--Neither 1B Derrek Lee nor 3B Aramis Ramirez will take part in the World Baseball Classic. The Cubs are happy about that. Lee said he'd love to participate, but that he was told by Team USA that he wouldn't see much playing time behind Kevin Youkilis. Ramirez said the Dominican Republic "already has a good third baseman" in Alex Rodriguez. The Cubs want to experiment with the middle of the order, where Lee and Ramirez are key parts. They'd also like to make sure Ramirez's legs stay strong.
--1B/OF Micah Hoffpauir has a bench job to lose, according to manager Lou Piniella. Hoffpauir, who batted .342 in 33 games with the Cubs last year, will back up Derrek Lee at first and see some time in the outfield if he indeed does make the team. He'll be 29 on March 1, and as an "older" player with not much big-league experience, he figures to handle a bench role better than would a younger rookie. --CF Kosuke Fukudome is a candidate to lead off on certain days, manager Lou Piniella said. If Piniella rests LF Alfonso Soriano or drops Soriano from first to the middle of the order on some days, Piniella can choose from among SS Ryan Theriot, INF Aaron Miles, 2B Mike Fontenot, and apparently, Fukudome, to bat first. Despite a horrid second half last year, Fukudome ended up with a .359 on-base percentage for the season. The Cubs won't see Fukudome until later this spring. Fukudome is in Japan preparing for the World Baseball Classic.
--Piniella said the Cubs will not keep two lefties in the bullpen just to keep two lefties. Neal Cotts has the inside track on making the club as the lone lefty in the 'pen. Cotts says he feels he's turned a career corner. He came up from Class AAA Iowa last year and struck out 43 in 35 2/3 innings while going 0-2 with a 4.29 ERA. The Cubs say Cotts' fastball picked up additional life. He gets righties and lefties out at about the same clip. One interesting lefty to watch is 41-year-old Mike Stanton, in camp as a non-roster man. Stanton did not pitch last year after being cut by the Reds after spring training.
--RHP Rich Harden has thrown off a mound early this spring, but he's on his own, slower, pace. Harden worked at the Cubs' facility in Arizona to strengthen his right shoulder. Both he and the Cubs have talked around the possibility that Harden has a small tear in the shoulder. Harden has done extensive flat-ground throwing so far before he steps up on one of the bullpen mounds. The Cubs insist he'll pitch in the Cactus League and be ready to start the regular season in the rotation.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5-foot-8 -- That's the height of both second-base candidates: Mike Fontenot and Aaron Miles. SS Ryan Theriot is listed as 5-11, meaning the Cubs will field one of baseball's smallest keystone combos this year.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "There should be zero tolerance. We've had plenty of warnings. There's no excuses. If you get caught now, there should be no sympathy. A year, to me, is even light. Why would you get caught doing steroids?" -- 1B Derrek Lee.
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