Since I will be attending my first Cubs game of the year today, let’s take a look at their roster and how they’ve performed in games I’ve attended up to now.

Starting Pitchers

Name	Games	Wins	Losses	ERA	Saves	Ks	Walks
Andrew Cashner	3	0	2	3.86	0	2	2
Ryan Dempster	69	13	9	4.00	14	136	80
Matt Garza	1	0	1	7.50	0	4	4
Randy Wells	10	2	4	3.10	0	49	17
Carlos Zambrano	60	20	15	4.09	0	283	146

Zambrano and Dempster are the deans of the staff.  Garza comes over from the AL, where I’ve only seen him once (08 ALDS, I believe).  Wells hopes to bounce back from a disappointing sophmore season.  Cashner moves to the rotation after mostly coming out of the bullpen last year.

Relief Pitchers

Name	Games	Wins	Losses	ERA	Saves	Ks	Walks
John Grabow	13	1	0	4.66	0	11	3
Carlos Marmol	69	5	3	2.75	3	101	45
Sean Marshall	39	7	11	4.40	0	71	33
Marcos Mateo	0	0	0	——	0	0	0
James Russell	3	0	0	2.45	0	3	0
Jeff Samardzija	7	0	0	3.37	0	6	3
Kerry Wood	55	10	12	3.80	11	217	109

John Grabow is basically a LOOGY.  Marmol set a record for highest K/9 last year, but still walks way too many people.  Marshall could probably be a 3-5 starter somewhere, but just never got the chance here.  Marcos Mateo, welcome to the show.  Nothing to say about Russell.  Samardzija might have made a poor career choice.  Kerry Wood turned down bigger offers to come back to the Northside.

Catchers

Name	Games	Average	RBI	Walks	Ks	2B	3B	HR	SB
Koyie Hill	26	0.222	8	5	10	3	0	1	0
Geovany Soto	80	0.305	40	38	63	18	2	7	0

Soto had a bit of a bounce back year last year, and has been strong when I’ve been there.  Hill is a backup who really provides little offense.

Infielders

Name	Games	Average	RBI	Walks	Ks	2B	3B	HR	SB
Jeff Baker	19	0.302	7	3	16	1	2	3	0
Darwin Barney	0	—–	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Starlin Castro	10	0.313	1	4	4	5	0	0	0
Blake DeWitt	8	0.185	3	3	4	1	0	0	0
Carlos Pena	9	0.379	8	4	11	2	0	1	2
Aramis Ramirez	226	0.274	155	76	132	51	4	40	1

Ramirez has become the elder statesman of the infield.  Pena is hoping to bounce back from a disappointing season with Tampa Bay.  DeWitt played himself out of a starting job in spring training and has shown nothing when I’ve been in attendance.  Castro had a strong rookie season at the plate.  Jeff Baker injured himself attempting to light his farts on fire last year.  Barney came up long after I stopped going to games last year.

Outfielders

Name	Games	Average	RBI	Walks	Ks	2B	3B	HR	SB
Marlon Byrd	22	0.259	4	4	17	4	0	0	3
Tyler Colvin	16	0.172	4	3	14	1	1	1	0
Kosuke Fukudome	74	0.258	20	34	49	15	3	1	7
Reed Johnson	39	0.280	23	3	26	5	1	2	1
Alfonso Soriano	116	0.279	48	30	107	27	1	17	11

Byrd started off strong, but faded down the stretch and has faced scutiny for his BALCO connections.  Colvin was in the midst of a decent rookie season when he got stabbed in the heart by a bat shard.  Fukudome has been a bust and finishes out his contract.  Johnson is fine for what he is.  Soriano has not come close to what the Cubs thought they were getting and still has 5? years left on his deal.