2012 MLB Season is in the books.

The Cubs ended the season on a winning note!

Well, we all knew the Cubs' 2012 season was going to be a rebuilding year.  The front office improved the farm system by trading vets to contenders and also through another solid draft.  Alfonso Soriano had maybe his best all-around season in a Cubs uniform and Darwin Barney has a shot at winning a Gold Glove.  Anthony Rizzo has joined Starlin Castro as a solid piece to the rebuilding puzzle, and perhaps we found a more than serviceable catcher in Wellington Castillo.

I'm probably most pleased with Dale Sveum and his coaching staff.  From what I've read, the clubhouse has positive throughout the season and many of the players made improvements in the their respective games.

The off season will be interesting for sure.  Matt Garza, Carlos Marmol, and Soriano may draw trade interest from other teams and the Cubs will have to fill a couple of holes on the roster (especially starting pitching).  I'm hoping that we bottomed out this year in terms of the record.  101 losses to 61 wins is not a good ratio.

I'll overlook the 101 losses, 2nd most in franchise history, because I'm board with Theo's plan to build a winner from within.

I suppose I could take a look at my predictions that I made at the beginning of the season and grade myself.  Only four of  the ten teams I picked to make it to the post season have done so.  That's not a great percentage for someone who claims to know baseball, but then again, this was a crazy season!

The Marlins bought the best team money could buy in free agency, and then traded them all away.  The Phillies aged quicker than I though and the injury bug did not treat them well.  Bobby Valentine was supposed to be the cure all in Boston, but he'll be lucky to have a job through the weekend.  Chipper Jones breathed a youthful exuberance into the Braves season, while the young stars in DC really shined bright.   The O's?  Seriously?  The Orioles made the playoffs?  Wow.

Here's my favorite prediction from the spring: Last place in AL West = Oakland.  I said, and I quote, "youngest starting rotation in majors = not many wins."  Yeah, that one blew up in my face big time.  The Athletics finished the season with five rookie arms in their rotation and captured the AL West crown.  Pretty awesome if you ask me!

I flipped the Brewers and the Cardinals in the NL Central standings, but otherwise pegged the rest correctly in my home division.  So, at least I can hang my hat on that. 

I love playoff baseball and can't wait for the games.  Meanwhile, I'll keep my fingers crossed that the Cubs find a way to avoid their fourth straight 5th place finish next season, because they'll no longer have the Astros looking up at them.  5th place now equals Last Place with the Astros moving to the American League in 2013.

As always, I'm waiting 'til next year...    Thanks for reading!