The Cubs began the 2007 season with a clean slate, several new faces, including the manager, high expectations, a $136 million leadoff man, and the need to develop a swagger. The campaign ended with a division title and a different type of disappointment compared to '06.

In Lou Piniella's first season in Chicago, the Cubs finished 85-77, winning their first Central Division crown since 2003. It was a 19-game turnaround from the 2006 season, when the team was 66-96, making the Cubs the first team in the NL Central since the division was created in 1994 to go from last to first the following season.

"Last year, we were in last place in the National League," Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano said. "This year, we made a lot of improvements. You feel good after you make improvements."

Maybe. Despite the late surge and overtaking Milwaukee in the second half, the Cubs players had a hard time celebrating the '07 success after being ousted in three games by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Division Series. The year didn't end as they had hoped.

"Nobody here was happy just to get to the playoffs -- nobody was content with that," outfielder Cliff Floyd said. "You have to move on. You can't feel sorry for yourself. You have to get yourself going in the offseason and get ready for the '08 season."

Let's take one more look at the 2007 season, and let's start at home. The Cubs were 44-37 at Wrigley Field, the first winning year at home since 2004. They finished with a .271 batting average, 4.04 ERA, and .984 fielding percentage; the Cubs and Colorado Rockies are the only NL teams to be better than the league average in all three categories this year.

That 4.04 ERA was second best in the league, and Cubs pitchers led the Majors with 1,211 strikeouts, the seventh straight year they've topped baseball in K's. After using 15 different starting pitchers in '06, the Cubs relied on Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Jason Marquis, Rich Hill and Sean Marshall in '07. Three other pitchers -- Wade Miller, Angel Guzman and Steve Trachsel -- combined for 10 other starts.

Zambrano had a mercurial year. The right-hander predicted in Spring Training he would win a Cy Young and the World Series, but lost the season opener for the third straight year. He got into a fight in the dugout with teammate Michael Barrett, and four starts later, struck out 12 and held the White Sox to one run on three hits over eight innings in an Interleague win. He won NL Pitcher of the Month honors in July with a 5-1 record and a 1.38 ERA, then lost five in a row from Aug. 8-Sept. 3. In the middle of that stretch, on Aug. 17, he signed a five-year, $91.5 million contract extension.

"It was an OK season," Zambrano said. "Some things happened. Sometimes I was too excited. I have to learn to be calm, more mature. It's all about concentration."

Lilly and Marquis, acquired in the offseason, combined to go 27-12 with a 4.20 ERA, with Lilly tying his career high in wins with 15. Zambrano, Lilly, Marquis and Hill made at least 32 starts, the first time the Cubs have done that since 1977. Zambrano and Hill set career highs in wins.

But the bullpen was the a big reason the Cubs played in October, especially the emergence of Carlos Marmol. Marmol posted a 1.43 ERA, third best among NL relievers, and struck out 96 over 69 1/3 innings. He complimented veterans Bob Howry, Scott Eyre and Kerry Wood and was usually the first pitcher Piniella called upon if the Cubs needed to get out of a jam. Many on the team felt Marmol was MVP in the second half. And they didn't change their opinion after Game 1 of the NLDS, when he gave up Arizona's game-winning runs in the seventh.

Ryan Dempster finished with 28 saves in 31 chances, and now ranks fourth on the team's all-time list with 87 career saves. It may be his last season as a closer: He struggled in non-save situations, posting a 5.80 ERA (23 earned runs over 35 2/3 innings) compared to a 3.48 ERA (12 earned runs in 31 innings) in save situations. The right-hander could switch to a starter in '08.

CUBS SECOND-HALF TOP PERFORMANCES

8/1, CHC 5, PHI 4 -- Jones' diving catch Jacque Jones' ninth-inning grab keeps the game tied and sets the tone for a walk-off win. Highlights: 400K

8/18, CHC 5, STL 3 -- Ward's grand slam The Cubs' Daryle Ward hits his first dinger of the year -- and it's a grand slam. Highlights: 400K

9/2, CHC 6, HOU 5 -- Lee's two-run shot Derrek Lee belts a two-run homer to complete a five-run comeback and give the Cubs their biggest win of the season. Highlights: 400K

9/10, CHC 12, STL 3 -- Ramirez's big night Aramis Ramirez hits two home runs and two doubles in the Cubs' rout. Highlights: 400K

9/17, CHC 7, CIN 6 -- DeRosa goes 5-for-5 Mark DeRosa hits a walk-off single to cap a three-run ninth-inning rally and his 5-for-5 night. Highlights: 400K

While the pitching relied on five starters, the lineup evolved over the season. Piniella completely changed the middle -- catcher, shortstop and center field -- from Opening Day to the end of the season. Barrett and shortstop Cesar Izturis were traded, and Alfonso Soriano switched from center to left, where he felt more comfortable. For the season, the Cubs used six different catchers.

The key offseason acquisition, Soriano batted .299 with 33 homers, 42 doubles, and stole 19 bases in his first year in Chicago. Two different leg injuries limited him to less than 20 steals for only the second time in the last seven years.

The Cubs didn't turn on the power until the final month of the season, hitting a franchise record 45 homers in September. Soriano led the charge with 14, including seven leadoff blasts, the most by any player in any month in Major League history.

Aramis Ramirez notched his fourth 100-RBI season with the Cubs, and Mark DeRosa proved to be a valuable and versatile addition, playing four different positions.

Perhaps the biggest change in 2007, however, was the influx of young players. Ryan Theriot won a job in Spring Training, but it took Piniella a while before making the infielder his regular shortstop. Mike Fontenot provided a spark with a .397 June. Rookie Sam Fuld wasn't called up until September, but made two spectacular catches and can look forward to a free dinner from Eyre in 2008 as payback for getting the lefty out of a tough situation.

Felix Pie may not have gotten regular playing time, but he was a key defensive replacement in center. And rookie Geovany Soto may have won the starting catcher job in '08 with his MVP season at Triple-A Iowa combined with a .389 average in 18 games with the big league club.

"We have a good base to work with next year," Marquis said. "Hopefully the additions will fit in and we can pick up where we left off."

The team does need to get off to a better start. It began with a 10-14 April, and dropped as far back as 8 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in June.

"There were a lot of baseball experts who didn't see us winning the division and didn't expect us to get to where we were," Lilly said. "The club believed we should win the division. We were able to do that. Our expectations were much higher than what we were able to do."

They'll try to take that next step in '08. Eyre, Floyd, Wood, Jason Kendall, Trachsel, and Daryle Ward are all free agents. Eyre has a $3.8 million player option for 2008, and Floyd also has an option for '08, which kicks in because he started 108 games. However, Floyd has hinted he may retire. Wood will be an interesting decision. He thrived at home, posting a 1.50 ERA in 10 relief appearances.

Piniella heads home for a winter in Tampa, Fla., after the NLDS with a better understanding of his players, Wrigley Field, Cubs' lore, and some unfinished business.

"This is just the start," Piniella said. "We're going to get better, this is just a start. It's disappointing, but you know, no matter how far you go up the ladder in baseball, if you don't win a World Series, you're going to find disappointment somewhere along the way.

"I'm proud of our guys, I really am," he said. "I told them that. I told them to have a nice, safe winter, and we'll reconvene next spring and take this thing further, and that's really the bottom line."