Invitations to Spring

Cubs Invited 11 Players to Spring Training on Tuesday

Sean Gallagher, Carmen Pignatiello, Jake Fox, Tyler Colvin, Adam Harben, Randy Wells, Mike Kinkade, Casey McGehee, Chris Walker, Eric Patterson and Ryan O'Malley all received invites to Spring Training on Tuesday according to a report on Cubs.com. These 11 players will join the current 40-man roster and the other 5 non-roster invitees that include Jason Anderson, Ben Howard, John Webb, Les Walrond and Koyie Hill to bring the Spring Training roster to 56 players.

Ryan O'Malley became a fan favorite last season with his unbelievable Major League debut in Houston and was 7-7 with a 4.08 ERA in Triple-A Iowa last season. O'Malley was released earlier in the off-season from the 40-man roster.

Carmen Pignatiello pitched in Double-A last season and was 3-1 with a 2.69 ERA in 38 games, 1 start while striking out 74 and walking only 19. He pitched 8 games in Triple-A as well. He also pitched for Pat Listach in the Arizona Fall League this past season.

Adam Harben was the player to be named later in the Phil Nevin deal with the Twins last season. Harben was on the 40-man roster and released earlier this off-season and was later resigned. He was 4-9 with a 3.96 ERA in Double-A last year and pitched in the Arizona Fall League.

Sean Gallagher pitched in Class A ball and Double A last season and was 7-5 with a 2.71 ERA with West Tenn.

Randy Wells had a phenomenal season with West Tenn in 2006 before being called up to Iowa. The converted catcher struggled at the Triple A level and was 5-5 with a 4.96 ERA.

Jake Fox played in Class A and Double A ball in 2006 and he recently played 1st base and outfield in the Arizona Fall League. Fox is very talented with the bat but his defensive skills behind the plate have raised a lot of questions.

Mike Kinkade has played 222 games at the Major League level and last season in Triple A he hit .328 in 106 games. The 33-year old right-handed infielder has played for the Mets, Orioles and Dodgers. Here are his stats from the Baseball Cube. In 10 Minor League seasons he has a career .389 OBP, a career .497 SLG and a career OPS of 886. He has played most of his games at 3rd base and has had time behind the plate, at 1st base and in left field.

Chris Walker led the Cubs farm system in steals last season with 50.

Pitchers and catchers report on February 14th, the first full squad workout is on February 20th and the first game is on March 1st against the Giants....

Jon

The players aren't really auditioning for the big-league team out of camp, with the possible exception of the oufielders and maybe Patterson if they've been playing him in the outfield.

The vast majority of the players are pitchers. We don't have a spot open in either the rotation or the bullpen. The only one somebody might get a chance is if they're so lights-out, and one of our veterans is bad enough, that somebody like Ohman or Wuertz ends up getting traded out of camp. I wouldn't expect any pitching positions to be open, but if one did open I can't fathom it would be more than that.

Likewise, Fox and Hill are catchers; I doubt we're trading Barrett and the fervor with with we re-signed Blanco indicts we're not likely to part with him either (and can't, until the end of June, I don't believe). McGehee plays third, where he's blocked by Ramirez.

The audition is, for the most part, for call-ups in September or if an injury hits. The outfielders have an outside chance if Jones isn't occupying CF for us, but if we're going to let a minor leaguer patrol center it will probably be Pie.

So, no worries about who's getting an invite.