Cubs' Roster Finalized; Williams to be Immortalized with Statue at Wrigley

2010 Roster Preview

The 2010 Cubs' roster is set, and it looks to be a heady mix of veterans and rookies. Zambrano, Dempster, Wells, Silva, and Gorzellany will begin as the starting 5, and Silva or Wells will likely head to the bullpen once Ted Lilly returns from offseason surgery in mid-to-late April. If these starters stay healthy, the Cubs have the deepest rotation in the NL Central. Zambrano and Dempster are both very capable of winning 17 - 18 games; Wells is coming off a stellar rookie campaign in which he won 12 games; and Silva and Gorzellany have both proven to be effective major league pitchers in the past. Silva in particular is an interesting case. He has been inconsistent in Arizona, tabulating an ERA of 4.96, yet that may be in part due to the thin Arizona air which is affecting his sinker and change-up. In Chicago in April, hitting off of Silva may be similar to hitting a bowling ball. Another good sign is that he's only walked two batters - if he pitches to contact and keeps the ball down, I think he could be in line for a solid season. Gorzellany has posted a 3.32 ERA in 4 spring starts and batters are hitting a measly .225 against him, but he has walked 9 batters. If he keeps the ball in the strike zone, he could return to 2007 form when he won 14 games on an abysmal Pittsburgh team. He matches up well against other 5th starters in the NL and he could win some games for us in April.

The bullpen - along with whether or not the Cubs can stay healthy - is the major challenge facing this Cubs team. I feel Marmol is set for a monster year, but the bridge to Marmol could be interesting. Grabow hasn't particularly impressed in spring, but Esmailin Caridad has been phenomenal - he hasn't given up an earned run in 11 spring innings, striking out 10 and walking only 1. He was equally devastating as a late-season call up in the major last season, so Caridad may be Marmol v. 2.0 as a set-up guy this year. Samardzija, Marshall, Berg, and Russell round out the bullpen. The Cubs' bullpen possesses a talented stable of arms capable of bringing it in the mid- to high-90s - as they always seem to have - but control and consistency remains a question. The other big question is whether or not the Cubs can find a consistent left-handed arm behind Sean Marshall.

I really like the offense this year as well. Everyone is healthy, and the spring has been uneventful by Cubs' standards (always a good thing). Ramirez is still sore, but by all accounts will be 100% for 5 April. Soriano, Byrd, and Fukudome should be a solid defensive outfield when you include Soriano's arm (the NL has learned not to run on him, despite his adventures at times with the glove). Colvin has torn the cover off the ball all spring, and can play any outfield position. Nady is a veteran bat and presence off the bench. As for the infield, Fontenot has hit well this spring, Theriot is doing what he always does, and Lee and Ramirez are set for another .300/25/90 apiece. I was disappointed Millar didn't make the team; it seems he was great for the clubhouse and totally revamped the chemistry after the Bradley disaster. However, this is the major leagues - with only 25 roster spots it's hard to reserve a roster spot for a 'chemstry guy' who probably wouldn't add all that much off of the bench. Tracy and Baker are able fill-ins and decent bats off the bench. Should Soto bounce back, the Cubs could have a very dangerous lineup in the NL Central.

The farm also has some candidates who seem ready to perform should injuries once again wrack this team. Starlin Castro will likely see some time this summer, although the Cubs need to figure out whether he or Theriot will move to second should Fontenot not perform. Jay Jackson (a fellow Furman University grad!) struck out 72 and walking only 13 in 50 innings of work (and with a 2.88 ERA) while moving through three levels of the minors last year. The Cubs needs to figure out whether Cashner is a SP or RP, and once his role is set he should become more comfortable. Josh Vitters is still very young but could make serious strides this year as well.

All in all, I'm optimistic for this season. I don't buy the common opinion that the Cardinals are far and away the best team in this division. They can mash, sure, but I think overall the Cubs are a much more balanced team should they stay healthy. However, we've learned in Chicago never to bet against Dave Duncan and what he can do with reclamation projects. Still, if the Cubs stay healthy it should be an interesting summer on the Northside.

Billy Williams

The Cubs also made a very classy move today when they announced plans to build a statue of Billy Williams at Wrigley, as they have done before with Harry Caray and Ernie Banks. Amazingly, Williams gets lost in the conversation about the greatest Cubs of all-time. He and Banks formed a formidable one-two punch in the Cubs' lineup and made them two of the most feared hitters in the NL. He was a monster in his playing days and has continued to represent himself as a class act and a class person through his association with the Cubs since his retirement. It's great to see an organization continue to work with their living legends to familiarize a whole new generation of Cubs fans to these great players. Congrats, Billy!