Cubs notebook: How much will Cubs change this winter?
"Wait 'til next year" is the annual refrain around Wrigley Field for the last century. Current manager Lou Piniella said before Saturday's season-ending 5-1 loss to Arizona that he hasn't given it any thought.
"I don't know," Piniella said as he relaxed in his office. "There's a lot of uncertainty this winter, with new ownership and everything else.
"I haven't even looked at it, I'll be honest with you. We've been involved and concerned about this year only."
Pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who refused to rip Piniella for taking him out of Game 1 early, said he felt the club needs some changes, but he wouldn't say what they were.
"I think this is a great ballclub," Zambrano said. "We have a good team. We have to do some changes, I think. It's up to the general manager (Jim Hendry). I can't say, but some change."
On paper, the Cubs have very few spots open for next year because so many of their veteran players are signed to long-term contracts, and they have their younger players under control.
"We've got a good nucleus of players here," Piniella said. "We'll see what we do over the winter. I haven't even looked to next year yet. I don't think our general manager has, either."
One player to watch will be outfielder Jacque Jones. The right fielder-center fielder has another year to go on this three-year contract. The Cubs tried to trade him earlier this season, and if they feel they must upgrade in the outfield for 2008, they may look to trade Jones.
Catcher Jason Kendall is a free agent, as is reliever Kerry Wood. The Cubs may look toward youngster Geovany Soto as their everyday catcher, giving them relatively inexpensive players behind the plate and at shortstop, with Ryan Theriot.
Piniella added he wasn't concerned that the vast regular-season improvement the Cubs made would be forgotten.
"I'm not concerned about anything," he said. "We've done the best that we possibly could. The amazing thing about baseball, unless you win a world championship, you'll be disappointed. It's sad in a way, but it's reality.
"To go from last place to first, to have a 19-game differential, win a division, I think you should be pleased."
No meetings: Lou Piniella said there was no need for a pregame team meeting Saturday.
"I talked to a few of the players," Piniella said. "I told them, 'Let's put together a nice three-game winning streak, and let's start today.'"
"We've done that many times this year. I will talk to the players individually about that, but that's what we really need to do."
Fan appreciation: By far, the biggest cheers during the pregame introductions came for pitcher Kerry Wood and catcher Geovany Soto. Wood has pitched for three Cubs playoff teams: 1998, 2003 and 2007. Soto became a fan favorite with a strong September.
Packing them in: Saturday's crowd of 42,157 was the largest postseason attendance at Wrigley Field since Oct. 7, 1945, when 43,463 saw Game 5 of the World Series against Detroit. The park has been slightly reconfigured a couple times since then.