Bleacher Bums Forum

Sveum is going to announce the official list in a few minutes, but it looks like at least these guys have been cut: Coleman, Bogusevic, Nelson, Parker, Chapman, Carpenter, Maysonet.

Rusin is the biggest cut, he's going down to continue to start in AAA. 

Takahashi, Dolis, Putnam, and Wade are left competing for the last bullpen spot...got to think Takahashi is in unless he just really bombs in the last week.

Alberto Gonzalez and Clevenger are still around, but the Cubs are still looking outside the organization for their last infielder.

Ramon Ramirez just released by Giants.  I might prefer him over Takahashi for the last bullpen spot.

As I mentioned a few days ago, Figgins is primarily responsible for the worst 3B production of any club in over a decade:  the 2011 Mariners who had a 3B team slash line of 195-252-275.

Ain't nobody who is happy with the Cubs' 3B situation.  But I'm curious who here regrets that the Cubs let Aramis Ramirez go. 

I'm not because even though I appreciated his ability a lot, I think his presence would have had something of a detrimental effect on the culture change being undertaken.

My sense is that the Epstein regime placed a very high priority on that change, much higher than winning games in the short term.

Aramis had the 2nd best OPS+ of his career in 2012.  Not showing signs of a decline yet.  The guaranteed portion of his contract only runs through 2014, with an average of $12 per season in the deal.  I don't see that as a bad contract for the Brewers.

Basically, Cubs swapped Aramis for Pierce Johnson.  So, that might turn out great in the long run for the Cubs.

I think letting Aramis depart had a whole lot to do with culture.  I think Theo has implied as much in some of his general comments about unspecified guys who are no longer here.  Theo didn't want him--that's my sense.

There is no getting around the dramatic turnaround in 3B production caused (so far) by his departure and the dramatic improvement for the Brewers.  As I noted a few days ago, Cubs and Brewers basically swapped spots from the top to the bottom in 3B production from 2011 to 2012.  Incredible offensive difference.

You can say that it doesn't matter because Cubs are non-contenders and that having Aramis around might well have pushed the Cubs draft spot back from #2 this June, etc.  But, no getting around that current Cubs lineup would be dramatically better with Aramis at clean-up instead of Valbuena at #7.

No regret, it was the right move to make.  So he would have helped us win 65 games last year, who cares.  And might help us win 75 this year, who cares. 

Pierce Johnson is no sure thing, but I'd certainly not trade him back for Aram right now. 

And I'm not sure I'd want to trade the #2 pick for the #6 pick or whatever Aram's extra production might have bumped us to. 

Rookies are subjected to hazing in their first year, especially in September - looking after luggage, carrying stuff around the clubhouse, etc.

When Castro came up, Ramirez prevented the others from subjecting him to this, although he did not prevent the hazing of non-Latino players.

For this alone, he should have been gone immediately.