A confident Cub sees a ring in his future

MESA, Ariz. -- Another year, another Cubs pitcher predicting a World Series title for this woebegone franchise.

Carlos Zambrano? Nah, the 26-year-old pitcher says he's past predicting world championships for the Cubs and Cy Young awards for himself.

On Wednesday, it was 30-year-old veteran Ryan Dempster who set the tone for spring training as pitchers and catchers reported to Fitch Park.

"I think we are going to win the World Series, I really do," Dempster said. "I wouldn't come show up here and work as hard as I did and everybody work as hard as they did to not believe that."

Dempster also appeared ready for the reaction to his prediction.

"Funny when people make predictions or they say things and people are like, 'How could you say that?' " he said. "Like you believe it, you really do. Enough of all the kind of (nonsense), you know, the curse this, the curse that, the goat this, the black cat, the 100 years, whatever it is.

"We're a better team than we were last year, I truly believe. And last year we made it to the playoffs. And it was a battle to make it from where we came from, a rough April and be 10 down and kind of grind our way to first place.

"I just feel like our chances are better. It's not just going to happen; it's not a gimme. We've got to work our tails off to do it, but I like our team and like where we're at. And I truly believe the guys in there want it as much as anything."

General manager Jim Hendry and field manager Lou Piniella got hit with Dempster's prediction when they sat down to meet the media.

"Zambrano made the same prediction last year; I like the confidence that our players have," Piniella said. "As a team, we were disappointed the way our season ended abruptly last year in the playoffs.

"I remember when I played with the Yankees in '76. We got swept in the World Series. To a man, we vowed we'd do better, and '77 and '78 turned out pretty well (with world championships).

"Look, I like the confidence factor, that players feel that way, but remember, our division's gotten tougher. The National League as a whole has gotten tougher. We've got to go out and play. But I like our team, I really do."

The Cubs overcame a slow start last season and wound up winning the NL Central with a record of 85-77. They then fell in three games to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the division series.

"Last year, going from 10 games out to win the division and get to the playoffs and losing in three games left a real, real sour taste in a lot of guys' mouths," Dempster said. "And I think we want it even that much more.''

Of course, if the Cubs do win the World Series, it'll be their first title since 1908, which just happens to be 100 years ago.

Piniella and Hendry both addressed the dubious anniversary.

"That's going to be one of my messages when I talk to this team when we get everybody together," Piniella said. "Don't put that pressure on you. You worry about this year's team. This is a team that we can concern ourselves with. What's happened in the last 99 years, I've only been here one, so I take responsibility for only one."

Hendry chimed in: "I'm good for five."

But seriously, Hendry tried to put the 100-year mark into some kind of perspective.

"I don't think much about it at all," he said. "I was being funny when I said I look at the last five, and I take responsibility for that. I still have some bad thoughts when I wake up in the middle of the night about the series in '03 (NLCS loss to the Marlins).

"You try to move forward. We certainly got ourselves back in the picture of getting better last year. That's really what we focused on.

"I feel bad for all the people that are still alive that have been supporting the club for years. You'd like to do it one time for them, at least. But I don't let it affect how we go about our business."

Piniella wouldn't go as far as Dempster in making an all-out World Series prediction, but he did lay out something concrete.

"We felt that last season was a nice first step for us, a nice steppingstone," he said. "We've got to go from there. We're looking here for a baseball team that can win into the 90s and give ourselves a chance in postseason again.

"I'm not going to make predictions, but that's what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a baseball team that can duplicate a division championship and give ourselves a chance to get to a World Series."