The Good & The Bad: Week 2

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

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


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


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


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


• Koyie Hill notched his first hit of the season.


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


• Casey Coleman pitched a great game on Saturday.

And now the bad...

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


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


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


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


• Tyler Colvin is still slumping.


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


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

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

Catching Up Quick Hits: Santo's Day, Levine's Latest, and More

It is Ron Santo day in Mesa, Arizona today as the Cubs take on the Indians!

A lot of news and notes to catch up on from this week in Cubs camp, so let's jump right in.

• According to Carrie Muskat, John Grabow has not pitched in a Cactus League game since the opener on Feb. 27 due to some shoulder tightness.
• Mike Quade has not decided who will get the bulk of the playing time at first base.
• Todd Wellemyer has a soar right hip.
• Bruce Levine reports that the Cubs will have to eat a lot of Carlos Silva's $12M contract in order to trade him.
• Levine is not worried about Matt Garza despite his early struggles.
• Bruce says that Jeff Samardzija is "on the team." There is very little chance that he will not make the roster since he has a big contract and is out of options.
• Carlos Marmol has impressed Levine the most so far this year. He has continued to look unhittable.
• Mike Quade has locked Starlin Castro into the two hole and Aramis Ramirez into the cleanup spot. The rest of the batting order has yet to be determined.
• Geovany Soto could move up to No. 5 or No. 6 in the lineup, but most likely he will not hit as high as three.
• The Cubs like Koyie Hill because of his defense and relationship with pitchers.
• Levine believes that the Cubs can win 80-85 games.
• Bruce expects Brett Jackson to be the biggest surprise this season.

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

Getting Set for Camp Quade

First of all, I apologize for the lack of posting during the second half of this week. Things have returned to normal and we should be able to be a regular posting schedule leading up to the start of Spring Training. Don't look now, but we are only 2 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting! Infact, many Cubs players are already in camp.

Let's catch up on the latest from Mesa and more!

• The Cubs regular season TV broadcast schedule has been released. Opening Day on April 1 against the Pirates will be on WGN!
• Bench coach Pat Listach will plan and run the day-to-day activities during Cubs camp, starting with the first workout next Monday.
• Bruce Miles reports that Mike Quade and Jim Hendry will meet with the media on Sunday (tomorrow).
• Brett Jackson does not have a good chance to make the club out of Spring Training, but he could get an opportunity later in the season.
• Bleed Cubbie Blue has had an in depth interview series with Tom Ricketts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
• Buster Olney reports that if Albert Pujols becomes a free agent, the Cubs could be the top bidders for him.
• HoHoKam Park public address announcer Tim Sheridan has been blogging daily from Mesa.
• Jeff Samardzija will not compete for a spot in the rotation. His only chance to make the team will be in relief, according to ESPN Chicago.
• Bruce Levine previewed the Cubs pitching staff on his blog. The fourth and fifth spots in the rotation are up for grabs with Carlos Silva, Randy Wells, Todd Wellemyer, Braden Looper, Casey Coleman, Andrew Cashner and James Russell all battling for them.
• Both Chris Carpenter and Jay Jackson will get long looks this spring.
• Levine also previewed the Cubs infield. During Spring Training, Blake DeWitt, Darwin Barney, Jeff Baker and Augie Ojeda will all see time at second base. The Cubs would love for DeWitt to win the job outright. Ojeda and Barney will battle for a roster spot.
• It doesn't sound like Levine thinks that Max Ramirez or Welington Castillo will have a shot to challenge Koyie Hill for the backup catcher's job.
• Guys that have already reported to Mesa include Carlos Marmol, Marlon Byrd, John Grabow, Carlos Zambrano, Steve Clevenger, Ryan Dempster, Tyler Colvin, Matt Garza and Casey Coleman.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted with all the news out of Arizona this weekend.

Midweek Quick Hits as the Cubs Caravan Gets Underway

There's a lot going on in the world of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs Convention is just two days away! Let's catchup on the latest notes:

• The Cubs Caravan started today. Tour one stopped at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse (Cubs Caravan Luncheon) and Cleveland Elementary School. Tour two also went to the luncheon as well as Lake View High School, Mt. Carmel Academy, Prospect High School and the Boys & Girls Club of Rockford.
• Mike Quade made his return to his Prospect High School, where he attended.
• Bruce Miles reports that Andrew Cashner wants to start. Add another name to the rotation mix, as James Russell is expected to get a shot to stretch out in the spring.
• Quade said that Matt Garza is in the mix for the opening day assignment along with Dempster and Zambrano.
• Miles also reports that the Cubs are not counting on Angel Guzman at all. They will see how he progresses in Spring Training but will not rush it.
• If you missed it earlier, the Cubs have signed Reed Johnson to a minor league contract and avoided arbitration with Koyie Hill.
• Johnson is expected to compete with Fernando Perez for the fifth outfield spot.
• Paul Sullivan writes that Quade hasn't committed to a lead-off man, but he has said that Blake DeWitt and Jeff Baker are in the mix.
• The report date for pitchers and catchers is set for February 13 with the first workout taking place the following day. The first full squad workout is set for February 19.
• There was a report from 670 the score today that Kerry Wood's contract has a clause to become the team's radio broadcaster after his retirement in it. The Cubs have denied the report and Wood told David Kaplan that he has no interest in broadcasting.
• According to multiple reports, the Cubs new radio broadcaster will not be named this weekend. The station and the team will wait to make the announcement until close to the first broadcast of the spring.
• The full schedule for the Cubs Convention has been released.
• Be sure to vote on our new poll up on the right sidebar!

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

Breaking News: Cubs Sign Johnson, Avoid Arbitration with Hill

The Cubs have signed outfielder Reed Johnson to return to the organization on a minor league deal. The contract includes an invite to big league Spring Training.

Johnson previously played for the Cubs from 2008 to 2009 before spending last season with the Dodgers. He hit .262 in 102 games in 2010. Reed made a few spectacular catches during his previous stint with the team that will never be forgetten. He played five years with the Blue Jays before inking his first deal with the Cubs in late March of 2008.

Earlier, the Cubs avoided arbitration with backup catcher Koyie Hill. The two sides settled on a one year deal worth about $850,000.

Stayed tuned, I'll have more later.

Midweek Roundup: Theriot to St. Lou, Marmol Wants an Extension & More

Theriot to St. Louis
Former Cubs shortstop Ryan Theriot has been traded from the Dodgers to the Cardinals. The Riot returns to the NL Central after spending six seasons in the Windy City before being traded at the deadline this past July. Ken Rosenthal tweets that the Cardinals view Theriot as more of a shortstop. Right handed pitcher Blake Hawksworth was shipped to LA in the deal.

Cubs Pitching Coach Decision May Not Come Tomorrow
As a mentioned in yesterday's post, Carrie Muskat has reported that the Cubs will be naming their new pitching coach on Wednesday. Bruce Miles reports that the Cubs say that that is not true and an announcement at the winter meetings next week is more likely.

Marmol Want an Extension
Bruce Miles also tells us that Carlos Marmol has said he wants a long term extension. Barry Praver, Marmol's agent, has been contacted and says he did have talks with Jim Hendry at the GM Meetings. However, these talks do not seem to be far down the line.

Looking at Arms?
According to MLBTR, the Cubs are looking to add an insurance arm even though they have five (actually 6-7) starters. Jeremy Bonderman, Aaron Harang, Kevin Milwood and Vincente Padilla are all in the mix.

Coming Soon: Cubs Spring Training Schedule
Usually the Cubs Spring Training schedule have been released by this time in the offseason. Al Yellon from Bleed Cubbie Blue tells us that the Diamondbacks and Giants were being considered to open to regular season in Taiiwan, so this delayed the process. Another detail that the Cubs are hammering out is whether or not they will return to Las Vegas for a split squad weekend. They have played the White Sox in Vegas each of the last two springs. The schedule should be released later this week.

Jesse Crain a Hot Name
Peter Gammons tweets that Jesse Crain may be one of the hottest relievers on the market. The Cubs are one of nine teams who may be interested in the former Twin.

Deadline to Tender Contracts on the Way
Thursday is the deadline for teams to offer contracts to unsigned players that are arbitration eligible. Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Tom Gorzelanny, Geovany Soto, Jeff Baker and Koyie Hill are all arbitration elgible guys this winter. Marmol, Marshall, Gorzelanny and Soto are givens to be brought back, but there is some question when it comes to Baker and Hill. Jim Hendry would like to lock up all six players by Thursday so that arbitration is out of the question.

Former Cub Notes
Thanks to the CCO for this one, ex-Cubs lefty Neal Cotts inked a minor league deal with the New York Yankees. Josh Kroeger has landed with the Marlins organization while Doug Deeds has a minor league contract with the Rangers. Russ Canzler, who played for the Tennessee Smokies in 2010, has left the organization and singed with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Cubs Poll
Thanks to everyone who voted on our last poll on the right sidebar! There is a new one up that asks you to grade Larry Rothschild's time with the Cubs. Don't forget to vote!

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

First Half Cubbie Awards

All in all, it was not a good first half for the Cubs. In fact, it was a very bad first half for our fourth place Cubbies. However, there have been a few bright spots. Let's give out the Cubs First Half Awards!

MVP: Marlon Byrd, the Cubs only All-Star
Cy Young: Carlos Silva
Biggest Surprise: Carlos Silva
Most Underrated: Sean Marshall
Most fun to Watch: Carlos Marmol
Prospect of the First Half: Brett Jackson
Pitching Prospect of the First Half: Austin Bibens-Dirkx
Best Rookie: Tyler Colvin
Best Pitching Performance: Ted Lilly's no-hit bid into the 9th against the White Sox
Biggest Offensive Game: Starlin Castro's homer, triple, and six RBIs in big league debut
Biggest Hit: Walk-off homer in the 11th by Aramis Ramirez on May 17 VS Rockies
Team Player: Marlon Byrd
Effort Award: Koyie Hill/Ted Lilly

We'll continue to review the Cubs first half of the season throughout the All-Star break. Our break posts will also feature recaps of All-Star events and minor league All-Star games, former Cub updates, a look at the rumor mill, and look at the 2009-2010 offseason now.

Weekend Roundup: There's Trouble Brewing on the North Side

Are the Cubs Getting Along?
Bleed Cubbie Blue, a usually reliable Cubs fan site ran by Al Yellon, reported yesterday that the Cubs are having major problems in the clubhouse. A "trusted" commenter on the site told Al that the Latin players, led by Ramirez and Zambrano, have separated themselves from the rest of the clubhouse. BCB also reported that Aramis Ramirez has totally shut down. They said that Rami refuses to practice and barley wanted to take the field for games.

Bruce Miles, a beat writer who actually sees what happens in the clubhouse everyday, gave his take on the clubhouse in the comments on his blog. "It's never fun after losses, but it's not a "bad" clubhouse by any stretch. Dempster, Lilly, Soriano and Byrd are all pretty good guys from a leadership or accountability standpoint. Soriano is always there after tough games, and he always talks. Howry and Marmol seem to be helping the young pitchers adapt."

Miles elaborated on specifically Ramirez- He took BP and fielding right up to the other day when he had to rest his hand, and he was talking in earnest with Rudy Jaramillo (contrary to other speculation). I asked another writer this question a minute ago: "Do we have a bad clubhouse here?" He said, "A bad clubhouse? What are you talking about?"

BCB is a great site, but I trust Miles and the other beat writers who are in the clubhouse on a daily basis.

Koyie's Done Losing
Last night, in an interview on Comcast Sports Net, Cubs' catcher Koyie Hill pointed out that he is fed up with the way this team is playing. Hill even went as far as to describe the Cubs as "one of the worst fundamental teams". Rarely do you see a guy rip his own club, but I like that fact that he's tired of losing. Hill is willing to step up and be honest. Soto hasn't done that poorly, but Koyie's a gamer it'd be great to see him the lineup on a daily basis.

All Isn't Well for Wells
Cubs pitcher Randy Wells appears to be suffering from the dreaded "sophomore slump". There were a few reports on various radio stations this morning that Randy was out late last night celebrating with the Chicago Blackhawks last night and was not well rested to pitch his 1:20 game today. Wells denied those reports. The Cubs righty has been struggling all year, especially in the first inning as of late. With Tom Gorzelanny pitching well in the Cubs bullpen, it could only be a mater of time before Wells and Gorzo switch roles.

Lou VS Stoney
Steve Stone started the argument between the Cubs manager and the White Sox broadcaster when he said, "Lou doesn't have a good grasp on what to do with young players," and made other comment about the way Piniella is managing this club. Today, when asked about Steve's comments, Sweet Lou fired back (to the Daily Herald) "And Steve Stone?" Piniella said. "He's got enough problems doing what he does with the White Sox. What job has he had in baseball besides talking on television or radio? What has he done? Why isn't he a farm director and bring some kids around? Why isn't he a general manager? Why hasn't he ever put the uniform on and been a pitching coach? Why hasn't he been a field manager?
"There's 30 teams out there that could use a guy's expertise like that. You know? I'm tired of some of these guys, I really am."

Steve made a joke out of the situation by saying "Lou's probably grumpy because he only went 3-11 against me with no RBIs."

That's all the controversies for today! On a final note, it was great to see Alfonso Soriano hit his 300th career homer today. Hopefully this will get him going, because when he's hot Sori can carry the club.

I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

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!

Spring Training Preview: The Bench

Koyie Hill- C
A year ago, Hill quietly had a solid year as the Cubs' backup backstop. When Soto went down last summer, he got the chance to start an unprecedented 26 games in a row behind the dish. A typical backup catcher, he brings good defense and just enough offense to get by (.237 AVG in 2009). Koyie is also a good teammate, a good caller of the game, works well with the staff, and throws out a lot of baserunners. Last year, Hill had to earn his spot on the club in Spring Training, but this time around his job is secure.
My Prediction: Lock to make the Opening Day roster

Xavier Nady- OF
In January, the Cubs added to their outfield depth by bringing Xavier in via free agency. Nady started last year with the Yankees, but played only seven games before being shut down to have Tommy John surgery. Nady is not yet at full health, but has been working on his arm strength with pitching coach Larry Rothchild. He will be used as a DH some during Spring Training early on, so he can start out by getting his ABs in before playing defense in game situations. "X" plans to be ready to go by Opening Day. He will see most of his time in right field spelling Kosuke Fukudome from time to time.
My Prediction: Lock to make the Opening Day roster (unless placed on the DL)

Micah Hoffpauir- 1B
Last year was a weird one for Hoff. The left handed hitter started off the year with a great Spring Training and a good month of April, but then as the weather heated up Micah cooled off. At one point in the summer, he was sent back down to AAA Iowa for a few weeks to work on his hitting. He has to rake with the stick, because his defense is nothing spectacular. If Hoffpauir doesn't play well in Spring Training, he could find himself on a bus to Iowa because the Cubs signed several veteran bats this winter that will compete for bench roles, including Kevin Millar, Bryan LaHair, and Chad Tracy.
My Prediction: Will lose his roster spot to NRI Kevin Millar and find himself starting the year in AAA.

Andres Blanco- SS
The opposite of Hoffpauir, Blanco has a great glove, but doesn't bring much hitting wise. Last year, when the Cubs were hit by a rash of injuries and struggles, Blanco was called up and made the most of his limited duty. Andres' 2009 included several "Web Gem" defensive plays and even a clutch hit or two. However, Blanco's fate is mostly out of his own hands. With so much competition for roster spots, if Mike Fontenot can do a decent job at short stop, there will be no need for Blanco to start the year with the big squad. If Lou is not comfortable with Mike at SS, then Blanco will make the roster as Theriot's backup. Piniella has stressed that he would like to give his position players more rest this season, so a solid bench will be a key.
My Prediction: Starts the year at AAA

Sam Fuld- OF
This kid is really a "gamer". Last year, when Sam was called up, he brought a certain spark to the ballclub. Fuld can run, bunt, hit, and play great defense in the outfield. Last year he made several highlight real catches that were truly incredible! In my opinion, every good club needs a guy like Fuld. Sam's skill is not in question, but roster space is. Xavier Nady seems to have the 4th outfielder's spot locked up, and with 12 pitchers, 5 outfielders may not be possible. However, remember that the Cubs did break camp with 5 outfielders in 2009 (Kosuke, Soriano, Bradley, Gathright, and Johnson) plus Hoffpauir who also plays the corner spots.
My Prediction: Wins one of the two open spots on the Cub bench

Tyler Colvin- OF
This winter, the former #1 draft pick bulked up. According to sources in Mesa, Colvin has added about 25 pounds of muscle over the offseason. Reporting to camp in shape is also a good start, but with the crowded outfield chances are slim to none that Colvin starts the year in the majors. However, catching the eye of Piniella and his staff is always a good idea, because you never know when they'll be an injury during the year. It's good to see Ty working his way back after suffering several injuries that slowed his progress. Colvin was called up and got into a few games late in the 2009 season, making one great play in the outfield.
My Prediction: Will start the year at AAA

Welington Castillo- C
There is certainly a lot of depth at the catching position in the system, which is nice to have even though the Cubs seem set with Soto and Hill at the big league level. If something were to happen to one of the Cubs' backstops, Welington Castillo might be the first guy to get the call-up. His numbers at the plate were down last year, hitting just .232 in 95 games for the Smokies. He also played in the Futures Game in 2008 and in the Arizona Fall League last year.
My Prediction: Will start the year at AA

James Adduci
This winter, Adduci got the opportunity to be one of the minor leaguers to attend the Cubs Convention. James, along with Castillo, Brett Jackson, and Cashner, got to experience the mobs of Cub fans at the minor league Q&A hosted by Vineline. James was busy this winter, as he also played in the Caribbean Winter Leagues. He hit .300 in 131 games under Ryne Sandberg in AA a year ago. This left handed batter will not compete for a spot on the 25-man roster, but the organization has showed their faith in him by placing him on the 40-man roster.

Other Spring Training Preview Posts

• Non Roster Pitchers
• Non Roster Catchers
• Non Roster Infielders
• The Starting Rotation
• The Bullpen
• The Starting Position Players

Now we're set to go for the Cactus League, which is just days away!

Mid-Week Cubbie Quick Hits

It's been awhile since we checked the rumor mill, so here's the latest.

• On Tuesday, the Cubs signed 5 players to one year extentions, avoiding arbitration with Mike Fontenot, Koyie Hill, Tom Gorzelanny, Angel Guzman, and Jeff Baker. Ryan Theriot, Carlos Marmol, and Sean Marshall have yet to reacher agreements with the Cubs. If the Cubs cannot come to terms with these players, than they will have to go to an arbitration hearing, which will be held February 1-21. The Cubs have not gone to a hearing since Mark Grace in 1993.
• Carrie Muskat reports that the Cubs are looking at Jermaine Dye and Xavier Nady as possible fourth outfielders.
• The Cubs are in negotiations with reliever Kiko Caleron, according to a report from Jon Paul Morosi. Caleron is seeking a 2 year deal, but so far the Cubs have only offered him one year.
• The Cubs were on there to see Ben Sheets throw on Monday. A source out of Toronto reported that Sheets was "all but signed" by the Cubs, but that rumored appeared to be false. None the less, the Cubs are one of 8 teams with real interest in the right hander.
• Click here to see a video of Sheet's bullpen and his interview with MLB Network afterwards.
• The Cubs are taking a look at free agent left Mark Mulder according to FOXSports.
• Bruce Levine blogs that Padres pitcher Luke Gregerson could be a fit for the Cubs bullpen.
• Ryan Theriot is asking for $3.4 million, while the Cubs are offering $2.6 million. Bruce Miles speculates that this one could go to a hearing.

Let's turn our attention to the always informative Bruce Levine chat on ESPNChicago.com. Here are the highlights from Tuesday:

• Levine likes Jeff Baker better than Fontenot as a starter.
• Randy Wells is working hard to make sure there's no sophomore jinx for him.
• The Cubs would be much stronger defensively with Theriot at 2B and Starlin Castro at SS. Ryan is ready to make that move if the team asks him to.
• If Rick Ankiel's stock continues to fall, the Cubs will consider signing him.
• The Cubs are still looking at San Diego and Toronto relievers.
• Levine thinks Dye would be perfect for the Cubs.
• Jermaine is a terrific clubhouse guy.
• If ownership has any say so, former Cubs from the '80s and '90s will be favored for positions on the coaching staff after Lou is out.
• Hendry will be creative in shelling out money to free agents, so that he is able to bring in all the pieces that he needs.
• Orlando Hudson really faded last year, to the point where he lost his job in LA.
• It doesn't appear that many other clubs have made money offers to Dye.
• The Cubs have fielder offers for Angel Guzman, because they are worried about his health.
• Orlando Cabrera is not a bad idea, but the money would be a factor.
• Next offseason, the Cubs will start major renovations at Wrigley.
• As far as the Cubs outfield, the priority at the moment is Dye.
• Not much is expected from Carlos Silva.
• Geovany Soto is not at the perfect weight for him to start the season.
• Pedro Martinez is not on the Cubs' radar.
• The Cubs will NOT consider shopping Jeff Samardzija at this point.
• Helping Alfonso Soriano was one of the main reasons Rudy Jaramillo was hired.
• Bob Brenly will be in the Cubs' booth for a long time, unless he gets that managers job he wants.
• Bruce doesn't see Andres Blanco as an every day player.
• The Cubs will have a better idea of how much money is left to spend after they sign Theriot, Marshall, and Marmol.

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

Friday Quick Hits: Time for the Convention, CTL Recaps, and More

The Cubs Convention starts tonight at 5:30 with the Opening Ceremonies!

• Cubs manager Lou Piniella chatted with the media on the Cubs Caravan on Wednesday.
• Paul Sullivan takes a look at some of the highlights on the schedule this weekend for the Cubs Convention.
• Sullivan reports that it appears the Cubs are leaning towards moving to Florida for Spring Training.
• Check out the Cubs Convention timeline!
• Cub sources are telling Bruce Miles that the Spring Training decision could come early as today.
• The Cubs could announce the retirement of #8 for Andre Dawson at the convention, or they could announce that he will go in to the Hall as a Cub, or both, but most likely neither.
• Miles also writes that the Cubs remain interested in Reed Johnson and Jermaine Dye. However, Dye would have to take a large pay cut to come to the Cubs.
• Jeff Samardzija worked on his secondary pitches in winter ball in Mexico.
• Bob Nightengale tweets that it appears the Cubs will leave Mesa for Naples.
• Cubs play-by-play man Pat Hughes was named the Illinois Sportscaster of the Year 2009. It was the eight time he's received the Sportscaster of the Year honor, and his 5th in the state of Illinois. Pat is entering his 15th season on WGN Radio with Ron Santo.
• Randy Wells is pumped that Greg Maddux is returning to the organization according to Cubs.com.
• Ben Sheets will throw for four teams next week. The Cubs are expected to be one of the four.
• Ken Davidoff tweets that the Cubs are 1 of 5 teams interested in Jose Contreras.

Len Kasper was on Chicago Tribune Live with David Kaplan on Tuesday:

• The top of the rotation is good with Dempster and Zambrano.
• Kasper would like to think that Randy Wells will avoid the sophomore slump.
• Anything you get from Carlos Silva is gravy.
• Ben Sheets is intriguing and one of the best in the league if he's healthy.
• The Lilly injury is a little troubling.
• Kasper thinks Marlon Byrd will be fine. Defensively he's good in center, his bat is fine, and by all accounts he's a great guy in the clubhouse.
• The theme for this team going into Spring Training is guys needing bounce back years. Len listed Soto, Soriano, and Ramirez as guys that need to come back strong.
• Hendry may not have that much money left to spend, but there's still a lot of guys out there looking for work that you may be able to sign for cheap.
• Starlin Castro may be on the way, and that would allow the Cubs to move Theriot to short.
• Ben Sheets is "very smart pitcher" with a "bulldog mentality".
• Sheets doesn't have the long history of arm trouble like Harden has.

Koyie Hill chatted with the guys on CTL on Wednesday:

• Hill expects the Cubs fans to be there for them win, lose, or draw.
• The guys are looking forward to Spring Training.
• Adding Greg Maddux to the team will help everyone, not just pitchers.
• "There's so much information you can get from anyone with that much experience," Hill said of Greg.
• The only thing that Koyie thinks was disappointing about the 2009 season was the health of the team.
• The strength of the Cubs is still their starting pitching.
• Koyie called the Cubs' staff "a treat to work with".
• Going on the Cubs Caravan is a treat for the players. The players get inspired by the people at the hospitals, schools, and Boys and Girls clubs.

Ryan Theriot was Thursday's guest on the program:

• Theriot is very excited to get to Spring Training.
• Ryan enjoys coaching kids in the batting cage.
• He is excited about bringing Rudy Jaramillo and Marlon Byrd into the Cubs' clubhouse.
• Last year the Cubs had a great club, and things would have been different had they stayed healthy.
• Taking one guy away and adding one guy can make a big difference.
• Theriot thinks Ben Sheets would be a great add to the clubhouse. Ryan would welcome Ben with open arms.
• The Matt Holiday signing surprised Ryan.
• Chris Carpenter is tough to face for a hitter.
• Kaplan thinks the biggest mistake in the 2008 playoffs was not getting Ted Lilly a start.
• Ryan is comfortable playing second base. If Castro comes up to the big leagues, Theriot would be willing to move.
• Theriot played left field during the Cubs 2007 Opening Day game.
• Last year on the first day of Spring Training, a bunch of guys were eating some food at a table together in the clubhouse, but Milton Bradley chose to eat in the corner by himself. From that point forward, the Cubs knew Bradley was a bit of a loner.
• "It wasn't a great fit for either side," Ryan said of Milton.
• Theriot thinks that Jeff Samardzija has a big time arm, Marshall is consistent, and Gorzelanny did a good job last year. That mix should be enough for the back end of the starting 5.
• Phil Rogers points out that Ted Lilly could be one of those guys that's most appreciated when he's gone.
• Lilly has played through injuries that nobody knew about. The players appreciate when I guy gives everything he has.
• When asked who the Cubs team leader was, Ryan didn't hesitate in answering "D-Lee."
• Theriot called Lee a silent force, and says he takes the term "lead by example" to another level.
• Knowing that he will be the lead-off man going into Spring Training will change his approach this spring.
• Leading off fits Ryan a little better.
• Theriot likes to just "go". He has a problem conserving enegery.
• The Cubs team has the ability to steal bases.
• Ryan thinks this could be a big break out year for Mike Fontenot.

Frankie O. from Harry Caray's restaurant came on the show and listed 5 reasons the Cubs will win the World Series:

• 5. Ricketts family ownership
• 4. Mark McGwire's admission
• 3. Harry Caray's Restaurant
• 2. No More Milton
• 1. Because Next Year is Here

Time for me to head out to the Hilton for this weekend's Cubs Convention! I'll have my laptop with me, so I'll be blogging from the Convention throughout the weekend. Email at cubsblogmailbag@aol.com if you have any questions or comments!

Updates from Day 1 in Indy

• Lou Piniella said today that he's going to do the best job he can, then at the end of the year we'll see what happens as far as his return in 2011.
• Bruce Miles points out that the nobody that the Cubs acquired last offseason will return in 2010, beside the prospects from the DeRosa trade.
• Tampa Bay still appears to be the destination of choice for Milton Bradley.
• According to Cubs.com, the Cubs have gotten good reports on players this offseason including Alfonso Soriano, Geovany Soto, Ted Lilly, and Carlos Zambrano.
• Lou Piniella says he "has the utmost respect" for Mike Cameron, who the Cubs are chasing.
• Jeff Baker will play some outfield this spring. He will also serve as a backup 3rd baseman.
• The Cubs are not looking for another front of the rotation pitcher.
• The Cubs are set with Carlos Marmol as the closer, but Lou thinks adding another veteran reliever will "help stabilize things".
• Starlin Castro is expected to start the 2010 season in the minors.
• Alfonso Soriano will bat 6th in the Cubs' lineup.
• Bruce Levine tells us that the Cubs are considering bringing Reed Johnson back.
• The Cubs are not close to signing a free agent outfielder.
• Trading Milton Bradley is still the top priority.
• The three teams talking to the Cubs about Bradley are the Mets, Rangers, and Rays according to Muskat.
• Cubs catcher Koyie Hill host a successful Make-A-Wish foundation event on Saturday. They raised more than $180,000. Ryan Dempster, Mike Fontenot, Randy Wells, and Rick Sutcliffe all participated in the event
• Tim Brown says that the market for Free Agent Kevin Gregg includes the Rays, Nationals, Tigers, and Rockies.
• Marc Topkin reports the Cubs are confident that they'll get Bradley traded, but if it's going to be to the Rays for Burrell it will take some "serious negotiating".
• The Rays are growing less hopeful of sending Burrell to the Cubs according to Joel Sherman's tweet.
• Sherman adds that the Cubs "may like Melky Cabrera", and the Yankees may want Mike Cameron.
• Joel is hearing that the Mets are not interested in Milton Bradley.
• We've heard that the Cubs could trade Bradley to the Rays for Burrell, then sent Pat to the Mets for Castillo, but David Lennon says that New York shows no interested in Burrell either.
• Jerry Crasnik expects the Cubs to offer Mike Fontenot a contract soon.
• Gordon Wittenmyer says that the Cubs have not met with Kansas City about Milton Bradley. Some sources say the Cubs have had talks about him with clubs outside of Texas and Tampa. Bruce Levine had reported a Bradley for Gil Meche swap being talked about.
• The option of keeping their short fused outfielder is not being discussed.
• Any Bradley trade will depend on the Cubs picking up a good part of his salary.

That's it for now, I'll keep updating throughout the night.

Tuesday Quick Hits: Bruce's Chat, Lee, Halladay, Bradley, and More

• Albert Pujols was named the NL MVP today. Derrek Lee finished 9th in the voting.
• New billboards have been added at Wrigley. They are designed to block the view of rooftop advertisements.
• As we've mentioned before on this blog, Koyie Hill is hosting a Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser on December 5.
• Jake Fox of the Cubs is headed to the Dominican Republic to join Licey for the second half of the season.
• The Chicago Cubs are teaming up with National Runaway Switchboard to host a holiday dinner for the runaway and homeless youth.
• Wally Hayward has been named the Cubs new Executive VP, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer.
• The Cubs are unlikely to land Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay due to lack of room in payroll.
• According to Buster Olney, the Rays will only take Milton Bradley for Pat Burrell trade if the Cubs absorb enough money.

Bruce Levine had his weekly chat today. Here are the highlights:

• More signage in the outfield is a possibility.
• Andrew Cashner is not ready for the bigs, and he will not be competing for a spot in the rotation next spring. Samardzija and Marshall could compete to fill that void left if Harden departs.
• Hendry's payroll is maxed out. After Bradley is gone, he can start making "some lateral moves."
• The Cubs are not likely to go after Chone Figgins.
• If Hendry get Burrell for Bradley, he'll have to turn around and trade him again.
• The Cubs would love to add Curtis Granderson, but the Tigers are asking for a lot. "It's hard to see a good matchup between the teams, because the Cubs are not going to trade Starlin Castro.
• Levine has mentioned Orlando Hudson as a fit with the Cubs on every chat for weeks.
• Bruce thinks the Cubs need to hold on to the top prospects to sooner or later will have to establish their own group of high-profile, low-pay stars.
• The rumor is that Derrek Lee is a favorite of the Ricketts family.
• If the Cubs have another down season, Jim Hendry probably will be fired.
• The Cubs would love to add Roy Halladay, but they'd have to dump Zambrano and his no trade clause first.
• Bruce thinks Gorzelanny is better as a swing man. He doesn't think Gorzo is the answer to the 5th spot in the Cubs rotation.
• Harden's injury history is the main reason that the Cubs are not looking to resign him.
• He reiterated that the Cubs have no money to spend.
• The Cubs don't need all that much added to the team to be back up their and win the division again.
• Levine thinks Soto has a good attitude but poor work ethic.

Numbers Breakdown: Geo VS Hill

Should Geovany Soto be handed the starting catcher's job in 2010, or will he have to earn it? Koyie Hill did a nice job as the backup when Soto was injured or not playing well, but did Hill outplay Geovany in 2009?

Games Played-
Hill: 83
Soto: 102
^Keep that in mind.

Batting Average-
Hill: .237
Soto: .218

OBP-
Hill: .312
Soto: .321

SLG-
Hill: .324
Soto: .381

HR-
Hill: 2
Soto: 11

RBI-
Hill: 24
Soto: 47

Fielding %-
Hill: .995
Soto: .994

Koyie does have a bit better fielding %, but despite his great story, he is not the answer as the starting catcher if Soto struggles for the first half of 2010. Who is the answer? We'll try to figure that out on our next Numbers' Breakdown, sometime in the next 2 weeks.

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

Jaramillo to Become Highest Paid Hitting Coach in the Game

Updated on Wednesday at 6:30 AM: The Cubs could complete the signing of Jaramillo as early as today. According to a report from ESPNChicago.com, the Cubs will hire the former Rangers hitting coach. Jarmamillo worked with Soriano and Bradley when they were with the Rangers, and his signing could decrease the likelihood of Bradley being traded.

Jaramillo on the Way
The Cubs are close to signing Rudy Jaramillo, as week talked about for the last week or so. Gordon Wittenmyer reports that the Cubs could announce the hiring of Rudy by the end of the week.

Jon Heyman from SI says the Jaramillo could become the highest-paid hitting coach in Cubs history. He turned down the Rangers offer last week and is expected to sign a multiyear deal for about $800,000 per year. The hopes are that Rudy will help Alfonso Soriano.

If any news breaks on this story in the next couple days, I'll update on this post (0r on a new post if he is signed).

Cubs 2009 Playoff Tickets on Sale!
According to an email send by StudHub, Cubs playoff tickets are available at their website:

"Be there alongside your Chicago Cubs as they chase baseball immortality," the e-mail said. "Go to StubHub, where you'll find a fantastic selection of tickets to every playoff game -- so you experience the championship chase live and in person."

According to the Sun-Times, this was due to an email glitch. It was sent to fans promoting several teams not in the postseason including the Mets and Cubs. Follow-up emails will be sent to every person that received the e-mail to let them know (as if they don't already) that this was a mistake, the Cubs are not in the postseason.

Koyie Hill's Wish
A noteworthy blurb from Carrie Muskat's blog.

Cubs catcher Koyie Hill is throwing a party on Dec. 5 in Wichita, KS, to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Kansas. Cubs players past and present such as Ryan Dempster, Ryan Theriot, Randy Wells, and Rick Sutcliffe, plus other big leaguers will take part in the event at the Hartman Arena. There will be a silent auction, followed by a Tracy Byrd Concert, and then a live auction. The VIP tables are nearly sold out, and Hill wanted people who have shown interest to know that proxies will be available and phone numbers as well on the Big Wish Kansas website closer to the Dec. 5 date.
Anyone interested in more information should go to: www.bigwishkansas.com

That's it for now!

Recap: Gameday Experience

Nick Digilio and Cory Provust hosted the "Game Day Experience" session at the Cubs Convention. The guests were Ted Lilly, Koyie Hill, Kevin Hart, Mike Fontenot, and Joey Gathright. Here's the recap:

• Ted Lilly was asked about his routine on the days he starts. He said he tries to keep it the same as any day he starts. He tries not to think about it too much early in the day because then he wants the 7:05 game to start at 1:00.
• Koyie Hill said that the game is the same in the minors, but the environment is different.
• Fontenot said that his day is a little bit different when he's starting. He says he lifts and runs more on days he's not starting.
• Gathright says he wakes up late and gets to the park around 2:00.
• Kevin Hart likes to get to the park early.
• Mike says sometimes he likes going on the road to see all the ballparks.
• Joey has never seen as many fans in a hotel lobby as he saw at the convention.
• Koyie says the many Cubs fans are great and make you take a lot of pride in what you are doing. He thinks that the fans on the road give you an edge.
• Ted says that you have to be as consistent as possible.
• Cory asked about superstitions. Joey says that he has an old teammate who will put on lady's underwear when he gets into a funk. Mike says he has to be in the dugout to be ready for Zambrano's beat into the ground everyday.
• Nick asked who screws around the most in the clubhouse. The guys said that there are a lot of characters on the team. They mentioned Dempster and Jon Lieber as jokers.
• Cory asked about aliases that the guys used on the road. Ted says he used Harry Rosenbag. Koyie used Turb Fergurson. Joey only has his current one.
• Mike and Ted's favorite story was when the security guy clotheslined the fan who was about to jump Bobby Howry.
• Joey said that it's fun to be on the plane when you're winning, but it's not when your losing.
• Koyie said that we would laugh if we knew how much stuff gets broken on the plane when you put 25 competitive people on a plane for 4 hours over losing card games and stuff like that.
• Kevin described AAA travel as "no fun".
• Joey said that he doesn't train for speed. He said that his mom was really fast and his dad could jump really high so he got a combination of both.
• Joey was asked about the YouTube video where he jumped over a car. He said it started after football practice in 10th grade. He said he can't jump over cars any more because he will get in trouble.
• Kevin has seen Joey jump cars first person before.
• Mike says that he will stick with jumping over chairs not cars.
• Kevin said that some teams make rookies ride on a motorized cooler that they make the rookie ride out to the bullpen. Lilly had to carry a pink purse from the dugout to the bullpen.
• Someone asked if any of the guys played fantasy baseball. Most of them play fantasy football in the off seaon.
• All the guys follow football pretty closely. Fontenot likes the Saints. Gathright and Hart are both Cowboys fan. Ted said that football is his favorite sport to watch. He enjoys watching high school games. Koyie likes the Chiefs.
• Mike says he likes to hunt and fish. Joey likes to draw and play X-box. Kevin says he plays X-Box live for about 4 hours a day. Koyie said he always wanted to be an architect. One of Hill's goals is to get better a racket ball. Ted enjoys golf.
• Someone asked if they get distracted by the fans. Mike says he tries to ignore them. Ted said that it just show that they are interested when they cheer and boo. Joey likes to interact with the fans.
• Cory asked if Wrigley has lived up to their expectations. Ted says that when he see all the fans you realize how special this place is. Lilly thinks the new guys will have a lot of fun this year. Joey said that when you found out he got a chance to come to Chicago, he came mainly because of the fans.
• The panel shared their favorite Lou Pienella story. Ted told a funny story about how Fontenot had a great game, and Lou went up to the bullpen catcher and said, "Great game today." Lou has confused Mike and Corey Miller more than once.
• Joey said he knows Lou because he played for him in Tampa.
• Lilly was asked about plowing over Molina during a game against the Cardinals. He said that Molina is a class act, Ted said he felt bad that he got hurt no that play. Ted says that sliding would have been more dangerous for himself.
• Someone asked about there favorite and least favorite places to play. Mike's favorite city is San Diego and least favorite is Pitsburg. Joey and Ted's least favorites are Minisota. Ted's favorite is San Fransisco and Gathright's is Boston.
• Lilly says that when he was on the Blue Jays, Wrigley and Fenway were his favorite places to play.
• Mike's favorite thing about Chicago besides Wrigley is the weather in the summer. Koyie enjoys how active the city is. Kevin says that he likes walking around the city and seeing millions of people with your teams logo on their hat.
• The guys talked about the small visiting clubhouse. They love the fact knowing that the other team is miserable over there.