Cubs MLB Roster

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40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-18-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Dempster "Blindsided" by Trade, Confused by Baseball's News Cycle

Submitted by Rob G. on

So the latest on the Dempster saga is that Ryan Dempster was "blindsided" by the trade yesterday and because of this, he's going to take the full week to decide. Rumors are that he strongly prefers to go the Dodgers and seems to be trying to push the Cubs into accepting a deal from them, although it certainly won't be as good as getting Randall Delgado from the Braves.

Other things Dempster has been blindsided by (a few I'm stealing from Twitter):

- His Birthday

- the birth of his chidren

- the start of the season

- spring training

- warmer temperatures in the summer

Yeah, it would have been great if the Cubs got to him before the news leaked out, but you work in a multi-billion dollar business with reporters that are good at their job, throwing a temper tantrum over it isn't particularly professional.

It's certainly true that Ryan Dempster doesn't owe the Cubs anything and does not need to feel obligated relinquish his 10/5 rights because of pressure from the front office or the fans. But he is being a bit of a two-faced ass about the whole thing, isn't he?

Now please don't confuse that statement into thinking I'm upset at all, afterall it's just baseball and this is really nothing more than expensive entertainment. But from the reports over the last few weeks, I find it hard to come to the conclusion that Dempster was truly blindsided by yesterday's report and I do come to the conclusion that he really just wanted to go to Los Angeles, but certainly didn't make that clear to the Cubs.

Now with the caveat that I in no way know everything that was discussed, let's pick apart what has been put out in the public.

"I'm not an idiot. I know what's going on. I just try and enjoy it"

"I'm not an idiot, but what is this twitter and Internet and how does information spread so quickly? And how is this possible that news got leaked? Theo and Jed should not have let that happen!!! What do you mean there's a second party where that leak may have come out of? You lie!!! Lying liars!"

Now there's a Ken Rosenthal article out there that doesn't have any direct quotes from Dempster, but it does claim to say that the Braves were Dempster's second choice and further states, "Dempster, according to one source, has told the Cubs that he is open to many clubs and given them only a handful of teams that he would reject."

Without direct quotes from Dempster, it's nearly impossible to determine the veracity of that article. For all I know, the Cubs leaked it out in a huge long con to control public opinion in their favor and get the best deal possible for the Cubs, but that's a lot of conspiracy theory that I'm not comfortable with. It doesn't take a leap of faith to believe that Dempster told the Cubs the teams he's most comfortable with or the general parameters, the Cubs ran with that and were set to discuss in person with Dempster the deal they had in place before the things got out of hand. The Cubs are certainly the party here with the most to lose, so it would make sense they were the most cautious about leaking information and attempting to appease Dempster. I can't imagine the Cubs didn't anything foolish like promise him the Dodgers and even though there were reports that a deal was close with the Dodgers, hopefully Dempster's isn't running with those news reports while admonishing the ones he was so displeased with yesterday.

It will get worked out one way or another, and the Braves are saying all the right things at the moment that they still want Dempster and it appears the current deal is still out there. But it just takes one phone call with another offer for them to change their minds. Dempster's wish that the Cubs send him to the Dodgers is nothing more than a wish at this point. The Dodgers are certainly not going to come back with a stronger offer knowing the position the Cubs are in and the Cubs are probably not going to accept the allegedly lower offer from the Dodgers just to appease Dempster when they know they have something better out there. That's just bad for business. I guess it's better to get something than nothing, but the Cubs can presumambly still offer Dempster a contract after the off-season that would net them draft picks. They run the risk that Dempster accepts it, but at 36, he'll certainly be eyeing a multi-year deal and 1-year of Dempster at around $12M wouldn't necessarily be terrible, especially considering the current lack of Cubs starting pitching options.

Let's hope Dempster gets over the bruised ego and that Randall Delgado is one of those pitching options.

Tags
Ryan Dempster
Cubs rumors

Comments

Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 07/24/2012 - 07:00 pm

Wandy to Pirates "close" to happening according to a Rotoworld blurb a team allegedly interested in Maholm.

Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 07/24/2012 - 07:03 pm

“It makes it harder when something that wasn’t supposed to be public knowledge becomes public knowledge, especially before I even knew it was public knowledge,” Dempster said. “That’s when it gets harder is when you get everybody’s opinions of what is going on and it really isn’t what was going on or what took place. You don’t really get to focus your full attention on what you’re trying to do you have to focus on everybody’s perception of what is going on.” http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/12118/beloved-dempster-i… "beloved" dempster is a bit of a reach, no? He was absolutely hated as a closer and just barely tolerated as a starter, even when he was doing well.

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 07/24/2012 - 07:08 pm

it's all probably something as simple as dumpster wanting an extension and the bottleneck is what ATL wants vs what dumpster's agent wants. if it's not done (or dead) by the time dumpster gets his next start that should be interesting.

Submitted by Cubster on Tue, 07/24/2012 - 07:50 pm

AZ Cubs up 4-1 after first, although the official scorer might be wrong: Shawon Dunston doubles (2) on a line drive to right fielder Joshua McAdams. Daniel Lockhart grounds out, second baseman Claudio Bautista to first baseman Nelson Rodriguez. Shawon Dunston to 3rd. Albert Almora reaches on a fielding error by shortstop Dorssys Paulino. Shawon Dunston scores. Jorge Soler reaches on a force attempt, fielding error by shortstop Dorssys Paulino. Albert Almora to 2nd. Ben Carhart homers (1) on a fly ball to left field. Albert Almora scores. Jorge Soler scores. Yasiel Balaguert singles on a ground ball to right fielder Joshua McAdams. David Bote called out on strikes. Justin Marra grounds out, shortstop Dorssys Paulino to first baseman Nelson Rodriguez.

[ ]

Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 07/24/2012 - 07:05 pm

From Goldstein on Monday Allen Webster, RHP, Dodgers (Double-A Chattanooga) It's been a strange season for Webster. He entered the year as one of the best pitching prospects in the system, but not without some concerns, as he had a rough go of it during the second half of the season at Double-A. On the surface, he's struggling again, with a season line that includes a 4.06 ERA and more than a hit per inning, but in reality, there have been three parts to his year. After putting up a 7.49 ERA in his first seven starts, Webster spent three weeks in the bullpen trying to straighten things out. Since his return to the rotation, he's put up a 2.11 ERA in nine starts, including a season-high 10 strikeouts over six innings on Friday. What was going wrong is a bit of a mystery, as Webster has always had the stuff for things to go right: a heavy 93-95 mph fastball, an easy plus changeup, and a decent slider.

Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 07/24/2012 - 07:13 pm

“The Chicago Cubs are going to do what’s best for the Cubs,” Dempster said. “I have a chance to do what’s best for me. And I’m going to try and do that.” ~snip~ “I don’t want to start saying who I’m down to or (not),” Dempster said, “because that’s how rumors start and things fly all around and things get out that aren’t supposed to get out. Something that’s supposed to be a private matter doesn’t stay private.”

[ ]

Submitted by tem99 on Tue, 07/24/2012 - 07:36 pm

And what exactly is the best thing here for Dempster? I understand the 10x5 rights he's earned it blah blah blah, but good lord it's 2 freakin months. He's going to get paid regardless whether he signs an extension with a team he's traded to or not. As others have mentioned, the anger/resentment/whatever emotion he has seems a bit irrational here given that rumors have been swirling for along while now. He's certainly not endearing himself to cubs fans here holding team hostage. Because that's exactly what he's doing.

Recent comments

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I don’t see Tauchman as a weak link in any position. He simply adds his value in a different way.

    I don’t know that we gain much by putting him in the outfield - Happ, Bellinger and Suzuki and Tauchman all field their positions well. If you’re looking for Taucnman’s kind of AB in a particular game I don’t see why it can’t come from DH.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Tauchman gets a pinch hit RBI single with a liner to RF. This is his spot. He's a solid 4th OF. But he isn't a DH. 

    He takes pitches. Useful. I still believe in having good hitters.

    You don't want your DH to be your weak link (other than your C maybe)

  • crunch (view)

    bit of a hot take here, but i'm gonna say it.

    the 2024 marlins don't seem to be good at doing baseballs.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Phil, will the call up for a double header restart that 15 days on assignment for a pitcher? Like will wesneski’s 15 days start yesterday, or if he’s the 27th man, will that mean 15 days from tomorrow?

    I hope that makes sense. It sounds clearer in my head.

  • Charlie (view)

    Tauchman obviously brings value to the roster as a 4th outfielder who can and should play frequently. Him appearing frequently at DH indicated that the team lacks a valuable DH. 

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally onboard with your thoughts concerning today’s lineup. Not sure about your take on Tauchman though.

    The guy typically doesn’t pound the ball out out of the park, and his BA is quite unimpressive. But he brings something unique to the table that the undisciplined batters of the past didn’t. He always provides a quality at bat and he makes the opposing pitcher work because he has a great eye for the zone and protects the plate with two strikes exceptionally well. In addition to making him a base runner more often than it seems through his walks, that kind of at bat wears a pitcher down both mentally and physically so that the other guys who may hit the ball harder are more apt to take advantage of subsequent mistakes and do their damage.

    I can’t remember a time when the Cubs valued this kind of contribution but this year they have a couple of guys doing it, with Happ being the other. It doesn’t make for gaudy stats but it definitely contributes to winning ball games. I do believe that’s why Tauchman has garnered so much playing time.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day. 

     

    That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled). 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Indeed they do TJW!

    For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.

    That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    The issue is the Cubs are 11-7 and have been on the road for 12 of those 18.  We should be at least 13-5, maybe 14-4. Jed isn't feeling any pressure to play anyone he doesn't see fit.
    But Canario on the bench, Morel not at 3B for Madrigal and Wisdom in RF wasn't what I thought would happen in this series.
    I was hoping for Morel at 3B, Canario in RF, Wisdom at DH and Madrigal as a pinch hitter or late replacement.
    Maybe Madrigal starts 1 game against the three LHSP for Miami.
    I'm thinking Canario goes back to Iowa on Sunday night for Mastrobuoni after the Miami LHers are gone.
    Canario needs ABs in Iowa and not bench time in MLB.
    With Seiya out for a while Wisdom is safe unless his SOs are just overwhelmingly bad.

    My real issue with the lineup isn't Madrigal. I'm not a fan, but I've given up on that one.
    It's Tauchman getting a large number of ABs as the de factor DH and everyday player.
    I didn't realize that was going to be the case.
    We need a better LH DH. PCA or ONKC need to force the issue in about a month.
    But, even if they do so, Jed doesn't have to change anything if the Cubs stay a few over .500!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally depends on the team and the player involved. If your team’s philosophy is to pay huge dollars to bet on the future performance of past stars in order to win championships then, yes, all of the factors you mentioned are important.

    If on the other hand, if the team’s primary focus is to identify and develop future stars in an effort to win a championship, and you’re a young player looking to establish yourself as a star, that’s a fit too. Otherwise your buried within your own organization.

    Your comment about bringing up Canario for the purposes of sitting him illustrates perfectly the dangers of rewarding a non-performing, highly paid player over a hungry young prospect, like Canario, who is perpetually without a roster spot except as an insurance call up, but too good to trade. Totally disincentivizing the performance of the prospect and likely diminishing it.

    Sticking it to your prospects and providing lousy baseball to your fans, the consumers and source of revenue for your sport, solely so that the next free agent gamble finds your team to be a comfortable landing spot even if he sucks? I suppose  that makes sense to some teams but it’s definitely not the way I want to see my team run.

    Once again, DJL, our differences in philosophy emerge!

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