Roster Shake Up

More roster cuts and a new signing have the Cubs closer to have their 25 man roster complete.  The Cubs optioned outfielders Sam Fuld and Eric Patterson to Triple-A Iowa and assigned left-handed pitcher Les Walrond and infielders Micah Hoffpauir and Casey McGehee to Minor League camp. I can’t say I will miss Fuld or Walrond, but the rest of these guys performed well.  I really look forward to seeing Eric Patterson starting next year over Mark DeRosa.  The Cubs also signed Reed Johnson to a one-year contract.  Johnson has decent career numbers, can play all three outfield spots, and is a good hustle guy.  Chicago’s spring roster of 32 players consists of 17 pitchers , two catchers, eight infielders (one non-roster invitee) and five outfielders.  One of the pitchers, oft injured Angel Guzman, was placed on the 60 day disabled list, and the other, Chad Fox, will be cut.  So let’s look to see who’s left.

Pitchers

  Starting Rotation- Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster, Hill, Marquis

Bullpen- Eyre, Hart, Howry, Lahey, Lieber, Marmol, Marshall, Pignatiello, Wood, and Wuertz. 

A major league team usually carries 12 pitchers, we have 15 left.  Few things to remember.  First off, Eyre will not go back to Chicago with the team.  He has a bone spur in his pitching elbow, so he won’t come initially.  The other thing to remember is that Lahey is a Rule 5 pick up.  Some people have been asking what that means.  The Rule 5 Draft occurs during the last day of the winter meetings.  It’s designed to keep teams from stockpiling young players. A player drafted onto a Major League roster in the Rule 5 draft must remain in the majors (on the 25-man active roster or the DL) for all of the subsequent season, or the drafting club must attempt to return him to his original club. However, since a returned Rule 5 player must first be placed on outright waivers, a third club could claim the player off waivers. But of course, that club would then also have to keep him in the majors all season, or offer him back to his original club.  SOOOO, what does this mean for Lahey and the Cubs? The Tampa Bay Rays chose first in the draft and picked Lahey from the Minnesota Twins, and was then traded to the Cubs for cash consideration.  If Lahey does not make the 25 man roster, he would be put on waivers and any other team could take him and add him to their 25 man roster.  If no one took him from waivers, he would go back to the Twins.  The Cubs like Lahey, and wouldn’t give him up and get nothing in return.  So which three pitchers go?  I have to be honest, I don’t know.  I don’t like Eyre, and I think Marshall is a starter.  If it were up to me, I’d trade Eyre and put Marshall in Triple A.  That would still mean I would have to get rid of one pitcher.  I just don’t know who. 

Infielders

Derek Lee, Mark DeRosa, Ryan Theriot, Aramis Ramirez are the starters.  Backing them up are Daryl Ward, Ronnie Cedeno, and Mike Fontenot.  Ward is the best pinch hitter and will make the team.  That leaves Ronnie Cedeno and Mike Fontenot.  Fontenot plays second and a little bit of short.  Cedeno can play both well, but erratically.  Both are hitting well this spring, but Cedeno cannot be optioned to Triple A anymore.  Again, if he doesn’t make the team, he has to be traded or we will lose him without any compensation.  Another tough choice.

Outfielders

Soriano, Felix Pie, and Fukudome start in the outfield left to right.  Reed Johnson was signed to be hit against lefties, which helps because Pie struggles against lefties.  Daryl Ward can also play right field, as can DeRosa.  That means the odd man out would be Matt Murton

Ideally, the Cubs could package Cedeno and Murton and get some young players for them.  Other than that, I am having a tough time putting the 25 man roster together.

Today’s Game

On Tuesday, Rich Hill struck out six and gave up two runs, five hits and one walk over five innings Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants.  I twas by far his best performance, although he still seems to be struggling.  He gave up a towering home run to Randy Winn of the Giants and seemed to lose his composure.  The offense helped out though, and the Cubs bats seem to be heating up.  Theriot was 1-4, Johnson was 2-5 with a double, D-Lee was 1-3 with a 2 run homer, A-Ram went 2-2 with a walk and a double, Murton went 1-3 and Soto was 2-3 with a two run homer.  The only guy who really had a bad day was DeRosa, going 0-3. 

In the pen, Kevin Hart went 1.2 innings and looked great, but left the game with runners on first and third and two outs.  Sean Marshall came out of the bullpen and struck out Fred Lewis on a curve ball, but Henry Blanco dropped the ball and Lewis reached first, loading the bases.  Rich Aurilia hit a 2 run double to tie the game, but Murton hit Cedeno, who threw it to Blanco who tagged Lewis out before he could cross the plate, keeping the game tied at 4.  The runs went against Hart’s ERA.  Wuertz came in and continued to dominate.  He hasn’t allowed a run all spring.  Pignatiello came out in the ninth, and he also had not allowed a runner to score all spring.  He got the first batter he faced to pop out, but Johnson, who moved over to right later in the game, lost the ball in the sun.  allowing the runner to make it to third.  That run scored and ruined "Piggy’s" perfect spring.  Should have been an error on Johnson.

Right now the Cubbies are on a three game winning streak.  Let’s pick up some steam before the season starts.  There is no one left on this team that stinks anymore.  I don’t mind the Johnson signing, as long as Pie gets the majority of starts.  He has had himself a nice little spring.

On Deck

Tomorrow Carlos Zambrano will make his final spring start on Wednesday at 3:05 p.m. CT when he faces the Angels in Tempe. This will be Z’s last start before Opening Day.  Can you believe it?  Five more days to go!!

Go Cubs!!