Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

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

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

Last updated 4-12-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

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

OPTIONED: 10 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 3
Julian Merryweather, P
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 1 
Caleb Kilian, P 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Brian Giles Hates the Cubs

Submitted by Rob G. on

Since the last time I used "Hates the Cubs" in a headline it got a bunch of extra hits from the interwebs, I thought I'd try it again (never underestimate how much the Cubs are despised by the rest of the world). The good folks at Chicago Cubs Online did a pretty thorough rundown of Bruce Levine's radio show yesterday and it's chocked full of information. I covered the rumors in this comment but there's the little tidbit where the Cubs had a deal in place for Brian Giles before last year's trade deadline and he turned it down.

In theory, the Cubs would have been spared the last 2 months of Kosuke Fukudome suck and all that playoff controversy fun. As we also know, Giles turned down a chance to go to the Boston Red Sox on a waiver wire deal after July 31st. So I think it's safe to assume that Brian Giles is mildly retarded. Alright, just kidding around, but for the life of me I can't think of a good reason why a player wouldn't want to play for a contender for 2-3 months. I mean, Giles had a team option for 2009 that certainly wasn't guaranteed to be picked up, so it's not like he was counting on returning to the Padres for 2009. The Padres have since picked it up, but that was no give-in in July or August. If he was worried about 2009, he could have made the Cubs or Red Sox guarantee the 2009 option or gone the other way and made them guarantee the $3M buyout so he could find whatever job he wanted this offseason. Instead, he chose to stick with one of the worst teams in the league.

Odd. Maybe Giles just doesn't like the tanning salons in Chicago or Boston. 

It did save the Cubs locker room from all kinds of naked shenanigans and ass-grabbing though.  (Giles shows up around 5:20 and be sure to check out the stoned or drunk (or both) Sean Burroughs right before that)

Enter TCR's Free Agent Frenzy contest for a chance to win wonderful prizes (okay prize).
Tags
Cubs rumors
Brian Giles

Comments

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:56 am

the pull of living in SD can't be underestimated...and giles seems to love SD. it's probably more about controlling his destiny in 09 more than what he might be doing the last 2 months of 08. whatever the reason is, he's had multiple opportunities to go to obvious WS contenders and it's always a blunt "no thanks." the guy is a great gamble at his option price, and with the 3m buyout it was almost a sure thing that where ever he ended up he'd be picked up another season.

Submitted by The Real Neal on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:25 am

Giles has already been to the playoffs and been in pennant races. What were the Cubs and Sox offering that he hasn't already experienced? A chance at the WS? A 12.5% or a little better chance, shrug, he knows that making the playoffs doesn't guarantee a WS appearance. Good to see the Cubs are kicking the tires on Bradley.

Submitted by 10man on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:56 am

i regret clicking play on that video. "We (him and Jason Kendall) got our tips frosted, then we went for a couple of rounds in the tanning bed." -Brian Giles Chad, are you there?

Submitted by Dusty Baylor on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:49 am

I know his is from a previous post, and I hate to seem like I'm defending Brian Giles in anyway, but he wasn't a AAAA player by any means, or just a platoon guy. He got stuck behind an OF of Manny Ramirez-Kenny Lofton-Albert Belle. The tribe also had Jeromy Burnitz waiting for a shot to play after the Mets dealt him. Giles is still a d-bag.....

[ ]

Submitted by Rob G. on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:23 pm

Belle left Cleveland after 1996, Giles left Cleveland after 1998, so he certainly was blocked for some of that time by Belle, Lofton and Ramirez.

if you look at his minor league numbers, you can see he had a nice AAA season in 1994, yet had to repeat it in 1995 and another half season in 1996, very likely because of Albert Belle.

He finally got a shot with the Indians in '97 (after Belle left), but split time with David Justice, played some CF and RF as well (Grissom and Manny were the regulars). He finally got the bulk of playing time in LF in 1998 before being traded for Ricardo Rincon (whoops).

Submitted by Ryno on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:01 am

I think we all know the reason why Giles won't leave if you just ask yourself... in your heart of hearts, you know... He'd miss the gay sex with Chris Young. (Of course, I use the term 'gay sex' loosely, considering Chris Young's vagina and all...)

Submitted by MikeC on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:10 am

Brian Giles was born in El Cajon, California which is a sub-burb of San Diego. Which kind of explains why he doesn't want to leave SD.

Submitted by The Joe on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:24 am

I'm amazed that people get angry when a player uses his NTC. That's the fucking point of getting one. It's no one's business why he uses it, imo, it's his right. Family, west coast, gay sex, lame tans, whatever. Not everyone lives their life based around the possibility of a championship...so good thing he didn't come over. The Cubs lost and looked ridiculous. Clearly, he made the right choice.

[ ]

Submitted by big_lowitzki on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 11:56 pm

Yea... i am aware that starters make more than relievers. I am also aware that if Jason Marquis had been moved to the bullpen last year, he still would have made same amount of money. I am also aware that even if he had been moved to the bullpen, he still could get starter money when he becomes a free agent. But other than that, you may have a point. And drywalling? Huh?

[ ]

Submitted by The Real Neal on Thu, 11/13/2008 - 11:20 am

So, if the Cubs put Marquis in the bullpen for 2008-2009 he would make the same money in 2010 had he had 65 league average starts over the same period? Seriously, how can you not understand that? " I am also aware that even if he had been moved to the bullpen, he still could get starter money when he becomes a free agent." Yeah... give ONE, that it's just ONE, example in the history of major league baseball where this has been true. 130 years of baseball - go to it. You realize, just because you say something, that doens't make it true... haha, what am I saying? Of course you don't realize that!

Submitted by Cubster on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:28 pm

its cool to see so many Geo Soto's in one place. ---------------------- That's the first thing I thought as well. The second was, "Where's Waldo?"

Submitted by Cubster on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:38 pm

Edinson Volquez, who wasn't a rookie after throwing 70 innings for the Rangers from 2005-07, was given three second-place votes. ------------------- Votto got the one first place vote that didn't go to Geo. Seems like Cincy is a bit backwater. I hear Vada Pinson also got a 3rd place vote although that was probably from Marty Brenneman who thought he got to vote too.

[ ]

Submitted by CPH2133 on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:18 pm

Onley just said that on ESPN, to paraphrase...If the A's in on contention in 09, then cheers. If not they'll get a "C.C. like package" for him in July, and if they can't work a deal, they'll get at least 2 compensation picks. Also he said Houston Street and Gonzalez (some minor league OF from the Harren trade) were part of the package

Submitted by CPH2133 on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:22 pm

I couldn't watch it while teaching the youth of the nation (they block youtube) but i'm glad i caught it now. 1. Burroughs is for sure hammered and stoned (just listen to how happy he was about the in and out burger) 2. Giles was hammered too, always funny to see professional athletes just shit faced. 3. I'd bang Giles' mom.

Submitted by Newport on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:56 pm

3. I'd bang Giles' mom I hope you are kidding. Just go to your local bowling alley to find a similar piece of white trash. She'll be outside smoking.

[ ]

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 11/11/2008 - 11:13 pm

the phrase is generally thought to come from the turbulent time around the 1850s where poor whites who didn't own property were arguing for their right to vote. they finally got that right. this was soon followed/countered by states creating literacy tests in order for people to vote since most poor people (whites included) were disproportionately illiterate. though this concept was "born" in the north (Mass.) it was adopted in southern reconstruction states decades later as a way to limit the voting rights of blacks. "racism"...it's more about class than race, but there's a lot of people throughout history who's main purpose is to make others believe it's about race instead of class. woo...fun with being sidetracked.

Submitted by The Real Neal on Tue, 11/11/2008 - 11:22 pm

One more reasons not to like Californians - they make burritos at a tailgate party. They probably boo when they realize it's not a proper 'futbol' game.

[ ]

Submitted by Rob G. on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 11:17 pm

knock it off Neal....

you're not special, you're not smarter and you're not important...I let it go for this long, but I'm tired of you insulting everyone around here. 

If you don't like the site or the people around here, there's a million other sites. If you do, start behaving like a civil human being.

Recent comments

  • Bill (view)

    I had mixed emotions when I heard of the trade, as I have with most trades that involve high potential prospects.  But that is because I hate to trade a high potential prospect for a veteran with only a few years control, and with a much lower potential than the prospects give away.  I hated the trade of Cease and Jiminez for Quinta, because I viewed Quintana as a decent, but not top pitcher, being traded for two very high-potential prospects.  I disliked the trade for Chapman, because a high-potential prospect was traded for a rental, although in this case, the fact that the rental was a top player greatly softened the blow.  The trade of Ferris and Hope for Busch seemed even at the time, to be a good one, even though they gave up one of my favorite prospects.  The return was a high-potential prospect with 6 years of control, at a time when he could be a difference maker on the team.

    13 games hardly proves that it was a good trade, but at least it was a reasonable one, no matter how it turns out.  So far, so good.

  • crunch (view)

    i was strongly happy about the deal, but words can barely describe how quickly zyhir hope went from "interesting youngster" to "high end prospect" when he showed up in arizona post-draft.

    it may not have shown up in the team prospect numbered rankings, but the dodgers had their eyes on such a low level guy for a reason and the cubs knew what they gave up.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    I have to disagree. They got not just A triple A stud but THE AAA stud of the entire PCL for a position player who hadn’t played above the AZL level and a pitcher who was rather mediocre in his first taste of pro ball at low A. I’m not saying the guys they traded haven’t shown great promise but they have a very long way to go and a whole lot to prove before they make the bigs. Especially since Busch nearly filled a defined need (whether it had been at third or first) I take this trade any day of the week and don’t bother looking back.

  • crunch (view)

    matt shaw (AA) has a .381/.552/.905 line through 7 games...3 homers and a triple.  6 games at 3rd, 1 game DH (5 PO, 7 A, 0 E).

    that's somewhat fun news.

  • crunch (view)

    i was blown away confused/pissed when it was announced the cubs were trading for y.almonte.

    i was thrilled when m.busch was announced as part of the trade.

    it's really weird to have the "you gotta take this payroll guy, too" (1.9m) part of the trade leak before the main piece.

    the cubs didn't get a deal given what they gave up, but i was very happy to have a guy like busch in the fold with so much club control.

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Have to admit I was initially disappointed the Cubs traded away the upside of Jackson Ferris but Busch is making a believer out of me.  If I still lived in midwest guessing we would have invented some drink special named a Busch Bomb at the local drinking establishment to celebrate his homers.  

  • Cubster (view)

    per Tribune: Suzuki MRI results pending from yesterday so we should get a timetable for return later today.

  • crunch (view)

    suzuki says he injured his oblique running to 1st, not swinging.  okay.  it's gonna be that kind of 2024 cubs year, huh?

    i would say that's good news compared to screwing it up swinging, but i'm not familiar with the recovery time of people screwing up their oblique by running.

    right side is at least different from his left side oblique injury last year.

  • crunch (view)

    5 IN A ROW!

    hack wilson, ryne sandberg, sammy sosa, christopher morel, and michael busch.

  • Cubster (view)

    A bit more Jewish take on one of my favorite Cubs, Kenny Holtzman. His 9-0 season while serving in the National Guard and being available to pitch on weekends was one of my coolest teen recollections. 

    https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388554

Click HERE for the last 50 comments