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SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- Here's the final spring roster move:
Schlitter makes club in pen. Cabrera DFAd.
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) March 29, 2014
This is somewhat of a surprise, as Brian Schlitter was in camp on a non-roster invitation, while Alberto Cabrera had been expected to make the team after a couple of major-league trials the last two years.
But Cabrera was awful this spring. In 10⅓ innings he allowed eight earned runs, walking four for a 6.97 ERA and 1.258 WHIP, and he was pounded -- hard -- by Angels and Diamondbacks minor leaguers two days in a row, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Schlitter had an excellent spring, giving up just two earned runs in 8%frac23; innings with one walk and nine strikeouts in eight appearances. Of course, small-sample-size cautions pertain here, but Schlitter was also excellent between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa in 2013, with a combined 2.42 ERA and 1.216 WHIP and 22 saves (all but two of them at Iowa). Schlitter was consistently throwing 95+ this spring and looks completely recovered from the arm troubles he had that had a waiver claim made on him in 2011 by the Yankees voided, and returned to the Cubs.
Schlitter is a Chicago-area native; he graduated from Maine South High School in Park Ridge. If he can throw the way he did in the minor leagues last year, he'll be an excellent addition to this bullpen. Meanwhile, the Cubs will hope Cabrera clears waivers and he can be sent to Iowa, or perhaps someone will trade for him.