Had the Cubs won it all in '03

I know most everybody would have signed off on a deal that included a WS title in '03 followed by a significant stretch of mediocrity. Nonetheless, for the sake of speculation let's imagine the Cubs had in fact won the title in '03, what would have become of the Cubs afterwards?

I only have bad thoughts in mind. The Cubs in '03 were actually very lucky. They didn't have a team built on much philosophy or for the long run. They were not dominating in the regular season. What they had was a team built for the postseason: they had the kind of starting pitchers that could carry you despite of everything else. They almost did.

The years following the run in '03 showed progressively the problems in the way the team was built: too much reliance on power pitching (that has more tendency to get hurt), too little focus on OBP, too many middle of the road guys in the pen instead of farmhands who didn't have a place in the starting rotation but could contributed better in the pen (Marmol probably would have never flourished as a reliever back then), too many position players with lack of production and too much playing time. Etc.

Dusty Baker was part of the problem. Hendry was another part. And perhaps a little less budgetary flexibility than they have now.

A horrible '06 prompted drastic changes, none better than the signing of Piniella (probably Hendry's best move as GM) and things have a much better outlook now than before. Everbody has a chance of playing (young or old), so long as they produce. If things aren't working, changes will be made, conventional or not. Some of the problems mentioned earlier have been addressed to differing degrees: Fukudome means more OBP, Hill means a guy with a lot of upside but not a power pitcher (which means less risk), Marmol got his shot, Soto, Hart, etc. Veternas also have to earn their playing time when they don't produce (Eyre), but they CAN earn it back (Eyre). This might not be the Red Sox, but I think there is more vision now and a better plan in '03.

Now think... had the Cubs won it all in '03... how many years of Baker? Of Neifis, Hollandsworths, Goodwins, Vereses...?  To be honest, I probably would get nightmares if I think about this too much. A WS title might be worth to sign a deal with the devil, but ufffffffffff the pain afterwards would have been plenty.

Luis