Nonroster invitees?

[Bear Cub]

All that have been posted are Chad Fox and MarK Johnson. Are there any others?

[wvcbxl]

Chad Fox

 

Huh?

Did he have a contract clause guaranteeing lifelong ST invitations or something?

[Wrigley Rat]

BA announced the following signings yesterday:

 

Signed: LHP Bill White, 2B Robinson Chirinos

 

Also, the Cubs usually announce their non-roster invites around this time of the year (last year it was Jan. 15th). I'm wondering who they are as well. I know we need a couple infielders, a few AAAA players, and some old pitchers who will most likely be released during spring training. I also expect us to sign some players to minor league contracts who wanted major league deals (like Rich Aurilia, but slightly worse).

[Wrigley Rat]

So Taguchi signed to a minor league contract.

[Wrigley Rat]

A Cubs official said Friday the team will announce its non-roster invitees next week.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090116&content_id=3746747&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp

[craig]

BA announced the following signings yesterday:

 

Signed: LHP Bill White, 2B Robinson Chirinos

...

 

Bill White pitched for Texas last year, he's smart signing with us, given our need for LH relief. If he can put something together, this is as good a spot as any for him to get an opportunity, especially an opportunity on a winning team.

 

Not sure how likely that he'll "put something together", though.

 

Last year for Texas: 11BB/1K. I can only imagine how intense the pressure must be for a guy like that, 29 years old, you've been bouncing around, you get a shot. I know it's not like the world series or whatever, but the pressure on a middle-aged 4A guy must be just incredible when they get an occasional short opportunity. Hardly surprising that when control is your problem in the first place, under that kind of pressure that it only gets worse.

[Wrigley Rat]

BA announced the following signings yesterday:

 

Signed: LHP Bill White, 2B Robinson Chirinos

...

 

Bill White pitched for Texas last year, he's smart signing with us, given our need for LH relief. If he can put something together, this is as good a spot as any for him to get an opportunity, especially an opportunity on a winning team.

 

Not sure how likely that he'll "put something together", though.

 

Last year for Texas: 11BB/1K. I can only imagine how intense the pressure must be for a guy like that, 29 years old, you've been bouncing around, you get a shot. I know it's not like the world series or whatever, but the pressure on a middle-aged 4A guy must be just incredible when they get an occasional short opportunity. Hardly surprising that when control is your problem in the first place, under that kind of pressure that it only gets worse.

I agree that the Cubs provide an excellent opportunity for White. I just wonder how willing they would be to roster him, when they have had very few instances of rostering minor league free agents in the past. I think he will need to be amazing in spring training or in the minors to even get a look in Chicago.

 

I do like hearing though that he has a 92-93 mph fastball and a "devastating" slider. Not many lefties throw consistently in the 90's. Unfortunately, his command has always been a problem, and he gets righties out slightly better than lefties.

[Wrigley Rat]

Chicago Cubs

Signed: RHP Ken Kadokura, LHP Matt Smith, 3B Erick Almonte, SS Joseph Colon, OF So Taguchi

 

The Cubs certainly won’t be lacking in Japanese veteran presence in spring training. Taguchi, 39, has emerged as something of a household name (in ways that Tsuyoshi Shinjo never did in this country) for his presence on three World Series teams, with the ‘06 Cardinals and ‘08 Phillies emerging as winners. And if you want to make a Mets fan wince, remind him of the ninth-inning home run Taguchi hit off Billy Wagner in Game Two of the ‘06 NLCS. But back to our regularly scheduled program . . . Kadokura, a 35-year-old reliever who was released by the Yomiuri Giants, logged just 12 2/3 innings in the Central League in 2008, posting a 3.55 ERA and a 16-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=2051#more-2051

[Wrigley Rat]

Just so we have them all in one place:

 

LHP Mike Stanton

LHP Ed Campusano

LHP J.R. Mathes

LHP Matt Smith

LHP Jason Waddell

LHP Bill White

RHP Esmailin Caridad

RHP Andrew Cashner

RHP Ken Kadokura

RHP Rocky Roquet

RHP Chad Fox

RHP Angel Castro

 

C Mark Johnson

C Welington Castillo

C Steve Clevenger

SS Darwin Barney

SS Andres Blanco

SS/3B Erick Almonte

2B/SS Luis Rivas

2B/3B Bobby Scales

OF Doug Deeds

OF Jason Dubois

OF So Taguchi

[CUBZ99]

Just so we have them all in one place:

 

LHP Mike Stanton

LHP Ed Campusano

LHP J.R. Mathes

LHP Matt Smith

LHP Jason Waddell

LHP Bill White

RHP Esmailin Caridad

RHP Andrew Cashner

RHP Ken Kadokura

RHP Rocky Roquet

RHP Chad Fox

RHP Angel Castro

 

C Mark Johnson

C Welington Castillo

C Steve Clevenger

SS Darwin Barney

SS Andres Blanco

SS/3B Erick Almonte

2B/SS Luis Rivas

2B/3B Bobby Scales

OF Doug Deeds

OF Jason Dubois

OF So Taguchi

 

Beyond Cashner, Caridad, and Castillo, it doesn't look like there is not a lot of youth to watch for in ST.

[Guest]

Just so we have them all in one place:

 

LHP Mike Stanton

LHP Ed Campusano

LHP J.R. Mathes

LHP Matt Smith

LHP Jason Waddell

LHP Bill White

RHP Esmailin Caridad

RHP Andrew Cashner

RHP Ken Kadokura

RHP Rocky Roquet

RHP Chad Fox

RHP Angel Castro

 

C Mark Johnson

C Welington Castillo

C Steve Clevenger

SS Darwin Barney

SS Andres Blanco

SS/3B Erick Almonte

2B/SS Luis Rivas

2B/3B Bobby Scales

OF Doug Deeds

OF Jason Dubois

OF So Taguchi

 

Beyond Cashner, Caridad, and Castillo, it doesn't look like there is not a lot of youth to watch for in ST.

 

Steve Clevenger too.

[Guest]

Just so we have them all in one place:

 

LHP Ed Campusano

LHP J.R. Mathes

RHP Esmailin Caridad

RHP Andrew Cashner

RHP Rocky Roquet

 

C Welington Castillo

C Steve Clevenger

SS Darwin Barney

 

Beyond Cashner, Caridad, and Castillo, it doesn't look like there is not a lot of youth to watch for in ST.

 

Steve Clevenger too.

All those are guys still in the "prospect" stage

[UK1679666180]

I would put Campusano in that stage as well as far as being a prospect. Castro has a good shot as far playing himself into a prospect as well, despite his age.

[Guest]

I would put Campusano in that stage as well as far as being a prospect. Castro has a good shot as far playing himself into a prospect as well, despite his age.

Ed's first on the list. :D

[videographer]

This from Carrie Muskat's blog:

Left-handed pitcher Bill White, who had signed with the Cubs as a Minor League free agent, was released because he failed to pass the physical. White was in the Rangers system. The Cubs have added right-handed pitcher Brian Schlitter to the list of non-roster invitees. Schlitter, a native of Park Ridge, Ill., was acquired from the Phillies in the Scott Eyre trade last August. He was expected to join the Cubs on Friday.

 

I am curious to see how Schlitter competes in camp. He is supposed to have a plus FB and slider. His stats looked good in high A last year. He is big and not too old for his league. He most likely will compete with Alex Maestri and Blake Parker for closer at AA. I hope the camp invite is an indication that he has worked hard this winter to take the next step.

[Wrigley Rat]

This from Carrie Muskat's blog:

Left-handed pitcher Bill White, who had signed with the Cubs as a Minor League free agent, was released because he failed to pass the physical. White was in the Rangers system. The Cubs have added right-handed pitcher Brian Schlitter to the list of non-roster invitees. Schlitter, a native of Park Ridge, Ill., was acquired from the Phillies in the Scott Eyre trade last August. He was expected to join the Cubs on Friday.

 

I am curious to see how Schlitter competes in camp. He is supposed to have a plus FB and slider. His stats looked good in high A last year. He is big and not too old for his league. He most likely will compete with Alex Maestri and Blake Parker for closer at AA. I hope the camp invite is an indication that he has worked hard this winter to take the next step.

I think Marcos Mateo is the favorite for the closer job at Tennessee. I think Blake Parker will be one of the last guys to make the AA bullpen, or will be sent to Daytona to start the year.