With the announcement that Angel Guzman is most likely out for the season, there is now a big hole at the back end of the bullpen, as well as another open roster spot when camp opens.
The Cubs will be counting on a young and relatively unproven group to bridge the gap between the starters and Carlos Marmol this season, and someone will need to step up as the right handed set up man alongside lefty John Grabow for this bullpen to be a successful one.
The Cubs will more than likely carry 12 pitchers out of camp, and Carlos Zambrano, ...
As the season approaches, and players from the NL Central Division get a chance to escape the never ending winter of the midwest for the sunny days of Spring Training, the season is now just around the corner.
I decided to take a look at the rosters of the Central's six teams, and rank who I feel are the top 20 players in the division right now.
I say right now, because someone like Colby Rasmus will not be found on my list. While he is potentially one of the most talented players in the division, he is not quite there yet.
I ...
Spring Training is literally a day away, so what better time than now to make some bold predictions about the 2010 season for the Chicago Cubs.
The signing of Matt Holliday by the St. Louis Cardinals made them the overwhelming favorites to win the NL Central and they might be the team to beat in the National League. However, the Cubs made several moves as well, and look to be a better team than they were last season. How much better remains to be seen.
What follows are 10 predictions that I would say fall into the category of bold. I have ...
Dating back to the first MLB First Year Players Draft in 1965, the Cubs have done a less than stellar job when it comes to scouting talent. A simple look back at their first round picks through the years shows that the standouts are few and far between, and more often than not the picks were busts.
Nonetheless, the Cubs have made some good selections through the years, and I have named my top ten Cubs draft picks. They are in chronological order, and there were a few things I took into consideration when selecting.
First off, I looked at what the ...
So here is the third part in my series breaking down the National League Central Division position-by-position.
I have ranked the starters from each team 1-6, as well as chosen who I feel is the best backup, as well as the top up and coming prospect at the position.
While the first base position was stacked, second base is a different story, as there is one star player and a number of role players.
If you missed the first two in the series, I encourage you to take a look. And with that, we will get on with the rankings.Begin Slideshow
As we close in on Spring Training, I have decided to do position by position rankings for the NL Central. While I am a Cubs fan, I will do my best to stay impartial in my rankings.
Along with ranking the six starters, I will also name my top backup and my top up and coming prospect.
Catcher in the NL Central is a position with a lot of questions entering this season. Will Geovany Soto and Ryan Doumit bounce back from poor seasons? How much do Gregg Zaun and Ramon Hernandez have left? Is this the year J.R. Towles finally ...
With the Marlon Byrd signing shoring up the center field situation, the biggest weakness in the Cubs lineup, provided Geovanny Soto turns things around, is now at second base.
It seems as though the Cubs are content to open the season with the trio of Jeff Baker, Mike Fontenot, and Andres Blanco set to man second base, with Baker in position to get the bulk of the playing time. While there are worse options than Baker, there is a better option currently sitting in free agency, and that is Felipe Lopez.
I have long been an advocate of the Cubs acquiring the ...
Multiple sources have reported that the Cubs have inked free agent center fielder Marlon Byrd to a three year, $15 million contract. The question now becomes, is he worth it?
While Byrd is a good player and was no doubt the best available free agent center fielder on the market, he fails to address a number of the Cubs needs.
Byrd is a relatively solid hitter, coming off of a career year. This immediately begs the question, did the Cubs sign the Byrd who hit .295 with 40 home runs in the last three seasons in Texas, or the one ...
With Matt Capps seemingly on his way to the Nationals and the Cubs still in need of a right handed set-up man at the back of their bullpen, I ask, why not turn to an all too familiar face in Kevin Gregg?
Let me start out by saying I am a Cubs fan, and this suggestion is in no way meant as ill will towards the North Siders.
Simply put, Kevin Gregg is not a closer, at least not in large market such as Chicago where each outing is put under a microscope. While he was seemingly unable to take the pressure of ...
After letting their top target, Mike Cameron, slip away to the Red Sox while they tried desperately to unload Milton Bradley, the Cubs are now left holding six million dollars, and wondering who will be manning center field next season.
Looking at the list of available free agents, I'm not convinced that anyone out there can provide any more bang for the buck than former first round pick Tyler Colvin. Let's examine the potential candidates on the free agent market:
Rick Ankiel Pros: Left handed power hitter, strong arm.Cons: Horrendous plate discipline, coming off worst year to date.
Marlon ByrdPros: Coming off the ...
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