Big News

[redwhitenblue]

Wellemeyer traded to Marlins for 2 minor league pitchers, McCormack and Holdzkom, both with good potential

Grissom announces retirement, Pagan makes roster

updated cubs probable roster

1-Barrett
2-Blanco
3-Lee
4-Mabry
5-Walker
6-Hairston
7-Neifi
8-Cedeno
9-Ramirez
10-Murton
11-Pierre
12-Jones
13-Pagan
14-Zambrano
15-Maddux
16-Rusch
17-Williams
18-Williamson
19-Howry
20-Ohman
21-Eyre
22-Dempster

3 spots open
we stand at 9 pitchers and 13 positional players

IMO they'll go with 12 pitchers, and the competing spots are

5th starter AND long reliever...2 out of 3 make the team
Hill/Guzman/Marshall...Guzman is least likely to make the BP with his injury history, warming up quick may not be good for him

one more middle man...between novoa(if he can get healthy in time, not looking likely he'll be back til mid-april at earliest), wuertz(17.05 ERA this spring, been god awful), and...surprise, surprise, david aardsma...his 2.45 ERA this spring and 4.5/1 k/BB ratio has been promising and he has done an excellent job more recently in ST vs some of the true major leaguers

it's looking promising if we make the smart choice(IMO Aardsma and Marshall/Guzman)

[Nverve1]

This is a little something I found from Most Valuable Network...

The Marlins drafted Lincoln Holdzkom in the 7th round (212 overall) of the 2001 amateur draft. The 6′4 right-hander was kicked off the Arizona Western University baseball team for “insubordination” or in other words, he and Coach John Stratton didn’t see eye to eye. After being drafted the Marlins signed him and gave him a $105,000 bonus. A giant of a man, Holdzkom weighs in at about 240lbs. In his first year of pro ball for the GCL Marlins, Lincoln went 1-3 with a 2.49era in 12 games pitched. In those 43 innings, he struck out 43 while walking 27 and giving up 26 hits. His batting average against was an astounding .176. In 2002 he pitched for the Kane County Cougars (A ball) and went 1-5 with a 2.53era with 11 saves in 32 innings. This time he struck out 42 in 30 innings while walking 29 and having a .181 batting average against. In 2003 Holdzkom split time between low-A Greensboro and high-A Jupiter. In 72 innings, Lincoln went 1-6 with a 2.91era while recording 6 saves. Again his batting average against was a very good .174. He was then added to the Marlins 40 man roster and appeared to be on the fast track to the majors and would be invited to his first Spring Training in the spring. After his 2003 season, Baseball America had him rated as the Marlins #11 prospect. While Lincoln did not have a realistic chance to make the team out of camp, he certainly was going to be given a chance to prove himself to be worthy before most likely starting off 2004 in Double A Carolina. Unfortunately for him and the Marlins, he would be sidelined with elbow problems and a few weeks later, Lincoln would undergo Tommy John surgery. Going into the 2005 season, he was dropped all the way to #29 on the Marlins prospect list.

With his blazing 97mph fastball (before TJ surgery), scouts have designated him as either a future closer or most likely a dominant set-up man. Along with the fastball, Holdzkom has a hard-breaking curveball. While he does have closer type stuff, some in the organization have wondered if his makeup is right for closer. He has been known to have trouble with command when coming in to close games. When entering the 7th or 8th inning, he appeared much more stable and consistent on the mound. A bit of a wild child ala former Marlins pitcher A.J. Burnett, Holdzkom has nipple rings and tattoos which at times, have led scouts to believe he is not all that interested in baseball. Lincoln insists he wants to be a major league ballplayer. After ending his rehab he pitched with the GCL Marlins and Jupiter Hammerheads, trying to build stamina. He probably starts out 2006 back in Jupiter but could see action in Double A and possibly the majors if he pitches well.

[rockin500]

nice to know that Pagan is going to make the roster.

and no great loss with Wellemeyer. better to get anything instead of nothing, which is what woulda happened when he bombed out yet again with the cubs.

[redwhitenblue]

great article on grip

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/m...=.jsp&c_id=chc

"Grissom's decision definitely caught Pagan by surprise. On Tuesday, the youngster was presented the Ron Santo/Billy Williams Rookie of the Spring Award. Just before he got on the bus to go to Peoria for the Cubs' game against Seattle, teammate Henry Blanco told Pagan that Grissom was retiring. Pagan had to wipe away tears.

"That shocked me," Pagan said. "That's my shot in the big leagues. I couldn't contain it -- I had to cry.

"He sacrificed that for a young guy -- he's a hell of a man," Pagan said. "I've never met a guy like that before in baseball."

Grissom spent a lot of time with the young players in camp like Pagan and Cedeno, talking about baserunning. He may have a future in coaching or managing.

"I wouldn't mind playing for him -- or with him," said Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux, who was a teammate of Grissom's in Atlanta."

[cubmanjay]

it's looking promising if we make the smart choice(IMO Aardsma and Marshall/Guzman)

MESA, Arizona (Ticker) ...Chicago optioned pitchers David Aardsma, Angel Guzman and Jae Kuk Ryu to Class AAA Iowa and returned catcher Casey Kopitzke to minor league camp, lowering its spring training roster to 30.

[weatherdood]

Looks like that means that Marshall is going to be our 5th starter. Sounds like Hill might get the nod in the pen, then...or perhaps Koronka??? I'm not sure I like either of those moves...but then again, I'm not the GM.

[rockin500]

marshall will probably be the fifth with hill in the pen. Remember, the cubs dont need to put a 5th starter onto the roster until April 15th, so marshall may go down to get a start in AAA

[weatherdood]

Paul Sullivan writes tonight that Marshall is very much a possibility to take Jerome Williams spot as the #4 starter.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune....home-headlines

[rockin500]

Paul Sullivan writes tonight that Marshall is very much a possibility to take Jerome Williams spot as the #4 starter.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune....home-headlines

yah i saw that, and he certainly did enough this spring to deserve a shot.