NewsTouch-up job in works for Cubs
Major turnover not expected, but wish list needs addressing
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
10/05/09 1:25 AM ET
CHICAGO -- The good news is the Cubs posted their third consecutive winning season in 2009, the first time the franchise has done that since 1967-72. The bad news: They didn't make the playoffs."We're not far away from from getting close to where we were last year," manager Lou Piniella said. "I don't know about 97 wins, [which they accomplished in 2008], but to compete and win a division again, we're not far away. A little touch here, a little touch there. You don't need a whole lot of things, so from that standpoint, [general manager] Jim [Hendry] is going to have a busy winter."
Hendry can't do anything until the Cubs' ownership situation is resolved. The Ricketts family is waiting to be handed the keys to Wrigley Field after paying $854 million for the team, the ballpark and a share of Comcast Sports Network. They inherit about $120 million committed to players for next season, including money owed to Milton Bradley, who most likely will be with a new team in 2010 after a tumultuous year in Chicago.
Cubs fans will expect the new owners to open their wallets. Piniella does have a wish list. First priority is to stay healthy and have players such as Alfonso Soriano and Geovany Soto healthy and productive. Soriano finished with 20 homers, 55 RBIs and nine stolen bases, while Soto didn't look anything like the catcher who won National League Rookie of the Year honors in 2008.
The Cubs need an RBI guy, which they had hoped to get with Bradley, but he drove in 40 in 124 games. Rookie Jake Fox outdid Bradley in fewer at-bats.
Piniella wants more speed, but the only openings are center field and possibly second base. If there is a bright side, the Cubs are in good shape, pitching-wise, with Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster, Randy Wells and Tom Gorzelanny projected as the starting rotation. Carlos Marmol will inherit the closer's job, the fourth different closer in four seasons.
Don't expect a 40 percent turnover like the Cubs had in 2009.
"Last year, we had about 10 changes here," Piniella said. "If we have half that, that's a nice number. Some changes [last year] were out of necessity. I see us being selective in what we do."
Contract issues
Free agents: Rich Harden, RHP; Kevin Gregg, RHP; John Grabow, LHP; Reed Johnson, OF; Chad Fox, RHP.
Eligible for arbitration: Neal Cotts, LHP; Tom Gorzelanny, LHP; Angel Guzman, RHP; Aaron Heilman, RHP; Carlos Marmol, RHP; Sean Marshall, LHP; Koyie Hill, C; Jeff Baker, IF; Ryan Theriot, SS; Mike Fontenot, 2B; So Taguchi, OF.
Player options: None.
Club options: None.
Catchers
• Geovany Soto, .218 BA, 11 HRs, 47 RBIs
• Koyie Hill, .237 BA, 2 HRs, 24 RBIs
• Welington Castillo, .232, 11 HRs, 39 RBIs (Double-A Tennessee)
After winning NL Rookie of the Year, Geovany Soto struggled through a sophomore slump and battled a strained oblique. He'll be given an offseason workout program and monitored to make sure he reports healthy in 2010. Koyie Hill was the ironman backup, catching 26 straight games while Soto was sidelined.
First base
• Derrek Lee, .306 BA, 35 HRs, 111 RBIs
• Micah Hoffpauir, .239 BA, 10 HRs, 35 RBIs
• Jake Fox, .259, 11 HRs, 44 RBIs
Derrek Lee regained his power stroke, but he would've traded the numbers for a trip to the postseason. Lee set career highs in RBIs, and had his highest home run total since 2005. A .189 April and neck spasms that would flare up occasionally were the only things to knock him out of the lineup. Micah Hoffpauir and Jake Fox are backups, but Lee doesn't like to miss time.
Second base
• Mike Fontenot, .236 BA, 9 HRs, 43 RBIs
• Jeff Baker, .288 BA, 4 HRs, 24 RBIs
• Luis Rivas, .236 BA, 1 HRs, 16 RBIs
The Cubs projected Mike Fontenot as their full-time second baseman but he was inconsistent at the plate. Jeff Baker, acquired from the Rockies, stepped in and may have won a job as a utility player for next year. The Cubs want to add speed, and this may be one of the spots.
Shortstop
• Ryan Theriot, .284 BA, 7 HRs, 54 RBIs
• Andres Blanco, .252 BA, 1 HRs, 12 RBIs
• Starlin Castro, .288 BA, 0 HRs, 14 RBIs (Double-A Tennessee)
Theriot set a career highs in home runs and RBIs this season. If he needs to work on anything, it's cutting down on strikeouts and being more productive as a base stealer. Andres Blanco is a good glove, but hasn't shown he can hit at the big league level. Castro is one of the top prospects in the Cubs' system but is a few years away. He'll play in the Arizona Fall League next month.
Third base
• Aramis Ramirez, .317 BA, 15 HRs, 65 RBIs
• Jeff Baker, .288 BA, 4 HRs, 24 RBIs
• Josh Vitters, .238, 3 HRs, 22 RBIs
Ramirez missed two months because of dislocated left shoulder, and it showed the lack of depth at third base. Ramirez plans on spending the offseason strengthening his legs and shoulder, but the Cubs need to find a backup. Vitters, the No. 1 pick in 2007, will play in the Arizona Fall League.
Outfield
• Kosuke Fukudome, .259 BA, 11 HRs, 54 RBIs
• Alfonso Soriano, .241 BA, 20 HRs, 55 RBIs
• Milton Bradley, .257, 12 HRs, 40 RBIs
• Tyler Colvin, .300 BA, 14 HRs, 50 RBIs (Double-A Tennessee)
• Sam Fuld, .299 BA, 1 HRs, 2 RBIs
• Bobby Scales, .242 BA, 3 HRs, 15 RBIs
On the Cubs' wish list is moving Fukudome to right field full-time, having a healthy Soriano, and finding another center fielder. In a perfect world, the center fielder could be an RBI guy and have speed. But Piniella is quick to point out that there aren't many Ken Griffey Jr.'s out there. They will try to move Milton Bradley this winter. Colvin showed he's recovered from Tommy John surgery on his elbow, and looked good in center. The Cubs just aren't sure if he's ready for big league pitching.
Rotation
• Carlos Zambrano, 9-7, 3.77 ERA
• Ryan Dempster, 11-9, 3.64 ERA
• Ted Lilly, 12-9, 3.10 ERA
• Randy Wells, 12-10, 3.05 ERA
• Tom Gorzelanny, 7-3, 5.55 ERA
The Cubs have a solid starting five coming back. The only downside to 2009 was injuries -- Zambrano was on the DL twice, Dempster broke his toe jumping over the dugout fence, and Lilly had inflammation in his shoulder. Wells was the biggest surprise in '09, and the first Cubs rookie to reach 11 wins since Kerry Wood won 13 games in 1998. Jeff Samardzija, who will pitch this winter in Mexico, is another candidate for the rotation.
Bullpen
• Carlos Marmol, 2-4, 3.41 ERA, 15 saves
• Aaron Heilman, 4-4, 4.11 ERA
• Angel Guzman, 3-3, 2.95 ERA
• Sean Marshall, 3-7, 4.32 ERA
• Justin Berg, 6-2, 2.43 ERA (Triple-A Iowa)
• Esmailin Caridad, 5-10, 4.17 ERA (Triple-A Iowa)
Marmol took over the closer duties on Aug. 18, and Piniella has said he's got the job next season. Berg and Caridad impressed Piniella in September, and the Cubs will likely try to re-sign John Grabow. There are others who will be considered, such as John Gaub, acquired in the Mark DeRosa deal, who posted a 1.72 ERA in 26 games at Triple-A Iowa.
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
