Starting Lineup
LF Alfonso Soriano: still averaging 36 HR's and 29 SB's per seasons over the past seven years despite averaging only 122 games per season for the Cubs in 2007-08
CF Kosuke Fukudome: disappointing debut season in the US; will split time in CF with Reed Johnson UPDATE 3/10 - looks like he could be batting 2nd when he's in the lineup against RHP's
RF Milton Bradley: one of the best hitters in the game but the fact that his 126 games played last season was the 2nd highest total of his 9-year career should be worrisome for the Cubs
3B Aramis Ramirez: 30 year-old averaging 30 HR's and 102 RBI's over the past eight seasons
1B Derrek Lee: might be on the decline, averaging just 21 HR's and 76 RBI's in 2007-08 after averaging 31 HR's and 88 RBI's from 2000-05
C Geovany Soto: 2008 Rookie of the Year already amongst the best hitting catchers in the game
2B Mike Fontenot: batted .305 with 9 HR's, and 40 RBI's in only 243 AB's in 2008 but will have to beat out Miles for a starting job UPDATE 3/15 - it's official, Fontenot is the starting 2B
SS Ryan Theriot: puts the bat on the ball (58 K's in 580 AB's), gets on base (.387 OBP), and is a threat on the base paths (22 SB's)
Bench
C Koyie Hill: was in line to take over the backup job after a good 2008 season in AAA (.275 BA, 17 HR, 64 RBI) but that changed when Paul Bako signed UPDATE 3/19 - impressive spring (12-for-29) gives him a good shot at beating out Bako for the backup job UPDATE 3/30 - beats out Bako for the backup catcher job
IF Aaron Miles: career .289 hitter will battle Mike Fontenot for the 2B job but is more likely to fill a role as a utility infielder
OF Reed Johnson: likely to platoon in CF with Fukudome after posting a .399 OBP against LHP's in '08
OF Joey Gathright: trades of Pie and Cedeno give this speedster a solid chance of making the opening day roster
1B/OF Micah Hoffpauir: impressive in 73 late season AB's with the Cubs (.342 BA, 2 HR) UPDATE 3/16 - appears to be a lock for a roster spot
Starting Rotation
RHP Carlos Zambrano: has made 30 starts in six straight seasons, although he failed to reach 200 IP (188.2 IP in '08) for the first time during that time span
RHP Rich Harden: made at least 25 starts for only the 2nd time in his six-year ML career; dominant when healthy
LHP Ted Lilly: earning every dollar the Cubs are paying him, making 34 starts in consecutive seasons and winning 32 games
RHP Ryan Dempster: successful return to the rotation (17-6, 2.96 ERA) made him a very rich man (4 years, $13 million per year)
LHP Sean Marshall: not a bad #5 starter option although the Cubs could still swing a deal for another starter and use Marshall in relief UPDATE 3/13 - appears to have locked up the #5 job after another impressive outing UPDATE 3/19 - it's official, Marshall is the #5
Bullpen
RHP Kevin Gregg: will have to pitch well to ensure Cubs don't regret letting go one of their top relief prospects, Jose Ceda, in order to acquire him UPDATE 3/14 - still in the running to be the closer over Marmol UPDATE 3/29 - officially named the team's closer
RHP Carlos Marmol: breakout season (2.68 ERA, 114 K's in 87.1 IP) earns him the closer's job after Kerry Wood left as a free agent UPDATE 3/29 - will be the setup man after Gregg beat him out for the closer's job
RHP Aaron Heilman: will compete for a starting job but, at the least, offers another experienced arm in the middle of the bullpen UPDATE 3/5 - also doing well in his quest to become a starter again
RHP Angel Guzman: hard-throwing 27 year-old should be back in the mix after missing most of 2008 due to injury; out of options, the Cubs will trade him if he isn't going to make the 25-man roster UPDATE 3/15 - unlikely to make the team at this point, which means he could be traded or placed on waivers before opening day
LHP Neal Cotts: posted a 4.29 ERA with 43 K's in 35.2 IP in 2008
RHP Luis Vizcaino: offseason acquisition is a nine-year veteran with a career ERA of 4.34 UPDATE 3/9 - in jeopardy of losing bullpen spot
RHP David Patton: Cubs traded for this rule V draft pick but he will be a long shot to stick on this roster UPDATE 3/15 - long shot or not, he's doing everything he can to make the team (6 IP, ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 6 K) UPDATE 4/5 - has made the opening day roster
Released
C Paul Bako: returns to the Cubs after spending the last four seasons in Los Angeles, KC, Baltimore, and Cincinnati UPDATE 3/30 - released
LHP Mike Stanton: veteran did not pitch in 2008 and was last effective in 2006 when he posted a 3.99 ERA between Washington and San Francisco UPDATE 3/30 - released
RHP Ken Kadokura: 35 year-old has been signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training; he has a career ERA of 4.36 ERA in Japan UPDATE 4/2 - sent to the minors a few weeks back and has now been released
UTL Esteban German: UPDATE 3/13 - signed to a minor league deal after being released by the Royals, the 31 year-old will be competing for one of the last two bench jobs available; versatility should help UPDATE 3/29 - reassigned to the minors UPDATE 4/5 - released by the team
RHP Chad Gaudin: acquired in the Rich Harden deal, he was 4-2 but posted a 6.26 ERA for the Cubs UPDATE 4/5 - released by the team
Retired
3B/RF: Corey Koskie: career .275 hitter last played in 2006 when he hit .261 with 12 HR's for Milwaukee; has a chance to win a roster spot although he might have to beat out Hoffpauir, who is off to an impressive start this spring UPDATE 3/6 - Manager Lou Piniella might prefer to have one more IF on his bench, which could benefit Koskie UPDATE 3/21 - has decided to retire
Optioned to AAA
RHP Jeff Stevens: acquired in the Mark DeRosa deal, the Cubs think he'll be able to help out of the bullpen at some point in 2009 after a minor league season in which he struck out 81 batters in 58 IP between AA and AAA UPDATE 3/17 - optioned to AAA
RHP Jose Ascanio: the 23 year-old has reached the majors each of the past two seasons with Atlanta and Chicago but has a 5.82 ERA in 19 relief appearances UPDATE 3/15 - has pitched 4 perfect innings with 7 K's this spring UPDATE 3/24 - optioned to AAA
RHP Kevin Hart: spent most of 2008 with the Cubs, posting a 6.51 ERA in 21 relief appearances UPDATE 3/29 - optioned to AAA
RHP Jeff Samardzija: former Notre Dame football star will compete for the #5 spot in the rotation but pitched well in relief down the stretch for the Cubs (2.28 ERA in 26 relief appearances) UPDATE 2/26 - role is still to be determined UPDATE 3/16 - immediate future is in the bullpen, according to Manager Lou Piniella UPDATE 4/5 - optioned to AAA
Reassigned to Minor League Camp
IF Luis Rivas: middle infielder batted .218 with 3 HR's in 206 AB's for the Pirates in 2008
RHP Esmailin Caridad: UPDATE 3/15 - has not allowed an earned run in 6 IP this spring
LHP Jason Waddell: UPDATE 3/15 - 27 year-old has yet to pitch above AA in his minor league career but he's been impressive this spring with the Cubbies (7 IP, ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 8 K) UPDATE 3/24 - reassigned to the minors
C Mark Johnson: UPDATE 3/8 - add the 33 year-old journeyman to the backup catcher mix UPDAT E 3/29 - reassigned to the minors
OF So Taguchi: hit .283 in parts of six seasons for St. Louis before a mediocre 2008 with the Phillies UPDATE 3/29 - reassigned to the minors
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8 comments :
You have a typo with Rich Harden there.
Also, I'm guessing that the Cubbies will start the year with Guzman on the big club instead of Samardzija. Sam's future is as a starter and the Cubs need to get him some starts in that role. Plus, I think Guzman is out of options.
Thanks for the heads-up. You might be right. I don't expect them to DFA Guzman. He is too talented. He'll make the roster or he'll be traded. Didn't think they'd start Samardzija in AAA with the success he had in the bullpen last season but they do have some bullpen depth.
right now I think Mike Fontenot has the edge on Miles. It's good to have options though.
I'm willing to wager So makes the team over Gathright if for no other reason than they are defensively equivalent (2.1 UZR/150 each) and Taguchi speaks Japanese.
I think that Gathright's $800k deal is a guaranteed one, whereas Taguchi only has a minor league, non-guaranteed deal of $900k; For Taguchi to beat out Gathright simply because he speaks Japanese would mean the Cubs would have to pay Gathright's salary regardless. Still, stranger things have happened, and it does seem like they're trying to find a friend for Fukudome.
I find it hard to believe that D-Lee is gonna be hitting clean up. Ramirez has been doing it the last few years and has done a pretty good job. D-Lee lacks that pop needed to bat 4th. I could see him back at the 3 spot or in the 5 spot depending on how Bradley does.
Fontenot has won the 2Bman job.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=rotowire-ikeontenotinsecondas&prov=rotowire&type=fantasy
Looks more and more likely that Patton may be the 7th reliever. The Cubs may have a big decision to make with Chad Gaudin, he has been atrocious since being acquired by Oakland.
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