Way Too Early 25-Man Roster Predictions

Because, why not.

STARTERS
C Welington Castillo
1B Anthony Rizzo
2B Darwin Barney
3B Ian Stewart
SS Starlin Castro
OF Alfonso Soriano
OF David DeJesus
OF Nate Schierholtz

BENCH
C Dioner Navarro
IF Luis Valbuena
IF Brent Lillibridge
OF Scott Hairston
OF Tony Campana

ROTATION
RHP Jeff Samardzija
RHP Matt Garza
RHP Edwin Jackson
LHP Travis Wood
RHP Scott Feldman
RHP Scott Baker (DL)

BULLPEN
RHP Carlos Marmol
RHP Kyuji Fujikawa
LHP James Russell
RHP Carlos Villanueva
RHP Shawn Camp
RHP Michael Bowden
RHP Hector Rondon

When Baker returns, I would expect either Rondon to be placed on waivers, or either Camp or Bowden to be DFA'd, depending on performance. 

I think Baker breaks the rotation and Feldman goes to the pen. I know, he is an expensive bullpen guy but I believe he was brought in here as insurance anyway. If he can keep his ERA down, he could be attractive for other teams at the deadline. He should be in the range of former Cub Tom Gorzelanny.

Someone will be traded before the season starts, and I believe Marmol will be it. A lot will depend on other teams injury issues and you know the Cubs are trying to get a legit 3B prospect. Soriano and possibly Garza are good trade candidates to land even better youngsters than Marmol. Nothing would surprise me at this point. 

I wouldn't put up Baker on the DL until it concerned or put up any expected trades. We have to go right now as every one is there until it has been concerned other wise. Campana I do not believe he will break camp over Sappelt. Sappelt had a strong winter league and both Nate and David hit LH pitching worse. CAMPANA is a noodle arm LH PR with a bad OBA. Other words not needed. Get over the the love affair. Now I believe that if Wood fails to break the rotation again he will go to AAA again. He will not be in the pen. They have to give 1 spot to the rule V. They also have put out on the Cubs site that Viz will pitch at Wrigg but in a eased into situation. IE BP. So another spot given up to the pen. I could see Feldman as the #5 with Wood in AAA going into the season to be honest. The non roster guy you posted is a possibility. Carrie suggested Clev. Because he can so play 1B and be a 3rd string C. Now I liked the idea. He came up as a SS so why not turn into a super sub. LH bat. He will never be better then any starter but could be valuable due to his versitility.

They also have put out on the [Cubs] site that Viz will pitch at Wrigg but in a eased into situation. IE BP. So another spot given up to the pen.

"They", being Carrie Muskat, isn't exactly trustworthy as far as who is and is not getting a roster spot.  We're talking about a guy who didn't pitch last year, so with both he and Baker, I think we'll just have to wait and see.  Their pitching will make the decisions. 

As far as this roster goes, if we only had a decent RF/3B, we'd actually be a decent team I think.  We should have a respectable rotation and the bullpen is better than it was.  Our line up is going to be the problem.  But, if Rizzo and Castro play well, we could show signs that we are close to competing. 

That is where I liked her suggestion of Clevenger. Dude is not going to be a league starter ever. Cubs are in a situation they need a back up with more experience. So that is going to leave Clevenger on the outs with the team. But sense he came up as a IF then got converted to catcher. It opens up potential of a super sub. He lacks power but as a sub that won't matter much. On Viz. I'm guessing she has inside info. It makes sense that upper management wants Bosio to personally be in charge of his first year back vs hearing about it from a minor league pitching coach that they blew up his arm again.

Still I'd give them 77 wins due to the staff alone. Lacking is depending on too many non proven run support again. I don't expect Sori to repeat last year again.

Their pitching will make the decisions.  

I don't think that is the motivation or winning in 13.  

The direction they are taking is preping for the future.


So in this view of things.  It makes sense to spend a year rehabing Viz.  Maybe 2-3 games a week at most for a inning.  Maybe one out even.  

Baker has trade value and he came in to prove himself.  So I believe his motivation is to go out there and prove to contenders that he is 100% again.  I doubt he wants to be a part of a rebuild.

Feldman wanted to start again.  Should get his shot.  Not expecting much.

Villanueva I can see put in the pen at first and put into the rotation after the dust settles in July.  He has decent swing and miss stuff and wouldn't be sad if he is long term rotation.

Marmol trade deadline gone.  Earlier if a closer goes down on a contender.

Garza same thing.  I just don't see the Cubs inking him to a mega right at the start of a park rebuild. 


Only thing I'm intersted about is Baez is getting an invite to the major league camp in S/T.  After that is over it is all downhill.
 

This team will have another 95 plus loss season again and wouldn't be surprised if they have another in 2014,until the Yankees,Red Sox's,Angels and Dodgers run out of money or a salary cap is introduced the Cubs will never build this team thru fre agency.

95 nah.  They would have ended up with 90 losses if they held the rotation intact.  Even with Garza blowing a tire.  

Basicly they blew the season last year at the trade deadline and then brought up some future pieces to evaluate.  

Again ties into future plans have priority over current plans.  

Current plans is making a bubble gum patchworked team on the cheap while the resource goes into rebuilding the park and revamping the farm. 

I think Baker breaks the rotation and Feldman goes to the pen. I know, he is an expensive bullpen guy but I believe he was brought in here as insurance anyway. If he can keep his ERA down, he could be attractive for other teams at the deadline. He should be in the range of former Cub Tom Gorzelanny.

Someone will be traded before the season starts, and I believe Marmol will be it. A lot will depend on other teams injury issues and you know the Cubs are trying to get a legit 3B prospect. Soriano and possibly Garza are good trade candidates to land even better youngsters than Marmol. Nothing would surprise me at this point. 

All good points, Boo.

I figured this would be a good threat to post this from last Friday:

[http://cubbiescrib.com/2013/02/01/n
on-roster-invites-to-cubs-spring-tr
aining-emerge/]

Don't know if it was built into his deal, but Javier Baez is going to get some PA's in Spring Training.

In depth look at how the roster will likely fill out:

[http://cubbiescrib.com/2013/03/19/c
ubs-opening-day-roster-projection/]

Don't really know where to put it, so...

Our 3B is atrocious, and this team will suck for the forseeable future.
Along with that, Castro is extremely mistake prone at SS.
So what about Baez, he's tearin' it up so far, and we could give him a chance at SS (with Castro move to 3B).
I mean we could give him chance immediately, do it "the Castro way", or play him in minors till half the way or whatever and then give him the chance, I'd call it "the Rizzo way".

But anyways, given the state of this team, what we really have to lose here.

I mean we could give him a chance immediately, do it "the Castro way", or play him in minors till half the way or whatever and then give him the chance, I'd call it "the Rizzo way".
 

They definitely won't do it "the Castro way" because that was tied to Hendry, and you can bet your bottom dollar it will be done "the Rizzo way" so they don't get the Arb clock running for him while the Cubs are trying to field a team. All I care about is getting a damn team out there that competes.

And yes, unless moves of substance are made, this team will indeed suck in the forseeable future. 

This year is a toss away year again. They have no intention of starting Arb clocks in the middle of a crapper. Even if they went out and said plug both Baez and Soler in. Would they be a play off calaber team? No. You have to step back and look at this team in a long term approach and it makes sense (and dollar savings). This year I believe the main goals are to Shedd Sori, Garza, Marmol. Get Jackson transitioned into CF and to push up Baez and Soler to AA. Now in 14 I would expect to see Soler and Baez around June at earliest. At that point I would concider trading Castro if Baez has not been position changed. I believe this year they will start making that decision.

Anyways, if you think that rookies are needed to make a team quality that is the first mistake. Vets have to be the the base of any quality team and then filter in youth. Not plug in crud players being the base. Now long term thinking. By the time Baez and Soler are ready guys like Rizzo, Jackson and Castro are the leaders of the squad. You don't want to be in a situation that Castro is still transition to being a OPS guy. Jackson is in transition. Rizzo is in year 2 adjustment then plug in a new rookie or 2 when the core is not settled. Not really a smart plan. Now they should have spent on 2 proven vets on 2 year deals to man 3B and RF. but as we saw winning was not the motivation. It was cost effective solutions. Or a blue collar coin: duct tape solution.