Cubs MLB Roster

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39 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (one slot is open), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL and one player has been DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT (DFA)   

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and eight players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, three players are on the 15-DAY IL, and two players is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-24-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Hector Neris 
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Pete Crow-Armstrong 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 8 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2
* Cody Bellinger, OF  
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 3
Kyle Hendricks, P 
* Drew Smyly, P 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P

DFA: 1 
Garrett Cooper, 1B 
 




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Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

NL Central Smackdown : Left Fielders

Submitted by Rob G. on

Right Fielders | Poll
Center Fielders | Poll
Catchers | Poll
Third Basemen | Poll
Shortstops | Poll
2nd Basemen | Poll
1st Basemen | Poll

Before we examine left field, I remind you to check out and vote on center field and right from this weekend if you missed it. As for the left fielders, I think it's an intriguing group and something that should really test the "homer" vote that's been going around in the previous installments. I think Soriano is as good as they get out there in the division, but he seems to be quickly falling out of fans' good graces as of late.

Let's see how it breaks down...

Player 3-Year Warp-3 Average
3 Year Warp-3 Projection
Rob's Ranking
Alfonso Soriano
 		6.37
 4.1
 1
Ryan Braun
 4.6 (1 year)
 6.3 4
Chris Duncan
 3.45 (2 years)
 2.8
6
Carlos Lee 5.2 3.47
 3
Adam Dunn 5.2 4.07 2
Jason Bay 7.8
 4.33 5


 

 

 

 

 


The Justification: There's some talent there, at least with the bats. Besides Soriano's arm and I guess Jason Bay, it's an absolute disaster in the field. I did put Soriano at the top of the rankings, although I think there's a solid argument for any of the top five. Chris Duncan is clearly the bottom-feeder of this group, but that's less of an indictment on him than the quality he's matched up against.

Soriano has a nice combination of power and speed that should age well, even if he'll never be able to justify his contract. It would be nice if patience and health went along with that power and speed, but I think he just nudges Adam "TTO" Dunn. Sure Dunn's a lumbering oaf out there in the field, but four straight 40+ home run seasons and still just 28 years old. Speaking of lumbering oafs, there's Carlos Lee, who I don't think will age nearly as well as Soriano. I'm probably a little down on Ryan Braun, but I just don't see him even coming close to his rookie campaign, not with a nearly 4-1 K:BB ratio that he's sporting in the majors. Had I done these rankings last year, Bay probably runs away with the top spot, but his dreadful 2007 season has me worried. He's bounced back a bit to start off 2008 and as I mentioned, I think any of the top five can stake a claim for the top spot.

There's another poll for you guys to fill out below this and I'll leave the old polls open until we finish this. Do not forget to vote for any polls you may have missed over the weekend as I do plan on doing something with the results.

Please note, you do have to register to vote. This isn't some scheme to solicit registrations, it's just an anomaly of the site and the poll software that's built in. Trust me, I'd love to fix it, but I haven't found another piece of integrated software that does these ranking polls which I really like. Plus if you register, you get a better user experience as I tend to test everything as a registered user and you get an uncached version of the site. You can also view the results of the poll after you vote, instead of having to wait until I close it. It takes all of two minutes to register and unlikes some sites, I'll be more than happy to cancel your account if you wish. You'll never receive any spam from us either...promise.

Tags
Statistical Analysis
NL Central Smackdown

Comments

Submitted by johann on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 05:28 am

I need to study all the fielders a bit more to rank them, but I'd say Soriano's speed is certainly one thing I don't see aging gracefully. Soon I foresee Soriano doing two things well: throwing the ball hard and hitting fastballs hard. Just from a casual perusing of stats, I'd say Bay and Dunn have a brighter future with Braun possibly thrown in there depending on this year. You just get way too many brain lapses with Soriano, and that simply cannot elevate you to the top spot.

[ ]

Submitted by Rob G. on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 05:54 am

I need to study all the fielders a bit more to rank them, but I'd say Soriano's speed is certainly one thing I don't see aging gracefully.

The point being that even when Soriano loses a step, he won't turn into a lug in the field or on the bases. Yeah, he won't be a 30/30 guy or whatever, but he has a better shot at remaining useful past his "prime years" than players with less "tools". Say what you want about him, but he's the top athlete of the group and I think he'll age well. Of course I really like Dunn too, who will at the very least be a real damn good DH one day.

For fun, top 10 BP comparables for Soriano:

Joe Carter, Andre Dawson, Dusty Baker, Jeff Kent, Don Baylor, Joe Rudi, Roman Meijas, Glenallen Hill, Ernier Banks, Reggie Sanders 

vs Carlos Lee

Kevin McReynolds, Dante Bichette, Eric Karros, Dave Henderson, Scott Rolen, Jim Rice, Willie Horton, Cal Ripken, Gary Ward, Kevin Millar 

vs. Adam Dunn

Calvin Pickering, Troy Glaus,  Mike Epstein, Bob Hamelin, Bob Allison, Sam Horn, Pat Burrell, Mark Johnson, John Mayberry, Mark McGwire

 

Submitted by Transmission on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 05:59 am

Soriano, Braun, Dunn, Lee, Bay, Duncan. Sad thing is, from a fantasy perspective, Duncan is very useful. Crushes right handers, good OBP, don't have to worry about his Defense. He's just a disaster when you move outside of those considerable strengths. I think Bay's best years are behind him. Lee's soon will be.

Submitted by Rob G. on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 05:51 pm

I was guilty of this as well, but fun to look at the early returns of 2008. You say Bay is washed up? 2008 VORP Bay 8.1 Lee 5.4 Duncan 3.4 Dunn 2.1 Braun 1.1 Soriano -4.6

Recent comments

  • Cubster (view)

    I was there for the PCA homer as well. 50 degree baseball is no longer fun when sitting in the shade (knit hats, scarves and gloves are football gear) but I agree it’s one of those really cool moments. I loved the bear hug given by Swanson at home plate and of course the added impact that the PCA homer became a game winner.

     

  • Cubster (view)

    Holy Screaming Bananas

  • CubbyBlue (view)

    In honor of dispatching with the Astros, this painting is titled “The Sweep”. 
    I retired a couple years ago, and took a job at Wrigley as a security guy. SO cool having Wrigley as your office. SO cool being there when PCA got his first hit. 
    “The Sweep” happens at the end of every game - the security staff sweeps through the ballpark making sure it’s empty.
    (Hopefully I’ll be putting this painting up often this year.)
    Lastly, because working for the Cubs, they understandably don’t want you voicing opinions on social, which is why I’m only painting the banners here. 

  • First.Pitch.120 (view)

    Honorable mention to Jim Bullinger via BleedCubbieBlue: 

    Bullinger, a converted shortstop, had pitched in three games before he came to the plate. He had entered the game to relieve starter Shawn Boskie after four innings, and came to the plate to lead off the fifth, and hit Rheal Cormier's first pitch over the left-field wall to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead; they eventually won the game 5-2 in 14 innings. Of the 129players to homer in their first MLB at-bat, Bullinger is one of just 32 to hit that blast on the first big-league pitch he saw (including Contreras) and one of just six pitchers to do so.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Most of this activity will lead nowhere, of course, but it is fantastic that they’re looking for talent in every nook and cranny. You never know where that can lead, and virtually nothing is lost if if leads nowhere, as long as no one of superior talent and potential is losing an opportunity.

  • First.Pitch.120 (view)

    Fun 1st Hit / HR Fact…


    Recent Cubs players to have HR as 1st MLB hit:

    PCA

    Morel

    Happ

    Contreras

    Baez

    Soler

    Castro

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Miguel Cruz walked six in 1.2 IP in his last start, so I guess he is improving. Wilme Mora also walked six in one of his appearances a week or two ago, and one or two others have walked five. I don't know what would be the most I have ever seen a pitcher throw in a game out here, because the manager / pitching coach usually gets the pitcher out of the game if it gets too ridiculous. 

    As for the attendance, probably about 20 of the 25 were early arrivals for the Savannah Bananas game who came over to Field # 1 to see what was going on, and once they saw all the bases on balls (12 walks by Cubs pitchers and four by Angels pitchers) they ran away screaming. I'm used to it so it didn't bother me that much. 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Jed has added Teheran, Tyranski, Kissaki, and now Straily and Nico Zeglin today.

    Zeglin is 24 yrs old. Pitched well at Long Beach St in '23 and well in some Indy Ball.

    They also added Reilly and Viets in late ST.

    Have to search for MiLB arm depth anywhere you can and at all times!!!

  • Childersb3 (view)

    25 in Attendance!!!

    Phil, is that a backfield record?

    Also, 6 BBs for Cruz in 2 IP. What's the most walks you've seen in one EXT ST outing that you can recall?

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    He has a pulse. Apparently that’s the only requirement at this point.

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