Cubs 101 - Pt. 45 - The Abrupt Return to Mediocrity - nay, BAD!

For fans of most other franchises, a second place finish doesn't portend to much.  But we're Cub fans, and even if there wasn't the Wild Card device, we'd be giddy with excitement.  Compound that with only the third post-season appearance in nearly 55 years, and the truth is that we had very high hopes for the upcoming 1999 season. Sammy Sosa had just completed a 66 homer, 158 RBI season.  Even if his production went down, say, 20% - we're still talking 50 bombs and 130 RBI!  We'd take that!  Other returning members of the potent offense include Oh! Henry Rodriguez in left, the OneDog, Lance Johnson, in center and batting leadoff, Mark Grace of course at first, the double play combo of Mickey Morandini and Jeff Blauser, and the Rejuvenation miracle of 1998, 40-year-old Gary Gaetti, at third.  Gaetti, the former Cardinal, was key down the stretch the previous year with clutch home runs and throwing himself around with wild aband...