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The focus tends to be on who will make the team in spring training for most teams. For the Chicago Cubs, most of that appears to be set. However, there are a couple of position battles that should be intriguing. Unfortunately for some, losing these battles could mean starting the season in Triple-A or looking for a job this summer.
With spring training games set to get underway soon, many Cubs players, young and old, have plenty to prove. Based on the situation they're in, here are five players who could be cut or demoted if they don't really impress this ...
You wouldn't expect a team with five straight seasons of at least 87 losses to be all the rage heading into a new season. The Chicago Cubs, however, have worked hard to be an exception.
They've recently added an elite manager in Joe Maddon, as well as quality veteran talent in Jon Lester, Jason Hammel, Miguel Montero and Dexter Fowler. These moves were designed to make the Cubs a contender in 2015, and now one gets the sense that most everyone thinks the impending arrival of Kris Bryant will be what officially gives them the green light.
But the Cubs' chances of living ...
For the first time in a very long time, the Chicago Cubs seem ready to compete for the playoffs. A lot of that has to do with their improved roster in every area of the team. While making the playoffs will still be a tough task in 2015, this current Cubs team has the talent to get it done.
This spring training, there doesn't figure to be too many intense position battles, but that doesn't mean there won't be plenty to watch in Mesa, Arizona. Here's a preview of what to look for from each position in the field as spring ...
Kris Bryant’s time is now.
There is nothing left for him to prove in the minor leagues, and the Chicago Cubs have made a clear and definitive turn toward competitiveness. Both those reasons ought to point to the 23-year-old uber-prospect being on the team’s Opening Day roster.
Bryant is the Cubs’ best possible option to play third base. So as long as he is physically able when spring training concludes, the Cubs do not have any valid reasons to leave Bryant behind in the minors.
Off to AZ! Time to go to work!!
— Kris Bryant (@KrisBryant_23) February 15, 2015
Ever since the Cubs drafted ...
It's no secret the Chicago Cubs are supposed to be much improved this season after a very busy offseason. It remains to be seen just how improved they are, but their roster from this year compared to last appears to be much stronger.
Fans know names like Jon Lester, Miguel Montero and Dexter Fowler, but there are other players waiting for an opportunity to prove themselves. Some of these players will try to impress in spring training. Here are five who could surprise people this March.Begin Slideshow
Spring training is set to begin next week when pitchers and catchers report to camp, meaning Major League Baseball’s long and at times insane offseason is coming to an end.
So far, much of the focus has been the movement among big leaguers due to all the free-agent signings and teams trading their top chips to new squads. However, this offseason also has featured plenty of action on the minor league front. And with spring training just around the corner, it's time for Prospect Pipeline to officially rank the farm systems of all 30 clubs.
As always, our rankings are based on two ...
Javier Baez was one of the hottest names in baseball last year heading into spring training. In 2013, Baez, in his age-20 season, smashed 37 home runs and slugged .578 in 130 games between High-A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee.
As if on cue, Baez put on a show in major league camp with five booming home runs in 18 games, and he did so while playing a new position, second base. The Cubs assigned Baez to Triple-A Iowa to begin the regular season, but it was widely believed that the then-21-year-old would quickly hit his way to the major leagues.
Instead, Baez ...
First, Cubs fans had to wait for months for the team to sign ace Jon Lester. Now, it has seemed like an even more excruciating wait for spring training since there's so much excitement surrounding this much-improved team.
Opening Day is just two months away, and, for the first time in five years, there is hope on the north side of Chicago. The front-office tandem of Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have stayed the course, and 2015 may be the first year the fruits of their labor are rewarded with 80-plus wins.
Everything you need to know about the Cubs heading into ...
