Oh, Really? No O’Malley
Althouugh no official announcement has been made by the Cubs, LHP Ryan O'Malley and OF Miguel Negron have quietly been removed from the Cubs 40-man roster. I suspect both have been Designated for Assignment, with their final disposition TBD within 10 days.
The 26-year old O'Malley is a true Cinderella (Cinderfella) story... signed by the Cubs as a Non-Drafted Free-agent (NDFA) out of the University of Memphis in 2002, pitched in anonymity for five years in the Cubs organization, worked as the #5 starter at Iowa for most of the 2006 season, was brought up from AAA (and driven from Austin to Houston via limo!) when the Cubs needed an emergency starter, pitched eight shoutout innings in his MLB debut against the Astros at Minute Maid Park, won his first big league game, left his very next start with an elbow strain, was placed on the DL, was shut-down for the rest of the season, and now, he has been removed from the 40-man roster. Whoa!!! As Jack Brickhouse used to say, "Next time you come by, bring my stomach!" (Or maybe "Ryan O'Malley was just a day late and a dollar short").
The left-handed hitting Negron was a one-time #1 draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays (18th overall selection in the 2000 June Draft), and was claimed off waivers by the Cubs last May. (And the fact that Cubs Director of Scouting Tim Wilken had drafted Negron back when Wilken was Director of Scouting for the Blue Jays just may possibly perhaps have had something to do with that). An outstanding defender with a plus-arm, the 24-year old Negron had struggled with his hitting throughout his career in the Blue Jays organization, but the light finally seemed to go on after the Cubs acquired him from Toronto and optioned him to AA West Tenn. (Negron hit .291 in 86 games for the DiamondJaxx this past season). Unfortunately, Negron probably lacks the power, speed, and/or OBP skills needed to advance to the big leagues as an everyday MLB outfielder, and after seven seasons in the minor leagues, he has yet to advance past AA, so even if he does get to The Show eventually, it will almost certainly be as a "4th outfielder" (see Angel Pagan).
So here is the Cubs up-to-date 40-man roster (including non-roster players who have received NRIs to Spring Training):
CHICAGO CUBS 40-MAN RESERVE LIST
(updated 11-22-06)
40 players (all roster spots are occupied)
* bats or throws left
# bats both
PITCHERS (21):
Rocky Cherry
* Neal Cotts
Ryan Dempster
* Scott Eyre
Angel Guzman
Adam Harben
* Rich Hill
Bob Howry
Carlos Marmol
* Sean Marshall
Juan Mateo
Wade Miller
Roberto Novoa
* Will Ohman
Mark Prior
* Clay Rapada
* Glendon Rusch
Jae-kuk Ryu
Kerry Wood
Michael Wuertz
Carlos Zambrano
NON-ROSTER PITCHERS (4):
Jason Anderson
Ben Howard
* Les Walrond
John Webb
=============================
CATCHERS (4):
Michael Barrett
Henry Blanco
# Jose Reyes
Geovany Soto
NON-ROSTER CATCHERS (1)
# Koyie Hill
==============================
INFIELDERS (8):
Ronny Cedeno
Mark DeRosa
Brian Dopirak
# Cesar Izturis
Derrek Lee
* Scott Moore
Aramis Ramirez
Ryan Theriot
NON-ROSTER INFIELDERS (1):
* Jason Smith
=================================
OUTFIELDERS (7):
* Freddie Bynum
* Buck Coats
* Jacque Jones
Matt Murton
# Angel Pagan
* Felix Pie
Alfonso Soriano
NON-ROSTER OUTFIELDERS (0):
NONE
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