Your Predictions for the 2011 Opening Day Roster

[Outshined_One]

As things stand now, what do you predict the Cubs' 2011 roster will look like come Opening Day? Mine:

 

C Geovany Soto

1B Lyle Overbay

2B Blake DeWitt

SS Starlin Castro

3B Aramis Ramirez

LF Alfonso Soriano

CF Marlon Byrd

RF Tyler Colvin

 

BN OF Cody Ross

BN OF Alex Gordon

BN IF Darwin Barney

BN IF Jeff Baker

BN C Koyie Hill (you know it's coming)

 

SP Ryan Dempster (Opening Day Starter)

SP Carlos Zambrano

SP Randy Wells

SP Tom Gorzelanny

SP Carlos Silva

 

CL Carlos Marmol

RP Sean Marshall

RP Andrew Cashner

RP John Grabow

RP James Russell

RP Esmailin Caridad

RP Jeff Samardzija

[Little Slide Rooter]

1. Blake DeWitt 2B

2. Starlin Castro SS

3. Aramis Ramirez 3B

4. Adam Dunn 1B

5. Marlon Byrd CF

6. Geo Soto C

7. Alfonso Soriano LF

8. Tyler Colvin RF

9. Carlos Zambrano SP

 

10. Ryan Dempster SP

11. Justin Ducherer/Eric Bedard SP

12. Randy Wells SP

13. Tom Gorzolanny SP

14. Carlos Marmol CL

15. Angel Guzman RP

16. Sean marshall RP

17. John Grabow RP

18. Andrew Cashner RP

19. James Russess RP

20. John Maine/Thomas Diamond RP

 

21. Robinson Chirinos/Wellington Castillo C

22. Darwin Barney IF

23. Jeff Baker IF

24. Brad Snyder OF

25. Some random minor league invite or perhaps Micah Hoffpauir or Sam Fuld.

 

-Kosuke is traded to make salary space for Dunn

-We get Ducherer or Bedard as a buy low. Their DLd by May. Samardzjia takes over the spot.

-Not sure what becomes of Silva.

[soapy]

O_O, that is some depressing stuff. I'm not ready to accept that yet, even if it's realistic.

 

I think they add Dunn, and (unfortunately) trade Fukudome. I also think (hope?) they'll move Silva.

 

C Soto

1B Dunn

2B Dewitt

3B Ramirez

SS Castro

LF Soriano

CF Byrd

RF Colvin/Nady

 

SP Zambrano

SP Dempster

SP Wells

SP Gorz

SP Samardzija, J. Jackson, Cashner? (doubtful)

 

BP gets filled in with the guys that are basically there this year (plus a hopefully more effective Grabow and Guzman at some point), with Hendry maybe adding one set-up man depending on how much money he has after signing Dunn and trading Fukudome/Silva. Bench includes Barney, Baker and Castillo (in place of K. Hill).

[Guest]

What will happen:

 

Soto

Dunn

DeWitt

Castro

Ramirez

Soriano

Byrd

Colvin

 

Z/Dempster/Gorzelanny/Wells/Silva(maybe traded and replaced externally)

 

 

What I'd like to see:

 

Fukudome/Castro

Kemp

Dunn

Soto

Ramirez

Soriano

Castro/Fukudome

DeWitt

 

Z/Dempster/Gorzelanny/Wells/Cashner

Marmol/Marshall/Guzman/Russell/cavalcade of youth

[jersey cubs fan]

I can't believe how matter of factly many people are treating the Fukudome has to go storyline. I should believe it, but I can't.

[SouthSideRyan]

I can't believe how matter of factly many people are treating the Fukudome has to go storyline. I should believe it, but I can't.

 

I don't think the people in this thread (specifically TT) believe Fukudome has to go, they're just believing the idiots in charge believe it.

[jersey cubs fan]

I can't believe how matter of factly many people are treating the Fukudome has to go storyline. I should believe it, but I can't.

 

I don't think the people in this thread (specifically TT) believe Fukudome has to go, they're just believing the idiots in charge believe it.

 

I realize that, I'm just talking about how matter of factly people are treating it. Trib people have referenced many times how dealing Fukudome is a must, most people aren't even fighting it. They just wonder how much of his deal they have to eat.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I honestly had no clue Lyle Overbay was still around.

[daske17]

Given the perceived performance of the bullpen, I can see Hendry going after another of his proven veteran arms(trademark pending).

[Backtobanks]

As things stand now, what do you predict the Cubs' 2011 roster will look like come Opening Day? Mine:

 

C Geovany Soto

1B Lyle Overbay

2B Blake DeWitt

SS Starlin Castro

3B Aramis Ramirez

LF Alfonso Soriano

CF Marlon Byrd

RF Tyler Colvin

 

BN OF Cody Ross

BN OF David DeJesus

BN IF Darwin Barney

BN IF Jeff Baker

BN C Koyie Hill (you know it's coming)

 

SP Ryan Dempster (Opening Day Starter)

SP Carlos Zambrano

SP Randy Wells

SP Tom Gorzelanny

SP Carlos Silva

 

CL Carlos Marmol

RP Sean Marshall

RP Andrew Cashner

RP John Grabow

RP James Russell

RP Esmailin Caridad

RP Jeff Samardzija

 

 

I can't believe DeJesus and Ross wouldn't be able to find a starting gig somewhere.

[UMFan83]

Fukudome doesn't have to go, but if we want to sign someone like Dunn he might have to.

[jersey cubs fan]

Fukudome doesn't have to go, but if we want to sign someone like Dunn he might have to.

 

I don't see how that is true

[tfarks]

Given the perceived performance of the bullpen, I can see Hendry going after another of his proven veteran arms(trademark pending).

 

This seems pretty unavoidable.

[UMFan83]

Fukudome doesn't have to go, but if we want to sign someone like Dunn he might have to.

 

I don't see how that is true

 

Well Cubs payroll is supposedly going to drop slightly, so we have to probably shed a little excess salary to fit Dunn in there, unless we don't plan on making a lot of other moves (bullpen, 4th-5th starter, bench guys, etc). Cubs are probably set on an OF of Soriano, Byrd, and Colvin next year and it wouldn't make sense in their minds to keep a $10 mil 4th OF. If they can save some money by getting rid of him they probably will. I'd prefer to keep him but that's how I see it playing out.

[Guest]

Fukudome doesn't have to go, but if we want to sign someone like Dunn he might have to.

 

I don't see how that is true

 

Yeah, not unless the payroll is getting slashed by like 20 million.

[jersey cubs fan]

Fukudome doesn't have to go, but if we want to sign someone like Dunn he might have to.

 

I don't see how that is true

 

Well Cubs payroll is supposedly going to drop slightly, so we have to probably shed a little excess salary to fit Dunn in there, unless we don't plan on making a lot of other moves (bullpen, 4th-5th starter, bench guys, etc). Cubs are probably set on an OF of Soriano, Byrd, and Colvin next year and it wouldn't make sense in their minds to keep a $10 mil 4th OF. If they can save some money by getting rid of him they probably will. I'd prefer to keep him but that's how I see it playing out.

 

He was their most productive OF this year. They may be stupid enough to pay him to play elsewhere, but there's no reason why they "might have to".

[UMFan83]

Fukudome doesn't have to go, but if we want to sign someone like Dunn he might have to.

 

I don't see how that is true

 

Well Cubs payroll is supposedly going to drop slightly, so we have to probably shed a little excess salary to fit Dunn in there, unless we don't plan on making a lot of other moves (bullpen, 4th-5th starter, bench guys, etc). Cubs are probably set on an OF of Soriano, Byrd, and Colvin next year and it wouldn't make sense in their minds to keep a $10 mil 4th OF. If they can save some money by getting rid of him they probably will. I'd prefer to keep him but that's how I see it playing out.

 

He was their most productive OF this year. They may be stupid enough to pay him to play elsewhere, but there's no reason why they "might have to".

 

You and I might not see a reason, but I am going in with the assumption that the Soriano-Byrd-Colvin OF is greatly preferred by the Cubs, regardless of who was more productive. Even if it wasn't, the fact that Fukudome makes more than Byrd and Colvin would have probably swayed them when they went through the roster looking for ways to save money.

[davell]

The question about payroll to me is this: Assuming it's dropping somewhat, is it dropping from our opening day payroll of 145ish or is dropping from our season ending payroll of 132.5? If it's the latter(and that's my guess) we're going to have an extremely hard time making any significant moves this offseason. Of course, Hendry can backload Dunn's contract if need be. But, if that's not happening, I'm not even seeing Dunn as a viable option, even if they trade Fukudome for nothing but SOME salary relief.

 

The only ways I can see us saving some cash this year(and it's not a lot) is by nontendering Guzman, Baker, and Hill. Z isn't going anywhere, neither is Aramis. And if they did, it just creates more holes anyway. With the way Silva's season ended, I don't see him as tradeable.

 

The 2011 offseason will be different though, as we'll have Aramis, Fukudome, Silva, Grabow, Samardzija, and possibly even Dempster(my guess is he'll exercise his option though) all coming off the books.

 

I expect Aubrey Huff or Adam LaRoche at 1B, a Cody Ross type as a backup OFer and one solid bullpen arm added, although we'll be furious with what we're paying him. Fukudome is traded for salary relief and that's about it.

[rawaction]

I'm predicting a bigger shake-up than most. Just for fun, I guess.

 

C- Soto

1B- Dunn

2B- DeWitt

SS- Castro

3B- Inge

LF- Soriano

CF- DeJesus

RF- Byrd

 

SP- Dempster, Wells, De La Rosa, Westbrook, Gorzellany/Silva

CL- Marmol

RP- Marshall, Guzman, Cashner, Grabow, Russell, Gorzo/Silva

 

Bench- Barney, K Hill, Mora, Colvin, Kearns

[NewUserName]

I wish I could realistically come up with something better then what has been mentioned, but it would just be a pipedream. Only 2 things that I am certain will happen...K Hill returning and veteran arm added to bullpen.

[CubColtPacer]

I wish I could realistically come up with something better then what has been mentioned, but it would just be a pipedream. Only 2 things that I am certain will happen...K Hill returning and veteran arm added to bullpen.

 

I'm not sure either of those things will happen.

 

Hill is probably the more likely one to happen but the Cubs might decide to go to Castillo just to save a few hundred thousand with as tight as this offseason's budget might get.

 

And Hendry has repeatedly said how much he loves how these young bullpen arms have stepped up at the end of the season. He might not add a veteran arm especially an expensive one.

[jersey cubs fan]

The question about payroll to me is this: Assuming it's dropping somewhat, is it dropping from our opening day payroll of 145ish or is dropping from our season ending payroll of 132.5?

 

They knocked 12.5 off payroll during the season? I don't think that is the case.

[Outshined_One]

I can't believe DeJesus and Ross wouldn't be able to find a starting gig somewhere.

 

Ross isn't a FA; he's got another year with the Giants ahead of them. The problem the Giants have is that they currently have a lot of OFs on their roster without enough room to play all of them. He's always struck me as the kind of guy I could see the Cubs pursuing. I figure Hendry would go crazy if he didn't make a trade or two in the offseason.

 

As for DeJesus, apparently the Royals picked up his 2011 option. Hm, didn't see that. I figured he'd be a good left-handed option off the bench who could periodically spell guys in the OF. I was thinking of him more as a Colvin-like guy where he'd be on the bench, but still get something in the neighborhood of 350 ABs over the course of a season. Still, I'll have to mull over who would take his place as the token left handed OF on the bench.

 

I have indeed resigned myself to the fact that Fukudome will be traded. He won't get the Cubs a draft pick when his contract is up due to a weird quirk in the MLB rules involving recently posted Japanese players and arbitration. I get the feeling that Hendry would think Colvin versus Fukudome is a wash in terms of production relative to contract. There will be interest in Fukudome in the offseason and I think there's a good chance the Cubs won't have to pick up any money in a deal.

 

Ideally, I'd like to see Fukudome back in RF next season. I just don't think that will happen.

[Guest]

You had DeJesus signing as a FA to be a 4th outfielder? He's been a 3 win player for nearly 6 straight seasons.

[Outshined_One]

You had DeJesus signing as a FA to be a 4th outfielder? He's been a 3 win player for nearly 6 straight seasons.

 

I figured they'd be cheap.

 

Actually, now that I think about it, I'm going to swap out David DeJesus with Alex Gordon.