Former Cub Updates: 8-10-10

Many former Cubs have been on the move lately, so let's take a look at the ex-Cubs that have found new homes over the past few weeks.

• Ryan Theriot: traded from the Cubs to the Dodgers on July 31. Stats with new team: 8 games, .258 AVG, 2 RBIs
• Ted Lilly: traded from the Cubs to the Dodgers on July 31. Stats with new team: 2-0, 2.77 ERA, 13 IP.
• Jim Edmonds: came to the Reds in a waiver deal with the Brewers yesterday. He's not in the starting lineup for the Reds game against the Cardinals tonight. Jim has now played with four different NL Central teams.
• Will Ohman: traded on July 31 from the Orioles to the Marlins for Rick VandenHurk. Stats with new team: 0-1, 3 games, 3 IP, 3.00 ERA
• Kerry Wood: traded from the Indians to the Yankees for a PTBNL at the deadline. Stats with new team: 4 games, 4.1 IP, 2.08 ERA
• Kyle Farsworth: traded from the Royals to the Braves along with Rick Ankiel for Gregor Blanco and Jesse Chavez. Stats with new team: 4 games, 2.2 IP, 16.88 ERA
• Chad Tracy: Signed with the Marlins on August 5. Stats with new team: 1-for-4, 3 games
• Mark Prior: Signed with the Orange County Flyers of the Independent Golden Baseball League on August 3. Stats with new team: 1 IP, 0 R
• Randall Simon: Signed with the Gary Railcats of the Independent Northern League on July 29. Stats with new team: 11 games, .286 AVG, 5 RBIs
• Francis Beltran: Drafted by the Cubs and spent two seasons in the bullpen. He was part of the trade that netted the Cubs Nomar Garciaparra. Signed with the Kansas City T-bones of the Independent Northern League on August 4.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on these ex-Cubbies.

Series Preview: Cubs VS Reds

Many baseball people and Cubs fans have deemed the 2010 season a lost cause for Lou Piniella's squad. However, the final two month will be very important in terms of getting some younger guys experience and playing time. At the same time, the Cubs must work to try to increase the trade value of some of their veteran players that could be dealt this winter or even swapped in a waiver trade before the end of August.

The fifth place Chicago Cubs meet the first place Cincinnati Reds this weekend at Wrigley to finish up this six game homestand. This series is huge for the Reds, who are trying to hold off the Cardinals for the top spot in the NL Central. The Cards are only a half a game back.

With the Astros recent winning streak, they've passed up the Cubbies, who continue to slump on all cylinders. The 'Stros are now only 13 games out of first and the Cubs are 13.5 games back. The Cubs are coming off a big 15-3 win in the series finale against the Brewers on Wednesday before enjoying an off day on Thursday. They still dropped the series with the Crew after suffering a bashing on Monday and another loss on Tuesday. The victory on Wednesday snapped a seven game skid.

The Reds, who are 61-48 for they year, have hopes of capturing their first NL Central crown since 1995. This year could be their first trip to the playoffs in 15 years. Cincinnati is coming off a series where they beat the Pirates two out of three at PNC. This set concludes a six game trip, then they will return home on Monday to welcome the Cardinals and Marlins to town.

Lou's crew has dropped every series of the year with Dusty Baker's team. They are 3-7 against the Reds this season. This will be the first meeting since the All-Star break between the Midwest foes. The last time they met the Cubs lost three of four at Wrigley to start the month of July.

The Boys in Blue return to The Queen City August 27-29 for the final meetings of the year between the two teams. The Cubs will have to take all six game left against the Reds in order to take the season series, and they need to go 5-1 to split it.

It will be interesting to see what kind of reaction Joey Votto gets when his name is announced today. Votto made some comments about Cubs fans during the All-Star break at Angel Stadium. He has said that he doesn't have an issue with Marlon Byrd or the organization, but just with the fan base. Joey's problems with the Faithful started when the Cubs won the NL Central at Great American Ballpark in front of thousands of Cubs fans in 2007. Votto says he will not sign autographs for supporters of the North Siders.

Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin are both making cases for the Rookie of the Year in the National League. They will continue to bat one and two in the Cubs order this weekend and throughout the rest of the season. Jim Hendry has said that more players for AAA-Iowa are on the way. Will the Cubs add guys like Welington Castillo, Bryan LaHair, Brad Snyder, and Darwin Barney to the roster soon?

Carrie Muskat of Cubs.com thinks the chances are good that we will see Darwin Barney at Wrigley this year, but it may not be until September. The story is the same for many of the other position players that are playing well at Triple-A.

The last time the Cubs were in first place was one year ago today- August 6, 2009. For all of the fans that thought last year was a total failure as well, it's weird to think that at this point last season they were in first place.

Yesterday the Marlins signed former Cub Chad Tracy to try to help them to the postseason. In other news, Jeff Samardzija is pitching well in the rotation in Iowa. He's throwing a good cutter and getting swings and misses according to scouting reports. He could return to the bigs to either start or relief at some point soon.

Game 1: Friday at 1:20 CT
Reds Starting Pitcher: Bronson Arroyo, RHP (11-6, 4.01 ERA)
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Tom Gorzelanny, LHP (6-5, 3.48 ERA)
TV/Radio: CSN/WGN 720

Game 2: Saturday at 12:05 CT
Reds Starting Pitcher: Edinson Volquez, RHP (2-1, 6.35 ERA)
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Randy Wells, RHP (5-9, 4.40 ERA)
TV/Radio: CSN/WGN 720

Game 3: Sunday at 1:20 CT
Reds Starting Pitcher: Travis Wood, RHP (2-1, 2.42 ERA)
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Thomas Diamond, RHP (0-1, 4.50 ERA)
TV/Radio: WGN-TV/WGN 720

The Cubs go to San Fransisco and St. Louis on their next trip which starts on Monday.

It's time to play the role of spoilers!

"I don't care who wins as long as it's the Cubs!"

Numbers Breakdown: A Look at the 2009-2010 Offseason Now

Half way through the year, we always like to take a look at back at what Jim Hendry did in his offseason transactions. It's fun to grade the moves when they happen, but at that point we are just speculating. Now that we have seen the Cubs play, we know if how the moves are turning out so far.

Based on the Cubs record, one would think that the Hendry's offseason moves have not panned out. However, that is not necessarily the case!

Date: 11/19/09
Move: Traded Aaron Heilman to Arizona for Ryne White and Scott Maine
Heilman's Numbers (this season): 2-3, 3.83 ERA
Maine's Numbers: 2.20 ERA in 12 games at AA, 3.81 ERA in 20 games at AAA
White's Numbers: .228 AVG 11 games at Daytona
Move Grade: B-

Date: 11/20/09
Move: Resigned John Grabow
Grabow's Stats: 1-3, 7.36 ERA in 28 games this season
Move Grade: F

Date: 12/4/09
Move: Jake Fox and Aaron Miles traded to Oakland for Jeff Gray, Ronny Morla, & Matt Spencer
Fox's stats: .222 AVG, 51 games between Baltimore and Oakland
Miles' Stats: Only played in minor with A's before being released, picked up by St. Louis
Gray's Stats: Brief stint w/ Cubs, 5.00 ERA in 7 game at AAA, currently injured
Morla's Stats: 2-2, 3.58 ERA, 28 games at Peoria
Spencer's Stats: .286 AVG at Daytona; .264 AVG, 9 HR, 33 RBIs at AA
Move Grade: A-

Date: 12/18/09
Move: Traded Milton Bradley to Seattle for Carlos Silva & cash
Bradley's Stats: .210 AVG in 62 games
Silva's Stats: 9-3, 3.45 ERA, 17 starts
Move Grade: A

Date: 1/2/10
Move: Signed Marlon Byrd to a 3-year contract
Byrd's stats: .317 AVG, 18 games
Move Grade: A

Date: 1/27/10
Move: Signed Chad Tracy to a minor league deal w/ Spring Training invite
Tracy's stats: .250 AVG, 28 games before being DFA'd
Move Grade: C+

Date: 1/29/10
Move: Signed Xavier Nady to a one year contract
Nady's Stats: .225 AVG, 62 Games
Move Grade: C-


Move (Grade): Allowing Kevin Gregg (B-), Neal Cotts (A), Reed Johnson (C), Rich Harden (B+), and Chad Fox (A) to leave via free agency.

With the additions of Byrd, Silva, and some prospects and the subtractions of Jake Fox, Miles, Bradley, Heilman, and other Hendry had a very good offeason. The only moves that didn't turn out well were resigning Grabow and signing Nady.

Overall Offseason Grade Now: B

And remember... the numbers don't lie!

Rumor Mill Friday: Lilly on the Market?

With the Major League Baseball trade deadline looming three weeks from tomorrow, it's time for MLB general managers to get busy with attempts to either a) improve their club's chances of winning this year or b) improve their club's chances of winning in the future. Chips are starting to fall with the trade of Cliff Lee to Texas today. How active with Jim Hendry be at the deadline?

The Cubs are finally ready to start making some deals according to a report from the Tribune yesterday. The Ricketts family is ready to address the media soon to talk about what direction the team will go in. If the club continues to struggle before the deadline, their is no doubt that they will be sellers.

Since the New York Mets lost out on Cliff Lee, they will turn to another lefty in the Cubs Ted Lilly. Jon Heyman also says the Mets like Ted, but he tweets that the Cubs have yet to make Lilly available. Heyman adds that Lilly's velocity is down. Several reports have indicated that the Cubs could try to swing a deal now to ship Lilly out for prospects and then try and sign the lefty when he hits free agency this winter. Could The Bulldog's last start as a Cub be tonight in L.A.?

Ken Davidoff agrees with the folks at the Tribune that the Cubs are getting more serious about trades. He also tweets that the Mets like the idea of taking on Lilly's contract instead of giving up more prospects.

Here are some other interesting Cub-related bits:

• Andrew Baggardly wrote awhile back that the Giants have interest in Ryan Theriot, but now the organization has not had any talks about adding The Riot so far.
• Lou Piniella does not plan on leaving the Cubs before the end of the season, but told Paul Sullivan that the Cubs gig will be his last managing job.
• ESPN.com says that Joe Torre could be interested in taking over as the Cubs manager next season.
• Lou says that the Cubs will most likely be sellers at the deadline.
• The Yankees have signed Chad Tracy to a minor league deal. Chad was released by the Cubs in late June after being DFA'd a week prior.
• In another former Cub note, Sean Gallagher will return to the NL Central. He was traded to the Pirates from San Diego with cash going the other way today.
• There is still no timetable on Carlos Zambrano's return to the pitching staff.
• The Cubs made a roster move earlier in the week calling up Mitch Atkins for bullpen help and placing Brian Schlitter on the 15-day DL.

Here is the full list of Cubs that could be on the trade market:

• Ted Lilly
• Kosuke Fukudome
• Ryan Theriot
• Mike Fontenot
• Jeff Baker
• Xavier Nady
• Derrek Lee

It should be an interesting three weeks! I'll keep you posted.

End of the Week Quick Hits: Minor League All-Stars, Tracy Released, Dusty on the Cubs, and More

• According to a post from ESPNChicago.com, Chad Tracy cleared waivers and opted for his release instead of reporting to AAA-Iowa.
• Jeff Dickerson reports that Carlos Zambrano will need a minor league tune-up start before rejoining the Cubs pitching staff after the All-Star Break.
• On Sunday at Noon CT, the MLB All-Star Selection Show will be live on TBS. One player from each team has to be named to the Midsummer Classic, so there will be at least one Cub. Carlos Silva, Marlon Byrd, Carlos Marmol, and Alfonso Soriano are the four Cubs that have a shot.
• Phil Rogers of the Tribune tossed out the name Sean Marshall for the NL team, but it's tough for a middle relief guy to be an All-Star.
• Dusty Baker says that managing the Cubs is tough because the fans are restless after 100+ years without a World Series.
• Writer George Castle thinks the Lou needs to make three changes: move Castro to the two hole, move Colvin to the middle of the order, and move Cashner to the rotation.
• The Cubs and the City of Mesa are holding meetings in effort to reach a formal agreement to keep the team in the city for Spring Training, according to the Tribune.
• Ryan Theriot is out of the lineup again today, making it three straight days without a start. Mike Fontenot is batting second and playing second, with Koyie Hill behind the plate and Tyler Colvin leading off in left.
• Former Cub Sean Gallagher was DFA'd by the Padres yesterday.
• Mark Prior's agent says that one club wants to sign him after his workout this week. Tom Krasovic tweets that 15 scouts were there and Prior hit 90 mph.
• A GM poll conducted by ESPN.com says that most general managers think that Jim Hendry is the easiest guy to make a deal with.
• The Padres are looking to add some offense, so MLBTR speculates that Xavier Nady could be an option for San Diego.
• Dan McNeil thinks that Carlos Zambrano is a lost cause.
• The Cubs are 11 games under .500 for the first time under Lou Piniella.
• Iowa Cubs Darwin Barney (SS) and Thomas Diamond (RHP) have been named to the Triple-A All-Star Game, which is Wednesday July 14 at 6:00 on MLB Network.
• The Tennessee Smokies send nine guys to the Southern League All-Star game on July 12. Blake Lalli, Tony Campana, and Robinson Chirinos are all in the starting lineup. Steve Clevenger (catcher) and pitchers Austin Bibens-Dirkx, David Cales, Ryan Butcher, and Hung-Wen Chen are also on the squad. Outfielder Ty Wright was selected as well, but he has been replaced because of his promotion to AAA-Iowa.

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

Series Preview: Cubs VS White Sox

If the Chicago Cubs where ever in need of a series win, it's right now. The Boys in Blue are in danger of dropping out of third place if they lose today. The Brewers are Cubs are tied for third in the NL Central, both 8 games back of first place St. Louis.

When the White Sox and Cubs met from June 11-13, both teams were struggling and hoping that a series win against their rivals would get them going. The White Sox won the series and have a 9-0 mark since then. The last time the Sox lost a game was the finale at Wrigley when Ted Lilly flirted with a no-hitter and Carlos Marmol came on to save the thrilling 1-0 Cubs win.

The South Siders are looking to stay red hot. They've won 13 of 14 to climb to 37-34, which puts them in third place in the AL Central. The Twins are in front, 2.5 ahead of the Sox and 0.5 ahead of Detroit. Ozzie's crew is hoping for to extend their winning streak to ten today with a win at U.S. Cellular Field. The homestand started with a sweep of a solid Braves club this week.

The Cubs, now 32-40, started this road trip by dropping two of three to the last place Mariners. Sweet Lou's club just started a stretch of 20 games in 20 days (17 remaining) leading up to the All-Star Break. The Cubbies got a big win yesterday 3-2 in a 13-inning affair to avoid the sweep in Seattle. The bullpen played a key role in allowing the game to last long enough for Marlon Byrd to stroke a single to put the Cubs in front in the top of inning number 13.

The BP Crosstown Cup is on the line this weekend. The Cubs need to win all three games in order to be awarded the trophy, but the Sox only need a series win to guarantee themselves the prize. The last time the teams met, there was a sort of friendly feeling going around because the Blackhawks brought this city together. This time around, both teams mean business.

Prior to the game, the Cubs made a roster move activating Aramis Ramirez from the 15-day DL. Rami will hope for a big return against the Crosstown Rivals. He spent the Seattle series working with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo in order to get his swing back. Aramis has been rehabbing from a thumb injury. Before going down, he hit just .168 with 5 homers.

In order to clear space for Aramis on the roster, the Cubs decided to designate Chad Tracy for assignment. This means they have ten days to either trade him, release him, or place him on waivers. Chad hit .250 in 28 games this year, and many fans would have rather seen him stick around than Jeff Baker and Mike Fontenot.

Saturday night's game will be the 20,000th game in Cubs history. The Cubs first gave ever contest was a 4-0 victory at Louisville on April 25, 1876. They reached 10,000 games on June 9, 1947 in a 1-0 loss to the Braves. Hopefully by #30,000 the Cubs have their third World Series title.

Saturday (June 26) is also a special day for Cubs legend and current broadcaster Ron Santo. It marks the 50 year anniversary of Ron's big league debut in Pittsburgh in 1960. Santo missed the trip to Seattle to rest up, and will return to the WGN Radio booth this afternoon. The Cubs will honor Ron's anniversary in a ceremony on Monday.

Game 1: Friday at 3:05 CT
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Carlos Zambrano (3-5, 5.10 ERA)
White Sox Starting Pitcher: Jake Peavy (6-5, 5.07 ERA)
Cubs TV Broadcast: CSN
Sox TV Broadcast: WGN

Game 2: Saturday at 6:10 CT
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Carlos Silva (8-2, 3.01 ERA)
White Sox Starting Pitcher: Freddy Garcia (8-3, 4.85 ERA)
National TV Broadcast: FOX

Game 3: Sunday at 1:05 CT
Cubs Starting Pitcher: TBA (Most likely Ryan Dempster)
White Sox Starting Pitcher: John Danks (7-5, 3.23 ERA)
Cubs TV Broadcast: WGN
Sox TV Broadcast: CSN

The Sox dodge Ted Lilly, who tossed a 1-hitter against them the last time the two teams met, but they'll have to deal with Silva instead, who was scratched from the Seattle series with a hamstring injury. After this game, the Cubs go back to the Friendly Confines as they welcome the Pirates for a three game series to close out the month. The South Siders will travel to Kansas City for a three game set starting Monday.

"Let's go get a win today!"

Lilly Says No! (Almost)

What a ballgame that was. That was the most fun I've had watching the Cubs play all season! Lilly had better stuff tonight than any Cubs since Zambrano's no-no in September of '08.

For those of you that missed it, you missed a good one. Lilly did not allow a hit through eight, but his no-hit bid was broken up by former Cub Juan Pierre with no outs in the ninth.

Not only was Lilly awesome, but Carlos Marmol did a nice job of working out of the jam in the 9th to get the Cubs the 1-0 win and earn the save. It's unfortunate that it looked like the rain may have played a factor in the 9th. I wonder if Ted could have gotten the three outs he needed if the showers had stayed away.

To do it against the Sox would have been great... but the big thing was for Ted to single handedly get us one win in the three game Crosstown series at Wrigley. Perhaps will get them back on the Southside.

With the appearance from the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, there was excitement from the start (even during the Anthem). Several of the Hawks sang The 7th Inning Stretch and all of them were on the field before the game. Ryan Dempster and a few other Cubs and Sox were given the chance to lift the cup.

The other oddity about this game was that both pitchers had no-hitter though six, something you rarely see. Gavin Floyd pitched a great game but was the hard luck loser Alfonso Soriano banged a 2-out double in the 7th for the first Cub hit and then Chad Tracy drove in the first run of the game with a clutch single.

I just figured this game deserved its own post! More stuff on the off day tomorrow!

Until then... Go Cubs Go!

Mid Week Roundup: Ramirez to the DL, Howry Pitching Well, The Hawks, and More

We've spent the past few days focused on the draft, but it's time to get caught up on what's going on with the big league club!

Update 4:10 CT: Now it's official. Ramirez to the DL, Tracy called up. Chad is expected to be with the team tonight.

Ramirez to the DL?
According to the Chicago Tribune and several other sources, Aramis Ramirez will finally be placed on the DL with a left thumb injury. The roster move should happen sometime today. The Cubs are expected to callup Chad Tracy, who's tearing the cover off the ball at AAA-Iowa. Aramis has been in and out of the lineup lately and is hitting just .168 this season.

Theriot's Coming Around
Ryan Theriot is finally starting to see the ball a little better. Ryan has worked a few walks this week but says he hasn't changed anything in his approach at the plate. He wants to be a little more selective but not overly defensive up there. Lou Piniella says that The Riot is still his best leadoff option.

Howry Pitching Well
The return to Chicago seems to have helped RHP Bobby Howry, who struggled before he was released by Arizona. Howry has not allowed a run in seven outings with the Cubs.

Cubs Draft Ivan De Jesus
The Cubs selected a centerfielder from Cupeyville High School in the sixth round of the draft. The odd thing is, the outfielder has nearly the same name as Cubs' first base coach Ivan DeJesus. However, the two men are not related. DeJesus (the coach) says he was surprised to see his name on the list of players drafted by the organization. Today the Cubs drafted Benito Santiago Jr., who is the son of the former Cubs catcher.

Site Notes
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Tonight the Cubs play the Brewers at 7:15 in a game that will be on ESPN-TV and 560 AM (instead of 720 because of the Stanley Cup Finals). Carlos Zambrano will get his second start since returning to the rotation.

Speaking of the Stanley Cup Finals... Go Hawks Go!!!

Numbers Breakdown: Cubs Starters VS Bench

Are the Cubs starting position players doing better than their potential replacements so far this season? Let's find out in today's Numbers Breakdown!

Catcher
Geovany Soto: .254 AVG, .401 OBP
Koyie Hill: .250 AVG, .291 OBP

First Base
Derrek Lee: .238 AVG, .343 OBP
Xavier Nady: .260 AVG, .333 OBP

Middle Infield
Ryan Theriot: .274 AVG, .305 OBP
Starlin Castro: .289 AVG, .337 OBP
Mike Fontenot: .310 AVG, .358 OBP

Third Base
Aramis Ramirez: .171 AVG, .233 OBP
Chad Tracy (AAA stats): .380 AVG, .417 OBP

Outfield
Alfonso Soriano: .295 AVG, .361 OBP
Marlon Byrd: .309 AVG, .347 AVG
Kosuke: .285 AVG, .383 OBP
Tyler Colvin: .300 AVG, .363 OBP

So, the Cubs have someone on the bench who plays each position with a better batting average than the current start at every position except catcher. Will we see some changes of this pattern continues through the next month?

Remember, the numbers don't lie!

Down on the Farm: Who's Hot, Who's Not?

With the struggles of the Chicago Cubs, looking to the future is always fun. Today, let us see how the Cubs' prospects are fairing so far this season.

AAA-Iowa (18-18)

Who's Hot?

• Chad Tracy: Since being sent down, Tracy is hitting .586 in 7 games. The I-Cubs are 6-0 in games that Chad starts. He has 8 RBIs.
• Matt Camp: This utility man leads the team among guys with 100 or more ABs with a .322 average. He is a good contact hitter (33 of 39 hits are singles, the rest doubles).
• Brad Snyder: Brad's an outfielder with 5 homers and 26 RBIs. In addition to his power, Snyder has an OBP of .299 in 33 games.
• Blake Parker: 1-1 with an ERA of just 1.10 in 12 games out of the Iowa bullpen. He could see time in the Cubs' pen before the end of the year.
• Andrew Cashner: Went 6 innings and allowed just 1 run in his first AAA start after being called up from Tennessee.
• Mitch Atkins: 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA in 10 games (2 starts). He has joined the rotation and is pitching very well.

Who's Not?

• Micah Hoffpauir: Hitting just .195 in 34 games. Hoffpauir has been scuffling at AAA and has really gone steadily downhill in the past 12 months. He may never see the Wrigley Field diamond again.
• Welington Castillo: With an average of just .239, Castillo is starting to show some signs of improvement. His defense has remained consistent even with his struggles at the plate.
• J.R. Mathes: 3-4 with a 5.52 ERA in 8 starts. The lefty posted 12 wins for Iowa last season.

AA-Tennessee (22-14)

Who's Hot?

• Steve Clevenger: The catcher had a great week at the plate. He is now hitting .360 in 21 games, which ranks first among Smokies on the active roster. Clevenger is fighting to earn some playing time in an organization that is filled with young catchers.
• Josh Vitters: .333 average since being bumped up to AA. Three of his 7 hits are extra base knocks.
• Austin Bibens-Dirkx: Has been the ace of the Tennessee rotation so far this season. After a great season at Peoria last year, the adjustment period has gone swiftly. Bibens-Dirkx is 1-1 with a 2.19 ERA in 7 starts.
• Matt Spencer: Since coming off the DL, Spencer has hit .340 in 16 games. Matt, a product of the Jake Fox/Aaron Miles trade, already has 3 homers and 12 runs batted in.

Who's Not?

• Ryan Flaherty: Hit just .183 in 23 games before finally being sent down to Daytona.
• Marwin Gonzalez: Has gotten off to a slow start at the dish since being called up to take Castro's place a short. Gonzalez has a .167 average in 8 games.
• Jeff Muyco: Muyco, who made a few appearances as a call-up at HoHoKam Park this spring, has an ERA over seven. He has notched 5 saves in 15 games out of the Smokies bullpen, but he will be given less and less save chances because of his beefy ERA.
• Alex Maestri: The ex-World Baseball Classic player has a 6.20 ERA in 14 relief appearances. The Tennessee bullpen has not been that effective this season.

We'll have a "Who's Hot, Who's Not" for the Class A clubs (Daytona and Peoria) later in the week.

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!

Starlin Castro Called up to the Big Leagues

Starlin Castro is now a Chicago Cub. The story was first reported via twitter this morning, and now it is official. Castro is the Cubs' top prospect in the organization. The 20-year hold short stop was hitting .376 with 20 RBIs at AA-Tennessee this year. He will make the jump from double-A to the big leagues without making a pit stop in Iowa.

Ryan Theriot will shift to second base so that Castro can take over everyday duties at short. Both middle infielders were working on the field in Cincinnati today at 2:00 with coaches Alan Trammell and Ivan DeJesus.

To make room for Castro on the roster, the Cubs sent Chad Tracy to AAA-Iowa. Chad had been struggling in his pinch hitting and backup role. Jeff Baker and Mike Fontenot are effected by this move as well, because both will see less playing time.

Starlin will become the youngest Cubs short stop ever and the youngest player to make his Cubs debut since Oscar Game (19 years, 250 days) in 1969. Castro is in the starting lineup for tonight's game. Here's the rest of the starting 9:

1. Ryan Theriot, 2B
2. Kosuke, RF
3. Derrek Lee, 1B
4. Marlon Byrd, CF
5. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
6. Alfonso Soriano, LF
7. Geovany Soto, C
8. Starlin Castro, SS
9. Carlos Silva, P

The Castro callup lead to a string of roster moves in the Cubs' organization:

• Andrew Cashner promoted to AAA-Iowa.
• Josh Vitters promoted to AA-Tennessee.
• Marwin Gonzalez promoted to AA-Tennessee.
• Mike Parisi optioned to AA-Tennessee.
• Ryan Flaherty optioned to Class-A Daytona.

Our new short stop will sport jersey number 13. The last Cub to wear that "unlucky" number was Andres Blanco last season. Before that, it was last seen on Nefi Perez's back in 2006.

If nothing else, this gives Cubs' fans a reason to tune in! I'll keep you posted.

Catching Up Quick Hits

Sorry there hasn't been too much posting going on this week! It's been a very crazy and busy one. Let's get right into catching you up on all the latest Cubs news and notes:

• Chad Tracy won the final spot on the roster to start the season. He will back up Lee and Ramirez at the corner infield positions and be used as a right handed pinch hit bat with pop.
• Since Chad made the squad, there was no room for Kevin Millar. The Cubs released Millar earlier this week.
• Sam Fuld, Micah Hoffpauir, and Chris Robinson were the final three roster cuts. They will all join AAA-Iowa to start the season. Fuld and Hoff could contribute at the big league level at some point this season.
• The Cubs will honor Hall of Famer Billy Williams with a statue outside of Wrigley Field. It will be unveiled before the game on September 7. This will be the third statue outside of Wrigley, the first two were for Harry Caray and Ernie Banks.
• Angel Guzman plans to be ready to go next season.
• Carlos Silva was a nice surprise this spring. We'll see if his performance carries over in to the regular season.
• Ted Lilly is expected to toss 60 pitches in his minor league rehab start on Easter Sunday.
• Jon Greifenkamp has been added to the front office.
• There are only 3 days left until the day we've been waiting for since last September... Opening Day in Atlanta!

We'll have several posts up this weekend including:

• Season Preview
• "30 Clubs in 30 Days" Recaps
• Getting to Know the Cubs post
• And all news!

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

Quick Hits a Week Prior to the Opener

• Today, Lou Piniella told young outfielder Tyler Colvin that he has made the Chicago Cubs' Opening Day roster. Colvin will play 2-3 times a week.
• There is now one spot remaining on Lou's 25-man club to start the season. The final cuts are expected to be made on Tuesday. Kevin Millar, Chad Tracy, Micah Hoffpauir, and Sam Fuld are all still in the mix, but most likely the final roster spot will belong to either Millar or Tracy.
• Ted Lilly tossed 45 pitches in a minor league start at Fitch Park today. He is on track to join the Cubs in about 3 weeks. He could be ready to return on April 19 in New York.
• Cubs closer Carlos Marmol has sat in the same folding chair for every game since 2007.
• According to the Tribune, Carlos Silva is the number 4 starter and Tom Gorzelanny is the number five guy. One of them will be sent to the pen will Ted returns.
• The Cubs pitchers were masterful today in an 8-1 win over the Reds.
• Bruce Miles reports that Piniella and the Cubs have a pretty idea who will be the 25th man on the roster, but they want to wait until tomorrow to make it official.
• Today was the last chance for Tracy and Millar to open some eyes. Neither did. Tracy was 0-3 and Millar 0-1. Micah Hoffpauir did pick up a single and a walk.
• Derrek Lee has missed the last two games with a foot injury, but he is expected to return tomorrow.
• Be sure to check out today's Down on the Farm Report that I posted over at Chicago Cubs Online.

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

Weekend Roundup: Berg on the team, Decisions on the Way, & More

Sorting Out the Bullpen
Carrie Muskat reports that Justin Berg has earned a spot in the Cubs' bullpen. He had an 0.75 ERA in an 11 game September callup last season. Prior to that, he went 6-2 with a 2.47 ERA for the Iowa Cubs. Berg will join Esmalin Caridad, John Grabow, Carlos Marmol, and the two guys that lose out of the fifth starter's competition (Silva, Gorzelanny, Marshall, or Samardzija) on the relief core. This leaves one spot left on the Opening Day pitching staff, assumming the Cubs use 12 hurlers to start the year. Rule 5 pick Mike Parisi, NRI James Russell, lefty John Gaub, and Marcos Mateo are the four guys in the mix for this last spot on the staff.

Rotation Decision Nearing
Within the next week we should find out how the starting rotation will pan out. Sean Marshall, Carlos Silva, Jeff Samardzija, and Tom Gorzelanny are all vying for starting jobs. Lou Piniella has an idea of which way he's leaning, but at this point has revealed nothing. The coaching staff will meet to discuss the roster after Monday's game. It should be interesting to see how it turns out!

Sorting Out the Bench
The Cubs have confirmed that they would like to keep an outfielder who can play all three spots because of the fact that backup outfielder Xavier Nady will be limited defensively for the first half of the season. Tyler Colvin and Sam Fuld are the leading candidates for this bench position, with Brad Snyder and James Adduci also in the mix. Jeff Baker (or Mike Fontenot), Koyie Hill, and Nady are all already members of what figures to be an experienced bench. Another veteran bat will be added primarily for pinch hitting purposes. Kevin Millar and Chad Tracy are still battling for this spot. It would appear that Micah Hoffpauir has AAA in his near future.

Injury Updates
Aramis Ramirez will get some at bats in as a DH in today's minor league game at Fitch Park. Ted Lilly will toss a side session today and then his second live BP on Monday. Andres Blanco still can't run at full speed, but he has been able to do some hitting and fielding.

Cubs Idol Winners
Justin Berg got more good news today when he found out that he was the co-winner of the "Cubs Idol" competition. He and infielder Darwin Barney were chosen out of the 8 finalists as co-winners. NFL QB Steve Young was a guest judge today along with the usual panel of Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramiez, Ryan Dempster, and Kevin Millar. Other finalists included Jim Aducci, Starlin Castro, Tyler Colvin, James Russell, and Brad Snyder. Berg and Barney each got $10,000 to a charity of their choice.

Today's Games
This afternoon it's a split squad Cubs team out in the valley of the sun. Half the team will host the Kansas City Royals for the first matchup of the spring between the two clubs. The other split squad takes on the Oakland A's in Phoenix. Carlos Zambrano will pitch at HoHoKam while Tom Gorzelanny tries to make his case for a spot in the rotation against Oakland.

The game against KC will be on WGN Radio. Here's the starting nine:

Theriot, SS
Barney, 2B
Lee, 1B
Byrd, CF
Baker, 3B
Soriano, LF
Soto, C
Snyder, RF
Zambrano, P

The game against the A's is on MLB.com's gameday audio if you have the package. Here's the lineup behind Gorzelanny:

Adduci, LF
Kosuke, RF
Colvin, CF
Nady, DH
Hoffpauir, 1B
Fontenot, SS
Tracy, 3B
Hill, C
Scales, 2B

A good chance to see a lot of Cubs play today! That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Position Battle Updates

Happy St. Patrick's Day Cubs fans! Today is the one Cub off day of Spring Training, so we'll use it to get you caught up on this spring's position battles!

Starting Rotation
The top three men in the starting five have been penciled in. Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, and Randy Wells have all already earned the right to start games this season. However, with Ted Lilly set to start the year on the DL and Rich Harden leaving via free agency, there are two spots open to start the year. This leaves Carlos Silva, Tom Gorzelanny, Jeff Samardzija, and Sean Marshall battling for rotation spots.

Carlos Silva: 2-1, 6.00 ERA, 9 IP
*Jeff Samardzija: 0-1, 9.00 ERA, 4 IP
Tom Gorzelanny: 5.40 ERA, 5 IP
Sean Marshall: 2.57 ERA, 7 IP

*Samardzija worked 3 innings during an intersquad minor league game at Fitch Park today. He did not allow a hit to the AA guys but alarmingly walked 3.

There's no doubt that Marshall's pitched the best of the four, but he is held back by his value to the bullpen. At this point, I would say the best bet is to use Marshall in the rotation. If Silva continues to pitch like he has in the last few starts, he very well could take the starts that Lilly misses.

Starting Second Baseman
Lou has hinted that Mike Fontenot has an edge over Jeff Baker at this point. Fontenot was terrific coming off the bench for the Cubs in 2008, which very well could have lead to the team dealing Mark DeRosa. Last year, when Mike was given a chance to take over the every day job, his production declined. Hopefully he can bounce back. Baker, who came over midseason last year from the Rockies, is also going to be a key even if he is only used as a backup infielder. Let's take a look at their stats:

Mike Fontenot: .409 AVG, .440 OBP, 22 ABs
Jeff Baker: .158 AVG, .238 OBP, 19 ABs

Sorting Out the Bullpen
Who knows who will be in the Cub bullpen come Opening Day. Esmalin Caridad, a young talented right handed pitcher, has been tossed into a setup role. Veteran lefty John Grabow will be the other setup guy, with Carlos Marmol handling the ninth inning duties. After that, there are four openings. Let's assume that the first two vacant spots will go to those that lose out on the rotation battle. After that, there's 2 more long relief roles up for grabs. Here are the spring stats of some young pitchers that are in camp vying for jobs.

Mike Parisi: 1-1, 4.05 ERA, 6.2 IP
Casey Coleman: 5.68 ERA, 6.1 IP
James Russell: 0.00 ERA, 5.2 IP
Andrew Cashner: 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 5 IP
J.R. Mathes: 10.80 ERA, 5 IP
John Gaub: 1-0, 3.86 ERA, 4.2 IP
Thomas Diamond: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.1 IP
Justin Berg: 1-0, 2.25 ERA, 4 IP
Jeff Stevens: 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 4 IP
Blake Parker: 0-1, 10.60 ERA, 2.2 IP

Diamond is a very underrated guy who could see the diamond at Wrigley as at some point this season. I would say Diamond, Berg, Russell, and Gaub are the favorites for winning spots.

The Fifth Outfielder
Piniella always does a lot of hinting regarding the roster during Spring Training, especially during his pregame WGN Radio interviews with Ron Santo. Lou and Ron sometimes seem to forget that they are on the air because Lou sees Ronny as a friend and not as the media. Based on what we've heard, the Cubs will be keeping five outfielders: Byrd, Kosuke, Soriano, and Nady for sure plus a younger guy who can be used as a defensive sub. Here are the 4 guys competing for that open spot on the bench:

Tyler Colvin: .533 AVG, 6 RBIs, 30 ABs
Brad Snyder: .417 AVG, .533 OBP, 12 ABs
Sam Fuld: .150 AVG, .227 OBP, 20 ABs
Jim Aducci: .348 AVG, .400 OBP, 23 ABs

Jim is a good looking prospect, but he's a long shot to make the team this year. Without question Colvin has the edge, but I wouldn't be totally surprised if the Cubs went with Fuld based on past performance at the big league level. Either way I hope whoever wins this spot gets some playing time and a chance to be a young spark plug.

The Pinch Hitting Utility Man
The Cubs need some leadership off the bench. A guy who has pop, can come up to the plate late in the game and do damage, and who will also provide some leadership. Kevin Millar could fit the bill. Let's check out the stats of Millar and his competitors for the final spot on the bench:

Chad Tracy: 18 ABs, .222 AVG, .300 OBP
Kevin Millar: 15 ABs, .333 AVG, .545 OBP
Micah Hoffpauir: 25 ABs, .120 AVG, .185 OBP

However, when you've had full careers to see these guys play in the case of Tracy and Millar, it does not make sense to base the decision on just a few Cactus League at bats. I still believe Kevin will take this spot because the Cubs like his leadership and his bat. He also brings a better glove than Hoffpauir. Andres Blanco and Brian LaHair are also still in the mix.

My Debut at CCO
I'd like to encourage everyone to check out my first minor league Cubs post over at Chicago Cubs Online. I will be covering the farm system with posts on this site every Monday and Thursday throughout the season! Thanks to Neil for giving me this opportunity! As always, I'll still be posting here on Everything Cubs daily!

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

Spring Training Preview: Non Roster Infielders

Darwin Barney

• Short Stop
• B/T: Right
• Drafted by the Cubs in the 4th round of the June 2007 draft
• Ranked as "Best Baseball IQ" and "Best Competitiveness" (tie) in the organization by Vineline
• Hit .293 with 3 homers and 49 RBIs over 137 games split between AA Tennessee and AAA Iowa in 2009
• My Prediction: Will start the year at AAA

Starlin Castro

• Short Stop
• B/T: Right
• Not drafted
• Rated top prospect in the organization by Jim Callis of Baseball America
• Rated "Best Competitiveness" (tie) in the organizaton by Vineline
• Rated Best range and best arm strength in the organization by a short stop
• Good contact hitter, hits well in the clutch
• Best defensive infielder in the system according to Baseball America
• Is the first player born in the 1990s to be invited to Cubs Spring Training; could become the first Cub born in the '90s to play in a big league game
• Played for the "World" team in the 2009 futures game (part of MLB All Star Week)
• Hit .299 over 127 games between Class A Daytona and AA Tennessee in 2009
• Hit .376 in 26 Arizona Fall League games for the Mesa Solar Sox this offseason
• Hit just .182 in 8 VWL games this offseason
• My prediction: Will start the year at AAA

Blake Lalli

• First baseman
• B/T: L/R
• Not drafted
• Has been in the organization since 2006
• Hit .314 in 118 games for AA Tennessee in 2009
• Hit .292 in 7 VWL games this winter
• My prediction: Will start the year at AAA

Kevin Millar

• First baseman
• B/T: Right
• Signed to a minor league contract with the Cubs earlier this month
• More info on him in from my Feb. 1 post
• Great clubhouse guy
• Won a World Series ring in 2004 with Boston
• My Prediction: Will make the big league roster and serve a bench role on the Cubs

Chad Tracy

• 3B/1B/OF
• B/T: Left/Right
• Signed a minor league contract with the Cubs late last month
• Will look to earn a spot on the club in Spring Training
• Click here for more info from my Jan. 27 post
• My Prediction: Will be released by the Cubs before the start of the season

Josh Vitters

• Third baseman
• B/T: Right
• Drafted by the Cubs in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2007 June draft
• Rated #3 prospect in the organization by Jim Callis of Baseball America
• Puts the ball in play a lot
• Hit .284 over 120 games split between High A Daytona and Class A Peoria
• Hit .353 in 16 Arizona Fall League games this offseason
• My prediction: Will start the year at AA

Tomorrow I'll have a full roundup on all the latest on the Cubs!

Levine's Chat & Miller on ESPN 1000

Chat'n with Bruce
Earlier this week, on Tuesday, Bruce Levine hosted his weekly chat over at ESPNChicago.com. Here's the recap:

• Xavier Nady could be the "diamond in the rough" that pays dividends for the 2010 Chicago Cubs.
• At this point, the Cubs don't really have the money for Heath Bell and are more likely to look at Luke Gregorson.
• Adam Kennedy has been on the radar for awhile, but money is an issue.
• Chad Tracy will compete with Hoffpauir and Millar for the 24th or 25th spot on the roster.
• At this point, trades and minor league contracts are the only things the Cubs can do.
• Starlin Castro is going to get his shot to be the Opening Day short stop. Lou Piniella and his staff will decide in Spring Training if Starlin is ready.
• Levine thinks the Cubs' defense will be improved in 2010, because Kosuke is an upgrade over Bradley in right while Byrd is an upgrade over Kosuke in center.
• Ryan Theriot is the Cubs second baseman of the future.
• John Smoltz is still out there, but at age 43, he may have nothing left to bring.
• Ownership is taking a "wait and see approach" in 2010.
• Ryan told Bruce at the Cubs Convention that he will gladly move to second base to make room for Castro at short.
• Andrew Cashner could get called up to the bullpen at some point this year.
• Cashner could be tossed into the late inning mix if someone goes down, but for now he will start in the minors.
• All indications are that Ted Lilly is on track and will be ready to throw in Spring Training.
• Sam Fuld could make the team over Tracy or Millar because of his speed and defense.
• The Cubs are not thrilled about the direction Theriot's arbitration case has gone.
• A Luke Gregorson for Angel Guzman swap was mentioned by Levine once again.
• Castro is not a patient hitter at this point, but he bring five tool possibilities down the line.
• There have been rumblings of the Cubs trying to extend the contracts of Lee and Lou.

Kevin Millar with Waddle & Silvy on ESPN 1000

• Millar is already in Mesa getting some work in.
• He came up as a third baseman and loves that position. He wants to prove he can play 1B, 3B, and OF.
• Kevin enjoys coming off the bench in the National League because you have a good chance to get in the game each night.
• Millar understands that a lot of people look at stats, but he pointed out that he will also bring out leadership qualities and World Series Winning experience.
• He was a teammate of Derrek Lee and Ryan Dempster in Florida.
• Kevin wants to only worry about the things he can control.
• He thinks he can bring a lot to a clubhouse in addition to being a right handed bat off the bench. "Team chemistry is NOT overrated," he said.
• The experience of overcoming the curse in Boston could help Millar in Chicago. The 2005 Red Sox didn't care about everything people said. They just believed they could win the game each night.
• "This whole curse still isn't funny. It's not the love-able loser thing any more," Millar said.
• He thinks that Jim Hendry has done a great job bringing in some good guys this winter. Kevin expects it to be a different situation.
• At this point, he had not had a chance to talk with Lou Piniella, but Millar is looking forward to playing for Sweet Lou.
• Millar seemed like a very friendly, down to earth guy. Personally, I'm rooting for him to make the club.

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

Mid Week Roundup: Dawson's Cap, Cubs Spring Training, Adding to the Bench, and More

A lot has been going on this week around the word of the Chicago Cubs, so let's dive right into it!

Dawson to Enter Hall An Expo
As first reported early this morning by Fred Mitchell of the Tribune, Andre Dawson will enter the National Baseball Hall of fame as a Montreal Expo. The Hawk played 11 years in Montreal, but some of the most memorable years of his career were while sporting blue pinstripes. Andre said at the Cubs' Convention that he would prefer to enter as a Cub, but the Hall makes the final decision. While many Cub fans believe that Dawson should have been granted his wishes, Phil Rogers supports the Hall's decision. He will join Gary Carter as the only players to wear Expo hats on their plaques. Andre told Mitchell that he is disappointed by that decision.

Cubs To Stay In Mesa
It's official. The Chicago Cubs, as expected, made the announcement today that they will keep their Spring Training home in Mesa. Ricketts confirmed the deal to stay in the valley of the sun during an announcement at Arizona Capito today. Cub camp has been located in Arizona since 1952. A proposal that includes 100-plus acres called Wrigleyville West is possible. The Cubs decision is to stay, but this is dependent on a November referendum of voters in Mesa.

Nady Signs With Cubs (Pending Physical)
As posted yesterday, the Cubs are close to adding Xavier Nady to their outfield mix. Nady missed most of 2009 due to Tommy John surgery. The phsical that Xavier has to take could be more than a minor obstacle because of his recent health issues.

Cubs Ink Tracy to Minor League Deal
The Cubs have signed former Arizona D'backs' infielder Chad Tracy to the mix for bench spots in Spring Training. Chad has agreed to a minor league deal that includes an invite to big league camp. Here is some info on Tracy:

• Full Name: Chad Austin Tracy
• B/T: Left/Right
• Drafted: in the 7th round of the 2001 amateur draft
• MLB Debut: April 21, 2004
• Teams: Arizona (2004-'09)
• 2009 Stats: In 98 big league games, he hit .237 with a .306 OBP, 8 HR, and 39 RBIs.
• Career Batting Average: .280 over 6 big league seasons
• Age: 29
• Career Games by Position: 3B (654), 1B (260), RF (47), DH (8), LF (7)

Cubs Avoid Arbitration with Marshall

Cubs' left handed hurler Sean Marshall has agreed to a 2010 contract with the club. The two sides will avoid arbitration. However, the Cubs still have two arb elgible guys that need to be locked up or else they will go to a hearing: Ryan Theriot and Carlos Marmol. Gordon Wittenmer tweets that Marshall will get $950,000 this year. Sean will compete for a spot in the starting rotation this spring.

Sheets Signs With Oakland

The Oakland Athletics have signed Ben Sheets to an $8 million deal. Sheets had been on the Cubs' radar, and many fans think the rehabbing righty would have been a nice add to our rotation. Jon Garland has signed a $4.7 million deal with the Padres, so you can scratch him off the Cubs' list as well.

Notes from Bruce Levine's Chat

Here's the link to Bruce's full chat from Tuesday, and I'll fully recap all the Cub info we gained right here:

• Nady could overtake Kosuke as the starting right fielder, but unless the Cubs get another top of the order hitter it is unlikely that Fukudome will be benched.
• Levine guesses that Milton Bradley will ask to leave the state of Washington by fall.
• Prior management were the ones who dictated large, free agent signings to Hendry. Because of this, the Cubs do not have the money to add a starting pitcher.
• Levine shockingly stated that he'd put his money on Ryan Theriot to be the Opening Day second baseman, with a good shot for Castro to make the team out of Spring Training.
• Lou Piniella loves offense. If the Cubs' struggle to score runs early in the season, Nady will be given a chance in the starting lineup.
• Rick Ankiel did not sign with the Cubs because they couldn't promise him regular playing time after adding Marlon Byrd.
• The Cubs are out of money at this point, and any other deals will most likely be trades.
• Jim Hendry will now turn his attention to the bullpen. A deal with San Diego for Luke Gregerson seems like a possibility.
• Anything Carlos Silva does for the Cubs will be a bonus.
• Even if Castro makes the team, putting him at the top of the order would be too much pressure for a 20 year old rookie.
• Nady can play first base, so Hoffpauir could be on the bubble. Sam Fuld's status may also be affected by the signing.
• Chad Tracy could be a plus because he is a left handed bat, and it is only a minor league contract. He may steal Hoffpauir's spot on the roster.
• Jeff Gray and Esmalin Caridad will be in the mix as right handed set-up men, but Levine thinks Gregerson or Frasor would be better.
• Strikeouts remain a problem for Hak-Ju Lee, but he is certainly on the fast track to the big leagues right now.
• The Cubs do not have the money to sign Chan Ho Park.
• Brett Jackson should be playing in the majors at some point.
• The Padres have interest in getting Angel Guzman in return for Gregerson.
• Guzman has a great arm and good stuff, but injuries are an issue.
• Lou's future with the Cubs depends on the first couple months of this season.
• Levine likes Randy Wells and his attitude. Wells is still eager to prove he belongs as a starting pitcher in the big leagues.
• More announcements regarding improvements to Wrigley Field are expected to come in the near future.
• When/if Lilly, Ramirez, and Lee leave, the Cubs will have $60M to spend on other guys.
• Luke Gregerson could close if Marmol has a wild spell this season.
• Josh Vitters is at least a year away.
• The Ricketts family really love Derrek Lee. It is possible that he will sign an extension during the season.
• Ryan Dempster will not return to closing in any situation. The Cubs are paying him to be in the rotation.

And lastly, former Cub Rich Hill has signed minor league deal with the division rival St. Louis Cardinals. The deal includes an invite to Spring Training in Florida.

That's it for now, but we'll see if the business of this week continues! I'll keep you posted!

Cubs Close on Second Move of the Day

Bruce Levine reports that the Cubs will announce tomorrow that they've signed former D'backs infielder Chad Tracy to a minor league deal. Earlier, the Cubs inked Xavier Nady, scroll down for more on that.

Here's the link to Levine's post.

I'll update with more later.