The Chicago Cubs’ 2010 season was miserable, even by Cubs’ standards. The team wasn’t able to make a huge splash in free agency, but with a couple key acquisitions the team is set up to bounce back.

“I think there’s reason for optimism on both sides of town,” Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper said on the Danny Mac Show. “I think from a Cubs’ perspective, a lot of things have to go right that didn’t last year.”

LISTEN: Len Kasper On The Danny Mac Show

And by that Kasper is referring to the lack of production from the Cubs’ big name players. Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee and Alfonso Soriano did very little to lead the team. It was the younger players like Tyler Colvin and Starlin Castro and the new Cub Marlon Byrd, that became the team’s key players.

“But I’m excited about the offseason moves,” Kasper said. “And I still go back to Carlos Zambrano and Aramis Ramirez. If those guys are the guys they were two or three years ago, I think they can compete in the division.”

Competing in the NL Central would make most Cubs’ fans happy. After the way the 2010 season ended it seemed like the team was two or three years away from being competitive.

“[The division], I think, has gotten a lot better with some interesting acquisitions,” Kasper said. “Especially Zack Greinke in Milwaukee, [with] Shawn Marcum. Cincinnati should be very good once again, and you can never count out the Cardinals.”

With the additions of Kerry Wood, Carlos Pena and Matt Garza, the Cubs are a much improved team with a much better starting rotation, especially if Zambrano can bounce back.

The Cubs now have an intriguing mix of young and veteran players.

“So it’ll be a very interesting year,” Kasper said. “As is always is with the Cubs.”