Reviewing Week 1 of the Cactus League

A week of Cactus League play is in the books. It is great to see and hear baseball action from beautiful Arizona. Regardless of how good the team is expected to be, there is something special about baseball on the North Side of Chicago during the summer. Spring Training is the annual prelude to Opening Day.

The team finished the week with a record of 3-3 through the first six spring games. Two rounds of roster cuts have already been made. Here is a list of the players headed back to minor league camp early.

C Micah Gibbs
RHP Dae-Eun Rhee
RHP Marco Carrillo
RHP Trey McNutt
INF Jonathan Mota
OF Jae-Hoon Ha

The Cubs spring training roster now stands at 57 players.

Yesterday Cubs fans had the chance to see baseball on the television for the first time this season with White Sox broadcasters doing the first Crosstown Showdown game of the year on WGN-TV. Today Len Kasper and Bob Brenly make their 2012 debut on WGN-TV for today's game against the Brewers in Maryvale, which can also be heard on WGN Radio.

Former Cubs star Aramis Ramirez is in the lineup for the Brewers today, hitting cleanup. Dale Sveum is managing against his former team for the first time. Ryan Dempster will pitch for the Cubs, battling ninth in the lineup and becoming the first Cubs pitcher to take some at-bats this spring. Geovany Soto is in the Cubs lineup for the first time today after missing the first six games with a groin injury. Here is the complete starting nine.

David DeJesus, RF
Reed Johnson, LF
Starlin Castro, SS
Bryan LaHair, 1B
Geovany Soto, C
Ian Stewart, 3B
Darwin Barney, 2B
Tony Campana, CF
Ryan Dempster, P

Here is a look at the week ahead.

Sunday @LAD 2:05 CT, WGN-TV, Matt Garza
Monday VS Cin 3:05 CT, WGN Radio, Paul Maholm & Jeff Samardzija
Tuesday @San Francisco 3:05 MLB.com, Chris Volstad
Wednesday VS Milwaukee 3:05 MLB.com, Randy Wells & Travis Wood
Thursday ss VS Arizona 3;05 MLB.com; @Colorado 3:10
Friday VS San Francisco 3:05 MLB.com
Saturday ss @Oakland 3:05; VS Texas 3:05 in Las Vegas
Sunday March 18 ss VS CWS 3:05 MLB.com, VS Texas 3:05 in Las Vegas

Other news and notes from this week-

• Catcher Jason Jaramillo has been out with sore legs. His chances of making the team have dwindled because of the injury, so the backup catcher's job could come down to Welington Castillo and Steve Clevenger.
• Welington Castillo, Paul Maholm and Casey Coleman have all advanced to the final four in the bunt tournament. The final spot will be determined by a matchup between David DeJesus and Starlin Castro.
• Carrie Muskat mentioned in her inbox this week that Randy Wells does have one minor league option left. Jeff Samardzija and Marcos Mateo are both out of options, so they would have to clear waivers in order to be sent to Triple-A.

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

Previewing the Cactus League Opener

Today, the Chicago Cubs return! All winter long, we've waiting for the return of baseball. Spring Training play finally starts today for the Cubs at 2:05 CT against the Oakland A's at HoHoKam Park. Expectations are low for the team this season, but the great thing about baseball is that you never know for sure what is going to happen.

Rodrigo Lopez will be on the mound for the Cubs today. Here is the rest of the Cubs lineup in the order of today's batting order. Geovany Soto is out with a groin injury and could miss the first week of Cactus League play.

1. Alfonso Soriano, LF
2. Ian Stewart, 3B
3. Starlin Castro, SS
4. Bryan LaHair, 1B
5. Marlon Byrd, CF
6. David DeJesus, RF
7. Jeff Baker, DH
8. Darwin Barney, 2B
9. Welington Castillo, C

Pitchers expected to work in today's game
Rodrigo Lopez
Carlos Marmol
Dae-Eun Rhee
Rafael Dolis
Lendy Castillo
Marcos Mateo

Today's game will be broadcast on Cubs.com and MLB.com for free with Len Kasper and Mick Gillispie. Cubs.com will air most Spring Training games that cannot be heard on WGN-720. Pat Hughes and Keith Moreland will have their first broadcast of the year tomorrow.

Here is the Cubs schedule for the rest of this week along with broadcast information and starting pitchers.
Monday VS Oakland 2:05 WGN Radio, Ryan Dempster
Tuesday VS Colorado 2:05 WGN Radio, Matt Garza
Wednesday @Kansas City 2:05 WGN Radio, Jeff Samardzija
Thursday VS Seattle 2:05 MLB.com, Chris Volstad
Friday @CWS 2:05 MLB.com
Saturday @Milwaukee 2:05 WGN-TV, WGN Radio

Yesterday the Cubs tied in a five-inning intrasquad game 3-3. Brett Jackson hit his second home run in as many scrimmages. Jay Jackson pitched three scoreless frames and did not allow a base runner. Joe Mather took Trey McNutt deep in the fourth inning, while left hander Chris Rusin surrendered the long ball to Jackson. Tony Campana displayed his speed stealing two bags, one after it appeared that he was picked off.

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

Weekend Quick Hits: Wells Activated, Coleman Sent Down, Lopez to Start & More

Lots of news and notes... let's jump right in!

• Randy Wells has been activiated from the disabled list. He will make his second start of the season today against the Pirates, with the first pitch coming up at 12:05.


• In a surprising move, the Cubs have elected to send Casey Coleman down to the Triple-A Iowa instead of letting him remain in the rotation until Matt Garza's return.


• Newcomer Rodrigo Lopez will move into the rotation and start on Monday against the Reds. He was originially expected to be a swingman in the bullpen, but instead he will join Wells, Zambrano, Dempster and Doug Davis in the starting five.


• According to a tweet from Carrie Muskat, Marlon Byrd looks much better. Swelling has gone down.


• Today's Cubs outfield has a different look, with Louis Montenez starting in right field and Tony Campana in center. Reed Johnson and Jeff Baker are both dealing with nagging injuries.


• Geovany Soto went 0-for-3 in his first rehab apperance at Double-A. He will make his first start tonight. If all goes well, he could rejoin the Cubs on Monday.


• Brett Jackson is rehabbing with the Mesa Cubs. After that work is complete, he will rejoin the Tennessee Smokies. Word is that he is not that far away from being able to play in the bigs.


• Last year's number one pick, pitcher Hayden Simpson, is currently pitching at Class-A Peoria. Oneri Fleita told Bruce Miles that he removes the radar guns when Simpson pitches because he does not want him worried too much about speed.


• The Cubs have 40 total errors this season, the second most in MLB.


• Bruce Levine points out that Doug Davis has not been the answer for the Cubs. He's 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted as the Cubs try to push through these injuries!

Cubs Add Lopez to Pen Mix

The Cubs have added another arm to their pitching corpse. Rodrigo Lopez has been acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Braves. In return, the Cubs send minor league hurler Ryan Butcher. Lopez inked a minor league deal with the Braves before this season and was 6-1 with a 2.59 ERA at Triple-A.

Lopez will be added to the Cubs active roster and used as a swingman out of the pen. He is expected to join the team tomorrow. Justin Berg has been send down to Iowa to make room on the roster. Lopez will join the team on Friday.

Randy Wells will be activated to start Saturday's game against the Pirates. The Cubs still have two starters on the DL (Cashner and Garza), so both Davis and Coleman will remain in the rotation for now. We'll wait and see which one is removed once Garza returns.

The Cubs will have to send down another pitcher, most likely Scott Maine, to make room for Wells. Geovany Soto is expected to return soon, so Welington Castillo will also go back to Iowa as the Cubs slowly get healthier.

The Cubs have just two days off between now and the All-Star Break. In addition, on June 28 they will host the Giants for a day/night twin bill. Hopefully the weather will allow the Pirates to get three full games in this weekend.

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

Off Day Chatter as the Injuries Pile Up

First of all, sorry about the lack of blogging that has occurred throughout the month of May. I've had a very busy schedule and unfortunately this blog ends up getting shortchanged. I plan to slowly but surely return to more regular blogging. By the first or second week of June, we will be in full swing with everyday posting throughout the summer.

For now, let's take a look at the lengthy list of injuries that are plaguing the Cubs.

• Marlon Byrd was hit in the face in a scary moment during Saturday's Cubs/Red Sox games. He has been placed on the 15-day DL to recover. Reed Johnson will have to pick up the slack and receive regular playing time in centerfield. Tony Campana will see an increased role as the now fourth outfielder. Byrd's roster spot was filled by an extra pitcher, but the Cubs could decide to add a fifth outfielder this week. Lou Montanez was scratched from the Iowa Cubs game today and there is a rumor that he will be called up.



• Top centerfield prospect Brett Jackson is currently dealing with an injury of his own, so he is not an option.



• Geovany Soto has been sidelined with a groin injury. Soto is expected to come off the disabled list in the next week. In his absence, Koyie Hill has seen much of the playing time and continued to do very little at the plate while committing several errors in the field. Weligton Castillo received the nod behind the dish on Sunday and was charged with catcher's interference.



• Andrew Cashner suffered a major setback and is expected to be out most of the summer. He is shut down once against, pretty much starting over in his rehab process.



• Randy Wells is on the road to a return. He pitched in a rehab start for Iowa yesterday and everything went fine. He could return to the rotation as soon as next week. The Cubbies need him back as they their fourth and fifth starters have struggled.



• James Russell received another emergency start on Sunday as Matt Garza went down with the latest injury. Team physicians were to exam Garza's elbow today. The Cubs hope he will return for his next start.



• Jeff Baker was the latest to be bit by the injury bug when he strained his left groin during Sunday's game. There is no word on how severe his injury is.

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

Rain Out Theatre

Today's game between the Cubs and the Giants at Wrigley Field has been postponed due to rain. The contest will be made up as part of a day/night double header on Tuesday, June 28. Those with tickets for today's game will receive tickets for the 1:20 game on the 28th and the scheduled game will take place under the lights. To entertain you on this rain Sunday, let's catch up on some Cub-related nuggets.

• The Sun Times has reported that Tyler Colvin could be headed for the minors. With Reed Johnson and Kosuke both playing well, there may not be room for Colvin, who is hitting just .113, to get much playing time. Blake DeWitt was in the starting lineup in left field for today's game before it was called.


• Geovany Soto suffered a groin strain on injury and was placed on the DL. He will head to Mesa to work out while the Cubs are on their next road trip.


• The Cubs game on June 19 at Wrigley against the Yankees will start at 7:09 on ESPN as the Sunday Night Baseball game.


• Justin Berg was optioned to Triple-A Iowa yesterday to make room for Doug Davis, who pitched five strong innings in his Cubs debut.


• Mike Quade has announced that with today's rainout, Carlos Zambrano and Matt Garza will pitch the two games in Cincinnatti. Ryan Dempster and Casey Coleman will work the two games in Florida Wednesday and Thurday. Doug Davis will pitch the opener against the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.


• All seven games on the upcoming trip are under the lights. There will be six straight 6:10 starts before the 7:10 ESPN game on Sunday night in the series finale with the Bo-Sox.


• Randy Wells will pitch a rehab start in Peoria on Tuesday night. Bruce Miles reports that he could be activated to pitch for the big league club on Sunday night. Randy worked an extended spring game last week, click here for Arizona Phil's recap.


• Last night was the Cubs first rain shortened game since the Cubs 6-1 five inning win over the Pirates in May 2009. It was also the first Saturday night game at Wrigley in 13 years.


• If the Cubs send down Colvin, they will like add an extra outfielder from Triple-A Iowa. Lou Montenez is hitting .369, Tony Campana .339 and Brad Snyder checks in at .308. Fernando Perez, who lost out on the final outfield spot to Reed Johnson in spring training, has struggled all season long and has an average of just .202.


• Top prospect Brett Jackson, who is an outfielder as well, is currently out with a finger injury.

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

Soto Hoping to Bounce Back

Among the many Cub hitters hoping to return to form after a down season is young catcher Geovany Soto. The right handed hitting Soto saw a climb in his average in 2010 after a terrible sophomore slump in '09, but his season ended early due to an injury. A right shoulder issue cost Geo a 15-day trip to the DL in August and then the rest of his season when he underwent surgery in November.

Soto hit .280 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs last season. After hitting fifth in 2009, he spent most of 2010 in the bottom part of the batting order. If he can stay healthy most of the season, Soto should match his numbers from his Rookie of the Year 2008 season, when he hit .285 with 23 homers and 86 runs batted in.

The Cubs backstop saw a huge dip in his production in 2009, when he hit just .219. Geo's defense is solid, but he has trouble throwing out runners that try to steal. He caught just 22% of men that attempted to run on him last season, and that number is expected to become even smaller after his surgery. Soto is an underrated piece to the 2011 Chicago Cubs.

His success is just as critical as that of Pena, Soriano and Ramirez. If the Cubs can get bounce back years from at least three of those four sluggers, they will have a chance to compete in the Central. They also need Marlon Byrd, Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin to continue to provide stability to the lineup. The starting eight that Mike Quade will run out there on a daily basis has a lot of potential, but there are also a lot of question marks.

Geovany lost 20 pounds prior to the start of 2010 and has done a good job keeping the weight off. If it weren't for the injury, his number last season would have been better than his 2008 stats. Entering his fourth full season as a big leaguer, Soto has only had one down season. He could be a better bet to produce than veterans like Ramirez and Soriano. Geo could become a mainstay in the Cubs middle of the order. He is expected to hit seventh to start the season, but he could move up to fifth if he hits well to start the season.

Levine's Latest Before the Snow

Here's the latest from Bruce Levine's popular weekly chat, which takes place every Tuesday over at ESPNChicago.com.

• Jay Jackson has a live arm and could make the club out of Spring Training.
• Bruce thinks the White Sox have a better chance at the playoff than the Cubs "at this point."
• The Cubs have no plans to switch Sean Marshall to the rotation. James Russell will be given a chance.
• Starlin Castro leading off for the Cubs is within the realm of possibility. Baker, Kosuke and DeWitt are other candidates.
• The Cubs will continue to be one of the slowest teams in the majors.
• The Cubs will not trade Geovany Soto, but if they are having another bad season Carlos Marmol could be dealt.
• Levine does not think Samardzija has been handled very well.
• Bruce does not expect a sophomore slump out of Starlin Castro. He should be much improved on defense.
• If Aramis Ramirez plays well, the Cubs will consider picking up his $15 million option. Otherwise, they'll have to pay a $1 million buyout.
• Mark Riggins is a new voice but he has lots of experience. Bruce expects him to be a good fit.
• The Cubs see Brett Jackson as their leadoff man and center fielder of the future.
• The consensus in the organization is that Trey McNutt has more upside than Chris Archer.

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

Series Preview: Cubs VS Nationals

The Chicago Cubs will look to rebound after an embarrassing 16-5 defeat in Sunday's rubber match against the Braves. The Boys in Blue are now 51-74, 21.5 game behind the first place Reds. A new era of Cubs baseball begins with this series in Washington D.C.

Lou Piniella announced before yesterday's game that it would be his last as a big league manager. Sweet Lou had to step down earlier than expected in order to tend to his sick mother in Tampa, FL. He said it would be unfair to continue to leave the team and come back, so since it was his last year anyways he went ahead and stepped down.

Lou had a fantastic managerial career but he did not go out the way he had hoped. Third base coach Mike Quade will have a tall task ahead as he takes over as skipper for at least the rest of 2010. All eyes will be on the dugout tonight the new interim becomes the 51st manager in the history of the Chicago Cubs.

Quade and Ryne Sandberg are the two candidates that Jim Hendry has announced for the 2011 opening. Bench coach Alan Trammell will not receive consideration and will most likely leave the team after this season. Ivan DeJesus, who was the Cubs first base coach, will take over Quade's job at third for the rest of the year. Bruce Levine reported last night that minor league roving instructor Bobby Dernier will join the team as the first base coach, but that has not yet been confirmed. Matt Sinatro is also a candidate to take over at first for now.

The Washington Nationals are not in much better shape than the Cubs. They are 53-71 going into this set. The Nats had a decent first half, but they've gone down hill since and now reside in the basement of the NL East. They are 20 games behind the first place Braves.

Washington was blanked in the final game against the Phillies on Sunday 6-0. Ex-Cubs manager Jim Riggleman has not been able to get the job done this season. Third base coach Pat Listach will also receive a lot of attention from the media during this series. He is a former Cubs minor league manager at Triple-A Iowa and has expressed interesting in coming in as Lou's successor next season.

After the Cubs leave town at head for Cincinnati, the St. Louis Cardinals will come to Nationals Park looking to regain the top spot in the Central. This is the Cubs first trip to our nation's capital of the year, but they did host the Nats back in April. The Boys in Blue won the first game, but Washington battled back to win the next two.

Young phenom Stephen Strasburgh will not pitch in this series, but the Cubs will see a familiar face in Jason Marquis on Wednesday. Washington first baseman and free agent to be Adam Dunn could receive a look from the scouts in this set, as the Cubs could be looking for a new first baseman this winter.

Unless of coarse, Jim Hendry is happy with Tyler Colvin's play at first. Colvin sat out most of the weekend at Wrigley in order to take grounders at first base and is expected to debut there during this series. However, Colvin is in tonight's early lineup in right field.

Perhaps Quade and his staff were not happy with Tyler's play at first, because Micah Hoffpauir has been called up for tonight's game, according to a tweet from Gordon Wittenmyer. Geovany Soto is also expected to be activated from the disabled list and in the starting nine tonight. The club will have to make two corresponding moves, so most likely Sam Fuld and Welington Castillo are both headed back to Triple-A without getting much of a chance during there time with the team.

Perhaps the Cubs will pull off an Oriole-like win streak under a new skipper.

Let's just go get a win!

Catching Up Quick Hits: Rotation Switch, Sori Resting, Injury Updates and More

• Casey Coleman will make his first big league start in on Wednesday. He will take Thomas Diamond spot in the rotation. Diamond will switch roles with Coleman and head to the bullpen.
• Alfonso Soriano was out of the lineup for two games this weekend, but he just go two days off because of the heat. He returned on Monday night.
• Darwin Barney got his first career hit on Monday, a double in his first at bat at Wrigley.
• Barney was starting at shortstop in place of Starlin Castro, who got a much needed day of race after playing three games in the heat in St. Louis.
• Ron Santo returned to the broadcast booth Monday night. He missed the last road trip to rest up, but says he plans on going on the next road trip. The Cubs visit Washington D.C. and Cincinnati next week.
• Derrek Lee is out with a bulging disc in his back. He left Sunday's finale against the Cardinals after he had already launched two home runs on the day. D-Lee was heating up with four bombs in the three game set. He is expected to return on Thursday.
• Geovany Soto is expected to take batting practice tomorrow. He could return from the DL as soon as next Sunday.
• Carlos Silva is expected to begin a minor league rehab program soon.
• Oneri Fleita joined WGN Radio's David Kaplan on Monday. He said that Chris Archer, Brett Jackson, and Josh Vitters will all be in the Arizona Fall League in Mesa this October. Vitters, who is rehabbing from a broken hand, will see time at first base and third base.
• Bruce Levine reports that Padres bench coach Ted Simmons is interested in the Cubs managerial opening. The search for a new manager could go all the way up to the team's organizational meetings in November.

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

Series Preview: Cubs VS Giants

The Cubs are headed back to the West Coast, where they will meet the Giants late tonight. The Cubbies offense has done nothing lately, and they will face very good pitching in the next seven games.

Four in San Fran starts tonight for a team that is coming off a 1-5 homestand and a sweep at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds. The Cubs come in at a new low water mark for the season, 17 games under .500 at 47-64. They are in fifth place, 16.5 back of first and 0.5 back of fourth. The Boys in Blue have dropped nine of their last ten.

The Giants come in after losing three of four in Atlanta in a big series this weekend. Tonight they will start a stretch of seven straight at AT&T Park, where they host the Cubs and the Padres this week. It will be an important week for San Francisco, because they are two games back of San Diego for the top spot in the NL West.

A 63-49 overall record puts the Giants atop the Wildcard standings in the National League. They will look to catch the Pads down the stretch, but at the same time they're trying to fend off the Phillies and Cardinals in the Wild Card race.

This series will be the first one between the two teams this season! This is the Cubs only trip to the Bay Area all year but the Giants will come to Wrigley September 21-23. The two teams haven't seen each other since a few Cactus League battles back in March.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who's having a tough summer personally and professionally, will not be with the team for this series. Sweet Lou's mother is in the hospital and he will head to Tampa, Florida to take care of her. He hopes to rejoin the team in St. Louis. For the time being, Alan Trammell will serve as the acting manager once again. Tram will get another chance to get his first W of the year after going 0-3 when Lou left the team for his uncle's funeral.

The Giants have couple of former Cubs farmhands on their roster in pitcher Todd Wellemyer and outfielder Andres Torres. Manager Bruce Bochy hopes his team can take advantage of the slumping Cubs and win this series before battling the first place Padres this weekend.

WGN Radio broadcaster Ron Santo has been skipping many of the Cubs road trips lately in order to stay healthy. Santo is a 70 year old type 1 diabetic. Dave Otto will join Pat Hughes on the broadcasts in San Fran.

Carlos Zambrano will make his return to the rotation tonight. Big Z hasn't made a start since the late June game against the White Sox where he exploded in the dugout on his teammates and ended up suspended for three games and then placed on the restricted list. Since then, Zambrano has undergone treatment from doctors, minor league rehab outings, three big league relief appearances, and is finally set to return to the rotation.

Both teams are expected to have their regular catchers back in the lineup on Monday. Buster Posey of the Giants received Sunday's game off but did pinch hit in the 9th. Geovany Soto missed the games on Saturday and Sunday due to a mild ligament sprain in his right shoulder.

Game 1: Monday at 9:15 CT
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Carlos Zambrano, RHP (3-6, 5.61 ERA)
Giants Starting Pitcher: Madison Bumgarner, LHP (4-4, 3.20 ERA)
TV/Radio: CSN+/WGN Radio

Game 2: Tuesday at 9:15 CT
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Ryan Dempster, RHP (9-8, 3.76 ERA)
Giants Starting Pitcher: Tim Lincecum, RHP (11-5, 3.15 ERA)
TV/Radio: WGN-TV/WGN Radio

Game 3: Wednesday at 9:15 CT
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Tom Gorzelanny, LHP (6-6, 3.51 ERA)
Giants Starting Pitcher: Barry Zito, LHP (8-6, 3.35 ERA)
TV/Radio: CSN/WGN Radio

Game 4: Thursday at 2:45 CT
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Randy Wells, RHP (10-5, 4.37 ERA)
Giants Starting Pitcher: Matt Cain, RHP (9-9, 3.06 ERA)
TV/Radio: WGN-TV/WGN Radio

Have the Cubs hit rock bottom yet?

Let's play the role of spoilers!

Catching Up Quick Hits: Soto & Colvin Rest, Lou & Ronny Skip San Fran, The Next Manager, and More

Here's the latest from Wrigleyville:

• Geovany Soto sat out the final two games against the Reds because of a ligament sprain in his right shoulder. He is expected to return to the lineup on Monday night.
• Tyler Colvin was also given two straight days off, but Carrie Muskat reports that it was just a breather and not an injury for the Cubs rookie.
• The Cubs used four rookie pitchers on Sunday, the most they've tossed in one game since September 30, 2006. Thomas Diamond, Casey Coleman, James Russell, and Mitch Atkins all worked on Sunday. Five Cubs rookies pitched in that '06 game- Juan Mateo, Jae-Kuk Ryu, David Aardsma, Angel Guzman, and Les Walrond.
• Lou Piniella left for Tampa, FL to be with his mother after Sunday's game. Lou's mom has been hospitalized, so he'll miss the series with the Giants. If everything is well, Piniella will return in St. Louis. Alan Trammell will take over in Lou's absence. It's the second time in the past month that Sweet Lou has had to leave his club for a family reason.
• Carlos Silva, who's been out with a heart issue, has been doing some throwing. The Sun-Times reports that he will undergo another cardiac test on Monday.
• John Grabow, disabled with a sprained left knee, is headed for Mesa, where he is expected to pitch on Monday. He will continue his rehab at AAA-Iowa or AA-Tennessee and could return in time for the team's next homestand, which starts a week from Monday.
• The Cubs are expected to bring up some more prospects from Iowa soon, especially if waiver trades are made. "I think you'll see some other guys," Jim Hendry told the media.
• Bruce Miles reports that Tyler Colvin will stay in the outfield and Derrek Lee will remain the starting first baseman the rest of the season.
• Ron Santo if feeling fine, but he has been skipping many of the Cubs road trips lately in order to stay healthy. Ronny will not go on the trip to San Fransisco or St. Louis. Dave Otto will fill in on WGN Radio with Pat Hughes.
• The Cubs have played 39 one run game this season, the most in the bigs. They have a terrible 13-26 record in those contests.
• Bruce Levine reports that Jim Hendry will interview more than 15 candidates for the open managerial position.
• Ryne Sandberg, Pat Listach, Fredi Gonzalez, Joe Girardi, Bob Brenly, Ted Simmons, Alan Trammell, Joe Torre, Larry Rothschild, Bobby Valentine, Eric Wedge, and Chris Speier are all possible candidates.
• Carlos Zambrano is expected to throw 75-80 pitches in his return to the rotation tomorrow night against the Giants.
• The Tribune reports that the Cubs might make their first ever trip to Fenway Park for an interleague series May 20-22, 2011.

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

Off Day Notes Two Days Before the Deadline

Saturday is the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline, and the futures of many of the Cubs are still in the air. Let's get all the latest updates as the Cubs take a day off before starting a series with the Rockies tomorrow night.

• Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee rejected a trade to the Angels yesterday. He used his 10 and 5 rights (10 years in MLB, 5 with the same team) to block the trade. Lee says this is a family decision and he plans to stay with the Cubs the rest of the season.
• Geovany Soto is expected to return to the lineup tomorrow night after missing Wednesday's game with a foot injury.
• Cubs No. 1 draft pick in 2007 Josh Vitters is out with a broken hand. He has been having a rough year at the plate with the Tennessee Smokies. Vitters could play in the Arizona Fall League in October.
• The Twins are unlikely to acquire Ted Lilly according a tweet from Jon Paul Morosi of FOX.
• The Mets are still in Lilly, but Ken Davidoff doesn't see it happening.
• The New York Post reports that you can "forget about the Mets dealing for Lilly".
• The Dodgers are one team that appear to still be in the mix for Teddy.
• Peoria Chiefs manager Casey Kopitzke will be at the helm for the Mesa Solar Sox of the AFL.
• Check out all of the minor league news in my Down on the Farm Report over on the CCO.
• Jon Heyman tweets that the Mets asked for Tom Gorzelanny, but the Cubs don't want to trade him.
• Ted Lilly says that it is evident that he would prefer to stay in Chicago for the future.
• Carlos Zambrano will rejoin the Cubs in Colorado tomorrow night. Brian Schlitter is expected to be sent down to make room on the roster, but Bobby Howry could be let go.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted as we approach the deadline.

Series Preview: Cubs VS Seattle

Tomorrow night the Cubs will return to action to battle the Seattle Mariners in the first of a three game interleague set. The off day today came at a perfect time for the club to rest up after dropping six of the last seven series. On Sunday, the bats showed some signs of life in a 12-1 stomping of the L.A. Angels to avoid the weekend sweep at Wrigley.

Geovany Soto was the only Cub to homer yesterday launching his eighth dinger of the year. It was good to see Geo go deep, but it was also good to see the Cubs finding some other ways to score some runs. Carlos Zambrano helped his own cause with a run scoring single and got his first win at Wrigley since last July. Z went seven innings and allowed only one run to improve 3-5 overall on the year. Despite the fact that the game was already in the bag, Andrew Cashner and Carlos Marmol got their work in pitching the eighth and ninth respectively. Neither man surrendered a run. Derrek Lee drove in four runs and Marlon Byrd, who was hitting lead-off doubled twice.

The Seattle Mariners are not having a fun 2010 campaign either. They are just 28-41, which puts them in last of four teams in the AL West and 13 game behind first place Texas. The M's have played decent ball at Safeco Field where they hold an 18-17 mark.

The Mariners also have an off day today. They are in the midst of a four game winning streak including a sweep of the Reds this weekend to kick off their six game homestand. They are also in the middle of 15 straight games against NL opponents.

Seattle has several former Cubs on its roster, most notably controversial outfielder Milton Bradley. The Ex-Cubbie is hitting just .215 with 6 homers and 25 runs batted in. He will be swamped by his old pals from the Chicago media all series long. Luckily for him, Bradley does not have to go back to Wrigley to face the Cubs' faithful, which he has publicly ripped since departing from the North Side. Pitcher David Aardsma is also with the Mariners. Aardsma was a piece in the Cubs bullpen during the forgettable 2006 season before they shipped him to the White Sox in the Neal Cotts trade. The only reason David will be remembered by Cubs fans is because his last name comes first alphabetically on the list of all the players in Cubs history. Garrett Olson is another familiar name on the roster. Olson has never appeared in a game in the blue pinstripes, but he was a Cub for a short time during the 2008-2009 offseason. Garrett came over from Baltimore in the Felix Pie deal but was sent to Seattle along with Ronny Cedeno in the trade that netted the Cubs reliever Aaron Heilman.

These two clubs don't exactly have a long history of playing one another. They've played a total of six games (three in Chicago, three in Seattle) most recently at Wrigley in 2007. The Cubs took two of three in '07 and in '02 when the clubs met in Seattle. Every year, they face off during Spring Training games. This spring, they played only one Cactus League game against one another... a 1-0 Cubs win in Peoria on March 28.

This series will be a homecoming for manager Lou Piniella, who led the M's from 1993 to 2002. The Mariners made four postseason appearances during his tenure including 2001 when they won 116 regular season games.

Cubs' legend and radio broadcaster Ron Santo decided not to make the trip to his hometown. Ronny, who's 70 years old and has already had several health scares this season, is feeling fine and just wants to stay back to rest up. He will rejoin the Cubs when they play at U.S. Cellular Field on Friday. Santo plans to cut back on his travelling because of his health. Dave Otto will fill in for this series.

Third baseman Aramis Ramirez is expected to come off the DL at some point during this series. Rami finished his rehab stint in Peoria 1-6 with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Gordon Wittenmyer reports that the Cubs will activate Aramis, who was hitting just .168 before going down with the thumb injury, prior to Wednesday night's game. The Cubs will have to make a corresponding roster move... which means Chad Tracy could be in danger of being sent back to Iowa once again.

Game 1: Tuesday at 9:10 CT
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Ryan Dempster (5-5, 3.67 ERA)
Seattle Starting Pitcher: Jason Vargas (5-2, 2.88 ERA)
TV/Radio: CSN+, WGN Radio

Game 2: Wednesday at 9:10 CT
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Randy Wells (3-5, 4.92 ERA)
Seattle Starting Pitcher: Cliff Lee (5-3, 2.55 ERA)
TV/Radio: WGN, WGN Radio

Game 3: Thursday at 2:40 CT
Cubs Starting Pitcher: Carlos Silva (8-2, 3.01 ERA)
Seattle Starting Pitcher: Felix Hernandez (5-5, 3.39 ERA)
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN Radio

The Cubs are embarking on a six game road trip, but after the three in the Pacific Northwest they will be right back to the city of Chicago to play the South Siders. They are 31-38, 7 games out of first, and in third place in the NL Central. The bottom line: The Cubs are much in need of a series win... and against last-place Seattle a sweep would not be too much to ask for.

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

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!

Weekend Quick Hits: Colvin to Get More Playing Time, Lee Says He's Staying, and More

• Lou Piniella is "fed-up" according to Paul Sullivan. He may bench Kosuke and Geovany Soto in order to get Tyler Colvin and Koyie Hill in the lineup everyday.
• Today's report is the Lou is not "benching" Kosuke, but he is going to try to get Colvin in the lineup on an everyday basis. As Piniella points out, Tyler can play all three outfield spots.
• Ryan Dempster pitched well in the first month but then had a tough month of May where he went 1-4 with a 4.54 ERA. Demp is on the hill tonight.
• The Cubs and the Chicago Fire have begun talks to bring a soccer game to Wrigley.
• Derrek Lee is staying a Cub. He has no desire to leave the organization, and says that any trade rumors are inaccurate.
• Moving Alfonso Soriano back to the lead-off spot is not being considered.
• Randy Wells will pitch tomorrow and Carlos Silva has been moved to Monday.
• The Cubs are taking a longer and better look at Jeff Samardzja's stuff at AAA-Iowa before promoting him again.
• Carrie Muskat reports that the Cubs would liked to see Ryan Theriot show some more patience at the plate.
• Andrew Cashner and Jeff Stevens have both been pitching very well.

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

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!

4 Games in 2 Days for the Cubbies

It's a busy weekend for the Chicago Cubs with a total of 5 games, one each day that is on TV. Yesterday the Cubs took on the Brewers in Maryvale while the other half of the team played in Las Vegas against the White Sox. Today, the Cubs have two more game, which we'll preview later in the post.

Brewers 12, Cubs 3
Yesterday it was almost like a day-night double-header since the first game, which started at 2:00 CT, was available for listening on MLB.com and the second game, starting at 9, was on TV. It was a great day of baseball to see a lot of guys in the organization. In game 1, Jeff Samardzija took the hill against Milwaukee in Maryvale. He struggled through 2 innings, giving up 2 longs balls and a total of 4 ER on 5 hits and a walk. One of the homers the Shark allowed was to former Cub Jim Edmonds, who's with the Brewers on a NRI.

Marcos Mateo's wildness cost the Cubs in the 5th when he gave up 5 ER, 5 BB, and 2 H. Mateo, who's the brother of former Cub Juan Mateo, still has an outside chance of making the team as a reliever, but he'll have to bear down the rest of the way. Rafael Dolis got his first appearance of the spring and surrendered 2 ER in 1.1 IP.

Most of the Cubs also had bad days at the plate. Starlin Castro went 0-3, Alfonso Soriano 0-1, Bobby Scales 0-2, and Koyie Hill 1-2. The most concerning story of the day was that Derrek Lee was scratched from Lou Piniella's lineup just before the start of the game. Lee has a bruise on his foot after fouling a ball off it Thursday. He could be back in the lineup today. Brian LaHair, who took Lee's place, went 0-4.

There were some positives in the Cubs' blowout loss at the hands of their division rivals. Tyler Colvin went 2-3, which actually lowered his beastly average to .556. Colvin had a triple against Doug Davis. Aramis Ramirez ripped an RBI double. James Aducci also had a 2-bagger, one of two hits for the young outfielder on the day. John Grabow allowed 2 hits in his inning and an error lead to an unearned run. Grabow didn't look bad and was able to get out of it with minimal damage. James Russell, who's hoping to catch the eye of Lou and his staff, still has an ERA of 0.00 after working around 2 hits and a walk today in 1.2 innings.

Because of the Split Squads, there were a number of guys from the minor league camp that got the chance to dress for the major league games. Jeremy Papelbon faced 2 men, one singled but the other was retired. Second baseman Logan Watkins singled in his only AB. Blake Lalli, Junior Lake, Nelson Perez, Smaily Borgues (who?), and Brandon Guyer all also got into the game. All of them recorded outs in their only ABs.

Cubs 6, White Sox 5
Last night the rest of the Cubs team took the field against the White Sox in Las Vegas at Cashman Field, which is the home of the Pacific Coast League's LV 51s. Tom Gorzelanny, another guy competing for a spot in the rotation, took the mound. Despite one bad inning, Gorzo out-pitched Samardzija by far yesterday. He pitched 3 innings and did not allow a hit, but 3 second inning walks and a wild pitch accounted for a White Sox run against him. Allan Trammell (acting manager) and Lester Strode (acting pitching coach) couldn't have been happy watching 3 straight walks and a wild one, but overall Tom pitched well. Ryan Theriot reached base 3 times out of the leadoff spot with a single and pair of walks. Kosuke was 0-2 but walked twice. Kevin Millar, who was the cleanup hitter, also went 0-2 with 2 walks. He was gunned downed trying to score on a tag play to end the first inning. The Cubs did score 2 runs in the frame before it was ended on the play at the plate.

Geovany Soto and Mike Fontenot also had big games. Fontenot went 3-4 with 2 RBIs, while Geo was 2-3 with a walk. Thomas Diamond allowed only 1 baserunner in his two scoreless innings of work to keep his ERA at 0.00. Sam Fuld has not hit well in Spring Training yet. He dropped a couple of almost-nice plays in foul territory to go along with his 0-5 day at the plate. Fuld's average dipped to .143. Jeff Baker got his first hit of the Cactus League, going 1-4 with an RBI. Xavier Nady (0-3) struck out twice.

After Diamond, the ball was turned over to some minor league hurlers. The Cubs had a 4-0 lead after 5, but that evaporate quickly when Jay Jackson gave up 3 ER in 0.2 IP. Mitch Atkins would come in to get out of that inning, but not before he allowed a base hit that brought in 2 of the runs that were charged to Jackson. The Cubs' bats went back to work in the top of the 7th, scoring 3 more runs. Hung-Wen Chen put a zero on the board in inning number 7. Brian Schlitter, a righty whom the Cubs acquired in the Scott Eyre deal several years back, allowed a run in the 8th to make it 6-5. Blake Parker walked 2 in the 9th to make it interesting, but he was able to get out of it to notch the save.

The only extra base hit for the Cubs was a triple by Josh Vitters, part of the 7th inning rally, that plated 2. DJ LeMahieu, the second round pick from '09, singled in his only trip to the plate.

Today's Games
Today, the Cubs have another split squad. In Las Vegas, they will look for the 2 game sweep of the White Sox at 3:05 CT. Ryan Dempster will pitch against Lucas Harrell. Sean Marshall will make his first start of the spring when the Cubs face the Reds, who are the newest members of the Cactus League, in Mesa. Marshall has pitched better than any of the other 3 rotation options at this point, so we'll see if he can keep it up. Today's game in Mesa is at 2:05 CT, but after the time change here tonight all the rest of the Spring Training games will start at 3:05 central. The game in Vegas will be on CSN with White Sox announcers, while the game against the Reds is available on MLB.com's Gameday Audio package.

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

Spring Training Preview: The Starting Position Players

Aramis Ramirez- 3B
Rami is coming off a season in which he was held back by a shoulder injury that occurred on May 8 diving for a ground ball down the third base line in a game against the Brewers. Aramis has been productive since coming to Chicago in 2003, with an average of exactly .300 over that time span. The loss of the cleanup man for a significant period of time would hurt any club, and the lineup was not the same without Aramis, especially with Soriano, Bradley, Soto, and Kosuke struggling. A healthy 2010 is critical for the club, because without A-Ram the Cubs batting order would be like a doughnut (hole in the middle). He worked hard in his home country of the Dominican Republic this winter, but we'll see if it pays off.

Ryan Theriot- SS
Theriot became the first Cub to go to an arbitration hearing since Mark Grace in 1993. He lost the hearing and had to settle for the amount of money that the Cubs were offering him, $2.6 million, which would not be considered a loss for most Americans. Ryan and the club appear to be on the same page once again, and The Riot will turn his focus to trying to keep his job as the starting short stop. He is going into this season with something to prove, because top prospect Starlin Castro is waiting in the wings. There was talk this winter of Theriot moving to second base to make room for Castro at short, but Lou Piniella has said that Ryan is his short stop for now. However, the Cubs' skipper says he would feel comfortable with Starlin as the starting SS if an injury were to occur to Ryan. Theriot will hit somewhere at the top of the order, but it is still up in the air whether he will lead off or bat second.

Derrek Lee- 1B
Ask any member of the team who their leader is, and they won't hesitate before saying Derrek's name. Lee is the calm, cool, and collective type, who leads by example. He doesn't fight teammates, scream at umpires, or complain about the media; but instead just acts professional and takes care of business. D-Lee was one of the only regulars who did not have a down year in 2009, hitting .306 with 35 long balls (his most since his stellar '05 year). The 2009 season was Derrek's third base numbers wise in his 13 year big league career, just behind '05 and '07. In addition to his bat, Lee helps the team on defense saving countless base runner and picking up his teammates when he scoops throws out of the dirt. Derrek is in the last year of his contract and would like to stay with the team beyond this season, but doesn't want those talks to distract from the task at hand.

Geovany Soto- C
After being named the NL Rookie of the Year in 2008, things went downhill for the young Cub catcher in 2009. Soto's suffered from several injuries and other distractions, which resulted in a .218 batting average and a drop in games played. Geo has admitted that he was overweight last season, and he took it upon himself to change that over the winter. Geovany dropped 40... count 'em 40... pound over the offseason mostly through diet along with some exercise. The new, slim downed Geo does not have to deal with playing in the World Baseball Classic this spring as he did in '09, so he will have plenty of time to get his work in in Cactus League games to get ready for what we hope will be a bounce back year. Soto will probably fit in somewhere in the bottom part of the order, but if he hits to his potential he could end up batting 5th or 6th.

Alfonso Soriano- LF
Alfonso Soriano was a major factor in the Cubs' 98 win 2008 season, but then he scuffled through an awful 2009. He hit .241 with just 20 home runs (his lowest total in that category since 2001) before being shut down in September with a knee injury. Sori's knee is feeling better, despite the fact that he did not run 100% on it this offseason. His days as a lead-off man are now behind him, and the sixth spot in Lou's lineup could have his name written all over it. He cannot afford too many slumps at the plate because he is already a minus defender in left. New Cub hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, who worked with Alfonso in Texas, could help him return to 2008 form.

Marlon Byrd- CF
Last offseason, the Cubs major acquisition was an outfielder signed as a free agent from Texas with the initials M.B. This year, the Cubs major addition is inking a free agent outfielder from Texas with the initials M.B. However, that's as far as the similarities between Milton Bradley and Marlon Byrd go, as Byrd is a very positive and team oriented guy. Marlon is a very good friend of Jaramillo, as both spent time together with the Rangers and now are happy to come to Chicago together. A familiar face should help make the transition to a big market club a little easier. On the field, Byrd is a right handed on base guy, who's power numbers were up in 2009. Marlon is also expected to help the Cubs defensively in the outfield, but he does not have the range of Sam Fuld or Reed Johnson.

Kosuke Fukudome- RF
Kosuke was pretty much just there in 2009. He did not play very well, but there were so many Cub hitters slumping that he did not receive as much attention as he did in 2008, his first year in Major League Baseball after starting his baseball career in Japan. Kosuke's '08 and '09 seasons were very similar, but hopefully now he has fully adapted to life and baseball in the states. The Cubs do have many other outfield options, so if he goes in any elongated slumps, he could find himself limited to platoon or bench duties. Kosuke's defense is expected to be better this year, because he moves back to right field, where he played in his first season with the Cubs. Kosuke is more comfortable in right than in center, where he moved last year to make room for Milton Bradley in right. Kosuke will hit either first or second in the lineup to start the year, and has a chance at beating out Theriot for the coveted lead-off role. The Cubs had a better record in 2009 when he was atop the lineup than they did with Soriano or Theriot, so maybe that stat will be taken into consideration by Piniella.

Mike Fontenot- 2B
Fontenot excelled as a bench player in 2008, earning him the right to take over the job as the starting second baseman when Mark DeRosa was shipped to Cleveland last winter. However, "Little Babe Ruth" scuffled all year in '09, hitting just .236 with 9 home runs. Due to his struggles as the every day man, there is a chance that Fontenot will be moved back to part-time duty. He will have to go out and earn the job in Spring Training again this year. He has also been taking ground balls at short stop, so he may end up being Theriot's backup as well.

Jeff Baker- 2B
Second base is the only position on the diamond that is up for grabs. Fontenot's main competition for the starting job will be Jeff Baker, who the Cubs acquired from Colorado last summer due to the struggles of Fontenot and Aaron Miles. Baker hit .305 in 69 games after the trade, catching the eye of Cubs' brass. Baker will also serve as a backup to Aramis Ramirez at third, something the Cubs lacked at the start of last season. Just because you got a few good months out of the guy doesn't mean he should be penciled in as a starter, so Lou Piniella will let Baker and Fontenot "battle it out" this spring.

Sometime before Cactus League play begins on Thursday, I'll wrap up our Spring Training Preview series with Part 6- the bench. This post will cover all other position player on the 40-man roster!

The Cubbies Come Out of Hibernation

It's official, pitchers and catcher have reported to Spring Training in Mesa, Arizona! Their first workouts will take place tomorrow. Today, however, lots of news, interviews, and rumors have been spreading, so let's jump right in.

Lilly Update
Cubs.com reports that Ted Lilly is targeting a return by Opening Day. Ted went for for a long run with Ryan Dempster today and felt pretty good. He also tossed lightly on the side with coach Allan Trammell. Lou Piniella is not as optimistic as the lefty, predicting a return between April 15 and May 1. Also, Lilly would like to stay with the Cubs beyond 2010, but he doesn't want that to be a distraction.

Cubs Tax
A lot has been made of the "Cubs Tax" that the state of Arizona would like to put in place. If this goes through, all fans will have to pay a tax on their Cactus League game tickets to help keep the Cubs in Arizona. Even if the Cubs are not playing in the game, this tax would be enforced. Obviously, most other teams are opposed to the idea, and the D'backs and White Sox have been especially vocal.

Soto on Steroids?... No Chance
With the sudden weight loss this winter of Cubs catcher Geovany Soto, some speculated that this could be a result of Geo using steroids before. Soto told Paul Sullivan that these rumors are ridiculous, as he was just fat before, and now stuck to a work out program this offseason. Soto reported to camp early, working out with new hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo yesterday. He was one of 40 Cubs to report early to Fitch Park.

Less Attention, More Focus
Chicago Cubs Spring Training will get much less attention from the national media than it did each of the last 3 years, as the Tribune pointed out. A laid back camp could be a good thing for the team, as it will allow them to spend more time practicing and less time and energy answer questions. There are few new faces to be seen, so this group of guys already knows each other pretty well.

Early Injuries
There are just two pitchers that will be slowed down at the start of camp, Jeff Gray and Angel Guzman. Bruce Miles reports that Gray, who was acquired from the A's in the traded that sent Jake Fox the other way, has a mild groin strain. Guzman had arthroscopic knee surgery two weeks ago, but he will be ready to go by the end of the spring.

Hearing Time
At this point, going to arbitration with short stop Ryan Theriot seems inevitable. According to Cubs.com, Jim Hendry will leave tomorrow for Florida, where the hearing will take place either Friday or Saturday. Levine chimes in that the date is set for Friday. The Cubs have a good history of avoiding these hearings (this is the first since 1993), but they are trying to save some money that could be used to help the bullpen. Should be interesting.

Theriot's Role
Starlin Castro will get a lot of playing time in Spring Training games, but Lou is planning on going with Ryan as the Opening Day shortstop. Also, Theriot will be the Cubs primary leadoff man, with Kosuke hitting second.

Rotation Battle
Another Cub to report early was Jeff Samardzija, who really wants to be a starting pitcher in the big leagues. The Shark will have to battle with Tom Gorzelanny, Carlos Silva, and Sean Marshall for what most likely will be only one spot, with Lilly returning shortly after the start of the year. Marshall figures to end up as a swing man, but the Cubs do feel he deserves a chance to earn the job. Gorzo has experience in the rotation, while Samardzija struggled when given the chance last year. He has his work cut out for him.

Greg Maddux has reported
Another pitcher who reported to the Cubs today was Greg Maddux, only this time he will not be taking the hill. Thanks to TCR for this one- Lary Rothschild will most likely be around as Cubs pitcher coach as long as Jim Hendy is the team's GM. Therefore, fans that would like to see Greg in the dugout coaching may have to wait until after the Hendy era comes to a close.

The Message
Piniella's message to this year's time is, "Let's get back on top." He is hoping to add another 10-12 wins to what the Cubs did last year. Rudy will work with Lou's hitters every morning at 10:00 according to Bruce Levine.

Hill with Cardinals
Former Cubs pitcher Rich Hill signed a minor league deal with St. Louis this offseason that included an invite to Spring Training. Hill has impressed pitching coach Dave Duncan. Could this be another Duncan/LaRussa success story?

Levine's Latest

Mr. Chicago Baseball started his busy few days by joining Waddle and Silvy yesterday to talk baseball:

• Bruce is getting a lot of questions about what can be expected from Carlos Zambrano. Big Z and Dempster are keys to this team with Harden gone, Lilly down, Wells young, and a handful of question marks in the mix for the rotation as well.
• Levine thinks the Cubs are due a new ballpark.
• The Cubs add 4,000 people a game to every road game, so they make money for the other teams. Bruce doesn't like the idea of "Cubs tax" but they are very important to all of the teams in the state.
• You can't depend on Spring Training results, because you are not going up against all major league players.

Bruce stopped by the Afternoon Saloon on ESPN 1000 yesterday as well:

• Yesterday Rudy Jaramillo had 12 guys swinging for the first time. Marlon Byrd and Geovany Soto are among the "early bird" hitters.
• Levine hopes that Soto did not lose his power with his weight.
• Alfonso Soriano is the player that Lou Piniella is most concerned about going into this season.
• Sori was so out of his swing and "clueless" last year, that he really needs to recover and be a productive 5 or 6 hole hitter.
• Derrek Lee may get more rest this year. Xavier Nady plays some first, and he will be the backup to Derrek.

Busy Bruce hosted his weekly chat on ESPNChicago.com yesterday:

• Chad Tracy, Micah Hoffpauir, and Kevin Millar are have different strengths and weaknesses, but he thinks there will only be a spot on the roster for one of them.
• Somehow the Cubs must figure out their bench, because a solid bench is needed to win. Sam Fuld could play a role.
• There may be some questions Felipe Lopez's character, so teams may not want him even for a minor league deal.
• Some starting pitcher will have to step up.
• To make it to the World Series, the Cubs are going to need bullpen help and a healthy Ted Lilly.
• Jeff Gray has a shot to make the bullpen. Levine called him a "young version of Bobby Howry".
• The Cubs are very interested in Chan Ho Park. If they win Theriot's arbitration case, they may have a better chance of going after him because of the money gained.
• Castro may not be around to the middle of the season or later, maybe not even until next year.
• 15 or 16 wins from Zambrano will satisfy Z and the team. They are looking for quality innings.
• If the Cubs don't have any injuries, they have a good shot in the Central. However, this is unlikely, and that's why a strong bench is important.
• Jake Fox couldn't hit the breaking ball, and that was part of the reason for the trade.
• Tyler Colvin most likely will not break camp with the team. Because he is a left handed bat, if an injury should occur, he may get the callup.
• Sean Marshall is still looked at as more of a bullpen guy.

Rogers on Mully and Hanley

Phil Rogers joined Mully and Hanley on 670 the Score today to talk some baseball:

• Rogers has suggested that the Cubs may be the 3rd or 4th best team in their division.
• He doesn't think they really have any top level starters. Lilly's injury is a big concern, Z is a question mark, Dempster had one good year, and the back end of the rotation is not set.
• Phil doesn't think there are very many teams that the Cubs defense is that bad. It is in the middle of the pack.
• He is excited about seeing Starlin Castro play. Castro came out of the blue and is a total mystery. He will most likely not make the club on Opening Day, but he could be called up mid-season.
• Castro at short would really help the team's defense.
• Carlos Marmol would be "Mitch Williamsy" type closer, who gets himself in and out of trouble. Carlos will make the fans nervous, but he has enough stuff to pitch around his wildness.
• A bigger question mark is the bullpen in front of Marmol. Lou has not done a great job letting guys develop roles in the 'pen the last few seasons.
• The Cubs really haven't gone out and gotten proven guys to make the relief core better.

That's it for a busy first day of Spring Training! I'll keep you posted!