Breaking News: Howry Signs With Cubs

With the struggles of the Cubs bullpen this season, Jim Hendry has finally added a veteran arm. However, Bobby Howry might not be what most Cubs fans were hoping for.

Howry has signed a one year deal with the Cubs and will earn the league minimum of $410,000. Bob will join the team tonight in Texas for the first interleague game of the year. He was released by Arizona earlier this week.

To make room on the active roster, Justin Berg was sent to AAA-Iowa. David Patton has been DFA'd to make room on the 40-man roster. Patton was the Cubs' Rule 5 Draft Pick in December 2008 and was kept on the 25-man roster (or DL) for all of the 2009 season, but the Cubs' are giving up on him. Patton had a 5.23 ERA in 7 games at Class-A Daytona this season.

This was the second adjustment made to the bullpen this week after Jeff Stevens was called up on Wednesday. Esmalin Caridad has returned to the DL. His new injury is a right elbow strain.

Here are some notes on Howry, who will be used in middle relief:

• B/T: Left/Right
• Drafted: By the Giants in the 5th round in 1994
• Has played with the White Sox, Red Sox, Indians, Giants, and D'backs.
• 10.67 ERA in 14 games before being released by Arizona this season.
• Went 4-5 with a 3.17 ERA in 2006, his first and best year of his first stint with the Cubs.
• Remained a Cub until signing with the Giants after the '08 season.
• 36 years old

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

Sunday Morning Quick Hits: Grabow's Injury, Gorzo's Help, and More

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! Let's hope the Cubs can go get a win for you against the Reds at 12:10!

Now, let's take a look at all of the latest Cubs news and notes:

• Esmalin Caridad has been activated from the DL. To make room for him on the roster, Jeff Gray was sent to AAA-Iowa.
• John Grabow went back to Chicago yesterday to have an MRI on his left knee. No damage was revealed. Piniella thinks the knee injury has contributed to John's recent struggles. Grabow will get a few more days of rest.
• Starlin Castro is the first player in history to drive in six runs in his MLB debut. Castro also became the sixth player in franchise history to hit a home run in his first career at bat.
• According to Cubs.com, Carlos Silva's neck was feeling better on Saturday afternoon. He complained of soreness prior to his start on Friday.
• Lou Piniella thinks that Jim Hendry made a good move by calling Castro up on the road. It is easier adjust to the big leagues when there's not 41,000 fans at Wrigley.
• Mike Fontenot hit his first career Grand Slam on Friday night. He will still be used as the Cubs' backup short stop, because Lou doesn't want to mess with moving Theriot back and forth between second and short.
• Mike was frustrated when he heard the news that he had been benched.
• There were reports that Aramis Ramiez will not listen to hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, but Rudy told Paul Sullivan that the slugger has not resisted help in any way.
• David Kaplan and Fred Mitchell report that Tom Gorzelanny is having more success this year becuase he has become very close to Greg Maddux. The two talk regularly and text daily. After each start, they break down Gorzo's performance.

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

Numbers Breakdown: The Cubs Bullpen

Esmalin Caridad is on the road to recovery, which means one Cubs reliever will be sent to AAA. The Cubs have a lot of candidates who have been riddled by inconsistency, but let's take a look at the numbers and see who should be sent down.

2010 ERA
Carlos Marmol: 0.66
Sean Marshall: 2.40
Justin Berg: 3.27
James Russell: 3.86
Jeff Gray: 6.14
Carlos Zambrano: 6.29
John Grabow: 8.38
*Note: Caridad's ERA in 4 games before the injury was 18.90.

So there's no doubt that Grabow should be the one removed from the pen, but since he cannot be sent to AAA, Gray will most likely get sent down. James Russell has been nothing special, so he could be sent down as well if there is someone else to be called up.

Here are a list of candidates based on ERA in Iowa:
Blake Parker: 1.46
Thomas Diamond: 1.65
Jeff Samardzija: 2.08
Jay Jackson: 2.31
Mitch Atkins: 3.00

Either Diamond or Parker should be called up!

Remember, the number's don't lie!

Mid Week Quick Hits: Dawson, Colvin, the Bullpen, and More

• Andre Dawson took a tour of the Hall of Fame the other day. Dawson says he's pretty much done with his HOF speach already.
• Esmalin Caridad pitched a scoreless rehab inning at AAA Iowa. He will work again tomorrow and then the Cubs will decided whether or not he is ready to come off the DL.
• Carlos Silva is dealing with a wrist injury but he will still make his scheduled start on Friday. Silva is only in pain when he swings the bat, not when he pitches.
• The Cubs have reitterated the fact that Carlos Zambrano's bullpen duty is not limited to the 8th inning. We could see him sub for Marmol in the 9th from time to time.
• Alfonso Soriano has homered in each of his last four games. If he goes deep on Wendesday night in Pittsburgh, Sori will tie a franchise record. Hack Wilson, Ryne Sandberg, and Sammy Sosa are the only men who have 5-game home run streaks in Cubs history.
• Derrek Lee and Alfonso Soriano will both be hitting career long ball number 300 sometime soon. With Alfonso's shot tonight both now stand at 297.
• Carlos Marmol's ERA is 0.71. Wow.
• Before Sunday's game, Cubs relievers had allowed no runs in 7 of the last 9. A huge turn around for a bullpen that was really struggling before the addition of Big Z.
• Tyler Colvin has not been getting that much playing time because of the fact that all of the Cubs' outfielders are swinging hot sticks.
• Now that the Cubs' bats have come around, everyone is jumping on the Jaramillo ban wagon.
• Cubs GM Jim Hendry says that Starlin Castro will join the Chicago Cubs at some point this season. Hendry is talking with Ryan Theriot about a possible position change according to Bruce Levine.
• Matt Capps told Gordon Wittenmyer that he was pretty close to becoming a Cub.

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

Sunday Night Quick Hits: The Bullpen, The Outfield, Spring Training, and More

• Aramis Ramirez sat out today's series finale against Arizona. Lou Piniella says that Aramis' bat is coming around so the Cubs want to make sure they rest him properly.
• The whole team will take the day off tomorrow before opening a road trip in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.
• At some point this season Carlos Zambrano may be used as the closer when Carlos Marmol is unavailable.
• Esmalin Caridad is coming along well. His next step will be to get into some rehab action with AAA-Iowa. Caridad is expected to join the I-Cubs on Tuesday and be back with Chicago within a week.
• When Esmalin returns to the Cubs bullpen, someone will have to be sent down. Jeff Gray, James Russell, and Justin Berg are all candidates.
• Russell and Ryan Dempster were among the Cubs who attended the Hawks game on Saturday night. The Blackhawks lost Game 1 of their series 5-1. James has tossed out the idea of the Cubs taking BP in hockey jerseys if the Hawks win the Stanley Cup.
• Piniella likes the fact that he has lots of outfield depth. Right now, it's been hard to get Xavier Nady playing time because Kosuke, Colvin, Byrd, and Soriano are all swinging the bat well.
• Soriano has already matched his April home run total in the month of May. There have only been 2 games so far this month, but Sori went deep a total of 4 times in the series against the D'backs.
• The All Star Game fan voting is already underway! Be sure to vote for your favorite Cubs over at http://www.cubs.com/.
• Marlon Byrd writes on the his blog that he thinks we are finally seeing the impact Rudy Jaramillo has made on this offense. "It takes time," he said.
• Tom Gorzelanny may have been the best 0-3 pitcher in baseball. He finally got a "W" today.
• According to the Sun-Times, we shouldn't count Florida out for Cubs' Spring Training just yet.
• Carlos Silva has a mild wrist injury, so he'll get an extra day of rest before his next outing.
• Happy birthday to former Cubs front office guy Jay Blunk, now with the Hawks!
• Don't forget to vote on our poll on the right sidebar!

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

End of the Week Roundup: Castro, Kosuke, Caridad, and More

Castro on the Way Up?
Bruce Levine of ESPN has reported that Starlin Castro's promotion to the big leagues is just around the corner. It's undetermined at this time when he'll be brought up and he could spend some time at AAA first. Assistant GM Randy Bush is currently with the Tennessee team evaluating.

Sasaski Likes What He Sees
Kosuke Fukudome's hitting coach has seen some encouraging signs from his pupil this season. Kyosuke Sasaski and Rudy Jaramillo agree that Kosuke needs a more compact stance. Sasaski thinks Fukudome will finish the year hitting over .300. Kosuke hit his first MLB Grand Slam today in the Cubs' 13-5 loss to Arizona.

Caridad to Rehab
Rookie Esmalin Caridad will pitch in the Cubs' Extended Spring Training game on Saturday in Mesa. The one inning of rehab will be his first outing since going on the DL with a forearm issue.

Theriot and Ramirez Heating Up
Even though Aramis Ramirez's season numbers are down, as Carrie Muskat points out he has hit safely in the last six games. Ryan Theriot has been red hot, hitting .488 during his current 9 game hit streak.

Links, Links, Link

• Rudy Jaramillo talks about what is going on with the Cubs at the plate.
• Lou is unsure if Zambrano enjoys his new role.
• My Cubs Down on the Farm Report over at the CCO.
• Recap of today's EXST game from Arizona Phil.

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

Pitching Shuffle: Z to the Pen, Lilly Returns, Shark to AAA, and More

Samardzija Sent to AAA
Yesterday the Cubs had to make a roster move to make room for Ted Lilly on the active roster. 90% of you that voted on our right sidebar agree with the move to send Jeff Samardzija to Iowa. Jeff went 0-1 with an 18.90 ERA. He will join the I-Cubs bullpen.

A Pair of Debuts
Last night was a big night for the Cubs' pitching staff. It was like adding two new pitchers to the staff without making a transaction. Carlos Zambrano made his first relief appearance of the year. Before taking the hill, Z delivered a pinch hit sac fly at the plate. Then allowed a walk and 2 hits in the 8th which led to a Brewer run, but he was able to work out of the inning. The new addition to the starting rotation was lefty Ted Lilly, who started the year on the DL. Ted surrendered just one run on three hits in 6 innings of work in his season debut at Miller Park. The Cubs won the game 5-1.

Lead-off Situation
Paul Sullivan reports that Lou Piniella is happy with Ryan Theriot leading off. Marlon Byrd led-off a game against a left handed pitcher last week, but don't expect to see him there every time a southpaw is on the mound. Pineilla would rather have one set lead-off guy than a platoon.

Not Him Again
With Milton Bradley back in Chicago to face the White Sox this weekend, his name has been appearing all over Chicago newspapers and websites. Bradley told CSN on Friday that he was misunderstood on the North side of Chicago and mentioned that race could have played a factor in the way he was treated. Bradley describe himself as a non-violent, non-threatening nerd. He is hitting just .167.

Caridad's Progress
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Esmalin Caridad is expected to come off the DL by the end of next weekend. He is rehabbing at Fitch Park in Mesa.

Zambrano Won't Go Back to Back
The Cubs will not be using Carlos Zambrano again today. Since Z is used to pitching every fifth day, Piniella wants to wait until he has three or four relief appearances under his belt to use him on back to back days. Expect to see Carlos on the hill "about every other day." Having Big Z down there allows the Cubs to use the bullpen better.

Byrd Gets Day Off
Marlon Byrd leads the club in RBIs and is red hot, but he sat out today's series finale against the Brewers. The Cubs are trying to rotate their outfielders so that everyone gets some rest. In addition, this allows them to use rookie Tyler Colvin more. Tyler got the nod in center field today.

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

Monday Roundup: 3 Straight Losses, Lineup Changes, Rotation Decisions, and More

Lineup Tinkering
Tonight the Cubs tried out their new lineup that will take the field against left handed hitters. The changes didn't pay off as the Cubs hitters scored just 1 run in a 6-2 loss. Here is the Cubs new look batting order VS LHP:
1. Marlon Byrd, CF
2. Jeff Baker, 2B
3. Derrek Lee, 1B
4. Xavier Nady, RF
5. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
6. Alfonso Soriano, LF
7. Geovany Soto, C
8. Ryan Theriot, SS

Santo Out Sick
Cubs WGN Radio color man Ron Santo missed the game at Wrigley on Friday and Saturday because of a heart problem that led to a trip to the hospital. Santo was back at the ballpark on Sunday and was feeling a lot better. However, he did not make the trip to New York to play it safe. Ronny is not much of a fan of New York anyways. Keith Moreland will join Pat Hughes for all four games in this series.

Lilly Set to Return
Ted Lilly worked 7 innings and gave up just 1 run to lead Class A Peoria to a 2-1 win in his final rehab start before he makes his 2010 Cubs debut. They lefty is schedule to go at Miller Park next weekend.

Soriano Drops Hop
Alfonso Soriano is planning to get rid of his signature hop. He has finally relized that this makes is handed to catch the baseball. Let's hope this helps his defense improve!

Caridad to Extended Spring Training
Esmalin Caridad will head out to Mesa to work with the Cubs Extended Spring Training team on a rehab assignment. Esmalin is on the 15-day DL with a right forearm issue.

Big Z to the Bullpen
Gordon Wittenmyer tweeted early that Lou Piniella has left the door open for one of his top 3 starters to leave the rotation when Lilly returns. At this point, sending Wells or Dempster to the bullpen would not make sense, so Gordon speculated that Zambrano could be moved to the pen. Most likely, either Carlos Silva or Tom Gorzelanny will lost their rotation spot. Gorzo threw on Monday for the first time since being removed from Saturday's game after being nailed with a liner.

Bullpen Struggles
When Lilly is activated, the Cubs will have one pitcher too many. Jeff Samardzija has been pitching poorly and could be in jeopardy of losing his bullpen job. Jeff Gray could also be sent back to AAA Iowa. If Gorzelanny is sent to the bullpen, the Cubs may want to keep four right handers so James Russell may be shipped out.

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

Catching Up Quick Hits: Soriano, The 8th Inning, and More

Let's catch up on all the Cubs news and notes from this week!

• The Cubs lost today but won 2 of 3 against the Brewers in the first home series of the year.
• The 1-8 Astros will be in town starting tomorrow.
• Derrek Lee returned the the lineup today after missing some time with a thumb injury. He launched his 100th career home run at Wrigley Field before being thrown out of the game after a called third strike call in the 7th.
• Today was Jackie Robinson Day in Major League Baseball. All players, coaches, and umpires sported number 42.
• Yesterday the Cubs placed right handed pitcher Esmalin Caridad on the DL with a forearm strain. Jeff Gray was called up from AAA-Iowa and looked rocky in his Cubs debut.
• Ted Lilly's rehab starts in Iowa have gone well. He could return to the rotation sometime after April 23.
• The 8th inning has continued to haunt the Cubs. Carrie Muskat reports that Lou will continue to call on Marshall and Grabow for setup duty, and he may not use a right hander.
• Carlos Marmol says he's up for pitching 2 innings, but the Chicago Tribune reports that the most he will be called upon for is four outs.
• Bruce Miles reported that the Cubs have threatened to bench Soriano, but the Chicago Tribune says that Lou denied this. Today Soriano was on the bench and Tyler Colvin was in left field, but Piniella was just "rotating his outfielders".
• Phil Rogers likes what he's seen from Andrew Cashner.

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

Mid Week Roundup: Lilly, a Bus Stop, the Lineup, & More

Today the Cubs beat the Rangers by a score of 4-1. We are now about half way through Spring Training! Let's get you caught up on Everything Cubs, starting with the highlights of today's game.

Silva Shows Improvement
Today Carlos Silva got the start in Mesa. After a disastrous first start of the Cactus Leauge, Carlos got back on track. He pitched 4 shutout innings today allowing just 2 hits. Prior to today's game, Carlos learned that his mother has obtained a 10-year Visa. She will now be able to come to Chicago to watch him pitch. With the struggles of Samardzija, Carlos actually has a decent shot of making the starting rotation. Look for a full position battles update post on the off day tomorrow.

The Rest of the Staff
Cubs pitching was good all day long. Esmalin Caridad worked 2 shutout innings and struck out three. Caridad will be given a chance to be a primary set-up man in the Cubs' bullpen. Marcos Mateo allowed the only Ranger run of the day by surrendering a solo homer. Mateo still looked sharp, as the long ball was the only hit he allowed in 1.1 innings. Jeff Stevens put a zero on the board in the eighth, and then lefty James Russell retired the side in order in the 9th to record the save.

Cub Hitters Today
Tracy, Fontenot, Hoffpauir, and Soto all went hitless today, but there were still some good performances at the plate. Ryan Theriot went 2-3 to boost his average .565. Tyler Colvin continued his red hot spring with a base hit in his only at bat. Xavier Nady was the star of the show with a pair of doubles driving in a total of 3 runs.

Theriot to Lead Off
Short stop Ryan Theriot has earned his spot atop the Cubs' lineup with his high batting average this spring. Lou Piniella has announced that his Opening Day start lineup will most likely look like this:
Theriot, SS
Kosuke, RF
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Byrd, CF
Soriano, LF
Fontenot, 2B
Soto, C
Zambrano, P

There is still a chance that Baker could swipe the starting second base job from Mike Fontenot, but Piniella is leaning towards 'lil Mike. Soto will start the year batting 8th, but if he shows that he is the same guy he was in 2008 he could climb in the order quickly.

Cubs Idol
In the Cubs clubhouse, the team's version of American Idol has been taking place. Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Kevin Millar, and Ryan Dempster are the panel of judges. John Gaub and Mike Parasi beat out Sam Fuld and Micah Hoffpauir in the Semi-final round of the singing today. Gaub and Parisi- both minor leauge pitchers- will battle for the title of "Cub Idol".

Middle of the Order to Return
Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, the Cubs' number 3 and 4 hitter respectively, are expected to return to the lineup on Thursday. Both have been out for a few days with some minor injuries. The team has a day off tomorrow, and then they take on the Dodgers on Thursday at 3:00 pm CT. Expect to see Kevin Millar and Jeff Baker spending some time in the outfield later this week (the Cubs may be deciding whether or not they need Hoffpauir).

Samardzija to Throw at Fitch
Jeff Samardzija will stay on his schedule by pitching on the off day tomorrow in a minor league intersquad game at Fitch Park. Jeff is slated to work about 4 innings.

Bus Breaks Down
The Cubs trip to Tuscan for a Cactus Leauge game against the Rockies went from long to LONG when the bus broke down about 45 minutes outside of Mesa on Monday. Lou Piniella and pitching coach Larry Rothschild were driving separately. The rest of the guys were forced to sit in the desert with no air conditioning for about an hour. Perhaps this lead to their loss that day.

Ted Lilly Updates
Lilly is hoping to get into some Cactus League action soon. Everything has gone according to plan so far, so Lou is hopeful that Ted will only miss 2 regular season starts. He will spend those two starts on minor league rehab. In other Lilly related news, Ted and his wife Natasha had their first child on Sunday. Their son's name? Theodore Roosevelt Lilly IV!

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

The Cubs Pull One Out

It wasn't pretty, but the Cubs got the job done today holding on for an 8-7 win against the San Diego Padres.

Most of the Cubs regulars stayed back in Mesa to work with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo instead of making the trip to Peoria. While the every day guys were getting their work in, we got the chance to see some guys who are fighting for roster spots compete.

Carlos Silva got his second Cactus League start. Coming off an awful first outing, Silva was able to bounce back with 3 scoreless innings. He really needed this strong outing today to stay in the race for the rotation. He did allow 4 hits and a walk, but managed to work around them.

The Cubs jumped right on Jon Garland early, sending him to the showers after just 1.2 innings. They chased him by scoring 2 in the first and twice more in the second. In the middle innings, the Cubs continued to add on and they felt comfortable with an 8-0 lead at the 7th inning stretch.

Then the defense fell apart. The Cubs made 4 errors on the day, and the sloppiness caused them to surrender 7 unearned runs in the final 3 innings. Jeff Stevens allowed 3 of those runs in just 0.2 innings. Stevens has a shot at making the roster, but so far has not pitched well this spring. Esmalin Caridad got rocked in the 9th for 3 runs on 4 hits. Caridad is going to be the Cubs primary right handed set-up man this season unless Hendry is able to add a piece to the bullpen.

Carlos Marmol's stuff looked sharp today as he worked a perfect 4th. David Patton and Vince Perkins both finally got into game action making their spring debuts. Patton, who made the club because of his microscopic ERA last spring, has continued his Cactus League success, while Perkins allowed 1 run. Lefty J.R. Mathes put a zero on the board in the 6th.

Chad Tracy, Josh Vitters, Bobby Scales, and Mike Fontenot all commited fielding errors today, leading to the 7 unearned runs. Fontenot did have a walk, a hit, and an RBI at the plate to help makeup for his miscue. Starlin Castro continued to live up to the hype today by going 2-3 with a solo homer, 3 runs scored, 2 RBIs, and a base on balls. Castro is hitting .571 so far in Cactus League action.

Brian LaHair and Tyler Colvin both started the game in the outfield. They had two hits a piece. Sam Fuld did not have a good day going 1-4 with 3 Ks. Catcher Robinson Chirinos hit a two run homer in the 6th inning. Josh Vitters reached base both times he came to the plate with a single and walk.

Micah Hoffpaur is another guy who has not helped his cause. He is fighting for one of the final bench spots, and is hitting just .083. He was 0-2 today.

Earlier this week, Lou used the following lineup and hinted that it very well could be the one we see on Opening Day:

Theriot, SS
Kosuke, RF
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Byrd, CF
Soriano, LF
Fontenot, 2B
Soto, C

Piniella did mention that Jeff Baker could still earn a starting job, but Jeff is hitting .000 in Cactus League play.

Time For Vegas
Lou Piniella and part of the team will stay behind to play two games in Arizona, but Alan Trammell will lead half of the squad to Las Vegas to play the White Sox twice this weekend. Tomorrow the Arizona split squad Cubs take on the Brewers at 2:05 CT. That game is not on Chicago TV or radio, but you can hear it if you have MLB.com's gameday audio package. The Vegas part of the team will take center stage in the nightcap, which starts at 9:00 CT on CSN Chicago. Jeff Samardzija will pitch against the Brewers tomorrow afternoon while Tom Gorzelanny faces the White Sox tomorrow night. The Cubs also have a split team on Saturday. Ryan Dempster will start in Vegas and Sean Marshall will get the nod against the Reds in Arizona. The Cubs will need 5 starting pitchers in the month of April, so the outings for Gorzo, Marshall, and Shark this weekend are very important as they battle for rotation spots.

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!