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

Top 5 Favorite Cubs vs. Cardinals Moments

When you start writing a sports blog, there's a little handbook handed out to everyone that tells you how to drive up your traffic. The list includes posting drunken photos of players, hot women (they don't even have to be sports-related), making up trade rumors and top ten lists. The criteria for this post was the top ten moments I could remember off the top of my head...I only came up with five.

#5 - Michael Barrett grand slam home run at Wrigley

There wasn't a whole lot of hope entering the 2006 season, but there still was some if EVERYTHING broke the right way. And if Mark Prior and Kerry Wood were healthy ($5 to the TCR tip jar for uttering that phrase). The Cubs started off splitting two against the Reds on the road and then came home for three against the Cardinals. By the time Sunday rolled around, they had won the first two and were looking for blood - Cardinal blood!!

Sean Marshall got the first start of his career and put the Cubs in a quick two-run hole after giving up a first-inning blast to Scott Rolen. The Cubs battled back and by the eighth it was 4-3 Cardinals. After Ricardo Rincon walked Todd Walker to leadoff the inning, God's-gift-to-managing Tony LaRussa went to his closer Jason Isringhausen for the two-inning save. He promptly walked Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez  to load them up for Michael Barrett. Barrett then nailed a 2-2 pitch deep into the Sunday night air, way out in left field to give the Cubs a 7-4 lead. They added an insurance run and won 8-4.

The Cubs made it through April with a 13-10 record and then lost about 25 straight to start May and maybe another 15 or so to end May and I think there were a few 10 and 8 game losing streaks as well in June and July. But for one magnificent evening, Michael Barrett made us feel like champions (cue theme song from "Rudy").  

#4 - NeifiSlam!

The year before, the Cardinals were victimized by a far less suspecting culprit; every Cubs fans' favorite whipping boy - Neifi!. Entering the game, the Cubs were already 13 games back in the division, but still had a shot at the wild card, just 5.5 back. If only we could keep Prior and Wood healthy all season (crap, $5). Prior actually did start that game and labored through six innings, while giving up three early runs. The Cubs took the lead in the eight with two runs, but little David Eckstein tied it up in the ninth with a towering home run to deep center.

Check that, a single to right off Ryan Dempster that scored Hector Luna. The home run would have made for a better storyline though, especially if he hit the lights and they started sparking.

The tenth rolled around - and I believe this was another ESPN Sunday night game like the Barrett game - and the Cubs leadoff again with Todd Walker. He doubled and the LaRussa intentionally walked the uber-hot Derrek Lee (remember his 2005 season, when he didn't hit into a double play every other at-bat?). Jeromy Burnitz then bunted them over (WTF?) and Aramis was intentionally walked to load the bases. That lead to....wait, hold on, Jeromy Burnitz was asked to bunt? That seems strange, no? I bet TCR was all over that when it happened (from Transmission's recap of the game):

With runners on first and second and Burnitz up in the top of the tenth, Dusty has Burnitz bunt. This gives me a profound sense of deja vu, because the only other game recap I’ve ever written was for game 50, and it included this comment:
 
With a runner on first and nobody out in the ninth, tie game, Gagne on the mound, Dusty asked Burnitz to bunt. Burnitz has one sacrifice bunt since 1999. He bunted hard to the third-baseman, forcing the runner at second base. Let me quote to you from the delightful children’s story and excellent allegory, The Little Prince:
 
“If I ordered a general to fly from one flower to another like a butterfly, or to write a tragic drama, or to change himself into a sea bird, and if the general did not carry out the order that he had received, which one of us would be in the wrong?” the king demanded. “The general, or myself?”
 
“You,” said the little prince firmly.
 
“Exactly. One must require from each one the duty which each one can perform,” the king went on. “Accepted authority rests first of all on reason. If you ordered your people to go and throw themselves into the sea, they would rise up in revolution. I have the right to require obedience because my orders are reasonable.”
 
Remarkably, this time Burnitz gets it down.
 
Of course, it’s still perhaps not the right play, because LaRussa just intentionally walks the next hitter, Aramis Ramirez. Joe Morgan correctly points out that by bunting we took the bat away from not just our fourth-place hitter, but also our fifth-place hitter. And indeed, the next hitter up, Barrett, strikes out.

Ah, how we do miss those Transmission recaps. So Barrett doesn't play the hero this time and it's left up to Neifi! Let's go back to Transmission:

So Neifi Perez comes up with the bases loaded and two outs. Neifi has about a .555 OPS since the start of June, and has never hit a home run in St. Louis.
I’ll let the Chatroom describe what happens next.
our hopes lie with Perez
 
ugh
 
here’s Neifi “swinging bunt” Perez”
 
500 ft. homers anyone?
 
NOOOOO 
I have been talking junk about Perez all night….. so this f____r is due for a hit
 
We need Murton here
 
our best hope is HBP
 
(and then…)
rock!!! 
woooooooooo 
omg 
hahahahahahahaha 
OH MY GOD 
grand slame!! [sic] 
Holy sh_t 
Oh. 
My. 
God. 
HOLY SH_________________TTTTTT!!!!!!! 
WWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! 
brb pigs are flying in my window.

Great moments in Parachat history....

Neifi lined one right down the line and the Cardinals get punked by Neifi!  

#3 - Carlos Zambrano drills Jim Edmonds 

Before Jim Edmonds became the glorious Cubs bastard that he is in 2008, he was one of the most hated Cardinals players to ever suit up. On July 19th, 2004, Carlos Zambrano won the hearts of Cubs fans, well this one at least, Alex Ciepley at the time thought he was being immature (Don't be fooled by the byline, Alex wrote that piece). I say Zambrano was being heroic.

It was mid-July and the Cubs were down six in the standings and the Cardinals rolled into town with Chris Carpenter on the mound. Z started off wild and plunked Edmonds in the first inning and by all accounts, it was just one that got away. After three scoreless, Z gives up a two-run jack to Edmonds in the fourth and didn't take too kindly to what he felt was Edmonds gawking at his triumph. A lesser man would have plunked the next hitter or Edmonds the next time up. Instead, when Edmonds sauntered up to the plate in the sixth, Z reared back and threw three straight past Edmonds for the strikeout. You couldn't write it any better than that.

The eight rolled around and the game was tied at three. A leadoff walk to Tony Womack, followed by a Michael Barrett passed ball (who'd thunk?) and a Renteria sacrifice, left the tying run 90 feet away with one out and Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen due up. Z comes back after a 2-0 count to get Pujols swinging.

Awesome.

Rolen steps up and promptly takes him out of the park on a 2-1 pitch. 

Shit.

Well you're at 108 pitches and your night is likely over after the next out and your arch-nemesis is coming up; so might as well go out with a bang. Z drills Edmonds and calls it a night. Z claims the ball slipped out of his hand. Tony LaRussa whined like the lil' bitch he always has been:

"I don't care what the rivalry is, what the circumstance is, what the standings are, you are not allowed to cross the line in this game and their pitcher crossed it twice," LaRussa said. 

Shut up and get off your shine box!

Cubs go on to lose 5-4, but who cares? There are so many times we're teased about a rivalry that never quite reaches the boiling point. The talk is there, but never the action. This was the baseball we grew up hearing stories about. No stepping down, mano-a-mano, each guy raising their game to the next level and even when you're beat, you give them something to think about for the next game.

Brilliant theater. Bad Baseball. 

#2 - Cubs beat Cardinals four out five at Wrigley in September

The magical 2003 season was mostly the Cubs hovering around .500 until September. After losing two of three to the Brewers, the Cubs had the Cardinals coming to town for five straight including a double-header on Tuesday to make up for an earlier rain-out. They entered the series 69-66 and 2.5 games behind the Cardinals in third place and 1.5 back of the Astros. 

Game one was a gem by Prior, who tossed 131 pitches in eight innings of shutout ball for a 7-0 shutout. 131 pitches? That seems excessive, no? Reader "Matt Huber" agrees:

 I don’t get this? We have a fairly fres Bullpen with the additions of 2 new guys. We have a 7 run lead, why is prior still pitching? GET HIM OUT OF THERE!!!

The next day was the double-header and Z throws a tame 113 pitches in a 4-2 win to beat Jason Simontacchi (we were trailing this team?). The nightcap proved to be the only the Cardinals win of the series, as Matt Morris goes seven shutout innings for the 2-0 win. Kerry Wood goes seven himself with nine strikeouts, but gives up a home run to Jim Edmonds and another unearned run for the loss.

Game four is when the fun really starts as the Cubs spot a six run lead to the Cardinals. They get it to 7-6 entering the bottom of the eighth and a Mark Grudzielanek run-scoring triple and then a Moises Alou game-winning hit give them the 8-7 win.

That sets up game five and a Cubs win means they pick up three games on the Cardinals, a loss means they only pick up a game and would still be in third place. Shawn Estes goes for the Cubs and proceeds to give up five runs in five innings. Curse you Shawn Estes! The offense though sets him up for the win by scoring three in the bottom of the fifth to take a 6-5 lead.

That holds until the seventh when for some reason Todd Wellemeyer is pitching and the Cards scratch out the tying run. Mike DeJean comes in for the Cardinals in the seveth and gets leadoff hitter Troy O'Leary to ground out. But Moises Alou draws a walk and then Aramis is nailed to set up the stage for....Tony Womack!!!!

Womack comes through with a single, Remlinger and Borowski shut the door, the Cubs get within a half game of the Astros and lead the Cards by a half game and there was much rejoicing.

#1 - The Ryne Sandberg Game

Hell, just call it "The Game" - for it was the genesis of Cubs fandom for millions.

I popped in my DVD from the Chicago Cubs Legends DVD set to wash the taste out of Saturday's loss and jar the old memory. Bob Costas (total St. Louis homer) and Tony Kubek did the call for the NBC game of the week. It would have been nice if the other NBC team of Vin Scully and Joe Garagiola were announcing it, but they were down in Atlanta covering a Fernando Valenzuela start. For those a little younger than me, you may not remember that the NBC game of the week on Saturday was a pretty big deal. The only real opportunity to see other teams play and when the Cubs were on, it was like being on the ESPN Sunday Night Game of the Week times 10.

Steve "Rainbow" Trout got the start and couldn't make it past the second inning. The big play was a chopper by St. Louis pitcher John Citarella that went over the vertically challenged Ron Cey's head with one out. For some reason, Cey was still playing in for a bunt even though Citarella had two strikes. The flood gates opened up after that and the Cardinals took a 7-1 lead that lasted until the 5th. The Cubs offense struck back, thanks mostly to the "Daily Double" of Bob Dernier and Ryne Sandberg, and by the end of six, it was 9-8.

Neil Allen and Bruce Sutter retired the next six Cubs  in a row, which set the table for the bottom of the ninth. Sandberg stepped up against Sutter, already 3-4 with 4 RBI's. Sandberg takes the first pitch for a ball low . The next one tails back over the outside corner for a strike. Sutter throws the same pitch on 1-1 it tails back way too far inside and Sandberg crushes it to the back of the left field bleachers. 

There was much rejoicing.

Gary Matthews (The Sarge) singles immediately after and steals second, but is eventually stranded at third base.

The Cards strike back in the 10th with two of their own as Willie McGee hits a double to get the cycle. NBC even gives him the player of the game honors before the game is finished. Sutter stays in for the 10th because that's what relievers did back then and gets Larry Bowa and Richie Hebner for the first two outs.

Bob Dernier steps up and is already 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored. He works the count to 3-2. Sutter throws his splitter which not only has good downward movement but tails back over the plate and in on righties. It looks like Dernier might have offered, but the ump says he managed to check his swing. The pitch itself looked like it might have been a called strike, but Darrell Porter muffed it.That is one clutch walk.

Sandberg steps up again while Bob Costas is running through the thank you's of the TV crew. Sutter though leaves a splitter right over the middle of the plate and Sandberg knocks it about halfway up the left-center stands.

Sandberg goes from hero to legend.

The Cubs win it in the 11th on a Dave Owen single and the Cubs take off the rest of the way to win the NL East.

 

Honorable Mention

The McGwire/Sosa man-hug after McGwire hit number 62, Tony LaRussa's arrest for drunk driving, this picture, Balls of Steel, everytime we get Albert Pujols out

Comments

The Zambrano play was pretty chicken shit. If you want to go for embarrassig Edmonds, I prefer Wood's blowing him away after coming back from injury on the Sunday night game in '06.

Gary Matthews Jr. singles... I completely forgot that little 10-year-old Gary Matthews Jr. was on that team! Seriously, though, awesome list. I couldn't stop smiling.

A recollection from the 5-game series...I was at the only game the cubs lost. Alou absolutely roped a ball down the left field line with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh that was called foul, but replays seemed to show it was fair (it was really close). Alou went ballistic, then was retired to end the inning and the threat, then went 5-for-5 the next day and basically put them on his back in the big comeback game. Also, another game I remember off the top of my head was when McGwire broke up Jon Lieber's perfecto with two outs in the seventh with a solo homer to dead center. Lieber fell apart after that, but at the time, that was the farthest I'd ever been in attendance for a no-no (I saw Scott Baker take one into the ninth in Minnesota against the Royals last year--if you ever get a chance to go to a game where a pitcher takes a no-hitter that far, I highly recommend going).

Before Jim Edmonds became the glorious Cubs bastard that he is in 2008, he was one of the most hated Cardinals players to ever suit up. Nice writeup, but... Please tell me parachat transcripts are not actually stored somewhere.

Hey! Rob is winning his first douchebag match! Should we send everyone over there stuff the ballot box for you? Is this the kind of thing that you want to win? Or lose? But wait... according to them, Rob is going to tell me that I can't talk about this because it isn't about baseball. Huh?

[ ]

In reply to by Rich.P

there's more people on their list of "douchebags" than there are actual users/posters on the site. that says enough. they seem to enjoy going to every blog and making their piss-in-the-sandbox contest known to everyone. they love the conflict as much as they love their own sense of overblown self worth. oh, why must they share the internet with stupid, ignorant people? sigh... oh yeah, and they get to make all the rules of the internet. can't forget that. their internet, their rules...any deviation will result in massive insults and crying like babies along with dares to do things that upset them to begin with. they're complicated little angry people. i feel the most sorry for their kids growing up around all that "masked with laughter" agro-internet rage. nah, kidding...i don't feel sorry for anyone. heh.

Amusing: Cincinnati Reds blogs referring to Corey P as "Bakerson"

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

The reason for the nickname is likely this rumor: http://www.forums.mlb.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ml… Apperantly Cpat's current squeze is Baker's daughter. I haven't seen any confirmation or denial of it in the month since it was posted so I dont know if its true or not, but its one of those rumors were it wouldnt surprise me if it is. We always joked when they they were here he must have had naked photos of him, maybe he got to play as a dowry.

[ ]

In reply to by Chifan

Heh... I just read on another forum that he is actually married to Baker's daughter. Anyone have any confirmation on that? That would be quite funny...

[ ]

In reply to by little birdy

wow...almost everything said about Rob in that writeup isn't even true. maddog gets a banhammer and all of a sudden "his story" is "the world's story"... pick any random entry and you see offtopic stuff going on. go ahead...give it a try. I SAID, DO IT. you don't see bans. you don't see warnings. maddog/dylan jones = not the center of the world. they sure think they are, though. i can't wait to see the venom in my writeup about how i'm the "internet cop" and all kinds of other whining crap because they assume the internet has rules of engagement or some bureaucratic crap like that. if it's anything like rob's it should be a pretty interesting piece of whining fiction where i'm victimizing everyone in the world. by the rest of the world, i mean 1 or 2 people...you know, the only people that matter on earth.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

i am. i know some come from the same "world" as i do, but just to lay it out... *puts on his uniform* I'M FROM THE INTERNET, SIR. *salutes* basically...i've taken a look at what it is and i know they're a joke. i also have no plans to screw with any of them IRL or etc...i've told them this, but they're still so quick to attack any ASSUMED threat to whatever online personality they've built for themselves. also...the things i "do" take so very little time or effort because...umm...well, i'm from the internet, sir. yes, i should just drop it, though...cuz my fun isn't more important than this board. sorry. just blah blahing about what it is...

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

at least according to wikipedia (dubious I know), once a team takes a player off waivers - like Giles - they can't put him back on the rest of the season.

If a team claims a player off waivers and has the viable claim as described above, his current team (the "waiving team") may choose one of the following options:

  • arrange a trade with the claiming team for that player within two business days of the claim; or
  • rescind the request and keep the player on its major league roster, effectively canceling the waiver; or
  • do nothing and allow the claiming team to (1) assume the player's existing contract, (2) pay the waiving team a waiver fee, and (3) place the player on its active major league roster.

If a player is claimed and the waiving team exercises its rescission option, the waiving team may not use the option again for that player in that season. If no team claims a player from waivers in three business days, the player has cleared waivers and may be assigned to a minor league team, traded, or released outright. 

"The Arizona Diamondbacks added a big bat Monday in their attempt to hold off the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West race. Arizona acquired Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn, who is tied for the major league lead with 32 home runs, for three prospects. The trade was first reported by KTAR Radio in Phoenix." http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3529966

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

oh whoops... 

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

Why is Cincinatti bothering with prospects? It's not like they are going to get a chance to play?

is he going to play RF for the Dbacks? That should be fun for the Sportscenter highlights.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I'd imagine thats what they do until Upton comes back. Then they would likely put Jackson at 1B, Dunn in LF and Tracy to bench. They could have Upton learn 2B in his rehab assignment (which owning him in a keeper league I would endorse so I can have him next year with 2B eligabilty) and keep everyone where they are at now and keep Augiedoggie on the bench.

Nats get nothing out of a bases loaded, no out, and top of the order. Well, the good news is that the Brewers won't get to beat up on the Nats anymore...instead they'll move on to beating up on the other awful NL teams.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Yes. Lame excuse by the Cubs, too. Seems like this would be good press. They can always throw out multiple first pitches, seen it before (although I guess one technically would be the second pitch :P ).

bjays release s.stewart. way to get rid of r.johnson, guys. appreciated. hendry's dice rolls have ka-ching'd so far this year...aside from fuku's bat, especially lately. i guess giving 1m to ward didn't work out too great, but who wouldn't make that deal? well, i guess some wouldn't. i'm not one to argue over 600K when it comes to a 120m, myself.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

hey look...carrie m....take notes on this article. this is how to properly "mail one in" and give the people someone they'd want even more than if sullivan actually did it as a straight interview. it's been done, but a classic approach is a good approach in the right context. also, this rules (the question about fighting your teammates making "the cut" in the article and the answer itself)... "I'd beat Font's butt, though Z might kill us." -edit- i just discovered there's a second page...even better =p

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In reply to by nohit

its so pure it works. when guys give those detailed answers most of the time it's something they've had to work on...to drill...to study and pay attention to... he's got "see ball, swing" and his bat control mechanics down to something so natural it just "happens". hopefully when/if he runs into a bump in his production it doesn't go all to hell if he feels the need to adjust his current approach.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

Ryan, recently when your LSU college team was playing one of the last games at Alex Box Stadium, the radio broadcasters were telling stories about memorable games there. One story mentioned a game in which the LSU bullpen had been completely used up in a blowout. LSU coach Skip Bertman asked the infielders if anyone wanted to pitch, and you offered to take the mound. Is this story true? Does Lou know about your pitching experience? Is Zambrano worried? -- LSU Baseball Fan, Chicago

Yes it's true. Everyone knows that I've pitched. I make sure of that. I have nine different pitches, all of which are awesome. I have a 0.00 ERA, got one out, throwing all knuckleballs. I don't remember who I faced -- some dude from Ole Miss.

great stuff.... 

So Brewers are 8-2 since the Cubs sweep, 6-0 since the "fight". 3.5 up in the wildcard, 3.5 down in the division and they still have a notably easier schedule even after 7 straight against the NL dormats of the Reds and Nats.

[ ]

In reply to by Rudiger

The next tiebreaker is record within the division, Cubs are 33-22 right now, Brewers, 30-23. Here are the rules:

The Club with the higher winning percentage in head-to-head competition between the two tied Clubs during the championship season; or

If the Clubs remain tied, then to the tied Club with the higher winning percentage in intradivision games during the championship season; or

If the Clubs remain tied, then to the tied Club with the higher winning percentage in the last half of intraleague games during the championship season; or

If the Clubs remain tied, then to the tied Club with the higher winning percentage in the last half plus one of intraleague games during the championship season, provided that such additional game was not a game between the two tied Clubs. This process will be followed game-by-game until the tie is broken. 

 

first Crawford, now Longoria with a fractured wrist. That's going to be tough to overcome for them.

Anyone confirm anything? I like Winn, and, as a SH I believe, he certainly would be a nice addition. I thought frankly Hendry might have gone after him in December, prior to the Fukudome thing. He has done well against the Cubs.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

they already got rid of 1 OF starter without replacing him with anyone...basically letting patterson fill the spot as the only guy who could. hell, hairston came off the DL before he should just to fill a spot on the bench. now he's down another OF starter with no clear replacement in sight. reds being sellers shouldnt surprise anyone, but the GM isnt taking very good care of the team when they do ship someone off.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

He seems to think so... "I have never wanted to win more than I do right here, and I will, but this is Wayne Krivsky's team, not Walt Jocketty's and not mine. I just hope there is enough out there after the season that we can get to help us." — Dusty Baker.

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In reply to by navigator

i have no idea how you made that leap. its not even in the correct context. dusty probably shouldnt have said it, but it points to the team as it's constructed moving into 09. if he was a GM he probably wouldnt have traded away 2 starting OF'rs without bringing in other OF'rs to play. patterson's been in the doghouse for months and he's playing now cuz its all they've got. jocketty has dropped the ball there. -edit- reds finally call up chris dickerson...he's nothing special, but he was the logical choice to come up after griffey was shipped off.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

i have no idea how you made that leap. c'mon, nobody is as dumb as you're playing this. If Dusty just manages the players dealt to him, and has no say who they are, then what does he mean this isn't his team? Didn't he know who was on the team when he agreed to manage them? Exactly when and under what conditions does a team become his, .... dude? He acts like Jocketty hired him, not Krivsky.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

well if you want to get into an argument of what it means to "have a team of your own" you need to actually consider dusty's view rather than your view. you should consider there may be more than one meaning and it may not be the one you think it is. to me...it seems pretty clear what he said. to you, it seems pretty clear it's something else. we're both standing at the same place very clearly seeing 2 different things. *shrug* at least its not the cubs problem.

http://cubs.scout.com/2/778025.html probably needs a subscription but here are the highlights: Hill wasn’t just going through a slump; he just could barely grip the bat. Last October, Hill accidently severed the pinkie and ring fingers from his right hand with a table saw. ------------ The blade completely cut off the pinkie finger on his right hand, and left the ring finger hanging on by the skin near the base of the joint. It also cut deeply into the middle knuckle of Hill’s middle finger and lacerated his thumb. In the emergency room, Hill evaluated his options. “I had my wife go get a baseball out of my truck,” Hill said, “because at that point, they were talking about leaving the pinkie off and taking the rest of the ring finger off, so I wanted to see what I would be able to do with the baseball without those two fingers. And I don’t think it would have worked out too well.” Hill, a switch-hitter, was able to see Wichita hand surgeon Dr. Mark Melhorn and underwent emergency surgery to reattach both fingers. “I got the ball and put it in my left hand, and they saw the position of it and just fixed (it) the best they could. When they pinned it together, thinking [the fingers] would never move again, they pinned it in a position where I would be able to throw the ball,” he said. a little bit in there as well where Hendry told him he'd have a job in the organization even if he couldn't play anymore and crediting a small adjustment in his swing in mid-June for his recent numbers (and getting use to his fucked up hand).

Whaaaaa? Marlins trail the Cards by 2 runs in the 9th. Uggla leads off with a walk, then is cut down trying to steal 2nd. That was either a missed hit-and-run, or monumentally stupid.

Submitted by Rob G. on Mon, 08/11/2008 - 1:08pm.

of course I'm sure there's some technicality that AZ Phil will nail me on :)

================================

ROB G: Beginning on August 1st and extending through the last day of the regular season, Trade Assignment Waivers are required in order to trade any player on a 40-man roster. (Trade Assignment Waivers are NOT required to trade minor league players). An MLB club can place no more than seven players from its 40-man roster on Trade Assignment Waivers on any one day. Some clubs place their entire 40-man roster on Trade Assignment Waivers the first week of August, so they would know by mid-August which players can be traded and which ones can't.  

The list of players who have been placed on Trade Assignment Waivers is transmitted by the MLB office to the 30 MLB clubs daily Monday through Saturday at 2 PM EDT. (The MLB office is closed on Sundays). A player then "rides" the waiver wire for 47 hours (and this is true for all types of waivers, BTW), until 1 PM EDT on the third day (or 71 hours and ending on the fourth day if the player is placed on waivers on a Friday or a Saturday). At that time (1 PM EDT on the third or fourth day), the MLB office notifies the player's original club whether or not the player has been claimed, and if a claim has been made, which club was awarded the claim. An MLB club can make no more than 40 waiver claims in any seven-day period.

If a player is not claimed, he can be traded anytime, just like during the period prior to August 1st. The only exception would be if a player blocks a trade by exercising a "no trade" right, but that's always true.

If a player is claimed, but only by one MLB club, that club is awarded the waiver claim. If more than one club makes a claim, the club with the lowest winning percentage in the player's own league (per the league standings following the conclusion of all of the previous day's games) is awarded the claim, or if no clubs from the player's own league make a claim, the club with the lowest winning percentage in the other league (per the league standings following the conclusion of all of the previous day's games) is awarded the claim. If two clubs are tied with the same winning percentage, the club that makes the claim first is awarded the claim.

If a player is claimed off Trade Assignment Waivers, the player's original club has two days (48 hours) to decide whether to withdraw the waivers and retain the player, or allow the claiming club to acquire the player for the $20,000 waiver price. It is during this 48-hour "window" that the player's original club is permitted to trade the player, but ONLY to the club that has been awarded the waiver claim (unless the player exercises a "no trade" right, in which case the waivers must be withdrawn).

If a player is claimed and the player is not traded to the claiming club during the 48-hour "window" and the player's original club does not withdraw the waivers, the claiming club automatically gets the player for the $20,000 waiver price and assumes 100% of the player's contract (again, unless the player exercises a "no trade" right, in which case the player's original club must withdraw the waivers).

Submitted by The Real Neal on Tue, 08/12/2008 - 10:29am.

So Rob G was mostly right, if Giles was claimed. He wouldn't be eligible to be traded again until early Sept which would be past the post season deadline, though he could probably get on with some DL tomfoolery.

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REAL NEAL: To be eligible to play in the post-season, a player must be on an MLB club's 40-man roster or in the organization's minor leagues as of August 31st. No exceptions.

So a player acquired via trade after August 31st absolutely positively cannot play in the post-season with his new club.

BTW, the Cubs will want to make sure to have at least a couple of players on their 15-day or 60-day DL on August 31st so that they can tinker with their 25-man roster in the NLDS, NLCS, and WS.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.