Former Valpo Standout May or May Not Make Major League Squad
As spring training draws to a close, Opening Day draws nearer each day. All the while, Chicago Cubs’ general manager Jim Hendry, along with manager Lou Pinella must trim down the clubs spring training roster to 25 individuals who will ultimately make the major league roster.
At this point, it is unclear whether Jeff Samardzija will be playing for the Chicago Cubs or the Iowa Cubs (AAA).
Samardzija did, however, make the Cubs’ latest cut, which send reliever Sam Fuld and super-utility player Jake Fox down to the Triple-A spring training. This move brought the Cubs spring training roster down to 37 players, 13 away from the final cut. According to a recent Cubs Press Release, the remaining 37 players, 18 are pitchers. The final cut will likely leave 11 to 13 pitchers on the roster.
The Cubs’ starting five has already been set with Carlos Zambrano as the Opening Day starter, followed by Ryan Dempster, Rich Harden, Ted Lilly, and Sean Marshall. Counting in guaranteed major league roster spots to closers Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg, the lone lefty reliever in Neal Cotts, and sure-things in Aaron Heilman and Chad Guadin, that leaves only one to three spots open for Samardzija, Kevin Hart, Luis Visciano, and Angel Guzman.