Updated - 2:14pm C.T. with Additional Information and Roster Cuts
According to a report in the Chicago Sun-Times and from Paul Sullivan in Mesa, the Cubs have agreed to a 1-year deal with Reed Johnson worth $1.3 million dollars. Johnson will serve as the Cubs long awaited right-handed outfielder that can play all three spots.
In other news, the Cubs made another roster reduction on Tuesday morning. Eric Patterson and Sam Fuld were optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Micah Hoffpauir, Casey McGehee and Les Walrond were assigned to minor league camp.
According to the report in the Sun-Times, Sean Marshall will pitch out of the pen in Tuesday's game against the Giants and he could fill the vacancy left by Scott Eyre...."Eyre received a cortisone shot in his left elbow after x-rays showed a continued problem with a bone spur." Eyre "is expected" to start the season on the DL but "he hopes to start throwing again next week."
Will update if more information on the Johnson signing is released....
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Solid move. Looks like the Rangers overplayed their Marlon Byrd hand. Now let's get Roberts!
David, I agree, he brings a pretty good bat, decent arm, and more depth to the outfield at all three positions, and a big plus we didn't give up any prospects. Good move Hendry.
Sounds like Murton's days are now numbered. Perhaps Gallagher, Cedeno, Murton and Patterson for our favorite Mr. Roberts?
Shaun just called me from Mesa and he confirmed that Johnson is in today's lineup.
I mentioned DaVanon but didn't know anything about Johnson. J has more power and his assists suggest he's better defensively too. High character guy. An excellent move. Now, if Hill pitches well, we'll have really had an excellent day.
It may be Roberts' fatigue, but I'm guessng we move on withhout him. I'm hoping we can get some pitching from the Giants for Cedeno and Hoffpauir--as mentioned earlier today.
JimK - While Sabean has made some bad decisions in the past (traded Nathan/Liriano/Bonser for Pierzynski) I doubt he will let go of Lincecum, Cain, or anyone else that could help us this year for Cedeno, Hoffpauir, or any of our other BR trading chips... no offense. At best we would receive some young arms... I would rather have Hoffpauir lingering around in case of an injury to DLee or Ward.
I agree with you Cliff. Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez and the Giants top prospects aren't going anywhere. I could see them dealing a guy like Correa though if they got a few young guys in return.
Go Jim [TP].....play that funky music...Nation Represents!
Agustin:
Just for you my friend.
la nación representa!
Victoria de los Cachorros!
Victoria de los Cachorros!
Nice day for Hill--6 strikeouts and only 1 walk. Nice day too for Johnson in his debut. JH still needs to get some pitchig--especially lefty relief. But our team is looking much better.
Since Sanchez (L) and Correia (R) are ranked with Fuentes (L) and Jiminez (R) of the Rockies by some of the Faithful, and are unavailable, JH has asked me to look elsewhere for the help we need. So I'll keep at it. I have The Turkey, Jimmy Gobble, of the Royals and Jerry Blevins of the A's in sight. I'm hearing that the asking price is Veal and Tony Thomas.
Good to see the regulars have a good day at the plate,Soto, Ramirez, Fukudome, and Lee with the HR. Also good to see Hill have a much better outing.
Very good debut by Johnson.
I am ready for the season to start!! I am excited!!
David and Cliff....right on. There's no way the Giants deal ANY of their top prospects, or young, promising players already with the team. Sabean wants the team to be younger after his Durham, Bonds, Winn, etc.-led teams were too old to get it done. Though Baker would've loved that type of team. LOL....I seriously hope Baker destroys the Reds so everyone can see what a fraud he really is as a manager. Bruce, Votto, and their young starter Cueto and Volquez or whatever his name is, belong on the team, but you watch, he'll hand CF to Corey Patterson and 1B to Hatteberg....and I'll be laughing my ass off.
On another note, I would love to see Hendry find a taker for Cedeno, Dempster, and Marquis. I just don't think ANY of them belong on the team, and here's why:
1) Cedeno-we all pretty much want to see Cedeno succeed. However, after about 2 1/2 year in the bigs, and at age 25 it would appear that his star has fallen considerably, and he's in danger of turning into a right handed version of Cesar Izturis. He has great potential, but I think he's just another one of our many position prospect busts. If he could just shorten that damn swing, he'd be a Murton-esque infielder for us, but he just can't, just like C Patterson
2) Dempster is just plain awful, and I would challenge anyone that says otherwise, as he has posted only ONE sub-3 ERA in parts of 6 seasons as a starter. As a reliever, in 4 years, he posted a 3.92, 3.13, 4.80, and 4.73 ERA, which are terrible stats as a reliever, and his WHIP stats are also equally as bad. I think it's an absolute JOKE that he is our 3rd starter.
3) Marquis, honestly, even though I don't like the guy at all, is NOT that bad of a 5th starter, so long as you get rid of him in early July. But even so, for a "control, finesse" pitcher, he is anything but that, as his WHIP attests, and he gives up an ALARMING amount of hits. In fact, over the past 4 years, he has given up an average of about 210 hits over 198 innings pitched. That is TERRIBLE, which is why he's worn out his welcome with two of the game's best pitching coaches- Mazzone and Duncan, and might be adding a third- Rothschild...A lot of pitching is mental, and Marquis appears to be a mental midget out there about half of the time.
In their place, here's what I would do. For Cedeno, you give his roster spot to Fontenot or Eric Patterson. My belief is that if you can play CF and you've played 2B as well, you should be able to give SS a try. Plus, if Patterson can't handle SS, DeRosa has shown he can handle it, so Patterson could spell him at 2B while he spells Theriot at SS, AND he can sub at all OF positions, so that's why Patterson makes sense, and gives the team a late inning pinch runner for Soriano if need be, or anyone else.
For Dempster, you insert Lieber, and for Marquis, you insert Marshall, and in Lieber's place in the pen, you insert Pignatiello, and in Marshall's would-be spot in the pen, you insert the would-be-traded Lahey.
I would feel really confident with that roster. If Marshall falters in the rotation, then you replace him with Gallagher, or perhaps even Hart. As for position players, we'd have a lot of speed with Fukodome, Pie, Reed Johnson, Patterson, and Theriot. That'd be two speedsters off the bench for us to go along with some pop in Murton and Ward. Plus, even Patterson has pop in his bat too....I really like that roster. I just think Dempster and Marquis make our rotation particularly vulnerable, and if you give Cedeno a roster spot for the sake of not losing him because he's out of options, rather than because he deserves to make the team, then you're doing Cubs nation a disservice, because you're not putting the best product on the field.
Anyway, that's my take, so I'll shut up for awhile
Aaron, from what I read Dusty has already given the CF job to Patterson.
JimK,
I like that your always thinking about ways to improve the team!!! Why'd you give up on Fuentes so fast? ... he's available and would be a great addition to the pen.
Aaron, I agree on you accessment of Cedeno, every year I see his stats in fall ball and in AAA, and get excited about how he might finally be able to make the jump to the big league club, but alls he does is dissapoint. I do not want Cedeno to make the club and take up a roster spot, we have too many better options in house than him.
The thing I really like about this years club compared to last years, is the speed. Theriot, Pie, Fukudome, if healthy Soriano, Lee runs the bases pretty good for a big guy, now Reed Johnson. We should be a thorn in everyones side this year on the base paths.
As far as the Reds are concerned, Aaron I don't think you have to worry about Dusty, he is well on his way. I don't know if you saw his comments early this spring, but he said something along the lines of "I would like to see Votto and Dunn more aggressive at the plate, take a few less walks and swing the bat more" Those are not his exact words, but pretty much the gist.
There was also a piece on Fox Sports, with a picture of Jay Bruce with a caption that read, "The one big road block for Bruce is his mananger, Dusty Baker"
As for Corey, Dusty has won me a case of Busch Light the way it sounds, I bet my friend he would be the opening day center fielder, and well, it looks like it is going to happen.