MLB Trade Rumors: Proposed 2011 Chicago Cubs 25-Man Roster
The baseball season is still underway, but for Cubs fans, it has been over for quite some time now. As the loyal fan base is perennially "waiting until next year", it is time to once again look ahead with hope and anticipation for another season on the North Side.
The fact of the matter is that the Cubs are shackled by some awful contracts at the moment, and will not be able to make a significant splash in the free agent market for at least a couple more seasons.
That said, with the contracts of Derrek Lee, Ted Lilly, and Xavier Nady among others now off the books, they do have roughly $20 million with which to fill out the roster for the coming season and keep their budget at roughly the same $140 million it was last season.
So here are the 25 guys that I feel would give the Cubs the best chance to once again contend in the NL Central.
Starting Catcher: Geovany Soto
1 of 26
2011 Salary: $3.5 Million (Arbitration Eligible-Contract Estimate)
2010 Stats: .280 BA, 17 HR, 53 RBI in 322 AB
Soto quietly had a very productive season in 2010, bouncing back from his horrendous 2009 season when he batted just .218 and seemed like a one-year wonder.
He needs to avoid injuries if he wants to return to the level of production that made him NL Rookie of the Year in 2008, as he managed just 105 games in 2010, but he has proved that his offensive pop is legit.
He is arbitration eligible, so the Cubs will need to pay Soto this off season after he made just $575,000 this past season, and I figure $3.5 million as a ballpark estimate on what his services will cost in 2011.
Starting First Baseman: Adam Dunn
2 of 26
2011 Salary: $10 Million
2010 Stats: .260 BA, 38 HR, 103 RBI in 558 AB
This seems to be the trendy topic of conversation this off season, and in my opinion it is a wise move for the Cubs to make if they are in fact ready to make a move to compete in 2011 and not in total rebuild mode.
Dunn is the player that they should have signed when the shelled out way too much for Milton Bradley two years ago, and he has voiced his interest in playing for the Cubs, a team he has notoriously crushed, with 41 career HR against the Cubs, most of any opposing team.
He strikes out a lot, but he also reaches base a lot, although his OBP dropped to a career low .356 this past season. Because of this fall off, I feel that Dunn can be had for the same $20 million over two years deal that he signed with the Nationals, despite him being one of the more attractive free agent options.
Starting Second Baseman: Blake DeWitt
3 of 26
2011 Salary: $440,000
2010 Stats: .250 BA, 4 HR, 22 RBI in 184 AB with Cubs
.261 BA, 5 HR, 52 RBI in 440 AB total between Cubs and Dodgers
DeWitt has the inside track to start at second base, although Darwin Barney may get a look this spring after a fairly productive September with the big league club.
DeWitt is a left handed bat, something the Cubs lineup seems to be perennially short on, and he has proven to be a solid hitter and a serviceable fielder.
He is still just 25-years old, and was the talk of the Dodgers just two seasons ago when he burst onto the scene as a 22-year old rookie with a .264 BA, 9 HR, 62 RBI season. He still has the potential to be a solid number two hitter and the everyday answer at second base if given regular at bats.
.png?w=256)
Starting Third Baseman: Aramis Ramirez
4 of 26
2011 Salary: $14.6 Million (Player Option)
2010 Stats: .241 BA, 25 HR, 83 RBI in 465 AB
Ramirez exercised his 2011 player option, and this will more than likely be his last season with the team, as he has a $16 million team option for 2012 with a $2 million buyout that the Cubs will almost certainly employ.
That said, Ramirez could still be an impact run producer if he could just stay healthy. At 33, that is a big if, however, and Cubs fans could be in for more of the same from Ramirez this season.
Starting Shortstop: Starlin Castro
5 of 26
2011 Salary: $460,000
2010 Stats: .300 BA, 3 HR, 41 RBI, 10 SB in 463 AB
Castro is the future of the Cubs, and at just 21 this coming season, Cubs fans can look forward to watching him develop into a future All-Star and potential superstar.
The Cubs were smart in playing him everyday, and making it clear that the job was his, as it allowed him to play without looking over his shoulder if he had a bad game.
With his professional approach at the plate, and amazing bat speed, I wouldn't expect the dreaded "sophomore slump" from Castro, just more of the same as he continues to settle into life in the big leagues.
Starting Left Fielder: Alfonso Soriano
6 of 26
2011 Salary: $18 Million
2010 Stats: .258 BA, 24 HR, 79 RBI in 496 AB
As hard as it is to move past the massive contract, which will pay Soriano $18 million annually through the 2014 season, he did improve substantially on his 2009 numbers, even if he still falls far short of earning his money.
The fact of the matter is, the Cubs are stuck with Soriano. No one in their right mind would take on his contract and remaining years, so the Cubs will have to hope he can stay healthy and produce enough to warrant a spot in the lineup, and stop expecting him to return to the form that earned him the monster contract in the first place.
He's an adequate number six hitter, a constant adventure in left field, and one of the worst signings in baseball history. Yep...that about sums it up.
Starting Center Fielder: Marlon Byrd
7 of 26
2011 Salary: $5.5 Million
2010 Stats: .293 BA, 12 HR, 66 RBI
On the surface, some may think that Byrd was a disappointment in the first year of his three year contact this past season. However, he brought a much needed energy to the Cubs, and will be an important factor in them turning things around this coming season.
Byrd was the Cubs lone All-Star representative this season, and despite a drop in HR and RBI, he hit nearly .300 and played phenomenal defense in center field that may possibly earn him a Gold Glove.
More than his numbers though, Byrd was the anti-Milton Bradley, as he seemed to genuinely enjoy every minute he spent on the field. With Derrek Lee gone, Byrd may be looked on to fill his role as clubhouse leader, and he seems more than capable of filling that role.
Starting Right Fielder: Tyler Colvin
8 of 26
2011 Salary: $450,000
2010 Stats: .254 BA, 20 HR, 56 RBI in 358 AB
Even after he destroyed everything that was thrown to him in Spring Training, I don't think anyone would have guessed that Colvin would have the sort of rookie season that he did, after breaking camp as the team's fourth outfielder, wondering how he would get enough at bats to continue his development.
Assuming he is fully recovered from the freak bat impaling injury he suffered at season's end, Colvin will be counted on to be one of the offensive leaders this season, be it from the lead-off spot or middle of the order.
It has been suggested that he should fill the vacant first base position, but with his impressive outfield skills, and the possibility that learning a new position could put a damper on his hitting, I think it makes the most sense to just leave Colvin where he is most comfortable.
Backup Catcher: Welington Castillo
9 of 26
2011 Salary: $405,000
2010 Stats: .300 BA, 1 HR, 5 RBI in 20 AB
We all knew this day had to come, and it is truly a sad day for Chicago baseball...the end of the Koyie Hill era.
In all seriousness though, Hill performed admirably when called upon, but the future is now for one of the Cubs top prospects in the 24-year old Castillo.
After establishing himself as a legitimate offensive threat at AAA Iowa last season, when he hit 13 HR with 59 RBI in just 69 games, he didn't miss a beat with his September call-up, impressing in limited action.
He has the potential to be a starting catcher in the majors one day, and for now, he will give the Cubs a player with impressive upside should something happen to the injury prone Geovany Soto this coming season.
Backup Corner Infielder: Eric Hinske
10 of 26
2011 Salary: $2 Million
2010 Stats: .256 BA, 11 HR, 51 RBI in 281 AB
Hinske is among the top utility player options on the free agent market this off season, and his stock will no doubt be boosted at least a little by his clutch pinch-hit home run in the postseason.
He has bounced around quite a bit in the last few seasons, playing for four different teams in the past three seasons. However, his versatility in that he can play both corner infield and both corner outfield positions, has meant that there is always a job for him.
He was actually originally selected by the Cubs back in the 1998 draft, after which he was dealt to the A's for Miguel Cairo, and then to the Blue Jays for Billy Koch where he went on to win the 2002 AL Rookie of the Year.
Backup Middle Infielder: Darwin Barney
11 of 26
2011 Salary: $410,000
2010 Stats: .241 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI in 79 AB
Barney has moved rapidly through the Cubs system in the past few seasons, after spending all of 2008 at Class A Daytona. After an impressive Spring Training put him on the big league radar, he spent all of the 2010 season at Class AAA Iowa, where he posted an impressive line of .299 BA, 2 HR, 49 RBI before a September call-up.
With Mike Fontenot, Ryan Theroit, and potentially Jeff Baker out in Chicago, the utility role is wide open and the organization seems relatively high on Barney.
He will get every chance to win a spot on the roster this spring, and while the Cubs may also look to add a veteran option at the position, I think Barney will be with the big league squad when they break camp this coming year.
Backup Outfielder: Kosuke Fukudome
12 of 26
2011 Salary: $13.5 Million
2010 Stats: .263 BA, 13 HR, 44 RBI
Fukudome is locked up until the 2011 season, and while the Cubs may feel compelled to start him in hopes of getting something out of the money that they have poured into their investment, he is simply nothing more than a platoon outfield with solid defensive skills.
The fact that he stole at bats from Tyler Colvin early on last season is unacceptable, and if he is used as anything other than a reserve this season, it will only be hurting the team.
If only we could trade Fukudome back to Japan for former Cubs great Matt Murton, who broke Ichiro Suzuki's single-season hit record of 211 this past season, recording 214 hits while playing with the Hanshin Tigers of the Nippon League.
Starting Pitcher 1: Carlos Zambrano
13 of 26
2011 Salary: $17.875 Million
2010 Stats: 36 Games, 20 Starts, 11-6, 3.33 ERA, 117 Ks, 129.2 IP
The 2010 season was another roller coaster ride with Zambrano, as he spent time in the bullpen after early struggles, was then suspended by the team, before returning and showing the dominant form that made him the ace of the staff in the past.
Zambrano was fantastic after returning from suspension, going 8-0 in 11 starts after August 1st, while posting a pristine 1.60 ERA and striking out 63 batters in 73.1 innings pitched.
Whether or not Zambrano can carry his late season success over into the 2011 season remains to be seen, but if the Cubs hope to contend this coming season, they will need Zambrano to once again pitch like an ace.
Starting Pitcher 2: Ryan Dempster
14 of 26
2011 Salary: $15 Million
2010 Stats: 34 Starts, 15-12, 3.85 ERA, 208 Ks, 215.1 IP
Dempster emerged from the disaster that was 2010 as one of the better pitchers in the National League, posting the second best win and strikeout totals of his 13 year career.
He has two seasons remaining on his current contract, and he will make an extra $1.5 million each of the next two seasons after deferring $3 million this past season in an attempt to give Jim Hendry some financial flexibility in signing a free agent, which ended up being Xavier Nady.
Dempster is a gamer, and he will serve as a useful mentor to the Cubs young pitchers in the coming seasons. He gives the team a proven arm to follow Zambrano in the rotation, and another good season from him would help to ease the loss of Ted Lilly this coming season.
Starting Pitcher 3: Brad Penny
15 of 26
2011 Salary: $6 Million
2010 Stats: 9 Starts, 3-4, 3.23 ERA, 35 Ks, 55.2 IP
First off, this spot in the rotation would be vacated by the Cubs choosing not to offer Tom Gorzelanny arbitration, where he could be expected to make roughly $2.5-$3 million this coming season.
From there, it would make sense for the Cubs to take a chance on someone like Penny, or perhaps Brandon Webb, players who are capable of out performing their contracts if they can return to health this season.
The fact that the Cubs have a number of young options in the minors such as Casey Coleman, Thomas Diamond, Mitch Atkins, and top prospect Jay Jackson, among others, means they can take a chance on a one-year contract with one of those guys.
Starting Pitcher 4: Carlos Silva
16 of 26
2011 Salary: $6 Million (Remaining $5.5 Million Paid By Mariners)
2010 Stats: 21 Starts, 10-6, 4.22 ERA, 80 Ks, 113 IP
Silva was one of the more pleasant surprises of the season, as there was some doubt as to whether or not he would make the roster at all out of Spring Training, or if the Cubs would just release him and cut their losses.
The team will be able to buy him out after the 2011 season for $2 million, but if he performs the way he did this past season, and can avoid injury, the team may consider exercising the $12 million option that he has for the 2012 season.
In the end, anything the Cubs can get out of Silva is a bonus, as ridding the team of Milton Bradley was a necessity, and his continued success will go a long way towards shoring up the starting rotation.
Starting Pitcher 5: Randy Wells
17 of 26
2011 Salary: $480,000
2010 Stats: 32 Starts, 8-14, 4.26 ERA, 144 Ks, 194.1 IP
Wells hit a bit of a bump in his second season, after coming out of nowhere to finish sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2009 when his 3.06 ERA was tenth best in the National League.
Despite his struggles, he still had his good moments in 2010 and is more than capable of returning to his rookie form. With so much money tied up in Zambrano, Dempster, and Silva it is important that the Cubs get contributions from low salary players like Wells.
If he does continue to struggle, this spot may be given to 23-year old Casey Coleman, who was serviceable in eight late season starts, going 4-2 with a 4.11 ERA.
Long Reliever: Jeff Samardzija
18 of 26
2011 Salary: $2.8 Million
2010 Stats: 7 Games, 3 Starts, 2-2, 8.38 ERA, 9 Ks, 19.1 IP
The on-going debate of whether Samardzija will be a starter or a reliever needs to be resolved this season, and he is making way too much money to spend another season in the minors.
He has all the talent in the world, as he showed when he won back-to-back starts late last season against the Cardinals and Marlins, giving up just three runs in 11.2 innings.
My guess is that he will start the season in the bullpen as the team's long reliever, and will get the first shot at the rotation if one of the starters goes down with an injury.
Middle Reliever: Scott Maine
19 of 26
2011 Salary: $415,000
2010 Stats: 13 Games, 0-0, 2.08 ERA, 11 Ks, 13 IP
Maine was one of the better stories of the 2010 season, as he has bounced back from Tommy John surgery in high school, and a serious car accident in college to be a fourth round draft pick in 2008.
Acquired last season in the trade that sent Aaron Heilmann to the Diamondbacks, Maine made his big league debut this past season, and he was impressive in 13 appearances.
He will no doubt have to compete for his spot in the bullpen this season, with Esmilian Caridad and Angel Guzman who are both returning from injury. The fact that he showed he can pitch to both righties and lefties will help his chances.
Middle Reliever: James Russell
20 of 26
2011 Salary: $415,000
2010 Stats: 57 Games, 1-1, 4.96 ERA, 42 Ks, 49 IP
While he suffered though some ups and downs, like you would expect from any rookie relief pitcher, Russell came away with fairly decent final numbers in his first season in the majors, and he should get every chance to once again win a spot in the 'pen this year.
If not for a disastrous outing on September 5th against the Mets, in which he gave up five earned runs in just 2/3 inning, Russell's ERA would have been a much better looking 4.11.
The Cubs could be in line to have one of the more lefty heavy bullpens in all of baseball this season, with Scott Maine, Sean Marshall, John Grabow, and Russell all in line to see significant work in 2011.
Middle Reliever: Esmailin Caridad
21 of 26
2011 Salary: $415,000
2010 Stats: 8 Games, 0-1, 11.25 ERA, 4 Ks, 4 IP
After Angel Guzman went down with a season-ending injury in Spring Training, Caridad stepped into the right handed setup role to open the season.
However, he struggled early, before going down with a forearm injury that caused him to miss most of the season. He was activated from the disabled list before season's end and pitched a few games in the minors, so he should be 100 percent heading into this coming season.
If Angel Guzman comes back quicker than expected, he could take this spot from Caridad, while Justin Berg, who bounced between Iowa and Chicago last season could also be in the running. However, Caridad has the late inning potential that Berg is lacking and should be the front runner for this spot.
Middle Reliever: John Grabow
22 of 26
2011 Salary: $4.8 Million
2010 Stats: 28 Games, 1-3, 7.36 ERA, 20 Ks, 25.2 IP
In need of left handed reliever to aid in their playoff push, the Cubs dealt Kevin Hart and a pair of prospects to the Pirates for Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny late in the 2009 season.
Grabow pitched well, appearing in 30 games after the deal and posting a solid 3.24 ERA in the process. Gorzelanny also pitched better than expected, and the deal looked like another good one for the Cubs at the expense of the Pirates.
When it came time to re-sign Grabow prior to the 2010 season, Jim Hendry opened the checkbook, inking the reliever to a two year, $7.5 million deal. He responded with the worst season of his career, and now is due to make more than many closers at $4.8 million this coming season. Just another one of the Hendry blooper reel.
Right-Handed Setup Man: Andrew Cashner
23 of 26
2011 Salary: $425,000
2010 Stats: 53 Games, 2-6, 4.80 ERA, 50 Ks, 54.1 IP
Cashner could still end up as part of the Cubs rotation before too long, but for now, he has the most value to the team as their primary right handed setup man.
The 4.80 ERA looks bad, but if not for a pair of terrible outings on July 27th and July 30th, in which he gave up 12 earned runs in a total of 1.1 innings, his ERA would have been a much more impressive 2.89, showing that he has what it takes to be an elite reliever.
A former first round pick in 2008, Cashner has the makings of a front of the rotation starter down the road, and having someone of his caliber to pitch in the eighth inning and bridge to gap to Carlos Marmol in the ninth could mean that if an opponent is trailing after seven innings, the game is all but over.
Left-Handed Setup Man: Sean Marshall
24 of 26
2011 Salary: $2 Million (Arbitration Eligible-Estimated Salary)
2010 Stats: 80 Games, 7-5, 2.65 ERA, 90 Ks, 74.2 IP
Prior to the 2010 season, Marshall had experienced varied success in a number of roles for the Cubs, originally serving strictly as a starter as a rookie, then bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen for three seasons. He entered Spring Training last season with a shot one of the two remaining rotation spots, but lost out to Carlos Silva and Tom Gorzelanny.
However, he quickly established himself as the team's most reliable reliever, making an immediate impact in the first game of the season, when he pitched 2.2 perfect innings and struck out five.
It remains to be seen how he will hold up to such excessive use, as his 80 appearances were the fourth most among National League relievers, but he will be instrumental in the success of the bullpen this coming season.
Closing Pitcher: Carlos Marmol
25 of 26
2011 Salary: $4.5 Million (Arbitration Eligible-Estimated Salary)
2010 Stats: 77 Games, 38 Saves, 2-3, 2.55 ERA, 138 Ks, 77.2 IP
Marmol emerged as one of the best closers in the game last season, in what was his first year as the team's full time ninth inning man.
He will be eligible for arbitration again this season, and it is safe to say that his contract should roughly double from the $2.125 million that he made this past season.
There are few pitchers more dominant that Marmol when his slider is working and he's spotting his fastball, and his 16.0 K/9 is unbelievable. There are several questions in the Cubs bullpen, but Marmol is as solid as they come at the back end of it.
Final Payroll Totals
26 of 26
25-Man Roster Salary Total: $130.39 Million
Expected Salary Total Of Remaining 40-Man Roster Members: $6 Million
Max Total Of Proposed Roster: 137.39 Million
With Cubs owner Tom Ricketts saying that the team's payroll would be slightly less than it was in 2010, the proposed roster would fall within the team's budget constraints, and allow for some wiggle room should they need to shell out a little more in arbitration.
This is in no way set in stone, and a lot of things could change between now and the start of Spring Training, but I think that this is the team that would give the Cubs the best chance to jump back into contention immediately in 2011.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
