Playoff Roster

[TruffleShuffle]

Cedeno over Fonte.

 

agreed... fontenot hasn't hit for beans lately, and cedeno is a better fielder if a replacement is needed. Plus Cedeno is righthanded, and the Cubs usually have plenty of LH bats off the bench.

[SouthSideRyan]

Am I correct in thinking that we can have one 25 man roster for the NLDS, and a different one in the NLCS? In other words, if Lou wanted to could he leave Kendall off of the NLDS and put him on the NLCS roster? My only reasoning for asking this is in case we play a team that runs a lot, Kendall is basically worthless.

 

In case we play a team that is a professional baseball team, Blanco is basically worthless.

[Brian]

yeah there is no reason to not have Soto and Kendall for any playoff series the Cubs are in.

[bukie]

Well, now that it's a sure thing...

 

I think these players are "locks" to be on the playoff roster as long as nobody gets injured between now and Wednesday:

 

Rotation: Zambrano, Lilly, Hill, Marquis (not that I like it, but Marquis is in the rotation)

Relievers: Dempster, Howry, Marmol, Eyre, Wood, Wuertz

Position Players: Ramirez, Lee, Soriano, DeRosa, Theriot, Jones, Floyd, Kendall, Ward

 

That makes 20. As far as I see it, there are 5 spots up for grabs among the following players: Soto, Blanco, Murton, Munroe, Pie, Marshall, Hart, Fontenot, Cedeno, Ohman. They WILL have a second catcher, and Lou would likely want a long reliever available in case one of the starters runs into trouble immediately. That leaves space for a backup middle infielder and 2 backup OFs.

 

If it were up to me, I'd use Soto, Hart, Cedeno, Murton and Pie. Not sure if that's what Lou will do.

[CubColtPacer]

Well, now that it's a sure thing...

 

I think these players are "locks" to be on the playoff roster as long as nobody gets injured between now and Wednesday:

 

Rotation: Zambrano, Lilly, Hill, Marquis (not that I like it, but Marquis is in the rotation)

Relievers: Dempster, Howry, Marmol, Eyre, Wood, Wuertz

Position Players: Ramirez, Lee, Soriano, DeRosa, Theriot, Jones, Floyd, Kendall, Ward

 

That makes 20. As far as I see it, there are 5 spots up for grabs among the following players: Soto, Blanco, Murton, Munroe, Pie, Marshall, Hart, Fontenot, Cedeno, Ohman. They WILL have a second catcher, and Lou would likely want a long reliever available in case one of the starters runs into trouble immediately. That leaves space for a backup middle infielder and 2 backup OFs.

 

If it were up to me, I'd use Soto, Hart, Cedeno, Murton and Pie. Not sure if that's what Lou will do.

 

That's only 19, not 20 locks on your list above.

 

My guess is that Soto and Pie are also locks at this point.

 

The decisions that will be hardest will be Hart or Ohman and Cedeno or Fontenot. I think both Murton and Monroe will very likely make the roster together.

That gives Lou the flexibility to pinch-hit for his OF's and put in defensive replacements which he likes to do a lot. It is also necessary considering 3 of his OF's cannot hit left-handers (Pie, Jones, Floyd), 1 of his OF's cannot hit right-handers (Monroe) and half of his OF's cannot play defense. A second middle infielder would have a tough time getting off the bench.

 

If I had to guess right now, I'd guess Lou will take Soto, Pie, Murton, Monroe, Fontenot, and Hart. It will leave the Cubs with no backup SS and no 2nd left-hander, but the Cubs did that for quite a while earlier in the season.