Cubs Sign Tony Womack to a Minor League Contract, Option Jae Kuk Ryu to Iowa plus other roster moves throughout the Minor League System.
In order to clear room on the active roster before Thursday's game against the Nationals for Kerry Wood, the Cubs optioned Jae Kuk Ryu back to the Iowa Cubs (AAA). Ryu pitched in one game for the Cubs and struck out 2, walked 2 and allowed 1 run on 1 hit in an inning of work.
The Cubs signed free-agent second baseman Tony Womack to a Minor League contact and assigned him to Iowa. Womack started the year with the Reds and was in their Opening Day lineup against the Cubs. The Reds designated Womack for assignment on April 25.
More on Womack and the other roster moves....
Tony Womack played in 21 games for the Cubs in 2003 and hit .235 and played in 108 games last season for the Yankees (.249/.276/.280) before being traded in the off-season to the Reds.
Luis Montanez and Micah Hoffpauir were moved up to the I-Cubs from West Tenn on Thursday. Montanez leads the Cubs' Minor League system with a .369 average and is 28-62 in May. Hoffpauir was hitting .268 with the Diamond Jaxx and he is tied with Jake Fox for the lead in home runs in the Minor League system with 10.
Brandon Sing and Adam Greenberg were sent from Iowa to West Tenn to make room for Montanez and Hoffpauir. After a good Spring Training with the Cubs, Sing was only hitting .177 in 33 games with the I-Cubs.
Also, the Cubs released Raul Valdez, Matt Padgett and David Cash on Wednesday. Valdez was 1-3 with a 7.59 ERA in 7 starts in Iowa and Padgett was 10-61 in 19 games.
A busy day indeed.....
If Womack were to be promoted to the big leagues, he would be the 6th cub to play second base.
Memo to Jim Hendry:
WE HAVE ENOUGH TONY WOMACK TYPE OF GUYS ON THE ROSTER.
I had to laugh when I saw your comment Jim -- that is exactly what I was going to say. How about a right-handed hitter who can hit the ball out of the park once in a while and might put a little fear into the other team? I think we could use that a little more than another 2nd baseman!!!!!
Come on now. We need more weak hitting 2nd basemen. Dusty's understanding of "small ball", is small scores, small hit totals, and small results. If we had someone to hit it out of the park, then who would lay down those crutial game ending bunts?