Silva released from Cubs, Garza update

This past weekend the Chicago Cubs released Carlos Silva and the management of the Cubs didn’t mince words describing the verbal attack that Silva unleashed on the Mark Riggins the pitching coach and the organization.  In a statement addressed by Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry, he said “Silva is not willing to face the facts and what has he really done and accomplished as a player, outside of the two months that he pitched well in the 2010 season.”  When Carlos Silva learned on Saturday that he wouldn’t make the Cubs’ 25 man roster, the outraged Silva blasted Riggins and said that Riggins wasn’t honest with him on the role he would play on the team.  Silva also said that the competition for the fifth starting position was always against him.  Hendry defended the decision saying that “Silva basically wasn’t good enough to make the team and backed up by saying that from July 10^th of last year he had an ERA (Earned Run Average) of over 14 and came to spring training thinking he would have the fifth and final starting position handed to him. 

Hendry added:  “Silva’s comments about pitching coach Riggins were inappropriate and unacceptable.  It’s a sign of weakness for somebody that doesn’t perform up to standards to blame someone else on the way out.”

On Sunday morning, the Cubs manager Quade said that it was his decision and only his decision to cut Silva from the 12 man pitching staff.

The 2011 spring training has been quite rough for newly acquired Matt Garza and the Chicago Cubs will be forgotten quickly come Sunday when he pitches the final game of the Cubs and Pirates.  The team’s third starter ended his 2011 spring training by giving up seven runs in three innings in a 15-8 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Garza, who won a career high 15 games last in Tampa Bay had a Carlos Silva like ERA of 10.38.  While be asked if he had any concerns going into the 2011 season, he seemed more happy to leave Arizona more than anything.  Garza said his struggles were griping his pitches in Arizona.  He also said that he was still used to the heavy air in Florida, since spring training was in Florida for his previous team.  Garza said that coming from Tampa Bay was a huge transition.  His last spring game was more of a diagnostic checkup than a final tune up for his Sunday start.  The opening day is April 1^st on Friday, until then GO CUBS GO.

opening day roster update, Cashner's bad outing

Spring Training is coming to a close for the Chicago Cubs as roster decisions are becoming finalized.  Cub’s manager Mike Quade expects there to be disagreements while finalizing with General Manager Jim Hendry and assistant General Manager Randy Bush.  Quade has a strong idea when it comes to players he wants to take to Chicago, he knows the front office has information that sometimes he doesn't possess.  The Cubs’ main decisions will center around the fourth and fifth starter positions, two bullpen pitching spots, second base and the fifth outfielder.   So far based on Spring Training results, Randy wells will be the fourth starter, since he has had one of the lowest ERA (Earned Run Average).  The five bullpen spots have been secured by Sean Marshall, Kerry Wood, John Grabow, Carlos Marmol and Jeff Samardzija.  The Cubs’ also have the possibly could decide to take a third left-hander, that spot will either go to James Russell or Scott Maine.  Last year James Russell had a great campaign at the end of the season last year to possibly have that spot.  Last week’s blog said that the fifth outfielder position was between Reed Johnson and Fernando Perez but has since been locked up by Reed Johnson.

The current debate on who plays second base is still up in the air, since Blake DeWitt is having a horrible spring.  Jeff Baker and Darwin Barney are impressing Quade, but the new Cub’s manager has said that DeWitt is still trying for the position.  Quade has stated that will continue to give Blake DeWitt the opportunity to improve.  DeWitt is in a current slump with the bat.  Quade has said that his batting isn’t as good as they’ve seen it in the past but figures DeWitt will work out of the slump and get more confidence every day.  Right now DeWitt does have a spot on the roster, but is getting pushed by Baker and Barney to take his starting spot away from him.  If DeWitt doesn’t make the team, it opens doors for Scott Moore or Bobby Scales, who has played for Baltimore Orioles.  Since Augie Ojeda has a bad back, either Moore or Scales could get a shot.  Since Barney has been a surprise to all he has all but locked up a spot either being a back up to Starlin Castro or starting at second base.  That could also change if Jim Hendry picks up a veteran infielder off waivers.

After a bad outing yesterday by Andrew Cashner the Cubs are back to the drawing board for the fifth and final starting pitcher.  Cashner felt he pitched well but the wind, rain and mud didn’t help his cause vying for the final spot.

Opening day is less than ten days away.  Do you think they will win their opening day game or will they loose and go 1-8 for opening day over the past nine years?   My personal opinion is they will win.  

18 players moved to minors, Spring Training update

The Chicago Cubs just recently made their first roster move by sending 18 players down to the minor league.  Of those who were sent down are impressive enough to be called up during the season if needed.  Centerfielder Brett Jackson, third baseman Josh Vitters, pitchers Jay Jackson, Chris Carpenter, and Trey McNutt are all the future of the Cubs franchise after all the high priced players go to free agency in the next few years. Vitters, a former number one pick, has improved his overall game since last year.  His progress has greatly improved compared to the 2010 season.

 The players that will be free agents at the end of the year are Carlos Silva, Carlos Pena, and Kosuke Fukudome.  With another start today (Tuesday) Randy Wells has the opportunity to claim the fourth spot in the rotation.  So the fifth and final spot in the rotation leaves Andrew Cashner, James Russell, Braden Looper and Carlos Silva as the only contenders.   If Cashner doesn’t make the rotation then that means that he will be in the bullpen with Casey Coleman and Todd Wellemeyer, but that also doesn’t mean that Coleman won’t be in minors to start the year.  Silva will most likely be in the bullpen in the fifth and final spot doesn’t go to him.

Also up for grabs is second base.  Blake DeWitt nor Jeff Baker has the spot locked up but Darwin Barney is impressing the coaching staff with his Ryan Theriot like batting at the plate.  Barney is also the better defender than when Theriot was with the Cubs at certain points of their career.

The battle in the outfield that is still evolving since current backups Fernando Perez nor Reed Johnson have hit with a consistent average this spring.

Currently the Chicago Cubs are 8-11 in Spring Training.  The first four games were a struggle for them as they had 14 errors.  Also in the first few games Carlos Silva and Aramis Ramirez got into a dugout brawl over Silva giving up two homeruns and Ramirez having two errors.  This also happened last year when Carlos Zambrano and Derek Lee also had similar incidents.  Today (Tuesday) the Cubs are playing a split squad games against the Colorado Rockies and the Oakland A’s.  For those of you that don’t know what spilt squad is; Split squad is where the manager splits the team up and they both play at two different stadiums to help figure out who will make the opening day roster.  The roster will be cut to the top 25 players by April 1^st.  Until next week blog comes out.  GO CUBS