An assortment of Cubs are already playing in foreign countries to get Winter League underway. In the coming months more and more Cubs players and prospects are expected to play. Later in the season, I’ll add the Mexican League and Puerto Rican League.

Adam Greenberg is 17 for 55 with 10 runs, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 hrs, 8 rbi, 3 walks, 14 strikeouts, .309 avg, .356 obp, .491 slg, .847 ops.

Renyel Pinto and Carlos Zambrano are on the Caribes de Anzoategui along with Greenberg in the Venezuelan League.

Robinson Chirinos and Carlos Vasquez are playing for Magallanes in the Venezuelan League. Chirinos is yet to play while Vasquez has appeared in 7 games already.



Vasquez in seven relief appearances he’s gone 6 2/3 IP, giving up 4 hits, 3 earned run, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts, 4.05 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 167 BAA.



Ronny Cedeño is on the Tigres de Aragua roster but is yet to play.







Pie at the plate

In the Dominican League, Pie is playing for the Licey Tigers, playing centerfield and batting second. In 10 games, he’s 10 for 36 with 6 runs, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 8 SO, 1 SB .278 avg, .333 obp, .500 slg, .833 ops.



Licey’s roster also includes major leaguers Roberto Novoa and Aramis Ramirez along with pitching prospects Carlos Marmol, Alfredo Francisco (Rookie ball), Juan Mateo (Hi-A) and Adalberto Mendez (Low A).



Ramirez is yet to play along with fellow MLBer and Licey infielder Luis Castillo. Fellow Cubs, Francisco, Mateo and Mendez are yet to play as well.



Marmol has thrown in four games in relief going 1 2/3 IP, giving up no hits, 1 earned runs, 1 hr, 3 walks, 1 strikeouts, 5.39 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, .000 BAA.



Cub left handed pitcher and ex-Cuban defector Raul Valdez is 2-0 for Azucareros. Going 12 1/3 IP, giving up 14 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts, 0.73 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, .298 BAA.

Michael Barrett and Derrek Lee both won the Silver Slugger award this year. The award is voted on by managers based on several basic offensive statistics: average, OBP, and SLG% as well as the managers opinion. Managers are not allowed to vote on their own players, so Dusty didn’t vote for either.

Lee recieved a $100,000 bonus and Barrett $50,000Derrek Lee, who lead the Cubs and the NL with a .335 batting average and a .662 slugging percentagle, recorded a .335/.418/.662 batting line this year. He had 199 hits, among them 46 home runs, 3 triples, and 50 doubles.

Michael Barrett led all NL catchers with more than 300 atbats with a .479 SLG%, beating Mike Piazza by 27 points. His line was .276/.345/.479. He had 117 hits including 32 doubles, 3 triples, and 16 home runs.

The rest of the awards were:

Felipe Lopez, SS, Reds
Morgan Ensberg, 3B, Astros
Andruw Jones, CF, Braves
Miguel Cabrera, LF, Marlins
Carlos Lee, LF, Brewers
Jason Marquis, P, Cardinals.

Currently the Cubs have 41 players on their roster. It is expected a trade or two/release of Macias is expected in the next day or two.

They have several players that are arbitration eligible, exposed to Rule V draft and impending free agents.

PITCHERS (21) :

David Aardsma
Ryan Dempster
Scott Eyre (free agent signing)
Angel Guzman
Rich Hill
Bobby Howry (free agent signing)
John Koronka
Greg Maddux
Roberto Novoa
Will Ohman (arbitration)
Mark Prior (arbitration)
Glendon Rusch (re-signed)
Todd Wellemeyer
Jerome Williams
Scott Williamson
Kerry Wood
Michael Wuertz
Carlos Zambrano (arbitration)
Carlos Marmol
Sean Marshall
Jae-kuk Ryu

CATCHERS (4):

Michael Barrett
Henry Blanco
Geovany Soto
Jose Reyes

INFIELDERS (9) :

Ronny Cedeno
Jerry Hairston Jr (arbitration)
Derrek Lee
Brian Dopirak
Scott Moore
Neifi Perez (re-signed)
Aramis Ramirez
Ryan Theriot
Todd Walker (option picked up)

OUTFIELDERS (5):

Felix Pie
Matt Murton
Corey Patterson (arbitration)
Juan Pierre
Jacque Jones

OUT OF OPTIONS AS OF SPRING TRAINING Todd Wellemeyer

ONE OPTION YEAR LEFT AS OF SPRING TRAINING 2006:

Ronny Cedeno
Roberto Novoa
Will Ohman (must clear waivers)
Corey Patterson (must clear waivers)
Jerome Williams (must clear waivers)

TWO OPTION YEARS LEFT AS OF SPRING TRAINING 2006:

David Aardsma (eligible for 4th option year)
Angel Guzman (eligible for 4th option year)
Rich Hill
John Koronka
Mark Prior (must clear waivers)
Geovany Soto
Michael Wuertz
Carlos Zambrano (must clear waivers)

THREE OPTION YEARS LEFT AS OF NEXT SPRING TRAINING

Matt Murton
Ryan Theriot

TAKEN IN RULE 5 DRAFT:

Juan Mateo
Cubs 25 man Payroll Roster next year is looking like

SP Wood (12 million) - likely on DL
SP Prior (~6 million arbitration)
SP Zambrano (~7 million arbitration)
SP Maddux (9 million)
SP Williams (.34 million)

SP/RP Rusch (3 million) RP Wuertz (.34 million)
RP Eyre (3 million)
RP Novoa (.34 million)
RP Ohman (~.8 million arbitration)
RP Williamson (2 million)
CL Dempster (5 million)

C Barrett (4.13 million)
1B Lee (8.67 million)
2B Walker (2 million)
SS Cedeno (.34 million)
3B Ramirez (10.5 million)
LF Murton (.34 million)
CF Pierre (~6.5 million arbitration)
RF Jones (5.33 million)

C Blanco (1.5 million)
UT Hairston (2.5 million arbitration)
UT Perez (2.5 million)
UT Mabry (1.05 million)
OF Patterson (~2.8 million arbitration)

Patterson/Hairston/Walker combo is expected to be traded this offseason, freeing up ~5 million. Williams is still highly possible to be traded. The Cubs are likely to start the season off with 12 pitchers (not counting Wood on DL) and 13 positional players, like they usually do. Novoa, Wuertz, Wellemeyer, Hill, Koronka, Aardsma, etc are expected to battle over two pen spots.

If you were counting that comes out to ~97 million between 25 players. Leaving 3-5 million to spend this offseason or for trade deadline.

Well the Cubs made some news today in picking up the options of Todd Walker and Scott Williamson.

The two both had reasonable options, Walker’s for 2.5 million and Williamson for 2 million.

Williamson’s option was never considered not being picked up. Scott was recoverying from Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss half of the 2005 season. But Williamson will be at 100% to start the season and if healthy gives the Cubs a highly experienced and effective setup man for closer Ryan Dempster.

Walker’s option was the focus of much discussion. Walker had publicly asked the Cubs not to pick up his option if he was not going to be a starter next season. Todd had also stated that he didn’t want the Cubs to pick up his option if they were to trade him due to Walker wanting to pick his team. Walker can and still might be traded to a team of his choice.

This decision to pick up Walker’s option still doesn’t tip the Cub’s hand as to what they are doing with second base. Walker’s return only gives them more options. Hairston is arbitration eligible and is an attractive availability for another team looking for a starting 2B/CF or just looking for a utility player. Then there is Cedeno who is working at 2B this offseason in Venezuela (he hasn’t played yet). Or there is the option of Nomar returning and moving to 2B with Cedeno or a free agent at SS.

As well as picking up Williamson and Walker’s option the Cubs decided to buyout Jeromy Burnitz’s opttion of a half million instead of his seven million team option. But don’t rule out a return of Burnitz in RF in 2006. The available crop of RF in free agency is weak, so we’ll look for a trade partner. But if worse comes to worse, Burnitz might return at a salary close to the 4.5 million he earned in 2005.

According to ESPN radio in Chicago, the Cubs are close to agreeing to terms with player optionable Glendon Rusch. The current report is a 2 year deal worth 6-7 million in total. Glendon has the option to go free agent but he loves Chicago. With the lack of left handed pitchers on the market, Rusch could easily find a deal for 7+ million/2 years in free agency instead of invoking his ~2.4 million option.

Only problem is what do the Cub do with a crowded rotation? Right now the 2006 rotation is looking like Prior/Wood/Zambrano/Maddux/Rusch?. Plus we have guys like Rich Hill, Angel Guzman, Jerome Williams, etc that are capable of starting #5.

And Rusch in the pen this year wasn’t too good, at least not like 2004. This year in 27 games in the pen, he went 35 IP giving up 47 hits, 20 earned runs, 4 hrs, 18 walks, 34 strikeouts, 5.14 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, .320 BAA. And lefties actual hit him harder in 2005 than righties. Going 39 IP, giving up 39 hits, 20 earned runs, 5 hrs, 3 walks, 20 strikeouts, 4.62 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, .333 BAA. Giving up 18 extrabase hits.

But in 2004, Rusch appeared in 16 games in the pen, going 32 IP, giving up 37 hits, 12 earned runs, 1 hr, 13 walks, 18 strikeouts, 3.38 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, .285 BAA. And in 2004 was amazing against lefties, in 40 1/3 IP, he gave up 27 hits, 12 earned runs, 1 hr, 10 walks, 25 strikeouts, 2.68 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, .225 BAA. Giving up only 4 extrabase hits against lefties.

Here is a list of the Cubs top 20 selections of the 2002 draft:

Rd Ovl Name Pos

1 21 Bobby Brownlie P

1 32 Luke Hagerty P

1 36 Chadd Blasko P

1 38 Matt Clanton P

2 56 Brian Dopirak 1B

2 62 Justin Jones P

3 93 Billy Petrick P

3 96 Matt Craig IF

4 112 Rich Hill P

4 123 Alan Rick C

5 153 Shawn Scobee (went unsigned)

6 183 Chris Walker OF

7 213 Joey Monahan IF

8 243 Jason Fransz OF

9 273 Adam Greenberg OF

10 303 Keith Butler OF

11 333 Chris Miller C

12 363 Jason Wylie P

13 393 Micah Hoffpauir RF/1B

14 423 Rocky Cherry

At the time, the Cubs top four picks, Brownlie, Hagerty, Blasko, and Clanton were hailed as some of the top pitchers in the entire draft. Brownlie was considered the best pitcher in the 2002 draft crop entering the college season, but dropped heavily in the draft due to questions of signability (Boras is his agent) and concerns about tendonitis. Hagerty didn’t pitch well at the end of the college season, causing him to slide from the middle of the first round to the supplemental. But by the next spring, many scouts thought he was better than his former teammate and No. 1 overall pick Bryan Bullington, taken by the Pirates. As for Blasko and Clanton, they were highly regarded as well, and the foursome alone cost Chicago $5.6 million.

Three years later, the Cubs don’t look like they’re going to get much out of any of them. Brownlie is in Triple-A now but his stuff isn’t what it was at college. He now has an average fastball and a good curveball rather than his old plus heater and an amazing curve, and he now looks more like a middle reliever than a frontline starter. This year for Iowa he was shifted to pen during midseason where he excelled and regained the velocity on his fastball (up from 86-88 mph to low 90’s) and demonstrated great control. He now has to be protected on the Cubs 40 man roster or risk losing him via the Rule V draft.

Hagerty, the 6′7 lefty, was astonishing in Boise 2002 but blew out his elbow in his final spring start in 2003 thus requiring Tommy John surgery. This summer, he was taken by the Marlins as a Rule 5 pick like another one of our big lefties (Sisco), but he was unimpressive, having very little control and not much velocity. This year, he was back in Boise, where in 6 2/3 IP he had 30 walks (not a typo) with his 4 strikeouts.

Chadd Blasko, another big boy starter at 6′7, was dominanting his 2003 season in the Florida State League and emerged as one of the Cubs top pitching talents. In 26 starts between Lansing and Daytona, he went 147 1/3 IP, giving up 110 hits, 48 walks, 137 strikeouts, 1.95 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, .199 BAA. But he tore his shoulder muscle in midseason with the DiamondJaxx in 2004 and hasn’t pitched since then. He is expected back next season though, if another arm injury doesn’t arise.



As for Matt Clanton, he pitched just two innings in 2002 for Boise before being shut down with biceps tendonitis, and he has worked just two innings since then for the Mesa Cubs in 2003. He has been on the receiving end of many shoulder surgeries and hasn’t taken the mound since then.



This is where the draft starts looking up for the Cubs. With the Cubs 2nd round pick, and their 5th pick, they took Brian Dopirak. Who took the Cubs system by storm last year (rated the Cubs #1 prospect last year by Baseball America) with one of the best minor league offensive seasons in recent Cub history. He had 94 runs, 38 doubles, 39 hrs, 120 rbi, .307 avg, .363 obp, .593 slg, 956 ops for the Lansing Lugnuts in 2004. This season, Dopirak was in Daytona, where his contact was poor, but continued to show his power potential (albeit less than his 2004 season). He had 53 runs, 26 doubles, 16 hrs, 76 rbi, .235 avg, .292 obp, .381 slg, .673 ops. Dopirak’s biggest defiecencies have come with his lack of plate discipline (85 walks, 230 strikeouts in the last two season) along with his horrible glove at first. Dopirak’s likely future with the Cubs is as a corner OFer (if he makes to the MLB). His estimated time arrival is around 2008 (late 2007), around the same time as Ryan Harvey. Dopirak as well as Brownlie must be protected this winter or else faces a possible Rule V selection.



With the Cubs second second round pick they took the high school lefty Justin Jones. Jones has had some very minor arm injuries, but nothing too severe. He was used in the three way trade that nabbed us Nomar and Murton, with Justin going to the Twins (he pitched in the Florida State League this season).



With the Cubs third round selection, they took high schooler Billy Petrick. Petrick has long been a darling of the scouts (ranking in #6 as the Cubs top prospects), but he too has suffered a myriad of arm injuries. Last year, he was 13-7 with Lansing going 146 2/3 IP, 149 hits, 43 walks, 113 strikeouts, 3.50 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, .253 BAA. This year he started 9 games with Daytona before suffering an arm injury that has kept him out since late May. He’s expected back at full strength next season. That is of course if he’s not taken in the Rule V draft.



With the Cubs second third round selection, they took Matt Craig, who’s come along quite nicely (was in West Tenn this season) despite missing time this season due to steroid use. With the fourth round selection, the Cubs took Rich Hill and he became the first Cub of the 2002 draft to reach the majors. Hill possesses the best curveball in the system, but his fastball is only so-so. If Hill is likely to stick with the MLB club this year it’s going to be as a lefty specialist, that is of course if he’s not traded.

After Hill, the second Cub 2002 draftee to make the parent club was Adam Greenberg (albeit his one at bat was a HBP). Greenberg is listed at 5′9, but that’s only on a good day (or when he wears his spikes), he’s more around 5′7. But the guy can definately play the field, has great speed, a good eye, and solid contact. This year for the DiamondJaxx, in 305 at bats, he had 12 doubles, 9 triples, 4 hrs, 33 rbi, 15/19 in sb, 56 walks, 68 strikeouts, .269 avg, .385 obp, .407 slg, .792 ops