What exactly happened last year?

That’s the question on the minds of Cubdom, and whoever has the right answer has the chance to fight Rod Beck and Antonio Alfonseca for the closer role.

There are plenty of things to point fingers at. Was it the Cubs manager, who was not what one would call the “player’s manager,” or was it our interim manager who was a really nice guy? Did he have an idea how to run a major league team? No one’s sure, but gosh darn it, he was a swell guy.

Cubs fans could look in the direction of Fred McGriff and Moises Alou, who always took turns at playing baseball, rotating Sammy Sosa into the mix. Or they could take the stance that the relief pitching was at fault, a corps arms that blew more saves than it converted. For those who thought an extra finger and toe would help, guess not.

It was an awful season.

It may have gone down as just another typical Cubs season if there hadn’t been so much emphasis into it. The Cubs took the same team that won 89 games, added Alou, fresh off a season where he batted .330 and drove in 100 runs, and we ended up losing 95.

Should fans chalk it up to the Cub curse?

Put your goat away, it wasn’t that. The Cubs were headed by a manager who was never going to take them anywhere, not even Dairy Queen if they won a big game.

The Cubs were juggling crappy veterans and young prospects. Delino Deshields should never have been allowed to walk on to the field, and someone should have realized just how done Jeff Fassero’s career was. Remember Gary Gaetti? Anyone can have one last push – Gaetti’s was ’98, Fassero’s was ’01.

Let’s look at the bright side. Matt Clement emerged with one of the best sliders in the game and can prove to be a reliable number three starter and more. The next and final bright aspect of last year’s dismal season was everyone’s favorite backup, Mark Bellhorn, who rose from obscurity to hit 28 home runs, the most for any switch-hitter in Cub history.

In a nutshell, the offseason certainly was bright. First and foremost with a trumpet call and a roll out rug – three-time manager of the year Dusty Baker is the new man at the helm.

This is huge! The Cubs have never had this ammo in their dugout. Remember Jim Lefebvre? Jim Riggleman? Bruce Kimm? No. We will all remember Dusty, regardless.

Cubs GM Jim Hendry then began beefing up the bullpen when he signed longtime Brave southpaw Mike Remlinger, a very effective reliever in years past. He also lured the southern rival Dave Veres from those dastardly Cardinals. He may not be the dirty hat guy, but he is still good.

Former Met Mark Guthrie was then lured to the Cubs for the second time joining a suddenly jam-packed relief staff, not to mention the shooter, Rod Beck, or shall I say the signing of the winter, who has reportedly cut that gut, lost the mullet and sped up the fastball.

And the sucker of the winter goes to, trumpet, roll out carpet and confetti please… the Los Angeles Dodgers! They took on the monster salary of Todd Hundley who is a cancer to any team even if he costs ten bucks. This brought over-skilled veterans Eric Karros and Mark Grudzielanek to the north siders who will act as good father figures to Bobby Hill and Hee Sop Choi.

As for the Cubs weak offense, young guns Bobby Hill, Corey Patterson and Choi must be entrusted. Hill had a promising finish last year and Patterson had a good start. If he doesn’t have a breakout year Cubs fans have been waiting for, it might be time to start looking for our next center fielder.

Fans will not expect Choi to have a breakout rookie year, they will pray for it. If he pulls an Albert Pujols, our offense will have the spark it needs.

About a thousand things have to fall into place for a team to win a championship and last year there were about seven. Let’s hope for more this year.