Cubs pull out of Peavy race, continue to make 97-win team worse than it should be

After finishing a 97-win regular season with a winless postseason, it seems as if the Chicago Cubs management is trying exceptionally hard to make the 2009 team worse.

How so?

Well, letting go the longest tenured player, clubhouse leader and closer is a heck of a way to start. Parting ways with Kerry Wood is mistake beyond giving up one of the National League's best closers. By dumping Wood, the Cubs also dump their best clubhouse presence. Derrek Lee is a nice character guy, but he leads by example. Carlos Zambrano is certifiably crazy.

The Cubs could re-sign Wood if he does the rumored unthinkable, declines all multi-year offers and accepts the North Siders' arbitration offer. If not, Chicago's favorite choke-artists could be stuck with Kevin Gregg, whose most memorable moment last season was giving up Daryle Ward's game-winning pinch-hit home run in Miami.

And to think, the Cubs acquired Gregg in exchange for minor-league reliever Jose Ceda, who was deemed untouchable last offseason when they were trying to acquire Baltimore Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts.

Please make sense of that because I know I can't.

Then there's today's news that the Cubs are pulling out of the Jake Peavy sweepstakes. Again, showing a lack of forward thinking as one of the NL's best pitchers hits the open market without the Cubs making a real solid effort towards picking him up.

Last year, it was Johan Santana who had a pretty damn good year for the mets. This year it will be Peavy and CC Sabathia, who apparently told friends that his preferred destinations are the West Coast or Chicago, according to ESPN Radio's Bruce Levine.

Did I mention that the Cubs are trying to make this year's team worse. How about re-signing one-year wonder Ryan Dempster to a four-year extension, who will likely revert back to being a .500 pitcher at best whose claim to fame is comedy that truly isn't funny. Which I guess you really can't call comedy, huh?

Don't get me wrong, I hope he doesn't fall on his face. I'm just prepared for when he does.

Oh, and have you heard this Mark Teahan for Sean Marshall and/or Mike Fontenot rumored deal. Nothing solves the hole in right field like a career .253 hitter as an outfielder.

The Tampa Bay Rays went from worst to first in 2008. The Cubs, well, it looks like they're trying to go in reverse.