Kane County Cougars Baseball Announces 2013 Coaching Staff

The Kane County Cougars, now a Chicago Cubs affiliate, announced the coaching staff for the 2013 season.  

Mark Johnson has been named the manager, Ron Villone as pitching coach, and Tom Beyers as hitting coach.

Johnson spent the last two seasons in Boise as manager and led Boise into the Northwest League Championship series last season.  Johnson spent eight seasons as a catcher in the Big Leagues and his first four seasons with the Chicago White Sox.

Villone was the pitching coach for Peoria last season and played for 12 different Major League teams in his career.

Beyers has been a coach or coordinator with the Cubs for more than a decade.  Beyers managed the 2004 Boise franchise to a Northwest League championship in 2004.

2010 MLB Draft - Chicago Cubs Day 2 Selections

In the first two days of the 2010 MLB draft the Chicago Cubs have selected 18 pitchers, six infielders and two catchers - and some local products.

Chicago Cubs selections from Illinois:

11th round pick - Erik Jokisch - LHP from Northwestern and Virginia IL
15th round pick - Elliot Soto - infielder from Creighton and Algonquin IL
16th round pick - Ryan Hartman - RHP from Mt. Zion High School in IL


 

Cubs Thumped on Opening Day in Atlanta

Baseball in Illinois News

The Chicago Cubs felt comfortable with having Carlos Zambrano take the hill for the seventh straight opening day...well at least up until the Braves came to bat in the first.  Zambrano was lit up by the braves giving up eight runs on six hits in 1 1/3rd innings as the Braves thumped the Cubs 16-5.  About the only bright spot for the Cubs was the a three run dinger by Marlon Byrd in the first.

Cubs Finalize Opening Day Roster

The Chicago Cubs finalized their opening day roster Sunday by adding pitcher James Russell and infielder Chad Tracy while placing Ted Lilly and Angel Guzman on the disabled list.  Below is the current 25 man roster for opening day.

Pitchers
64 Justin Berg
33 Esmailin Caridad 46 Ryan Dempster 32 Tom Gorzelanny 43 John Grabow 49 Carlos Marmol 45 Sean Marshall
40 James Russell
29 Jeff Samardzija 52 Carlos Silva 36 Randy Wells 38 Carlos Zambrano


Catchers
55 Koyie Hill
18 Geovany Soto


Infielders
28 Jeff Baker
17 Mike Fontenot
25 Derrek Lee
16 Aramis Ramirez
2 Ryan Theriot
9 Chad Tracy
 Outfielders
24 Marlon Byrd
21 Tyler Colvin
1 Kosuke Fukudome
22 Xavier Nady
12 Alfonso Soriano

Cubs Start to Reduce Roster

Baseball in Illinois News

The Chicago Cubs have started to reassign players including top draft picks Brett Jackson and Josh Vitters.  Jackson, an outfielder, was the Cubs' No. 1 Draft pick last June, while Vitters was the top pick in 2007.

Mitch Atkins was optioned to Triple-A Iowa and David Patton, whom the Cubs acquired in December 2008 in the Rule 5 Draft, was optioned to Double-A Tennessee. Both are right-handed pitchers.


Jackson, Vitters, catchers Steve Clevenger and Blake Lalli, infielder Matt Camp, and pitchers Jeff Kennard and Vince Perkins all were assigned to the Minor League camp.

Chicago Cubs Theriot Starts At Short in Cactus League Opener

Ryan Theriot will start at shortstop in the Cubs cactus league opener today at 2:05 against the A's.  Waiting in the wings at short is 19 year old (he turns 20 on March 24) Starlin Castro who is ahead of the curve according to Alan Trammel.  Castro is expected to sub for Theriot at some point in the opener.

Cubs Zambrano Expected to be Opening Day Starter

Baseball in Illinois News

Although spring training has just started and Carlos Zambrano has been the opening day starter every year for Pinella, it is just about certain who will start opening day. 

"I've been here three years and Zambrano has been the Opening Day starter every year," Piniella said. "I don't anticipate any difference there."


Last year, Zambrano won the Cubs' season opener against Houston, giving up one run on five hits over six innings. It was his fifth straight Opening Day start but first win.

Cubs Win Arbitration With Theriot

Baseball in Illinois News

The Chicago Cubs won the abritration case and will pay Ryan Theriot $2.6 million for the 2010 season.  Though Theroit lost the hearing he did get quite a bump in pay going from $500,000 in 2009 to $2.6 million for 2010.

Cubs Theriot Arbitration Friday or Saturday

Baseball in Illinois News

Chicago Cubs infielder Ryan Theriot will have his arbitration hearing either Friday or Saturday which are scheduled through Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla.  Theriot is asking for 3.4 million and the Cubs have offered 2.6 million. 

Spring brings rebirth for Cubs hitters

Baseball in Illinois News
courtesy mlb.com

CHICAGO -- The one person who could have the biggest impact on the Cubs in 2010 never played above the Double-A level.


Rudy Jaramillo spent four seasons in the Minor Leagues but was never called up to the big leagues. Now he's the Cubs' hitting coach and enters Spring Training with an impressive list of pupils, including one of the team's new guys, whom Jaramillo hopes will help sell his philosophy.

"I don't know if you understand the magnitude of what he can do with hitters," Marlon Byrd said of Jaramillo. "He's unbelievable."


Jaramillo leaves the Texas Rangers after 15 seasons there, the longest tenure with one team of any Major League hitting coach. His hitters have won 17 Silver Slugger Awards, three home run titles, three RBI championships and a batting title.

"He's a great teacher," said Byrd, who followed Jaramillo to the Cubs from Texas, signing a three-year deal. "He didn't play in the big leagues or have a long career in baseball, but over time, he's become a big league hitting coach, and that's a big thing, being able to teach and see the swing and teach hitters their own swings."

Byrd has benefited from the partnership. Last season, he batted .283 and set career highs in doubles (43), home runs (20), RBIs (98) and slugging percentage (.479). In four seasons with Philadelphia, Byrd batted .271 and hit 13 homers. In three years in Texas with Jaramillo, Byrd hit .295 with 40 homers.

"He can teach you how to hit big league pitching," Byrd said. "A lot of guys can't do that. There are some big league hitting coaches who understood what they did at the plate, but it's understanding every single position player and even the pitchers, trying to help them. Your guys are out there getting four, five at-bats a day, and it's getting those guys right [that's important], and that's what he does best."

The Cubs ranked 12th in batting average in the National League last season, and the team's .255 average was hurt by the absence of key players such as Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto and Alfonso Soriano. Ramirez (shoulder) missed 50 games, Soto (strained oblique) 26, Soriano (knee) 29.

Cubs Baseball Tickets on Sale February 19

Cubs fans. Individual-game tickets for the 2010 regular season will go on sale Feb. 19.


Tickets will be available for purchase in the following methods:

Via the Internet: Visitors to cubs.com can purchase tickets beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Feb. 19.
A virtual waiting room will be used for all Internet orders. The virtual waiting room will begin accepting customers at 9:30 a.m. CT on Feb. 19. At 10 a.m. CT, customers will be randomly selected from the virtual waiting room to begin purchasing tickets. All Internet customers will need a valid cubs.com account. Customers should sign up for an account prior to Feb. 19.

Outlet ticket sales will begin at 10 a.m. CT on Feb. 22 at Chicagoland tickets.Com Outlets.
At the Wrigley Field Box Office: Tickets will go on sale at 8 a.m. CT, and a random wristband system will be used. There will be no advantage to camping out at the ballpark, as initial position in lines will be established by a random drawing of all wristbands distributed prior to 6 a.m. CT on Feb. 19.

Wristbands will be available at Wrigley Field from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. CT on Feb. 17 and from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. CT on Feb. 18. There is a limit of one wristband per person. You will be required to show two forms of identification, one of which needs to be a government-issued photo ID. The wristbands will only be used at Wrigley Field on Feb. 19.

A random drawing will be held shortly after 6 a.m. CT on Feb. 19 to determine the starting number for the ticket lines. The winning number will immediately be announced on WGN Radio (720 AM) and cubs.com. All other numbers will follow the selected number.

By telephone: Tickets can be purchased by telephone through tickets.com beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Feb. 19. The tickets.com phone number for Illinois callers is 800-The-Cubs (800-843-2827). The phone number for out-of-state callers is 866-652-2827.

Cubs Sign Marmol, Millar

Baseball in Illinois News
courtesy MLB.com

The Cubs signed Carlos Marmol to a one-year, $2.125 million contract Thursday, avoiding arbitration with their closer.


Marmol, 27, who made $575,000 last year, was asking for $2.5 million while the Cubs offered $1.75 million.

The Cubs also signed veteran Kevin Millar to a Minor League contract Thursday, creating a crowd at first base.


Millar will be vying for attention at first with former teammate Derrek Lee, Chad Tracy, who signed a Minor League deal on Jan. 27, and Micah Hoffpauir.


Only shortstop Ryan Theriot remains unsigned of the team's arbitration-eligible players. Theriot, 30, who made $500,000 last season, his third as the starting shortstop, is seeking $3.4 million, while the Cubs offered $2.6 million.


 

Cubs, Millar may be near Minors deal

Baseball in Illinois News Sources
courtesy of MLB.com

CHICAGO ILLINOIS -- It could be a fun Spring Training camp for the Cubs if Kevin Millar is in the mix.


Millar, 38, and the Cubs have been talking about the first baseman signing a Minor League deal. ESPN.com reported Monday that Millar had agreed to such a contract. However, a team spokesman said Monday that no agreement has been reached.

Millar is a former teammate of Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster and the two engaged in a friendly war of words during Spring Training 2008. Dempster predicted the Cubs would win the World Series that season. Millar fired back that his team, then the Orioles, would raise the trophy in October and also that he'd go deep off Dempster. The Cubs and Orioles met that season in Interleague Play.

A career .274 hitter, Millar has hit 170 home runs in 12 seasons with Florida, Boston, Baltimore and Toronto. Last season, he batted .223 in 78 games with the Blue Jays.

Nady, Cubs complete one-year deal

Baseball in Illinois News Sources
courtesy of MLB.com

Xavier Nady finalized his one-year contract with the Cubs on Friday, but he still has some health hurdles to leap before Opening Day.


The Cubs' newest outfielder underwent an all-day physical exam at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Thursday in which doctors paid particular attention to his twice-surgically-repaired right elbow. Nady, 31, is not quite seven months removed from his second Tommy John reconstruction, and Cubs general manager Jim Hendry conceded that there remains a chance that Nady will be limited somewhat defensively at the start of the season.

That didn't stop the club from committing to a deal that, according to The Associated Press, guarantees Nady $3.3 million and has $2.05 million more available in incentives for games played.

Cubs Castro cracks Top 50 prospects list

Baseball in Illinois News Sources
Courtesy MLB.com

Shortstop Starlin Castro was the only Cubs player represented on MLB.com's Top 50 Prospects list. That's OK. He's used to being special.


The 19-year-old has charged through the Minor League ranks since he signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2006, moving from the Dominican Summer League in '07 to the Rookie Arizona League in '08 to Double-A in '09 and then to the Arizona Fall League, where Castro was the prospect-laden AFL's youngest competitor.

Now he's the 22nd-best prospect in the game, according to the scouts and executives who helped MLB.com Minor League analyst Jonathan Mayo compile his list. Starlin's meteoric rise has Cubs fans wondering how long it'll be before he's taking grounders at Wrigley Field.

Cubs, Marshall avoid arbitration

Courtesy of MLB.com

The Cubs on Wednesday struck a one-year contract with left-hander Sean Marshall to avoid arbitration.

The club didn't announce terms of Marshall's new deal, but Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash mentioned Marshall on Tuesday, along with Detroit's Zach Miner and Kansas City's Robinson Tejada, as recent signees who helped Milwaukee reach terms with arbitration-eligible reliever Carlos Villanueva. Miner, Tejada and Villanueva all will earn the same salary -- $950,000 -- in 2010.

Marshall, who will be competing for a spot in the Cubs rotation or could be a swingman again, asked for $1.175 million in arbitration, while the Cubs offered $800,000. He made $450,000 last season.

With Marshall under contract, the Cubs have only two arbitration-eligible players left unsigned, and they are key ones. Shortstop Ryan Theriot, who made $500,000 last season in his third year as a starter, is seeking $3.4 million, while Chicago offered $2.6 million. Reliever Carlos Marmol who made $575,000 last year and heads into the 2010 season as the team's closer, is asking for $2.5 million. The Cubs offered him $1.75 million.

Cubs look to add Nady to mix

Baseball in Illinois News
Courtesy of MLB.com

The Cubs have reportedly struck a tentative one-year deal with free agent Xavier Nady, who could provide some power and depth to Chicago's outfield but must get past the doctors first.


Free-agent contracts almost always require a physical, and in Nady's case, that's no minor formality. He played only seven games for the Yankees in 2009 before undergoing the second Tommy John surgery of his career.

Nady is hoping to join the short list of players -- mostly pitchers -- to return from two such procedures and his agent, Scott Boras, e-mailed FoxSports.com last week to say that the outfielder is "on schedule to be ready in Spring Training." Another source, though, told the same Web site on Tuesday that Nady passing his physical was, "not a foregone conclusion." That physical will likely take place before the end of the week.

Randy Wells to Headline Illinois Baseball Annual Hot Stove Banquet

The University of Illinois baseball team and the Fighting Illini Dugout Club will host the annual Hot Stove Banquet to kick off the 2010 season with second-year Chicago Cubs pitcher Randy Wells as the keynote speaker. Wells, who finished his rookie season in the top 20 of all National League pitchers in wins and ERA, will headline the banquet, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 6, at the I Hotel with cocktails at 3 p.m., and the banquet at 3:45 p.m. prior to that evening's men's basketball game against Michigan State.

Wells is an incredible story, as he was drafted by the Cubs in the 38th round in 2002 as a catcher, but switched to pitching in 2003 after hitting only .158 in 2002. He began pitching full time in 2004 and ascended to double-A West Tenn in 2005, but spent the next three seasons between double-A and triple-A before making his Major League debut on April 5, 2008, with the Toronto Blue Jays, who had acquired him in the 2007 Rule 5 draft. But only 11 days after his debut, the Blue Jays sent him back to Chicago, which assigned him to triple-A Iowa. The Cubs gave Wells a September call-up, though, bringing him out of the bullpen to work the late innings in three games toward the end of the season. The Cubs recalled Wells from Iowa on May 8, 2009, and he remained in the starting rotation the rest of the year.


A native of Belleville, Illinois., Wells is the younger brother of former Illini two-sport athlete Forry Wells, who played baseball and football from 1991-94.

Banquet tickets can be purchased by loggin onto the Fighting Illini Baseball website and filling out the PDF form at the top of the page and mailing it to Fighting Illini Dugout Club, P.O. Box 6777, Champaign, IL 61826-6777 prior to Feb. 1 or by calling the baseball office at 217-333-8605 until Feb. 5. A table of 10, including an Illini player, can be purchased for $500; or a table of eight, with an Illini player, can be purchased for $400. Individual tickets are available for $50 and an Illini player's meal can be sponsored for $50 each.

Cubs Avoid Arbitration With Five Players

Baseball in Illinois News
Courtesy of MLB.com

The Cubs avoided arbitration on Tuesday by signing five players to one-year deals, but still have to reach agreements with three key players, including Ryan Theriot, Carlos Marmol and Sean Marshall.


The Cubs had eight players file for salary arbitration, and were able to sign Jeff Baker, Mike Fontenot, Koyie Hill, Angel Guzman and Tom Gorzelanny to one-year deals on Tuesday.


The Cubs and Theriot, Marmol and Marshall can come to an agreement at any point before the actual hearing. Hearings will be held Feb. 1-21. Arbitrators listen to arguments from both sides about the player's value and then pick either the player's figure or the team's figure.

Chicago Cubs filing for arbitration

Baseball in Illinois News

Infielders Ryan Theriot, Jeff Baker, and Mike Fontenot; catcher Koyie Hill; and pitchers Carlos Marmol, Tom Gorzelanny, Angel Guzman and Sean Marshall are all arbitration-eligible. Marmol, who will be the Cubs' closer this year, and Theriot, who is coming off a season in which he set career highs in several categories, including home runs, RBIs and games played, were expected to receive the biggest pay raises.


All have at least three years but less than six years of service in Major League Baseball. Fontenot became eligible as a "Super Two" player, because he finished in the top 17 percent of players with at least two but less than three years of Major League service. Fontenot has two years 139 days of service time.

The players and the clubs each submit salary figures on Tuesday. Hearings will be held Feb. 1-21.