25-man roster decisions

[Ivy Walls]

Given: (like the old geometry equations)

 

Given from current Depth Chart:

 

OF: Murton-LF (Floyd then Pagan back up), Soriano-CF (Pie back up), Jones-RF (Coats back up)

 

IF: Lee-1B (Ward back up), DeRosa-2B (Theriot back up), Izturis-SS (Cedeno & Theriot back ups), Ramirez (Moore back up)

 

C: Barrett (Blanco & Soto back ups)

 

SP: Zambrano, Lilly, Marquis, Hill, Prior (Miller, Marshall, Guzman back ups)

 

RP: Dempster, Wood, Cotts, Howry, Eyre, Ohman, (Wuertz, Novoa, Ryu, Mateo, Walrond, Marmol back ups)

 

Baseball in all its forms is about the numbers. after wins and losses which is the Emperor of all numbers comes 25-man roster followed by the 40-man roster.

 

As I look at this numbers don't lie:

 

Breaking from spring training I will start with Prior and Wood. If they are indeed healthy they will not start on the DL and looking at things I could see Wood beginning as the long reliever in April and evolve into a short reliever as the season goes on. Miller is insurance for Prior so if Prior is healthy then Cubs either go with a 12-man bullpen and 13 position player by putting Miller into the pen as the long reliever. That means that Weurtz, Novoa and co go to AAA if they or Miller are not traded.

 

However I think that Cubs really want to go with a 11-man staff and 14 position players, meaning it appears that Pagan or Cedeno or Theriot are competing for the 24th and 25th man on the roster. If the Cubs go with a 12-man staff one of those three are in AAA. It appears that unless the Cubs find another 5th OF'er Pagan has made it unless Piniella is willing to go to Chicago with DeRosa and Theriot as back up OF'ers. Thus it comes down between Cedeno and Theriot.

 

What all this could foretell? Obviously Jones is the real tradable commodity. Signing Floyd could mean many things, but I doubt is it means full time starter so either Murton moves to RF as as a starter or platoons with Floyd or a new RF'er or Floyd goes there and platoons with a RF'er and keeps the position open for Pie to ascend.

 

But more than that it appears the Cubs have players to deal, on both 25-man and 40-man rosters.

[Derwood]

I think Eyre is a more tradable commodity than Jones. There is a glut of arms. I'd hate to see Wuertz banished to Iowa again

[fromthestretch]

There is absolutely no reason for Wuertz to be back in AAA. I believe Cotts has an option left, and if both Eyre and Ohman are on the team, I'd rather have Cotts sent down than Wuertz.

 

Either that or they need to trade one of their bullpen lefties.

[NoDak]

Did I miscount or do you have 38 players listed here? Who would be 25-man roster spots and who would have 40-man roster spots. Here is my list of 25-man roster:

OF: Jones, Murton, Soriano, Floyd, Ward (Also backing up 1B)

Infield: Lee, DeRosa, Izturis, Ramirez, Barrett, Blanco, Theriot, Cedeno

Rotation: Z, Lilly, Hill, Marquis, Prior

Pen: Dempster, Wood, Eyre, Cotts, Howry, Ohman

 

If possible, I can see Eyre and Jones being dealt and their spots taken by Pagan and Wuertz respectively. If Miller, Marshall, Guzman impresses, it could really throw a wrench into things. If this is the roster I am concerned about the lack of a power hitting infielder off the bench (like Nevin).

[CubColtPacer]

Did I miscount or do you have 38 players listed here? Who would be 25-man roster spots and who would have 40-man roster spots. Here is my list of 25-man roster:

OF: Jones, Murton, Soriano, Floyd, Ward (Also backing up 1B)

Infield: Lee, DeRosa, Izturis, Ramirez, Barrett, Blanco, Theriot, Cedeno

Rotation: Z, Lilly, Hill, Marquis, Prior

Pen: Dempster, Wood, Eyre, Cotts, Howry, Ohman

 

If possible, I can see Eyre and Jones being dealt and their spots taken by Pagan and Wuertz respectively. If Miller, Marshall, Guzman impresses, it could really throw a wrench into things. If this is the roster I am concerned about the lack of a power hitting infielder off the bench (like Nevin).

 

Ward is really that power hitting infielder that you are looking for. In fact, he is almost exactly the same as Nevin. Also, you only have 24 players listed on your 25 man roster.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I will lose my mind if Wuertz doesn't start the year in Chicago. The Cubs are nowhere near good enough to go about sending their best reliever to AAA just for giggles.

[Backtobanks]

Did I miscount or do you have 38 players listed here? Who would be 25-man roster spots and who would have 40-man roster spots. Here is my list of 25-man roster:

OF: Jones, Murton, Soriano, Floyd, Ward (Also backing up 1B)

Infield: Lee, DeRosa, Izturis, Ramirez, Barrett, Blanco, Theriot, CedenoRotation: Z, Lilly, Hill, Marquis, Prior

Pen: Dempster, Wood, Eyre, Cotts, Howry, Ohman

 

If possible, I can see Eyre and Jones being dealt and their spots taken by Pagan and Wuertz respectively. If Miller, Marshall, Guzman impresses, it could really throw a wrench into things. If this is the roster I am concerned about the lack of a power hitting infielder off the bench (like Nevin).

 

It wouldn't surprise me to see Cedeno at Iowa, at least until he gets his confidence back.

[BDWeav71]

I wonder if they will hold on to Eyre until the trade deadline and look to move him then?

 

Combo him with some prospects and you could get a good 2-3 starter.

[BDWeav71]

Or a shortstop... :oops:

[RichHillIsABeast]

Supposedly JH (Vance's Cubs Convention report?) said that the 11 or 12 best pitchers are going to make the team.

[Dr. Cub]

I will lose my mind if Wuertz doesn't start the year in Chicago. The Cubs are nowhere near good enough to go about sending their best reliever to AAA just for giggles.

 

[in my best Triumph voice] What if we add some poop?

[Bruce Miles]

Eyre has a partial no-trade. They're not looking to move him. The way Hendry values the bullpen they'll definitely keep him if the Cubs are contenders.

[BigbadB]

Did I miscount or do you have 38 players listed here? Who would be 25-man roster spots and who would have 40-man roster spots. Here is my list of 25-man roster:

OF: Jones, Murton, Soriano, Floyd, Ward (Also backing up 1B)

Infield: Lee, DeRosa, Izturis, Ramirez, Barrett, Blanco, Theriot, CedenoRotation: Z, Lilly, Hill, Marquis, Prior

Pen: Dempster, Wood, Eyre, Cotts, Howry, Ohman

 

If possible, I can see Eyre and Jones being dealt and their spots taken by Pagan and Wuertz respectively. If Miller, Marshall, Guzman impresses, it could really throw a wrench into things. If this is the roster I am concerned about the lack of a power hitting infielder off the bench (like Nevin).

 

It wouldn't surprise me to see Cedeno at Iowa, at least until he gets his confidence back.

 

Cedeno isn't fully developed. He'll be able to finish his development in AAA much better than sitting on the bench in Chicago.

[questionmarkgrace]

Seems to me that Eyre is the best bet to have a down season. Over the last couple of years he has pitched a ton of innings. Combine that with his physique and his conditioning habits and you've got a recipe for the DL.

 

I wouldn't mind trading him now while relievers are in high demand. Plus he's a Dusty boy.

[Derwood]

Eyre has a partial no-trade. They're not looking to move him. The way Hendry values the bullpen they'll definitely keep him if the Cubs are contenders.

 

So does that mean Ohman or Cotts will start in Iowa? It seems like one is the odd man out, as I can't imagine the team breaking camp with 3 lefties in the pen

[CuseCubFan69]

Did the Cubs make a move to put them at 40 or did the release of Rusch bring them to 40?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I think one more move is forth coming.

[CuseCubFan69]

I think one more move is forth coming.

 

Probably Buck Coats or maybe Hendry will make a 2-1 deal soon eh?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I think one more move is forth coming.

 

Probably Buck Coats or maybe Hendry will make a 2-1 deal soon eh?

 

Coats is my guess as well.

[NoDak]

Supposedly JH (Vance's Cubs Convention report?) said that the 11 or 12 best pitchers are going to make the team.

 

Well, I suppose that is better than simply choosing by players with names that are easiest to spell. :lol:

[craig]

Eyre has a partial no-trade. They're not looking to move him. The way Hendry values the bullpen they'll definitely keep him if the Cubs are contenders.

 

So does that mean Ohman or Cotts will start in Iowa? It seems like one is the odd man out, as I can't imagine the team breaking camp with 3 lefties in the pen

 

They may well have 3 lefties. A 7-man pen with 3 lefties and 4 righties (Dempster, Wood, Wuertz, and Howry) seems entirely plausible.

 

It's also noteworthy that Eyre has been pretty effective and was often used as a full-inning guy, so it's not like he's strictly a LOOGY. Cotts' stats also don't split much, so he may not need to be used as a LOOGY either, he might be a servicable multi-inning longman.

 

The default is for all the rookies (Marshall, Guzman, etc.) to go to Iowa. If everybody is healthy, Cotts and Miller profile as 12th/13th men.

[frostwyrm]

Nobody wants Pagan? According to Dusty he was one of the horses we missed. How can you leave a horse off the roster?

[mul21]

Nobody wants Pagan? According to Dusty he was one of the horses we missed. How can you leave a horse off the roster?

 

Because it's baseball and not horse racing or polo?????? :D