Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

28 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 

Last updated 3-26-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 15
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs 2008 Schedule Out

The Cubs have released their tentative 2008 schedule. Some of the highlights: Interleague Series: Home and Home vs. the White Sox, home versus the Orioles and on the road versus the Blue Jays and Devil Rays. No Yankees or Red Sox which should be a good thing. Home/Season Opener vs the Milwaukee Brewers and we end the season versus them as well in Milwaukee. Our last two weeks consist of three at home versus the Brewers, three versus the Cardinals and then four on the road at New York and three at Milwaukee. Quirks: Cubs will play two at home versus the Mets in April and then the aforementioned four on the road in September. They do the same thing with the Rockies, two at Colorado in April and four at home in May. They'll play the Phillies and Padres seven times each for some reason. - They'll get four days off for the All-Star break again. - They'll be at home versus the Dodgers for Memorial Day and on the road at St. Louis on the Fourth of July. - Other than the four game set at New York, the entire month of September will be against division rivals. - Their only trip to see Washington's new stadium will be at the end of April, the weekend of the 25th-27th.

Comments

The excuse I've needed to visit Rogers Centre and Toronto. (Other than hockey HOF). Schedules are fun

Some BCB'ers complaining that the Cubs don't play the Yanks or Red Sox cause it's a fun matchup to watch and good for baseball.

It was brought up in the previous thread, but worth repeating.... The final 4 series look to be brutal: Milwaukee at home (3) St. Louis at home (3) Mets on the road (4) Brewers on the road (3)

No...

It looks like we'll need to make a post-waiver wire trade for Kris Benson or Jorge Julio for a couple spot starts for that 16 game run from August 19 to September 3. And damn those pesky off days on Sept 4 and 8 because that means that we will then need to throw Z on only three day's rest on Sept 7 so that we have Z and Lilly set up to pitch the last two games of the season in Milwaukee. Damn those schedulers, messing up our rotation again.

LNL- There is no way that is true as I have heard on here many times that Dusty will never manage again. I call bullshit...:)

Manny, I hope to god it is true. One less team to worry about in the Central. You think Dusty will stand for Votto, Bruce, Hamilton, Phillips, Encarnacion and Keppinger? Ha! And we can take the "can't" out of "can't-miss" prospect Homer Bailey. His arm will be shot by 2010! And while I am exaggerating a tad bit, I really do hope Dusty gets that job. I couldn't think of a worse fit for that organization, which is great for us.

If Baker goes to CINC and LaRussa stays in STL, I think it will be fun to watch them and Lou in CHC battle it out. Those 3 would be good for like 2-3 managerial jousts a year for sure.

We should offer Cincy Marquis and Jacque for Bailey and Hamilton the day they hire Dusty. He's gonna look at Bailey, see an overweight Juan Cruz and want to dump him for some veteran leadership...

Scott Hatteburg - the most non-Dusty player ever, especially when it's hot out.

for all the hell dusty gets on the pitcher thing...he sent 1 guy to surgery his whole tenure in SF, closer nenn... somehow he shows up as a cub with an arm-burner reputation and somehow gets wood/prior pinned on him. the prior arguments are a bit weak and the wood arguments are even weaker given he was injured before dustbag even took over. he may favor vet. hitters more often than not, but he'll give kid pitchers a try starting and in the pen. biggest problem in CIN the past many years, surprisingly or not, has been a divided and distracted clubhouse where adam dunn can't seem to forget he's not a local town highschool football star anymore and elders like hatteberg/griffey are good guys with little leadership in the clubhouse. supposedly all the new/young kids are cliqueing up even further dividing it all...meh... paying a guy like dusty 2-3-4m a year to be that babysitter, though...damn...they could probably find someone, somewhere, cheaper.

I actually agree with you for the most part crunch, I just can't pass up an opportunity to tweak Dusty. I do look forward to the sacrifice bunts with Alex Gonzalez batting second though. :)

Reds aren't in too bad shape imo, real good offense and 3 pitchers I really like in Bailey, Harang and Arroyo. Try and fix the pen and get 2 starters who'll make their starts and keep the ball in that park. Paul Byrd would be a good start, maybe Kenny Rogers.

Brewers and likely the Cubs will be in the 2008 Central Race, I do think the Reds could make themselves interesting next year. It's always hard to count out the Cards but man I just don't how they can fix all those holes in offseason with no minor league system and a seeming unwillingness to spend much money. Astros need about 4 starting pitchers. Pirates are the Pirates, if Snell/Gorzelanny get better and a couple of young arms show up they'll make it interesting. But that offense has got nothing going for it.

dusty's gonna earn his lumps, but the whole pitcher thing is kinda weak. a lotta it has to do with his use of livan hernandez (practically indestructable and got worked over harder than dusty ever worked him in MON/WAS for 3+ years afterward) and russ ortiz (went 2.5years after he left with similar workload for bobby cox before being injured). if you got a couple guys who are known for being able to have rubber arms...use them. its not like he killed jason schmidt or kirk rueter with work...he was pretty cautious with them.

how retarded 2 at mets then 2 at Rockies then 2 at Nats

it's 3 at Nats, weekend series. if I'm looking at it right, the Mets and Rockies series you mentioned are the only 2 game sets all year.

you are right about the nats, im just saying its retarded to be in NY, fly to Colorado and them back to the east coast to washington

it is retarded to fly from Colorado to Washington, the series before though is in Chicago against the Mets.

I don't have the numbers, but it seemed as if Dusty rode Prior, Wood and especially Z hard as hell in the final month of their pennant chase in '03. Granted, you go with the best you've got and their relief corps was shoddy, but those pitch counts seemed awfully high to me at the time. Add to this the reality that Wood was already oft - injured, and Prior hadn't dealt with that volume of workload before in his career. You could also mention Dusty's negligence in leaving Prior in the game after that nasty collison on the basepaths - that decision made absolutely no sense to me then, and it still makes no sense to me now.

Still can't locate the appropriate number to make my case, but here's a little nugget from the Bill James handbook from a few years ago: "...the stats show that Baker is hard on pitchers too. Baker has some of the highest Long Outings among managers of the past 10 years. Alou's high with the Giants (13 in 2004) was surpassed by Baker in 6 of the past 10 seasons, with one tie, meaning that Baker had less than 13 only three seasons - and in two of the three, he had 10, which would have (and did) ranked 2nd worse by a large margin in 2005. He has seasonal highs of 27, 26, 25, basically double Alou's worse with the Giants. Alou had 8, 13, and 7 LO." So you could reason that Baker's rep with pitchers was established long before he came to the Cubs.

Was it mentioned that Cubs plan on lowering Wrigley playing field by 4-5 feet for drainage purposes and overseen by Bossard? Also Stone on WSCR says no way he will be GM. All 3/44? Stone will be the play by play though for the Cubs, I believe.

3/44 on the first part - from weeks, if not months ago. but i hadn't heard the Stone part that he won't be the GM. And Stone - pbp? Are they getting rid of Len?

you'd think there'd be an announcement by now if it was said on the radio an hour ago. Fwiw, Rosenbloom and Mitchell of the Trib say Stone would be more interested in a consulting role than GM role.

I believe this is the first time in about 5 years that we don't play a 4 game set at Atlanta. I found that to be such a strange scheduling oddity that they kept putting us in Atlanta for 4. On paper, September looks brutal..both in who we play and the fact only 9 of 25 games are at home.

I hope the Cubs have a big lead going into September......16 of 25 games on the road to finish the season. However 35 of the first 58 at home so maybe they can get off to a good start.

The Stone as color for cubs in my opinion, nothing to back it up. Except he's all over the radio here, and I believe new ownership he will get another chance and also Brenly will get a manager job.

oh... so you didn't actually hear anything about stone doing color? you are just thinking it will happen?

I know Steve Stone says he wouldn't take the cubs' GM job but were it actually offered to him I think he'd jump in the new owner's arms and kiss him full on the mouth. I think Steve Stone would do anything to be the GM of a major league team. I've heard him interviewed after vacancies have been filled with others and his extreme bitterness is palpable. I've also heard him rip into Billy Beane, Theo Epstein and anyone else born after the Eisenhower administration with a GM job to the point where you'd think they had kidnapped and killed Stone's dog.

I think Steve prefers to criticize/analyze more than actually doing a front office job.

*~grunt~* go rockies, ugh. My level of baseball flameout this year may actually extend to the WS, not sure I can psych myself up to root for the NL standard bearer, whoever it may be lets see...hard choice time: watch the rest of this NLCS game, or watch "Graveyard Alive: A Zombie Nurse in Love" bring on the zombie babes! ttyl

5-1, Juan Cruz chased... ex-cub factor only haunts the cubs. Waiting on Latroy though for the big finish.

Upton barreled into Matsui to break up a double play...much more aggressive roll than usual, ump called Ojeda out at first (for the DP) based on interference...Az fans in the upper deck go nuts throwing water bottles on the field so Hurdle pulls his players off the field

I don't get the whole throwing debris thing. It's your home field, why would you litter it under any circumstances? And Cubs fans at Wrigley can be the worst about it. It really bugs me. I always wonder, if those fans are watching a game at home and there's a bad call, do they dump beer or Doritos all over their living room floor?

dont try to figure out the logic of someone that will throw not only pay $4 for a bottle of water, but will also throw it away. i guess if you have enough $6 beers anything is possible, though.

Have to agree with Jacos with Stone being back in a Chicago broadcast booth because: 1. There already dancing around the issue that Santo will do home games next year. They already annouced he wont be making the trip to Shea next year. I am sure if Santo only does home games they will hire another analyst to work with Pat on the road and him and Ron at home. 2. The other teams radio analyst's contract is up and not expected to be renewed. So stone will be a candidate to replace him, although because of the reviews Hawk-Stone booth got, I imagine DJ goes to the radio. 3. With TBS doing a "Sunday Afternoon game of the Week" along with their playoff broadcast, they could offer BB 2/3rds of his Cub salary to do games again with Chip & Gwynn. He gets enough money and gets to spend more time watching his kid play which seems from the broadcast this year to be a large prioity of his.

I actually just threw some debris in my kitchen just now to protest that DP. Just some crumpled up papers and a plastic cup. It was more fun than I expected

There's much more overlap with the Cubs and White Sox home schedules than normal... 4/22 - NYM, NYY 8/5-8/6 - HOU, DET 8/8-8/10 - STL, BOS 8/19-8/20 - CIN, SEA 8/22-8/24 - TB, WAS I don't recall them playing on the same weekend (as happens twice in August) anytime recently, but perhaps someone can correct me.

Bruce Miles wrote this morning:
For a couple days, it was getting a little crazy. I was hearing: • The Cubs need to trade Aramis Ramirez. • They even need to trade Derrek Lee.
Did that Lee business start here in yesterday's "Who do you want" thread? I'm not at all keen on trading Derrek Lee, I just think it's a business decision and ought to be considered. The Cubs tend to marry their good players. The great players of my youth, Banks, Williams and Santo, are still hanging around. Sometimes the marriage ends in divorce, like Grace and Sosa. It wasn't a highly publicized blowup, but the Cubs were mad at Corey Patterson when they traded him, too. Remember when they asked him to play winter ball, and he said, I'll think about it? You don't have to be mad at a guy to trade him. The Braves are very businesslike with Andruw Jones, Adam LaRoche and others. Rob said he hopes Lee rediscovers his power stroke next season. That's fine, but the question for a GM is, Do you think he will? If not, find another GM who thinks otherwise, and work out a deal.

Not that it matters but the Cincy Enquirer' poll is 2-1 against hiring Dusty and the blog comments there are much worse with most fans absolutely against his hiring... and they seem pretty knowledgeable about the reasons why Dusty is a bad fit (young players and an already cliqueish and divided clubhouse). As someone who thinks Dusty single handedly dismantled and sabotaged the most talented Cubs' team since 1969 (i speak of the 2004 Cubs roster) while somehow succeeding at running Sosa and Stone out of town as scapegoats, I must admit that in my gut I don't see Dusty as someone who ruins pitchers. He did run Prior to back to back 130+ pitch games etc. but in general most of that pitch count stuff strikes me as a construct of modern baseball over-analysis.

Rob said he hopes Lee rediscovers his power stroke next season. He already has...

Re: Lee's power... I wrote this 9/5/07, so the numbers mayhave changed slightly in September, but the point still remains: ***************** Lee has 11 home runs since the ASG in just 173 at-bats. Over a full season that would give him around 30-35 home runs. I would say that his power is coming back to what would be “normal”. Here is a look at at-bats/home run over different periods of Lee’s career: 1999 - 2004: 22.18 ab/hr 2005: 12.91 2006: 21.88 (injury year) 2007: 28.35 2007, pre ASG: 51.5 2007, post ASG: 15.73 I think it is pretty clear that something was “wrong” in the first half in terms of Lee’s home run power - that may have been his approach, problems with the wrist, something we don’t know, or a combination. It is also clear that Lee’s HR power HAS returned for the most part, and he is hitting home runs at a rate somewhere in-between his career year of 2005 and the rest of his career numbers.

Did that Lee business start here in yesterday’s “Who do you want” thread? I’m not at all keen on trading Derrek Lee What? This is what you said yesterday:
I would trade Lee and DeRosa
So you are not keen on trading Lee, but you would trade Lee? I am confused...

and to comment on the previous thread about who we want in 2008 . . . 1.) I would bet the bank that Hendry does not bring in a high profile free agent. 2.) His tendency is to fluctuate between cheap downward spiralling or injured former 'names' (Nomar, Dempster, Wade Miller, Floyd) and slightly overpaying midlevel career or 'sleeper' players (Neifi, Eyre, DeRosa). 3.) Unfortunately the Cubs biggest need in my opinion is exactly what Rob G. touched on which is a marquee power pitcher like Schilling -- but I worry whether Schilling has another full season in him? And no way the Cubs get him anyway. 4.) While it is logical to think we need to add power bat to the lineup we actually might benefit from putting Murton fulltime in the lineup and adding a pesky line drive hitter. In the playoffs we had an entire team reaching for the fences and helping pitchers out by swinging at 2-0 and 3-1 pitches out of the zone. Even Lee. Giving Murton more time and adding a shortstop or OF who battles deep into counts and makes contact might actually help this lineup more than a big bopper. All this said I think the chances of Hendry landing Schilling are very remote. I think we'll see a conservative offseason. Role players added with the idea that Hendry believes the current team has what it takes with a little fine tooling. I fully expect him to sign/trade for an injured or washed up pitcher or perhaps more likely a pitcher who has a name but is coming off a HORRIBLE year. Likewise Griffey Jr. is a prototypical Hendry player. But I also agree he won't show up here prior to HR #600. If they do go FREE AGENT: One weird contrary instinct that flies in the face of everything I said is they trade Jones, Marquis and maybe Dempster for prospects and clear a little more salary and somehow go after Andrew Jones.

was going to comment on that Bruce Miles article.... he also thinks that the story of picking up Trax's option is bogus.

Back from a brief no-baseball sabbatical. Couple of comments: I would love Stoney as analyst, as GM -- um, not so much. I'm so impressed this group can put any brainpower into the 2008 season so soon after the debacle that was the AZ series. Granted, playing lots of road games in Sept. is no fun, but "brutal"? This is the NL Central. Imagine if the sked was loaded with AZ, Colorado, SD, Philly...it could be so much worse...

to clarify my Lee comment, yeah I hope he hits 30 homers next year with a 320 BA and 400 OBP, but if he hits like this year with his defense, I'm fine with the Todd Helton/Mark Grace impersonator. Just hope to add another bat to make up for some of those homers.

"what Rob G. touched on which is a marquee power pitcher like Schilling " Schilling's ego is big enough too think he's the man to end a century of Cub suffering.

Lee's 2nd half numbers: .302/.386/.554 OPS: .941 16 home runs in 68 games (approx. 35 home runs for a season) Yea - I would take those numbers.

This is what you said yesterday . . . I am confused . . . I said something yesterday. I refined it today. We're brainstorming, right? I'm not quite comfortable with a one-through-six that couldn't produce any runs (except on a couple of grounders to short) in three games against the Diamondbacks. Are you, Dave?

I said something yesterday. I refined it today. Okay... but you seemed confused about where the Lee trade talk came from, when you are the one who explicitly said you would trade Lee. It didn't make much sense. Are you, Dave? Actually... yea, I am fairly comfortable with the Cubs 1-6. Not perfectly content, but comfortable with it. But Lee and ARam sure aren't where I would be making changed unless it meant bringing in A-Rod. Again... 3 games doesn't tell us very much.

Wish the Cubs would get interested in the Japanese talent, Kosuke Fukudome is set to come to MLB. Boasts a .305 career BA with a .390's OBP. Hits for power and is an RBI threat. Just a little blurb from MLB4u... Prediction: Signs 4-year, $36M with the White Sox Analysis: Fukudome missed the final couple months of the 2007 season after elbow surgery, but remains poised to play in America via free agency in 2008. At just 30 years old, the patient left-handed moneyballish hitter can expect to command at least three years, $18 million and up to five years, $50 million. He made about $3.2 million this season while putting up okay numbers during an off year. Scouts project him as a corner outfielder in the majors, but he does have the speed for centerfield. His arm is said to be better than Ichrio's. The Yankees, Red Sox, Rangers, Giants, White Sox, Devil Rays, Mariners and Padres scouted Fukudome this year. Just like with Matsui, Ichiro, and Matsuzka, the Cubs fail to send scouts to look at him. Hey we need a RFer....the club should be scouting everyone on the planet.

bless Bruce Miles, a reliable source of info... as already mentioned here (regarding his counter to Ken Rosenthal on Traschel):
Also, look for the Cubs to decline the option on Steve Trachsel's contract for next year. They've got enough young arms, including Kevin Hart, meaning Trachsel is very expendable.
and the Wardosaurus undergoes the knife. My guess is it's the same operation Orlando Hudson of the Dbacks had which is a ligament repair on the ulnar(web) side of the thumb metacarpal-phalangeal joint (but that's a speculation as I haven't seen anyone say anything specific on what surgery is planned). :
Cubs pinch hitter Daryle Ward will need surgery on his injured left hand, which he injured near the thumb while sliding into a base. The procedure is expected to have a recovery time of 6-8 weeks. Look for the Cubs to exercise the $1.2 million option on Ward's deal for next year. For years, they had been looking for a dependable bench guy, and they found that guy in Ward.

thanks for the 2nd half numbers Dave on Lee, I was thinking he struggled with his BA trying to compensate for not hitting homers. July/August were tough (250 BA's in each) but he sure figured it out in Sept. 365/431/654 with 7 homers that month.

Hopefully Hendry and Co. (unlike VA Phil) want to improve the offense because we were only 8th in the NL in runs scored not because of one three game stretch. Just adding Soto could be a huge improvement over what Barrett never gave us this year and the other catchers. I think Soriano and Ramirez are good bets to have better years which weren't that bad in the first place, if anything by just playing 150 instead of 130 games.

Hate to argue a point here, but the likelyhood of Aramis playing 150 games I would put around 25%. Soriano without playing center is likely to be healthier, but I am wondering if the leg problems wil continue to curb his base stealing. If he can't steal 40 bases maybe he will be more comfortable with the concept of moving down in the order. I hadn't seen the thing about Fukudome having a better arm that Ichiro, and I find it unlikely (he did come up as a shorstop I believe, but Dunston's RF arm probably wasn't better than Ichiro's). He doesn't put up numbers like Hideki did, but strikes out at a similar rate, so I don't think he's going to be as good a hitter as Matsui. I think I will take a pass on him.

3 games doesn’t tell us very much. Maybe not, but the Cubs actually lost six of the last seven games that mattered. In the three Florida games, here some totals: Soriano 3 for 13, 1 rbi DeRosa 2 for 12, 0 Lee 3 for 12, 1 rbi Ramirez 4 for 13, 1 rbi Theriot 1 for 12, 0 Lee did hit a homer in the series. Aramis did go four for five in the Thursday game. And Soriano did hit a bomb that would have given the good guys a 6-5 lead in the 6th inning on Thurs. if the wall had not been thirty feet high. Still, that's 3 RBI out of five hitters in the meat of the batting order in six crucial losses. DeRosa had zero RBI in those six losses plus a tougher time defensively than usual in Florida, including a throwing error on Wed. and those two pop flies on Tues. that fell between him and the right fielder, both of which were costly and one of which he got his glove on. Not to be sarcastic, but this lead-in may help explain why he felt the need to swing on 3 and 1 against Hernandez. The same math that projects 35 home runs for Lee produces 6 for DeRosa.

So let me get this straight. The games where our big hitters don't hit we lose. I think that's a trend you could take back for more than 10 games.

Maybe not, but the Cubs actually lost six of the last seven games that mattered. They also lost 6 of the last 10 that mattered They also won 11 of the last 20 that mattered or 12 of 21 and on and on and on.... I'd put the odds of 150 or more for Aramis at around 45%.

Just for the record. My count has the Cubs at 84 and 79 in 'games that mattered'. The logic that the games in Florida were higher pressure or more important than any other game for the previous 8 weeks is... dubious at best.

the likelyhood of Aramis playing 150 games I would put around 25%. Aramis has played in 150+ games in 3 of his last 7 seasons. But two of those non-150 game seasons were 142 and 145 games. He also played in 157 games last year. So I would say that the odds are better than 25%. But yea - the odds still are probably not over 50%. I do agree with Real Neal on Fukudome. As much as I would love to hear Santo butcher his name, I don't think he will be worth the price tag. Nor would I be surprised if Matt Murton out-produces Fukudome next year, at least offensively.

Hopefully Aram will make it through ST healthy and we can put a bet on it. I think the official odds should be 2/7 - what's that 29%? That's what he's done so far in his ML career.

Anyone here actually see Fukudome play? Closer to Ichiro or Hideki in terms of his swing and body type?

wouldn't they be 3/7? 43%? He has played 150+ games 3 times - 2001, 2003, 2006 He has averaged 145 games a season.

And not trying to argue as much as trying to give myself hope that A-Ram will play in 150 games next year... :)

Oh yeah, duh, missed his trade season. I think he was hurt in 2000 as I recall though as well. Anyway 43% is good too. 1 out of the last 4 is what I would go with though.

quote from my Cubs calendar yesterday: "I never played drunk; hung over yes, but never drunk." Hack Wilson

3 of 7 actually - 43% I WIN!!! (kidding) Uh... didn't I already say that? :) Looks like I WIN!!!! :)

you don’t read my posts, I don’t read your comments. Ouch. And I do read your posts. Most of the time.

ESPN 1000 in Chicago had Lou on this morning mainly to comment on the Sun-Times article today speculating Lou may go to NY to replace Torre. When asked if he would definitely be in a Cubs uniform next season, he said, "Well, unless I die over the winter, Yes." Wants to stay here and finish what they started this year. Doesn't see the need for 'major' changes but feels they have to get more 'athletic' up and down the lineup. We can put all our discussion on Soriano batting down in the order to rest......not going to happen. 'There's a reason Soriano bats leadoff', 'Just doesn't work with him batting anywhere else', and 'He did everything we expected out of him except speed/steals which was hampered by injuries'. He's looking foward to the organization meetings later this month.

I was kidding around Dave, I was typing as you were posting. I'm guessing more athletic means no Matt Murton for starter.

This is getting to be like an argument with my wife. I'll just say that I associate myself with the thousands of fans who booed them off the field and leave it at that.

"quote from my Cubs calendar yesterday" Is the October first quote "Wait 'til next year" every year?

I was kidding around Dave, I was typing as you were posting. I know... as was I. Damn... I wish there were different "tone of voice" type settings. :) And BOOO!!! if it means no more Murton. Why is athleticism what this team needs? Isn't what they need consistency? People getting on base? A catcher who can play defense? And hit? I just find the athleticism thing kind of odd.

This is getting to be like an argument with my wife. You mean your wife doesn't make a decision on what to with a team based on 3 (or 7) games? Smart woman... And seriously - like Neal said, last I checked the Cubs played 165 games that mattered.

Also besides Schilling, Phils might go after Rivera. Twins offered Hunter 3/54, "source" says he'd accept 5/75 to stay with the Twins.

Neal said 163 games actually...84+79. The last 2 versus the Reds certainly did not.

Neal said 163 games actually…84+79. Blah... I forgot about those two - I was celebrating with Johann's mom.

George Altman: "We can put all our discussion on Soriano batting down in the order to rest……not going to happen." Well, the Cubs went into the season with Soriano in CF and that changed.

if soriano shows up in spring with his 2nd 1/2 running skills a move to #2-5 in the order might be in order. dunno about all the #5 stuff...yeah, you dont "pitch around" soriano, you just pitch to him, but backing him up with dersoa/muron/jones/etc. in the 6 slot wouldnt do him many favors.

$15-$18M a year for Torii Hunter? The Soriano contract ($13M-$18M over next 7 years) looks like a bargain already, and Soriano is a year younger. And it makes Rowand's 6/84 offer look more than reasonable, as he is younger still. I guess we should get used to seeing our jaws drop this offseason...

The Wells and Soriano, Lilly and Zito deals are pretty widly regarded as the instigators in the most recents FA salary escalation. Looks like the Twins are thinking along the lines the Dodgers did with their Furcal and Schmidt signings.

given the need vs. supply of SP this season i'm kinda expecting see contracts that make marquis's make sense and dontrelle willis netting florida an insane amount of return given his recent performance. still, florida's cheaped it up the last couple years and can afford to re-invest back in their team...whether they start doing that this year or later (if ever) i dunno...

Good thing about those T-Shirts Ruz is hawking, if we sign Livan Hernandez you can say those shirts are for him.

Manny, make sure you check out the comments about the Reds hiting Baker at Redlegs Rundown.

fwiw, Ryan Harvey got pulled from the Hawaii winter league about a week ago with another hamstring injury or so says the rumor. Kyler Burke was sent in his place.

$15-$18 mil for Hunter sounds reasonable compared to what Scott Boras thinks Andruw Jones is gonna get. He claims Andruw gave a $30 million discount last time around (6/$75 million) but he ain't gonna do it this time. I'm thinking a .220 average means you give a BIGGER discount...

I have trouble envisioning the Yanks not re-signing Rivera. They lose how bad they need them, they see him as a true Yankee and if they didn't intend to, HE would've been manager-for-a-day at the last reg-season game, not Posada. Mark it. Maybe they trust Farnsworth. =|

firing larry is sooooo last year. he gets to be a hero this year. ...and mazzone gets to be a bum? woaaaaaaaaaaaah. =p such is life for the elderly baseman man.

The Real Neal: "Manny, make sure you check out the comments about the Reds hiting Baker at Redlegs Rundown." Why?

i dont see how the yanks cant extend arod, too...even if they give him 3-4-whatever years at 25-30m a year they still "only" pay 16m of the 27m he's owed from now til 2010. walking away from a 30m-off coupon on one of the league's most dominate and consistent hitters.

unless he has learned from his mistakes of throwing the arms off Prior and Wood, I am leery. Not a good idea in my opinion. If Dusty Baker is hired, I am seriously considering rooting for another team until he is gone....The man has no clue what makes a winning baseball team Dusty Baker is the wrong manager at the wrong time for this team.

The man (Baker) has no clue what makes a winning baseball team Dusty Baker is 1162-1041 as a manager (.527 winning %). He has the 38th most wins in MLB history and 38th best winning percentage as a manager all time. Yeah, no clue...:) unless he has learned from his mistakes of throwing the arms off Prior and Wood, I am leery. Good to see it is not just the Cubs fans that believe the unsubstantiated hype.

Dusty Baker is 1162-1041 as a manager (.527 winning %). He has the 38th most wins in MLB history and 38th best winning percentage as a manager all time. Yeah, no clue…:) Its amazing what a little "flaxseed oil" can do for a manager's winning percentage....

yeah Cashman made it pretty clear that if they can't get him to agree to an extension and he declares for free agency that they won't pursue him.

According to Cot's:
# 2008-2010 financial obligations (eliminated if Rodriguez voids): * NY: $50,695,500 (08:$15.884M, 09:$16.8985M, 10:$17.913M) * Texas: $21,304,500 (08:$8.116M, 09:$7.1015M, 10:$6.087M)
But Cot's also says they A-Rod is owed 27 million in each year. If I understand if all correctly, the gap in the numbers comes from the deferred money that Texas is picking up a good chunk of. Interestingly, Cot's also says the Yankees can offer arbitration to A-Rod, which I would assume that they would do enabling them to get a draft pick.

wow... typo alerts... Cot's also says **THAT** they ... If I understand **IT** if all correctly...

Rob G.: "yeah Cashman made it pretty clear that if they can’t get him to agree to an extension and he declares for free agency that they won’t pursue him." Of course that is what he is going to say now. They still want the $20 million form TEX to stay on the books. But when it comes down to it, Cashman has very little say. If Big Stein wants ARod, Cashman will have to go out and sign him. Of course, that is assuming Big Stein even know who ARod is at this point.

Boras can CLAIM he has offers on the table all day long. As long as no moran owner bites on the play-fakes. Jones will have to settle for a whole lot less.

Lou wants us to get more "athletic". I thought we tried that last year...... (12-20-2005) "I think we're more versatile, more athletic, I think we'll run a lot better and we'll play better defense." ~~ Jim Hendry (04-07-2006)Baker said he has the personnel to take a risk now and then, and Lee agreed the off-season makeover should lead to a more diverse offense."We're a little more versatile, we're more athletic, and we have a deeper bench, which allows us to intertwine guys," Lee said. "We're going to play a better brand of baseball." 66-96

"Good to see it is not just the Cubs fans that believe the unsubstantiated hype." I posted an excerpt from a Bill James book that argued the "hype" regarding Baker is in fact quite real. He rode his SP too hard during his tenure with the Cubs, and his rep preceded him in SF.

dmac...see my reasons why those #s are thrown off and other pitchers he didnt "abuse" but treated with kid gloves in that same post. long story short, guy sent 1 person to surgery his whole tenure in SF and that was a reliever. wood was pre-injured and has stayed constantly injured...and the best case anyone has with his cubs tenure is prior even though no one wants to even consider the elephant in the room and his use vs. success/non-injury...zambrano. you cant just treat every pitcher as if theyre the same person with the same genetics...

fwiw, Miles made an appearance on the NSBB boards today and he clarifies that his claim that Trax's option not being picked up is from him his Cubs sources. I think the same assumptions can be made about Aramis and Derrek as well.

Baker was out of baseball last season, but is eager to get back into managing. In an interview with The Associated Press this summer, he said he would wait for "the right spot" in picking his next job. ----------------------------- And by "the right spot" he means "the very first job that is offered."

Rob G. — October 12, 2007 @ 1:45 pm fwiw, Ryan Harvey got pulled from the Hawaii winter league about a week ago with another hamstring injury or so says the rumor. Kyler Burke was sent in his place. ========================= ROB G: It ain't no rumor. 3/44!

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    LHP Blake Weiman appears to have been the last cut from the AAA Iowa roster. He is with the Tennessee group at Minor League Camp.

     

  • crunch (view)

    bruce bochy is hobbling rather badly for a guy who's had 2 hip replacements.  his gait is extremely wonky taking the lineup card to the ump.

  • crunch (view)

    yeah, for me this isn't about who's better at 3rd.  it's madrigal, period.  for me it's about who's not hitting in the lineup because madrigal is in the lineup.

    occasional play at 3rd for madrigal, okay.  going with the steele/ground-ball matchup...meh, but okay, whatever.

    seeing madrigal get significant starting time...no thanks.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Yeah I am very disappointed Madrigal is starting. He has no business as a starter. He is AAA insurance, a back up at best. Sure his defense looks fine because he plays far enough in that his noodle arm isn’t totally exposed. It comes at the cost of 3B range.

    He’s garbage, and a team serious about winning would NOT have him starting opening day.

  • crunch (view)

    in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.

  • Eric S (view)

    With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳

  • crunch (view)

    madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.

    making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster.  if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.

    morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.

    madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game?  it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.

    this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone.  cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.

    anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season.  it will be telling if morel is not used at 3rd when an extreme fly ball pitcher like imanaga is on the mound.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    There are two clear "logjams" in the Cubs minor league pipeline at the present time, namely AA outfielders (K. Alcantara, C. Franklin, Roederer, Pagan, Pinango, Beesley, and Nwogu) and Hi-A infielders (J. Rojas, P. Ramirez, Howard, R. Morel, Pertuz, R. Garcia, and Spence, although Morel has been getting a lot of reps in the outfield in addition to infield). So it is possible that you might see a trade involving one of the extra outfielders at AA and/or one of the extra infielders at Hi-A in the next few days. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

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  • Arizona Phil (view)

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