Weekend Quick Hits: Opening Day Starter, Roster Cuts & More

Here's the latest from Cubs Spring Training!

• According to a tweet from Patrick Mooney, the Cubs have named Ryan Dempster their Opening Day starter. Matt Garza will be the number two.
  
• The Cubs made some additional roster cuts today. Brett Jackson, Anthony Rizzo, Jim Adduci, Andrean Cardenas, Jay Jackson and Bobby Scales were all sent to Fitch Park.
• Tim Kurkjian of ESPN caught up with Dale Sveum.
• Sveum's main message this spring has been preparation. In the interview with Kurkjian, Sveum indicated that Chris Volstad will be in the rotation as the number four starter. Sveum said that the last spot it still up for grabs, but Jeff Samardzija has been very impressive.
  
• David DeJesus is the one guy on the Cubs who has a track record of leading off.
  
• Carrie Muskat tweeted that Sveum said it was tough to send Jackson down because he is ready now.
• Marcos Mateo left yesterday's Cactus League game against the Rangers with a right arm injury. He was expected to have an MRI/arthogram last night.
• Ron Villone is taking over as the Peoria Chiefs pitching coach this season. Tom Pratt has left the position after recently being diagnosed with brain cancer.
• Andy Sonnanstine was assigned outright to Triple-A Iowa yesterday. He was removed from the 40 man roster.
• Muskat tweets that Paul Maholm will be the fifth starter. Sveum will name the third and fourth spots on March 28. It looks as if Chris Volstad and Jeff Samardzija will take those two spots.
• Travis Wood has been off track this spring, so his next appearance will be in either a minor league game or a simulated game.
  

Here is the Cubs lineup for today's game against the Rockies.
1. David DeJesus, RF
2. Ian Stewart, 3B
3. Starlin Castro, SS
4. Bryan LaHair, 1B
5. Geovany Soto, C
6. Marlon Byrd, CF
7. Reed Johnson, LF
8. Darwin Barney, 2B
9. Jeff Samardzija, P

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

Breaking Down the Cubs Pitching Staff Battles

The Cubs are a team with a lot up in the air entering the 2012 season. Under the direction of a new president, general manager and manager, there is an air of change surrounding Cubs camp. Many younger players are receiving an opportunity in Spring Training as the team builds for the future. Here is a look at a few of the battles going on within the pitching staff right now.

Opening Day Starter
Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza are in the mix for the chance to get the nod against Washington on April 5. There is no question that Garza will be the ace of the staff, but Demp is an experienced veteran and could get the nod as more of a lifetime achievement recognition from Dale Sveum. However, Garza had a better season a year ago and is the clear ace of the staff. Demp took the loss on Opening Day 2011 against the Pirates, so this time I believe it is Garza's turn.

Rest of the Rotation
Dempster and Garza have the top two spots in the pitching rotation nailed down. It looks as if lefty Paul Maholm could secure the third spot if he bounces back from being slowed down early in camp by an illness. Maholm will make his Spring Training debut tomorrow. That will leave Travis Wood, Jeff Samardzija, Chris Volstad and Randy Wells competing for the final two spots. Out of the four, there is no odds of favorite for either spot, nor is there a longshot to make the rotation. Wells pitched well in relief last week and could be ticketed for the bullpen after several years in the starting five. Samardzija has made his desire to start clear. He has pitched well in his first few spring outings. The last few weeks talk has been heating up that Samardzija is a serious candidate that could end up with a spot. Wood and Volstad are both young arms that the Cubs are high on. Many feel that the Cubs would like to toss a second left hander (Wood) in the rotation. The Cubs are also high on Volstad. My guess would be that Jeff Samardzija and Travis Wood start the season in the rotation, while Chris Volstad and Randy Wells pitch in relief.

Bullpen Battles
Carlos Marmol will start the season as the Cubs closer and is expected to improve on his 2011 season. James Russell has earned a spot as a primary left handed setup man, while Kerry Wood returns for eighth inning duties. However, Wood cannot pitch every day because of his age and injury history. The Cubs are searching for another arm that can be relied upon in the late innings. The two leftovers from the rotation mix could be penciled into middle relief spots, which would leave at least two other spots on the pitching staff open. Andy Sonnanstine, Casey Coleman, Marcos Mateo, Scott Maine, John Gaub, Casey Weathers, Rodrigo Lopez, Jay Jackon and Trever Miller are all in the mix. I'm leaning toward Lopez, who's pitched well this spring, and Maine to beat out Gaub and Miller for the other left handed slot.

That's it for now, but I'll have position player related battles later in the week.

News and Notes from Day 2 in Mesa

Today was the first official workout for Cubs pitchers and catchers! Here's the latest-

• ESPN Chicago.com reports that Matt Garza never had a doubt he would return to the Cubs. Garza is fine with being the staff ace, but he listed Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood as the clubhouse leaders.
• Carrie Muskat tweets that John Gaub was the only player who didn't take part in practice today. He sat out with back spasms.
• Dale Sveum said that Jeff Samardzija will be stretched out. "He might wow us, you never know."
  
• Carlos Marmol has lost about 15 pounds and tweaked his delivery, according to ESPN Chicago.
• Sveum told Marmol to dump the cut fastball.
  
• According to Carrie Muskat, Dale Sveum mentioned today that three spots in the rotation are set. The first two are obviously Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza and Muskat speculated that the third is most likely Paul Maholm.
• Bruce Levine tweets that the Cubs have the inside corners of bases painted blue so that runners can hit the inside part of the bag.
• Matt Garza said today that he thinks Carlos Zambrano will be a Cy Young contender.

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

Starting Rotation Breakdown: 2011 vs 2012

The Cubs starting pitching depth was one obvious area of weakness for the squad throughout the year. Although Matt Garza put together a good year and Ryan Dempster was a solid middle of the rotation starter, after that the rotation was a mess.

Entering Spring Training, the Cubs felt that they had plenty of starting pitching. However after Carlos Silva was traded before injuries to Andrew Cashner and Randy the first week of the season, the lack of depth became apparent. Carlos Zambrano ended up disqualified for the final few months of the season after an up and down year.

Casey Coleman, who probably should have been developing in Triple-A, made 17 starts and posted a 3-9 record with an ERA of 6.40. Rodrigo Lopez was picked up and made 16 starts, Doug Davis (1-7, 6.50 ERA) made nine starts and Ramos Ortiz was picked up for two starts. Out of desperation the Cubs stuck left handed reliever James Russell in a starting role, who clearly was not cut out to start. If the Cubs had started the season with more starting pitching depth, they would not have resorted to the likes of Russell, Coleman and Davis.

The 2012 season will start with a much larger quantity of starters on the squad. While last year's team started with just six players with starting experience (excluding Kerry Wood, Sean Marshall and Carlos Marmol who were not starting options), this year's will have, at this point, 13. Matt Garza is penciled in as the number one baring a trade, while Ryan Dempster will be the number two. Young starters Randy Wells, Chris Volstad and Travis Wood will compete for spots in the middle and back of the rotation along with veteran lefty Paul Maholm. All six of these players are legitimate starting options, while Jeff Samardzija, Manny Corpas, Andy Sonnanstine and Rodrigo Lopez could be serviceable, along with the possibility of a more developed Casey Coleman bouncing back or a prospect like Chris Carpenter stepping up.

If the season started tomorrow, who would follow Dempster and Garza in the rotation? Do the Cubs have quality starting options? Feel free to comment with your thoughts!

Cubs Caravan Week Events

Yesterday we took our first look at the 2012 Cubs Convention here on Everything Cubs Blog. We will continue to have full coverage as we lead up to next weekend. We can start to piece together the list of attendees for the Convention based on those that will be attending the Cubs Caravan next week.

On a side note, be sure to vote on our new poll up on the right sidebar. We ask what the biggest need is for the 2012 Chicago Cubs. Feel free to add your thoughts to our comments section as well.

The Cubs Caravan is set for next weekend. Cubs players, front offices members, broadcasters and coaches will visit schools in the Chicagoland area once again this season. The full list of schools that the Caravan, which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday of next week, will be stopping at has not yet been announced.

However, we do know that the Caravan will include the fifth annual luncheon on Wednesday (Jan. 11) from 11am to 1pm at Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse. Tickets for the event are available for $150. Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod will all be a part of the luncheon, which will be hosted by Cubs TV broadcaster Len Kasper.

On Thursday night (Jan. 12), The Ryan and Jenny Dempster FAmily Foundation is hosting an event at D'Agostino's Pizza and Pub. The event will last from 6:00 to 10:00 with the price of adult tickets set at $100. Dempster continues his efforts to strike out 22q. Kerry Wood, Ted Lilly, Koyie Hill, Andrew Cashner and Justin Berg all attended last year.

Friday of next week will feature the Wood Family Foundation Winter Warm-up at Harry Caray's Tavern in Navy Pier. This event will last from 8:30 to 11:30, so many players will head there after the opening ceremonies of the Cubs Convention that evening. Theo Epstein, Ryan Dempster, Marlon Byrd, Matt Garza, Andrew Cashner, Geovany Soto, Starlin Castro, Randy Wells, Welington Castillo, Darwin Barney, James Russell, Ernie Banks and Rick Sutcliffe are all expected to attend Wood's charity event. I'd expect that full list to take part in the Convention as well.

The Cubs Caravan will also make its annual stop in Peoria, where Tony Campana, Chris Carpenter, Brett Jackson, Josh Vitters, Matt Szczur and Casey Colemen will all be featured. Again, expect all of those young players at the Convention next week. Chris Bosio (pitching coach), Dave McKay (first base coach) and Jamie Quirk will be at the Peoria Chiefs fan fest event as well. Tickets, which include autographs, photos and food, are $15 with doors opening at 3:30 next Thursday.

Brian Noonan and David Kaplan indicated at the end of their Cubs Corner broadcast today that they will be hosting their annual Friday night WGN Sports Night show from the Convention.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted as we countdown to Cubs Convention Weekend!

Breaking News: Epstein on the Verge of Becoming Cubs' GM

The Cubs are on the verge bringing Red Sox general manager to Chicago to fill a similar role, taking over for Jim Hendry who was fired in August. This deal seems to be all but official, and it should be made official in the next 24 hours.

Jon Heyman tweeted today that part of the agreement is that Epstein cannot take any other Red Sox front office members with him. Compensation will most likely be sent to Boston in the form of either cash or a minor league player. Heyman reports that Boston is leaning toward wanting the money.

Jeff Passan tweeted that Theo Epstein is a spectacular hire for the Cubs and an unnecessarily stupid loss for the Bo-Sox. ESPN's Buster Olney has reported that the deal is done. The deal is reportedly for five years and close to $20 million.

Bruce Levine was on ESPN today to talk about the move:

• The final hurdle is getting the compensation sorted out.



• The Red Sox could ask for a lot and the Cubs could balk at that. This could take a little while to get figured out, but Bruce would be shocked if it does not get done.



• Mike Quade's future in Chicago is unknown at this time. Levine thinks that people have gotten a little bit ahead of the story by talking about the possibility of the move under Epstein.



• Levine would be shocked if the Cubs went after a slugger like Pujols or Fielder. The Cubs need starting pitch, so that must be the top priority.



• The Cubs need a lot of help in the rotation behind Dempster and Garza. The money that they have should go toward pitching first.

Ryan Dempster was on The Herd with Colin Cowherd to offer his perspective.

• Dempster thinks that the Cubs have an incredible bullpen. He thinks that they have a bullpen that can be very strong.



• "The starting pitching has to do a better job, and that starts with me," he said.



• Demp also pointed out that the Cubs must to play better defense.



• Ryan and Cowherd agree that Chicago is one of the best cities for sports in America. Dempster said that the city appreciates hard work.



• Demp has never met Theo Epstein, but he is looking forward to having him on with the Cubs.

That's it for now, but I'll update you when the deal is official.

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!

Monday Roundup: Rumors & News About the 5th Place Cubs

With the trade deadline on the horizon, rumors are begging to fly. Here is the latest from the rumor mill, plus some other Cub related nuggets.

• Jeff Baker is not for sale according to a recent report from Ken Rosenthal.


• The Cubs are looking to shop guys like Reed Johnson and Kosuke Fukudome, but hang on to Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza.


• Rosenthal tweets that the Angels are interested in Aramis Ramirez.


• A-Ram repeated today that he does not plan to waive his no-trade rights.


• The Cubs signed Dave Bush to a minor league debut. The veteran right hander made his Triple-A Iowa debut yesterday.


• Ryne Sandberg has not ruled out a return to the Cubs as a manager or coach.


• Mike Quade called out umpires after his team was hurt by a few blown calls yesterday.


• Carlos Marmol could be back in action today, but Q has not yet decided whether or not he would be used in a save situation.


• Bruce Miles pointed out the stark contrast between the Phillies and Cubs.

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

Post #900- Still Going Strong

Today on Everything Cubs blog we reach another milestone post- the 900th to appear on this site. Just 100 away from four digits! Since 2008, I've been bringing you Cubs coverage. Thank you so much for reading, especially for sticking with me this year when posts have decreased in number and I've had several stretches where I was unable to post. I plan to continue blogging for the foreseeable future!

Be sure to vote on the poll on our right sidebar to grade Mike Quade's tenure with the Cubs! Also, tonight I will be posting a game recap of the Cubs/Pirates game on View From the Bleachers, so be sure to check out that great site. As always, if you have any questions or comments about this blog, email me at cubsblogmailbag@aol.com.

Now, let us jump into the latest in the world of Cubs baseball:

• Last night the Cubs pulled off an amazing comeback after being down 8-0 as late as the sixth inning to avoid being swept by the Nationals in a four game series. They eventually won the game 10-9 behind homers by Blake DeWitt and Carlos Pena. If you gave up and tuned out, you missed one of the most improbable Cubs victories in recent years.


• In fact, the last time the Cubs overcame an eight run defficet was one of my favorite Cubs games of all time. In May of 2008, the North Siders topped Colorado after being behind 8-0 and 9-1. Henry Blanco, Mark DeRosa and Jim Edmonds were the heroes of that game.


• Bob Brenly will be taking off the final series before the All-Star Break. Todd Hollandswoth will fill-in tonight with Len Kasper, while Dave Otto takes Holly's place alongside David Kaplan on the CSN postgame show.


• The Giants need a catcher, but they are not talking to the Cubs about Koyie Hill or Geovany Soto.


• Jon Heyman says that Mike Quade's job is safe, but Jim Hendry's is not.


• Kerry Wood does not plan on waiving his no-trade clause. He's staying in Chicago.


• Ryan Dempster missed his last start with a back issue, but Carrie Muskat reports that he plans on returning to the mound on Saturday night.


• Carlos Zambrano, who is disabled with a bad back of his own, will make a rehab start for Class-A Peoria tonight. He is elgible to come off the DL for the third game after the All-Star Break.


• According to Muskat, MRI results for Marcos Mateo are expected today.

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

Weekend Quick Hits: The Rumor Mill is Heating Up

• Phil Rogers and the Chicago Tribune have put together their All-City team, which is released each year just before the Crosstown Showdown. Despite the better record for the White Sox, the North Siders have claimed five of the eight spots on the All-City squad.


• Ken Davidoff tweets that Carlos Zambrano is not likely headed to New York. This week there have been several reports that the Yankees are not interested.


• Zambrano will waive his no-trade clause if he is asked to, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX. Big Z complained to Rosenthal yesterday that he was quoted out of context. He emphasized that he loves Chicago and wants to remain a Cub.


• Alfonso Soriano expects to stay with the Cubs, but if the team wants to trade him then he is willing to go.


• The Yankees have an eye on Ryan Dempster, but right now it is unlikely that Demp will be dealt.


• As Carrie Muskat mentioned on her blog, if the Cubs win today they will take back-to-back series for the first time this year.


• Jake Peavy will come off the DL and pitch Wednesday against the Cubs.

Tonight the Cubs and Yankees play the rubber match of the three game series, with CC Sabathia pitching against Randy Wells on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball! Tomorrow I will have a Crosstown Showdown special post!

Weekend Quick Hits Before 3 with LA

Here are the latest news and notes concerning the Cubbies!

• Starlin Castro is in the No. 3 slot in the lineup for the game against the Dodgers today. It is his second straight game in the spot.


• Ryan Dempster will pitch against his former Cubs team Ted Lilly on Saturday afternoon.


• Randy Hundley is scheduled to sing the 7th Inning Stretch today.


• Today is 22q Awareness Day at the ballpark, hosted by Ryan Dempster.


• According to the Tribune, Bud Selig is not concerned about the lack of attendance at Wrigley Field or in baseball in general.


• Andrew Cashner and Randy Wells are both set to start their throwing programs today. Wells is expected to return to the rotation sooner than Cashner.


• Bruce Miles tweets that the tarp is on the field at Wrigley. The weather forecast is iffy for today, but I would expect them to get the game in.


• Heading into action today, the Cubs and Brewers are tied for third in the NL Central, just 0.5 games out. The Reds and Cardinals are locked in the top spot. All five other teams in the division play under the lights tonight. It's only April, but the Cubs have a chance to move into first place this weekend.

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

Game Preview: Opening Day 2011

Today another season of Chicago Cubs baseball gets underway as the Cubs battle the Pirates at Wrigley Field! The Cubs will do battle with fellow NL Central bottom dwellers from 2010, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pirates finished 2010 in last place with a record of 57-105. The fifth place Cubs weren't much better at 75-87. Both clubs are under new manager this season. Mike Quade takes over the full time gig after serving as the interim skipper for the final two months of 2010.

Clint Hurdle, a former Rockies manager, was named the Pittsburgh skipper this winter. Neither club has high expectations for the year, but the Pirates have a chance to finally end their streak of last place finishes. They have a chance to finish ahead of the Houston Astros for fifth place.

The Cubs are predicted to finish fourth in the division, also a notch up from their finish a year ago. However, the division is very winnable. The Cubs could surprise some people by making some noise this season. Their strong finish under Mike Quade provides some hope for a surprising playoff run.

Ryan Dempster will make his first Opening Day start as a Cub. For more on the Cubs right hander, check out my post from earlier in the week.

RHP Kevin Coreia was suprisingly named Clint Hurdle's starter for the season's first game. He will make his Pittsburgh debut today after going 10-10 with a 5.40 ERA for the Padres last season.

One key to 2011 for the Cubs will be beating the Astros and Pirates. A year ago, they went just 5-10 against the lowly Bucs.

Here is the starting nine that will take the field at Wrigley today:
1. Kosuke, RF
2. Starlin Castro, SS
3. Marlon Byrd, RF
4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
5. Carlos Pena, 1B
6. Geovany Soto, C
7. Alfonso Soriano, LF
8. Darwin Barney, 2B
9. Ryan Dempster, P

Ron Santo will be in the thoughts of all Cubs fans today. It is going to be strange to start the first regular season without Ronnie up in the broadcast booth. Ron Santo Jr. will sing the 7th Inning Stretch.

The game will be on WGN-TV and WGN Radio at 1:20. TV coverage begins with "Next Year is Here", hosted by Dan Roan, at 12:30. Judd Sirott's pregame show starts at
12:45 on 720 AM.

The Cubs will be in for a bit of a shock when they take the field in the cold after spending the spring training in sunny Arizona. The high is 46 degrees and there is an 80% chance of rain in Chicago. The Cubs will do everything they can to try to get this one in.

As Ron Santo would say, "This is the year!"

Breaking News: Cubs Opening Day Lineup Announced

Mike Quade officially announced his Opening Day lineup today. The Cubs will play the Pirates to start the 2011 season tomorrow, and this is what the starting nine will look like.

1. Kosuke, RF
2. Starlin Castro, SS
3. Marlon Byrd, CF
4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
5. Carlos Pena, 1B
6. Geovany Soto, C
7. Alfonso Soriano, LF
8. Darwin Barney, 2B
9. Ryan Dempster, P

Barney, who made his big league debut last season, earned a spot in the starting nine with a strong spring. He will become the first Cubs rookie to start on Opening Day since Soto and Kosuke in 2008.

Pena will make his Cubs debut, Byrd will be in center for the second straight Cubs opener and Soto will catch the opener for the fourth straight year. Castro makes his first opening day start, while Soriano and Ramirez have been fixtures in the starting nine.

Kosuke, who has started in the outfield for the Cubs that last three openers (two in RF, 1 in CF), will lead-off against the Pirates but Jeff Baker could see time in the No. 1 slot when he plays second base.

Chicago Cubs baseball is less than 24 hours away!

Dempster Set for Opening Day Start

Tomorrow at 1:20, Ryan Dempster will take the hill as the Cubs opening day starter for the first time. Demp will get the nod against the Pirates at Wrigley Field. Mike Quade announced that he would receive the nod to start the season a week before Cactus League games even began, ending Carlos Zambrano's streak of Opening Day starts.

Zambrano started the first game of the season every year from 2005 to 2010. Before that, Kerry Wood (2003-2004) and Jon Lieber (2000-2002) took the honor. Newcomer Matt Garza was also in the mix for the 2011 nod, but he will start the season's third game on Sunday.

Dempster does has previous opening day starting experience, but it has been a while. The last time he took the hill to start a season was in 2002, his second straight Opening Day with the Florida Marlins.

Ryan is set to begin his eighth year as a Cub. It is the final year of his contract, but he is expected to pick up his player option for 2012. A year ago, Dempster went 15-12 with a 3.65 ERA in 34 starts. Quade is not ready to call him the "ace", but he is expected to be the most consistent member of the starting five.

After spending three years as the Cubs closer, Dempster moved into the rotation for the first time in 2008. He had an outstanding year, posting 17 wins and an ERA of 2.96. Surprising performances from he and fellow starter Ted Lilly, who also won 17 games, helped the Cubs win their second straight division title.

Ryan is one of the more charitable and friendly Cubs. He rarely turns down an autograph seeker and raises lots of money for children with illnesses similar to his daughters.

The Opening Day honor is well-deserved for a great pitchers and a great guy. Although the Cubs do not open up until tomorrow, today is Opening Day for some Major League Baseball teams.

Here's the schedule:
Yankees VS Tigers Noon ESPN
Angel VS Royals 3:10
Braves VS Nationals 12:05
Brewers VS Reds 1:10
Padres VS Cardinals 3:15 ESPN
Giants VS Dodgers 7:00 ESPN

I will be at Fitch Park this afternoon to see Andrew Cashner's final tuneup in a minor league game. I'll let you know how it goes later.

Breaking News: Ryan Dempster to Start on Opening Day

Updated 3:20pm CT with Spring Training Rotation Info

Today, Mike Quade named Ryan Dempster his Opening Day starter. Demp will take the ball against the Pirates on April 1 at Wrigley Field. This choice is very popular among Cubs fans.

Carlos Zambrano got the nod for six straight years as the Cubs Opening Day guy. The last time he didn't start on Opening Day was when Kerry Wood took the ball for Dusty Baker in 2004. Matt Garza was also in the mix to start the opener.

Quade made the decision this early on because he want to be able to set up the Spring Training rotation accordingly. Zambrano will essentially be the Cubs No. 2, starting the second game of the season. Garza will pitch the final game of the series with the Pirates on April 3.

Update: The Cubs also announced today that Matt Garza and Carlos Zambrano will both pitch in the Spring Training opener against the A's on Sunday. The first pitch is at 2:05 with Cubs Central Pregame on WGN Radio starting at 1:30. It is almost here!

Mike cited Zambrano's hot finish as a reason why this decision was so tough. Dempster status in the clubhouse was not a factor in the decision.

Shifting gears, the MLB Network has released its full 83 game Spring Training broadcast schedule. The first game will be on Saturday at Noon CT as the Phillies take on the Yankees. They will air a tape delayed version of the Rockies/D'backs game on Saturday night at 10:00. Next Sunday, the Angels and Dodgers will battle on the network at 2:00.

The Cubs will play on MLBN on March 11 against the White Sox, March 21 against the Angels, March 22 against the Dodgers and March 25 against the Mariners. The channel will air its "30 Clubs in 30 Days" series for the third straight year. The Cubbies will be featured on March 11 at 6:00 (after the air the Cubs/Sox game).

More to come...

Radio Recaps: Lou and The Riot on Talkin' Baseball

Bruce Levine had a slew of guests on for his 20th anniversary edition of Talkin' Baseball on ESPN 1000.

Here is what Ryan Theriot had to say:

• "As players we don't really have a choice of where we play until we get to free agency. Right now, I'm excited to be a St. Louis Cardinal."
• Ryan thinks about his arbitration hearing a lot. He doesn't think he would still be a Cub even if he didn't go to arbitration, but there is no answer to that question.
• The sky is the limit for Starlin Castro.
• When Fred asked him what he thinks the reaction will be for him when he comes back to Wrigley, Ryan said that he hopes to get one like Mark DeRosa received when he returned.
• Theriot think there will be an extra edge when he plays his former teammates, but he knows they respect him on the field and off. Ryan knows exactly what every one of the Chicago Cubs is all about.
• "There is a big respect factor," he said.
• Bruce called Ryan "a classic overachiever" during his tenure in Chicago.

Levine thinks that Carlos Marmol will have a deal in place by the time pitchers and catchers report.

Another ex-Cubbie, Lou Pineilla, joined Bruce and Fred:

• "It's a nice opportunity. I don't have to travel. I look forward to working with the Giants, but at the same time I have a special affinity for the Cubs in my heart. I wish Mike Quade, Jim Hendry and the rest of the guys the best of luck."
• It was very difficult for Lou and the players because of the health of Piniella's family last season. He wasn't there to give them the 100 percent support that a manager should give.
• Sweet Lou's mother is in the hospital again right now. She has been there the last 12 days.
• He thinks that the Ricketts are the right owners to lead the team.
• Piniella will be scouting the American League for the Giants. He will be doing AL Spring Training and then the Tampa Bay Rays during the regular season.
• He had chances to join a few organizations to do some work on TV, but this made good sense to him.
• Lou gets a chance to get out of the house a little bit, but still come home every night.
• The last five years of his career, Piniella worked for five different owners.
• "I wish the Ricketts family nothing but the best. They're good people, they're genuine people. I'm sure that they're going to bring a championship to that city in the near future."

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

Radio Recaps: Pena and Demp on Waddle & Silvy

The newest member of the Chicago Cubs, outfielder Carlos Pena, joined Waddle & Silvy on ESPN 1000 on Friday. Here are some of the points he hit on:

• Pena is really excited to being a Cub. As soon as he saw how things were looking, the Cubs were his preference.
• He didn't really consider going anywhere else. He just wanted to wear a Cub uniform.
• Chicago is Carlos' favorite city in the United States, so it was truly a no-brainer for him.
• Pena likes playing day games and he looks forward to them.
• He'll do whatever he has to in order to adjust to the new league and the new schedule.
• The one year deal was in the best interest of both the player and the team.
• Former Cubs that Pena has talk to tell him that it is very intense and the fans have incredible passion.
• When asked about his batting average from 2010, Pena said that he wants everyone to look at the average. Carlos doesn't want to waste his time making excuses. He is ready to put that year behind him and look forward.
• He is looking forward to working with Rudy Jaramillo.
• Pena has not talked to Matt Garza, but he thinks that Matt would be very valuable for this team. Garza has a high level of intensity and would be a great addition to the Cubs pitching staff.

Ryan Dempster joined the guys later in the Friday show:

• Dempster started off the interview by speaking highly about Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Ryan thinks that Matt Quade demands that same kind of accountability.
• He thinks people are going to be very surprised by how well Quade does as the manager of the Chicago Cubs. Last season was not a fluke.
• Demp has only heard great things about Carlos Pena. Carlos cares about every aspect of the game and makes the people around him better. He brings energy to the club and can hit the ball a long way.
• When Silverman tossed out Matt Garza's name, Ryan said that a team can never have enough pitching depth. "If it happens, it's a great thing," he said.
• Ryan talked about an event that took place on Saturday at a pizza place in Chicago in support of the Dempster family foundation.
• Demp said that he would never miss the chance to honor and remember somebody as great as Ron Santo. Ryan described him as "a great man in so many different ways."

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.

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!"