The Cub Reporter

Kung Fu Panda Not So Cute Today

Wed, 03/10/2010 - 6:29pm

Pablo Sandoval cranked a grand slam HR into the visitor's (upper) bullpen beyond the RF fence to cap a five-run third, and Jonathan Sanchez threw three shutout innings, as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-1 in Cactus League action under partly cloudy skies at cool & breezy Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in Mesa this afternoon.

box score

Carlos Zambrano got the start for the Cubs today, and after breezing through the first two innings on just a combined 14 pitches (Ks, 4-3, and 6-3 in the top of the 1st, and then 2B, 4-3, P-3, and 5-3 in the top of the 2nd), the roof really caved-in on "Z" in the 3rd.

John Bowker, Kevin Frandsen, and Aaron Rowand singled to load the bases, and then Eugenio Velez was hit by a pitch to force-in a run (or at least his uniform was hit by the pitch...). Then with the bases loaded and still nobody out, Pablo Sandoval unloaded his grand salami, giving the Giants what turned out to be an insurmountable a 5-0 lead.

And Zambrano continued to struggle after the grand slam had cleared the bases, too, getting Aubrey Huff on a fly out to the warning track in RF, before walking Benjie Molina and surrendering a single to Nate Schierholtz. Then finally (on the inning's 36th pitch), Carlos induced Juan Uribe to ground into a most merciful 6-4-3 DP.

For the day Zambrano allowed five runs on six hits, a walk, and a HBP, one HR, and one strikeout (Aaron Rowand leading-off the game) in 3.0 IP. He threw 50 pitches (32 strikes), with a 6/2 GO/FO.

#1 LHRP John Grabow pitched the 4th inning and had a much better day than last Saturday, when he gave up three runs in just an inning of work. Today Grabow pitched a shutout inning (4-3, L-8, E-5, 5-3), although one batter did reach base when Aramis Ramirez fielded a one hopper and (with all the time the world) promptly threw the ball over Derrek Lee's head (no easy task). But Grabow looked good (11 pitches - 9 strikes, 2/1 GO/FO).

Rule 5 RHP Mike Parisi followed Grabow to the mound and had a solid outing (4-3, Ks, 1B, and F-9). He struck out Aubrey Huff, and he didn't mess around with any of the hitters (14 pitches - 10 strikes). By virtue of Parisi working just one inning (he threw two innings his first time out last Thursday), it would appear that he is not being considered for a spot in the Cubs starting rotation (although he had been mostly a starter throughout his career). But he has done nothing to hurt his chances of making the Cubs Opening Day 25-man roster so far (two outings). And being a "Rule 5 guy" (where the Cubs would probably lose him if he isn't kept on the 25-man roster) helps his chances, too.

As I've mentioned before, Parisi is in a somewhat different situation than 2009 Rule 5 pick David Patton was last year. Patton was more of a "long-term investment," not really ready for MLB in 2009 (he hadn't piched above "A" ball prior to last season), so the Cubs had to finesse him through the season by putting him on the DL for two months and then getting work for him by sending him out on a 30-day minor league rehab assignment. He only threw 27.2 IP (MLB) last year, but he was on the 25-man roster just (barely) enough days to satisfy the Rule 5 requirements regarding time spent on an MLB Active List. So he can be optioned to the minors this year (and in fact he has three minor league option years available).

Parisi, on the other hand, has two years of AAA experience (2007-08), and was available for selection in the Rule 5 Draft this past December only because the Cardinals outrighted him to the minors post-2008 after he underwent Tommy John elbow surgery. If Parisi doesn't pitch well enough to make the Cubs Opening Day roster--if he doesn't win a job by out-pitching others in Spring Training--he will probably get cut (and get reclaimed by STL) and the Cubs won't think twice about losing him. But so far, so good.

Cubs 2008 #1 draft pick RHP Andrew Cashner pitched the 6th inning for the Cubs, and (once again) struggled with his command. Though he threw only ten pitches, only four were strikes. But that was good enough to get a fly out to left and a 5-4-3 ining-ending GIDP to erase the baserunner who reached on a lead-off walk. Cashner must show better control if he is to be considered for an Opening Day bullpen job with the Cubs.

RHP Thomas Diamond made his 2010 Cactus League debut (he got rained out of his first scheduled appearance last Sunday), and looked very good. He threw a ten-pitch 1-2-3 7th inning (F-4, Ks, P-5). Based on what I saw of Diamond at the end of the AZ Instructional League last October, and then after he threw "lights out" in three starts for Mexicali (Mexican Pacific League) after that, I would say Diamond has a definite chance to win a bullpen job with the Cubs out of Spring Training. He was dominating today.

Diamond is a former Texas Rangers #1 draft pick out of the University of New Orleans (current Cubs Assistant GM Randy Bush was Diamond's coach at UNO) who was claimed off waivers by the Cubs last September. He underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in 2007 and then struggled mightily with his control after returning to action in 2008-09, and the Rangers basically just gave up on him. But he is pitching with much better control (and renewed confidence) now, and he certainly looked VERY good today.

LHP John Gaub pitched the 8th and struggled with his command (23 pitches - 12 strikes). He did walk one LH hitter (Nate Schierholtz), but he also struck out another lefty swinger (Brandon Crawford) to end the inning.

RHP Justin Berg worked a five-pitch 9th (4-3, F-8, 5-3), throwing just one ball. He just gets the ball and throws a hard sinker, doesn't really fool anybody, and then waits for his fielders to make routine plays. He's got to be Uncle Lou's kinda pitcher.

Some of you may remember my post from a week ago, where I described Byrd hitting 30 balls in a row to RF during the Cubs first work-out at HoHoKam Park, and that Manager Lou Piniella was watching intently. Well, he must have been impressed, because with LHP Jonathan Sanchez getting the start for the Giants today, Kosuke Fukudome got the day off, and Marlon Byrd hit in the #2 slot behind Ryan Theriot.

Unfortunately, the Cubs offense really sputtered today (but not because Byrd hit second!), with at least one base-runner in every inning (14 total), but they scored only one run.

Here's how...

1st inning: Facing Jonathan Sanchez, Theriot leads off with a line-drive single over the second-baseman's head into right-center, then is immediately picked-off 1st by Sanchez (OUTSTANDING move by Sanchez, BTW).

2nd inning: Xavier Nady (the Cubs DH today, in what was his first Cactus League action of 2010) shoots a line single to RF with one out, then Alfonso Soriano strikes out swinging and Jeff Baker is retired 1-3 on a one-hop comebacker to the mound.

3rd inning: Theriot lines a single to RF with two outs and then steals second, but Byrd is called out on strikes for out number three.

4th inning: Facing RHRP Brandon Medders, Derrek Lee draws a walk on a 3-2 pitch after fouling a ball off his foot earlier in the count, then gingerly limps off the field as Micah Hoffpauir pinch-runs for him at 1st base. Then after a WP moves Hoffpauir up to 2nd base, Ramirez lines a double over CF Eugenio Velez's head to the CF Batter's Eye, scoring Hoffpauir from 2nd. But Nady pops out to the catcher behind home plate, Soriano flies out to CF, and after Jeff Baker walks, Koyie Hill is called out on strikes. Only one run scores.

5th inning: Facing AAA RHP Kevin Pucetas, Theriot lines a single to CF and Byrd lines a single to LF with one out, but then Hoffpauir bounces into a 5-4-3 DP to end the inning.

6th inning: Facing NRI RHP Eric Hacker, Ramirez ropes a lead-off single to LF (his 2nd solid hit of the day after fanning in his first AB) and Nady draws a walk, but then Soriano bounces into a 5-4 FC, Baker lines out to short, and K. Hill grounds out 4-3 to end the inning and leave two runners stranded. (Soriano, Baker, and Hill went hitless today, and left a number of runners stranded).

7th inning: Facing NRI RHP Eric Whitaker, Starlin Castro reaches base on an infield single to deep short with one out, but then Sam Fuld grounds into a 6-4-3 DP to end the inning.

8th inning: Facing NRI RHP Steve Edlefsen, Brad Snyder and PH Chad Tracy draw one out walks, but then Darwin Barney and Jeff Baker strike out (Barney swinging, and Baker looking), leaving both runners stranded.

9th inning: Facing RHRP Waldis Joaquin, Castro lines a two-out single to CF (his second hit of the day -- the Cubs lead-off slot went 5-5!), but then Fuld grounds out 3-1 to end the game.

Manager Piniella ordered a special post-game Batting Practice for those in need (mostly the guys who aren't getting much playing time), and so Jeff Baker (getting fairly regular playing time, but in a deep slump since he reported to Fitch Park last month), Darwin Barney, Starlin Castro, Bryan Lahair, Kevin Millar, Bobby Scales, Chad Tracy, and Josh Vitters were able to take about 50 swings a piece.

The Cubs play the San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex tomorrow, before the team splits in two for a couple of days as one squad travels up to Las Vegas to play two games versus the White Sox (one Friday night, and the other on Saturday afternoon), while the other squad stays in Phoenix for a game against the Brewers in Phoenix (Maryvale) on Friday and at HoHoKam Park in Mesa versus the 2010 Cactus League newcomers (Dusty Baker's Cincinnati Reds) on Saturday.

Quick Cubs Hits

Wed, 03/10/2010 - 5:47pm

- Xavier Nady won't be ready to play regularly until...June!

The exclamation point is for a little joke going around the TCR comments, but Piniella said they'll be cautious with Nady through the cold weather.  Considering he was suppose to be a 4th outfielder/pinch-hitter/short side platoon for Fukudome, it probably won't matter as much as I'm sure the Internet is about to make it out to be, but it could affect the roster construction. Sam Fuld who can play all three outfield positions moreso than Tyler Colvin could get a little edge if spring training numbers are close. Or the Cubs could finally go through with an 11-man pitching staff, considering two of them will be the losers of the 4th/5th starting rotation race.

- Milton Bradley spoke again, this time to ESPN. I'd rather watch back-to-back replays of the 2005 and 2006 World Series than revisit another Bradley story, but everyone else seems to think it's worth commenting on. He doesn't seem to say anything new except some odd reporting baiting about whether hate mail may have come from within the Cubs organization. Bradley doesn't outright deny the accusation, leaving it open with a "Who cares" and "I don't care to know". Scandalous!

Look, Bradley is (as reader "jumbo" wrote), the "ultimate narcissist crossed with a conspiracy theorist".  He'll never accept responsibility for himself and nothing will ever be his fault. Hendry knocked out the response with his:

 I think it's time maybe Milton looked at himself in the mirror. It is what it is. He didn't swing the bat; he didn't get the job done. His production was the only negative, or lack of."

But the Cubs are equally at fault, they signed him without knowing what they were getting themselves into and without putting anything into place to deal with his personality. Nothing that happened last year was a suprise to anyone but the Cubs, yet they handed out the three-year deal and they're the ones that thought Milton didn't need any special treatment. The Cubs are the people that buy rottweilers and then are shocked when it eats their kids. "But it looked so cute and playful at the pet store!"

- Remember this comment from Aramis Ramirez earlier in the spring?

Third baseman Aramis Ramirez refused to take batting practice against teammates during live BP on Saturday. When asked about it, Ramirez said he never takes batting practice against teammates. That’s just something he doesn’t like to do.

We all seemed a bit suprised by the statement, but it seemed reasonable enough. Problem is, our pal Arizona Phil who has been watching spring training for as least as long as I've been here at TCR (2005) and probably much longer, recalls things differently.

I thought it was odd when Ramirez didn't take "live" BP against Cubs pitchers at Fitch Park a couple of weeks ago, when it was said in the media that it's not that uncommon for the "big leaguers" to do that... except it IS unusual.


Ramirez took "live" BP in all other previous seasons, and he was the ONLY Cub hitter to not take "live" BP this year. And then in the 50-swing BP work-out at HoHoKam the day before the first Cactus League game, Ramirez did not get good swings until the last ten or so, when he was able to drive a couple of HR.

Hopefully it's just some oddness, but I wouldn't be too surprised if he's hiding an injury either.

- Jason Frasor is the hot topic for the Cubs and Twins to bring in as a reliever. Frasor had a great 2009 with a 2.50 ERA and 11 saves, to go along with 17 saves in 2004. Phil Rogers reports that the Blue Jays are looking for an outfielder in return and speculates on Tyler Colvin or Sam Fuld. Fuld wouldn't bother me, although the Cubs would certainly need to add an arm or two in there to complete the deal. But Colvin's been putting on a show in spring training and bulked up and looks like he's the first round pick he was meant to be. I'd be more than hesitant to trade him. Even though he doesn't have a job now with the Cubs, he has 3 minor league options left and there's no reason to rush him out of the system for an unspectacular arm, considering the run of bad luck and health the Cubs seem destined to run into.

While Frasor did have a good 2009, his career FIP is 3.80 that nearly matches his career 3.78 ERA. He keeps the ball in the park(0.79) and has good strikeout rates(8.29) and would be leaving the AL East. And he did pick up a change-up after 2008, which could be the reason behind his improved season. On the other hand, the Cubs would presumably be paying the whole bill and I don't think trading a potential 25-30 HR threat that could play center field on a "regular' basis (Jim Hendry's words on WGN on Saturday) for a reliever is a good use of resources. You'll find nothing in Colvin's past minor league records to support the assertion that he could be a starter or bring mad power, but you wouldn't have found them in Geovany Soto's either before 2007. Prospects mature at odd rates and Colvin is becoming an interesting option.

All's Wells at HoHoKam Park

Tue, 03/09/2010 - 8:32pm

Joe Inglett clubbed a two-run homer with two outs in the top of the 9th, as the Milwaukee Brewers overcame an early 3-0 deficit and defeated the Cubs 5-3 in Cactus League action at cold and rainy Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park this afternoon in Mesa.

The start of the game was delayed almost an hour as a noon-time downpour flooded HoHoKam Park. But the rain did stop, and the dark clouds gradually broke apart, even allowing the sun to shine through by mid-game.

box score

Randy Wells got the start for the Cubs today, and pitched three shutout innings (4/2 GO/FO), striking out two, and facing the minimum number of batters possible (nine) while throwing just 28 pitches (21 strikes), with the pitches fairly-evenly spread over the outing (12 pitches in the 1st inning, five in the second, and 11 in the third). He did allow a Craig Counsell first-inning line single to center, but then Counsell was erased when Wells picked him off with a nifty move, totally freezing the veteran like the proverbial "deer in headlights." Not satisfied with just a dominating pitching performance and a fancy pick-off, Wells also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

The Cubs threatened but did not score in the bottom of the 1st, as Ryan Theriot reached base on a infield single when Milwaukee starting pitcher Jeff Suppan could not cleanly handle a topper in front of the mound. Then with two outs, The Riot stole second and advanced to 3rd on a catcher's overthrow error, but Aramis Ramirez struck out (looking) to end the threat.

The Cubs fared better in the bottom of the 2nd, however, as Marlon Byrd roped a double into the LF corner leading off the inning, and Alfonso Soriano followed with another double off the CF "Green Monster" (Batter's Eye). But because Byrd went back to tag up at 2nd with the expectation that the ball might be caught, he did not have enough time to score on the play, and so the Cubs ended up with runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Mike Fontenot then lined a single to CF to score Byrd with the first Cub run (running at less than full-speed, Soriano held up at 3rd), and Wells knocked-in Soriano with his sac fly to right.

Derrek Lee lined a home run over the right-centerfield fence leading off the bottom of the third to make the score 3-0, and then closer Carlos Marmol got the early call (managers often will use their closer early in a Spring Training game so that he can face major league hitters). But Marmol struggled with his command today, as it took him 31 pitches to get through the one inning. He had nasty stuff and he did strikeout the side (Counsell, Edmonds, and Gerut), but he also allowed two runs (one earned) on a walk and two singles along the way. (One run was unearned because catcher Geovany Soto air-mailed a throw over Aramis Ramirez's head at 3rd base while trying to cut down Carlos Gomez on a stolen base attempt, allowing Gomez to score).

NRI RHP (and 2009 Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year) Casey Coleman was next to take the hill for the Cubs, and he worked two complete innings plus two batters into a third inning. He struggled with his control (43 pitches - only 21 strikes), but he also somehow found the means to pitch out of trouble, allowing just one run while stranding five Brewer baserunners during the course of the outing, all this despite allowing three hits (a single and two doubles), two walks, and a HBP. RHP Marcos Mateo relieved Coleman when the youngster reached his pre-planned pitch count max limit, and got the final two outs of the 7th inning.

While Coleman is expected to spend the 2010 season in the Iowa Cubs starting rotation (he projects as an MLB 4th or 5th starter), I suppose it is possible that Coleman might get "drafted" into the Cubs bullpen at some point, especially if there are no othyer viable options. While Coleman does not have closer (or even set-up) type stuff, he probably could make a decent middle-reliever capable of giving the Cubs a quality inning or two when needed.

Meanwhile, the Cubs threatened in both the 5th and 7th innings, but did not score.

Theriot led off with a double and Kosuke Fukudome followed with a walk in the bottom of the 5th, but both runners were left where they started after D-Lee lined out to LF, Ramirez popped-out to Brewer 1B Prince Fielder in foul territory, and Byrd flied out to deep left-center (nice running catch by Gomez).

Facing ex-WAS RHRP Marco Estrada in the bottom of the 7th with the score tied 3-3, PH Kevin Millar worked a lead-off walk, and was advanced to 2nd base when Sam Fuld put down a picture-perfect 1-4 sac bunt. Starlin Castro then reached base on an infield hit (a "swinging bunt" down the 3rd base line), with Millar advancing to 3rd with the potential go-ahead run. But then with Starlin Castro breaking off first, Micah Hoffpauir struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch, and Castro was called out for sliding past 2nd base (he had the base stolen easily, too). I hate to say this because it's not fair to Castro, but the play brought back nightmares of Ronny Cedeno running the bases.

LHP James Russell worked a 1-2-3 top of the 8th for the Cubs, striking out the side on just 14 pitches. I wouldn't be surprised if Russell makes the Cubs Opening Day 25-man roster as a reliever, especially if both Tom Gorzelanny and Sean Marshall begin the season in the Cubs starting rotation (what with Ted Lilly not expected to be ready at the start of the season).

Tyler Colvin roped a single to RF with two outs in the bottom of the 8th, but Darwin Barney flied out to the warning track in deep right-center to end the inning, keeping the game tied at three going into the 9th.

2009 Iowa Cubs closer Blake Parker made his 2010 Cactus League debut in the 9th, and eventually allowed the two-out two-run game-winning HR to Inglett, after getting off on the wrong foot by walking the first man he faced. Like Randy Wells, Parker is a former catcher who was converted to pitcher by the Cubs, and while he has the potential to be a decent MLB reliever, he also has had a nasty habit of surrendering 9th inning gopher balls going back to the last couple of weeks of the PCL season last Summer and then again with the AFL Mesa Solar Sox in October-November '09. Perhaps as a direct result of this misfortune, Parker tends to nibble a lot (he threw 18 pitches in the 9th inning today, but only nine strikes), before having to groove a pitch down the middle to avoid another walk. He really needs to learn to just trust his stuff.

The Cubs went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 9th against Brewers NRI LHP A. J. Murray, although Welington Castillo did hit a near game-tying HR down ther RF line (it was caught by Jody Gerut on the warning track in front of the fence).

The San Francisco Giants visit HoHoKam Park tomorrow, and Carlos Zambrano is scheduled to get his second start in the game.

Cubs Prospect List-mania 2010

Mon, 03/08/2010 - 2:00pm

For the fourth year running I go through the various prospect lists. I'm trying to stick the more established ones and there are even more lists available at Wiklifield. Scout.com didn't seem to put out a Cubs list this year or has yet to and I'm not waiting any longer. Click on the image for the link to the original article.

5-Star Prospects
1. Josh Vitters
2. Starlin Castro
   
   4-Star Prospects
   
3. Hak-Ju Lee
4. Brett Jackson
   
   3-Star Prospects
   
5. Andrew Cashner
6. Jay Jackson
7. Chris Carpenter
8. Chris Archer
9. Kyler Burke
10. Ryan Flaherty
11. John Gaub

Four More: Chris Huseby, Logan Watkins, Dae-Eun Rhee, Darwin Barney

What They Say: While things didn't work out at the big-league level (cue broken record), the Cubs' 2009 season down on the farm was an unmitigated success, with far more steps forwards (many of them huge) than regressions, and a possible piece of thievery with finding Jackson at 31st overall. The North Siders will move way up in this year's organizational rankings.

1. Starlin Castro, SS
2. Brett Jackson, OF
3. Josh Vitters, 3B
4. Andrew Cashner, RHP
5. Jay Jackson, RHP
6. Hak-Ju Lee, SS
7. Logan Watkins, 2B
8. Chris Carpenter, RHP
9. Ryan Flaherty, SS/2B/3B
10. D.J. LeMahieu, SS/2B

What They Say: Most of Chicago's best farmhands are at least a couple of years away from making an impact in the major leagues, so the Cubs may have to transition from trying to contend to trying to reload if they aren't able to quickly turn their fortunes around in 2010. That would mean more waiting for fans whose patience already has been stretched thin.

Rankings are preliminary and could have changed in the book that Sickels publishes.

1. Starlin Castro (B+)
2. Josh Vitters (B+)
3. Brett Jackson (B)
4. Jay Jackson (B)
5. Andrew Cashner (B)
6. Hak-Ju Lee (B)
7. Chris Carpenter (B-)
8. Kyler Burke (B-)
9. Ryan Flaherty (B-)
10. D.J. LeMahieu (C+)
11. Brooks Raley (C+)
12. Logan Watkins (C+)
13. Esmailin Caridad (C+)
14. Blake Parker (C+)
15. John Gaub (C+)
16. Matt Spencer (C+)
17. Dae-Eun Rhee (C+)
18. Casey Coleman (C+)
19. Tyler Colvin (C)
20. Jeff Beliveau (C)

OTHERS: (Grade C): James Adduci, OF; Jeff Antigua, LHP; Chris Archer, RHP; Darwin Barney, SS; Justin Bristow, RHP; David Cales, RHP; Welington Castillo, C; Rafael Dolis, RHP; Brandon Guyer, OF; Chris Huseby, RHP; Austin Kirk, LHP; Scott Maine, LHP; Trey McNutt, RHP; Mike Parisi, RHP; Chris Rusin, LHP; James Russell, LHP; Ryan Searle, RHP; Tony Thomas, 2B.

What They Say: The Cubs system has more depth than is commonly realized, particularly up the middle. Castro took a huge leap forward this year. He'll need some consolidation time, and I hope they are wise enough to give it to him, but at worst he should be a good major league regular and he could end up as a star. Brett Jackson also has star potential, but I still have some concerns about his strike zone judgment and want to see him at higher levels before completely buying into the maximum projections. Josh Vitters is a weird case; I posted his full comment in the Cubs player list thread on the blog. I don't want to be a fundamentalist about his low walk rate, but 12 walks for an entire season is pretty ridiculous. It helps that he doesn't strike out much, and because of his age I'm willing to be patient, no pun intended, for awhile longer. Guys like Lee, Flaherty, Watkins, and LeMahieu give them plenty of options up the middle to go along with Castro. Kyler Burke is the big sleeper in this system and I'm not sure why he doesn't get more attention.

Diamond Futures

You can see the method behind their rankings by visiting this link. They have a 300 page PDF prospect guide on all the teams available for $9.95 if you're interested. They gave me a complimentary copy and I thought the information and detail was top notch at the price.

1. Starlin Castro (A)
2. Josh Vitters (A)
3. Brett Jackson (A-)
4. Andrew Cashner (A-)
5. Hak-Ju Lee (B+)
6. Kyler Burke (B+)
7. Jay Jackson (B+)
8. Logan Watkins (B)
9. D.J. LeMahieu (B)
10. John Gaub (B)
11. Chris Archer (B-)
12. Dae-eun Rhee (B-)
13. Jeff Angtigua (B-)
14. Chris Carpenter (B-)
15. Rafael Dolis (B-)
16. Trey McNutt (B-)
17. Brooks Raley (B-)
18. Matt Spencer (B-)
19. Ryan Flaherty (B-)
20. Blake Parker (B-)

What They Say: We never know how things are going to come out when we start these rankings, but our biggest surprise has to be the Chicago Cubs coming in at #6. It’s not that the Cubs don’t have some talented players, it’sjust that they graduated five players to the Majors in 2009—from an already weak system, and if you had evaluated the team in early June their prospect hopes looked pretty dim. Then Starlin Castro puttogether one of the most ‘helium’ filled seasons in the Minors, Brett Jackson was drafted and surprised most everyone with his play, Andrew Cashner located his missing command, Kyler Burke finally had the breakout season everyone had been waiting for, John Gaub became one ofthe Minors’ best relief prospects and they had a huge haul of young prospects from the Pacific Rim. Suddenly it is like an entirely different organization. The strength of the organization lies in its depth, as only our top three organizations have a longer list of ‘C’ or higher prospects. There also is a good balance between high-ceiling and high-floor players. Additionally, likely no organization in baseball works the Pacific Rim harder than the Cubs, and it looks like they are about to reap some of the fruits of their efforts…but everything isn’t roses for the Cubs, as once you get past the top nine prospects, pitchers make up all but eight of the next twenty-five spots. Perhaps more importantly, few of the Cubs’ prospects will be ready to contribute before late 2011 or 2012, so it will likely be another couple of years before the impact of the rebounded farm system is felt at the Big League level.

1. Starlin Castro
2. Brett Jackson
3. Josh Vitters
4. Jay Jackson
5. Andrew Cashner
6. Hak-Ju Lee
7. Chris Carpenter
8. D.J. LeMahieu
9. Chris Archer
10. Jose Valdez

 

Arizona Phil's Top 15

1. Andrew Cashner
2. Jay Jackson
3. Starlin Castro
4. Josh Vitters
5. Welington Castillo
6. D.J. LeMahieu
7. Brett Jackson
8. Hak-Ju Lee
9. Chris Carpenter
10. Kyler Burke
11. Ryan Flaherty
12. Sam Fuld
13. Tyler Colvin
14. Darwin Barney
15. Brandon Guyer

 

And now for the always humorous list of 16 from yours truly (15 in years past). I generally like guys that actually have done something at AA or higher, but that's just a guideline and the Cubs don't have too many of those in their system at the moment. The age is what they'll be playing at during the 2010 season.

1. Starlin Castro (age 20)- The boy wonder is the hot topic of spring training and it doesn't appear like anything will slow his ascent to the majors. The Edgar Renteria comparisions seem about right to me, anything better than that will require a refined eye or development of 15-20 HR power. He looks like he'll find Wrigley in 2010 and be a solid regular at worse. At age soon-to-be 20, we still don't know if he's reached his peak skillset.

2. Andrew Cashner (age 23) - i don't think anyone but the Cubs think he'll ever make it as a starter, but I have hard time believing he won't be at least a major league closer some day down the road and a dominating one at that. Two plus pitches along with an occasional changeup and he appears to be finding better control. It seems like he'll find the Cubs roster in 2010 as well.

3. Josh Vitters (age 20) - He has the most upside of anyone in the organization in my not-so-humble opinion, but two years worth of injuries and you have to wonder if it's going to become a chronic thing. The walk rate is a bit worrisome, but not as much as the injuries so far. The fact that he probably won't see the majors until 2011 or 2012 puts him behind Castro and Cashner at the moment.

4. Jay Jackson (age 22)- He looks to have all the makings of a mid-rotation starter with the upside of a #2 if everything breaks correctly. I do fear a little Sean Gallagher in him, good control and an array of pitches, but not much of an out pitch. That can get you by in the minors, but the majors could provide problems. I'm shocked he didn't get an NRI this spring training.

5. Hak-Ju Lee (age 19) - He's a long way from Wrigley, but the reports that he could push the boy wonder to second base are pretty strong and an elite defensive shortstop would be a nice thing to have. He struck out a little too much for my tastes (16.4% K/PA), but did walk at over a 10% clip and with rave reviews about his speed, the leadoff spot seems natural. There's a ton of competition at shortstop in the system, so let's see how he handles the higher levels.

6. Tyler Colvin (age 24) - Colvin wouldn't have even been in thet top 16 until spring training and the reports that he bulked up 25 pounds over the offseason and is hitting moonshots in camp. He's gone from an afterthought/4th outfielder with questionable plate disclipline at best to potential everyday center fielder with 30 home run power. He is roadblocked at the moment with Soriano, Fukudome and Byrd, but with 3 option years left, there's no reason to rush him out of the system. It also wouldn't be too hard to trade Fukudome or Byrd after 2010 if Colvin can show something at the major league level at some point in 2010.

7. Chris Carpenter (age 24) - The backstory on Carpenter is a player drafted out of high school in the 7th round in 2004 by the Detroit Tigers that decided to go to Kent State (presumambly would have been drafted much higher if he didn't plan to go to college). He then blew out his elbow and had Tommy John surgery and another procedure to clean out scar tissue before the Cubs drafted him in the 3rd round in 2008. He went through 3 levels last year, but just 130.2 IP with an 8.1 K/9 rate to 3.6 BB/9 rate, so control is an issue. He does seem like a guy that could go through the system fast with a 92-95 mph fastball that can touch 97 and a good hard curveball. He's working on a changeup which would be the key to major league success as a starter.

8. Brett Jackson (age 21) - I'm not as high as most on Jackson quite yet. He was impressive with 7 home runs in Peoria last year (although just 1 in Boise in a similar number of plate appearances). It just seems a little flukey. He also struck out 25% of the time in his 128 PA's in Peoria. Small sample sizes of course, but as he goes up the ladder, he'll need to get that way down unless he's a 30 HR guy, which doesn't appear to be the case.

9. Esmailin Caridad (age 26) - A late bloomer that was signed by the Cubs out of the Japanese leagues. While he threw in the low 90's as a starter in the minors, he easily touches 95mph when relieving with a good slider. He could be a surprise main set-up man this year or even a desperation closer down the road.

10. Ryan Flaherty (age 23) - He probably doesnt' stand a chance at staying at shortstop with the Cubs, but he did pop 20 home runs last year in Peoria with a decent walk rate of just under 10% and a K rate at just above 18%. He's already started playing 2b and 3b and verstaility in the National League is of course a big plus. He seems to be a big student of the game including a series of videos on hitting technique on youtube.

11. Kyler Burke (age 22) - I'm pretty cautious on Burke as his breakout 2009 season was also his third go-around in the Midwest League. But he was a first round talent when drafted by the San Diego Padres and has a cannon out of right field. He had 61 extra-base hits and incredible improvement in his walk and strikeout rates, but you have to worry if pitchers were just afraid to pitch to him.

12. Logan Watkins (age 20) - Watkins was a 21st round pick in 2008 that received third round bonus money to keep him from Wichita State. I can't find confirmation, but he only had 318 PA's last year, so I assume there was an injury. He was an all-state QB and defensive back in high school and BA describes him as a gifted athelete. He's shown pretty solid plate disclipline so far with the ability to put the ball in play and has a strong enough arm that he could play 2b, 3b or the outfield along with shortstop. If he can find just a little power, he could rise higher among the Cubs crowded middle infield.

13. Welington Castillo (age 23) - This is mostly based off Arizona Phil's recommendations and observations, but he seems like he could be a plus defensive catcher with 15-20 HR power. On the other hand, he's struck out nearly 20% of the time in the minors without showing any desire to take a walk.

14. Sam Fuld (age 28) - I love Fuld's Tom Waddle-like style of defensive play, but he's likely going to kill himself at some point against an unforgiving outfield wall. He's shown pretty decent walk rates through the minors and puts the ball in play, but not enough power or speed that I could ever see him getting a regular job unless out of desperation. But a major league reserve isn't a terrible major league career either.

15. Blake Parker (age 25) - He's a converted catcher that will be going on his fourth year of pitching so I'm giving him a bit of a break. He did well as a closer in Iowa and has put up K rates north of 10 last season although way too walk happy (5 BB/9). He throws a low 90's sinker that can touch 95, picked up a changeup from Dae-Eun Rhee who has one of the best in the system and is working on his slider.

16. Chris Archer (age 21) - His strikeout rate of 9.8 K/9 in the Midwest League was great, but a 5.4 BB/9 rate is not so great. He keeps the ball in the park though, and right now has a low 90's fastball, with the "potential" of a plus curve and weak changeup according to Diamond Futures. That's not particularly promising in my opinion to be a major league starter.

Some Honorable Mentions:

Justin Berg - plus sinker but never more than an expendable bullpen guy

John Gaub - could be a solid LOOGY, but seems to rely more on deception than stuff

James Russell - lefty bullpen guy, seems a lot like Sean Marshall without the ability to start

DJ LeMahieu - No one thinks he can stick at shortstop and he needs to find some power to be a major league 2b-men.

Dae-Eun Rhee - We'll see how he does after recovering from injury, allegedlly one of the more exciting arms with a fantastic changeup

Rafael Dolis - see Dae-eun Rhee about the injuries

Mitch Atkins - hopefully his 2010 is closer to his 2008, and I still think could be a back-end rotation guy that has been healthy almost his entire career. But he's sure been hittable in what little I've seen so far.

Casey Coleman - doesn't sound like anything special stuff-wise, but was one of the Cubs minor league players of the year in 2009 and sinkerballers that can eat up innings can find good careers in the majors.

The guys from 10 on down would be C to C+ grades in my book and you can flip them anyway you want. Relievers that I don't see every see getting a chance to close are tough to get too excited about and you'll see them in the honorable mentions. 

It's a very young system with guys in their early 20's that are close to contributing. That's a nice thing to have considering the major league club is mostly on the wrong side of 30. I usually don't expect much from farmhands until age 24 or 25 at the major league level, so anything before that is a bonus and a good sign for their futures. But with that youth comes risk and still not a lot of guys with much success at AA or above, so be prepared for the Brian Dopirak-like drop-offs as well with some of these players (and yes I know Dopirak has had a nice resurgence with the Toronto Blue Jays, but he was slated to be Derrek Lee's replacement by 2007 with the Cubs).

Angels & Demons & Wings

Sun, 03/07/2010 - 8:41am

I'll leave it up to the media to tell us what's going on with Angel Guzman's shoulder problems.

On second thought, I'd better not.

Once again the media doesn't get it. From Howard Schlossberg's piece in the Daily Herald:

While surgery is a possibility, the Cubs are aware that most major rotator-cuff surgeries, while successful in and of themselves, don't always enable the player to make a comeback.

Thank God it wasn't Bruce Miles writing this (I love Miles work). It does show, once again, a lack of understanding regarding what gets reported.

To quote Dan Aykroyd, "Just the facts, ma'am":

1. The Cubs.com article reports, Angel Guzman's MRI showed a "significant tear in a ligament in his right shoulder" which medically speaking translates into a torn inferior glenohumeral ligament (see diagram, item C). If the glenoid or socket's labrum is also torn, this means the entire front of his shoulder is very loose and may be detached. This is an injury that leads to instability, as in shoulder dislocations or subluxations (partial dislocations). This is what Aramis Ramirez had last season in his glove side shoulder (not his throwing shoulder).

2. Angel Guzman HAD a glenoid labral tear repaired in 2003. The labrum is the fibro-cartilagenous rim of the socket (glenoid). The middle and inferior glenohumeral ligaments are adjacent and embedded in the capsule of the shoulder joint in front of the shoulder and they attach to the labrum. These ligaments do not have to be injured for the labrum to tear or detach from the glenoid. 

3. Angel Guzman DOES NOT HAVE a rotator cuff tear. The muscle-tendon commonly understood to tear when referencing a rotator cuff tear is the supraspinatus (see MRI image of supraspinatus tendon tear) which is on top and attaches to the greater tuberosity of the humerus (arm bone). The rotator cuff muscles and tendon attachments are immediately outside the shoulder capsule layer, so it is quite separate from the labrum and capsular ligaments.

Guzman's shoulder woes date way back and include labrum repair surgery in 2003. Jim Callis from Baseball America had this on Guzman back on November 26, 2003:

The Cubs thought Guzman was ready to make a Mark Prior-like ascent in 2003, beginning the season in Double-A West Tenn and getting to the majors by midseason. If Chicago didn’t have so much pitching, he could have pressed for a big league job. Guzman led the Cubs with a 1.13 ERA in the Cactus League, and his teammates voted him the most impressive rookie in big league camp. He caught fire in late May, going 3-1, 1.01 over his next five starts. After shutting out eventual Southern League champion Carolina for seven innings on June 20, Guzman was picked to pitch in the Futures Game and would have been the logical callup when Prior hurt his shoulder in mid-July. But Guzman never threw another pitch in 2003, as his shoulder was bothering him. Doctors diagnosed a slight tear in his labrum, and he had it corrected with arthroscopic surgery.

Also remember they shut down Guzman last September with shoulder pain that got labeled a triceps strain based on exam and an MRI. No commentary on other shoulder pathology was mentioned. The Cubs must have felt his shoulder was OK with the rest from an early shut down although one wonders what impact his recovery from January knee arthroscopic surgery might have had on his throwing.

The FEAR of full recovery in a pitcher's throwing shoulder in repairing this is warranted. See Mark Prior if you want to see how well someone recovers from instability surgery. Although from what I've read Prior had capsular laxity and not a detachment of the labrum and there is a difference. Capsular laxity gets surgically addressed by a procedure that tightens up the capsule (capsular shift) and a detachment needs to be reattached. In reattaching the capsule-ligament complex, the trick is to do it where it's not overly loose or tight, so in a pitcher this is the problem because they need more laxity than non-throwing athletes, just not too little, as they'd lose extension and external rotation and not too much or the instability persists.

So near term, Angel Guzman will get a second opinion, probably from orthopedic guru Dr. James Andrews, in Birmingham, Alabama. He'll probably go the ARam route in trying to rehab for 3 months and if that fails go the repair route. That's what 2nd opinions are for though.

So for all the sportswriters out there, here's the rest of my mini-primer on shoulder anatomy:

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles that surround the shoulder in front (subscapularis), on top (supraspinatus) and behind (infraspinatus and teres minor). These muscles lie immediately outside the shoulder capsule which is the fibrous tissue (all joints have capsules) that connects the two major parts of a joint, in this case the glenoid (socket component of the scapula or shoulder blade) and humeral head.

The acromion is the bony overhang from the scapula that connects the shoulder blade to the clavicle (collar bone) or the AC joint (acromio-clavicular). The acromion is also an attachment for the larger and more superficial deltoid muscle. Impingement syndromes often are related to spurs or curve-shaped components from the anterior acromion and the AC joint. When the AC joint is injured, that is called a separated shoulder. It is the glenohumeral (ball and socket) part of the shoulder that is injured when a dislocated shoulder is described.

The long head of the biceps attaches at the 12 o'clock position just above the glenoid socket. It attaches into the fibrocartilaginous glenoid rim which surrounds the socket in which the capsule attaches as well. This can be injured inside the joint, known as a SLAP lesion (superior labrum, anterior to posterior) or it can be injured outside the joint from impingement when the humeral head rubs against the acromion.

Shoulder bursitis also comes from similar impingements. The bursa is a normal layer of tissue that helps the gliding between two impinging surfaces and when it gets inflamed, it thickens, making the space between the two surfaces tighter, a vicious cycle.

Finally, Since Guzman was shut down last year from a triceps injury near the shoulder, I'll mention that the triceps isn't usually a consideration in shoulder injuries. Still, it does have one of it's three attachment sites just below the very bottom of the glenoid socket.

Update: Sun-Times writer, Gordon Wittenmeyer just posted this interview with Angel Guzman

Cubs pitcher Angel Guzman says he plans to have surgery on his injured shoulder, even though he's been told few pitchers ever come back from that kind of surgery.

"It's going to be tough," said Guzman, 28, who was diagnosed over the weekend with a significant ligament tear near his armpit and instability in the shoulder. "But it's better than not having it and not having a chance. Doing it, I have a small chance, but there is a chance. So I'm going to take the chance."

Guzman says the decision isn't final. He plans to see famed orthopedist James Andrews – who already has done operations on Guzman's shoulder and elbow -- as soon as this week and then consult with his agents and his family.

Silva Bullet Can't Stop Sox

Sat, 03/06/2010 - 6:41pm

Carlos Quentin slugged a two-run homer in the top of the 1st and a three run home run in the top of the 2nd, giving the White Sox a lead they would never relinquish, as the Sox demolished the Cubs 15-3 in front of 12,712 fans and a national TV audience on WGN this afternoon at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in sunny Mesa.

box score

Acquired from the Seattle Mariners for Milton Bradley this past off-season, Carlos Silva got the start for the Cubs today and he is who we thought he was, allowing six runs on seven hits (including two Carlos Quentin home runs) in just two innings of work (43 pitches - 28 strikes, 0 BB, 2 K, 2/2 GO/FO).

Carlos Marmol worked the top of the 3rd and pitched great (1-2-3 inning: 3-U, Ks, Ks, 13 pitches - 11 strikes).

Down 6-0 at the start of the bottom of the 3rd, the Cubs mounted a rally, scoring three runs off Sox starter Dan Hudson, who was extended into the 3rd inning after facing only six batters through the first two. With one out, Geovany Soto laced a single, and Bobby Scales was hit by a pitch (the second HBP for Scales in two days). Ryan Theriot singled to load the bases, and then Kosuke Fukudome came through with a two-run ground single through the box into CF to score Soto and Scales and send Theriot to 3rd. Derrek Lee then got The Riot home with a line drive sac fly to right.

And that was the extent of the Cubs scoring today.

But the White Sox certainly were not finished.

LHP James Russell worked the 4th & 5th (36 pitches - 23 strikes, 3/1 GO/FO) and pitched well, allowing one unearned run (LF Alfonso Soriano over-ran a ball while trying to field a base hit with two outs in the 5th, allowing a runner to score all the way from 1st), two hits and a walk, with two strikeouts (including the fearsome Carlos Quentin).

Cubs 2008 #1 draft pick RHP Andrew Cashner pitched the 6th and 7th, and after a skittish first inning (25 pitches - only 11 strikes, with two walks on nine pitches to the first two batters he faced), Cashner settled-down and threw strikes in his 2nd inning (10 pitches - 8 strikes). Cashner allowed just one run (one of the walks scored in the 6th), but he was helped out the jam by a savvy pick-off at 2nd base by catcher Welington Castillo. On the play SS Andres Blanco suffered what appeared to be a right knee injury, and had to leave the game.

RHP Jeff Kennard entered the game in the top of the 8th with the Cubs down 8-3, and it was just plain excrutiating to watch. Kennard surrendered back-to-back home runs to Sox minor leaguers Brandon Short and Cole Armstrong to start the inning, and then after loading the bases on a single and two walks, Kennard gave up a bases-loaded two run single to another minor leaguer (Christian Marrero). At this point, Cubs Manager Lou Piniella made the slow walk to the mound and Kennard suffered a pitcher's worst Spring Training indignity... getting yanked out of a game without completing even one inning of work. For the day, Kennard allowed four runs on four hits (two HR) and two walks, with two strikeouts, throwing 37 pitches - only 18 strikes, in just 2/3 of an inning.

Mitch Atkins was brought in to complete the inning, and he struck out the only man he faced (Jordan Danks).

LHP John Grabow pitched the 9th (20 pitches - 12 strikes, 1 K, 0/2 GO/FO), and he was not a whole lot better than Kennard, allowing a single, a double, and then a three-run HR (to Jayson Nix). But at least Grabow finished his inning.

For the Cubs, Ryan Theriot and Geovany Soto had two hits a piece (all singles), but Theriot also hit into a rally-killing 4-6-3 DP with two on and no outs in the 5th. And after starting the Cactus League schedule 5-6 with three doubles, a single, and a home run, Tyler Colvin cooled-off a bit by going 0-2 with a strikeout (swinging) and a game-ending 6-4-3 DP.

The Cubs have a split squad doubleheader tomorrow, one game a rematch with the White Sox at Camelback Ranch and the other a home game versus the Dodgers at HoHoKam Park. RHP Jeff Samardzija and LHP Tom Gorzelanny are scheduled to start the games, although weather could be a problem, since rain is forecast with temperatures in the 50's. I believe one of the two games will be televised by WGN-TV, but I'm not sure which one.

Cubs Minor League Camp Roster Projections

Sat, 03/06/2010 - 10:28am

Minor League Camp opened this week, as pitchers & catchers reported to Fitch Park after the Cubs moved up Center Streert to HoHoKam Park. Other minor league players will report on Tuesday.

Here are the projected Cubs Minor League Camp rosters (142 players), the DSL Cubs Reserve Lists (two teams combined - 66 players), plus some other stuff.

Players at Minor League Camp are often initially placed one level above where they are expected to play that season, and then they either get released or get demoted one or even two levels lower once the Cubs start to make cuts and send players to Minor League Camp (Fitch Park) from HoHoKam, with an accompanying downward cascade of players from Iowa to Tennessee, Tennessee to Daytona, etc.

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PROJECTED 2010 CUBS MINOR LEAGUE CAMP ROSTERS:

IOWA (29):

PITCHERS (15):
Todd Blackford
David Cales
Chris Carpenter
Marco Carrillo
Hung-Wen Chen
Jay Jackson
* Casey Lambert
Alessandro Maestri
* Scott Maine
Arismendy Mota (AAA Rule 5)
Jake Muyco
* Jeremy Papelbon
Gregory Reinhard
* Dustin Sasser
Brian Schlitter
NOTE: Arismendy Mota was selected by the Washington Nationals in the AAA Phase of the December 2009 Rule 5 Draft and then was subsequently traded to the Cubs for cash considerations, so by rule he must be given a 15-day “fair trial” in Spring Training with AAA Iowa, but he can be assigned to any of the Cubs minor league affiliates prior to Opening Day.

CATCHERS (3)
Luis Flores
* Mark Johnson
* Mark Reed

INFIELDERS (7)
Russ Canzler
# Matt Matulia
Scott McClain
Jonathan Mota
Marquez Smith
Tony Thomas
* Ryne White

OUTFIELDERS (4)
Jason Dubois
Brandon Guyer
* Matt Spencer
Ty Wright

TENNESSEE (30):

PITCHERS (17)
Chris Archer
* Jeffrey Beliveau
Austin Bibens-Dirkx
* Ryan Buchter
Chris Huseby
Josh Lansford
Jordan Latham
* James Leverton
Oswaldo Martinez
Dan McDaniel
Craig Muschko
Mike Perconte
Ryan Searle
Aaron Shafer
* Chris Siegfried
* Luke Sommer
Henry Williamson

CATCHERS (3)
Michael Brenly
John Contreras
Jovan Rosa (ex-3B)

INFIELDERS (6)
* Ryan Flaherty
# Marwin Gonzalez
D. J. LeMahieu
* Jake Opitz
Rebel Ridling
Nate Samson

OUTFIELDERS (4)
* Kyler Burke
* Tony Campana
* Jason James
# David Macias

DAYTONA (31):

PITCHERS (19)
* Jeffry Antigua
Justin Bristow
Alberto Cabrera
Julio Castillo
Manolin DeLeon
Yohan Gonzalez
Steve Grife
Marcus Hatley
Robert Hernandez
Su-Min Jung
Kevin Kreier
Corey Martin
Ronny Morla
Jon Nagel
Julio Pena
* Brooks Raley
Dae-Eun Rhee
* Chris Rusin
Josh Whitlock

CATCHERS (3)
Jae-Hoon Ha
* Richard Jones
Mario Mercedes

INFIELDERS (6)
* Matt Cerda
* Justin Bour
Junior Lake
* Hak-Ju Lee
* Bobby Wagner
* Logan Watkins

OUTFIELDERS (3)
Runey Davis
* Nelson Perez
# Jose Valdez

PEORIA (32):

PITCHERS (19):
Rogelio Carmona
Tim Clubb
Diego Encarnacion
Eduardo Figueroa
Jesse Ginley
Danny Keefe
* Austin Kirk
Luis Liria
Toby Matchulat
Trey McNutt
* John Mincone
Tarlandus Mitchell
Dionis Nunez
* Marcos Perez
Andres Quezada
Carlos Rojas
Jose Rosario
Larry Suarez
Robert Whitenack

CATCHERS (3)
Jose Guevara
Brandon May (ex-3B)
# Alvaro Sosa

INFIELDERS (6)
D. J. Fitzgerald
Dwayne Kemp
George Matheus
Jordan Petraitis
Greg Rohan
Charles Thomas

OUTFIELDERS (4)
* Francisco Guzman
Jesus Morelli
Cody Shields
Kevin Soto

BOISE/MESA – EXST (20):

PITCHERS (10):
Gian Guzman
* Cody Hams
Dylan Johnston (ex-OF)
Hector Mayora
* Drew Rundle (ex-OF)
Jake Schmidt
Adam Spencer
Nick Struck
Tzu-An Wang
Yao-Lin Wang

CATCHERS (2)
* Sergio Burruel
Garrett Maines

INFIELDERS (4)
# Robert Bautista
* Ping-Chieh Chen
* Wes Darvill
Derek Helenihi

OUTFIELDERS (4)
Dong-Yub Kim
* Kyung-Min Na
Blair Springfield
* Sean Williams

NOTE: The Boise/Mesa Spring Training roster is established prior to the start of Minor League Spring Training games (which should begin around March 18th), and will consist of players moved down from Peoria and Daytona, players moved up to Fitch Park from the DSL Cubs (see DSL CUBS roster below), and players who are rehabbing from injuries. This squad then becomes the Cubs Extended Spring Training (EXST) team at Fitch Park April-May-June.

DSL CUBS (combined roster) - (66):

PITCHERS (37):
Frank Batista
Jane Bremon
Darlin Castro
Miguel Corletto
* Welington Cruz
Antonio Encarnacion
Denis Estrada
* Carlos Galvez
Ramon Garcia
Enyel Gonzalez
Alvido Jimenez
Joel Lanfranco
* Richard Leyba
Eric Martinez
Pedro Medina (ex-OF)
Roneidy Mejia
Jade Mendez
Loiger Padron
Amaury Paulino
Enyelberth Pena
Felix Pena
Junior Pena
Starlin Peralta
Roderik Pichardo
Francoris Pineda
Ramon Reyes
Albert Robles
Jhon Rodriguez
Santo Rodriguez
Melvin Rosa
Braulio Rosario
* Abner Ruiz
Julio Sanchez
Yilver Sanchez
Deuris Severino
Jose Tineo
Francisco Turbi

CATCHERS (6):
Yonan Fuenmayor
Miguel Gonzalez
Yamel Liria
Ricardo Parra
Carlos Romero
# Hector Suarez

INFIELDERS (12):
# Arismendy Alcantara
Joel Altagracia
Yohan Astacio
# Vismeldy Bieneme
Melvin Camarena
# Rafael Disla
Gregori Gonzalez
* Carlos Henry
# Jose Montecino
Juan Pena
* Melido Perez
# Jesus Rodriguez

OUTFIELDERS (11):
Xavier Batista
Smaily Borges
Alejandro Damian
Dariyn Figueroa
* Eduardo Gonzalez
Jasly Gonzalez
Albert Hernandez
Manuel Pestana
* Alvaro Ramirez
# Gregorio Robles
Rander Valdez

NOTE: The DSL Cubs most-likely to get promoted to Fitch Park for Minor League Camp (or Extended Spring Training) include SS-2B Arismendy Alcantara, 3B-1B Joel Altagracia, RHP Frank Batista, RF Xavier Batista, 1B-OF Smaily Borges (26-year old Cuban defector who played for DSL Cubs #2 last season), C Miguel Gonzalez, RHP Felix Pena, 3B-1B Juan Pena, OF Alvaro Ramirez (24-year old ex-NYY who was signed by the Cubs in June 2009 after he was released by the Yankees), RHP Ramon Reyes, RHP Melvin Rosa, RHP Yilver Sanchez, and RHP Jose Tineo.

 

MINOR LEAGUERS GONE LAST 12 MONTHS

RELEASED:
Ryan Acosta, RHP (ST) – signed with NYY
Erick Almonte, INF (ST) – signed with MIL
Cliff Andersen, OF (BOISE)
Ezequiel Astacio, RHP (IOWA)
Luis Bautista, 1B (ST) – signed with TB
Alfredo Belizaire, LHP (DSL CUBS)
Edward Campusano, LHP (ST)
Angel Castro, RHP (ST) – signed with PHI
Glenn Cook, OF (AZL CUBS)
Michael Cooper, RHP (ST)
Daley Cox, LHP (AZL CUBS)
Jesse Estrada, RHP (TENNESSEE) – signed with WAS
Arturo Florentino, RHP (DSL CUBS)
Erik Hamren, RHP (PEORIA)
Ryan Harvey, OF (ST) – signed with COL
Jim Henderson, RHP (ST) – signed with MIL
Sean Hoorelbeke, 1B (EXST)
Grant Johnson, RHP (ST)
Jericho Jones, OF (DAYTONA)
Bryan Jost, 1B (ST)
Ken Kadokura, RHP (ST)
Ryan Keedy, 1B (DAYTONA) – signed with FLA
Jesse Lebron, RHP (DSL CUBS)
Anderson Machado, INF (IOWA) – signed with MIL
Jose Made, INF (DAYTONA)
Pat Mahoney, C (ST)
Shawn McGill, C (ST)
Juan Medina, C (AZL CUBS)
Maicol Medina, RHP (DSL CUBS)
Alexander Mejia, 1B (DSL CUBS)
Tommy Mejia, RHP (ST)
Carlos Morales, INF (DSL CUBS)
Billy Muldowney, RHP (DAYTONA)
John Muller, RHP (ST)
Bubba O’Donnell, RHP (ST)
Mark Pawelek, LHP (ST) – signed with CIN
Genezaret Pena, RHP (DSL CUBS)
Carlos Perez, C (ST)
George Pineda, RHP (AZL CUBS)
Cedric Redmond, RHP (EXST)
Roeldwin Reyes, RHP (DSL CUBS)
Kyle Reynolds, 3B (TENNESSEE)
Tony Richie, C (ST)
Richie Robnett, OF (TENNESSEE) – signed with NYY
Jayson Ruhlman, LHP (TENNESSEE)
B. J. Ryan, LHP (IOWA)
Tomas Sanchez, RHP (DSL CUBS)
Audy Santana, RHP (ST) – signed with SF
Joe Simokaitis, RHP (TENNESSEE)
Matt Smith, LHP (ST)
Ryan Sontag, OF-LHP (BOISE)
Mike Stanton, LHP (ST)
Harol Tolentino, RHP (ST) – signed with PHI
Melvin Vasquez, LHP (AZL CUBS)
Steve Vento, RHP (DAYTONA)
Jose Vigay, C (DSL CUBS)
Chris Weimer, 1B (AZL CUBS)
Jason Waddell, LHP (IOWA) – signed with DET
Bill White, LHP (ST) – signed with PHI
TeWayne Willis, OF (ST)
Jonathan Wyatt, OF (DAYTONA)

TRADED:
Alberto Alburquerque, RHP (to COL for Jeff Baker)
Dumas Garcia, RHP (to TOR for $$$)
Josh Harrison, IF-OF (to PIT with Kevin Hart for John Grabow & Tom Gorzelanny)
Rocky Roquet, RHP (to OAK for $$$)
Justin Sellers, INF (to LAD for $$$)

POST-2009 MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENTS – DID NOT RE-SIGN WITH CUBS:
Doug Deeds, OF – signed with AZ
Matt Craig, 1B
Casey Fossum, LHP
John-Ford Griffin, OF
Jose Pina, RHP – signed with OAK
Luis Rivas, INF
Nate Spears, INF - signed with BOS

VOLUNTARY RETIRED:
Kurt Calvert, OF
Matt Williams, C

SELECTED IN DECEMBER 2009 RULE 5 DRAFT (AAA Phase):
Miguel Sierra, RHP (by TB)

RESTRICTED LIST:
Francisco Acosta, RHP
Wilson Contreras, C-3B
Clark Hardman, OF
NOTE: F. Acosta was placed on the Restricted List in July 2009, Hardman (2007 9th round draft pick out of Cal State - Fullerton) was placed on the Restricted List in October 2008, and W. Contreras (17-year old Venezuelan who received an $850K signing bonus last July) was placed on the Restricted List post-2009 after he was suspended by MLB for 50 games after testing positive for a prohibited substance.

Snyder Doubles Cubs Pleasure

Fri, 03/05/2010 - 6:25pm

Brad Snyder crushed a game-winning two-run double off the CF Batter's Eye in the bottom of the 9th, scoring Bobby Scales from second base with the tying run and Sam Fuld from first with the winning run, as the Cubs edged the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-7 in Cactus League action in front of 11,775 fans under sunny skies (65 degrees) at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in Mesa this afternoon.

box score

The Cubs fielded a starting lineup today that featured three of their recent #1 draft picks (LF Tyler Colvin, 3B Josh Vitters, and CF Brett Jackson) and their #1 position player prospect (SS Starlin Castro), but only one front-line big league position player (2B Jeff Baker, presuming one considers Baker a starter). But the Diamondbacks brought Justin Upton, Adam LaRoche, and Mark Reynolds up from Tucson to hit 3-4-5 in their lineup.

Carlos Zambrano was the Cubs starting pitcher, and (like Randy Wells yesterday) he threw two perfect innings (28 pitches - 18 strikes), mowing down the D'backs 4-3, 3-U, 6-3 (Upton), Ks (LaRoche), F-8 (Reynolds), and 5-3.

Dan Haren got the start for Arizona, and he also threw two shutout/hitless innings and faced only six batters. (Kevin Millar walked leading off the bottom of the 2nd inning, but was erased on a "strike 'em out/throw 'em out" when Josh Vitters fanned swinging).

And the game remained scoreless going into the bottom of the 5th, as NRI RHP Casey Coleman (the Cubs 2009 Minor League Player of the Year) threw two impressive shutout innings (27 pitches - 17 strikes, 3/2 GO/FO), striking out one and walking none while allowing just a two-out Chris Young PH double in the 3rd, and Jeff Stevens struck out the side (Mark Reynolds-Chris Snyder-Ryan Roberts) in a 1-2-3 top of the 5th.

Ex-Cub Aaron Heilman, who was traded to Arizona during the off season for two minor leaguers, entered the game for the D'backs in the bottom of the 5th and really got lit-up. Josh Vitters led-off with a line single to right-center, and scored the game's first run when Brett Jackson tripled off the CF "Green Monster." The ball did a ricochet off the Batter's Eye into LF, and Jackson almost ran up Vitters' ass coming around second base headed for third. It looked like Jackson probably could have had an easy inside-the-park-HR, but 3rd base coach Mike Quade held him up at 3rd (much to the chagrin of the fans). Koyie Hill followed with a vicious line-drive single that caromed off Heilman's foot and landed in short LF, scoring Jackson. After Jeff Stevens struck out failing to lay down a bunt, Starlin Castro singled to right-center, sending K. Hill to 3rd. Jeff Baker walked to load the bases, and then Tyler Colvin (who had roped a double over the right-fielder's head in the bottom of the 4th) pulled a sharply-hit single between first & second, scoring Hill and Castro with the third and fourth runs of the inning, while sending Baker to 3rd. The inning ended when Baker was thrown out at home 8-2 trying to score on a Kevin Millar fly out to CF. (Baker quite obviously left early from third, but he got thrown out anyway).

The Snakes came right back in the top of the 6th, as their first two batters reached on fielding miscues. (CF Brett Jackson lost a routine fly ball in the sun on what was scored a double, and then 2B Matt Camp booted an easy grounder for an E-4). Stevens (working a second inning after throwing 16 pitches in his first inning) did not handle the adversity very well, as he then gave up a Tony Abreu RBI single to left, a walk to Gerardo Parra to load the bases, and a gargantuan Justin Upton grand slam that hit off the top of the scoreboard, thereby unloading the bases. Stevens was allowed to pitch to two more batters (a screaming line-drive to LF and fly ball to the warning track in CF), before John Gaub entered the game to get the final out of the inning on a ball that bounced off his body and then back to the catcher, resulting in a somewhat unusual 1-2-3 GO. Stevens finished with a line of 1.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, and 1 HR, 42 pitches - 24 strikes, 0/2 GO/FO.

Gaub also pitched the 7th inning and allowed a long lead-off HR over the LF fence to D'Backs utility infielder Ryan Roberts, but struck out the final two hitters he faced. Gaub is the protypical LOOGY (lefty specialist), but he faced only one LH hitter today (Brandon Allen, who he retired on a routine 4-3 GO). Gaub labored through his 1.1 IP, going to full counts on several hitters (31 pitches - 20 strikes, 2/0 GO/FO).

The Cubs threatened but did not score in the bottom of the 7th, as Starlin Castro hammered a one-out ground-rule double to deep right-center (it was hit to exactly the same spot his triple was hit yesterday, and this one would have been a triple, too, if the ball hadn't bounced off the rock-hard warning track and then up & over the fence), but was left stranded after Matt Camp flied out to CF (Castro advanced to 3rd) and James Adduci grounded out 4-3.

RHP Marcos Mateo worked the top of the 8th for the Cubs, allowing a ground ball single and a HBP, but no runs (14 pitches - 9 strikes, 3/0 GO/FO).

Down 6-4 going into the bottom of the 8th, the Cubs rallied to tie the score off Diamonbacks LHRP Clay Zavada. With one out, Brad Snyder fisted a single to right, and advanced to second on a Vitters rope-single to left (his second hit of the day). Brett Jackson reached base for the 4th time (two walks, a triple, and a HBP for B. Jackson today) when he was hit by a pitch on the upper right shoulder by Zavada, loading the bases, and then Chris Robinson lined an RBI single to CF to score Snyder, leaving the bases loaded with out. James Adduci was up next, and he ripped a low line-drive to RF that Collin Cowgill snagged with a spectacular diving catch, but Vitters had a brain fart and forgot to tag up (he ran for home as soon as the ball was hit), so he did not score. But Darwin Barney got Vitters off the goat horns, drawing a bases-loaded walk on a 3-1 pitch to force-in a run and tie the score at six. Matt Camp then struck out (swinging) with the bases-loaded to end the inning.

RHP Justin Berg entered the game for the Cubs in the top of the 9th, and promptly allowed a Cole Gillespie HR over the LF fence that gave the Diamondbacks the lead. Berg then retired then next three batters in order, but the damage was done. (19 pitches - 12 strikes for Berg today)

So the Cubs entered the bottom of the 9th needing one run to tie, and two to win. With D'backs RHRP Esmerling Vasquez on the mound, PH Bobby Scales (batting LH) led-off the inning and was immediately drilled with a pitch. Micah Hoffpauir followed with a hard-hit ground-single to RF that just missed hitting Scales, such that Scales had to hold-up at 2nd base. Sam Fuld was sent-in to PR for Hoffpauir, and then hitting with a 3-2 count, Snyder apparently got the pitch he was looking for, hammering it off the CF Batter's Eye to give the Cubs the victory.

The Cubs face the White Sox tomorrow at HoHoKam Park, in a game that is supposed to be televised on WGN-TV. Newly-acquired RHP Carlos Silva (obtained by the Cubs from Seattle in the Milton Bradley deal) is scheduled to get the start for the Cubs, presuming the game does not interfere with lunch.

TCR Friday Notes

Fri, 03/05/2010 - 2:55pm

A chance to comment on some happenings from the past week....

- The Cubs signed Cuban defector Juan Yasser Serrano and while he may not be able to hit a curveball, he probably can throw one. At a $250K bonus (about 4th/5th round money), I don't think the expectations are going to be to high. An "insider" of Caribbean Baseball didn't give a flattering report back in April of last year:

The stark truth (known by all close followers of Cuban baseball) is that Juan Yasser Serrano was a rather mediocre Cuban Leaguer whose 2007-2008 record was a below average 2-7 won-lost mark, further diminished by an elevated 6.46 ERA and a hefty .312 opponents' batting average against his deliveries. And this, while hurling for one of the league's very best teams, Villa Clara. Serrano's three-year lifetime mark entering the current campaign was 14-16, with a 4.40 ERA for a club that captured division titles in all three seasons he labored there. It is hard to imagine a young prospect as being one of the most notable talents on the island when last season he posted the third worst ERA on his own team's 15-man pitching staff.

The article is more a criticism of his agent trying to elevate his status, but at $250K, it appears that didn't really work too well. The right-hander is 21 years old, throws a fastball between 89-92 mph at the moment and will likely start the year in Hi-A Daytona.

- Everyone's favorite topic...Milton Bradley! He had some interesting things to say yesterday. Let's start off with the somewhat insightful part.

"Just no communication," Bradley told the paper, referring to his Cubs
tenure. "I never hit more than 22 homers in my career, and all of a sudden I get to Chicago and they expect me to hit 30. It doesn't make sense. History tells you I'm not going to hit that many. Just a lot of things that try to make me a player I'm not."

I'm not sure if anyone was expecting 30 home runs, but the Cubs certainly expected him to be the #5 hitter and drive in runs and I've mentioned in the past how dumb this is. Bradley's a high OBP guy that takes lots of pitches and doesn't seem at all interested in expanding the strike zone just to put the ball in play. This is the player he is and if the Cubs wanted something else, they should have signed someone else. His skillset does not translate into an RBI guy, it translates into a pretty decent #2 hitter actually. For all the talk of the Cubs being more of a scouting team that favors seeing a guy play and getting to know a player, they sure acted like they had no idea what type of player or personality they were getting themselves.

I'm going to borrow from Transmission here to finish off my point.

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.”

But I'm not here to exonerate Bradley, because his statements from yesterday were filled with all kinds of bullshit as well. Let's get back to the first quote.

"History tells you I'm not going to hit that many. Just a lot of things that try to make me a player I'm not."

History also says you're a nutcase and can't stay healthy, yet Cubs management took a chance on you at 3/30M. How about coming out of your little cocoon of unaccountability and taking some responsibility for yourself and a bit of appreciation for the folks that took a chance on your baseball skills?

"Two years ago, I played, and I was good," Bradley told The Times. "I go to Chicago, not good. I've been good my whole career. So, obviously,
it was something with Chicago, not me."

Obviously Milton Bradley failed his logic class.

As reader Charlie pointed out, I'm not sure the city of Chicago was such a problem considering his home/road OPS splits of  .892 at home and .646 on the road. Bradley is more likely talking about the culture of the team and the city and how everyone should have just chilled and let Milton be Milton.

It's a bunch of nonsense of course from Bradley, just more rhetoric to pass the responsibility buck about his own failures and mistakes to all the other people trying to keep him down. It's frustrating as a fan, especially someone like myself that supported the signing and the abilities he could have brought the club. I wanted Bradley to succeed, I thought he could succeed with the Cubs, but every piece of bullshit and whininess that comes from his mouth just makes Carlos Silva in a Cubs jersey look that much better. And it takes a lot of bullshit and whininess to make Carlos Silva look good in any jersey.

- ESPN has a new insider blog named TMI, featuring a sabermetric slant and writers like Tom Tango and Dave Cameron.

- Paul Sullivan is to Cubs reporting what Fox News is to politics. His recap of yesterday's game was more worried about spinning the narrative of a loose anti-Bradley team, than realizing that five home runs in a game and a 9-3 blowout will put everyone in a good mood.

- The Sun-Times puts together an utterly ridiculous Top 50 list of all-time Cubs. I may revisit this debauchery at another time. The old-time pictures are cool though.

- Some "fan" denies Sam Fuld's wife and baby his home run ball from yesterday. I hate drawing conclusions from just one side of the story, but this one fan really sounds like an asshole...must have been a lost White Sox fan.

UPDATE: In the comments on the link, an eyewitness says a Cubs player threw the ball to a little girl and then there may have been some negotiations (I assume with the Mom), but not as greedy or assholish as it originally sounded. Tragedy averted. Still might have been a White Sox fan though.

- NFL free agency kicked off today and the Bears look to be big players in the market. The Bear Truth has the latest and be sure to grab the RSS feed. And register. And tell your friends.

- 3 questions to John Sickels from his old friend Rob Neyer on his prospect book. I enjoyed this passage:

I'm also a lot less arrogant in my middle age than I was when I was in my late 20s. Back then I would make a lot more snarky or sarcastic comments about particular players or front-office mistakes, but as I've grown older I don't do that as much. I've come to realize that there is still an awful lot we don't know about prospect development. I've become more comfortable saying "I'm not sure." Sometimes that irritates people (especially people in their 20s!) but truth is an absolute defense, and if I'm not sure about something I'm not going to pretend that I am sure.

- The guys that use to run Thunder Matt's Saloon and then College of Idiots have a new blog, Exile on Clark Street. I believe their the 49th Cubs blog I've added to the TCR blogroll (lower left sidebar). Check it out.

-
Phil Rogers says Cubs were close on Calero until they saw his medical records:

# Cubs Close to signing Kiko Calero but medical work scared them away. Rather have healthy kids in bullpen than another injury risk.

And now the ironic compliment twitter from Muskat:

#cubs Angel Guzman had MRI Thursday on right shoulder. Official results expected Friday, but not expecting good news

She did update it to say the team is still optimistic about the results.

Five Cub Home Runs Doom A's

Thu, 03/04/2010 - 5:59pm

Tyler Colvin went 3-3 with two doubles and a solo HR, Derrek Lee and Marlon Byrd singled and homered, Sam Fuld blasted a two-run home run, Brad Snyder ripped a 450+ foot solo HR, Kosuke Fukudome doubled and singled, Starlin Castro tripled, and five Cubs pitchers combined to throw a three-hitter, as the Cubs drubbed the Oakland A's 9-3 in front of 7,496 fans at the 2010 Cubs Cactus League Opener at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in sunny & breezy Mesa this afternoon.

box score

RHP Randy Wells got the Cactus League Opening Day start for the Cubs, and worked two perfect innings (26 pitches - 17 strikes, 4/0 GO/FO), retiring four of the six hitters he faced on easy grounders while striking out the other two (Daric Barton and Gabe Gross).

Meanwhile, Derrek Lee followed yesterday's BP Home Run Derby show with a towering solo home run to left-centerfield off A's starter Trevor Cahill with two outs in the bottom of the 1st inning to put the Cubs on the board.

The Cubs added another run in the bottom of the second, as Marlon Byrd led-off with a line single to CF and Tyler Colvin laced a line-drive double (off a LHP) into the left-centerfield power alley. Mike Fontenot than hit a sac-fly to deep LF to score Byrd from third, although A's LF Rajai Davis threw Colvin out in a bang-bang play as Colvin tried to advance from 2nd to 3rd on the play. (A very questionable call by the 3rd base umpire)

LHP Sean Marshall followed Randy Wells to the mound, and was nearly as good as Wells. Marshall threw two hitless/shutout innings (24 pitches - 16 strikes, 3/2 GO/FO), allowing just a walk and a WP, while striking out one. Although he did not start the game, Marshall throwing two innings keeps him in-line for getting stretched-out enough during Spring Training to get a legitimate shot at the 5th starter's job or as Ted Lilly's temporary replacement, should the Cubs wish to go that route.

The Cubs added two more runs in the bottom of the 4th, as Byrd led-off the inning with a HR off A's reliever Clayton Mortensen just to the left of the center field Green Monster batter's eye, and Colvin followed with a rope-double over the right-fielder's head. Fontenot walked, and then Geovany Soto lined a single down the LF line, scoring Colvin. However, Fontenot was thrown out 7-5 trying to advance from 1st to 3rd on the play.

RHP Mike Parisi (selected from the St Louis Cardinals in last December's Rule 5 Draft) worked the 5th and 6th innings, and did not pitch badly (24 pitches - 13 strikes, 4/0 GO/FO). He did allow a one-out Adam Rosales HR to LF in his first inning (the 5th), but struck out the last two men he faced in his second inning of work (top of the 6th). Like Marshall, throwing two innings in his first outing puts Parisi on track to compete for a job in the 2010 Cubs starting rotation, or he could claim a job in the bullpen if there is no room for him in the rotation.

While both were Rule 5 guys, Parisi is in a different situation than David Patton was this time last year. Patton was more of a long-term investment and was clearly not ready for MLB last season, while Parisi had two full years of AAA under his belt before blowing out his elbow and undergoing Tommy John Surgery post-2008. Parisi then missed most of the 2009 season while rehabbing from the TJS, before the Cards assigned him to the Surprise Rafters in the AFL in October, where he was one of the better starting pitchers in the AFL. So I doubt that the Cubs will try to finesse Parisi through the 2010 season as they did with Patton last year (like when Patton was placed on the DL and then sent to the minors on a 30-day rehab assignment to get work). Parisi might get a longer look in Spring Training than other pitchers who have options available, but he will have to make the Cubs Opening Day 12-man pitching staff by pitching well in Spring Training. If he gets clearly outpitched by others during the course of Spring Training, the Cubs will cut him with no second thoughts.

The Cubs added single runs in the 5th and 6th. Kosuke Fukudome grounded a single to deep short with one out in the 5th (Fukudome had doubled over the center-fielder's head in the the bottom of the 3rd), advanced to 3rd base on a Derrek Lee single to CF, and then scored when A's 3B Jake Fox air-mailed a throw over first-baseman Daric Barton's head after D-Lee fell down while rounding 1st base. Then in the bottom of the 6th, Colvin got his third extra-base hit of the day with a lead-off towering HR just to the right of the CF Batter's Eye off ex-Cub prospect LHP Jerry Blevins. So two of Colvin's three extra-base hits today were off LHPs (Cahill and Blevins).

NRI LHP J. R. Mathes labored through the 7th and 8th (40 pitches - 22 strikes, 2/2 GO/FO), allowing one run in the 7th on a HBP, single, BB and SF, and then another in the 8th when Chris Carter crushed a one-out solo HR off the roof of the Dos Gringos taco stand in deep left-center. Mathes is eligible to be an MLB Rule 55 minor league free-agent (so called "six-year minor league free-agent") post-2010, so despite having some decent years in AAA over the past couple of years, his days as a member of the Cubs organization are probably numbered. 

The Cubs completed their scoring in the bottom of the 7th, as Brad Snyder absolutely pulverized a gargantuan 450+ foot HR beyond the two bullpens in RF leading off the inning, Chad Tracy lined a one-out single to LF, and Sam Fuld yanked a two-run HR over the RF fence into the A's bullpen. All three 7th inning hits (including both HR) were by LH hitters off a LHP (Brad Kilby).

RHP Esmailin Caridad had a rocking-chair easy 1-2-3 9th (14 pitches - 9 strikes, 1/2 GO/FO).

The Cubs defensive play of the day was an over-the-shoulder catch by second-baseman Andres Blanco in short RF while running with his back to the infield. (It was very windy today).   

19-year old Starlin Castro entered the game at shortstop for the Cubs in the 5th, and made two routine plays in the field. He flied out F-9 and popped-out P-4 in his first two PAs, before crushing a two-out triple off the right-centerfield fence in the 8th, although he was left stranded at 3rd base when Brad Snyder struck out (swinging) on three pitches to end the inning. 

Carlos  Zambrano is scheduled to get his first Cactus League start tomorrow afternoon, when the Cubs host the Arizona Diamondbacks at HoHoKam Park.

It's D-Lee vs X-Man in Steel Cage Showdown!

Wed, 03/03/2010 - 1:49pm

The Cubs moved their Spring Training operations a half-mile north up Center Street to HoHoKam Park this morning.

Manager Lou Piniella doesn't like to play intrasquad games, so the team engaged in a two-hour work-out consisting of pick-off drills for the pitchers, baserunning and infield & outfield practice for the position players, and traditional pre-game type BP (coaches throwing soft-toss from in front of the mound).

The team was split in two for the pick-off and fielding drills, with the "A" Squad (Pitchers Justin Berg, Esmailin Caridad, Andrew Cashner, Ryan Dempster, John Gaub, John Grabow, Ted Lilly, Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Carlos Silva, Randy Wells, and Carlos Zambrano, catchers Welington Castillo, Koyie Hill, and Geovany Soto, first-basemen Micah Hoffpauir and Derrek Lee, second-basemen Jeff Baker and Mike Fontenot, shortstops Andres Blanco and Ryan Theriot, third-basemen Aramias Ramirez and Chad Tracy, and outfielders Alfonso Soriano, Sam Fuld, Marlon Byrd, and Kosuke Fukudome) working on the main field in the stadium. (Still rehabbing from 2009 TJS, Xavier Nady is assigned to the "A" Squad, but he does not participate in fielding drills). Tom Gorzelanny and Jeff Samardzija are also assigned to Squad "A," but they did not participate in the pick-off drills with the other Squad "A" pitchers today, possibly because they were likely scheduled to throw a two-inning "sim" game in preparation for their first Cactus League outings this weekend (Samardzija and Gorzelanny are scheduled to start the split squad games on Sunday).  Angel Guzman is assigned to Squad "A," too, but he is rehabbing from both off-season knee surgery and a recent shoulder problem that has temporarily delayed his progress.  

After the pick-off, baserunning, and fielding drills were completed, the pitchers ran sprints in the outfield while the position players took BP. Each of the 31 position players took about 50 swings in the BP session, with six groups (five or six players in each group) hitting on the two HoHoKam Park fields (Dwight Patterson Field and the back field located northeast of the stadium).

The three groups consisting of the "A Squad" guys were (naturally) assigned to hit in the stadium (Dwight Patterson Field), and so the youngsters who were part of these groups at Fitch Park had the unexpected pleasure of hitting in the stadium, instead of on the back field that time has forgotten. As a result, Andres Blanco, Sam Fuld, Micah Hoffpauir, and Chad Tracy were sent over the back field to hit, while Starlin Castro, Brett Jackson, and Josh Vitters came over to Dwight Patterson Field from the back field, joining the "A" Team in the stadium. (Blanco, Hoffpauir, and Tracy hit in a group with Kevin Millar and Chris Robinson, while Fuld hits with Darwin Barney, Blake Lalli, Bobby Scales, and Brad Snyder).

The first group to hit in the stadium was the "Theriot Group" (Ryan Theriot, Jeff Baker, Koyie Hill, Josh Vitters, and Mike Fontenot). Although he didn't hit a HR, The Riot looked great, drilling line drives all over the yard, from foul line to foul line. Jeff Baker hit two bombs in his first ten swings, but then cooled-off in his later rounds and started to hit pop ups and grounders. K. Hill hit two home runs (one left-handed into the RF bullpen, and one right-handed over the LF fence) toward the end of the group's session. Vitters (who played at HoHoKam Park last Fall while a member of the AFL's Mesa Solar Sox) started slowly, but then caught fire in his last two rounds (that's when he knocked out his two dingers). Fontenot just looked sluggish at the plate from beginning to end, continuing his (so far) unimpressive Spring Training BP work.

The next group to hit (the "Derrek Lee Group") consisted of Derrek Lee, Xavier Nady, Geovany Soto, Brett Jackson, and Marlon Byrd. D-Lee and Nady had a knock-down, drag-out Home Run Derby, matching tater-for tater throughout their five rounds. Lee and Nady both finsihed with eight home runs a piece (eight being by far the most any player hit at Dwight Patterson Field today). It's too bad the N. L. doesn't employ the DH, because it sure would be nice to get Nady's power into the Cubs lineup behind D-Lee and Ramirez on Opening Day. But if he can't throw, he certainly can't play RF. D-Lee started out like a house afire, smashing out six of his eight home runs in his first 20 ABs. Nady was also hot from the outset, and he hit the highest and longest HR of the day (landing just to the CF side of the scoreboard in LF). Soto started very slowly, but then he began to drive the ball about 2/3 of the way through the group's session. He hit all three of his home runs toward the end, all three screaming line drives that cleared the LF fence. Cubs 2009 #1 draft pick Brett Jackson looked very bad, and didn't hit the ball well at all. He looks kind of messed-up at the plate, just like he did at Instructs last October. Marlon Byrd did not hit any homers, but I give him extra credit for rifling the first 30 pitches he saw to right field, at one point putting Mike Fontenot on a merry-go-round at 2nd base, spinning the little guy back & forth, first to his right, and then to his left, with balls lined just out of his reach in each direction, until he finally made an outstanding diving stop on a ball hit to his left (generating a nice hand from the Cubs fans in attendance). Byrd couldn't stop laughing. Manager Lou Piniella was watching the session closely from behind the batting cage, and I'm sure Byrd's bat magic was not lost on Lou. Don't be surprised if Byrd hits 2nd in the batting order at some point in 2010 (especially if Fukudome is benched against LHPs).

The final group of five to hit at Dwight Patterson Field this morning was the "Alfonso Soriano Group" (consisting of Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, Starlin Castro, and Welington Castillo). Soriano had some impressive BP sessions at Fitch Park over the previous week or so, but he did not have a particularly good one today, crushing just one homer while mixing line drives with pop ups & grounders. A-Ram started VERY slowly, reaching & feeling for pitches in his first two rounds, before he finally started hammering the ball consistently toward the end, including three towering HRs over the LF fence. Fukudome hit line drives to all fields, but when he tried to elevate the ball toward the end of his last round, the result was several lazy fly balls, not home runs. He might be better off just hitting liners, and forget about hitting home runs. Somewhat surprsingly, Starlin Castro had a very poor session today, even swinging & missing a couple of times (which is hard to do with a coach throwing soft-toss). But Welington Castillo looked very good, blasting two home runs to LF while knocking three more off the fence. Like Byrd and Theriot, Castillo appeared to make a conscious effort to take outside pitches to right field, lining several balls the opposite way. He got some extra yips from the other guys in his group when he completed his final round.

The first Cubs Cactus League game of 2010 is tomorrow at HoHoKam Park versus the Oakland A's, as the Cubs get to renew acquaintance with old friends Jake Fox, Eric Patterson, Michael Wuertz, Jerry Blevins, and Josh Donaldson.

Cubs Get Ready for Cactus League Play

Tue, 03/02/2010 - 12:46pm

Seven Cubs pitchers continued their preparation for Cactus League play at Fitch Park this morning.

Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Silva essentially threw a two-inning "sim" game on Field #2, at least to the extent that each pitcher threw a certain number of pitches each "inning" (Zambrano 15 pitches each inning - 30 total, and Silva 20 pitches each inning - 40 total) while the other rested on the bench. (A true sim game would usually involve the hitters rotating out of the cage after putting a ball in play, but each batter facing "Z" and Silva today took their normal five-pitch AB even if they put all five pitches into play). Justin Berg followed Zambrano/Silva to the mound on Field #2 with a single 25-pitch inning. Zambrano and Silva faced Sam Fuld, Darwin Barney, Brad Snyder, Derrek Lee, Marlon Byrd, Bobby Scales, Robinson Chirinos, Blake Lalli, and Brett Jackson in their pseudo-sim game, while Andres Blanco, Micah Hoffpauir, Chad Tracy and Kevin Millar faced Berg in his "live" BP session.

Sam Fuld and Micah Hoffpauir had some really nice swings, and Carlos Silva actually looked fairly ambulatory out there on the mound. He doesn't seem to be hurting, although his pitches sure don't fool anybody. It would probably really help his release point and arm angle (and overall health) if he could maybe lose a few pounds around the gut.

Randy Wells (who did not throw today) has been named the starter in the Cubs Cactus League opener on Thursday versus Oakland, while Zambrano is scheduled to start Friday's game versus Arizona and Silva is slated to start Saturday versus the White Sox in a game that will be televised on WGN-TV. (The Cubs are home at HoHoKam Park for six of the first seven days at the start of Cactus League play and for five of the last seven days at the end of the month, but they only play four games at HoHoKam over the 15-day period running from March 11th through March 25th).

Meanwhile, Ryan Dempster (who will start his first Spring Training game next Monday) threw one 35-pitch inning (he will probably throw a two-inning "sim" game sometime later this week), and Carlos Marmol, Jiohn Grabow, and Esmailin Caridad each threw one 25-pitch inning on Field #3. Tyler Colvin, Matt Camp, Bryan Lahair, James Adduci, and Steve Clevenger faced Dempster and Marmol, while Alfonso Soriano, Starlin Castro, and Kosuke Fukudome hit against Grabow and Caridad. Grabow was hit hard, but Dempster looked good, and Marmol and Caridad were absolutely "lights out" (and Marmol didn't even hit anybody!).

Fukudome hit Grabow pretty well, especially considering Kosuke's perceived weakness versus LHP. Along with Tyler Colvin and Geovany Soto, Fukudome has probably been the most-impressive hitter so far in camp, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up hitting lead-off and playing RF most every day this year. In fact, this could well be his MLB "break-out" season.

Soriano (somewhat surprisingly) also has been swinging the bat well so far, although he apparently is not yet able to cut loose running the bases.

Andrew Cashner and John Gaub threw an early-morning "live" BP prior to the full-squad work-out.

While Cashner and Gaub were getting in their work, Ryne Sandberg and Alan Trammell were working out Starlin Castro on Field #5 (the "half-field" - infield-only). No question Castro impressed Ryno and Trammell, but especially Trammell, probablly because this was the first chance Trammell had to work one-on-one with the young Cubs shortstop prodigy. Castro is indeed by all accounts a pleasure to coach.

The Cubs will presumably be moving up Center Street to HoHoKam Park tomorrow, where they will likely have a traditional work-out, with BP, infield practice, and some side bullpen sessions. (Piniella doesn't like intrasquad games).

Uncle Lou probably would have liked to have moved his team out of Fitch Park today, but the Cubs were hosting the Cactus League VIP Brunch at HoHoKam Park this morning. 

The Cubs minor leaguers will now move into Fitch Park, with pitchers & catchers reporting on Thursday, and all other players reporting next Tuesday. The first minor league Spring Training games will probably be on March 18th.  

Diamond Sends Greeting Card to Sori

Mon, 03/01/2010 - 2:24pm

Thomas Diamond drilled Alfonso Sorianio in the ribs with a fastball, Andres Blanco crushed a Mitch Atkins pitch high & far over the RF fence, and eight Cubs pitchers working in four groups of two threw two innings a piece, as the Cubs continued their pre-Cactus League workouts under sunny skies and a cool north breeze at Fitch Park this morning.

On Field #2, Blake Parker & Jeff Kennard worked their two-inning stints first (about 20 piches each inning), followed by Thomas Diamond & David Patton, with Tyler Colvin, Bryan Lahair, Matt Camp, Janmes Adduci, Starlin Castro, Kosuke Fukudome, Alfonso Soriano, Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot, Robinson Chirinos, Koyie Hill, and Josh Vitters taking the ABs.

On Field #3, Mike Parisi worked opposite Jeff Stevens, and then J. R. Mathes alternated with Mitch Atkins, as Sam Fuld, Darwin Barney, Brad Snyder, Bobby Scales, Marlon Byrd, Derrek Lee, Brett Jackson, Kevin Millar, Chad Tracy, Micah Hoffpauir, and Andres Blanco provided the opposition.

Other than the Soriano HBP, Diamond threw the ball very well, as none of the hittrers who faced him got good swings. Mike Parisi also looked good, throwing strikes and mixing up his pitches very well. As a Rule 5 player, Parisi will get a longer look than most of the other pitchers who are "on the bubble."

On the more negative side, Blake Parker and Mitch Atkins were hit hard (especially Parker), as Tyler Colvin continued his hot "live" BP hitting. And David Patton still has major control issues with his curve ball.

James Russell and Marcos Mateo threw in an early morning "live" BP session that preceded the full-squad work-out.

Ted Lilly was on the the field today, participating in PFP and looking chipper. In addition to rehabbing from both shoulder and knee surgery, Lilly has been fighting an infection of some sort the last few days that reportedly had his temperature up to about 103.

The Cubs wore their traditional "home" unis (white with pinstripes and names on the back of the jerseys) today for the first time in 2010. They had been wearing their blue BP jerseys in previous workouts.

Running a Yellow Light

Sun, 02/28/2010 - 9:32am

Will Carroll, BP's staff writer focusing on team health had this very interesting recent quote, from his "Cubs Team Health Report":

Age is a poor predictor of injuries. Younger players get hurt more, but they heal more quickly. Older players get hurt less, a variant of the survivor effect, but heal more slowly.

The media that follows baseball does it's best to understand and decipher sports injuries. It's a tough job for them and much gets lost in translation of medical terminology. Injured athletes often don't understand what they are being told about an injury or they are just afraid to fess up that their ache might be a significant problem until it goes on for weeks or longer. Trainers and medical staff are often reluctant to discuss information on the grounds of patient-physician confidentiality and some teams are just less open to giving what information they have to the media. The information is important to us fans, since key players dealing with even minor injuries and not performing to their best ability can drastically affect how a team plays. In 2009, Alphonso Soriano apparently had a knee injury that he tried to work through until it was so obvious that he couldn't run, leading to his arthroscopic knee surgery in September. An injury that flies under the radar screen of the medical staff, as in Soriano's case was costly and not in a way you can put the usual "days lost" analysis to.

It's one thing for a player to communicate his symptoms and another for the teams medical staff to recommend diagnostic workup and treatment. No matter how you "slice" it (c'mon...it's an "Under the Knife" pun), it's still a stretch to predict the impact of injury, past and present, on the future performance of a team.

Baseball Prospectus' staff writer Will Carroll has taken on the mantle of analysis of baseball players health and attemps to put projections to the impact of a player's medical status.  His regular "Under the Knife" column discusses weekly injury updates and for the last 8 years he has written spring training evaluations and projections for each club, "Team Health Reports".

The team health reports are broken down into three categories, Red (high injury risk), Yellow (moderate) and Green (low injury risk).

He also figures the injury days lost, which is a variant on what companies use to analyze their employees regarding sick days taken.

For the Cubs 2009:

The Facts
Days Lost: 687
Dollars Lost: $19,627,956.52
Injury Cost: $15,614,027.78

Although Carroll's club by club team analysis will contnue through the spring, so far one other club that made the playoffs in 2009 had worse numbers. The Angels had 873 days lost and the injury cost reported was $21.9M.  On the low end for NL competitors against the Cubs, the Phillies (who's medical staff was given Carroll's "Best Medical Staff Award" last November) had 546 days lost at $8.9M cost and the Cardinals also did well, having 530 days lost at $12.2M. The Mets were clearly 2009's most injured team with 1451 days lost at a cost of $51.8M.

Carroll also presents his annual "Dick Martin" Award, given to the Best Medical staff. 2009's season award went to the Phillies. This recognition was started by Carroll in 2003 and is named after the long time Twins trainer that "helped set the standards that today's athletic trainers and doctors aspire to."

Carroll has provided a spreadsheet (downloadable link at bottom of his article), that gives in full color his red, yellow and green analysis of each team. He's only looking at the starting 8 position players (9 in the AL), 5 starters, 1 closer and 1 "key reliever".

For the Cubs the red lights are ARam, Soriano, Lilly, Guzman and Marmol. The first four are obvious inclusions on this list. Aramis' shoulder dislocaton, Soriano's knee surgery, Lilly's shoulder surgery and Guzman's perennial shoulder problems plus his Jaunary knee scope clearly warrant Red Light status. Marmol's Red is most likely based on mechanics as he doesn't have an injury history and if he sticks as closer he will probably have fewer two inning outings.

The yellow lights seem to be given because of DL time last season with the expectations that their injury problems have resolved. This group includes: Soto, Zambrano, DLee and Dempster. He mumbles something about pitchers who were converted catchers breaking down regarding Randy Wells, so this might be a part of his giving Marmol a red light too. Marlon Byrd gets a yellow for being old and not handling a starters load well in the past.

...by the way, Kerry Wood is now a Yellow light! Woo. Carlos Silva (not rated), if he was rated would get a red light. I read a comment on TCR that said if Silva ever needed surgery, he would bleed gravy.

The green lights go to Fontenot, Theriot, Fukudome and Gorzellany. Heaven help them.

Carroll's summary on the Cubs future health and a comment on why the Cubs medical staff has been hard to analyze:

The Cubs took on players with known problems or extended players that were already risky. That makes it nearly impossible to tell how good the medical staff might be. If nothing else, they've stabilized things since the problems of the last decade and kept things nearer average than I'd have expected over the last three years. The next three years will be a bigger challenge.

Looking at the NL, the "healthiest" projected teams are the Brewers (1 red- Rickie Weeks) and the Phillies (1 red-Jamie Moyer). Carroll still tags the Mets health as the most in question with 7 Red Lights (Hank White, Luis Castillo, Reyes, Beltran, Maine, Niese and K-Rod). Next in line are the Dodgers and Reds with 6 Red Light players.

On the Green side, the Angels lead the majors with 11 and the Phillies and Brewers lead the NL with 8. The team with the fewest Greens, the Astros with 3.

"I got it!! I got it!!... I ain't got it"

Fri, 02/26/2010 - 1:47pm

Ten Cubs pitchers threw their second "live" BP session at Fitch Park today.

Jeff Stevens and David Patton threw to James Adduci, Matt Camp, Tyler Colvin, Bryan Lahair, and Chris Robinson, Casey Coleman and Mitch Atkins threw to Starlin Castro, Steve Clevenger, Kosuke Fukudome, and Alfonso Soriano, and J. R. Mathes threw to Robinson Chirinos, Koyie Hill, Blake Lalli, and Josh Vitters on Field #2, while on Field #3, Blake Parker and Jeff Kennard threw to Darwin Barney, Welington Castillo, Sam Fuld, Bobby Scales, and Brad Snyder, James Russell and Thomas Diamond threw to Marlon Byrd, Brett Jackson, Derrek Lee, Xavier Nady, and Geovany Soto, and Marcos Mateo threw to Andres Blanco, Micah Hoffpauir, Kevin Millar, and Chad Tracy.

Players who didn't get to hit in a "live" BP session took BP on either Field #1 or Field #4, with coaches or machines throwing the BP.

With Greg Maddux standing behind him, Mike Parisi threw "live" BP in an early morning session prior to the full-squad workout. Vince Perkins was scheduled to throw today, and he may have thrown early, too, but I'm not sure.

This was the second "live" BP sesion for the pitchers who threw today (this group threw their first "live" BP session on Wednesday), and pitch counts were increased from 25 to 30, with all pitchers now throwing their full array of pitches (including breaking balls). The hitters know what's coming, so it's noteworthy when a pitcher has a dominating outing in one of these sessions.

No question the best pitcher today was LHP James Russell (he also had the best outing among the 12 pitchers who threw on Wednesday). Facing major league hitters like D-Lee, Byrd, Nady, and Soto (plus 2009 #1 draft pick Brett Jackson) today, Russell looked great, getting lots of swings & misses while breaking a couple of bats. Marlon Byrd let out a hoot on one of his whiffs.

The son of former MLB closer Jeff Russell and the Cubs 14th round draft pick in 2007 out of the University of Texas (the Cubs had to give him "3rd round money" to give up his senior season at Texas), the 24-year old Russell is one of 21 non-roster invitees (NRI) at Fitch Park. This is his first big league camp, and he got the NRI after a strong six weeks in the Arizona Fall League post-2009, where he was the AFL's #1 lefty reliever. Russell isn't really a LOOGY. He's probably more of a prototypical lefty starter, but for some reason, Russell just gets better results working out of the pen (like his old man). If the Cubs decide to move Sean Marshall to the starting rotation while Ted Lilly rehabs from off-season knee and shoulder surgery, Russell might be a candidate to replace Marshall as the other lefty in the pen (with John Grabow).

Two other pitchers who looked especially good today were RHPs Blake Parker and Thomas Diamond. Nobody hit the ball hard off either of them. The Cubs 2006 16th round pick out of the University of Arkansas, Parker (like Carlos Marmol and Randy Wells) is a former catcher, who was converted to pitcher during Extended Spring Training at Fitch Park in May 2007. Parker was a teammate of Russell's at Tennessee, Iowa and Mesa (AFL) in 2009 (Parker has been a closer since he made the conversion to pitcher), while Diamond (a former Texas Rangers #1 draft pick) threw in the AZ Instructional League and in the Mexican Pacific League post-2009 after being claimed off waivers by the Cubs last September. (Diamond pitched for Cubs Assistant GM Randy Bush when Bush was Head Coach at the University of New Orleans).

While Russell, Parker, and Diamond had plus-outings, David Patton (a Rule 5 player last year) struggled with his "out" pitch (spike curve), bouncing most of them in the dirt. It's a tough pitch to throw (and hit), so he might need some time to get it right.

Among the hitters, Bobby Scales mashed a couple of balls off the right-centerfield fence off Jeff Kennard, and Tyler Colvin absolutely ripped Jeff Stevens. Starlin Castro and Micah Hoffpauir also had some solid hits.

Prior to the "live" BP sessions, catchers, infielders and outfielders on Field #2 (Chris Robinson, Blake Lalli, Robinson Chirinos, and Steve Clevenger at catcher, Kevin Millar and Bryan Lahair at 1B, Darwin Barney at 2B, Matt Camp and Starlin Castro at SS, Josh Vitters and Bobby Scales at 3B, James Adduci in LF, Brett Jackson and Tyler Colvin in CF, and Brad Snyder in RF) and Field #3 (Geovany Soto, Koyie Hill, and Welington Castillo at catcher, Derrek Lee and Micah Hoffpauir at 1B, Jeff Baker and Andres Blanco at 2B, Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot at SS, Aramis Ramirez and Chad Tracy at 3B, Alfonso Soriano in LF, Marlon Byrd and Sam Fuld in CF, and Kosuke Fukudome and Xavier Nady in RF) spent about 30 minutes practicing calling for pop ups & (hopefully) catching a few of them. The balls were sent into the air by a pitching machine turned upward, and some of the infield pops were truly towering (I think one just missed hitting a low-flying aircraft).

With the big league club at Fitch Park, Cubs minor leaguers who have arrived early are having informal work-outs up the street at HoHoKam Park under the supervision of Boise manager Jody Davis. As the Boise manager, Davis will also be the manager of both the Boise/Mesa squad at Minor League Camp and the Extended Spring Training team that plays at Fitch Park during April-May-June.

Minor League Camp officially opens at Fitch Park next week, a few days after the big league club moves up Center Street to HoHoKam Park. (The big league club will probably relocate Spring Training operations to HoHoKam Park on either Tuesday or Wednesday).

"A" Team Throws "Live" BP at Fitch

Thu, 02/25/2010 - 1:06pm

Twelve Cubs pitchers (essentially the "B" team -- Mitch Atkins, Casey Coleman, Thomas Diamond, Jeff Kennard, Marcos Mateo, J. R. Mathes, Mike Parisi, Blake Parker, David Patton, Vince Perkins, James Russell, and Jeff Stevens) threw their first "live" BP session (25 pitches) at Fitch Park yesterday (six on Field #2 and six on Field #3), and 14 more pitchers (essentially the "A" team) threw their first "live" BP today.

FIELD #2: Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Silva threw to Darwin Barney, Sam Fuld, Blake Lalli, Bobby Scales, and Brad Snyder, Carlos Marmol and Tom Gorzelanny threw to Marlon Byrd, Brett Jackson, Derrek Lee, and Xavier Nady, and Esmailin Caridad and John Gaub threw to Andres Blanco, Micah Hoffpauir, Kevin Millar, and Chad Tracy.

FIELD #3: Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells threw to James Adduci, Steve Clevenger, Tyler Colvin, and Bryan Lahair, John Grabow and Sean Marshall threw to Starlin Castro, Kosuke Fukudome, and Alfonso Soriano (this is Aramis Ramirez's group, but he did not hit today), and Justin Berg and Rafael Dolis threw to Koyie Hill, Jeff Baker, Ryan Theriot, and Josh Vitters. Chris Robinson was the catcher on Field #2 and Welington Castillo was the catcher on Field #3, while Geovany Soto and Robinson Chirinos warmed-up pitchers in the bullpen.

Andrew Cashner and Jeff Samardzija threw "live" BP in an early morning session prior to the full-squad workout.

All of the pitchers who threw today looked good, except Rafael Dolis. The 22-year old fireballer was obviously over-throwing and was especially wild, most notably his final pitch, a high/tight fastball that came up under Theriot's chin, causing The Riot to take a nasty spill that resulted in an injured hand that required treatment by the training staff.

Jeff Gray (groin strain), Angel Guzman (knee surgery rehab), and Ted Lilly (shoulder and knee surgery rehab) are not yet able to throw BP, although Gray has been cleared to start throwing off a mound and Guzman is particpating in PFP and pick-off drills while throwing off flat ground only.

Prior to the "live" BP sessions, the pitchers broke-up into two groups for PFP and pick-off drills on Field #1 and Field #4, while infielders took fielding practice on Field #2 ("B" squad" with Lahair at 1B, Barney and Scales at 2B, Castro and Camp at SS, and Vitters at 3B) and Field #3 ("A" squad with Lee and Hoffpauir at 1B, Baker and Blanco at 2B, Theriot and Fontenot at SS, and Ramirez and Tracy at 3B) and the outfielders (Adduci, Byrd, Colvin, Fukudome, Fuld, Jackson, Millar, Nady, and Soriano) practiced running down fly balls and playing balls off the "Green Monster" (batter's eye) in dead CF.

After the "live" BP sessions, most of the squad reported to Field #3 for agility drills, while the catchers who did not have the opportunity to take "live" BP earlier took their usual end-of-workout BP (with coaches throwing) on Field #2.

The Cubs Bench Picture Becoming Clearer

Wed, 02/24/2010 - 3:13pm

Lou started hinting yesterday that Mike Fontenot would get some reps in spring training at shortstop. The idea being that if he can manage to not completely fuck it up, he could keep Andres Blanco off the roster and open up another spot for a legit bat or for Kevin Millar to spin fanciful tales of his World Series days and entertain the press corps.

As it stands now, the assumptions were that the bench would be Koyie Hill, Baker or Fontenot depending on who was starting that day, Andres Blanco, Xavier Nady (or whichever outfielder he's starting for) and then one of Chad Tracy, Micah Hoffpauir, Sam Fuld, Kevin Millar or possibly even Brad Snyder, Bobby Scales or Bryan LaHair. If Fontenot could handle the back-up shortstop duties without being a complete liability, that could open up two spots on the bench and send Blanco back to the minors. Blanco is out of options, so he'd have to go through waivers if that happened, but hardly a loss if someone did decide to give him a 25-man spot.

The other revelation today was that Lou is already ready to give Starlin Castro the shortstop job if Theriot hurts himself.

"If Theriot were to get hurt, which we don't want obviously, we'd just put the kid (Castro) at short and let him play."

Theriot better be sure to always travel in pairs this season.

Cubs in Baseball America Top 100 Prospects

Tue, 02/23/2010 - 11:56am

The Baseball America Top 100 prospects list for 2010 is out. Here is where the Cubs placed:

Starlin Castro - 16th

Josh Vitters - 70th

Brett Jackson - 74th

Andrew Cashner - 95th

Jay Jackson - 98th

Once again, Baseball America flips some prospects on their top 100 list from their top 10 organization lists. In this case, they had Brett Jackson #2 and Vitters #3 on the Cubs list, but ranked Jackson below Vitters on their top 100 list. It's happened a few times in the past as well.

The five Cubs are the most placed on the top 100 since 2008. Castro at 16th is the highest Cubs ranking since Mark Prior and Juan Cruz were 2nd and 6th in all of baseball in 2002. It's the highest position ranking since Corey Patterson landed 3rd and 2nd in 2000 and 2001. You can always view past lists at Wiklifield.

Derrek Lee Missed the Memo

Tue, 02/23/2010 - 11:42am

From the Daily Herald:

"I don't think that was our problem last year," Lee said of bad
chemistry. "I just think we didn't play good baseball, and the injuries
mounted up on us."

Woah, Woah, Woah! Slow down there, Derrek! I realized you were one of the last team members to make it to Arizona so you might have missed the welcome packet, but please take a look at it, particularly page three on "Talking to the Media" and the subsection on "Discussing 2009":

"All employees of the Chicago National League Ballclub are required to discuss the improved clubhouse chemistry of the team in 2010 because of the departure of Milton Bradley. Whenever asked about the 2009 season and what went wrong, please direct all responses to a difficult clubhouse environment and if possible mention Milton Bradley by name. Eachy mention of how fun it is to have Kevin Millar around will earn you an extra $10 in per diem money."

Red Sox and Yankees Latest to C***block Cubs

Mon, 02/22/2010 - 11:58am

The Cubs went from hording minor league pitchers to hording minor league shortstops when they hired Tim Wilken as scouting director. One target was Cuban defector Jose Iglesias, who defected back in July of 2008 when the team was in Edmonton and then signed with the Boston Red Sox in September of 2009 for 4/8.25M. He played some in the Arizona Fall League and his defense is considered "special", but at just 20 years old he still has some time to grow into his bat.

Rumor has it though that the Cubs were actually the top bidders, but Iglesias chose the Red Sox because they were his favorite team growing up. Curse you childhood allegiances!!!

For what it's worth, BP has him as 3-star prospect and #6 in the Red Sox stocked system.

Then there's the tale of Chan Ho Park, who has been rumored as a target for the Cubs for most of the offseason. The reports from Bruce Levine were that he wanted $3-4M and it was too high for the Cubs. The reality is that the Yankees came knocking and they got the rings(translated from The Korea Times).

"I was deliberating on the Chicago Cubs and the Yankees, but their history and championship contention resulted in me picking the Yankees,'' Park said. "Until last night, I was leaning toward the Cubs."

Park, who said he agreed to a one-year, $1.2 million deal, said the Cubs offered him a chance to compete for a berth in the starting rotation. With the Yankees, he will come out of the bullpen, as he did last season with the Phillies.

"I wanted to play for a champion-caliber team this year again," Park said. "I am not certain how much longer I will play baseball, but it will be huge experience and memory to play with the Yankees.''

C'est la vie.

If the Cubs are looking for another guy that could start or move to the pen(a swingman as they call it), there's Glendon Rusch (chuckle), John Smoltz (don't see it), and that's about it. It might mean they try to talk to Kiko Calero again as well and just go for a reliever.

*Thanks to "Sweet Lou" for the link on Iglesias spurning the Cubs.