- Lou Piniella could cut as many as 10 players by Tuesday according to reports.
- Rich Harden could be skipped the first time around so the Cubs could see Marshall get a start the first few weeks.
- Lou will name the closer in the weeks ahead, he wants to see Gregg and Marmol pitch on back to back days.
- The Cubs will start the season with 12 pitchers with 9 being locks- Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, Harden, Marshall, Heilman, Cotts, Gregg, and Marmol. Unless the Cubs can move Vizcaino or Gaudin they will go into the season with one spot in the pen leaving Shark, Waddell, and Patton the 3 players fighting for it. If I was Lou I would trade or release Vizcaino and Gaudin and go with Patton and Waddell. Having Shark start the season in AAA.
- The two players most likely to be traded before Opening Day are Gaudin and Guzman. Because of there inexpensive contract and versatility.
- The battle of backup catcher is still going on. I thought Lou would have made a decision by now with Koyie Hill head and shoulders above Johnson and Bako.
- The Cubs also will enter the season with Gathright as their 25th man and not a backup for 3rd.
- The Pirates are looking for pitching and the Cubs have a young right hander out of options named Angel Guzman that would fit the need of a young guy with good upside, very inexpensive, and can start as well as relieve. The Cubs should try to get Romulo Sanchez or Ron Uviedo. I may be dreaming though!
4 comments:
If you sow the boxscore of todays game Bako is very close to Hill now in my opinion. he went 4 for 4 with 2 singles, double, homerun and 3 rbi's.
I actually am thinking Guzman Makes the team out of spring training. Vizciano is the one who needs to go. Even if the cubs eat some of his contract i feel that Gaudin is more valuable to this team then Vizcaino.
Gregg (Closer)
Marmol (Stopper)
Heilman (Set Up)
Guzman (Set Up)
Cotts
Gaudin(as Long man)
That leaves one more middle reliever left. Id think it comes down to Samardija, Patton and Ascanio, It unfortunate they dont have a second lefty(Stanton/ Waddel arent the answer). However i really dont think Vizcaino makes the team. Sadly the Cubs will probably have to eat some money.
** Only one lefty in the pen. They should have signed Beimel. That will come back to haunt them.
Here's my 2 cents worth. Wells, Warrell, Hart, Samardzija and Fox will all start in AAA.
Gregg, Marmol, Heilman and Cotts are said to be locks. That leaves Vizcaino, Gaudin, Patton and Guzman
for 3 spots. What if Cubs packaged a deal with Toronto for a good lefty. Say Cotts and Gaudin for any one of these 3 Carlson, Downs or Tallet. Toronto has 4 good lefties counting their closer (Ryan), they need righties. I just don't like Cotts as our only lefty.
And we don't have room for all those righties.
Waldo, you will get that type of production once a year from Bako. And you just got it for this year. Time to give Hill a shot at backup.
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