Cubs announce Minor League rosters

by lemon20pie on Apr 2, 2008 1:58 AM CDT

Iowa Cubs - 2008 Opening Day Roster

Pitchers

Jose Ascanio

Mike Burns

Andy Cavazos

Neal Cotts

Sean Gallagher

Mark Holliman

Geoffrey Jones

Randy Keisler

Sean Marshall

Juan Mateo

J.R. Mathes

Les Walrond

Catchers

J.D. Closser

Koyie Hill

Infielders

Andres Blanco

Luis Figueroa

Micah Hoffpauir

Casey McGehee

Outfielders

Jake Fox

Sam Fuld

Josh Kroeger

Matt Murton

Eric Patterson

Bobby Scales

Andres Torres

Tennessee Smokies - 2008 Opening Day Roster

Pitchers

Mitch Atkins

Matt Avery

Justin Berg

Ed Campusano

Michael Cooper

Jesse Estrada

Rocky Roquet

Jeff Samardzija

Chris Shaver

Donald Veal

Tanner Watson

Catchers

Jake Muyco

Chris Robinson

Infielders

Robinson Chirinos

Matt Craig

Kyle Reynolds

Issmael Salas

Joe Simokaitis

Nate Spears

Outfielders

Matt Camp

Corey Coles

Tyler Colvin

Ryan Harvey

Daytona Cubs - 2008 Opening Day Roster

Pitchers

Esmailin Caridad

Marco Carrillo

Jose Ceda

Darwin Downs

Dumas Garcia

Adam Harben

Casey Lambert

Alex Maestri

Ryan Meyers

Jeremy Papelbon

Mike Phelps

Jayson Ruhlman

James Russell

Catchers

Welington Castillo

Steve Clevenger

Mark Reed

Infielders

Darwin Barney

Russ Canzler

Josh Lansford

Ryan Malone

Matt Matulia

Tony Thomas

Outfielders

Jim Adduci

Yusef Carter

Ty Wright

Jonathan Wyatt

Peoria Chiefs - 2008 Opening Day Roster

Pitchers

Ryan Acosta

Zachary Ashwood

Alberto Cabrera

Hung-Wen Chen

Robert Hernandez

Jordan Latham

Marcos Mateo

Craig Muschko

Blake Parker

Dae-Eun Rhee

Dustin Sasser

Chris Siegfried

Stephen Vento

Catchers

Josh Donaldson

Blake Lalli

Mario Mercedes

Infielders

Marwin Gonzalez

Jonathan Mota

Nathan Samson

Jovan Rosa

Marquez Smith

Outfielders

Cliff Anderson

Kyler Burke

Dylan Johnston

Drew Rundle

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

0 recs | Comment 31 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Hoffpauir

The way Micah's been hitting, he might just ask to keep #67!

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Apr 2, 2008 2:30 AM CDT 0 recs

No doubt

Although he's "old for a prospect", he definitely caught my eye this Spring.

by lemon20pie on Apr 2, 2008 2:46 AM CDT up 0 recs

Ceda to start in Daytona's rotation

as a starter.

by lemon20pie on Apr 2, 2008 2:47 AM CDT 0 recs

As will Maestri

n/t

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8 lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on Apr 2, 2008 3:37 AM CDT up 0 recs

Interesting.

I thought both those guys were better suited to relief.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Apr 2, 2008 3:58 AM CDT up 0 recs

Probably the best way to

assure them of logging innings.

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Apr 2, 2008 9:01 AM CDT up 0 recs

Maybe, but...

... wouldn't it be better to get them more accustomed to the roles they're going to have as major league pitchers?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Apr 2, 2008 9:20 AM CDT up 0 recs

It's not to give them innings

The thinking is that they're both young and strong and much more valuable to the Cubs (and themselves) if they're starting pitchers rather than relievers. So the idea is to give them a chance to be starters and if it works, great, they become major prospects. If it doesn't, then they just move them back into the pen, no harm done.

Maestri wrote on his blog they asked him to give starting another try and if it didn't work, he could always just go back to the bullpen anytime.

It makes sense. I'm a little dubious about it working with Ceda because he has control problems and will rack up big pitch counts early, but it could work with Maestri, who has great control. He did run into problems last year starting in the fourth or fifth inning as stamina began to take a toll, but you'd think he could build up some stamina. He's a kid who just didn't play enough baseball and didn't get the right type of coaching growing up, and it's hard to figure out what he's capable of now that he's doing those things.

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8 lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on Apr 2, 2008 10:19 AM CDT up 0 recs

That makes a lot of sense...

... especially if Maestri specifically asked for the chance. I still see his future as a reliever.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Apr 2, 2008 6:31 PM CDT up 0 recs

No Josh Vitters

Not that he lit up the minors last year, but are they really going to have him sit until the short-season Northwest League starts? If he's as good as claimed, he should be ready for Peoria, IMHO.

Free the upper deck!

by zambranofan on Apr 2, 2008 8:04 AM CDT 0 recs

I agree...

I'm kind of upset Vitters isn't on a roster.

by Rezze21 on Apr 2, 2008 8:17 AM CDT up 0 recs

Strange

I don't understand why Josh Vitters isn't going to Peoria.

by MDBNIU on Apr 2, 2008 10:03 AM CDT up 0 recs

What About Boise?

Isn't that a single A club for us?

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Apr 2, 2008 10:10 AM CDT up 0 recs

I Just Confirmed...

...that Vitters is on the Boise roster.

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Apr 2, 2008 10:12 AM CDT up 0 recs

That's more of a holding tank

It's a list of all the guys on Boise last season who didn't get promoted. I wouldn't take that as gospel that any of those guys playing in Boise in June.

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8 lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on Apr 2, 2008 10:29 AM CDT up 0 recs

See my post on the I-Cubs

There was some worry about injury playing in the cold and poorly kept fields of the Midwest League for Vitters. He may still play in Peoria in May, or they may hold him for Boise. But he should play in Peoria sometime this season.

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8 lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on Apr 2, 2008 10:24 AM CDT up 0 recs

Iowans here?

Is anyone else going to tomorrow's home opener in Des Moines?

I'm going to the game with my wife, playing hookey (Wrigley-style) and celebrating her 30th birthday there at her request. (Man, I don't know what I'd do with myself if I'd married a Cardinals fan.)

Anyway, if anyone else is going to be there, please let me know. I'm going to post a brief Fanpost diary on Friday, so maybe we could take a BCB reader picture.

Hector Villanueva's Career Stolen Bases: 1

by IowaCubs- on Apr 2, 2008 9:06 AM CDT 0 recs

Eric Patterson is an OUTFIELDER, not a 2nd baseman

This roster reinforces my belief that Patterson is not viewed as an adequate 2nd base option. Truth be told I have significantly soured on Patterson and doubt he has a major league future of any sort.

by MDBNIU on Apr 2, 2008 9:17 AM CDT 0 recs

It's just a roster listing.

It doesn't mean he won't play 2B. I assume Andres Blanco will play 2B and Luis Figueroa SS, although Patterson could wind up as the starting 2B, also.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Apr 2, 2008 9:22 AM CDT up 0 recs

Remember that Soto played 1B last year...

He had 159 AB at first base at Iowa. Not sure how that impacted his splits, but I think it was just to keep his bat in the lineup as much as possible on his catching "days off."

Hector Villanueva's Career Stolen Bases: 1

by IowaCubs- on Apr 2, 2008 10:19 AM CDT up 0 recs

Soto

had an arm injury last year that prevented him from throwing, which is why he was at first base. Unfortunately, it was when the whole Michael Barrett thing blew up (and Blanco got injured at the same time) and that meant that Koyie Hill got promoted instead of Soto. It might have been a very different season last year behind the plate had he not been injured just then.

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8 lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on Apr 2, 2008 10:27 AM CDT up 0 recs

Cool...

I kept wondering why he was in the lineup last year as a first baseman. I thought it might have been to train him at a different position just in case.

Hector Villanueva's Career Stolen Bases: 1

by IowaCubs- on Apr 2, 2008 1:47 PM CDT up 0 recs

I've wondered if Patterson will be groomed

in the minors to be the first in-house alternative to Pie in CF.

by DGU on Apr 2, 2008 1:26 PM CDT up 0 recs

I see

that Veal is still at AA. I understand last year he did not progress as well as anyone had hoped. But with his ceiling I would have thought AAA was in order.

Also Harvey finally has been "promoted" to AA. He must have toiled at A ball for the past 2-3 years.

"You can't take life to seriously, you don't get out of it alive"

by wild bill on Apr 2, 2008 12:14 PM CDT 0 recs

Ryan Harvey

He's another in a long, long line of 1st round busts for this organization. Fortunately Tim Wilken is drafting and scouting players these days. Now if we can only get rid of Oneri Fleita.

by MDBNIU on Apr 2, 2008 4:52 PM CDT up 0 recs