CHICAGO (AP) -On the very first day of spring training, Ryan Dempster made a bold statement.
“I think we will win the World Series. I really do,” he said back in February, under a sunny Arizona sky.
Now, the Chicago Cubs’ closer-turned-starter has a chance to back it up. The playoffs begin, with the Los Angeles Dodgers coming to visit Wrigley Field on Wednesday.
Going into this year, Dempster had heard enough about curses and bad luck following the team. Coming off a postseason appearance, he reasoned the Cubs would be even better in 2008.
He was right, of course. At least to this point.
After starting slowly in 2007 and having to overtake Milwaukee to win the NL Central, the Cubs jumped out early. They led or a had a share of the division lead from May 11 on, clinching on the next-to-last Saturday of the regular season and finishing 97-64 for the best record in the league.
s this year – before Manny Ramirez brought his act to L.A.
Dempster will face Derek Lowe in Game 1 of the first round, with emotional ace Carlos Zambrano going against Chad Billingsley in Game 2. Then the best-of-5 series shifts to Dodger Stadium.
“Since we played them last, they’ve added Manny and he’s quite a player,” Chicago star leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano said. “They are a much better team with him so we are going to have be ready to play because it is going to be a tough series.”
Soriano and cleanup hitter Aramis Ramirez struggled greatly a year ago when the Cubs were swept out in three games by Arizona in the first round. They combined to go 2-for-26.
The pressure will be even greater as the talk of the long-awaited championship reaches a new level in the postseason.
“The first time, you are just happy to be there. This time, I think we will approach it a little differently,” Soriano said. “We just don’t want to get into the playoffs, we want to go far.”
Center fielder Jim Edmonds, who played in two World Series with the Cardinals, hit 20 homers and gave the Cubs a steady veteran presence in center field.
go was five outs away from making the World Series before losing to the Florida Marlins in the NLCS.
“Only a championship will do,” Edmonds said. “It’s really tough to do. I’ve been on some really good teams.”
Once Ramirez came aboard, the Dodgers motored past the Diamondbacks to win the NL West in Joe Torre’s first season as manager. The teams haven’t met since early June, and the Cubs swept a close three-game series at Wrigley Field in May.
“It’s been a while since we played them so we are going to have do some homework and figure out what has changed,” Cubs closer Kerry Wood said. “But I’m confident that if we play our game and make good pitches, we’ll be all right. I am looking forward to the challenge.”
Wood will be making his fourth playoff appearance in his 10-year career. It will be his second as a reliever and first as a closer. Wood had 34 saves in 40 chances.
Dempster, who saved 28 games last season, returned to the starter’s role he had earlier in his career with the Marlins and Reds. He became a 17-game winner and was 14-3 at Wrigley Field – one factor in him getting the Game 1 nod.
Manager Lou Piniella said his team has done well in handling the discussion about the 100-year jinx. It started full throttle once the Diamondbacks wrapped up that three-game sweep last October.
ould have won 97 baseball games?” Piniella said.
“That’s a lot of games to win. A lot of games. But we’ve done it, and now we’ve got a few new challenges ahead of us. We’re going to be ready. Let’s hope that we do what we would like to do. And that’s all I can say about it. I can’t say anything else.”
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