Cardenas in, DeWitt out as Cubs make infield change
--INF Adrian Cardenas was claimed off waivers from the A's, and he will have a chance to earn a spot on the Cubs' bench this srping. Cardenas, 24, was obtained by Oakland in the 2008 deal that sent RHP Joe Blanton to the Phillies, but the A's never have felt that he had an ideal position. Cardenas played four spots at Class AAA Sacramento in 2011 -- left field, shortstop, third base and second base. He hit .314/.374/.418 with five homers and 51 RBI in 127 games.
--INF/OF Blake DeWitt was designated for assignment by the Cubs when the team acquired INF Adrian Cardenas off waivers from the A's. DeWitt, 26, appeared in 121 games for Chicago last year, hitting .265/.305/.413 with five homers and 26 RBI. He split time between left field, second base and third base.
--LHP Trever Miller might be the most interesting name among the 22 non-roster invitees to spring training on minor league contracts. The 38-year-old Miller has 694 big league appearances, all but five as a reliever. He pitched briefly for Toronto and Boston last year. With the December trade of LHP Sean Marshall to the Reds, Miller gives the Cubs some depth from the left side of the bullpen, where James Russell is the heir-apparent to Marshall.
--RHP Esmailin Caridad, a once-promising reliever, will be back as a non-roster player. The 28-year-old Caridad broke camp with the Cubs in 2010, but had forearm and elbow issues. Last season at Class AAA (Des Moines) Iowa, he was 3-2 with an 8.27 ERA and four saves in 26 relief appearance. He'll be insurance from the right side, as Kerry Wood and Jeff Samardzija will be the primary setup men to closer and RHP Carlos Marmol.
--RHP Matt Garza's new contract is worth $9.5 million with incentives for innings pitched that could add another $150,000. Barring a trade, something that has been rumored all offseason, Garza is the Cubs' likely Opening Day starter after he went 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA. Garza fell short of the 200-inning mark (pitching 198) because of a right-elbow contusion that landed him on the disabled list from May 18-June 6. Garza figures to supplant last year's Opening Day starter Ryan Dempster, who probably will be slotted as the No. 2 man.
--CF Brett Jackson could be a player to watch this spring. The Cubs added the 23-year-old Jackson, their top pick from 2009, to the list of non-roster invitees. Team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer have done their best to tamp down expectations of Jackson making the team. First, the Cubs still have veteran CF Marlon Byrd. Second, the new management team said it does not want to rush top prospects to the major leagues, contending that Triple-A experience can go a long way toward polishing a player's skills. Jackson played for Team USA in the fall after splitting time last season between Class AA (Kodak) Tennessee and Class AAA (Des Moines) Iowa. He hit 20 home runs and had a .274 batting average, with a .379 OBP between the two stops. He is likely to open the season at Iowa.
--RHP Trey McNutt might have gotten a promotion to the big leagues last year with the Cubs' desperate pitching situation, but persistent blister problems on his pitching hand likely cost him a shot. The 22-year-old McNutt was 5-6 with a 4.55 ERA at Class AA Tennessee in 23 games, with the blister ailment limiting him to 95 innings. He'll be in camp as a non-roster man, and it's likely he'll open the season at Tennessee. The Cubs feel McNutt is a diamond in the rough as a 32nd-round draft pick in 2009. He entered last season as a fast-tracker, going 13-2 with a 2.19 ERA in his first 38 minor league starts.
BY THE NUMBERS
7 -- RHP Matt Garza left with the lead seven times without getting a decision last year, contributing to a 10-10 record that easily could have been better. Garza also allowed 17 unearned runs, third-most in the majors and a reflection on the poor Cubs defense of 2011.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Rather than to call the Cubs new school or old school now, I would hope that an honest assessment would be that you could call us thorough. And call us inclusive." -- Team president Theo Epstein, on the new management team's perceived approach as more computer friendly and analytical than the previous regime.
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