are not favored to do much this season but maybe that is where they belong. I think the under dog mentality that manager Mike Quade will instill in his players will help this club play very good baseball and hopefully earn them a spot in the post season. With the old faces coming back and the new faces coming in, it will be a new team with a new attitude. No matter what anybody says, when the 2011 regular season begins, the Chicago Cubs will be ready to play ball, and I expect them to compete with any team in Major League Baseball

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