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

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

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

Cubs 2010 Rookies

The 2010 Chicago Cubs team has been full of rookies, especially on the pitching staff. Tonight, another the third different rookie position player to take the field for the Boys in Blue this season.

Here are some numbers on the young Cubs:

14- Rookies to suit up for the Cubs this season

11- Rookies to pitch for the Cubs this season

8- Guys to make their big league debut for the Cubs this season

6- Pitcher to make their big league debut for the Cubs this season

Let's review the debuts!

April 5, 2010
James Russell, the only rookie pitcher to break camp with the Cubs, pitches two shutout innings on Opening Day! The Cubs were crushed by the Braves 16-5.

May 6, 2010
Starlin Castro breaks in with a bang, launching a homer, a triple, and 6 RBIs! The Cubs beat the Reds 14-7 behind their new starting shortstop.

May 31, 2010
Andrew Cashner throws only one pitch to get the out he needed in his debut in the 8th inning. The Cubs fell to the Pirates 2-1.

June 28, 2010
Brian Schlitter got the job done against the Pirates, striking out both men he faced. After the previous pitcher left mid-better, it only took Brian two pitches to notch his first career K. The Cubs went on to lose the game 2-1.

August 2, 2010
Casey Coleman breaks into the big leagues with a wobbly first appearance. He becomes the third generation of MLB hurlers in his family, the first family ever to send three generations of guys to the bigs as pitchers! Coleman was charged with six earned runs in a lopsided 18-1 loss to the Brewers.

August 3, 2010
Thomas Diamond, called up to replaced Ted Lilly in the rotation, pitches well in his debut. He went six innings and gave up only three runs on seven hits. However, the Cubs couldn't score enough runs for a win and Diamond ended up taking the loss.

August 9, 2010
Marcos Mateo is tossed right into a tied game in extra innings the day he was called up from Iowa. He did not allow a run in the tenth inning, but then the Giants scored with one out in the 11th on a walk-off sac fly.

August 11, 2010
Tonight Welington Castillo is in the lineup, batting 8th and catching. He will make his debut as the batterymate of Tom Gorzelanny. Castillo will look to have a big night at the plate against Giants lefty Barry Zito.

Will these guys be able to help the Cubs win in 2011 and beyond?

End of the Week Quick Hits: Minor League All-Stars, Tracy Released, Dusty on the Cubs, and More

• According to a post from ESPNChicago.com, Chad Tracy cleared waivers and opted for his release instead of reporting to AAA-Iowa.
• Jeff Dickerson reports that Carlos Zambrano will need a minor league tune-up start before rejoining the Cubs pitching staff after the All-Star Break.
• On Sunday at Noon CT, the MLB All-Star Selection Show will be live on TBS. One player from each team has to be named to the Midsummer Classic, so there will be at least one Cub. Carlos Silva, Marlon Byrd, Carlos Marmol, and Alfonso Soriano are the four Cubs that have a shot.
• Phil Rogers of the Tribune tossed out the name Sean Marshall for the NL team, but it's tough for a middle relief guy to be an All-Star.
• Dusty Baker says that managing the Cubs is tough because the fans are restless after 100+ years without a World Series.
• Writer George Castle thinks the Lou needs to make three changes: move Castro to the two hole, move Colvin to the middle of the order, and move Cashner to the rotation.
• The Cubs and the City of Mesa are holding meetings in effort to reach a formal agreement to keep the team in the city for Spring Training, according to the Tribune.
• Ryan Theriot is out of the lineup again today, making it three straight days without a start. Mike Fontenot is batting second and playing second, with Koyie Hill behind the plate and Tyler Colvin leading off in left.
• Former Cub Sean Gallagher was DFA'd by the Padres yesterday.
• Mark Prior's agent says that one club wants to sign him after his workout this week. Tom Krasovic tweets that 15 scouts were there and Prior hit 90 mph.
• A GM poll conducted by ESPN.com says that most general managers think that Jim Hendry is the easiest guy to make a deal with.
• The Padres are looking to add some offense, so MLBTR speculates that Xavier Nady could be an option for San Diego.
• Dan McNeil thinks that Carlos Zambrano is a lost cause.
• The Cubs are 11 games under .500 for the first time under Lou Piniella.
• Iowa Cubs Darwin Barney (SS) and Thomas Diamond (RHP) have been named to the Triple-A All-Star Game, which is Wednesday July 14 at 6:00 on MLB Network.
• The Tennessee Smokies send nine guys to the Southern League All-Star game on July 12. Blake Lalli, Tony Campana, and Robinson Chirinos are all in the starting lineup. Steve Clevenger (catcher) and pitchers Austin Bibens-Dirkx, David Cales, Ryan Butcher, and Hung-Wen Chen are also on the squad. Outfielder Ty Wright was selected as well, but he has been replaced because of his promotion to AAA-Iowa.

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

Numbers Breakdown: The Cubs Bullpen

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

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

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

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

Either Diamond or Parker should be called up!

Remember, the number's don't lie!

Friday Pregame News & Notes

Roster Cuts
The Cubs have reduced their Spring Training roster to 42. Eight more cuts were made today. Blake Parker, Jeff Stevens, and Welington Castillo were optioned to AAA. Five non-roster invites have been sent back to minor league camp: Andrew Cashner, Casey Coleman, Thomas Diamond, J.R. Mathes, and Bryan LaHair. With these cuts, the Cubs really cleared some pitchers out of camp (6). The biggest surprise among the cuts was Diamond, who I felt had a real chance of making the ballclub. Lefty James Russell is the only non roster pitcher remaining with the team. I also thought Cashner and Mathes would stick around a little longer.

Guzman to have Surgery
Cubs reliever Angel Guzman met with Dr. James Andrews on Thursday and it was decided that Angel will undergo surgery to try to repair the tear in his right shoulder. The operation will take place on Tuesday and there is no timetable for his return.

Ramirez Still Out
Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez was expected to get back into Cactus League action in yesterday's game against the Dodgers. However, Rami is still unable to throw because of his sore right tricep. He is expected to get some at bats in over at Fitch Park in a minor league game on Saturday.

Lilly Throws to Hitters
Ted Lilly threw to hitters for the first time this year yesterday. He is rehabbing from an offseason shoulder surgery. Lilly's moving along faster than expected and could be back in the rotation by mid-April. Ted could get into one Cactus League game before the rest of the team breaks camp.

Other Pitching Updates
The Cactus League rotation was thrown off slightly by Wednesday's off day. Jeff Samardzija worked 3 innings in a minor league intersquad game walking 3 in the second on Wednesday. Sean Marshall did his work yesterday with a 5 inning simulated game at HoHoKam Park while the rest of the team was in Glendale. Jeff Gray, acquired from Oakland this winter, is running out of time to try to make the Opening Day roster. He has been out with a groin injury all spring. Gray tossed three innings of batting practice yesterday, and Carrie Muskat reports that the next step will be a simulated game. We've known that Esmalin Caridad is in the mix for late inning work, but now Bruce Levine adds that Justin Berg is a leader for a setup role.

Today's Game
Randy Wells will take the mound against the White Sox today in Glendale. The game starts at 3:05 CT and will be on CSN Chicago and WGN Radio. Dave van Dyck reports that Aramis Ramirez is still missing from the lineup. Jeff Baker will start at the hot corner in place of Ramirez, and Xavier Nady is scheduled to be the DH.

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

Position Battle Updates

Happy St. Patrick's Day Cubs fans! Today is the one Cub off day of Spring Training, so we'll use it to get you caught up on this spring's position battles!

Starting Rotation
The top three men in the starting five have been penciled in. Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, and Randy Wells have all already earned the right to start games this season. However, with Ted Lilly set to start the year on the DL and Rich Harden leaving via free agency, there are two spots open to start the year. This leaves Carlos Silva, Tom Gorzelanny, Jeff Samardzija, and Sean Marshall battling for rotation spots.

Carlos Silva: 2-1, 6.00 ERA, 9 IP
*Jeff Samardzija: 0-1, 9.00 ERA, 4 IP
Tom Gorzelanny: 5.40 ERA, 5 IP
Sean Marshall: 2.57 ERA, 7 IP

*Samardzija worked 3 innings during an intersquad minor league game at Fitch Park today. He did not allow a hit to the AA guys but alarmingly walked 3.

There's no doubt that Marshall's pitched the best of the four, but he is held back by his value to the bullpen. At this point, I would say the best bet is to use Marshall in the rotation. If Silva continues to pitch like he has in the last few starts, he very well could take the starts that Lilly misses.

Starting Second Baseman
Lou has hinted that Mike Fontenot has an edge over Jeff Baker at this point. Fontenot was terrific coming off the bench for the Cubs in 2008, which very well could have lead to the team dealing Mark DeRosa. Last year, when Mike was given a chance to take over the every day job, his production declined. Hopefully he can bounce back. Baker, who came over midseason last year from the Rockies, is also going to be a key even if he is only used as a backup infielder. Let's take a look at their stats:

Mike Fontenot: .409 AVG, .440 OBP, 22 ABs
Jeff Baker: .158 AVG, .238 OBP, 19 ABs

Sorting Out the Bullpen
Who knows who will be in the Cub bullpen come Opening Day. Esmalin Caridad, a young talented right handed pitcher, has been tossed into a setup role. Veteran lefty John Grabow will be the other setup guy, with Carlos Marmol handling the ninth inning duties. After that, there are four openings. Let's assume that the first two vacant spots will go to those that lose out on the rotation battle. After that, there's 2 more long relief roles up for grabs. Here are the spring stats of some young pitchers that are in camp vying for jobs.

Mike Parisi: 1-1, 4.05 ERA, 6.2 IP
Casey Coleman: 5.68 ERA, 6.1 IP
James Russell: 0.00 ERA, 5.2 IP
Andrew Cashner: 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 5 IP
J.R. Mathes: 10.80 ERA, 5 IP
John Gaub: 1-0, 3.86 ERA, 4.2 IP
Thomas Diamond: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.1 IP
Justin Berg: 1-0, 2.25 ERA, 4 IP
Jeff Stevens: 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 4 IP
Blake Parker: 0-1, 10.60 ERA, 2.2 IP

Diamond is a very underrated guy who could see the diamond at Wrigley as at some point this season. I would say Diamond, Berg, Russell, and Gaub are the favorites for winning spots.

The Fifth Outfielder
Piniella always does a lot of hinting regarding the roster during Spring Training, especially during his pregame WGN Radio interviews with Ron Santo. Lou and Ron sometimes seem to forget that they are on the air because Lou sees Ronny as a friend and not as the media. Based on what we've heard, the Cubs will be keeping five outfielders: Byrd, Kosuke, Soriano, and Nady for sure plus a younger guy who can be used as a defensive sub. Here are the 4 guys competing for that open spot on the bench:

Tyler Colvin: .533 AVG, 6 RBIs, 30 ABs
Brad Snyder: .417 AVG, .533 OBP, 12 ABs
Sam Fuld: .150 AVG, .227 OBP, 20 ABs
Jim Aducci: .348 AVG, .400 OBP, 23 ABs

Jim is a good looking prospect, but he's a long shot to make the team this year. Without question Colvin has the edge, but I wouldn't be totally surprised if the Cubs went with Fuld based on past performance at the big league level. Either way I hope whoever wins this spot gets some playing time and a chance to be a young spark plug.

The Pinch Hitting Utility Man
The Cubs need some leadership off the bench. A guy who has pop, can come up to the plate late in the game and do damage, and who will also provide some leadership. Kevin Millar could fit the bill. Let's check out the stats of Millar and his competitors for the final spot on the bench:

Chad Tracy: 18 ABs, .222 AVG, .300 OBP
Kevin Millar: 15 ABs, .333 AVG, .545 OBP
Micah Hoffpauir: 25 ABs, .120 AVG, .185 OBP

However, when you've had full careers to see these guys play in the case of Tracy and Millar, it does not make sense to base the decision on just a few Cactus League at bats. I still believe Kevin will take this spot because the Cubs like his leadership and his bat. He also brings a better glove than Hoffpauir. Andres Blanco and Brian LaHair are also still in the mix.

My Debut at CCO
I'd like to encourage everyone to check out my first minor league Cubs post over at Chicago Cubs Online. I will be covering the farm system with posts on this site every Monday and Thursday throughout the season! Thanks to Neil for giving me this opportunity! As always, I'll still be posting here on Everything Cubs daily!

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

4 Games in 2 Days for the Cubbies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cub Roundup Befored Heading over to HoHoKam

Tomorrow the Chicago Cubs will head over to HoHoKam Park, where they will have a regular practice. Then, Spring Training games get underway on Thursday, when the Cubs take on the A's at 2:05 CT.

Cubs Poll
Thanks to everyone who voted on our last Cubs poll here on Everything Cubs Blog. Here are the results:

Who will become the Cubs' 5th starter?
1. Jeff Samardzija: 46%
2. Tom Gorzelanny: 40%
3. Marshall/Silva: 6% each

Now we have a new poll up on the right sidebar of the blog mainpage!
Who should be the Cubs starting second baseman?
A) Jeff Baker
B) Mike Fontenot

Please vote! Also, feel free to comment on any posts with your thoughts (it's quick and easy!) or email me at cubsblogmailbag@aol.com.

Cactus League Pitching Rotation
Thursday- Randy Wells; then Sean Marshall, Mike Parisi, J.R. Mathes, and Esmalin Caridad.
Friday- Carlos Zambrano
Saturday- Carlos Silva (VS White Sox on WGN)
Sunday (ss)- Tom Gorzelanny, Jeff Samardzija
Monday- Ryan Dempster

Each starter is expected to go two innings.

Thursday's Lineup
Today Lou announced the starting lineup for Thursday's game against Oakland. This very well could be the same lineup we see on Opening Day with Soriano taking Colvin's place.
1. Theriot- SS
2. Kosuke- RF
3. Lee- 1B
4. Ramirez- 3B
5. Byrd- RF
6. Colvin- LF
7. Fontenot- 2B
8. Soto- C

Starlin Castro is expected to get into the game in the 4th or 5th inning as a replacement for Theriot.

Boycott
Four clubs- the Dodgers, White Sox, Reds, and Angels, boycotted the Cactus League breakfast, which is supposed to be a friendly event to kick off the new baseball season. The reason these four clubs did not show is because they are upset about the proposed "Cubs tax" that would charge fans of all teams in order to keep the Cubs in Arizona. The South Siders in particular have been very vocal about their dislike for this idea.

Injury Updates
Ted Lilly has been back on the field working out and stretching. He's been dealing with a shoulder injury, a knee problem, and a high fever. Geovany Soto missed Monday's practice because he was sick with the flu. Jeff Gray is expected to throw off the mound tomorrow. He has not pitched yet this spring because of a groin injury. Angel Guzman tossed about 60 pitches from 45 feet on Monday, but is not expected to throw off of flat ground until next week.

Practice Updates
Thomas Diamond has pitched well in batting practice so far, but he let one pitch slip away and nailed Alfonso Soriano on Monday. Sori was OK and joked about the HBP. Arizona Phil of The Cubs Reporter tells us that John Grabow was hit hard in yesterday's practice. Phil also observes that Kosuke, Soriano, and Soto have all hit well in BP. Ryne Sandberg and Alan Trammel worked with Starlin Castro at Fitch Park and both were impressed. Tim Sheridan has been posting some great photos over on his blog. The is a lot of young talent in camp that will get playing time in Cactus League games.

Toast to Harry
The 12th annual world wide toast to Harry Caray took place yesterday, which would have been the Caray's 96th birthday. At 7:40, Cubs fans in Harry Caray's Restaurants all over the world toasted to Caray. The newest part of the restaurant family, Harry Caray's Tavern, opened yesterday. The Tavern is in Navy Pier, where the toast was held. Special guests included Dutchie Caray, Ernie Banks, Richard Dent, Bobby Hull, Len Kasper, Bill Kurtis, Harold Ramis, and Otis Wilson. We miss you Harry, and may you help make this be the year!

Other Notes

• The Cubs "We Believe" DVD that was filmed during the 2008 season will finally go on sale on April 13.
• The Cubs and the Northwestern Wildcats are working out a plan to have a college football game at Wrigley Field.
• Soriano's only wish: Good healthy.
• Ryan Dempster is hoping to see Chad Tracy make the team.

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

Spring Training Preview: Non Roster Pitchers

Today we begin our first look at what we will see this March, when the Cubs take the field for the first time in 2010. When the Cubs are in Arizona, there we'll be some position battles, comebacks, stories, and injuries to watch regarding the big league players in camp, but that preview will come later. Today we take a look at the minor league pitchers that have been invited to big league camp.

Andrew Cashner

• RHP
• Was drafted by the Cubs in the first round (19th) of the 2008 MLB June Amateur draft.
• Rated the top pitcher prospect in the Cubs organization by Jim Callis of Baseball America.
• Cubs #4 prospect overall.
• Rated best fastball and slider by Baseball America
• Rated "Best Mechanics", and "Best Slider" in the Cubs system by Vineline.
• Started 12 games with Class A Daytona last year, his 1.50 ERA earned him a promotion.
• Then started 12 games at AA Tennessee, going 3-4 with a 3.39 ERA.

Casey Coleman

• RHP, bats left handed
• Drafted by the Cubs in the 15th round of the June 2008 draft
• Rated "Best command" by Vineline
• Rated best changeup and control by Baseball America
• 14-6 with a 3.68 ERA with AA Tennessee in 2009

Thomas Diamond

• RHP
• Aquired by the Cubs on September 4, 2009 after he was DFA'd by the Rangers 3 days prior
• Underwent Tommy John and missed the entire 2007 season
• Went 2-3 with a 4.20 ERA in 38 games between AA and AAA last year (32 in AA)
• Went 2-0 with an 0.64 ERA in 3 games in winter ball in Mexico this offseason

Jeff Kennard

• RHP
• Signed a minor league contract with the Cubs on January 12, 2010
• Has spent time in the Yankees (2001-2007), Angels (2007-'08) and Reds (2009) organizations
• Has yet to make big league debut
• 3-1 with a 2.83 ERA in 40 games for AAA Louisville in 2009
• 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 6 games in Dominican Winter League this offseason
• An interesting name to watch this spring

J.R. Mathes

• LHP
• Drafted by the Cubs in the 16th round of the 2004 draft
• Real name is Alfred George Mathes
• Born in Granger, IN
• good command
• 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA in 26 games (21 starts) for AAA Iowa in 2009
• 1-2 with a 5.08 ERA in 6 games in the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason

Vince Perkins

• RHP (bats left handed)
• Has spent 8 seasons in the minors
• Has been in the Tonorto ('01-'05), Milwauke (2007) and Cubs (2009) organizations
• Played for team Canada in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics
• 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 6 games for the Smokies last year, before being moved up to AAA where he went 6-2 with a 3.48 ERA

James Russell

• LHP
• Drafted by the Cubs in the 14th round of the June 2007 draft
• Struggled as a starter, found new life in the bullpen
• 2-3 with a 5.11 ERA in 11 games (6 starts) at AA Tennessee in 2009
• 3-3 with a 3.43 ERA in 26 games (7 starts) for AAA Iowa
• 0-1 with a 1.26 ERA in 11 games in the Arizona Fall League for the Mesa Solar Sox last fall

Guy to Watch for the Future: Andrew Cashner

Best Chance to Make the Club: J.R. Mathes

Most Underrated: Thomas Diamond

Up Next: The Non Roster Hitters

Rule 5 Draft Preview

Tomorrow is the 2009 Rule 5 Draft. Every year, players that meet certain Rule 5 requirements could be lost by each organization and drafted into a different organization. Let's start with an overview of some of the rules for the draft:

• The Rule 5 draft has been a staple of the Winter Meetings Since it started.
• Major league teams must protect player on their 40-man rosters within 3 or 4 years of their original signing.
• Those left unprotected are available for other teams to select.
• Players who were 18 or younger on June 5 before the signing of their first contract must be protected after 4 minor league seasons.
• Players 19 and older must be protected after 3 seasons.
• Each Rule 5 pick must be kept in the big leagues the entire following season, or they will be offered back to their former team for half of the $50,000 selecting price.
• Teams had to add player to their 40 man roster by November 20 to protect them from the draft.
• Teams select in reverse order of that season's finish.
• AA and AAA sections of the Rule 5 drafts cost teams $4,000 and 12,000 respectively to pick.
• Roberto Clemente is the only Rule 5 draft pick to go on to become a Hall of Famer.

Now let's take a look at what the Cubs have done in the draft in recent years:

• 2008- Lost Donald Veal to Pittsburgh
• 2008- Traded for David Patton after he was drafted by Cincinnati from Colorado. Patton would spend all of 2009 with the Cubs.
• 2007- Traded for Tim Lahey after he was drafted by Tampa Bay from Minnesota. Claimed off waivers by the Phillies on March 28, returned to Minnesota on April 12.
• 2007- Lost Randy Wells to Toronto, but he was returned on April 16.
• 2006- Drafted Josh Hamilton from the Tampa Bay Rays. He was later traded to Cincinnati for cash.
• 2006- Lost Edward Campusano to Milwaukee. Eventually was returned to the Cubs on October 10, 2007
• 2006- Lost Lincoln Holdzkom to Houston, but he was returned to the Cubs on March 11.
• 2006- Lost Jason Smith to Toronto
• 2005- Lost Juan Mateo to St. Louis
• 2004- Lost Andrew Sisco to Kansas City
• 2004- Lost Luke Hagerty to Baltimore
• 1980- In the best Cubs Rule 5 Pick up ever, they drafted Jody Davis from St. Louis. Davis would go on to win a gold glove and make two All Star teams.

So big names, like Davis and Hamilton, can be drafted in the Rule V. Who are the Cubs at risk of losing this year?

• Matt Camp, INF/OF: .282 AVG in 98 games at AAA this season
• Steve Clevenger, C: .265 AVG in 67 games at AAA, .364 AVG in 26 games at AA
• Alessandro Maestri, P: 4-2 with 3.69 ERA in 54 games at AA in 2009
• Thomas Diamond P: Picked up by the Cubs late in the season. Playing well in Mexican Winter League
• J.R. Mathes, P: 12-8 wti a 3.62 ERA in 26 games (21 starts) for AAA Iowa
• Greg Reinhard, P: 2-4 with a 5.38 ERA in 41 games (5 starts) at AAA Iowa

The Cubs left these guy out there when they protected John Gaub, Blake Parker, Rafael Dolis, Welington Castillo, and James Adduci on November 20. The Cubs will not feel heartbroken if they lose any of those guys, although there was some surprise that Camp and Diamond were left unprotected.

Draft Order

• 1. Nationals
• 2. Pirates
• 3. Orioles
• 4. Royals
• 5. Indians
• 6. D'backs
• 7. Mets
• 8. Astros
• 9. Padres
• 10. Athletics
• 11. Blue Jays
• 12. Reds
• 13. White Sox
• 14. Brewers
• 15. Cubs
• And so on...

Any team can take a pick in the draft, but no team is forced to.

I'll post a recap sometime after the draft...

The Cubs In Winter Ball

Brenly Joins AFL
Michael Brenly, son of Cubs broadcaster Bob Brenly, has joined the Mesa Solar Sox to do some catching in the Arizona Fall League. Brenly launched a 2-run homer yesterday to lead Mesa to an 8-5 win, and he has 2 hits so far in today's game against Peoria. Brenly is replacing catcher Welington Castillo on the team. He spent most of 2009 with the Peoria Chiefs.

Samardzija Done in Mexico
Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija has finished his assignment with the Mexicali team in the Mexican Pacific League. Jeff started 5 games, going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA. "The Shark" is hoping to start for the Cubs next year, and the injury to Ted Lilly could give him a chance to start the year in the rotation.

Diamond to hit the Winter League Diamond
In early September the Cubs claimed right handed pitcher Thomas Diamond off of waivers from the Texas Rangers. Thomas was the Rangers' first pick in the 2004 First Year Player Draft. Tomorrow, Diamond will head to Mexico, where he will take Samardzija's spot on Mexicali's roster. He is just getting healthy from a Tommy John surgery he had in March of 2007. Diamond pitched in the Arizona Instructional League at Fitch Park earlier this fall. He is hoping to earn an invitation to Cubs Spring Training.

AFL Rising Stars
Saturday is the Arizona Fall League "Rising Stars" game. Starlin Castro and Josh Vitters are the two Cub farm hand position players who are on the AFL East roster. Andrew Cashner was named to the team, but will not be able to play in the game, so he will be replaced by fellow Cub minor leaguer Blake Parker. Parker, a left handed pitcher, played for Tennessee and Iowa in 2009. The game will be televised on the MLB Network Saturday night.

Castro Scares Cubs
Top prospect Starlin Castro jammed his finger diving into a base early in the week, but he was not badly injured and returned to the Solar Sox lineup today. STAR-lin is leading the league in hitting at .425.

Cubs Organization Looks at Future
The entire Cubs organization, in Mesa for their annual meetings, was in attendance today to watch some young Cubs play as the Mesa Solar Sox hosted Peoria at HoHoKam Park. The Solar Sox stomped on Peo Javelinas in the game by a score of 8-1. All 4 Cubs pitchers that are playing in the AFL got into the game. Andrew Cashner got the start, and ended up with the win. He worked 4 scoreless frames. James Russell pitched a 1, 2, 3 fifth inning. He was followed by John Gaub, he allowed 0 runs on a hit, and Blake Parker, who yielded 1 run on 2 hits. On the hitters side of things, Brenly and Castro each went 2-4, while Josh Vitters did not play.

Blanco Continues to Play Well
Cubs infielder Andres Blanco has had a great winter season so far for Magallanes, of the Venezualan Winter League. Andres has a .303 batting average in 18 games. The Cubs people are happy to see him hitting well, because they know he can play good defense. Blanco will go to Spring Training competing for infield jobs with Ryan Theriot, Jeff Baker, Mike Fontenot, Aaron Miles, and anyone else the Cubs add this winter. Robinson Chirinos, Cubs minor league catcher, is hitting .410 in 16 games for Magallanes.

Other Winter Ball Tidbits

• Nelson Perez is hitting .405 in the Domican Winter League for Toros. He has played in 12 games.
• Matt Camp is hitting .351 and Brad Snyder is batting .333 with 4 homers and 19 RBIs. Both are playing for Mexicalli.
• J.R. Mathes is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in the VWL.
• Welington Castillo is done in the AFL, he finished with a .357 batting average and 2 RBIs in his 4 games.

I will have a recap of the AFL Rising Stars game up on Sunday, and I will have my next full winter ball report next Thursday!