Charley Steiner once said, "There is something liberating about those magical words, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training." The off-season is over ... the Cubs' baseball season begins today.
While the official reporting date for Cubs' pitchers and catchers is today, many players are already in camp and were on the field on Tuesday. On Saturday over 40 players had already reported, it appears a majority of the Cubs' Major League roster has made their way to Mesa, Ariz.
Jim Hendry and Lou Piniella are scheduled to meet with the media on Wednesday ... and the first official on field workout is Thursday. Position players report on February 22 with the first full squad workout on Tuesday, February 23.
Here are updates from Mesa with video of Geovany Soto in the cage and more on the rumor tweeted by the CCO on Tuesday night that Chan Ho Park is still on the Cubs' radar ... and Ryan Theriot's pending arbitration hearing could have an impact on Park becoming a Cub.
Chatting with Bruce Levine
The always-informative Bruce Levine held his weekly chat Tuesday afternoon on ESPN Chicago. Here are a few tidbits:
- Levine sees only one of Chad Tracy, Kevin Millar and Micah Hoffpauir making the Cubs roster.
- The Cubs have "some questions" about Felipe Lopez's character. Levine asked why a player of Lopez's talent is not signed in mid-February.
Chan Ho Park
Bruce Levine mentioned during his chat on Tuesday that Chan Ho Park is still on the Cubs radar. The Cubs have "continued to investigate Park over the past three weeks." Levine mentioned that Ryan Theriot's arbitration case could have an impact on Park signing with the Cubs.
The Cubs need the money to sign another pitcher ... and the two sides are $800,000 apart.
Chan Ho Park's Page on Baseball-Reference.com
Ryan Theriot
The Cubs and Ryan Theriot appear headed for an arbitration hearing ... the first under Jim Hendry. The Cubs and Theriot are $800,000 apart. Theriot submitted a $3.4 million figure while the Cubs countered with $2.6 million.
Arbitration hearing dates are not released to the media (at least not too much in advance) but his hearing is rumored to be in St. Petersburg, Fla. at some point over the weekend.
Full report from the Chicago Tribune
Ryan Theriot spent a little time with Dave Kaplan on Sports Central Tuesday night. Theriot said he would be leaving Louisiana on Wednesday or Thursday for Mesa ... Theriot did not discuss his arbitration case with Kaplan.
Theriot said he usually leaves for camp earlier than he has this year. He mentioned his off-season program in Louisiana going well.
Kaplan asked Theriot if he's been taking grounders at second base. Theriot said he has only been taking grounders at short but indicated second base is a little easier than shortstop. He mentioned he has been turning double plays as a second baseman ... then joked, just to give Mike Fontenot a break.
Mike Fontenot and Theriot have been working out at LSU. Fontenot is leaving for camp on Wednesday.
Theriot said he's looking forward to working with Rudy Jaramillo. Theriot has spoken with Mark DeRosa on several occasions about Jaramillo. Theriot plans on getting in early to work with Jaramillo ... as well as staying late.
Geovany Soto
Geovany Soto arrived at Fitch Park on Tuesday. Soto met with the media and took a little batting practice.
Soto addressed his off-season weight loss and called the steroid speculation ridiculous.
"My whole life, I've had weight problems and stuff. I've always been immature in terms of diets and stuff. I never stick to them."
"This year, I had such a bad year that I was really disappointed in myself and I was willing to take that step and (say) 'OK, I'm really going to work hard and take it to the next level.'... To me, (the rumors are) kind of ridiculous. I wasn't strong. I was just fat."
"My dad used to tell me, because I used to open the refrigerator a lot, 'Just eat right, small portions throughout the day, it's a lot better.' We didn't know that (growing up). I got a personal trainer, a professional in that area, to try and help me. I stick to the program and it worked. I'm really happy I did it, because I feel a lot better."
WGN Video from Mesa - Geovany Soto, Rudy Jaramillo, Marlon Byrd and Chad Tracy
Well, that's the latest ... and I am sticking to it!
CCO Radio reports to Spring Training on February 23 with the first show of the new season.
Follow the CCO on Twitter ...
Make sure to check the CCO's twitter feed during the day. With Spring Training underway, news and notes will pop up that are worthy of a mention but not front page news. The CCO will tweet what we hear, of course from reliable sources.
If you don't have an account on the CCO ... sign-up for one to share your thoughts and interact with the rest of the Faithful.
More Photos of Fitch Park
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Just thinking out loud here...I'm not
buying that the Cubs can't sign Park
if Theriot wins his case.
2 things...
1) If $800,000 is the difference in
signing a player or not signing a player...it's because Hendry overspent elsewhere....Don't demonize Theriot.
2) If they sign Park...and he makes the
team...somebody else has to be traded or cut to make room for him....there's only so many spots....So that's where your
money differential comes from.
If the Cubs are really convinced Park
can solidify their pitching then they'll
get him....regardless of the outcome of
Theriot's case.
Re Theriot...one has to wonder if Theriot's agent tried for a multi-year
deal...to give Theriot some security...
given the talent coming up behind him.
This is strictly speculation on my part.
There's some obvious hardball going on
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/2052397,CST-SPT-cub17.article
Suzy, info on Blanco and Fuld.
Also, if Baker and Fontenot are on the team, no room for Millar, Tracy or Hoffpauir.
Reading Gordon's breakdown of the roster, saying that all 13 spots are filled.
OF - Soriano, Byrd, Fukudome, Nady, Fuld
IF - Ramirez, Theriot, Blanco, Baker, Fontenot, Lee
C - Soto, Hill
This is why I have been saying trade or release Fontenot to make room for a bat on the bench. The only way I can rationalize this is Nady has taken Hoffpauir/Tracy/Millar spot as the backup 1B and OF, bat off of the bench. One of Soriano, Byrd, Fukudome, Nady have to sit and that would be that days bat off of the bench.
That is also why I usually leave Fuld off the roster, even though his D and baserunning, make him a nice late inning, spot starter and I would like him to be on the team.
Rosters were 24 players at one point, maybe we need to go 26.
This also would mean Tracy is our back-up to an extended injury at 3B, that we didn't have last year?
First day of pitchers and catchers, seems like we are in the middle of ST.
Tony, we've had spring training all winter...at least on this site thanks to
Neil.
The very basic problem with this team
is we are locked into basically platoon
players instead of clearcut everyday guys.
Fukodome-
Baker/Fontenot
Soriano/ARAM/Lee...you have to anticipate DL time for each because if age and injury history.
Byrd's history as a 4th outfielder means
he'll have to given a lot of days off.
The thing is...since Lou has been with the Cubs...injuries or not...he rarely stays with a set lineup.
So it's hard to say if that's due to
personnel...OR...does the personnel
fit Lou's style of managing???
...Hence a lot of platoon players.
One thing for sure...it keeps us debating
!!! :) :)
Thanks, Neil.
If you told me last October we'd still
be debating Fontenot/Baker at 2nd in spring training...well...it's just surprising.
Lou has some tough decisions to make.
I know he's penciled some players in...
but pencils have erasors.
Cut or trade Fontenot, add in 800k if Theriot loses ARB and you can fill a spot with $1.8 million. Don't think of it as only 400k over minimum.
And yes Hendry has overspent this year -
Grabow and Byrd, but neither is a big hit this year.
Byrd - $3M
Grabow - ?? 7.5M for 2 years is what Cot's is showing with no breakdown by year. Neil do you know Grabow contract by year. And wasn't it initially reported as 3 years. But it is most likely 3M this year and 4.5M next year.
Tony...Grabow is for 2 years...and always was. He makes 3.25 mil this year
and the balance next year.
Another useful Cubs blog is "The Cubs Reporter". They run current (2010) payroll on their right hand side for quick reference.
Lou has always liked Fontenot for one reason or another...(Think Dusty and
Nefi Perez)...while it seems to make sense that Fontenot should go....
who knows what will happen....AND he's a lefty bat...if he starts hitting...he probably stays.
Thanks for posting Suzy
Suzys...makes perfect sense to me that Theriot's agent was shooting for a multi year contract.
Like the fact Soto said he was disappointed in his play last year and felt he let the team and himself down...Lets hope the rest of the team has the same perspective and they come into this season with a chip on their shoulders.
I like that to, Ed. If Soto really meant it. A lot of times I think those types of excuses from players are just a "canned" excuse for the media. It goes over a lot better than "Oh well, I did crappy last year, this years a new year."
I feel silly for asking this. What is the best site to use if you want to compare stats? For instance, If I want to compare Jake Peavy to Carlos Zambrano. I have been using Yahho but I am interested in a site that allows you to filter information.
Don't feel silly...I don't know either.
Will await someone's response...See Jim,
by posting that question...you help me and countless others.
I'm also hoping Fuld's lineup spot isn't as guaranteed as that Sun-Time's article either. If Nady doesn't start on the DL, then I think Fuld's spot (as much as I like him) should go to whomever has the best spring out of tracy, Hoff, or Fuld.
Or Snyder
Jim, don't ever feel 'silly'.
I use Baseball Reference. Here ya go ...
http://www.baseball-reference.com/
I'm just curious as to how the Cubs and Chan Ho Park are $800K apart? Unless the Cubs are offering him a $1 contract, nothing in Park's history has really shown that in this year, 2010, after nearly 16 years of pitching, and most of them starting, does his pricetag come in higher than a few players who don't have as many years but have better upside? That just doesn't make sense to me.
I think Theriot and the Cubs are 800K apart not Park and the Cubs. I think the reference is that IF Theriot loses his arb case... the 800K would be possibly allocated to the signing of a Chan Ho Park-ish type of person.
i agree.....i think the 800K dictates what monies are left for a Rp.
cubs win........perhaps a trade for jason frasor 2.6M or heath bell...4.3M.
cubs lose....park.....1-1.5M at most i guess or luke gregorson at about 500k.
How freaking cool is it to hear the crack of the bat again...like a Beethoven symphony to my ears.
Nice write up on Cubs.com about Rudy and his mindset after day one of practice. Seems to me he is playing along with the "chip on the shoulder" theme, and creating a mindset.
The more I hear guys like Geo and Big Z the more I like about this team and it's chances. They all seem hungry, and as embarassed as we were as fans last season. They also seem to have taken a professional pride class and are ramping it up this year.
In response to Aaron's question about guys to watch for... Looks like Tyler Colvin has beefed up a bit, I am not in AZ (I WISH), but "The Boys of Summer" page referenced it. He looked good based off the pictures, he seemed scrawny to me last year... not anymore.
Go Cubs!
I'm seeing and hearing Shark all over the place. I hope he does well,,,but the guy I think has Ace potential is Thomas Diamond...he had control issues last year after TJ surgery before.
It would be a Godsend if he could come strong is ST.
mlbtraderumors is reporting the Cubs signed another Korean prospect Wednesday.
Kim Jin-Young an 18 yr-old RHP, reportedly received a 1.2 million signing bonus.
Jin-Young was a hs player...and reportedly has a 92mph fastball.
The report is unconfirmed as yet.
Suzy, have you been checking the CCO's twitter feed today?
I will have a post up later tonight with the highlights.
Just the twitter feeds poisted on the site...I have not signed up yet.
That's what I was talking about ... just wanted to make sure.
It's working fine, Neil.
Gray and Guzman sidelined with minor injuries ... two weeks behind other pitchers.
Guzman had his knee scoped two weeks ago and Gray suffered mild groin strain
Not a good start.
With Guzman...at least it wasn't his shoulder or elbow...but maybe the Cubs have known this for a while...and why they were looking for relievers.
The dreaded groin strain for Gray...what kind of balls were he pitching? :)
That's how Milton started out...GS.
Maybe some better news,
I see Ted Lily said he want's to be ready for opening day.
From Carrie Muskat
There's no official date for Ted Lilly's return, but the Cubs left-hander does have a goal in mind: Opening Day.
"I don't know what the date is," Lilly said Wednesday. "I'd like to be ready when all the other healthy guys are. That would be good for me. If I can't, I'll be disappointed.
Also regarding Lilly:
He wants to stay in Chicago past 2010, but does not want a contract extension to be a distraction to the team.
Guys, I will post the good news later. I have been tweeting it ... did not mean to sound negative.
Was just reading about the South siders
possibilities with Johnny Damon. It's interesting that both AJ Pierzinski and Damon played on the same high school team together. What are the odds of 2 mlb
stars playing together on the same hs team?
If Kenny Williams pulls this one off...he gets my vote for best GM in Chicago...2010.
We possibly couldhave a summer of speculation of a Cubs/Sox World Series.
Possibly...I said.