NEWSLETTER
For me, Pitchers and Catchers Reporting Day always feels like the official unofficial beginning of Spring Training, so I thought it an appropriate day to take a look at the Chicago Cubs’ roster situation entering Spring Training.
With Yu Darvish on the way, we can now make a reasonably-informed stab at the full 25-man roster for the Cubs when the season opens … assuming everyone stays healthy in Spring Training … which probably won’t happen … which makes this an entirely academic exercise. Still, it’s useful to put pen to paper at the outset of Spring Training to see where things stand, both for those final one or two spots that are still “winnable,” and also for where the depth issues might be.
Holy Lock Starting Pitchers
The easiest section of them all, as the Cubs have five starting pitchers right now projected to be the starting rotation:
They don’t necessarily have to be in that order, mind you. But if you’re asking me, that’s probably how I’d do it as of today. Hopefully all five stay healthy through the Spring, because that’s a heckuva great group.
Depth Starting Pitchers
These are the guys who are not in serious consideration for a bullpen job out of the gate, and therefore exist solely as depth starting pitchers. They would presumably fall behind Mike Montgomery in the pecking order if there were an injury:
Eddie Butler is out of minor league options at this point, so he either makes the Cubs’ 25-man roster out of Spring Training, or the Cubs have to subject him to waivers before they can get him back to Iowa. It’s possible a rebuilding club would take a chance on Butler, and/or would try to grab him, and then sneak him through waivers a few days later.
Holy Lock Relievers
I’m taking the “holy lock” distinction seriously here, because you’ll see some names missing in this group that you expect – and I expect! – to make the bullpen. But these are the guys that have absolutely ZERO shot of not making the bullpen if they’re healthy:
Awfully Darn Certain Relievers
These guys are going to make the bullpen if they’re healthy. But I am leaving open the teeny, tiny possibility that something crazy happens (a signing, a trade, a couple youngsters whom the Cubs simply cannot leave off the roster), and one of these guys gets bounced:
Again, lest I be reamed: these dudes will make the bullpen. The financial cost of dropping Duensing is very non-zero, and even if Wilson were to be dunked for 30 days termination pay, his upside is so significant that it’s hard to imagine anything happening in the next two months that would cause the Cubs not to take their chances.
Could Win a Spot Relievers
If all seven of the above guys are healthy, and if the Cubs go with eight relievers to open the season (I suspect they will), then there’s one spot left up for grabs among these guys:
The Yu Darvish signing, which pushed Mike Montgomery in the bullpen, probably made it less likely that lefties Dario Alvarez or Randy Rosario could make this bullpen right now. Both have a minor league option remaining, though, so it’s all good.
Dillon Maples can also be optioned, but he has significant upside. If he’s looking great and ready in the next month, he has a real shot at landing in this bullpen.
As we mentioned during his arbitration process, the Cubs could ultimately decide to let Justin Grimm go for 30/45 days termination pay, so his whole $2.2 million salary is not locked up right now. Alternatively, they could outright him at the end of Spring Training, and, if he went unclaimed, he’d have to decide whether he wanted to keep that contract and pitch at Iowa, or leave it and go into free agency.
I probably could have put Adbert Alzolay, Alec Mills, Cory Mazzoni, or Rob Zastryzny in this group, but I just don’t see a realistic shot that any will be in the big leagues to start the season. I also already included three of these guys in the starter depth.
I included non-roster invitees Anthony Bass and Kyle Ryan here, since, out of that group, they seemed the most likely to have an outside shot.
Holy Lock Position Players
Very little commentary needed here:
Awfully Darn Certain Position Players
Again, this is like the other Awfully Darn Certain group. These guys are gonna make the roster, barring something crrrrrazy going down:
These two guys still have minor league options left, and, if the roster were shockingly shuffled between now and Opening Day, they might be among the redundant types who could be spared for a couple weeks. *I do not actually think this is going to happen.*
Back-Up Catcher
Well, it’s gonna be one of these two guys:
My strong bet is on the veteran, Chris Gimenez here. I would not be the least bit surprised if the Cubs had already all but told him he was the guy, and the only reason he’s in on a minor league deal – for now – was for roster space. Soon, the Cubs can put Drew Smyly on the 60-day DL, opening up a 40-man roster spot whenever they need it.
If the Cubs go with 13 pitchers, then you’re already full up there on position players. Sorry David Bote, Peter Bourjos, Victor Caratini, Mike Freeman, Jacob Hanneman, Mark Zagunis, et al. There are always injuries, so these are the types of guys who figure to see some big league action at some point this year. But as for making the team out of Spring Training, barring an injury in the near-term, I don’t see it.
