--RHP Ryan Dempster, who made a strong return to the rotation this season, re-signed with the Cubs. The free agent received a four-year, $52 million contract that includes a player option for 2012.
"It was imperative that we kept him in house," Cubs GM Jim Hendry said. "No doubt in our minds that Ryan would have exceeded this deal on the streets in three or four weeks from now, the way the market is for starting pitching. Ryan was committed. From day one he told us he wanted to stay. And it was a priority for us to try and get it done before we got too far down the road in the winter." Dempster, the Cubs' closer from 2005-07, went 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA in 33 starts this year.
--C Geovany Soto won the NL Rookie of the Year award, becoming the fifth Cub to do so. During his chat with reporters, he also revealed that the irritation in his left hand is still bothering him. Soto had problems with the hand, particularly while batting, at various times during the season. It flared up at the end of the season but did not keep him out of the playoffs. Soto said he is still taking painkillers and that he hopes the hand will be 100 percent by the middle of December.
--Manager Lou Piniella won the Manager of the Year Award, and more important for the Cubs, all of Piniella's coaching staff will be back for 2009. The most intriguing case is that of pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who has been with the Cubs since 2002, when Don Baylor was manager. Since then Rothschild has worked under interim manager Bruce Kimm (2002), Dusty Baker (2003-06) and Piniella.
The Cubs wanted all of their coaches back. Piniella, who will be entering his third year with the Cubs, has been known to be impatient with both pitchers and pitching coaches. However, the pitchers like and respect Rothschild, and Piniella has given him a fair amount of leeway.
--OF Kosuke Fukudome is a good bet to platoon with Reed Johnson in center field in 2009, especially if manager Lou Piniella gets his way. The Cubs are trying to obtain a power-hitting left-handed-swinging outfielder this offseason. Fukudome bats left-handed, and Johnson hits from the right side. Fukudome was a huge disappointment in the second half, forcing GM Jim Hendry to scurry for offensive help this offseason.
--OF Tyler Colvin, the Cubs' first-round pick in the 2006 draft, will miss at least the first half of the 2009 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. Colvin batted .256 with 11 homers this year at Class AA Tennessee, and the Cubs feel the elbow affected his performance.
--C Henry Blanco, whose $3 million option was not picked up this fall, will get a lower offer from the Cubs. Blanco was a valuable backup to rookie Geovany Soto, who frequently credited Blanco for helping him call games and handle pitchers. Blanco also singled out RHP Ryan Dempster for his help.
--RHP Carlos Zambrano won his second Silver Slugger award as the top-hitting pitcher in the NL. He also won in 2006. Zambrano is the only Cubs pitcher to win a Silver Slugger. He batted .337 (28-for-83) with four homers, four doubles, one triple, 14 RBIs and a .554 slugging percentage this year.
BY THE NUMBERS: 1,407 -- Strikeouts RHP Kerry Wood amassed in his career with the Cubs, beginning in 1998. That ranks third in club history behind Fergie Jenkins and Charlie Root. Wood's career with the Cubs is likely over, as the Cubs say they don't plan to bring the free agent back.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It felt like we got run over by a semi truck. I was really, really disappointed." -- Manager Lou Piniella, on the Cubs getting swept out of the NL Division Series by the Dodgers.
