Cubs Depth Chart

[Dave19642006]

Starting Lineup
LF Alfonso Soriano: still averaging 36 HR's and 29 SB's per seasons over the past seven years despite averaging only 122 games per season for the Cubs in 2007-08
SS Ryan Theriot: puts the bat on the ball (58 K's in 580 AB's), gets on base (.387 OBP), and is a threat on the base paths (22 SB's)
RF Milton Bradley: one of the best hitters in the game but the fact that his 126 games played last season was the 2nd highest total of his 9-year career should be worrisome for the Cubs
1B Derrek Lee: might be on the decline, averaging just 21 HR's and 76 RBI's in 2007-08 after averaging 31 HR's and 88 RBI's from 2000-05
3B Aramis Ramirez: 30 year-old averaging 30 HR's and 102 RBI's over the past eight seasons
C Geovany Soto: 2008 Rookie of the Year already amongst the best hitting catchers in the game
CF Kosuke Fukudome: disappointing debut season in the US; will split time in CF with Reed Johnson
2B Aaron Miles: career .289 hitter will battle Mike Fontenot for the 2B job

Bench c
C Paul Bako: returns to the Cubs after spending the last four seasons in Los Angeles, KC, Baltimore, and Cincinnati
IF Mike Fontenot: batted .305 with 9 HR's, and 40 RBI's in only 243 AB's in 2008, but will have to beat out Miles for a starting job
OF Reed Johnson: likely to platoon in CF with Fukudome after posting a .399 OBP against LHP's in '08
OF Joey Gathright: trades of Pie and Cedeno give this speedster a solid chance of making the opening day roster
1B/OF Micah Hoffpauir: impressive in 73 late season AB's with the Cubs (.342 BA, 2 HR)

Starting Rotation
RHP Carlos Zambrano: has made 30 starts in six straight seasons, although he failed to reach 200 IP (188.2 IP in '08) for the first time during that time span
RHP Rich Harden: made at least 25 starts for only the 2nd time in his six-year ML career; dominant when healthy
LHP Ted Lilly: earning every dollar the Cubs are paying him, making 34 starts in consecutive seasons and winning 32 games
RHP Ryan Dempster: successful return to the rotation (17-6, 2.96 ERA) made him a very rich man (4 years, $13 million per year)
LHP Sean Marshall: not a bad #5 starter option although the Cubs could still swing a deal for another starter and use Marshall in relief

Bullpen
RHP Carlos Marmol: breakout season (2.68 ERA, 114 K's in 87.1 IP) earns him the closer's job after Kerry Wood left as a free agent
RHP Kevin Gregg: will have to pitch well to ensure Cubs don't regret letting go one of their top relief prospects, Jose Ceda, in order to acquire him
RHP Jeff Samardzija: former Notre Dame football star will compete for the #5 spot in the rotation but pitched well in relief down the stretch for the Cubs (2.28 ERA in 26 relief appearances)
RHP Aaron Heilman: will compete for a starting job but, at the least, offers another experienced arm in the middle of the bullpen
LHP Neal Cotts: posted a 4.29 ERA with 43 K's in 35.2 IP in 2008
RHP Luis Vizcaino: offseason acquisition is a nine-year veteran with a career ERA of 4.34
RHP Chad Gaudin: acquired in the Rich Harden deal, he was 4-2 but posted a 6.26 ERA for the Cubs

Other Roster Candidates
RHP Angel Guzman: hard-throwing 27 year-old should be back in the mix after missing most of 2008 due to injury; out of options, the Cubs will trade him if he isn't going to make the 25-man roster
RHP Kevin Hart: spent most of 2008 with the Cubs, posting a 6.51 ERA in 21 relief appearances
RHP Jeff Stevens: acquired in the Mark DeRosa deal, the Cubs think he'll be able to help out of the bullpen at some point in 2009 after a minor league season in which he struck out 81 batters in 58 IP between AA and AAA
RHP David Patton (Rule V): Cubs traded for this rule V draft pick but he will be a longshot to stick on this roster
LHP Mike Stanton: veteran did not pitch in 2008 and was last effective in 2006 when he posted a 3.99 ERA between Washington and San Francisco
RHP Ken Kadokura: 35 year-old has been signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training; he has a career ERA of 4.36 ERA in Japan
OF So Taguchi: hit .283 in parts of six seasons for St. Louis before a mediocre 2008 with the Phillies
IF Luis Rivas: middle infielder batted .218 with 3 HR's in 206 AB's for the Pirates in 2008
</SPAN>C Koyie Hill: was in line to take over the backup job after a good 2008 season in AAA (.275 BA, 17 HR, 64 RBI) but that changed when Paul Bako signed

[jberryma]

Thanks for the right up Dave. I like the team this year. With getting rid of one of my favorites in Derosa, I'd like to see Fontenot able to work his way into the starting lineup ahead of Miles.

I'm also not sold on that fifth pitcher, whether it's Marshall, Heilman, or whomever, I'm just a little scared of that spot in the rotation.

I hope for Guzman's sake he's able to make the big league squad, he had a lot of potential but was bitten by the injury bug.

[cybsball20]

Don't count Gaudin out for the five spot. He had a very good offseason and was pretty confident heading into camp...

[jberryma]

Don't count Gaudin out for the five spot. He had a very good offseason and was pretty confident heading into camp...

Very good point. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he won that spot.

[hurdleisu24]

I think Guzman is almost a lock to make the roster. Isn't Patton injured and may end up on the 60 day DL? Im not sure Hoffpauir makes the team either just because he ain't going to play alot

[Dave19642006]

as you can see I posted the Cardinals also....

[Cyclone90]

I'm also not sold on that fifth pitcher, whether it's Marshall, Heilman, or whomever, I'm just a little scared of that spot in the rotation.

I think starting pitching well end up being a problem as a whole actually. Dempster just came off a career year while Z and Hardin are damaged goods and will likely miss a month at least. We're probably going to see more of Samardzija, Gaudin, Heilman, and possibly Guzman than any Cubs fan wishes.

[jberryma]

I think starting pitching well end up being a problem as a whole actually. Dempster just came off a career year while Z and Hardin are damaged goods and will likely miss a month at least. We're probably going to see more of Samardzija, Gaudin, Heilman, and possibly Guzman than any Cubs fan wishes.

lol...Well that's a downer...Can we still go back and rethink that Peavy deal;) I really wanted them to pull the trigger and bring in Peavy in January because I thought the same way as you are about the rotation.

If everyone is healthy and Dempster is as good as he was last year we have a very formidable rotation, now can we keep Z and Hardin healthy? Not sure. Will Dempster be as good as he was last year? Again not sure. I certainly hope so though!

[Cyclone90]

lol...Well that's a downer...Can we still go back and rethink that Peavy deal;) I really wanted them to pull the trigger and bring in Peavy in January because I thought the same way as you are about the rotation.

If everyone is healthy and Dempster is as good as he was last year we have a very formidable rotation, now can we keep Z and Hardin healthy? Not sure. Will Dempster be as good as he was last year? Again not sure. I certainly hope so though!

Absolutely. I was hoping for the Peavy deal too, depending on what we had to give up. Peavy's damaged goods too, but it would sure be nice to have Marshall as insurance rather than a fifth starter. Of course he probably would have been gone if the deal had been made.

First spring training game today!