Opening Day Roster Guesses

[LoneStarCubFan]

Doesn't look like there's a lot of decisions to be made right now. My guess, barring a major trade, is that the roster will look like this on Opening Day:

 

Zambrano

Prior

Maddux

Rusch

Williams

 

Dempster

Eyre

Howry

Williamson

Wuertz

Novoa

7th pitcher (Ohman?), or 6th bench guy (Augie, Theriot, Greenberg, Restovich)

 

Barrett

Lee

Walker

Cedeno

Ramirez

Murton

Pierre

Jones

 

Blanco

Perez

Hairston

Mabry

Grissom (If he does anything at all, Dusty will keep him)

6th bench guy (Augie, Theriot, Greenberg, Restovich) or 7th pitcher (Ohman?)

 

When Wood comes back the 6th bench guy/7th pitcher goes down and Williams goes to the bullpen. If Miller comes back, Novoa goes down and Rusch goes to the pen.

 

There aren't a lot of good options for a sixth bench guy in camp so I have a feeling Dusty will go with the extra pitcher. I also think Wellmeyer will be sent out in a deal for a minor leaguer to free up a roster spot.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Novoa out, Ohman in. 12 pitchers to start. Otherwise, that looks to be about it.

[goonys evil twin]

I'll be mildly surprised if Walker, Williamson or some other currently rostered player isn't moved before spring is out. There's seems to be more talk about spring training deals coming from the Cubs this year than usual.

[CubinNY]

I'll be mildly surprised if Walker, Williamson... isn't moved before spring is out. There's seems to be more talk about spring training deals coming from the Cubs this year than usual.

 

I agree much to my dismay (regarding the Cubs. I usually agree with goony).

 

However, if the deal nets the Cubs a power stick in the OF I won't be disapointed.

[JWCUB]

I'll be mildly surprised if Walker, Williamson... isn't moved before spring is out. There's seems to be more talk about spring training deals coming from the Cubs this year than usual.

 

I agree much to my dismay (regarding the Cubs. I usually agree with goony).

 

However, if the deal nets the Cubs a power stick in the OF I won't be disapointed.

 

I agree 100%. But the million dollar question is what power stick?

[LoneStarCubFan]

I'll be mildly surprised if Walker, Williamson... isn't moved before spring is out. There's seems to be more talk about spring training deals coming from the Cubs this year than usual.

 

I agree much to my dismay (regarding the Cubs. I usually agree with goony).

 

However, if the deal nets the Cubs a power stick in the OF I won't be disapointed.

 

I agree 100%. But the million dollar question is what power stick?

 

I don't see a difference-maker showing up in a spring training deal. What we have in camp is what we'll see on Opening Day.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Here's my Opening Day Roster:

 

C Michael Barrett

1b Derrek Lee

2b Todd Walker

3b Aramis Ramirez

SS Ronny Cedeno

LF Matt Murton

CF Juan Pierre

RF Jacque Jones

 

SP Carlos Zambrano

SP Mark Prior

SP Greg Maddux

SP Jerome Williams

SP Glendon Rusch

 

Bench

IF Neifi Perez

IF/OF Jerry Hairston

C Henry Blanco

IF/OF John Mabry

OF Marquis Grissom

OF Michael Restovich

 

Bullpen

CL Ryan Dempster

Bob Howry

Scott Eyre

Will Ohman

Scott Williamson

Micheal Wuertz

 

DL

Kerry Wood

Wade Miller

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I'll be mildly surprised if Walker, Williamson... isn't moved before spring is out. There's seems to be more talk about spring training deals coming from the Cubs this year than usual.

 

I agree much to my dismay (regarding the Cubs. I usually agree with goony).

 

However, if the deal nets the Cubs a power stick in the OF I won't be disapointed.

 

Even if that stick replaces Murton?

 

I'm kind of upset by the trade talk. There isn't a whole lot of room for improvement on this team as set up other than to replace Murton or Cedeno. I don't see Williamson + Walker bringing us an improved offense. What power stick out there makes up for the loss of those two guys? Just one of those by themselves probably doesn't do anything but add payroll with whoever comes in.

[goonys evil twin]

I'm kind of upset by the trade talk. There isn't a whole lot of room for improvement on this team as set up other than to replace Murton or Cedeno.

 

I'm not sure exactly what this means, but I think I completely disagree.

 

There is a whole lot of room for improvement. The bench still stinks, for one, and the OF is unacceptable. Now, there may not be much likelihood for significant improvement, but there is certainly room for improvement.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I'm kind of upset by the trade talk. There isn't a whole lot of room for improvement on this team as set up other than to replace Murton or Cedeno.

 

I'm not sure exactly what this means, but I think I completely disagree.

 

There is a whole lot of room for improvement. The bench still stinks, for one, and the OF is unacceptable. Now, there may not be much likelihood for significant improvement, but there is certainly room for improvement.

 

My point was that the only guys likely to lose their jobs are Murton and Cedeno, not that this team couldn't be improved (especially our crappy OF). For example, we're not going to upgrade RF however much that would help us out as Jones just inked his 3 year deal. The positions we could use some improvement at are the ones that are locked up (CF, RF, bench). Hendry set up the roster so the only real improvement he can make is to replace one of the youngsters.

 

I'd like to see the youngsters play, not get pushed aside or traded for an older and more expensive replacement with limited offensive upside.

[goonys evil twin]

I'm kind of upset by the trade talk. There isn't a whole lot of room for improvement on this team as set up other than to replace Murton or Cedeno.

 

I'm not sure exactly what this means, but I think I completely disagree.

 

There is a whole lot of room for improvement. The bench still stinks, for one, and the OF is unacceptable. Now, there may not be much likelihood for significant improvement, but there is certainly room for improvement.

 

My point was that the only guys likely to lose their jobs are Murton and Cedeno, not that this team couldn't be improved (especially our crappy OF). For example, we're not going to upgrade RF however much that would help us out as Jones just inked his 3 year deal. The positions we could use some improvement at are the ones that are locked up (CF, RF, bench). Hendry set up the roster so the only real improvement he can make is to replace one of the youngsters.

 

I'd like to see the youngsters play, not get pushed aside or traded for an older and more expensive replacement with limited offensive upside.

 

I'm as big of a fans of the youngsters as anybody. But I'm much more interested in the success of the Cubs than the development of any one kid. If he replaced Cedeno with Tejada, I wouldn't have a problem. If Abreu went to LF instead of Murton, I'm not going to be upset.

 

And the bench is still in dire need of improvement, that can happen without bumping either of the kids.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I'm kind of upset by the trade talk. There isn't a whole lot of room for improvement on this team as set up other than to replace Murton or Cedeno.

 

I'm not sure exactly what this means, but I think I completely disagree.

 

There is a whole lot of room for improvement. The bench still stinks, for one, and the OF is unacceptable. Now, there may not be much likelihood for significant improvement, but there is certainly room for improvement.

 

My point was that the only guys likely to lose their jobs are Murton and Cedeno, not that this team couldn't be improved (especially our crappy OF). For example, we're not going to upgrade RF however much that would help us out as Jones just inked his 3 year deal. The positions we could use some improvement at are the ones that are locked up (CF, RF, bench). Hendry set up the roster so the only real improvement he can make is to replace one of the youngsters.

 

I'd like to see the youngsters play, not get pushed aside or traded for an older and more expensive replacement with limited offensive upside.

 

I'm as big of a fans of the youngsters as anybody. But I'm much more interested in the success of the Cubs than the development of any one kid. If he replaced Cedeno with Tejada, I wouldn't have a problem. If Abreu went to LF instead of Murton, I'm not going to be upset.

 

And the bench is still in dire need of improvement, that can happen without bumping either of the kids.

 

Tejada isn't going anywhere for less than a #2 starter. Abreu isn't getting moved for prospects either. It isn't simply replacing a youngster. you'd need to put a stud in their place to make it worthwhile ($ vs. performance issue), and that stud is going to change more of your roster than just the youngsters. Saying good-bye to Prior or Z is unacceptable in my eyes.

 

The bench is the bench. Blanco and Mabry definitely aren't going anywhere. Hairston? Probably staying as Walker will be shown the door long before. Neifi isn't going anywhere after the 2 year contract.

 

We're going to trade Walker or Williamson for some bench help? How does that help the team?

 

Walker and Williamson plus prospects aren't going to bring us what we need.