Cubs' future appears bright

Olney: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/post/_/id/2095?addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Pitchers, hitters' sweet spots
Szymborski: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9364654/chicago-cubs-moving-right-direction-mlb?addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Theo still the best
Bowden: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/the-gms-office/post?id=6824&addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Puig rises up rookie rankings
Karabell: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/eric-karabell/post?id=1832&addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Replacing Tulowitzki?
BP: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9379778/be-wary-oakland-athletics-mlb?addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Be skeptical of the A's

Originally Published: February 10, 2005

By Jim Callis | Baseball America

Recommend 0
Tweet 0
Email

After the Cubs' 2003 ended with heartbreak in the National League Championship Series, their 2004 finish was more miserable. With nine games remaining in the regular season, they owned a 1½-game edge in the NL wild-card race. Chicago was one out away from beating the Mets when LaTroy Hawkins served up a three-run homer to Mets rookie Victor Diaz in a game New York would win in 11 innings.

The Cubs never recovered. They lost six of their next seven games to lose the wild card to the Astros, a team they held a seven-game lead over in late August.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider