Some tidbits from the new notes on Cubs.com:

~Aaron is right that Cedeno has a great chance to make the Opening Day squad. Lou said he is strongly leaning to keeping another reserve infielder. So it looks like Coats or Pagan won't make the initial roster and either Cedeno or Perez will. If it is Cedeno does it suggest that the Cubs no longer sees him as a high level prospect and more of a career utility guy though?

~It sounds like it is down to Miller vs. Guzman. Miller threw well today and reportedly hit 90 on the gun and was in the high 80's consistently.

~It sounds like Pie is going down. Lou wants to at least "start the season with Soriano [in center]."

~They will have infield practice at least once per series during the season. That is great news.

Keep in mind that we are incredibly focused on the Opening Day roster when in fact it means little. There will be a lot of changes along the way. Prior and Marshall may be throwing great by mid-April. Pie may be deemed ready by June. A lot can happen.

Aaron,



I get what your trying to say. Really I do. But consider this. For whatever reason, the position players that we have been producing haven't really been that spectacular. If they were they'd be in there by now. I mean if you go out and dig a well yourself, but the only thing that comes up is mud, are you going to keep going to that well just because you dug it yourself? More likely you are going to go and get a shovel and dig another one so you can get water to your family. Thats a little screwed up analogy, but I think it gets the point across.

Again, for whatever reason, our minor league system hasn't been producing great position players. So we go out and get the players we need via free agency or trades, and play off our strength in the minors, pitching. Hey, look at it this way, if your dying of thirst and desperate, are you really going to care if buy the water from the store instead of going to the river yourself?

I agree with you guys about Wilken, and I think the drafts of Harvey, Colvin, E Patterson, Johnston, will certainly help in the future...

Austin,

If you notice what I wrote, "position prospects" is why I did not include the likes of Veal, Gallagher, Samardzija, Wood, Prior, Big Z, etc.

Aaron,

OMG, you actually posted something that I didn't have to scroll down to read. :) Mind you, I say that with a smile bc I like your insight, but it's funny nonetheless.

Jim,

Soriano is batting .259 this spring, but I'm guessing you're not ready to boot him off the team, right?

Guys who hit .440 in the spring WILL NOT hit .440 in the season. Likewise, a player who is proven in the bigs and hitting .111 will not hit .111 during the season.

Lastly, I thought Mabry was going to really help us last year too, but he was woeful. I'll take the best pinch hitter in the NL last season, Ward, over Mabry anyday.

Aaron,

What about Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, and Carlos Zambrano?? Also, we now have a pretty good farm system and should rank pretty high on your list within the next couple years. We have guys like Patterson, Pie, Veal, Colvin, and others that are almost ready and will hopefully play a big role in the future.

Not every player on every team is homegrown, as you know, but its not like the Cubs didnt try, its not fair to just list the players...not all of ours worked out, some teams just had better scouts or prepared their prospects better. I just hope Wilkin keeps us the success!

Aaron,

You have some valid points, but the biggest reason the Cubs have so few system players has to do with their talent evaluations and their player development. Corey Patterson is the only one you listed that has a chance at a decent career, and Corey has had only one decent year so far.

I have hope that with Tim Wilken now on board that the future prospects will turn out to be much better. We all hope so.

Go Cubs!!!

Austin,

I love Theriot too...I was just illustrating a point....If he's the only position player brought up through our system currently on the roster---which he is---then that's a pretty crappy system. Our only other everyday position player in the majors right now is on another team---Corey Patterson. Choi, Bobby Hill, Hinske, Dubois---all top prospects are either in the minors, or back ups now.

I mean, I don't even think people realize the problem with that. Can you think of one single team that has a record of not developing talent from their system like we have?....I'm waiting......still nothing? Alright, here you have it...29 ML teams with position guys they developed:

A's: Chavez, Swisher, Johnson, Ellis

Angels: Anderson, Kendrick, Figgans, Kotchman, Napoli

Astros: Biggio, Berkman, Ensberg, Everett, Scott, Burke

Blue Jays: Hill, Rios, Johnson, Wells

Braves: Langerhans, A Jones, Franceour, C Jones, Johnson, Thorman, McCann

Brewers: Jenkins, Hall, Hart, Hardy, Weeks, Fielder, Braun

Cardinals: Duncan, Pujols, Molina, and Iguchi (because he plays a lot, so I included him as a starter)

D Rays: Crawford, Baldelli, Young, Upton, Zobrist, Cantu

D Backs: Tracy, Drew, Quentin, Jackson

Dodgers: Repko, Kemp, Andy LaRoche, Loney, and Martin (though this year Repko and Kemp might see limited action b/c of Pierre and Gonzo signings)

Giants: Feliz, Niekro

Indians: Sizemore, Peralta, Blake, V Martinez.....

Anyway, you get the point.....

In fact, in my research, the Cubs were the ONLY team without their own homegrown (meaning, not traded for) talent in their everyday lineup.

That's a shame, and it's been going on for years...When Mark Grace---developed in the system, entered in 1988, and we haven't had a prospect consistently in the lineup ever since---that's a shame. Corey Patterson was the closest thing we had, and Baker and Baylor's inept coaching staffs ruined him.

I love Piniella's attitude---one where he believes that if you produce, you deserve to be in the lineup, whereas Baker thought it meant, if you were any good in the past, you deserved the benefit of the doubt-------hmmmmmmm, not conducive to winning the World Series.

Ward is going to make the team.

I am just disappointed in what i have seen from Ward so far. .111 avg is not what I was hoping for our power bench guy. His #'s were great last year but that was only one year and he hasn't shown much this spring yet. Do like that he played today with the flu.

Guys,

Ward was one of the best pinch hitters last year. He has the power to come off the bench and hit a HR late in the game...we're not counting on this guy to play everyday!!

And Aaron,

I love Theriot!! I think he is a good ball player, and also, he is not going to be playing everyday, as you know, but I think his energy and versatility would be great to have on the bench.

Jim,

AMEN Brother!!!!

I just want to see some production from our bench. I thought Mabry was going to fix that but made things worse. If Ward can give us the same as last season great but from what I am seeing he is not going to make the team nor should he. He has been "sick" twice with stomach problems in two weeks. Maybe I am being to hard on him but I am done with losing. I want to win and win now. I have waited long enough and put alot of dough up to see a winner.

Jim,

I'd rather see players like Pie and Patterson play in AA or AAA everyday, then a bench player on the Cubs.

Roland

Anthony how can you say that?? What has he showed this spring....? The guy is a career .262 hitter with a carrer year last year. Mabry is better than him. I don;t see him making this team if he is not playing and when he does he does nothing.

Jim,

Ward WILL help this team. In fact, I'd be willing to say he will be a key factor for us ths year.

Jim,

I believe Hendry has fallen in love with "career year" sort of players....for reference, see

"DeRosa, Mark" in the media guide. Wouldn't it be an easy decision to reward a guy like Coats, while also being able to keep Pagan on the team. As it stands now, we have a bench of: Blanco, Theriot, Ward, Floyd, and PTBNL (which I feel will be Cedeno).

The problem with Cubs management over the last 20 years or so has been the development of young position talent, and actually giving them a chance to break in. No, our solution has been to overpay for veterans on the decline, or players with the afforementioned "career year."

Look on the roster...what position prospects are on the roster that we've developed by ourselves? You can't even count Matt Murton, because we had him in our system for half a year before he was brought up. Theriot...Ryan friggin' Theriot? God bless his heart, but if that's the best we can do, we have serious problems.

Would it really hurt to give just one....one single rookie a chance at a bench role. For crying out loud, the average bench player hits about .240-.250. I'm pretty sure we could find someone in our system to do that, rather than overpay a washed up veteran, don't you think so?

Here's a list of guys that deserved a look: Coats, Pie, Fox, Patterson, and I'd even make a case for Colvin (even though he's 1 yr removed from college). On other teams, some of those mentioned would be everyday players.

Anyway, that's just my opinion.

Why did we sign Ward again. He hasn't done a thing this spring except for hitting pop-ups and getting sick. His spot could be used by a real player. I am starting to dislike this guy and he hasn't even played a real game yet.