Opening Day Roster

[Cubs Fan Dan]

I realize a lot of discussion has had in the spring training discussion thread but as decisions are being made is it easier to have its own thread?

 

As of right now it stands as listed: 31/25 players

 

INF

Aramis Ramirez

Carlos Pena

Starlin Castro

Jeff Baker

Darwin Barney

Blake DeWitt

 

C

Koyie Hill

Max Ramirez

Geovany Soto

Wellington Castillo

 

OF

Alfonso Soriano

Marlon Byrd

Kosuke Fukudome

Tyler Colvin

Reed Johnson

 

P

Ryan Dempster*

Carlos Zambrano*

Matt Garza*

Randy Wells*

Carlos Silva*

Andrew Cashner*

Carlos Marmol*

Kerry Wood*

Sean Marshall*

John Grabow*

James Russel

Marcus Mateo

Casey Coleman

Jeff Stevens

Jeff Samardjiza*

 

Unless the Cubs shock people and release Silva there is 1 spot left for the bullpen and the backup Catcher has yet to be officially named. Who is everyone pulling for in the bullpen? I think Mateo has the highest upside of the remaining 4.

[Guest]

James Russell needs to be on the roster.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Casey Coleman should be starting in Iowa. Cashner should be starting in Chicago, if not, Iowa.

[JonJayCutler]

Someone please tell me there's a chance Koyie Hill gets designated. With Barney on the team, it means we would have two guys on the bench who aren't capable of OPSing .600.

[ctcf]

I wouldn't mind Mateo in the pen.

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Someone please tell me there's a chance Koyie Hill gets designated. With Barney on the team, it means we would have two guys on the bench who aren't capable of OPSing .600.

 

So Barney is not capable of a .300 OBP or a .300 SLG? I agree about Hill he sucks and should be replaced but if Soto is healthy we will not notice as much.

[Old Style]

Cashner should be starting in Chicago, if not, Iowa.

Was I the only one disappointed that Silva had a good start the other day? Just when I thought he had pitched himself off this team clearing a spot in the rotation for Cashner, he goes and pitches well.

[tfarks]

With sluggers like Koyie Hill, Darwin Barney, Blake DeWitt and Reed Johnson coming off the bench I feel great about our chances of stranding runners in late inning pinch hit situations.

[Little Slide Rooter]

My thinking is that if they weren't seriously weighing their options at backup C, Castillo and Ramirez would have both been gone in the last round of cuts. You can only expect so much from a backup catcher offensively, but Hill would be lucky to bat Tara Reids weight and OPS Snookies.

[Prizefight]

but Hill would be lucky to bat Tara Reids weight

 

Pre or post surgery?

[Cubs Fan Dan]

With sluggers like Koyie Hill, Darwin Barney, Blake DeWitt and Reed Johnson coming off the bench I feel great about our chances of stranding runners in late inning pinch hit situations.

 

I would love to have MaxRam on the bench but a lot of days whoever Colvin is playing for will be on the bench or Colvin will be himself. DeWitt is not a bad bench bat. At first glance the bench is not very good but I think it will be better than people think.

[JonJayCutler]

So Barney is not capable of a .300 OBP or a .300 SLG?

 

It's questionable. He's really bad...

[Little Slide Rooter]

Cashner should be starting in Chicago, if not, Iowa.

Was I the only one disappointed that Silva had a good start the other day? Just when I thought he had pitched himself off this team clearing a spot in the rotation for Cashner, he goes and pitches well.

Belive me, all of us wanted to see him get rocked and sent packing, but if they insist on giving him the rotation spot, Cashner would be better off starting in Iowa than in the pen.

[ctcf]

Shark officially has a BP spot, surprising no one.

[davell]

Shark officially has a BP spot, surprising no one.

 

 

So does Russell, which at least borderline surprises me. Cashner has made the team as well.(no shot of starting in AAA evidently)Last spot goes to either Silva, Mateo, Looper, or Coleman. I guess Cashner's last start is going to dictate things basically......

[NCCubFan]

Was I the only one disappointed that Silva had a good start the other day?

No.

[davell]

Joel Sherman just tweeted to Keith Law that another team's exec told him that Cashner WILL be the Cubs 5th starter.

 

 

Very cool if this is true, but no idea how Sherman would get this kind of info and he's certainly among the least reliable guys out there. At any rate, I've got my fingers crossed and if Cashner doesn't come out with a solid outing this time around, I don't think anyone can bitch about him not getting his shot.

[Banedon]

Wells officially 4th starter.

 

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/cbsports-wells-officially-named-cubs-fourth-starter-20110325,0,6361187.story?track=rss

 

Quade hasn't named his fifth starter yet, though Andrew Cashner and Silva are the two finalists. Cashner will be on the team either way.

 

"Cashner is on the club," Quade said. "What we don't know for sure yet is (his spot). We're looking hard at him as the fifth starter, but there are other scenarios there where that doesn't materialize. So basically, we're looking for one pitcher."

[tfarks]

Holding out in hoping to get a trade offer for Silva? I'm guessing no interest since teams likely expect him to be released.

 

Come on Quade just name Cash the 5th starter already and let Silva go pitch elsewhere.

[ctcf]

At this point, I'd be ok with letting Cashner figure stuff out in the 5th spot.

[Old Style]

MLBTradeRumors says an executive from another team told the NY Post that Cashner will be in the rotation. How would someone not in the organization know this when supposedly the decision hasn't been made?

[Rob]

Quade really took his time naming Wells the #4 starter.

 

I don't anticipate knowing who is the #5 starter until June 1st.

[Banedon]

MLBTradeRumors says an executive from another team told the NY Post that Cashner will be in the rotation. How would someone not in the organization know this when supposedly the decision hasn't been made?

 

Because it probably has been made, but they just aren't announcing it to try to generate trade value for Silva.

[Post Count Padder]

Joel Sherman just tweeted to Keith Law that another team's exec told him that Cashner WILL be the Cubs 5th starter.

 

 

Very cool if this is true, but no idea how Sherman would get this kind of info and he's certainly among the least reliable guys out there. At any rate, I've got my fingers crossed and if Cashner doesn't come out with a solid outing this time around, I don't think anyone can bitch about him not getting his shot.

I wouldn't say Sherman's unreliable. He's usually right on things and has broken plenty stories before, especially ones on other teams and not just the Yankees.

[Old Style]

MLBTradeRumors says an executive from another team told the NY Post that Cashner will be in the rotation. How would someone not in the organization know this when supposedly the decision hasn't been made?

 

Because it probably has been made, but they just aren't announcing it to try to generate trade value for Silva.

But if an executive from another team knows this, isn't the cover blown?