02-16-2012, 06:17 AM
Behind enemy lineups: Chicago Cubs
Former Boston GM Epstein tries Chicago edition
The Enquirer/Carrie Cochran
Travis Wood, acquired by the Cubs in the Reds' deal for Sean Marshall, should be part of the starting rotation in Chicago.
Say this for Theo Epstein: He’s certainly not afraid of curses.
The onetime wunderkind general manager presided over two World Series champions in Boston, including the 2004 team that broke the fabled Curse of the Bambino, winning a title for the first time in 86 years.
Now he’s on Chicago’s North Side, where the Curse of the Billy Goat has purportedly kept the Cubs from even playing in a World Series since 1945. The franchise hasn’t won a World Series since 1908.
Epstein, now the team’s president of baseball operations, looks to be rebuilding by tearing down first. Gone are temperamental right-hander Carlos Zambrano, slugging corner infielders Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Peña and manager Mike Quade. In: a new manager in former Brewer Dale Sveum, untradeable holdover Alfonso Soriano and a cast of younger players.
It’s probably too soon to expect the Cubs to contend, given their 71-91 finish with more production in the lineup last season. But with Epstein’s track record, it probably won’t be too long before they do.
Where the Cubs stand heading into spring training:
PACKING FOR SPRING: The Cubs added left-hander Travis Wood (6-6, 4.84 ERA) from the Reds for elite setup man Sean Marshall. Also new are left-hander Paul Maholm (6-14, 3.66 with Pittsburgh); right-hander Chris Volstad (5-13, 4.89 with Florida); third baseman Ian Stewart (.156, no homers, 6 RBI for Colorado); outfielder David DeJesus (.240, 10, 46 with Oakland); first baseman Anthony Rizzo, left-hander Trever Miller and right-hander Andy Sonnanstine.
SPRING CLEANING: Gone are Quade; Zambrano (9-7, 4.82); Ramirez (.306, 26, 93); Peña (.225, 28, 80); left-hander Marshall; right-hander Andrew Cashner; catcher Koyie Hill.
FOR STARTERS: 1. RH Ryan Dempster, 34 (10-14, 4.80); 2. RH Matt Garza, 28 (10-10, 3.32); 3. LH Wood, 24; 4. RH Volstad, 25; LH Maholm, 29. Dempster, a onetime Red who won 43 games from 2008-10 for the Cubs, took a step back last season with an ERA a run higher than the previous year. Chicago will need him to bounce back. They’ll hope for the same from Wood, who found neither a niche nor his rookie-year stuff with the Reds last season, and Volstad, a former Marlins top pick who had a great rookie year in 2008 but has mostly struggled since. Garza and Maholm are rock solid, and the Zambrano sideshow won’t be missed.
CLOSING TIME: RH Carlos Marmol, 29 (2-6, 4.01, 34 saves). Marmol’s season was a mixed bag. He can be overpowering (.205 opponents’ average, 99 strikeouts in 74 innings), but walks too many batters and loses focus. He blew 10 save chances. Absent Marshall, former Notre Dame wideout Jeff Samardzija (8-4, 2.97) could be an option if Marmol fails.
EVERYDAY EIGHT: C-Geovany Soto, 28 (.228, 17, 54); 1B-Bryan LaHair, 29 (.288, 2, 6); 2B-Darwin Barney, 26 (.276, 2, 43); SS-Starlin Castro, 21 (.307, 10, 66); 3B-Stewart, 26 ; LF-Soriano, 35 (.244, 26, 88); CF-Marlon Byrd, 34 (.276, 9, 35); RF-DeJesus, 32. The Cubs will miss the combined 54 homers of Ramirez and Peña, but not their strikeouts. Shortstop Castro could be poised for great things, but there’s a cloud over him; he has been questioned, but not charged, in an alleged sexual assault. Soriano’s production no longer befits his eight-year, $134 million contract, but it has three seasons left to run. Former Springboro High and University of Cincinnati standout Tony Campana, in camp for the first time, is listed as a backup at two outfield spots, but the Cubs’ leader in steals last season (24 in 26 tries) could push for more time.
SPRING’S BURNING QUESTION: Former Rockie Stewart will get the first look at third base, but who steps in for Peña? LaHair, Rizzo and Jeff Baker, 1-2-3 on the team’s depth chart, combined for six homers last season. Peña hit more than that last May (seven) and again in June (10). The Cubs have to find a way to get some pop out of that position.
BOTTOM LINE: A hundred and three years is a long time to wait for a World Series championship. Longer still is 104.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120...t|Sports|p
Former Boston GM Epstein tries Chicago edition
The Enquirer/Carrie Cochran
Travis Wood, acquired by the Cubs in the Reds' deal for Sean Marshall, should be part of the starting rotation in Chicago.
Say this for Theo Epstein: He’s certainly not afraid of curses.
The onetime wunderkind general manager presided over two World Series champions in Boston, including the 2004 team that broke the fabled Curse of the Bambino, winning a title for the first time in 86 years.
Now he’s on Chicago’s North Side, where the Curse of the Billy Goat has purportedly kept the Cubs from even playing in a World Series since 1945. The franchise hasn’t won a World Series since 1908.
Epstein, now the team’s president of baseball operations, looks to be rebuilding by tearing down first. Gone are temperamental right-hander Carlos Zambrano, slugging corner infielders Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Peña and manager Mike Quade. In: a new manager in former Brewer Dale Sveum, untradeable holdover Alfonso Soriano and a cast of younger players.
It’s probably too soon to expect the Cubs to contend, given their 71-91 finish with more production in the lineup last season. But with Epstein’s track record, it probably won’t be too long before they do.
Where the Cubs stand heading into spring training:
PACKING FOR SPRING: The Cubs added left-hander Travis Wood (6-6, 4.84 ERA) from the Reds for elite setup man Sean Marshall. Also new are left-hander Paul Maholm (6-14, 3.66 with Pittsburgh); right-hander Chris Volstad (5-13, 4.89 with Florida); third baseman Ian Stewart (.156, no homers, 6 RBI for Colorado); outfielder David DeJesus (.240, 10, 46 with Oakland); first baseman Anthony Rizzo, left-hander Trever Miller and right-hander Andy Sonnanstine.
SPRING CLEANING: Gone are Quade; Zambrano (9-7, 4.82); Ramirez (.306, 26, 93); Peña (.225, 28, 80); left-hander Marshall; right-hander Andrew Cashner; catcher Koyie Hill.
FOR STARTERS: 1. RH Ryan Dempster, 34 (10-14, 4.80); 2. RH Matt Garza, 28 (10-10, 3.32); 3. LH Wood, 24; 4. RH Volstad, 25; LH Maholm, 29. Dempster, a onetime Red who won 43 games from 2008-10 for the Cubs, took a step back last season with an ERA a run higher than the previous year. Chicago will need him to bounce back. They’ll hope for the same from Wood, who found neither a niche nor his rookie-year stuff with the Reds last season, and Volstad, a former Marlins top pick who had a great rookie year in 2008 but has mostly struggled since. Garza and Maholm are rock solid, and the Zambrano sideshow won’t be missed.
CLOSING TIME: RH Carlos Marmol, 29 (2-6, 4.01, 34 saves). Marmol’s season was a mixed bag. He can be overpowering (.205 opponents’ average, 99 strikeouts in 74 innings), but walks too many batters and loses focus. He blew 10 save chances. Absent Marshall, former Notre Dame wideout Jeff Samardzija (8-4, 2.97) could be an option if Marmol fails.
EVERYDAY EIGHT: C-Geovany Soto, 28 (.228, 17, 54); 1B-Bryan LaHair, 29 (.288, 2, 6); 2B-Darwin Barney, 26 (.276, 2, 43); SS-Starlin Castro, 21 (.307, 10, 66); 3B-Stewart, 26 ; LF-Soriano, 35 (.244, 26, 88); CF-Marlon Byrd, 34 (.276, 9, 35); RF-DeJesus, 32. The Cubs will miss the combined 54 homers of Ramirez and Peña, but not their strikeouts. Shortstop Castro could be poised for great things, but there’s a cloud over him; he has been questioned, but not charged, in an alleged sexual assault. Soriano’s production no longer befits his eight-year, $134 million contract, but it has three seasons left to run. Former Springboro High and University of Cincinnati standout Tony Campana, in camp for the first time, is listed as a backup at two outfield spots, but the Cubs’ leader in steals last season (24 in 26 tries) could push for more time.
SPRING’S BURNING QUESTION: Former Rockie Stewart will get the first look at third base, but who steps in for Peña? LaHair, Rizzo and Jeff Baker, 1-2-3 on the team’s depth chart, combined for six homers last season. Peña hit more than that last May (seven) and again in June (10). The Cubs have to find a way to get some pop out of that position.
BOTTOM LINE: A hundred and three years is a long time to wait for a World Series championship. Longer still is 104.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120...t|Sports|p