Cubs 101 - Pt. 69 - The 2008 Chicago Cubs

The prelude to the 2008 season was not marked by as much excitement as the '07 season had seen.  This happened in part because so many important roster spots were already filled, and also because Jim Hendry was running out of the funny money he'd been tossing around like Matthew Lesko.  Still, he managed to complete a long-time quest to sign Japanese hitting sensation Kosuke Fukudome to a long-term deal, while also picking up key contributor Reed Johnson for next-to-nothing early in Spring Training. 2008 also marked the move of Ryan Dempster into the rotation, with Kerry Wood making his previously-mentioned ascension into the closer's role.  Many of us thought it would be a disaster.  The Brewers were looking like a talented young team, the Cubs didn't have a definitively effective center fielder, and the last time Ryan Dempster started for the Cubs he only lasted 6 games, going 1-3 with a 5.35 ERA in 2005.  It turned out that we were in for...