Pitchers & Catchers Report Tomorrow

Tomorrow Pitchers and Catcher will officially report to Fitch Park in Mesa, Arizona! Spring Training is right around the corner. Most of the Cubs have reported early to camp. Here are the latest news and notes on the eve of the official start of the 2012 season.

• Kerry Wood, Travis Wood, Darwin Barney, Geovany Soto, David DeJesus, Matt Garza and Randy Wells have all reported early to Fitch Park.
• Cubs fan Brian Pasnik is one of the finalists for the MLB Fan Cave Contest.
• Tim Sheridan's Boys of Spring Blog is a great place for pictures and updates from Mesa. Tim has already posted some great pics from the early birds working out.
• "I don't talk about that," Matt Garza said this week about the idea of signing a long term deal with the Cubs.
• Blake DeWitt will have the option of either returning to the Cubs as a non-roster invite or testing free agency if he clears waivers.
  
• For those that missed it, Kosuke Fukudome signed with the White Sox this week.
• The Cubs are STILL waiting to hear Bud Selig's ruling on the Theo Epstein compensation case.
• Patrick Mooney breaks down ten things to watch for the Cubs this season.
• According to Cubs.com, Dale Sveum is optimistic about the Cubs pitching staff for this season.
• Carrie Muskat reports that today Kerry Wood and Rodrigo Lopez threw off the mound, Rudy Jaramillo conducted early sessions in the cages, and Darwin Barney, Bryan LaHair and Josh Vitters were practicing in the field.

That's it for now, but I'll have more tomorrow!

A Look at Hendry's Worst Moves with the Cubs

On Saturday we counted down the five best moves made by Jim Hendry during his tenure as the general manager of the Chicago Cubs. Click here to read that post. As you know, not all of the moves he made were good. Now it's time to take a look at the five worst moves!

5. Signing Kosuke Fukudome... November 2007
At the time, I'll admit that I was excited about the Japanese import coming to Chicago. However, his offense sputter throughout his four season stay in Chicago. Hendry overpaid for Kosuke, giving him four years and $48 million.

4. Waiving Casey McGehee... October 2008
This move does not get that much attention, but it was the only one on this list that I knew was completely terrible the second it happened. McGehee was a promising prospect who saw some time with the Cubs during the 2008 season. He could have been Ramirez's successor at third base and learned a new spot while waiting for Rami's contract to expire. However, the rival Brewers snatched him off waivers. He had been very productive in the middle of the Milwaukee lineup.

3. Trading Nolasco, Mitre & Pinto for Juan Pierre... December 2005
The Cubs shipped three young arms to Florida to try to add a lead-off man. Pierre was lousy in his only season on the North Side, while Nolasco went on to become a quality starter.

2. Giving Alfonso Soriano 8 years... November 2006
At the time I was very excited about the Cubs picking up one of the top free agent on the market. However, this contract was way too long for an already ageing player like Soriano. The $136 million spent on Alfonso just about single handily led to the miserable 2010 and 2011 seasons. However, Soriano was a key piece to the team during the playoff runs of 2007 and 2008. Had the Cubs won a World Series it would have been worth it, so I don't blame Jim for going "all in." Note: John McDonough was the one who actually closed this deal, not Hendry.

1. Signing Milton Bradley... January 2009
While the winter between '06 and '07 was probably Hendry's best despite the Soriano contract, the 2008-2009 offseason was by far his worst. The biggest and worst move of that stretch was inking Milton Bradley to a $30 million deal. Bradley did not produce and was a distraction with his off the field antics. Bradley was the one big money signing that the Cubs literally got no production out of. During that same winter the Cubs also picked up Aaron Miles, Joey Gathright and Kevin Gregg.

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

Counting Down to the Trade Deadline

Update 3:20pm CT: The Major League Baseball trade deadline has come and gone and the Cubs were silent today. There is always an outside chance of a deal taking place that we have not yet found out about, if so we'll let you know about it.

Today is Major League Baseball's trade deadline. After 3pm Central Time this afternoon, non-waiver trades cannot be made again until after the World Series. The Chicago Cubs have already made one move, shipping Kosuke Fukudome to Cleveland for two minor leaguers. Will they make another one prior to the deadline today?

Let's take a look at some of the moves Jim Hendry has made on July 30-31 in his time as GM:

• A year ago today, Jim Hendry made a last second move, trading Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot to the Dodgers for Blake DeWitt and two prospects.




• In 2009, the Cubs sent Kevin Hart to the Pirates for John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny the day prior to the deadline.





• On July 31, 2004 the Cubs added Nomar Garciaparra and Matt Murton from the Red Sox in a four team trade. Alex S. Gonzalez was sent to the Expos in the deal.

Most of the time, Hendry has been more active earlier in the month. It does not seem like any deals are close to being completed at this time. However, there is a chance that a move could be made today. Here is that latest!

• Buster Olney tweets that the Cubs will not trade Carlos Pena today.



• The Pirates asked about Pena, but sensed that the Cubs didn't want to move him, according to Jon Heyman of SI.



• Heyman also tweets that the Cubs have told other teams they want to keep both Pena and Byrd. Jon thinks that they could have gotten a good return for Marlon.



• Ryan Dempster says that staying with the Cubs is more admirable that approving a trade.



• Update Noon Central: George Ofman reports that the Rangers were interested in Carlos Marmol, but the Cubs turned them down.



• Derrek Lee is back in the National League. He has been traded to the Pirates, who will play the Cubs in a four game series starting tomorrow!



• Kevin Goldstein says that front office guys are confused about the lack of moves by the Cubs.



• CSN Chicago reports that the Cubs look at Matt Garza as a building block.

I will update that bulleted list throughout the day with the latest rumors and notes. Please keep checking back, as I'll keep you posted!

A Look at Kosuke's Time with the Cubs

Even though Kosuke Fukudome's time with the Cubs was, for the most part, a failure, there is still a part of me that is sad to see him go. Anytime a Cub who has been with the team for several years departs, most die-hard fans miss seeing them play every day.

Let us say goodbye to Kosuke by looking back at his time with the Cubs.

December 11, 2007
The Cubs signed outfielder Kosuke Fukudome to a four year, $48 million contract. The Cubs thought that that Japanes import would help put their team over the top after winning the division title that year.

March 31, 2008: Big League Debut
There is no doubt that the highlight of Fukudome's time in Cubbie blue came very early on, in his big league debut on Opening Day of 2008. The fans at Wrigley Field, many of whom were sporting Fukudome Japanese headbands, went wild when he doubled on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues. Kosuke stepped to the plate with two men on base in the bottom of the ninth inning with the Cubs trailing the Brewers 3-0. He delivered a dramatic home run to tie the game at three and finish his debut 3-for-3. Although the Cubs fell 4-3 in ten innings, Kosuke's game tying homer is a moment that Cubs fans will never forget.

2008 Season: Hot When It's Cold, Cold When It's Hot
Each year Kosuke got off to a solid start in April and May before falling victim to a June swoon when the weather heated up. His number continued to decline each year as the season moved into the fall. That was evident in his first season when he batted .327 in April, .293 in May, .264 in June, .236 in July, .193 in August, .178 in September and .100 in two postseason games.

July 7, 2008: An All-Star
Kosuke told Judd Sirott in an interview for WGN Radio a few weeks ago that the 2008 season was his favorite in a Cub uniform for several reasons. It was the only one in which the Cubs won the division title. His hot start in the big leagues was also fun for him. It led to his lone All-Star appearance as well. Kosuke started in center for the NL and went 0-for-2.

2009: Position Switch
At the start of his second season with the Cubs, Kosuke was moved to center field so that Milton Bradley could play right. In July, he switched to first in the batting order, replacing Alfonso Soriano. For the rest of his Cubs career, Fukudome bounced around the lineup after hitting fifth for most of '08. Kosuke moved back to right field for 2010. In 2009, he actually finished second on the team in OBP at .375.

2010 & 2011 : Platooning
The past two seasons, the story of Kosuke Fukudome not living up to his large contract has faded onto the back burner with all the other headlines surrounding the Cubs. Kosuke's struggles were well documented his first two seasons, but he is actually an asset to a team when he is put into the proper role. Kosuke brings strong defense and draws a lot of walks, plus is one of baseball's good guys. He is not, however, a middle of the order hitter or a $48 million player. In 2010, Kosuke split time with fellow left handed hitter Tyler Colvin in right field. Colvin had a great season, so Fukudome's player time decrease quit a bit but he finished with his best average since signing with the Cubs at .263. Colvin started off slow in 2011 so he was sent back to Triple-A, with Kosuke sitting in favor of Reed Johnson against left handed pitchers.

July 28, 2011: Traded to the Indians
Yesterday, Kosuke's tenure with the Cubs came to an end when he was shipped to Cleveland for two minor leaguers. Click here for more information on the trade.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted as we countdown to Sunday's 3pm CT trade deadline!

Breaking News: Kosuke Traded to the Indians

Update 1:10pm CT: This trade is official. Kosuke sent to Cleveland for minor leaguers P Abner Abreu and OF Carlton Smith. Tyler Colvin added to active roster, in Milwaukee for today's game.

Well, it looks as if the Cubs are about the make their first move prior to the trade deadline.

According to multiple reports, the Cubs and Indians have agreed to a deal that would sent Kosuke Fukudome to Cleveland. Buster Olney tweets that the Cubs will pay more than half of the $4.7 million owed to Kosuke, while Jon Heyman says it will be the vast majority.

Kosuke does have partial no-trade rights and the Tribe are one of the 15 teams that he can block a trade to. Right now, they are trying to figure out minor perks for him in exchange for waiving the no-trade clause. Paul Hoynes reports that the Cubs will receive one upper level and one lower level prospect in the deal.

This deal is not yet official, but it appears that it is going to happen before today's game. Tyler Colvin will likely replace Kosuke on the active roster. I will update soon with more information, stayed tuned!

Countdown to the Deadline: 5 Days

The Chicago Cubs have less than 5 days to dump players that are not going to be a part of the team in the future. The click is ticking on Jim Hendry, who has yet to make a move. With little activity, there is no shortage of rumors!

• Jim Hendry told Comcast Sports Net that he expects a turnaround by 2012.


• The Sun Times and Jon Heyman have contradicting reports on Carlos Pena. Heyman says that Pena is on his way out, but the Sun Times thinks they might hang on to him and could even bring him back next year.


• Heyman tells us that the Cubs are looking to deal John Grabow, but that will not be easy.


• The Red Sox and Indians have interest in Kosuke.


• Sean Marshall, Ryan Dempster, Aramiz Ramirez, Kerry Wood and Matt Garza are all staying with the Cubs the rest of the season.


• Jim Bowden tells us (via the CCO) that there are a great deal of teams interested in Marlon Byrd.


• Jayson Stark of ESPN reports that Kosuke Fukudome could be the one Cub dealt at the deadline.


• Stark believe that Carlos Pena would clear waivers for an August deal.


• A Pittsburgh newspaper lists Pena as one of three bats that the Buccos are interested in!

Click here for my full deadline update from Sunday.

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

Possible Roster Moves

The Cubs currently have three players that are close to coming off the disables list. Kerry Wood is trying to recover from his blister issue. He has begun to toss on the side. Marlon Byrd is set to begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa tomorrow, but no time table is in place for his return. Darwin Barney is already rehabbing and could return to the big league team on Wednesday.

When these players return, the Cubs will be forced to make several roster decision to make room on the club. Let us take a look at their options to make room for each player.

To Make Room for Kerry Wood
Option A) Send Chris Carpenter back to Iowa
Option B) Trade/DFA John Grabow
Option C) Trade/Release/Demote Rodrigo Lopez
My Take) The best option would probably be getting rid of John Grabow, but the Cubs are unlikely to dump is salary. Most likely Carpenter will be headed back to the minors, but I'd rather see more of him than Lopez.

To Make Room for Marlon Byrd
Option A) Send Tony Campana back to the minors
Option B) Send Lou Montanez back to the minors
Option C) Trade Kosuke Fukudome
My Take) There are probably no takers for Kosuke, so it looks as if one of the kids is going to Iowa. I would send Montanez back down so that the Cubs can receive a longer look at the younger and faster Tony Campana. However, if Campana is not going to play with Byrd, Johnson, Soriano and Kosuke all on the roster, it would make more sense to send him to AAA for some ABs. Montanez is right handed so he makes for a better platoon partner with Kosuke.

To Make Room For Darwin Barney
Option A) Send DJ LeMahieu to Triple-A
Option B) Send both Campana and Montanez to the minors, keep LeMahieu as a backup infielder, use Baker and DeWitt in the outfield if need be.
Option C) Trade Baker or DeWitt
My Take) DJ most likely needs to go back down. I would hate to see the Cubs waste a young player on the bench when he probably needs more seasoning at the minor league level.

Feel free to jump in with your take in the comments. How the Cubs handle these decisions will really indicate the direction that the team is going in. The injuries have actually allowed the Cubs to take a look at some of the younger players, now it is time to find out which younger players have earned a spot in the roster full time.

Today is the 51st anniversary of Ron Santo's big league debut! Check out my book review of Ron Santo A Perfect Ten on View From the Bleachers by clicking here.

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

The Good & The Bad From This Week in Cubs Baseball

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


• Darwin Barney has stayed conistent.

On the negative side:

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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

Weekend Quick Hits: Santo Special, Kosuke's Health, The Rotation and More

Here's the latest in the world of Cubs baseball!

• WGN-TV will air a Cubs special tonight before the Cubs game against the Rockies. "Ron Santo: In His Own Words" starts at 6:30 CT.


• WGN Radio has announced a seven part series of one-hour interviews featuring Cubs players which will air on the network. The hosts of WGN Sports Night, David Kaplan and Brian Noonan, will also host the series, which is called Cubs Corner. The debut on Tuesday, April 26 at noon features Andrew Cashner and Kerry Wood.


• Patrick Mooney tweets that the Cubs have not yet decided who will start on Tuesday. James Russell and Jeff Samardzija are possibilities, or the Cubs could decide to call-up Ramon Ortiz or Roberto Coello.


• Carrie Muskat reports that Mike Quade is open to bringing a player up from Triple-A to start, but only if they are ready. He wants to talk to his coaches first.


• Kosuke Fukudome, who has been out with a right hamstring strain, did some light running and took batting practice last night. He is close to returning to the lineup.


• Andrew Cashner has no pain and full range of motion in his right shoulder. Muskat reports that the rehab is going well.


• Carlos Zambrano apologized to Mike Quade for leaving the mound too early when he was yanked from a game earlier this week.


• Paul Sullivan says that Sean Marshall is not an option for the rotation.


• The Tennessee Smokies have placed top pitching prospect Trey McNutt on the disabled list.

Sorry about the formating issues on some of the posts lately. We are trying to resolve that problem. That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Countdown to Cactus League Baseball: 2 Days

Chicago Cubs baseball will be on the air on Sunday! David Kaplan starts it off with Cubs Insider at 1:00, Judd Sirott has Cubs Central Pregame at 1:30 and Pat and Keith will have the call at 2:05.

Mike Quade has announced his starting lineups and batting orders for the first three Spring Training games.

Sunday VS Oakland
Kosuke, RF
Starlin Castro, SS
Marlon Byrd, CF
Aramis Ramirez, 3B
Carlos Pena, 1B
Alfonso Soriano, LF
Geovany Soto, C
Blake DeWitt, 2B
Carlos Zambrano, P
Also playing Sunday: Darwin Barney (SS), Fernando Perez (CF), Bryan LaHair (1B), Tyler Colvin (RF), Brett Jackson (LF), Jeff Baker (2B), Josh Vitters (3B). The starters are expected to play five innings.

Monday VS Brewers
Reed Johnson, CF
Darwin Barney, SS
Tyler Colvin, RF
Alfonso Soriano, LF
Caros Pena, 1B
Jeff Baker, 2B
Marquez Smith, 3B
Koyie Hill, C
Randy Wells, P

Tuesday VS Giants
Kosuke, RF
Starlin Castro, SS
Marlon Byrd, CF
Aramis Ramirez, 3B
Geovany Soto, C
Blake DeWitt, 2B
Reed Johnson, LF
Bryan LaHair, 1B
Ryan Dempster, P

Other Updates

• The Cubs will moved down to HoHoKam Park after today's workout. They will practice there tomorrow.
• Angel Guzman will face hitters in a live BP session next Wednesday.
• Today would have been Ron Santo's 71st birthday.
• Mike Quade likes Kosuke in the lead-off spot.

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

Spring Training Preview: Position Battles

Second Base
Second base is one position on the diamond where they Cubs have some flexibility. They are not locked down with a big contract, so if someone at the minor league level gets hot they could find themselves starting in the bigs. Last year, Blake DeWitt came over in the Ryan Theriot trade and took his spot in the middle infield. DeWitt hit .250 in 53 games with the Cubs and .261 for the season. Jeff Baker, a left handed hitter, will compete against DeWitt in Spring Training, but a platoon situation is the most likely. Baker hit .272 in 2010 but is not quite the all-around player that Blake is. Youngster Darwin Barney (.241 in 30 games) and non-roster man Augie Ojeda (.190 in 59 games) could also be in the mix, but will most likely battle for a spot on the roster, not in the starting lineup.

Lead-off Man
Some of the same candidates for the second base position are possibilities for the top spot in the lineup. Once Mike Quade took over in August, Blake DeWitt saw a lot of time there. Q has said that Kosuke Fukudome is probably the guy that makes the most sense there when he is in the lineup. There has been some speculation about Starlin Castro moving up a spot, but most likely he'll stay second. There have been reports out of Mesa that Marlon Byrd is also in the mix. Chances are, there will be no set lead-off man, giving Quade a chance to tweak the lineup and find out what works.

Right Field
Another battle where we may not see a winner declared at the end of camp. Kosuke has more experience, the bigger contract and the better glove. Tyler Colvin's numbers were far better than his Japanese teammate in 2010. Colvin has more power, puts the ball in play more and hits for a better average. Kosuke is known for his hot starts, so he may see the bulk of the time in right to start the season. If he experiences his usual June swoon, Kosuke will become the fourth outfielder and Colvin will start.

Fifth Outfielder
There are a lot of names in the mix, but it looks like it will come down to Reed Johnson and Fernando Perez. For the first time in years, the Cubs can carry five outfielders because they don't have a pinch hitting specialist like Daryle Ward or Micah Hoffpauir to take up a roster spot. Perez, who came over in the Matt Garza trade with Tampa Bay, has great speed but is trying to come back from an injury. Reed Johnson's number at the plate declined in 2010 with the Dodgers, but he is a clubhouse leader and a fan favorite. If Johnson does not beat out Perez, he will be released. Perez still has an option remaining so he could be sent to Iowa, which could be the deciding factor in this battle.

My Take: I would lead-off with DeWitt and Kosuke depending on who is in the lineup, platoon Barney, DeWitt and Baker at second base, start Colvin in right every day and give Reed the nod as the fifth outfielder.

Tomorrow I will preview the battles on the pitching staff.

Notes from Cubs Camp

Position players are in camp and we are set for the first full squad workout! Here is the latest from Spring Training!

• Carrie Muskat reports that Kosuke Fukudome has arrived. The only players who have not been seen in camp yet are Aramis Ramirez, Starlin Castro, Lou Montanez and Alfonso Soriano.
• Mike Quade will have a team meeting with his players today at 11:30 central time.
• Ron Santo Day in Mesa will be March 10 when the Cubs play the Indians at HoHoKam Park.
• Kosuke, Blake DeWitt and Jeff Baker are the three leading candidates to lead-off this season.
• Mike Quade was impressed by Welington Castillo last September. He will give the young catcher a long look this spring.
• Roberto Coello, who came over in a trade with the Red Sox, has already thrown a side session.
• The Cubs new spring facility is not expected to be ready until 2014.
• Quade says that the team will probably break camp with 12 pitchers.
• Bruce Miles is impressed by young RHP Trey McNutt, one of the top pitchers in the Cubs system.
• Carlos Pena is not ready to talk about becoming a free agent at the end of the season, according to a report from Bruce Levine.
• Tom Ricketts is expected to be in camp today. He will meet with the media tomorrow.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always! Much more to come this weekend!

Notes from Day 2 at the Winter Meetings

It's the second day of the 2010 MLB Winter Meetings in Florida. Although rumors and news surrounding the team itself will take a backburner this week because of the passing of Ron Santo, let's get caught up on what has happened at the meetings.

• Yesterday the Cubs named Mark Riggins their pitching coach. Riggins previously served as the Cubs minor league pitching coordinator and spent many years in the Cardinals organization. He spent two years on the Cards big league staff under Joe Torre in the '90s.
• Tennessee Smokies pitching coach Dennis Lewellyn will be promoted to fill the roving role that was held by Riggins in 2010.
• CBS Sports reports that the Cubs are targeting Adam LaRoche.
• Bruce Miles doubts their interest in LaRoche.
• Jon Heyman thinks that the Cubs would like to add Carlos Pena to fill their first base opening.
• Jerry Crasnik of ESPN tweeted today that Brandon Webb's representatives were to meet with the Cubs this afternoon. Webb has been connected to the Cubs over the past week or two.
• The Arizona Diamond Backs have interest in inking Xavier Nady.
• The White Sox signed a pair of former Cubs in Daryle Ward and Jeff Gray. Both men were given minor league deals.
• Thanks to BCB for this one- the Pittsburgh Post Gazette says that the Cubs are shopping Tom Gorzelanny. With Casey Coleman, Carlos Zambrano, Carlos Silva, Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells all in the rotation mix as well, this reports may be accurate.
• Ken Rosenthal has connected Kerry Wood to the White Sox, but it doesn't sound like that will happen.
• The Orioles will be in on Derrek Lee.
• Speaking of former Cubs, Kevin Gregg and Rich Harden both have offers on the table. Rich could come back as a reliever.
• Bruce Levine says that Kosuke is back on the trade block, but only if Hendry knows he can get another left handed bat to take his place.

I'll update with any other news that breaks tonight.

Rumor Mill Quick Hits: Free Agency Begins!

Free agency is officially open! Teams can now start negotiation with all free agents for 2011 contracts. Let's catch up with all of the Cubs rumors that have been flying around so far this winter!

• The Sun Times reports that the Cubs will not be going after "big names" on the free agent market. The Cubs top offseason priorities are a bullpen arm and a first baseman.
• The Cubs are "keeping their eye" on bringing Kerry Wood back to the Windy City.
• Several sources have connected the Cubs to left handed hitting first baseman Nick Johnson.
• It is starting to look like the Cubs will not be able to afford Adam Dunn.
• According to the Tribune, Kosuke may need to me traded in order for the team to have room on the budget to sign a prominent free agent.
• The Tribune also connect Jon Garland to the Cubs and said that their season biggest need is starting pitching.
• Todd Ricketts was on the CBS TV show Undercover Boss tonight.
• Bruce Miles is holding out hope that Carlos Zambrano can be effective.
• The Cubs may be looking at Victor Martinez and Aubrey Huff.
• Josh Vitters went 0-for-2 in the AFL Rising Stars Game last night with 2 Ks. Chris Carpenter looked sharp on the hill and topped out at 99-mph.
• Xavier Nady is not expected to return to the Cubs next season. He is the only free agent on the club.
• Chris Archer will be added to the 40-man roster soon.

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

10-27 Bruce Levine Chat Recap

• This is an important week for the Cubs, who will find out if their $84 million training facility will be approved by Mesa voters.
• Adam Dunn is the Cubs "number one priority".
• The most likely player to be traded by the Cubs this offseason is Kosuke.
• Levine expects Big Z to stay with the Cubs because of his no-trade clause.
• Marlon Byrd should get a good share of the vote for an NL Gold Glove. He made just three errors all year.
• Jim Hendry's fate after this two-year contract will be decided by how many more young players come through the organization in the next few years.
• Bruce thinks Mike Quade will be the last manager Hendry hires. Both have two year contracts and their fates seem to be interwined.
• If Hendry can find a way to trade some payroll the Cubs may be able to afford Dunn.
• Right now, it looks like Blake DeWitt will start at second next year.
• Bruce doesn't see Josh Vitters making the team next year. He expects Jay Jackson and Brett Jackson to make the roster out of Spring Training. Chris Archer could be in line for a call-up during the year.
• Tyler Colvin was thinking about playing winter ball in Mexico, but that's probably not going to happen now.

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

It's All Over

The last day of the Major League Baseball season is always a sad one. Especially when it ends in early October for the Cubs. Especially when you're capping off a year as bad as this one. Especially when the payroll is expected to drop this winter.

However, there is still a reason to keep an eye on the Chicago Cubs. There is still a reason to hope. The Cubs finished strong. Today's 4-0 loss to the Astros was sour, but they still went 5-2 on the final road trip of the season. They went 24-13 in the 37 games under Mike Quade.

The Astros win today put them in fourth place in the NL Central. The Cubs dropped to fifth with a final record of 75-87. There are a lot of questions to be answered this winter.

Here's the latest from the final weekend of the 2010 season:

• The biggest question going around, "Will Mike Quade return as the Cubs full-time skipper in 2010?" Tom Ricketts and Jim Hendry were asked today, "When do you plan to have a manager in place?"
• Quade told Carrie Muskat that he feel good about his chance to return.
• Cubs legend Ron Santo will be honored in Mesa, Arizona next Saturday. Ron will have another shot at the Hall of Fame in December.
• Bob Melvin was interviewed for the manager's job by Jim Hendry on Saturday in Houston according to the report from the Sun Times.
• Carlos Zambrano wants to Cubs to go after Adam Dunn.
• Speaking of Big Z, Jim Hendry has announced that the big right hander will stay with the Cubs next season.
• Ken Rosenthal thinks that if the Cubs wait for Joe Girardi to finish his season to name their manager, they will be taking a risk. Many other candidates may have moved on by that time.
• CSN Chicago reports that Rudy Jaramillo plans to honor his contract as the Cubs hitting coach no matter who the team's manager is.
• While there is no time table for the search for a new manager, Jim Hendry expects to narrow it down in the next couple weeks.
• Tom Ricketts said on the WGN Radio broadcast today that the new manager will be in place by mid-November.
• Paul Sullivan reports that Jim Hendry was pleased with Kosuke's season. Hendry said that Kosuke did a much better job. He does not believe the team over-evaluated the right fielder.
• Carlos Marmol, Geovany Soto, and Sean Marshall are all arbitration eligible. They will all be due big raises once again.
• Xavier Nady is the only Cub set to become a free agent. Aramis Ramirez will take his player option for 2011.

Opening Day is at Wrigley on April 1 against the Pirates! I'll keep you posted on all the rumors and news... the best time to blog on the Cubs is during the winter!

Go Cubs Go!

Catching Up Quick Hits: Ramirez back in '11, Kosuke for Sale, D-Lee to Stay, and More

Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday, but today we're back with all the latest from the rumor mill and more. The trade deadline is coming up on Saturday!

• Cubs catcher Geovany Soto left last night's game with a foot injury. He is not in the starting lineup for tonight's game against the Astros, but the Cubs hope he can return by Wednesday, Friday at the latest.
• The team has narrowed the list of potential Spring Training sites in Mesa to three locations.
• Carlos Zambrano is expected to rejoin the Cubs in Colorado on Friday. He cannot wait to apologize to his teammates in person. Z told Carrie Muskat that he knows that he made a mistake.
• Aramis Ramirez was named the NL Player of the Week for last week. He was the first Cubs position player to win the award since May of '08.
• Speaking of Ramirez, Gordon Wittenmyer reports he wants to stay in Chicago and will most likely exercise his player option for 2011.
• ESPN.com's Jayson Stark writes that Ryan Theriot is one of the players that has been linked to the Padres in recent rumors.
• Stark also reports that he heard before that Lilly would definitely be traded before July 31, but many teams have cooled off on the Cubs lefty.
• Bob Nightengale tweets that the Rangers are taking a close look at Derrek Lee.
• The Cubs will pay part of the $4M-plus left on Kosuke's deal this year, and quite of a bit of $13.5M salary next year if they can trade him.
• Stark tweeted that it is highly doubtful that Derrek Lee will waive his no-trade clause.
• Jon Heyman thinks the Yankees could go for Ted Lilly, who they had before and like.
• Chris De Luca chimes in and says that Lilly is not the only Cubs southpaw drawing interest.
• The Angels and Rangers both have some interest in D-Lee.
• Ryan Theriot could be "the first Cub to be traded" according to David Kaplan. Kap, who's a buddy of Ryan, says that the interest in the Cubs second baseman has gone up.
• Bruce Miles shot down a report that the Cubs were interested in Chone Figgins of Seattle.
• Ted Lilly is scheduled to take on the 'Stros tonight. Will this be his last start in a Cubs uniform? Or is it possible that he will be traded between now and the first pitch?
• John Grabow threw in the bullpen yesterday but will probably not be activated before the end of this trip.

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

Midweek Quick Hits: Ramirez, Santo, Silva, and More

• Aramis Ramirez has joined the team, but the Cubs will wait to activate him until Friday. Aramis will work with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo to get his swing back during the series in Seattle.
• Former Mariner Carlos Silva was scheduled to start against his old team, but he tweaked his hamstring during his start against the Angels. Silva has been pushed back and may start on Saturday against the White Sox.
• The Cubs will honor Ron Santo on Monday in a pre-game ceremony at Wrigley Field. Saturday will be Ron's 50th anniversary of breaking into the big leagues on June 26, 1960 with the Cubs. Flags to honor the anniversary will fly from the Wrigley Field roof starting next Monday. Also, he will throw out the first pitch before the game on Monday against the Pirates and sing the seventh inning stretch on July 1 (Thursday).
• MLB.com reports that the Cubs have agreed to terms with Micah Gibbs, who was their third round draft pick. Gibbs is a catcher from Louisiana State University. The Cubs have also announced the signings of Pierre LaPage (13th round), Elliot Soto (15th round), Ryan Hartman (16th round), and Chad Noble (37th round).
• Two Cubs farmhands will participate in the MLB Futures Game at Angel Stadium on Sunday July 11. Brett Jackson (outfielder, Class-A Daytona) will play for the U.S. team while Hak-Ju Lee (SS, Class-A Peoria) will play for the World. Jackson hit for the cycle last Monday and is having a great year. The game will be on ESPN2.
• According to the Sun-Times, Lou Piniella plans to use the rest of this A.L. trip to rotate regulars through the DH spot, giving them some rest in the field. Derrek Lee and Marlon Byrd are expected to DH tonight and tomorrow respectively.
• The Orioles have picked up another ex-Cub in Jake Fox in a trade with Oakland that sent a minor league pitcher and cash the other way.
• Phil Rogers would have rather seen Ryan Dempster moved to the bullpen than Carlos Zambrano. He thinks Demp would be more effective in relief than Z.
• On August 8, the Cubs will launch a Fantasy Camp at Wrigley Field.
• Jack Moore of Fan Graphs gives his take on what the Cubs should do at the trade deadline.
• First round draft pick Hayden Simpson tossed a bullpen session at Wrigley and will report to Mesa next. From there, he'll head to Boise to join the Cubs "Class-A Short Season" affiliate for the rest of the season. This fall, he will go back to Mesa for the Arizona Instructional League. Simpson signed a deal on Saturday worth $1.06 million.
• David Kaplan reports that Jim Hendry is actively trying to trade Kosuke to create a spot for Tyler Colvin to play everyday.
• Rotoworld.com lists Ryan Theriot a possible replacement for injured Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

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

Are the Cubs Selling?

With about a month and a half until the July 31 MLB Trade Deadline, the question that all teams are asking themselves is Do we have a chance to win this year or are we better off building for the future? For some teams, the answer to this question comes easily, if you're in first place or less than 5 games out of first, you're buying. If you are in 4th/5th place or more than ten games out of first, get out the For Sale sign. However, for the clubs like the Cubs that are stuck in the middle, it will be interesting to see what they decide to do.

The Cubs have a record of 28-35 but they are in third place and just 7.5 back of first in the NL Central. The Wild Card will not help the Cubs this year, as they are in 9th place and eight games back.

So, the North Siders have three options-

A) Try to add some pieces that will help turn this thing around.
B) Dump some salary, add some prospects, and build for a brighter future.
C) Don't make any major moves and just finish out the season with the team we have.

Mostly likely, Hendry will wait and see what transpires on the field over the next two weeks. Then he will have a full month before the deadline to make some moves. Hopefully, no matter what happens, Jim will choose "C" because that will not help the Cubs this year or in the future.

Here are some names that could be on the market:

• Xavier Nady: Today is June 15, the first day free agents signed last offseason are allowed to be traded. Nady could be one of the first guys to go since the Cubs have too many outfielders in need of playing time. The Angels were connected to Xavier a few weeks ago.
• Ted Lilly: The Bulldog is a free agent at the end of the year, and in my opinion he should be re-signed. However, if the Cubs do not think Teddy fits into the team's plans beyond this season, it makes sense to try to get something in return. The Cubs do not want to let another pitcher leave for nothing when they could have had some value in a trade a few months prior like they did with Harden a year ago.
• Bobby Howry/John Grabow: These guys are taking up spots in the pen that could be used to get some young arms adjusted to the big leagues. If the Cubs continue to lose, I'd expect one or both to be released or traded.
• Soriano, Lee, Ramirez: The Cubs would love to trade all three of these guys, but the fact of the matter is that they all have big contracts and no-trade clauses. There is no doubt that Sori is untradeable, but there are some teams interested in D-Lee.
• Ryan Theriot: With Starlin Castro taking over at short stop, it makes sense for the Cubs to try to move Theriot. He is one of only a handful of guys on this team that the Cubs can get a good package of prospects in return for.
• Mike Fontenot: If they don't trade Theriot, either 'lil Mike or Jeff Baker has to go when Ramirez comes off the DL. There are a few teams that could be interested in Fontenot as a utility infielder.
• Tom Gorzelanny: Gorzo has shown improvement this season, and needs to be in the starting rotation somewhere. He could be a solid back of the rotation start. Most likely, either Tom will take Wells' spot in the rotation or be traded. He does has value on the market.
• Kosuke: The Cubs probably cannot get much in return, but it might be worth getting some younger outfielders more playing time. However, first they have to persuade Kosuke to waive his no-trade clause.
• Carlos Silva: A lot of teams need starting pitching, and flopping this guy again could make sense if the Cubs are waiving the white flag. However, I think they'd be best hanging onto him since there is still another year left on his contract.
• Randy Wells: Randy has lost much of his trade value with his poor performance on the hill this year. Trading Wells now would be like panicing and selling your stocks when their value is at the lowest instead of waiting until the stock market improves!

Will Jim Hendry overhaul this team, or will he stick with the same crew for the rest of the year???

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

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!