What is your best 25 man roster this far in?

[marc_foust]

There are approximatly 3-5 spots on the 25 man roster being competed for, if you are managing this team who makes your 25 man roster?

 

Mine:

 

1- Lee

2- Walker

3- ARam

C- Barrett

Lf- Murton

SS- Cedeno

CF- Pierre

RF- Jones

 

Bench:

Neifi

Hairston

Blanco

Dopriak

Pagan

Mabry

 

Rotation:

Z

Prior

Maddux

Williams

Rusch

 

BP:

Dempster

Eyre

Howry

Williamson

Wuertz

Ohman

 

DL:

Miller

Wood

[rocket]

No way Dopirak is even close to being ML ready. I'd replace him with Grissom to platoon with Jones, other than that, the bench is about as good as it can be with what Hendry provided.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Dopirak isn't ready. As impressive as he has looked, he has a lot of developing to do. Also considering he only plays first and Lee plays 155 or more games every year, Dopirak would only be able to serve as a pinch hitter.

 

I think this would be my 25-man roster.

 

C Barrett

1b Lee

2b Walker

3b Ramirez

SS Cedeno

LF Murton

RF Jones

CF Pierre

 

SP Zambrano

SP Prior

SP Maddux

SP Rusch

SP Williams

 

Bullpen

CL Dempster

Howry

Eyre

Ohman

Wuertz

Williamson

 

Bench

C Blanco

IF Perez

IF/OF Hairston

OF/CI Mabry

OF Pagan

1b/OF Sing

 

I'd like to have Theriot there in the place of Mabry, but with Mabrys deal being guaranteed that's not going to happen.

[Outshined_One]

Dopirak isn't ready. As impressive as he has looked, he has a lot of developing to do. Also considering he only plays first and Lee plays 155 or more games every year, Dopirak would only be able to serve as a pinch hitter.

 

I think this would be my 25-man roster.

 

C Barrett

1b Lee

2b Walker

3b Ramirez

SS Cedeno

LF Murton

RF Jones

CF Pierre

 

SP Zambrano

SP Prior

SP Maddux

SP Rusch

SP Williams

 

Bullpen

CL Dempster

Howry

Eyre

Ohman

Wuertz

Williamson

 

Bench

C Blanco

IF Perez

IF/OF Hairston

OF/CI Mabry

OF Pagan

1b/OF Sing

 

I'd like to have Theriot there in the place of Mabry, but with Mabrys deal being guaranteed that's not going to happen.

 

I like this 25 man roster quite a bit. If Sing continues to produce in Spring Training and Pagan shows enough speed for Dusty to keep him around as a PR and a guy to give Pierre a day off every now and again, this roster looks quite realistic.

 

One thing I would worry about is if Dusty decides to go with a seven man bullpen out of Spring Training...again...

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

The decisions as to who makes the 25 man right now aren't that huge. The the 24th and 25th man off the bench, and the last BP spot. (Hopefully Novoa is the odd man out there) For me, the tough questions are: when Wade and Wood (hopefully) come back, who gets sent down? Who gets traded? How good does Angel Guzman or Rich Hill have to look in order for them to push Rusch or Williams out of the rotation? How bad do those two have to pitch to start the year?

 

...on the Guzman and Hill topic...am I the only one kind of hoping that Rusch or Maddux gets hurt?

[Outshined_One]

The decisions as to who makes the 25 man right now aren't that huge. The the 24th and 25th man off the bench, and the last BP spot. (Hopefully Novoa is the odd man out there) For me, the tough questions are: when Wade and Wood (hopefully) come back, who gets sent down? Who gets traded? How good does Angel Guzman or Rich Hill have to look in order for them to push Rusch or Williams out of the rotation? How bad do those two have to pitch to start the year?

 

...on the Guzman and Hill topic...am I the only one kind of hoping that Rusch or Maddux gets hurt?

 

I have worries with both Hill and Gooz...

 

For Hill, it is very hard for me to find some one with whom he can easily be compared. Prior to last season, his success and control were inconsistent (although his 2004 in the hurricane-shortened Daytona season was decent when he got regular work). Seeing a guy go from bouncing pitches off the backstop with some degree of regularity to leading the minors in strikeouts during his stint there last season is unusual. If he can keep up that success in Spring Training and down in AAA while developing an average third pitch, then I'll feel better about him.

 

Guzman, on the other hand, is as much of an injury concern as Miller and Wood. I haven't seen enough of him to know if it's because of mechanical flaws, a frail body, carelessness by doctors, or what. He might be healthy and back to form now...but will he get injured again? Can he really be relied upon to stay healthy at this point in his career? Also, considering he hasn't pitched regularly in quite some time, there's still plenty of rust for him to shake off.

 

Rusch I'm not a huge fan of, but Maddux has at least been reasonably consistent during his time with the Cubs. It really is a wait and see thing for me in terms of deciding whether I'd rather have those two over the youngsters or not this season.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

One of the biggest concerns with the 25-man I have proposed is what to do when Wood and Miller return from injuries. None of the pitchers in my bullpen have options, so simply bumping one to Iowa doesn't work.

 

It likely means that either a position player like Pagan would have to be removed, thereby weaking the bench, a player (maybe Williamson) would have to be traded, or someone is exposed to waivers.

 

Last question for anyone who can answer: Does Jerome Williams have options? If so, that creates one move that could happen to make room for Wood and Miller. It doesn't solve all the problems, though.

[MustangMike]

Dopirak isn't ready. As impressive as he has looked, he has a lot of developing to do. Also considering he only plays first and Lee plays 155 or more games every year, Dopirak would only be able to serve as a pinch hitter.

 

I think this would be my 25-man roster.

 

C Barrett

1b Lee

2b Walker

3b Ramirez

SS Cedeno

LF Murton

RF Jones

CF Pierre

 

SP Zambrano

SP Prior

SP Maddux

SP Rusch

SP Williams

 

Bullpen

CL Dempster

Howry

Eyre

Ohman

Wuertz

Williamson

 

Bench

C Blanco

IF Perez

IF/OF Hairston

OF/CI Mabry

OF Pagan

1b/OF Sing

 

I'd like to have Theriot there in the place of Mabry, but with Mabrys deal being guaranteed that's not going to happen.

 

I like this, but lets be fair to Dusty's history here. He's going to have grissom on this team (-Sing), and he's going to carry 12 pitches (-pagan)...don't you hate it! :)

[srbin84]

C Barrett

1b Lee

2b Walker

3b Ramirez

SS Cedeno

LF Murton

RF Jones

CF Pierre

 

SP Zambrano

SP Prior

SP Maddux

SP Williams

SP Guzman

 

Bullpen

CL Dempster

Howry

Eyre

Ohman

Wuertz

Williamson

Rusch

 

Bench

C Blanco

IF Perez

IF/OF Hairston

OF/CI Mabry

1b Dopirak

[goonys evil twin]

Bench

C Blanco

IF Perez

IF/OF Hairston

OF/CI Mabry

1b Dopirak

 

Why would you want Dopirak on the major league bench? The guy struggled in the FSL last season. He's still young and inexperienced, plus, he only plays first. You don't waste roster spots on bench players who can only play first. Sing is a much better candidate for that role.

[CuseCubFan69]

Bench

C Blanco

IF Perez

IF/OF Hairston

OF/CI Mabry

1b Dopirak

 

Why would you want Dopirak on the major league bench? The guy struggled in the FSL last season. He's still young and inexperienced, plus, he only plays first. You don't waste roster spots on bench players who can only play first. Sing is a much better candidate for that role.

 

I agree....replace Dope with Sing. The only problem with Sing is that he's not on the 40 Man, correct?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Bench

C Blanco

IF Perez

IF/OF Hairston

OF/CI Mabry

1b Dopirak

 

Why would you want Dopirak on the major league bench? The guy struggled in the FSL last season. He's still young and inexperienced, plus, he only plays first. You don't waste roster spots on bench players who can only play first. Sing is a much better candidate for that role.

 

I agree....replace Dope with Sing. The only problem with Sing is that he's not on the 40 Man, correct?

 

Right.

[srbin84]

Yeah, Sing is good probably better since he is older and Dopriak hasn't advance in the minor leagues despite playing there for 4 years but he looks like he has rerturned to his 2004 form or is even better. He should have been promoted to AA that year anyway. The only reason I want to see him play a little this year is because I think Lee will not be resigned and I dont want to lose a player from the 40 man. If we dont resign him, I think we should trade him at the deadline if we are out of it again.

[goonys evil twin]

Yeah, Sing is good probably better since he is older and Dopriak hasn't advance in the minor leagues despite playing there for 4 years but he looks like he has rerturned to his 2004 form or is even better. He should have been promoted to AA that year anyway. The only reason I want to see him play a little this year is because I think Lee will not be resigned and I dont want to lose a player from the 40 man. If we dont resign him, I think we should trade him at the deadline if we are out of it again.

 

The 40 man has some guys who wouldn't be missed. Aardsma and Koronka could be gone without much fanfare. Welly and Novoa might not have spots. They have 4 catchers. And while Pagan is an interesting PR candidate, that is about all he is, and he could be cut as well.

 

And what are you talking about Dopirak and his advancement? He was drafted out of high school in 2002 and played sparingly as a pro that year. In 2003 he was in short season ball and got a late promotion to low A, perfectly normal. In 2004 he was ripped up low A. Then he went to high A in 2005, at 21 years old, a perfectly acceptable rate of advancement.

[ltb]

Bench

C Blanco

IF Perez

IF/OF Hairston

OF/CI Mabry

1b Dopirak

 

Why would you want Dopirak on the major league bench? The guy struggled in the FSL last season. He's still young and inexperienced, plus, he only plays first. You don't waste roster spots on bench players who can only play first. Sing is a much better candidate for that role.

 

I agree....replace Dope with Sing. The only problem with Sing is that he's not on the 40 Man, correct?

 

it's the same problem with grissom - it's pretty likely that someone who fills that 25th man slot is going to take someone's 40-man place.

[biittner77]

The best argument for Sing making the team over Grissom (other than the fact that Grissom is old, etc.) is that Sing could be optioned to Iowa if/when the Cubs need room for Wood or Miller.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

In today's Daily Herald, Bruce Miles reports that Pagan is impressing people and could have a place on the team.

 

Link

 

“I came in with my eyes wide open like I do about most guys,” manager Dusty Baker said. “This is a guy who was highly coveted a couple years ago before he got hurt (shoulder). They said he can play.

 

“He’s impressed me a lot. He can run. He can throw. He can play all three outfield positions.”

[Shawon12]

The best argument for Sing making the team over Grissom (other than the fact that Grissom is old, etc.) is that Sing could be optioned to Iowa if/when the Cubs need room for Wood or Miller.

 

I rather have Sing play everyday in AAA than have him be our 5th OF.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

According to Kiley, Sing and Dopirak are "destined" for the minors, but Theriot and Pagan have a chance to break camp with the club.

 

Link.

 

First basemen Brandon Sing and Brian Dopirak have gotten more attention by showing home-run power in spring training, but they are destined for the minors. Pagan and Theriot are legitimate threats to spend their first Aprils in the majors

[goonys evil twin]

The best argument for Sing making the team over Grissom (other than the fact that Grissom is old, etc.) is that Sing could be optioned to Iowa if/when the Cubs need room for Wood or Miller.

 

I rather have Sing play everyday in AAA than have him be our 5th OF.

 

If he was an inexperienced young professional who needed the at bats that would make sense, but because he's older, with plenty of time under his belt as a pro, there's no value in sending him to AAA instead of the major league bench.

[TheDude]

Go Theriot! He is an exciting young kid to watch play. It's a shame, but both Mabry and Grissom are going to be bench guys and squeeze him out.

 

Hopefully he's a "first option" up from the minors this year if someone gets hurt though.