'07 Positional Forecast: Catcher

MLB
Michael Barrett
Opening Day age: 30 ($4.5MM)
'06: .307-16-53 in 107 games

Stay on the field.

Coming off a career offensive year in '06, that's all that can be asked of the Cubs starter in '07. Among NL catchers who played as many or more games than Barrett, he was 2nd in batting and 4th in HRs. Suspension and a somewhat painful injury cost him about 35 games last year.

It's safe to expect a .280-15-60 year, as he should slide into the #6 hole in the order. His defense will be as spotty as ever, but Barrett's established a reputation as a diligent worker, making copious adjustments as the season goes along to compensate where his natural ability comes up short.

Henry Blanco
Opening Day age: 35 ($1.8MM)
'06: .266-6-37 in 74 games

Blanco's extension (2y/$5+MM) was panned as an example of the Cubs' careening Brinks truck of an offseason. His solid offense and at-times-spectacular defense warrants the investment.

AAA
Geovany Soto
Opening Day age: 24
'06: .272-6-38 in 108 games @ AAA Iowa

Look at the little guy! We gave him a facemask and everything. What a cutie. Are you going to be a big leaguer someday? Aww, look at that face.

AA
Jake Fox
Opening Day age: 24
'06: .294-21-86 in 121 games between high-A Daytona & AA West Tennessee

As Rich Hill's batterymate for 2 years at Michigan, he caught a pretty good pitcher. And he knows how to swing a bat. The fact that he was passed over in the Rule V Draft and Oneri Fleita recently called his defense "shaky" says a lot about his future behind the dish.

A
Mark Reed
Opening Day age: 20
'06: .252-2-30 in 101 games @ low-A Peoria

Big brother Jeremy's climb through the White Sox and Mariners' organizations has shown him what it takes to get to the show. As a third-round draft pick in 2004 out of high school, he's got the talent and is touted by many as the organization's best all-around catching prospect. He's an above-average singles/doubles hitter who needs work where plate patience is concerned (3:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio at Peoria).

OVERALL GRADE: C+
Barrett is a top 10 catcher and a Hendry favorite, which will be enough to keep him a Cub through 2011 or so. However, the lack of depth is reason for slight concern, given the injurious nature of the position and extra years of grooming most draft picks require.

Waiting rooms, waiting rooms everywhere...

But not a ticket to be had.

God bless Single Game Ticket On-Sale Day.

Opening Day starts to feel just close enough to be seem tangible, and we're given a whimsically self-indulgent excuse to put off work and class until Monday. It's a day just as likely to be filled with the exultative joy of "getting through" ("Jim got Opening Day!" "Wilbur got Crosstown Classic!") as it is to be wrought with the frustration and cursing not unlike that of a sailor on shore leave in Provo ("#&@$!!!").

It's been the latter type for NS9. I've struck out completely (get it?!? PUNNY!), while Mom snagged a pair of tickets for the July 21st matchup with the D'Backs (Big Z's bobblehead day). If you've got an extra Opening Day ticket, I'd love to be your friend.

Get comfy, Big Z

Any notion of Carlos Zambrano leaving Wrigleyville after '07 is pretty absurb. We can take solace in the fact that Jim Hendry and the parent Tribune Company have shown no reservations about opening the vault for the guys they deem valuable to the organization. Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, Kerry Wood...some deals look better than others, but the point is, they get done.

Phil Rogers' Tribune editorial a few days ago posed the question of whether to deal Zambrano to the top bidder. I've asked a couple friends how many pitchers in MLB they'd deal Zambrano for and we keep coming to the same consensus: one. Until Bill Bidwill buys the Minnesota Twins, that guy isn't going anywhere. Rogers tossed out the idea of prospects like Nick Adenhart, Mike Pelfrey, and Humberto Sanchez. All are top-shelf prospects, but in the end, they're just that. Thanks but no thanks, Phil.

NS9 2K7

Dear reader,

The few posts I've thrown up in the last few weeks have been a test run. I'm a first-time sports blogger, and luckily, the Cubs gave me plenty of activity to report. The recent dearth of roster moves and, on my end, creativity has left me a little lacking for post material.

However, you can expect a big 2007. I've mentioned before my affinity for minor league baseball, and as such, exclusive interviews with Cubs Director of Player Development Oneri Fleita and new Peoria Chiefs manager Ryne Sandberg are in the works.

I'm not sure what my "angle" is, or how I'll find my voice, but I can tell you this much: my heart belongs to the Chicago National League Ball Club, and I'll be damned if I don't spend 2007 making this one of the most passionate Cubs blogs on the internet.

Thanks for reading,
Nick D.

Lessons Learned

Once you've pitched in the big leagues, results don't matter. Somebody will pay you to do it again. - Jason Marquis

When one considers the fact that money is no longer an object to the Cubs, this isn't an awful signing. The needs of last season haven't yet gone away: the Cubs need arms any way they can get them. With Carlos Zambrano, Rich Hill, Ted Lilly guaranteed rotation slots, it's up to Marquis, Mark Prior, Sean Marshall, and Wade Miller to battle things out for the #4 and #5 spots, with Juan Mateo and Angel Guzman lurking as dark horses. If Marquis chucks up another 6+ ERA, he'll be out of the rotation by June.

Starting a sports blog exclusively about one sport when said sport isn't in season makes it very easy to put off updating. - Nick D.

It's somewhat difficult to not rant about the deification of Devin Hester and insolence of AI in the middle of December. I'll do my best to get updates up at least a couple times a week based on various rumors and minor moves. In the meantime, if you do stop by, any comments or feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Update coming...

I'm off to St. Louis to root on the Bears. I'll weigh in tomorrow on the Marquis signing, the Rocco Baldelli rumors, and why I love the Daryle Ward signing.

Love Like Winter Meetings

Introducing your #2 starter, Theodore Roosevelt Lilly
Be honest with yourself and rank baseball's six divisions from strongest. Lilly won 15 games last year in the AL East, easily one of the top two alongside the AL Central. Now he's in the NL Central, and there's no argument here: the Pacific Coast League's had better divisions.

The difference in level of competition alone should help his numbers dramatically. Here are Bronson Arroyo's numbers before and after he made the same change last offseason:

2004: 14-10, 4.51, 100K with Boston
2005: 14-11, 3.29, 184K with Cincinnati

If not for two-month a winless stretch from mid-June to mid-August, his win total would've well-surpassed his career high as well. There's no reason Lilly can't do the same.

No, he doesn't have a brother named Frank on the Paralympic baseball team. You're an asshole.

Jacque Jones: "Au revoir"?
As reported in the Tribune, Jacque Jones feels like he wasn't given a chance to get back in the fans' good graces after his abysmal '06 start and wouldn't mind changing area codes before Opening Day '07.

Forgive our apathy, Jacque. By the time you'd woken up, the Cubs had as good a shot at winning an Oscar as they did a division title.

As much as your throws terrify the indigenous invisible gophers dwelling in right field, we'd be happy to have you back. Lefthanded outfielders who put up .285-27-81 lines don't grow on trees. Though we should try telling Theo Epstein they do. I'm not sure anyone's paid $100MM for a tree before.

Gil Meche spurns Cubs; takes Ultimate Pitching Experience to KC
Agent: It's down to Toronto, Chicago, and Kansas City.
Gil: Lay the offers at the Tarsals of Meche.
Agent: The Jays and Cubs are right around $10MM a year. You can't go wrong. Beautiful cities, competitive teams, a chance to win a World Series...
Gil: How much is Kansas City offering Gil Meche?
Agent: A little over $11MM, but...
Gil: But shit. Has the Gil Meche Pitching Experience ever had a problem with losing, fat chicks, and/or barbecue? Sign me up twatmuffin.

Jim Hendry signs Lilly from a hospital bed
Remember when Ken Caminiti ate a Snickers bar after being on an IV all day, then belted two home runs for the Padres in Mexico? This is almost the "flabby white aristocrat" equivalent. This comparison would hold more weight if Hendry had blacked out after splitting an eight-ball with John Schuerholz.

Jason Jennings: On the move?
All signs point to yes. Much to Cubby Nation chagrin, it may be to division foe Houston instead of Chicago, as some originally thought. A proposal that involved a three-way trade with the Pirates had the Cubs giving up Jacque Jones and Carlos Marmol and receiving Jennings, a durable 28-year old righty who posted a 3.78 ERA last year in Coors Field(!).

Hendry put the kibosh on the deal when he deemed Marmol "untouchable." It seems questionable, but he said the same thing about Rich Hill last offseason, and Hill's sparkling numbers both at AAA and during the last six weeks with the Cubs seem to have vindicated Hendry.

The hope here is that Houston loses track of Jennings in the struggle to re-sign Andy Pettitte. Stay tuned.

Freddie Bynum to Baltimore
Bynum is well on his way to a 10- or 12-year Major League career based solely on his ability to run and play multiple positions. In that time, he'll play for at least 6 or 7 teams, not one of which will say afterwards, "You know who I really miss? Freddie Bynum."

A Cubs blog? How quaint.

Just your typical diehard Cubs fan here. Same as you, I'd guess if you've made it this far.

Welcome. Thanks for coming.

Before we dive into any hot stove happenings, here's how things stand going into '07.

Carlos Zambrano
For all the criticism drawn by his on-field outbursts and online habits, he's the heart and soul of the franchise. Outside of guys named Johan, there may not be a better pitcher in baseball on pure stuff alone. Yet here he is within a year of being able to walk away and no talk yet of an extension? For shame, Jimmy. For shame.

Alfonso Soriano
With Tribune Co. being the billion-dollar entity it is, this kind of spending has been a long time coming. The money isn't the issue. The issue is the expectation that Soriano is going to be anything close to an adequate leadoff hitter. He's batted .272 over his last two seasons. He'll hit home runs, but who'll be on base in front of him? Big Z every fifth day?

"B-but he steals bases!" If Juan Pierre's lackluster '05 showed us anything, it's that speed without on-base percentage is like trying to get laid in suspenders. You have to get on base to score.

Mark Bellhorn posted a .258 - 27 - 56 line in 2002. If Soriano leads off, that's what we're looking at. For 8 years. At $17MM per.

Jim Hendry
Despite the criticisms voiced above, he's still the right man for the job. He's never been anything less than aggressive when it's come to identifying needs and addressing them, and with the Trib's significant loosening of his pocketbook, he's free to do just that. On the flipside, the pressure to field a competitive team in a watered-down league's most watered-down division has never been greater.

Peoria Chiefs
Minor league baseball will be a strong focus 'round these parts, and due to the author's proximity, no team will get more of the spotlight than the Chiefs. Not only has it become a popular rehab destination for the big leaguers, but their new manager is a guy with whom some of you are familar. There's plenty to be excited about for Central Illinois baseball enthusiasts (the few of us there are).

Check in often. Updates should be comin' a-plenty.