1984, 1989, 2003, 2007, 2008.

All of those years, we believed the Cubs could finally conclude the ineptness that has plagued it's fans for generations. During those years we thought at some point of time that it could finally happen. Typically, if your a Chicago Cubs fan, you have been fooled one too many times. But why? Why has this organization failed time and time again? Is it a curse? Is it Wrigley Field? Hell -- is it ME?

The Cubs have struggled consistently for quite sometime and really have never had an consistent winner on the field for a prolonged amount of time. Despite winning back-to-back NL Central titles in 2007, and 2008 -- they are still not an consistent winner. But why? With a payroll of 134 million, the team ought to be somewhat successful right?

Well, no.

Those who have seen my post know that I have often said their is no cohesiveness on this team and that I hate the way it was put together. Let's examine that thought.

Starting position players:

C Geovany Soto

1B Carlos Pena

2B Darwin Barney

SS Starlin Castro

3B Aramis Ramirez

LF Alfonso Soriano

CF Marlon Byrd

RF Kosuke Fukudome

From the 2010 season, part of the teams problem was run production  -- so we signed a guy in Carlos Pena who provides power and patience which is something that isn't prominent in the organization, more or less the current 25 man roster. But other than that, you are HOPING that these guys overachieve this year. Soriano is in decline, Ramirez is in decline, and hell, Pena isn't in his prime either. And for the exception of Pena and Fukudome (and Soto to a certain extent), majority of these guys cannot work consistent counts to save their lives. And above everything else, all of these guys are just OK. Matter fact too many of these guys are just OK. And unless we have the SF Giants rotation, we can't expect to win many games with this type of offensive philosophy.

 From a pitching standpoint, a rotation of Dempster, Zambrano, Garza, Wells and Cashner is an modest rotation. Only Cashner is the only unproven starter. Still, ever since the Prior-Wood era ended, we cannot find a top-tier, clear cut #1 starter. The injuries and lack of depth has been the problem as far as pitching is concerned. That's leads to the problem that the Cubs are always a step behind the current generation of baseball. Obviously the current model of success from an offensive standpoint is to work counts and preach patience. The Cubs as an organization struggle with this concept. Why? Obviously the model of success as far as pitching is concerned is to have pitchers in the organization that can throw consistent strikes. Why do the Cubs seem to always have players who can't throw them?

I challenge you to tell me the last time this organization had a blueprint for success. And by success, I don't mean the 2006, "Price Is Right" type of bidding we did for free agency. No band-aid success (see 2009). For the most part, the organization has been a band-aid organization .. they've always tried to piece together random pieces and hope it stays together.

Obviously -- the pieces can never stay together. And I'm really tired of it.