- Joined:
- Feb 9, 2011
- Posts:
- 5,444
- Liked Posts:
- 2,774
- Location:
- Minnesota
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com Cubs taking win-now philosophy into spring | cubs.com: News
Cubs taking win-now philosophy into spring
Club not in rebuilding mode despite wealth of changes
CHICAGO -- Despite all the roster moves and changes at Wrigley Field this offseason, this isn't a rebuilding year for the Cubs.
"The plan is to win right now," new manager Dale Sveum said. "The long-term plan starts right now. We're not rebuilding; we're building."
Sveum and staff will start sorting out the roster on Feb. 19, when pitchers and catchers have their first workout at Fitch Park in Mesa, Ariz., to open Spring Training. Position players report on Feb. 23.
The focus this offseason has been on new Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, whom the Ricketts family hopes can duplicate what he did with the Red Sox and put together a world championship team. When? There's no time table.
"In baseball, anything can happen," Epstein said. "We might not have the most talent in the division, but I know we're going to play hard, I know we have young players with upside and players entering their prime years. When you have that, you can surprise a little bit."
Epstein has said trying to change the direction of a baseball organization is like turning an ocean liner. It doesn't pivot right away, and you might not see immediate progress, but you know that little by little, the ship will turn in the right direction.
Epstein has set the course. He started by hiring Sveum, then went to work on the roster. Gone are Carlos Zambrano, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome and Carlos Pena. The only holdovers from the coaching staff are hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, third-base coach Pat Listach and bullpen coach Lester Strode. The Cubs Convention in January wasn't just a chance for fans to see the new guys, but also the first time most of the staff met the players face to face.
Epstein and new general manager Jed Hoyer will conduct organizational meetings in Mesa, starting Feb. 15. The team usually holds them in early November but decided to delay the sessions until everyone was in place.
It's been anything but an "off" season for Epstein and Hoyer, who have spent long hours at their Wrigley Field offices. They added depth to the starting pitching with the acquisition of Travis Wood, Chris Volstad and Paul Maholm, they added future left-handed power with Anthony Rizzo, and became more athletic with David DeJesus and Ian Stewart.
"He knows what he's doing," Maholm said of Epstein. "All the moves he's made so far have been to better the club for today and for in the future. I think he and Jed have a plan, and they're going to stick to it. They're not wanting to punt this season and say, 'We'll get them next year.' They want to win as many games as they can this year. That's what we as a group are going to do."
The Cubs get a little break in the National League Central because they won't have to deal with Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder 16 games each a year. They are not Epstein's concern. When he took over the Red Sox, Epstein inherited a team coming off a 93-win season in 2002. The Cubs lost 91 games last year.
"I know more about what I want the Cubs to be," Epstein said, "than when we're going to get there, to be blunt and honest with you."
It's time to set sail.
Pitchers and catchers report
Feb. 18
Full squad reports
Feb. 23
First Spring Training game
Home vs. Athletics, March 4, at 1:05 p.m. MST
Opening Day
Home vs. Nationals, April 5, at 1:20 p.m. CT
Triple play: Three questions that need answers
1. How will they score runs?
The Cubs struggled with runners in scoring position, and with Ramirez and Pena gone, they are lacking power. The wind blew out at Wrigley for 18 games last season, and the Cubs were outhomered, 33-17, and went 6-12. Starlin Castro was the most consistent, leading the NL in hits, and posting a .300 average for the second straight season. Can Jaramillo help Stewart and DeJesus? And when the wind blows in, which it did for 42 games, can they generate offense?
2. Who's on first?
Before position players report to Fitch Park, Bryan LaHair is the designated starting first baseman. But how long will he hold onto the job? He won the Pacific Coast League MVP after hitting .331 with 38 homers and 109 RBIs with Triple-A Iowa last season. In his 195 Major League at-bats, he's batted .262. Hoyer has cautioned that Spring Training in Arizona can be misleading as far as judging hitters because of the dry air. That's a well known fact. Hoyer also has said Rizzo, the prized first baseman acquired from the Padres, needs more development and will open the season at Iowa. That could change depending on Cactus League play.
3. Can Chris Bosio get the pitching back on track?
The combined record of the five potential starters (Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza, Maholm, Wood and Volstad) was 37-57 last season. Carlos Marmol led the NL with 10 blown saves. Bosio, in his first season with the Cubs, has his work cut out for him. The team is hoping a change of scenery helps Wood and Volstad, and that Dempster, who was the Opening Day starter, doesn't have a repeat of last April, when he posted a 9.58 ERA. The rest of the bullpen should be solid. Kerry Wood provides experience, James Russell will take over as the lefty setup specialist, and Jeff Samardzija finished strong.
2011 record
71-91, fifth in NL Central
Projected batting order
1. RF David DeJesus:
.240 BA, .323 OBP, .376 SLG, 10 HR, 46 RBI in 2011
2. 2B Darwin Barney:
.276 BA, .313 OBP, .353 SLG, 2 HR, 43 RBI in 2011
3. SS Starlin Castro:
.307 BA, .341 OBP, .432 SLG, 10 HR, 66 RBI in 2011
4. 1B Bryan LaHair:
.288 BA, .377 OBP, .508 SLG, 2 HR, 6 RBI in 2011
5. CF Marlon Byrd:
.276 BA, .324 OBP, .395 SLG, 9 HR, 35 RBI in 2011
6. LF Alfonso Soriano:
.244 BA, .289 OBP, .469 SLG, 26 HR, 88 RBI in 2011
7. 3B Ian Stewart:
.156 BA, .243 OBP, .221 SLG, 0 HR, 6 RBI in 2011
8. C Geovany Soto:
.228 BA, .310 OBP, .411 SLG, 17 HR, 54 RBI in 2011
Projected rotation
1. Ryan Dempster, 10-14, 4.80 ERA in 2011
2. Matt Garza, 10-10, 3.32 ERA in 2011
3. Paul Maholm, 6-14, 3.66 ERA in 2011
4. Chris Volstad, 5-13, 4.89 ERA in 2011
5. Travis Wood, 6-6, 4.84 ERA in 2011
Projected bullpen
Closer: Carlos Marmol, 34/44 saves, 4.01 ERA in 2011
RH setup man: Kerry Wood, 3.35 ERA in 2011
LH setup man: James Russell, 4.12 ERA in 2011
Cubs taking win-now philosophy into spring
Club not in rebuilding mode despite wealth of changes
CHICAGO -- Despite all the roster moves and changes at Wrigley Field this offseason, this isn't a rebuilding year for the Cubs.
"The plan is to win right now," new manager Dale Sveum said. "The long-term plan starts right now. We're not rebuilding; we're building."
Sveum and staff will start sorting out the roster on Feb. 19, when pitchers and catchers have their first workout at Fitch Park in Mesa, Ariz., to open Spring Training. Position players report on Feb. 23.
The focus this offseason has been on new Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, whom the Ricketts family hopes can duplicate what he did with the Red Sox and put together a world championship team. When? There's no time table.
"In baseball, anything can happen," Epstein said. "We might not have the most talent in the division, but I know we're going to play hard, I know we have young players with upside and players entering their prime years. When you have that, you can surprise a little bit."
Epstein has said trying to change the direction of a baseball organization is like turning an ocean liner. It doesn't pivot right away, and you might not see immediate progress, but you know that little by little, the ship will turn in the right direction.
Epstein has set the course. He started by hiring Sveum, then went to work on the roster. Gone are Carlos Zambrano, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome and Carlos Pena. The only holdovers from the coaching staff are hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, third-base coach Pat Listach and bullpen coach Lester Strode. The Cubs Convention in January wasn't just a chance for fans to see the new guys, but also the first time most of the staff met the players face to face.
Epstein and new general manager Jed Hoyer will conduct organizational meetings in Mesa, starting Feb. 15. The team usually holds them in early November but decided to delay the sessions until everyone was in place.
It's been anything but an "off" season for Epstein and Hoyer, who have spent long hours at their Wrigley Field offices. They added depth to the starting pitching with the acquisition of Travis Wood, Chris Volstad and Paul Maholm, they added future left-handed power with Anthony Rizzo, and became more athletic with David DeJesus and Ian Stewart.
"He knows what he's doing," Maholm said of Epstein. "All the moves he's made so far have been to better the club for today and for in the future. I think he and Jed have a plan, and they're going to stick to it. They're not wanting to punt this season and say, 'We'll get them next year.' They want to win as many games as they can this year. That's what we as a group are going to do."
The Cubs get a little break in the National League Central because they won't have to deal with Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder 16 games each a year. They are not Epstein's concern. When he took over the Red Sox, Epstein inherited a team coming off a 93-win season in 2002. The Cubs lost 91 games last year.
"I know more about what I want the Cubs to be," Epstein said, "than when we're going to get there, to be blunt and honest with you."
It's time to set sail.
Pitchers and catchers report
Feb. 18
Full squad reports
Feb. 23
First Spring Training game
Home vs. Athletics, March 4, at 1:05 p.m. MST
Opening Day
Home vs. Nationals, April 5, at 1:20 p.m. CT
Triple play: Three questions that need answers
1. How will they score runs?
The Cubs struggled with runners in scoring position, and with Ramirez and Pena gone, they are lacking power. The wind blew out at Wrigley for 18 games last season, and the Cubs were outhomered, 33-17, and went 6-12. Starlin Castro was the most consistent, leading the NL in hits, and posting a .300 average for the second straight season. Can Jaramillo help Stewart and DeJesus? And when the wind blows in, which it did for 42 games, can they generate offense?
2. Who's on first?
Before position players report to Fitch Park, Bryan LaHair is the designated starting first baseman. But how long will he hold onto the job? He won the Pacific Coast League MVP after hitting .331 with 38 homers and 109 RBIs with Triple-A Iowa last season. In his 195 Major League at-bats, he's batted .262. Hoyer has cautioned that Spring Training in Arizona can be misleading as far as judging hitters because of the dry air. That's a well known fact. Hoyer also has said Rizzo, the prized first baseman acquired from the Padres, needs more development and will open the season at Iowa. That could change depending on Cactus League play.
3. Can Chris Bosio get the pitching back on track?
The combined record of the five potential starters (Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza, Maholm, Wood and Volstad) was 37-57 last season. Carlos Marmol led the NL with 10 blown saves. Bosio, in his first season with the Cubs, has his work cut out for him. The team is hoping a change of scenery helps Wood and Volstad, and that Dempster, who was the Opening Day starter, doesn't have a repeat of last April, when he posted a 9.58 ERA. The rest of the bullpen should be solid. Kerry Wood provides experience, James Russell will take over as the lefty setup specialist, and Jeff Samardzija finished strong.
2011 record
71-91, fifth in NL Central
Projected batting order
1. RF David DeJesus:
.240 BA, .323 OBP, .376 SLG, 10 HR, 46 RBI in 2011
2. 2B Darwin Barney:
.276 BA, .313 OBP, .353 SLG, 2 HR, 43 RBI in 2011
3. SS Starlin Castro:
.307 BA, .341 OBP, .432 SLG, 10 HR, 66 RBI in 2011
4. 1B Bryan LaHair:
.288 BA, .377 OBP, .508 SLG, 2 HR, 6 RBI in 2011
5. CF Marlon Byrd:
.276 BA, .324 OBP, .395 SLG, 9 HR, 35 RBI in 2011
6. LF Alfonso Soriano:
.244 BA, .289 OBP, .469 SLG, 26 HR, 88 RBI in 2011
7. 3B Ian Stewart:
.156 BA, .243 OBP, .221 SLG, 0 HR, 6 RBI in 2011
8. C Geovany Soto:
.228 BA, .310 OBP, .411 SLG, 17 HR, 54 RBI in 2011
Projected rotation
1. Ryan Dempster, 10-14, 4.80 ERA in 2011
2. Matt Garza, 10-10, 3.32 ERA in 2011
3. Paul Maholm, 6-14, 3.66 ERA in 2011
4. Chris Volstad, 5-13, 4.89 ERA in 2011
5. Travis Wood, 6-6, 4.84 ERA in 2011
Projected bullpen
Closer: Carlos Marmol, 34/44 saves, 4.01 ERA in 2011
RH setup man: Kerry Wood, 3.35 ERA in 2011
LH setup man: James Russell, 4.12 ERA in 2011
