who will be a surprising dark horse and how that plays out

[Ivy Walls]

Here is the list to choose from: Each year a few unexpected performances changes the presumed assumptions of those participating and there are a few veterans who struggle. I have also included a few who are returning from injury.

 

NON Roster

 

Gallagher, 21, RHP

Harben, 23, RHP

O’Malley, 26, LHP

Pignatiello, 24, LHP

Wells, 24 5-5 4.96 ERA

 

Fox, 24,

 

Kinkade, IF 33,

McGehee, 24,.

E Patterson, 23,

 

Colvin, 21,

 

From the 40-MAN

Pitchers B/T

57 Rocky Cherry R/R

48 Neal Cotts L/L

37 Angel Guzman R/R

49 Carlos Marmol R/R

45 Sean Marshall L/L

51 Juan Mateo R/R

52 Wade Miller R/R

44 Roberto Novoa

22 Mark Prior R/R

55 Clay Rapada R/L

50 Jeff Samardzija

34 Kerry Wood

43 Michael Wuertz

 

Catchers B/T

58 Geovany Soto R/R

 

Infielders B/T

5 Ronny Cedeno R/R

9 Scott Moore L/R

2 Ryan Theriot R/R

 

Outfielders B/T

27 Buck Coats L/R

29 Angel Pagan S/R

17 Felix Pie L/L

 

 

My best guess: Non Roster will see E Patterson show up with strong penchant to compete with Theriot and attempt to make the club in '08 as a reserve IF/OF willing and able to play CF also.

 

As pitchers go Gallagher will continue to show much more performance than the experts give him credit for. These two performances could begin to engineer a trade interest with Seattle for Ichiro.

 

40-Man

 

Prior: Front and center Prior looked as sharp as his rookie year and dispelled rumors that have gathered since '05. Even though Zam is all giddy about his $98M contract he feels the pressure of the ace returned.

 

Wood: After years of prediction that Kerry Wood could be the greatest closer in the game, Wood shows himself dominate and feels ready for a new career.

 

Dopirak who had a surprising spring last year and after a first game at AA breaking his toe. This really hurt Dopirak since he could have played some in the bigs while Lee was also hurt. A big spring could also help him get some interest by suitors looking for talent.

 

And finally Felix Pie will show up and demonstrate why he is considered the best Cub prospect after a tough Winter in the Dominican Rep. He will not make the club even though Lou felt he made the team outright yet he will close the deal on the Cubs trading for Ichiro and renting a RF'er and knowing that Floyd (who will show he is not ready for everyday OF work) and possibly going on the DL at the start with soreness making mute his incentive clause. (Floyd is not recalled until May when Ward is hurt)

 

These performances allow the Cubs to aggressively seek Seattle's Ichiro by trading Gallagher (finally allowed after Zambrano gets $98M over 5 yrs., ($18M, $19M, $19.5M, $20.5M, $21M) for Jones (who appeared to play defense better but pressed his offense), Gallagher, Dopirak, Dempster and Pagan. 5-for-1

 

The Cubs break camp with a new OF---Murton---Soriano--Suzuki with Pie as a reserve. IF; Barrett, Lee, DeRosa, Izturis and Ramirez with Theriot (IF/OF), Blanco, Ward and E Patterson in reserve (IF/OF).

 

Pitching Cubs sport; Z-Lilly-Prior-Hill-Miller (who barely beats Marquis as the last real decision) with RP: Wood(CL), Eyre, Howry, Ohman(LOOGY), Marquis(LR/Swing),Wuertz, Cotts. Wuertz beat out Novoa for the last spot on the staff.

 

Overview of roster (projected)

Cubs starting lineup is: (with/regular platoon)

Ichiro--DeRosa---Soriano--Lee--Ramirez--Pie/Murton---Barrett/Blanco--Izturis/Theriot(2B). Pie & Murton emerge as one of the top regular duo's.

 

The Cubs sport one of the fastest and best HR team in the NL offering Suzuki with 40+SB's, Soriano with 30+SB's at a better %, Lee with 15+SB's, Pie with 25+SB's and Theriot with 20 +SB's. Some games they simply mash teams to death, (10-HR Suzuki & DeRosa, Soriano 48-HR, Lee 40-HR, Ramirez 38-HR, Barrett 22-HR, Murton/Pie 35 HR's) with a pitching staff that stayed healthy and regularly lodged quality starts.

 

The one surprise is that Zambrano goes on the DL with back spasms during the year and fortunately the Cubs have depth and call up Guzman for four starts. The other development is that after this the Cubs go with 11 pitchers down the stretch in late July and August as they trade Miller for prospects.

[Mephistopheles]

harbens out all of 07 with TJ

[Rob]

Rotation is chock full right now... I'll go ahead and say Gallagher doesn't make the team out of spring training, seeing as how keeping him on the bench would be such a huge disservice to him and Cubs fans.

[WrigleyField 22]

Can't Coats play some IF, namely SS?

 

If so I will say him, with all of NSBB calling for a Theriot/Coats platoon at SS.

[Rob]

On a positive note, I'll predict Scott Moore makes Lou think twice about his decision to carry 12 pitchers to start off the season.