Starting Lineup
LF Alfonso Soriano: still averaging 36 HR's and 29 SB's per seasons over the past seven years despite averaging only 122 games per season for the Cubs in 2007-08
SS Ryan Theriot: puts the bat on the ball (58 K's in 580 AB's), gets on base (.387 OBP), and is a threat on the base paths (22 SB's)
RF Milton Bradley: one of the best hitters in the game but the fact that his 126 games played last season was the 2nd highest total of his 9-year career should be worrisome for the Cubs
1B Derrek Lee: might be on the decline, averaging just 21 HR's and 76 RBI's in 2007-08 after averaging 31 HR's and 88 RBI's from 2000-05
3B Aramis Ramirez: 30 year-old averaging 30 HR's and 102 RBI's over the past eight seasons
C Geovany Soto: 2008 Rookie of the Year already amongst the best hitting catchers in the game
CF Kosuke Fukudome: disappointing debut season in the US; will split time in CF with Reed Johnson
2B Aaron Miles: career .289 hitter will battle Mike Fontenot for the 2B job
Bench c
C Paul Bako: returns to the Cubs after spending the last four seasons in Los Angeles, KC, Baltimore, and Cincinnati
IF Mike Fontenot: batted .305 with 9 HR's, and 40 RBI's in only 243 AB's in 2008, but will have to beat out Miles for a starting job
OF Reed Johnson: likely to platoon in CF with Fukudome after posting a .399 OBP against LHP's in '08
OF Joey Gathright: trades of Pie and Cedeno give this speedster a solid chance of making the opening day roster
1B/OF Micah Hoffpauir: impressive in 73 late season AB's with the Cubs (.342 BA, 2 HR)
Starting Rotation
RHP Carlos Zambrano: has made 30 starts in six straight seasons, although he failed to reach 200 IP (188.2 IP in '08) for the first time during that time span
RHP Rich Harden: made at least 25 starts for only the 2nd time in his six-year ML career; dominant when healthy
LHP Ted Lilly: earning every dollar the Cubs are paying him, making 34 starts in consecutive seasons and winning 32 games
RHP Ryan Dempster: successful return to the rotation (17-6, 2.96 ERA) made him a very rich man (4 years, $13 million per year)
LHP Sean Marshall: not a bad #5 starter option although the Cubs could still swing a deal for another starter and use Marshall in relief
Bullpen
RHP Carlos Marmol: breakout season (2.68 ERA, 114 K's in 87.1 IP) earns him the closer's job after Kerry Wood left as a free agent
RHP Kevin Gregg: will have to pitch well to ensure Cubs don't regret letting go one of their top relief prospects, Jose Ceda, in order to acquire him
RHP Jeff Samardzija: former Notre Dame football star will compete for the #5 spot in the rotation but pitched well in relief down the stretch for the Cubs (2.28 ERA in 26 relief appearances)
RHP Aaron Heilman: will compete for a starting job but, at the least, offers another experienced arm in the middle of the bullpen
LHP Neal Cotts: posted a 4.29 ERA with 43 K's in 35.2 IP in 2008
RHP Luis Vizcaino: offseason acquisition is a nine-year veteran with a career ERA of 4.34
RHP Chad Gaudin: acquired in the Rich Harden deal, he was 4-2 but posted a 6.26 ERA for the Cubs
Other Roster Candidates
RHP Angel Guzman: hard-throwing 27 year-old should be back in the mix after missing most of 2008 due to injury; out of options, the Cubs will trade him if he isn't going to make the 25-man roster
RHP Kevin Hart: spent most of 2008 with the Cubs, posting a 6.51 ERA in 21 relief appearances
RHP Jeff Stevens: acquired in the Mark DeRosa deal, the Cubs think he'll be able to help out of the bullpen at some point in 2009 after a minor league season in which he struck out 81 batters in 58 IP between AA and AAA
RHP David Patton (Rule V): Cubs traded for this rule V draft pick but he will be a longshot to stick on this roster
LHP Mike Stanton: veteran did not pitch in 2008 and was last effective in 2006 when he posted a 3.99 ERA between Washington and San Francisco
RHP Ken Kadokura: 35 year-old has been signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training; he has a career ERA of 4.36 ERA in Japan
OF So Taguchi: hit .283 in parts of six seasons for St. Louis before a mediocre 2008 with the Phillies
IF Luis Rivas: middle infielder batted .218 with 3 HR's in 206 AB's for the Pirates in 2008
</SPAN>C Koyie Hill: was in line to take over the backup job after a good 2008 season in AAA (.275 BA, 17 HR, 64 RBI) but that changed when Paul Bako signed
LF Alfonso Soriano: still averaging 36 HR's and 29 SB's per seasons over the past seven years despite averaging only 122 games per season for the Cubs in 2007-08
SS Ryan Theriot: puts the bat on the ball (58 K's in 580 AB's), gets on base (.387 OBP), and is a threat on the base paths (22 SB's)
RF Milton Bradley: one of the best hitters in the game but the fact that his 126 games played last season was the 2nd highest total of his 9-year career should be worrisome for the Cubs
1B Derrek Lee: might be on the decline, averaging just 21 HR's and 76 RBI's in 2007-08 after averaging 31 HR's and 88 RBI's from 2000-05
3B Aramis Ramirez: 30 year-old averaging 30 HR's and 102 RBI's over the past eight seasons
C Geovany Soto: 2008 Rookie of the Year already amongst the best hitting catchers in the game
CF Kosuke Fukudome: disappointing debut season in the US; will split time in CF with Reed Johnson
2B Aaron Miles: career .289 hitter will battle Mike Fontenot for the 2B job
Bench c
C Paul Bako: returns to the Cubs after spending the last four seasons in Los Angeles, KC, Baltimore, and Cincinnati
IF Mike Fontenot: batted .305 with 9 HR's, and 40 RBI's in only 243 AB's in 2008, but will have to beat out Miles for a starting job
OF Reed Johnson: likely to platoon in CF with Fukudome after posting a .399 OBP against LHP's in '08
OF Joey Gathright: trades of Pie and Cedeno give this speedster a solid chance of making the opening day roster
1B/OF Micah Hoffpauir: impressive in 73 late season AB's with the Cubs (.342 BA, 2 HR)
Starting Rotation
RHP Carlos Zambrano: has made 30 starts in six straight seasons, although he failed to reach 200 IP (188.2 IP in '08) for the first time during that time span
RHP Rich Harden: made at least 25 starts for only the 2nd time in his six-year ML career; dominant when healthy
LHP Ted Lilly: earning every dollar the Cubs are paying him, making 34 starts in consecutive seasons and winning 32 games
RHP Ryan Dempster: successful return to the rotation (17-6, 2.96 ERA) made him a very rich man (4 years, $13 million per year)
LHP Sean Marshall: not a bad #5 starter option although the Cubs could still swing a deal for another starter and use Marshall in relief
Bullpen
RHP Carlos Marmol: breakout season (2.68 ERA, 114 K's in 87.1 IP) earns him the closer's job after Kerry Wood left as a free agent
RHP Kevin Gregg: will have to pitch well to ensure Cubs don't regret letting go one of their top relief prospects, Jose Ceda, in order to acquire him
RHP Jeff Samardzija: former Notre Dame football star will compete for the #5 spot in the rotation but pitched well in relief down the stretch for the Cubs (2.28 ERA in 26 relief appearances)
RHP Aaron Heilman: will compete for a starting job but, at the least, offers another experienced arm in the middle of the bullpen
LHP Neal Cotts: posted a 4.29 ERA with 43 K's in 35.2 IP in 2008
RHP Luis Vizcaino: offseason acquisition is a nine-year veteran with a career ERA of 4.34
RHP Chad Gaudin: acquired in the Rich Harden deal, he was 4-2 but posted a 6.26 ERA for the Cubs
Other Roster Candidates
RHP Angel Guzman: hard-throwing 27 year-old should be back in the mix after missing most of 2008 due to injury; out of options, the Cubs will trade him if he isn't going to make the 25-man roster
RHP Kevin Hart: spent most of 2008 with the Cubs, posting a 6.51 ERA in 21 relief appearances
RHP Jeff Stevens: acquired in the Mark DeRosa deal, the Cubs think he'll be able to help out of the bullpen at some point in 2009 after a minor league season in which he struck out 81 batters in 58 IP between AA and AAA
RHP David Patton (Rule V): Cubs traded for this rule V draft pick but he will be a longshot to stick on this roster
LHP Mike Stanton: veteran did not pitch in 2008 and was last effective in 2006 when he posted a 3.99 ERA between Washington and San Francisco
RHP Ken Kadokura: 35 year-old has been signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training; he has a career ERA of 4.36 ERA in Japan
OF So Taguchi: hit .283 in parts of six seasons for St. Louis before a mediocre 2008 with the Phillies
IF Luis Rivas: middle infielder batted .218 with 3 HR's in 206 AB's for the Pirates in 2008
</SPAN>C Koyie Hill: was in line to take over the backup job after a good 2008 season in AAA (.275 BA, 17 HR, 64 RBI) but that changed when Paul Bako signed
I really wanted them to pull the trigger and bring in Peavy in January because I thought the same way as you are about the rotation.