Spring is a time for optimism. That extends to baseball fans and, maybe in particular, Cubs fans. When you are looking at a 97 win team that reached the NLCS with one of the best young cores in baseball -- and then added Jason Heyward, John Lackey, and Ben Zobrist, it's hard not to feel good about the 2016 Cubs. Predictions, analysis, and "best lists" from various national sites lend credence to that spring optimism

But spring is also the time for rain. And while I am as optimistic as anyone out there, no team is invulnerable. The Washington Nationals, the offseason darlings of last season, are testament to that. Of course, that is just anecdotal. What happened to the Nationals doesn't necessarily apply to the Cubs.

The front office has taken steps to avoid such pitfalls. They've kept their payroll flexible. They've preserved their minor league depth. They've created redundancy and versatility on their MLB roster.

For the Cubs, this offseason has been more than just adding wins above replacement. It has been about molding a team that can withstand injuries and regression. They have a seemingly optimal mix of veterans and young core talent. It's a team that is equipped to win in the cold April months, the wind blowing in or the warm summers with the wind blowing out. They are built for the long grind of a 162 game schedule as well as the short, match-up oriented environment of the playoff format.

In short, the Cubs hope they have created a team for all seasons.

That said, rain is always a possibility. Here are the potential issues along with possible solutions.

1. Regression or injury to staff ace Jake Arrieta

This would be the toughest situation for the Cubs. Jake Arrieta has had injury in his past and last year his inning count jumped by almost 100 innings. The ace himself admitted he was gassed in the postseason.

That said, Arrieta is a strong athlete and takes his conditioning very seriously. He's a horse and the Cubs rode him all the way to the NLCS. I believe he'll be fine but the Cubs would be foolish to ignore the possibility that he might miss some time or regress from last year's incredible Cy Young season.

The Cubs do have a second ace in Jon Lester while free agent signee John Lackey, who has plenty of TOR experience, should help take some of the burden Arrieta took on in the second half last year. The Cubs have added starting rotation depth to their MLB roster. From Travis Wood to Trevor Cahill to Clayton Richard to the newly acquired Adam Warren, the Cub have experienced MLB starters ready to take those innings -- but let's not kid ourselves, none of them are Jake Arrieta.

The front office tried hard to add a young cost-controlled starter this offseason to serve as that kind of top of the rotation depth during the season and, perhaps, three years down the road in case the Cubs aren't able to retain Arrieta beyond his current cost control.

If Arrieta goes down for an extended period of time, then the plan will likely be to tread water with Lester and Lackey heading the rotation and Warren filling in those starters innings and then rekindle their search for a young, potential top of the rotation starter. That they have amassed so much prospect currency -- particularly hitters -- is an indirect approach to managing the pitching situation. The Cubs are in a strong position to make a trade for a top starter should an emergency arise.

John Lackey shows his age

John Lackey was an important addition for the Cubs. They lacked that middle of the rotation stalwart to save the bullpen and bridge the gap to Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks.

While Lackey is strong, healthy, and has learned to compensate as he grows older, he is still 37 and when you are a pitcher, nothing is guaranteed at that age. There is always the possibility of significant regression.

Again, the Cubs have stacked some rotation depth on the MLB roster and a pitcher like Adam Warren will have to compensate for the innings and production of a mid-rotation starter. Obviously, the Cubs have a better chance at filling this hole from within than they would if Arrieta got hurt, but inserting Warren into the rotation creates another hole -- they'll lose some of that swingman flexibility.

The Cubs do have some candidates to fill that hole from within. Apart from 40 man roster holdovers Dallas Beeler and Eric Jokisch, the Cubs have added Pierce Johnson, who could break in comfortably with that hybrid role. The Cubs also have some options on the fringes of their 40 man roster. Prospects Rob Zastryzny and Ryan Williams are possibilities to fill that slot while the Cubs have also signed non-roster free agents Stephen Fife and Drew Rucinski.

The Outfield Defense

The Cubs believe that Jason Heyward can play CF based on their scouting reports and defensive metrics, but we won't really know until we see him out there on a game to game basis for a full season. Adding to the uncertainty are the Cubs below average corner outfield defenders. Both Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler are said to be putting in a lot of work to improve their defense, but again, we won't know until we see it consistently in game situations.

The immediate stopgap solution is Matt Szczur but most consider him a 5th outfielder at this point. He'd improve the defense whether he handles CF and moves Heyward back to RF, where he is elite or...if Heyward proves to be a very good CFer, Szczur can be an excellent corner defender in his own right. He can also add value on the bases. That said, Szczur is not a long term solution, even on an offensive juggernaut that can potentially carry what is expected to be a below average bat.

Albert Almora is the most MLB ready solution at the minor league level and he's already a major league caliber defender in CF -- and quite possibly at an elite level. He's an intelligent ballplayer who should add value on the margins as well, but like Szczur, the question will be whether he can handle MLB pitching.

The wildcard is Javier Baez, who has taken some reps in CF and according to reports, has performed very well. While it is unlikely the Cubs would employ him there full time, I wouldn't put anything past the innovative Maddon, who seems willing to try anything.

The Cubs are essentially done for the offseason but it wouldn't be surprising to see them acquire an experienced, defensively oriented outfielder -- especially one that can play CF but at the very least one who can be a big defensive upgrade at the corners. That would give them a bridge to Almora (or a long term acquisition) should the Cubs outfield defense become an issue.

The Aging Catchers

Miguel Montero and David Ross are a pair of savvy, cerebral backstops whose worth goes well beyond their numbers. Their ability to manage the game and handle pitchers are their biggest strengths. They're both among the top framing catchers as well.

As hitters, however, both are in decline, especially Ross. Montero can still provide power and grind out ABs -- the walk rate helps make up for the rapidly rising K rate. Montero is putting fewer balls in play, but he is still getting on base (.345 OBP) and providing some LH pop (His .161 ISO was his highest since 2011), but the decreasing contact rate gives at least some cause for concern that perhaps the bat is slowing down. Given his age (32) and physically demanding position, that would not be surprising, but we should also remember that Montero played a big chunk of the season with an injured thumb. It never really healed and he had to tough it out -- so perhaps a healthy season will help offset some of the offensive trends we saw last season.

The Cubs like to keep a veteran in AAA and this year is no exception. It should come as no surprise that minor league free agent signee Tim Federowicz's strength is his ability to manage a game to go with solid receiving skills and an above average arm behind home plate. In terms of those particular skills, Federowicz is an MLB caliber starting catcher. What makes him a third stringer is his offense, which projects to Ross-like levels at the MLB level. Still, he's the kind of catcher that can step in and at least hold the fort from the defensive/mental side of the position.

Further away is top prospect Willson Contreras, who would bring offense and strong catch and throw skills when he is ready. Contreras is still growing as far as the game management/pitcher handling aspect and while he showed good progress on that this fall, he still needs time to refine those nuances.

If an emergency arises, the Cubs could look to acquire someone like Jonathan Lucroy if Federowicz can't hit and Contreras isn't ready. They'd likely want a veteran behind the plate to complement their veteran heavy rotation.

The Bullpen

The front office has done a remarkable job patching together a bullpen with a Rule 5 pick (Hector Rondon), a few trade acquisitions (Justin Grimm, Neil Ramirez, Pedro Strop, Adam Warren, Travis Wood, Carl Edwards, Jr., Rex Brothers), and some shrewd under the radar signings (Clayton Richard, Trevor Cahill).

Bullpen arms tend to be volatile as it is and without a firmly established anchor, the Cubs will have to be prepared for regression and/or injury.

The Cubs have made a significant number of minor bullpen moves, from acquiring 40 man roster bullpen depth pieces likee Spencer Patton and Rex Brothers via trade to minor league free agent signings like Andury Acevedo and Edgar Olmos. They've also added non-roster depth in the form of Brandon Gomes, John Leathersich, Jean Machi, Luis Cruz, and Scott Barnes.

Depth from within includes Carl Edwards, Jr., Zac Rosscup, and perhaps Pierce Johnson if he is needed in the pen.

It's a deep bullpen that should be able to withstand injury and/or regression and again, if they should have issues with their high leverage relievers, they have stockpiled prospect currency that they can move in the event of an emergency.

No team is invulnerable and the Cubs are no exception. It seems, however, that they had this in mind when they went into the offseason. The front office has not only added significant impact talent in Heyward, Lackey, and Zobrist, but they have also created a lot of depth and flexibility in the process. Should rain fall on the Cubs sunny forecast in 2016, they'll be prepared with immediate stopgap replacement for the short term and the currency to fix unforeseen holes for the long term.

The Cubs are more than just a talented group of players, they are a team for all seasons.