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MESA, Arizona – Two days before the Cubs camp kicked off, their opening day program was announced Sunday when they named their left-handed Brian Duensing in trouble. The move comes one day after choosing the player Ian Happ to the miners.
It is still possible that the Cubs add a player from a waiver or exchange request to fill an opening on the list, but President Theo Epstein said the odds are "high enough" for those who compose the final mix are already in-house. .
"There is always movement right at the end of the camp," he said. "There are players we have an eye on and teams we're still talking to, but we've talked to them all this spring, and it's probably more likely than not that the 25 guys we broke up with are here in the camp. "
The Cubs added a southpaw, using the location of the 40-man team left by Duensing to sign reliever Tim Collins, recently released by the Twins after throwing last season for the Nationals.
Mark Zagunis scored in the first leg Sunday against the Padres. (AP Photo / Elaine Thompson)
Collins, who signed a $ 850,000 split contract for major leagues, was immediately selected for the AAA Iowa category.
Except for a last-minute acquisition, the Happ move means cornerback Mark Zagunis will win the position of final position player after what his manager, Joe Maddon, has called a "remarkable" spring. After an injury in 2018, he showed that the minor league instructors had touted the power and capabilities of the base on its bases.
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"What he does is not a surprise; we just did not see that here, "said Maddon about the Zagunis, who have had brief stretching with the league club over the past two seasons.
At first glance, the composition of the pen looks more like a pot-luck than a main coast. In the first month, Brandon Morrow (elbow) close, Pedro Strop emerging from a hamstring problem, Tyler Chatwood standing there after historic control problems, Brandon Kintzler back after a bad finish and a single veteran southpaw ( Mike Montgomery).
And with Duensing released, the choices for the final spot look much craigslist than Craig Kimbrel. Left-handed Kyle Ryan or southpaw Randy Rosario should receive the call before the Cubs leave Arizona on Tuesday.
But Epstein, whose team used 23 pitchers and five players in relief position last season, looks at his pen over the weeks and months as an eight-player opening team, plus Morrow, as well as another crew of eight players deep in Iowa.
Collins
"You still have worries every year because you always imagine what happens if this guy is not healthy, what happens if that guy does not perform, what are the backup plans "said Epstein.
"The next eight bullpen that we will have in Triple-A will be the best group we have there since I've been here. So when I look at this group of, say, 16 throwers, I'm really confident that there will be at least eight throwers in this group who will have very good years in the major leagues. "
Duensing, a club favorite, had a career season for the Cubs in 2017 before signing a two-year contract to come back and sag during a 2018 season that was also crippled by injuries.
Assuming that Duensing and his $ 3.5 million salary are not deducted from waivers, he should return to the organization and start the season in the underage category.
Duensing
"This guy has been part of our culture and success for the past two years," Maddon said. "He plays an important role in the maintenance of our enclosure. And even in the clubhouse, he's really a good guy; the guys are gathering towards him. And that's missing for the moment.
"But if all goes well, maybe you'll see him here with us while he's still working on stuff."
Scheduled List of Opening Day Cubs
- Starting throwers (5): LH Jon Lester, RH Darvish, LH Cole Hamels, RH Kyle Hendricks, LH Jose Quintana.
- Terrain in relief(8 *): RH Pedro Strop, HR Carl Edwards Jr., HR Steve Cishek, LH Mike Montgomery, RH Brad Brach, RH Brad Kintzler and RH Tyler Chatwood.
- Seekers (2) Willson Contreras, Victor Caratini.
- infielders (6): 1B Anthony Rizzo, 3B Kris Bryant, SS Javy Baez, Daniel Descalso, Bote David, IF / OF Ben Zobrist.
- outfielders (4): LF Kyle Schwarber, FC Albert Almora Jr., RF / FC Jason Heyward, LF / RF Mark Zagunis.
* -The final place should go to one of the last two left-handers of the camp in competition: Kyle Ryan and Randy Rosario.
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