Troy's all 2000s team

With spring training still a little ways down the road and the Cubs doing very little these days in the ways of trades, I figured we'd have some fun and think about this decade that has just ended. Even though we haven't put together a team that would take the big trophy home, there have been some good teams and some exciting moments. This decade saw much better teams than the 90s gave us. So, let's enter into a fantasy land where we can put together a team that would have won it all, comprised of players throughout the decade. If only we could have had all these players at their peak performance from the decade, maybe we would have beat the Marlins or Diamondbacks or Dodgers and gone on to beat the Yankees or Red Sox or Devil Rays. So, here we go, by batting order, then bench, then bullpen:

1. Kenny Lofton (L) CF (2003): In the 00s, we've had a true, effective leadoff man in one season (2003). That's also the one year we won a playoff series. Honorable mention: Juan Pierre (L) (2006)
2. Nomar Garciaparra (R) SS (2004): We picked him up late in the season, and in 05 he had a pretty terrible injury that helped seal our doom. But, while he was healthy in 04 (and even 05) it was very nice to have him at short stop. Honorable Mention: Ryan Theriot (R) (2008)
3. Sammy Sosa (R) RF (2001): Say what you want about Sammy. The steroids, the corked bat, the terms of his exit. Tell me you don't want a 3 hitter with 64 HR, 160 RBI, and a .437 OBS with a straight face. Honorable Mention: Jeromy Burnitz (L)(2005)
4. Derek Lee (R) 1B (2005): Won the gold glove, silver slugger, and should have won MVP this year. He is the face of this franchise in the second half of the 2000s. Honorable Mention: Fred McGriff (L) (2002)
5. Moises Alou (R) RF (2004): Very consistent, always there to get a clutch hit. You could get Sosa, Soriano, and on down the list to swing at silly pitches, but not often with Alou. Honorable Mention (very close) Alfonso Soriano (R)(2007)
6. Aramis Ramirez (R) 3B (2008): More at bats than any other Cub in the 2000s. He's always shown a lot of promise, but over the years, he's made drastic improvements on defense and really raised his walk totals. Each year, he seems to improve. Honorable Mention: Bill Mueller (L) (2001)
7.Geovany Soto (R) C (2008): What will become of Geo is up in the air, these days. But, in 2008 he looked to be our catcher for the next 10 years. A great hitter, decent defender, and, most importantly, he had the respect of the pitchers. Honorable Mention: Michael Barrett (R) (2004)
8. Eric Young (R) 2B (2000): Good, well rounded stats, and, hey, he actually stole bases. Honorable Mention: Mark Grudzielanek (R) (2003)
9. Mark Prior (R) SP (2003): I know the reputation Prior has, and it is all warranted, but 2003 was a special year. 2.43 ERA, 245 SO, and only 50 BBs. 18 wins against 6 losses, and that's tough to beat among Cubs starters in the 2000s. I remember this year well. He was automatic. You know you had a win when prior pitched (except that one in that playoff series). Honorable Mention: Ryan Dempster (R) (2008)

Utility: Mark DeRosa (R) 2B,SS,3B,OF (2008): I think he would do the laundry if you asked him, and he'd even do that well. Also, a club house presence you can't quantify.
Long Man: Glendon Rusch (L) RP/SP (2004): When they tried to make him a starter, he was crap, but he bailed us out many games when a starter left early. Sean Marshal is looking to me like that same kind of pitcher.
Set up: LaTroy Hawkins (R) RP (2004): I went back and forth on this one between him and Marmol. Marmol's number are ridiculous in 07, but Hawkins pitched about twice as many innings and is still holding up an argument, so I think he should get the edge. He was awful when the Cubs tried to make him a closer, but he was born to be a set-up man.
Closer: Kerry Wood (R) RP (2008): For years, I listened to people talk about how Woody should be converted to a closer, and I thought they were idiots. I was proved wrong in 08. Then the Cubs promptly let him walk the next year.

So, there you go. If only these people were all around and in their prime in the same year. Who knows what ways they would have found to blow it (I kid. I kid because I love). Coming soon, the 2000 all sentimental team.