Weekend Quick Hits: Opening Day Starter, Roster Cuts & More

Here's the latest from Cubs Spring Training!

• According to a tweet from Patrick Mooney, the Cubs have named Ryan Dempster their Opening Day starter. Matt Garza will be the number two.
  
• The Cubs made some additional roster cuts today. Brett Jackson, Anthony Rizzo, Jim Adduci, Andrean Cardenas, Jay Jackson and Bobby Scales were all sent to Fitch Park.
• Tim Kurkjian of ESPN caught up with Dale Sveum.
• Sveum's main message this spring has been preparation. In the interview with Kurkjian, Sveum indicated that Chris Volstad will be in the rotation as the number four starter. Sveum said that the last spot it still up for grabs, but Jeff Samardzija has been very impressive.
  
• David DeJesus is the one guy on the Cubs who has a track record of leading off.
  
• Carrie Muskat tweeted that Sveum said it was tough to send Jackson down because he is ready now.
• Marcos Mateo left yesterday's Cactus League game against the Rangers with a right arm injury. He was expected to have an MRI/arthogram last night.
• Ron Villone is taking over as the Peoria Chiefs pitching coach this season. Tom Pratt has left the position after recently being diagnosed with brain cancer.
• Andy Sonnanstine was assigned outright to Triple-A Iowa yesterday. He was removed from the 40 man roster.
• Muskat tweets that Paul Maholm will be the fifth starter. Sveum will name the third and fourth spots on March 28. It looks as if Chris Volstad and Jeff Samardzija will take those two spots.
• Travis Wood has been off track this spring, so his next appearance will be in either a minor league game or a simulated game.
  

Here is the Cubs lineup for today's game against the Rockies.
1. David DeJesus, RF
2. Ian Stewart, 3B
3. Starlin Castro, SS
4. Bryan LaHair, 1B
5. Geovany Soto, C
6. Marlon Byrd, CF
7. Reed Johnson, LF
8. Darwin Barney, 2B
9. Jeff Samardzija, P

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

Post #900- Still Going Strong

Today on Everything Cubs blog we reach another milestone post- the 900th to appear on this site. Just 100 away from four digits! Since 2008, I've been bringing you Cubs coverage. Thank you so much for reading, especially for sticking with me this year when posts have decreased in number and I've had several stretches where I was unable to post. I plan to continue blogging for the foreseeable future!

Be sure to vote on the poll on our right sidebar to grade Mike Quade's tenure with the Cubs! Also, tonight I will be posting a game recap of the Cubs/Pirates game on View From the Bleachers, so be sure to check out that great site. As always, if you have any questions or comments about this blog, email me at cubsblogmailbag@aol.com.

Now, let us jump into the latest in the world of Cubs baseball:

• Last night the Cubs pulled off an amazing comeback after being down 8-0 as late as the sixth inning to avoid being swept by the Nationals in a four game series. They eventually won the game 10-9 behind homers by Blake DeWitt and Carlos Pena. If you gave up and tuned out, you missed one of the most improbable Cubs victories in recent years.


• In fact, the last time the Cubs overcame an eight run defficet was one of my favorite Cubs games of all time. In May of 2008, the North Siders topped Colorado after being behind 8-0 and 9-1. Henry Blanco, Mark DeRosa and Jim Edmonds were the heroes of that game.


• Bob Brenly will be taking off the final series before the All-Star Break. Todd Hollandswoth will fill-in tonight with Len Kasper, while Dave Otto takes Holly's place alongside David Kaplan on the CSN postgame show.


• The Giants need a catcher, but they are not talking to the Cubs about Koyie Hill or Geovany Soto.


• Jon Heyman says that Mike Quade's job is safe, but Jim Hendry's is not.


• Kerry Wood does not plan on waiving his no-trade clause. He's staying in Chicago.


• Ryan Dempster missed his last start with a back issue, but Carrie Muskat reports that he plans on returning to the mound on Saturday night.


• Carlos Zambrano, who is disabled with a bad back of his own, will make a rehab start for Class-A Peoria tonight. He is elgible to come off the DL for the third game after the All-Star Break.


• According to Muskat, MRI results for Marcos Mateo are expected today.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

The Good & The Bad From This Week in Cubs Baseball

Here is what has been going on lately with the Chicago Cubs, starting with the positives.

• They came from behind in the ninth inning on Saturday for their first dramatic victory of the season.


• The starting rotation looked solid all week long, with Casey Coleman, Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster all turning in strong pitching performances.


• Jeff Baker has continued to play a key role for this team.


• Carlos Pena has busted out of his power drought with three long balls.


• The Cubs homered their way to a series victory in Las Angeles.


• Kosuke Fukudome is red hot at the plate. It is crucial for him to continue to hit at least until Tyler Colvin gets his act together.


• Mike Quade has used his bench and rotated guys so that everyone gets some needed rest.


• Marcos Mateo and Jeff Samardzija have both continued to do a fantastic job in the bullpen. Mateo earned his first career victory on Saturday.


• Darwin Barney has stayed conistent.

On the negative side:

• The Cubs found a way to lose the series to the Reds today. They did not get any offense to support Ryan Dempster.


• Starlin Castro had the worst week of his young career, continuing a horrific slump after a torrid start.


• The Cubs still have not won a Sunday game all season.


• Kerry Wood could not get his job done on Saturday, although the Cubs eventually won the game.


• The Cubs left the bags loaded twice in Sunday's loss. They had the bases full with nobody out in Friday's defeat and failed to do any further scoring.


• Failure to drive guys in from third with less than two out continues to irk the Cubs.


• Marlon Byrd continues to hit third and continues to do very little.


• Aramis Ramirez has been at the plate in some key spots and failed to come up with needed base hits.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! The Cubs have an off day tomorrow before they play the Cardinals for the first time this season starting Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. I will try to have several updates throughout the week as I plan to start daily blogging back up in less than a month!

The Good & The Bad: Week 2

The Cubs lost a tough one today 9-5 at the hands of the Rockies, with the game tied at 5 entering the bottom of the eighth. With the loss, the Cubs finished the road trip at 4-5 and are now 7-8 on the season. Let's start with the good from this week.

• Starlin Castro is a stud. He collected seven hits on Saturday and Sunday alone! Starlin is looking good in the lead-off spot.


• Darwin Barney has slid comfortably up to the No. 2 spot in the order. He, too, had a big week. Bob Brenly on Darwin today, "You can't teach instincts."


• Jeff Samardzija looked sharp today, sending down all six men he faced.


• The Cubs showed some signs of life on Saturday and Sunday, playing a couple of close games against a tough Rockies team.


• Koyie Hill notched his first hit of the season.


• The Cubs finally tallied their first stolen base this season. (Castro)


• Casey Coleman pitched a great game on Saturday.

And now the bad...

• The Cubs middle of the order has a grand total of one home run this season.


• No. 5 hitter Carlos Pena is 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.


• No. 3 hitter Marlon Byrd is 3-for-20 with men in scoring position.


• The Cubs bullpen day on Tuesday in Houston was a total failure. James Russell was hammered and the 'Stros extended the lead against guys like Samardzija and Stevens.


• Tyler Colvin is still slumping.


• This team has lacked both speed and power, not a great combo.


• Marcos Mateo's eighth inning today in which he nearly escaped a second and third with no out spot, but ended up giving up four two out runs.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted as Everything Cubs as always!

Intrasquad Day in Mesa

The Cubs minor league team knocked off the "big league" team 8-6 at HoHoKam Park on Wednesday afternoon, although both teams were filled with minor leaguers by the time the game concluded.

For the major league team, it was a final tune-up for the regular season, which starts at Wrigley Field on Friday. The cost of a ticket was $10 and all proceeds benefited Cubs charities. For all of the prospects that were invited to take part in the game, it was a chance to open the eyes of the Cubs coaching staff.

Randy Wells worked three innings in his tune-up for his first start of the season, which will come against the D'backs on Monday. Wells allowed one run to cross but looked sharp overall.

Marlon Byrd, who is day-to-day with some soreness, sat out for the third straight day. Geovany Soto and Aramis Ramirez also missed the intrasquad contest. Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Pena received one at-bat each, serving as designated hitters.

Blake DeWitt got the start at third base, where he is expected to backup Ramirez this season. Jeff Baker started at first base, where he and Tyler Colvin will serve as backups to Pena. Baker delivered an RBI for the Cubs first run of the game, on a play where Steve Clevenger dropped the ball on what would have been a close play at the plate.

Second baseman Darwin Barney delivered a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning, which was the highlight of the game. Barney is expected to see regular playing time this season. All of the regulars on the Major League team left the game after the fourth inning, except for Koyie Hill.

Hill stayed in the game to catch the remaining big league pitchers that needed to work. John Grabow retired the side in order in the fourth, before James Russell put another zero on the board in the fifth. Marcos Mateo, who was surprised last week when he found out that he had made the Cubs bullpen, was a little wobbly in the sixth. He surrendered two runs on three hits in the frame. Hill, who slumped at the plate all spring, went 1-for-3 with a single and a strikeout against the farmhands. Hill was the final Cub to depart when Michael Brenly took his spot behind the plate in the seventh. Bob Brenly was in attendance to watch his son play.

Left hander J.R. Mathes got the nod for the minor league team, managed by Iowa skipper Bill Dancy. Mathes worked five inning, allowing five runs on ten hits. J.R., a longtime minor leaguer, will start the season at Triple-A Iowa. Trey McNutt, rated the top pitching prospect in the organization, was the only other hurler to work for the minor league team. He went four innings, surrendering only one run on three hits.

Justin Bour (grounder), Ryan Flaherty (single) and Marquez Smith (double) all drove in runs for the Major League team to extend the lead. The minors chipped away as Tony Campana scored on a double play bouncer and Sergio Durrell rapped a run scoring single in the sixth. Josh Vitters, who started at third base and then moved across the infield to first, cranked a triple to drive in a run in the eighth.

In the top of the ninth, Evan Crawford delivered an RBI triple to tie the game at six. Then Campana put the minor squad in front with a single and DJ LeMahieu tacked on an insurance tally with a double. Frank Batista was the pitcher who allow the minors team to grab the lead. He was charged with four runs in 0.2 innings. Mike Quade came to the mound to make a pitching change, bringing in RHP Justin Berg to notch the final out. McNutt sent the "big league" team down quickly in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory.

The final totals-
Minor League Cubs: 8 runs, 16 hits, 3 error
Chicago Cubs: 6 runs, 13 hits, 2 errors
Winning Pitcher: Trey McNutt
Losing Pitcher: Frank Batista

After the game, Mike Quade's squad got on the bus to head to the airport, where they will fly to Chicago!

Blogging from Mesa (#2)

The Cubs picked up a win over the Rangers today and made some big time roster decisions. Here's the latest:

• Andrew Cashner was named the Cubs fifth starter today. Carlos Silva was told that he will not make the team.
• Silva was not happy with the way the Cubs handle the competition and the way Mark Riggins informed him about the decision.
• Jim Hendry is trying to work out a trade for Silva, but if that does not happen he will be given the option of going to Triple-A Iowa or becoming a free agent. Silva said today that there is "no chance" of him going to Triple-A.
• Marcos Mateo has made the team. Mike Quade announced today that Mateo has won the final spot in the bullpen. Jeff Stevens and Casey Coleman were both sent to minor league camp today.
• There are currently only 27 guys in big league camp. The two extra players are both catchers trying to recover from injuries- Welington Castillo (finger) and Max Ramirez (wrist). Carrie Muskat reports that they are in camp for insurance and Koyie Hill is still expected to make the roster.
• Ramirez will take BP tomorrow and if it goes well he could get in a Cactus League game before camp breaks.
• Q expects Mateo, Russell and Samardzija to all be able to go 2+ innings on some days.
• Augie Ojeda, who was already sent to Fitch Park, is dealing with more back spasms.
• Jeff Baker is day-to-day and expects to play in Goodyear on Monday.
• Randy Wells will start the Cubs intersqaud scrimmage on Wednesday, while Cashner gets his final tune-up on Thursday in a minor league game.
• On a personal note, today I saw a game at Surprise Stadium for the first time. I was very impressed with the field, which is a bit smaller than HoHoKam. It's a good place to take in a ballgame.
• This morning I watched early batting practice at HoHoKam Park before the team left on the bus. It's a great idea if you would like to get close to the players and have a shot at an autograph or two in addition to seeing some extra BP.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Cubs 2010 Rookies

The 2010 Chicago Cubs team has been full of rookies, especially on the pitching staff. Tonight, another the third different rookie position player to take the field for the Boys in Blue this season.

Here are some numbers on the young Cubs:

14- Rookies to suit up for the Cubs this season

11- Rookies to pitch for the Cubs this season

8- Guys to make their big league debut for the Cubs this season

6- Pitcher to make their big league debut for the Cubs this season

Let's review the debuts!

April 5, 2010
James Russell, the only rookie pitcher to break camp with the Cubs, pitches two shutout innings on Opening Day! The Cubs were crushed by the Braves 16-5.

May 6, 2010
Starlin Castro breaks in with a bang, launching a homer, a triple, and 6 RBIs! The Cubs beat the Reds 14-7 behind their new starting shortstop.

May 31, 2010
Andrew Cashner throws only one pitch to get the out he needed in his debut in the 8th inning. The Cubs fell to the Pirates 2-1.

June 28, 2010
Brian Schlitter got the job done against the Pirates, striking out both men he faced. After the previous pitcher left mid-better, it only took Brian two pitches to notch his first career K. The Cubs went on to lose the game 2-1.

August 2, 2010
Casey Coleman breaks into the big leagues with a wobbly first appearance. He becomes the third generation of MLB hurlers in his family, the first family ever to send three generations of guys to the bigs as pitchers! Coleman was charged with six earned runs in a lopsided 18-1 loss to the Brewers.

August 3, 2010
Thomas Diamond, called up to replaced Ted Lilly in the rotation, pitches well in his debut. He went six innings and gave up only three runs on seven hits. However, the Cubs couldn't score enough runs for a win and Diamond ended up taking the loss.

August 9, 2010
Marcos Mateo is tossed right into a tied game in extra innings the day he was called up from Iowa. He did not allow a run in the tenth inning, but then the Giants scored with one out in the 11th on a walk-off sac fly.

August 11, 2010
Tonight Welington Castillo is in the lineup, batting 8th and catching. He will make his debut as the batterymate of Tom Gorzelanny. Castillo will look to have a big night at the plate against Giants lefty Barry Zito.

Will these guys be able to help the Cubs win in 2011 and beyond?

Weekend Quick Hits: Minor League Injuries, Colvin Rotting, and More

• Executives on other teams see Carlos Zambrano as a guy who hasn't pitched like a top of the rotation starter in two years according to MLB Trade Rumors.
• Teams can make offers on shortstop Martin Steylon Peguero as soon at the international signing period begins on July 2. Blake Bently of MLBTR report that the Cubs, Rangers, Mariners, Padres, Twins, and Reds are all interested.
• Mike Parisi, the Cubs Rule 5 Draft pick now at AA, had elbow surgery yesterday according to Bruce Miles.
• Other sidelined prospects include Marcos Mateo (knee) and Brett Jackson (minor foot injury).
• Matt Forman reports that Carlos Zambrano was not happy about moving to the bullpen, but now he's accepted his new role.
• Ryan Theriot was back in the lineup yesterday after sitting on the final game against the Marlins with a hamstring injury.
• Marlon Byrd is enjoying Wrigley Field so far. He's hitting .354 in home games.
• Starlin Castro moved up to the two hole in the lineup on Wednesday with Theriot out, but he returned to hitting 8th yesterday.
• Chad Tracy is hitting .556 since being sent down to AAA-Iowa.
• Lee DeWyze, a finalist on American Idol, threw out the first pitch yesterday. Jeff Garlin led the crowd in "Take Me Out to the Ball Game".
• Castro has reached safely in each of his first seven games. The last Cub to do that was Bobby Scales a year ago.
• The Cubs have dropped six straight against the Pirates dating back to last season. They'll look to end that streak with Dempster on the hill today at 12:05 CT.
• "I'm happy to do whatever situation they want me to," Zambrano said yesterday after a tough 8th inning.
• Lou plans to flip flop the top two men in the order. He will use Kosuke Fukudome to lead-off against right handed pitchers for now.
• The Cubs have made 31 errors in just 36 games. That is the second most in all of MLB.
• Tyler Colvin was in the original starting lineup today, but he was scratched and Xavier Nady was added to play right field. Colvin has been rotting on the bench. He has started just one game since April 30.
• The Cubs are six games out of first and in fifth place. The Houston Astros are now just 1.5 games behind the Cubs, which means we're in danger of dropping to last in the Central.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Breaking News: The Pitching Staff is Set, Roster Cuts

Today, the Chicago Cubs announced the 12 man pitching staff and 5 man starting rotation that they will use to start the season.

Gordon Wittenmyer tweets that lefty James Russell will take the final spot in the bullpen unless the Cubs make a trade next week.

Gordon also tells us that Carlos Silva and Tom Gorzelanny have won the final two spots in the starting rotation. They will round out a starting five that already includes Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, and Randy Wells. Despite pitching great this spring, Sean Marshall will head to the bullpen where he will add depth. Jeff Samardzija, who lost out on the rotation because of some poor outings during Spring Training, will be used in middle to late relief to start the year. Russell, Marshall, and Samardzija are joined in the bullpen by Carlos Marmol, Esmalin Caridad, Justin Berg, and John Grabow.

The Cubs also made 7 roster cuts today. Pitchers Jeff Gray, Marcos Mateo, and John Gaub were optioned to AAA-Iowa, as was outfielder Jim Adduci. Jim made it tough on the Cubs with a three hit game yesterday to cap off a great spring, but it turns out there is no room for him on the roster. Gray was aquired from Oakland this offseason and was expected to be a big part of the bullpen. However, Jeff suffered a groin injury in an early February workout at Fitch Park which caused him to miss most of Spring Training. He could be a part of the pen at some point this year.

Darwin Barney, Bobby Scales, and Robinson Chirinos were also assigned to minor league camp. There are no major surprises among this group. Barney could help the Cubs as a utility infielder at some point this season.

Russell will have to be added to the 40-man roster since he came to camp as a Non-Roster Invite. Rule 5 Pick Mike Parisi is the "odd man out" and it appears that he will be offered back to the Cardinals.

With the seven cuts today, there are still 33 players left in camp, but that list includes two guys (Lilly and Guzman) who will start the season on the DL. That means the Cubs have five position players that will be cut. Kevin Millar, Andres Blanco, Micah Hoffpauir, and Chad Tracy are battling for a spot on the bench while Tyler Colvin and Sam Fuld are hoping to earn the fifth outfield job. The fifth cut will be catcher Chris Robinson, who will stay with the big league club until the end so that Koyie Hill and Geovany Soto are not overworked in the final week and a half behind the plate. It should be an interesting conclusion to Spring Training!

Be sure to check out yesterday's Cubs Roundup for more.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Spring Training Preview: The Bullpen

We discussed the rotation earlier in the week, so now it's time to jump back into it by breaking down the state of the Cubs' bullpen.

Carlos Marmol
This year, Marmol knows his role. He doesn't have to try to beat anyone out for the closer's job in camp, as it is finally all his. This could work either way. Perhaps Carlos will be able to use the time in Spring Training to relax and prepare for the season rather than when a job. But depending on one guys without much of a plan B for the 9th inning may not be such a good thing. Marmol's has been like a roller coaster since he started his Cub career in 2006. There's not question that he has great stuff, with an electric breaking ball and a good fastball, but command of his pitchers could be an issue. Marmol has been know for putting gives on base via the base on balls and hit by pitch, so Cubs fans could be doing a lot of sweating during the 9th this year. If the Cubs are going to return to their title of top dog in the Central, the key very well could be this man's performance closing games.
Prediction: Lock to make the roster as the closer


John Grabow
Earlier in the offseason, the Cubs feel like they made a big move that got little attention when they locked up Grabow. Grabow is a left handed late inning pitcher who came over from the Pirates along with Tom Gorzelanny in the deal that sent Kevin Hart and Jose Ascaino the other way last July. He pitched well in middle relief down the stretch last season, and will strive to continue success in the late innings. Grabow is a key to the bullpen because he is one of the only veteran arms to lead the way. The Cubs would still like to sign one more late inning guy to help out from the right side.
Prediction: Lock to make the roster as a reliever


Angel Guzman
Guzman has not thrown the baseball yet in camp after having arthroscopic surgery on his knee two weeks ago. He tore his meniscus during a workout in Venezuela last month. Jim Hendry says that Angel will be a couple of weeks behind the other pitchers, but will be ready to go for the start of Spring Training. The question with Guzman has never been a matter of stuff, it's a matter of staying healthy. He managed to still healthy most of 2009 with just one stint on the DL and a few minor injuries here and there. The one thing the is still unchecked on Hendy's offseason wish-list is a right handed setup man. Guzman could serve in this role for the Cubs if he is indeed ready to go before Opening Day.
Prediction: Will make the roster as a reliever


Jeff Stevens
This young right handed pitcher has already taken advantage of the experience in the organization, working with Greg Maddux at Fitch Park. Stevens pitched well last spring, and this year has his sites set on winning a spot in the Cubs bullpen. Jeff came to the Cubs in the unpopular trade among fans that shipped Mark DeRosa to Cleveland. Spent some time with the big league team during the season, but ended up with an unfairly bloated ERA in a handful of appearances.
Prediction: Will Start the year at AAA Iowa


Jeff Gray
One of three Jeffs on the pitcher staff and four on the 40-man roster, Gray is a new addition to the Cub relief core. He was traded to Chicago this winter in the deal that sent Aaron Miles and Jake Fox to Oakland. Jeff spent some time with the A's big league club last year posting a 3.76 ERA in 24 games. If he makes the roster, Gray will become the first Cub to wear number 34 since Kerry Wood sported in for ten years before his departure via free agency after the 2008 season.
Prediction: Will make the Cubs roster as a reliever


David Patton
After selecting him in the Rule 5 Draft in December of 2008, the Cubs were forced to keep Patton on the roster for all of the 2009 season. Had they sent him to the minors, he would have been returned to the Seattle organization. Apparently, the Cubs saw something they liked in this kid, as they kept him around despite a 6.83 ERA in 20 games. Before last season, David had never played high that Class A. He did spend a lot of time on the DL during the summer months of last year, before finally returning when roster expanded on September 1. Now it's time to find out of the struggle to keep Patton around was worth it. If the Cubs decide that he cannot help the bullpen, he can be sent down to the minors without the organization losing the red-headed prospect.
Prediction: Will star the year at AA Tennessee


Mike Parisi
What is it with the Cubs and these Rule 5 guys? Parisi was this year's selection, and so he must be kept on the big league roster or else he will be returned to St. Louis. Parasi is more experienced than Patton was a year ago, as he has spent a lot of time at AAA and even 12 games in the bigs in 2008. Over those 12 games Mike went 0-4 with a dreadful 8.22 ERA. He has been a starter in the past, but will likely fill a relief role if he pitches well enough in Cactus League play to make the roster. He is coming off of Tomm John surgery in August of 2008.
Prediction: Will be returned to St. Louis


Esmalin Caridad
The young Dominican right hander has electric stuff. Last season, when he got a chance to come up to the Cubs because of a string of injuries, he opened some eyes with a microscopic 1.40 ERA in 14 games. If the Cubs do not add another arm to the mix, Caridad could not only make the club, but also have a major impact. He will have to continue to prove himself in Arizona, as he is not a lock to get a spot on the team because of the crowded mix of relievers.
Prediction: Will make the roster as a reliever


John Gaub
Another arm netted in the DeRosa trade, Gaub had a solid year at AAA in 2009 earning a spot on the 40-man roster. Next on the agenda for Gaub is to try to earn a spot on the 25-man roster. The lefty has yet to make his big league debut. Gaub has talent, but the pitching staff already includes four left handers in Grabow, Marshall, Lilly, and Gorzelanny- at least two of which will be pitching out of the bullpen. Although a spot on the Opening Day roster is unlikely, when there is an injury or someone struggles, Gaub could be the first LHP to get to call up.
Prediction: Will start they year at AAA Iowa

Blake Parker
Although he has little or no chance of starting the year with the Cubs, Parker still has a good arm. He was drafted by the Cubs as a position in 2006, and then was converted to the hill after one year in the organization. He posted a 2.70 ERA last year, splitting the team between Iowa and Tennessee. Parker played for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League this winter.
Prediction: Will start the year at AAA Iowa

Marcos Mateo
Brother of former Cub Juan Mateo, Marcos went 3-6 with a 4.07 ERA in 34 game with Tennessee last year. He came to the organization in 2008, playing for the Reds Class A squad prior to that time. He has quickly worked his was from Peoria to AA over the last two years, and plans to keep moving up that latter. Mateo could find himself in the big leagues within the next year or two.
Prediction: Will start the year at AA

Mitch Atkins
Don't count this 23 year old out of the Cubs bullpen mix just. Although last year was a down year for Mitch (8-12 with a 6.58 ERA at AAA), he did go 8-1 in ten games with the I-Cubs at the end of the '08 season. Atkins will need to bounce back with a good spring. He has been used mostly as a starting pitcher, but perhaps he will be added to the bullpen at some point this season if someone goes down.
Prediction: Will start the year at AAA

Rafael Dolis
This talented young hurler is still a few seasons away from the big leagues. He is on the 40 man roster because the Cubs wanted to protect him from being selected in the Rule V Draft in December. In 2009, Dolis put up a 3.79 ERA at Class A Daytona after missing all of '08 because of Tommy John surgery. Dolis is now back to full health, and will begin to make his climb to the big leagues. He was signed by the Cubs in 2006.
Prediction: Will start the year at Class A Daytona

So here is my prediction for the Cubs full 12 man pitching staff: Dempster, Zambrano, Gorzelanny, Wells, Samardzija, Marshall, Grabow, Guzman, Marmol, Gray, Caridad, and Stevens. DL: Lilly and Silva

We'll start our look at the hitters in a few days!