offensive coordinator.Cook said Marshalls transfer

The Chicago Cubs ... ahem, the world champion Chicago Cubs return as the favorites to win the World Series again in 2017.The best team doesnt always win the World Series, of course, but in 2016, it did. And while it did involve a few sizable investments in the roster to get there, it was more the culmination of a long rebuild, in which short-term fixes were generally eschewed and the objective was to contend for five years, six years or even longer.Chicago does have a few losses coming this offseason, and the Cubs will never go into a season with the mean projection being 103 wins, but heres the bottom line: The 2017 organization stands just as strong as the 2016 one. Were he to leave, impending free agent Dexter Fowler would be the teams biggest loss this offseason -- Aroldis Chapman is better but was part of the team for only a third of the season -- but Fowler was considered a short-term addition anyway. The Cubs seemed perfectly happy playing Jason Heyward in center field before the opportunity to bring back Fowler fell into their laps.The Cubs also get a full-season return of Kyle Schwarber, the left-handed bat they were missing to go along with Anthony Rizzos in 2016. And its way too early to call the Heyward contract doomed. He was terrible this year, but hes not old and has had better seasons in the past. With Heywards glove, he doesnt have to be an offensive superstar to be a valuable player; if he just gets back to the 110 OPS+ range, which is still likely, hell be a plus to the 2017 team as the Cubs try to repeat.Unusual for a high-payroll team winning the World Series is that even with the loss of players to the Yankees in the Chapman trade, the Cubs still retain a strong farm system. This gives the organization flexibility in the coming years and means that the holes that pop up for the franchise this offseason are simpler to fix, either from within or by trading prospects for a more experienced solution.The Cubs were at the top of our Future Power Rankings this year, and after doing what no other Cubs team in living memory has done, theyre certainly not going to drop as a result!With that, we take a look at the preliminary ZiPS projections for the 2017 season. Obviously these projections will change tremendously as players re-sign, sign or are traded, but heres what things look like right now. Bogdan Bogdanovic Kings Jersey . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Nemanja Bjelica Jersey . JOHNS, N. https://www.kingslockerroom.com/Trevor-Ariza-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Yogi Ferrell Kings Jersey . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Dewayne Dedmon Jersey . Datsyuk will miss Tuesdays game against New Jersey and could be sidelined longer, while Cleary will likely miss at least the next three games. Its been an injury-plagued season for Datsyuk, who has suited up for just 39 games. ATLANTA -- The path is clear for Dedrick Mills to lead Georgia Techs running attack in 2017.Mills promises to walk a straight line in that path and avoid the problems which cut short his playing time this year.The transfer of leading rusher Marcus Marshall to James Madison leaves Mills as the heavy favorite to start at the B-back position the two shared much of 2016. Mills is expected to start when he completes his sometimes rocky freshman season in the TaxSlayer Bowl against Kentucky on Dec. 31.Mills missed three games while serving two suspensions for undisclosed violations of team rules. He still ran for 602 yards, only 22 fewer than Marshall, while easily leading the team with 11 rushing touchdowns.Without the suspensions , a good season could have been great. He says there will be no problems next year.Oh, next season there will be none of that, Mills said Monday. It just pushed me for next season. Ill be there every game. Im going hard, 100 percent.Mills (5-10, 217) was a perfect fit as the power back in coach Paul Johnsons spread-option offense. He scored the game-winning touchdown in Georgia Techs season-opening win over Boston College in Dubin. He had three-touchdown games against Vanderbilt and Miami.Johnson said Mills, from Ware County High School in Waycross, Georgia, got a jump on everybody by enrolling early for spring practice.Hes a guy who loves to play the game, Johnson said. I wish that hed played more games this year for whatever the circumstances were, but I think if hell continue to work and continue to do the right things hes got a bright future. He can be really good.Georgia Tech (8-4) will need Mills to be really good next season. The Yellow Jackets leader, quarterback Justin Thhomas, will complete his career in the bowl game.dddddddddddd The running backs, including Mills and Qua Searcy, who ran for the game-winning touchdown in the 28-27 win over Georgia to close the regular season, will need to fill the leadership void.With him leaving its going to take out a lot, said Mills of Thomas. ...Whoever plays quarterback next year is still going to have our faith, but I feel Ive got to go twice as hard as I did this season.Georgia Tech also is losing assistant coach Bryan Cook, who coached the quarterbacks and B-backs and has been named Georgia Southerns offensive coordinator.Cook said Marshalls transfer has led to more work for freshmen running backs Quaide Weimerskirch and KirVonte Benson in practice. Georgia Tech also will lose senior B-back Marcus Allen.Quaide and KirVonte have gotten more reps and hopefully theyll carry that forward, Cook said, adding he didnt know if the young backs will play in the bowl game.You can see a difference in those two now and where they were in August, no question, Cook said. So youd like them to pick up in the spring where theyre leaving off this week.Game notes The teams last bowl practice at Georgia Tech will be on Wednesday. The team is scheduled to arrive in Jacksonville on Dec. 27. ... Johnson said two freshman quarterbacks, Jay Jones and Lucas Johnson, were impressive in a scrimmage on Saturday for players not expected to play in the bowl game. They both looked good, made some plays, Johnson said. Theyre both good athletes.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '