A Look at Cubs ‘08
2008 will be the 100th Anniversary of the last time the Cubs won a World Series.
This past off-season (post-2006 season), the Cubs went on a $300M+ spending spree, hoping to win a World Series (or at least maybe get into the playoffs) before the Centennial Celebration commences.
But with the new owners of the Cubs yet to be decided (apparently until further notice), it appears that the club's executives may take a passive approach toward the future, as evidenced by failing to sign Carlos Zambrano to a contract extension, taking the risk that he will walk away after the 2007 season.
So here is what the Cubs might look like in 2008 should the sale of the club remain in limbo, and if the Trib decides to continue taking a more passive approach to player retention and acquisition during the next off-season:
PROJECTED 2008 PAYROLL (as of 7/12/07)
SIGNED FOR 2008 (11 or 12):
Henry Blanco - $2.8M
Ryan Dempster - $5.5M + $800K in performance bonuses
Mark DeRosa - $3.75M
x-Scott Eyre - $3.8M + $300K in performance bonuses (player option)
Bob Howry - $4M
Jacque Jones – $5M
Derrek Lee - $13M
Ted Lilly - $7M
Jason Marquis - $6.375M
Will Ohman - $1.6M + $250K in performance bonuses
Aramis Ramirez - $14M
Alfonso Soriano - $14M
TOTAL - about $82M (including $300K buy-out of Cesar Izturis - see below).
POTENTIAL FREE-AGENTS AFTER 2007 (6 or 7):
x-Scott Eyre (player option – see above)
Cliff Floyd (player option if vested, or else mutual option for 2008) Cesar Izturis ($5.85M club option for 2008 or $300K buy-out)
Wade Miller
Daryle Ward ($1M club option for 2008)
Kerry Wood
Carlos Zambrano
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE AFTER 2007 (3 or 4)
Mark Prior
Neal Cotts
Roberto Novoa (possible post-2007 “Super Two")
Michael Wuertz
MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENTS AFTER 2007 (23)
Chris Amador, OF
Federico Baez, RHP (6YFA after 2007)
Cory Bailey, RHP
Oscar Bernard, RHP (6YFA after 2007)
Gary Cates, INF
Robinson Chirinos, INF (6YFA after 2007)
Jorge Cortes, OF
Adam Harben, RHP
Bo Hart, INF
Ben Howard, RHP
Geoff Jones, LHP
Mike Kinkade, 1B-OF
Josh Kroeger, OF
John Nelson, INF
Mike Nannini, RHP
Mike Mahoney, C
Ryan O’Malley, LHP
Carmen Pignatiello, LHP
Bret Prinz, RHP
Carlos Rojas, SS (6YFA after 2007)
Issmael Salas, INF (6YFA after 2007)
Les Walrond, LHP
John Webb, RHP
ELIGIBLE FOR 2007 RULE 5 DRAFT IF NOT ADDED TO 40-MAN ROSTER BY 11-20-07 (28)
+ Can be Six-Year Minor League FA (6YFA) after 2008 season
Alberto Alburquerque, RHP
Jerry Blevins, LHP
+ Matt Craig, 3B
Darin Downs, LHP
Jake Fox, C
+ Alberto Garcia, 1B
Kevin Hart, RHP
Ryan Harvey, OF
Jim Henderson, RHP
+ Micah Hoffpauir, 1B
Scott Koerber, LHP
Tim Layden, LHP
J. R. Mathes, LHP
Casey McGehee, 3B-C
+ Adalberto Mendez, RHP
Leonel Perez, RHP
Jose Pina, RHP
Tony Richie, C
+ Alan Rick, C-1B
+ Joel Santo, RHP
Paul Schappert, LHP
Chris Shaver, LHP
+ Jemel Spearman, INF
Nate Spears, 2B
Jesus Valdez, OF
Chris Walker, OF
Matt Weber, RHP (RESTRICTED LIST)
Randy Wells, RHP
PROJECTED 2008 CHICAGO CUBS 40-MAN SPRING TRAINING ROSTER (as of 7/12/07)
* bats or throws left
# bats both
NOTE: Underlined players are the Cubs minor leaguers most-likely to be added to 40-man roster prior to 2007 Rule 5 Draft. And players in BOLD are the ones most-likely to get dropped from the 40-man roster if room is needed.
PITCHERS :
* Jerry Blevins
Rocky Cherry
* Neal Cotts (eligible for salary arbitration – possible non-tender)
Ryan Dempster
* Scott Eyre (player option for 2008)
Sean Gallagher
Angel Guzman
* Rich Hill
Bob Howry
* Ted Lilly
Carlos Marmol
* Sean Marshall
Jason Marquis
Juan Mateo
Roberto Novoa (could be “Super Two” – if so, likely non-tender)
* Will Ohman
Billy Petrick
* Carmen Pignatiello
Mark Prior (eligible for salary arbitration – likely non-tender)
* Clay Rapada
Jeff Samardzija
Michael Wuertz (eligible for salary arbitration)
CATCHERS:
Henry Blanco
# Rob Bowen (is out of minor league options now)
# Koyie Hill (is out of minor league options now)
Geovany Soto (will be out of minor league options in 2008)
INFIELDERS:
Ronny Cedeno (will be out of minor league options in 2008)
Mark DeRosa
Brian Dopirak (most-likely candidate to be outrighted to minors)
* Mike Fontenot
* Micah Hoffpauir
Derrek Lee
* Scott Moore
Aramis Ramirez
Ryan Theriot
OUTFIELDERS (7):
* Buck Coats
Jake Fox
* Jacque Jones
Matt Murton
# Angel Pagan
* Felix Pie
Alfonso Soriano
PROJECTED CUBS 2008 ORGANIZATIONAL DEPTH CHART (as of 7/12/07)
* bats or throws left
# bats both
CATCHERS:
CUBS: Henry Blanco/Geovany Soto/* Rob Bowen/# Koyie Hill
IOWA: Tony Richie/Chris Robinson/Casey McGehee
TENN: * Mark Reed/Jake Muyco/* Alan Rick
DAYT: Welington Castillo/Matt Canepa/Blake Lalli
PEOR: Josh Donaldson/Mario Mercedes/* Steve Clevenger/Roberto Sabates
EXST: Carlos Perez/* Matt Hudgins/Luis Bautista/Alvaro Sosa
FIRST-BASEMEN:
CUBS: Derrek Lee
IOWA: * Micah Hoffpauir
TENN: Brian Dopirak/Alberto Garcia
DAYT: Russ Canzler
PEOR: Derek Schermerhorn/* Marc Sawyer
EXST: # Marwin Gonzalez/Patrick Brooks
SECOND-BASEMEN:
CUBS: Mark DeRosa/* Mike Fontenot
IOWA: * Eric Patterson/Jemel Spearman
TENN: * Nate Spears
DAYT: * Ryne Malone
PEOR: Tony Thomas/* Jeffrey Rea/Bill Moss
EXST: Elvis Lara/# Francisco Tirado/Junior Lake
THIRD-BASEMEN:
CUBS: Aramis Ramirez
IOWA: * Scott Moore/# Matt Craig
TENN: * Kyle Reynolds
DAYT: Josh Lansford
PEOR: Marquez Smith/* Billy Mottram
EXST: Jovan Rosa/Gian Guzman/John Contreras
SHORTSTOPS:
CUBS: Ronny Cedeno/Ryan Theriot
IOWA: Joe Simokaitis
TENN: # Matt Matulia
DAYT: Jonathan Mota/Nathan Samson
PEOR: Darwin Barney/* Dylan Johnston/# Jose Made
EXST: Cesar Valentin/Anthony Morel/# Robert Bautista
LEFT-FIELDERS:
CUBS: Alfonso Soriano
IOWA: Jake Fox
TENN: Jesus Valdez/* Jeff Culpepper
DAYT: Alfred Joseph/* James Adduci
PEOR: * Drew Rundle/Ty Wright/* Brian Leclerc
EXST: Brandon Guyer/* Luke Sommer/Andy Soto
CENTER-FIELDERS
CUBS: * Felix Pie/# Angel Pagan
IOWA: * Sam Fuld/# Chris Walker
TENN: * Tyler Colvin
DAYT: * Matt Camp
PEOR: * Leon Johnson/* Jonathan Wyatt/* Clark Hardman
EXST: Sammy Baez/# Andres Quezada/# Nelson Pierre
RIGHT-FIELDERS
CUBS: * Jacque Jones/Matt Murton
IOWA: * Buck Coats
TENN: Ryan Harvey
DAYT: Yusuf Carter
PEOR: * Cliff Andersen/Andy Lopez/* Kyler Burke
EXST: * Nelson Perez/Jesus Reyes/Edgar Herrera
STARTING PITCHERS
CUBS:
* Ted Lilly
* Rich Hill
Jason Marquis
* Sean Marshall
Angel Guzman
Mark Prior (likely post-2007 non-tender)
* Neal Cotts (could be post-2007 non-tender)
IOWA:
Juan Mateo
Sean Gallagher
* J. R. Mathes
Kevin Hart
Mark Holliman
TENN:
* Donald Veal
Mitch Atkins
Jeff Samardzija
Joel Santo
Greg Reinhard
DAYT:
Scott Taylor
Billy Muldowney
Jake Renshaw
Jose Pina
Robert Hernandez
PEOR:
Jose Ceda
Rafael Dolis
* Dustin Sasser
* Mark Pawelek
Alberto Alburquerque
EXST:
Alberto Cabrera
Chris Huseby
Larry Suarez
Oswaldo Martinez
* Jeffry Antigua
BULLPEN:
CUBS:
Ryan Dempster (closer)
Carlos Marmol
Michael Wuertz
* Will Ohman
Bob Howry
* Scott Eyre
Billy Petrick
Roberto Novoa (likely post-2007 non-tender)
IOWA:
Rocky Cherry (closer)
* Clay Rapada
Matt Avery
* Jerry Blevins
James Henderson
* Paul Schappert
Randy Wells
TENN:
Rocky Roquet (closer)
Grant Johnson
Adalberto Mendez
* Scott Koerber
Mike Phelps
* Tim Layden
Justin Berg
Adam Harben (rehab)
* Chris Shaver (rehab)
DAYT:
* Casey Lambert (closer)
Alessandro Maestri
* Jeremy Papelbon
Jesse Estrada
Jon Mueller
* Jayson Ruhlman
Marco Carrillo
PEORIA (competing for PEOR bullpen or else EXST)
Chuckie Platt
Miguel Cuevas
Matt Maradeo
* Darin Downs
Donny Walters
Brad Clipp
Michael Bartek
John Muller
* Arik Hempy
Audy Santana
Stephen Vento
* Zach Ashwood
Jordan Latham
Julio Castillo
* Chris Siegfried
Harol Tolentino
Scott Meyer
Marcus Hatley
* Michael Bunton
Brandon Taylor
Blake Parker
Yusdel Tuero
* Taylor Parker
Corey Bachman
Chris Rivera
Andrew McCormick
Craig Muschko
Michael Christl
Yuri Higgins
EXST:
Francisco Acosta
Kevin Kreier
Junniol Lami
Simon Lee
Cedric Redmond
Brett Summers
Ryan Searle
* Jeffry Antigua
Julio Pena
Ramon Reyes
Jose Severino
Arturo Florentino
Manolin de Leon
Ramon Rache
Edilmar Infante
Gregorio Rodriguez
Kitt Kopach (rehab)
Brett Jackson (rehab)
Michael Cooper (rehab)
Todd Blackford (rehab)
Comments