--2B/OF Mark DeRosa will play for Team USA this spring in the World Baseball Classic. Of course, DeRosa may or may not be with the Cubs by then. If the right deal comes along, GM Jim Hendry may trade DeRosa, a versatile player who will make a relatively modest $5.5 million in 2009. This is the second year in a row DeRosa has been in the middle of a roster controversy. Last offseason, the Cubs pursued Orioles 2B Brian Roberts, and his arrival would have pushed DeRosa out of a full-time job. DeRosa expressed unhappiness about the talk right through spring training before having a career year with 21 homers, 87 RBIs and a .376 on-base percentage.
--OF Kosuke Fukudome has been home in Japan this offseason working on "core" body strengthening, according to the Cubs. Fukudome faded badly in the second half, batting .217 after the All-Star break and losing his full-time job. There are no guarantees Fukudome will start every day in 2009, and he may share time in center field. The Cubs say they don't believe Fukudome was "figured out" by opposing teams, but they do feel he may have worn down as the season went on. --LHP Rich Hill presents the Cubs with legitimate worries. Hill began the 2008 season as the Cubs' fourth starter, but he was sent to the minor leagues in early May, and he didn't return. The command problems that mysteriously derailed his 2008 season continued in Venezuela during winter ball. Hill was 1-2 with a 6.86 ERA. He struck out 16 but walked 23 in 21 innings. Hill remains on the 40-man roster, but the Cubs have not mentioned his name all winter, and he appears a longshot at best to even work his way into the picture come spring training.
--RHP Kevin Hart again has the Cubs encouraged. Hart came up in late 2007 and pitched his way on to the playoff roster. He broke camp with the Cubs in '08 but wound up in the minor leagues, where he regrouped and earned a September call-up. The Cubs say they like the way Hart threw the ball in the minors and down the stretch, saying he regained his aggressiveness. Hart figures to compete for a bullpen spot in spring training. His name also came up in the trade talks with San Diego for RHP Jake Peavy.
--UT Jake Fox is listed on the Cubs' catching depth chart, but he spent most of 2008 in the minor leagues as a corner infielder and outfielder. Fox had a cup of coffee with the Cubs in 2007. The 26-year-old Fox, a right-handed batter, always has been able to hit. The Cubs love his bat, and if they don't trade him to the American League (where he could DH), they'll give him a long look in the spring and allow him to compete for a bench spot.
BY THE NUMBERS: 159 -- RBIs for 2B/OF Mark DeRosa since he joined the Cubs in 2007. That places him third on the team behind Aramis Ramirez (212) and Derrek Lee (172) during that time.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're going to be a big-market club. We've proven that." -- GM Jim Hendry, on being able to pursue big-name players.
