--OF/INF Jake Fox was optioned to Class AAA Iowa despite posting impressive spring stats. The 26-year-old hit .350 (21-for-60) with four homers and 16 RBIs. "He can swing the bat," manager Lou Piniella said. "I told him to keep working at first base, a little left field, maybe behind the plate as a third catcher. He's getting to the point where he's getting much closer to the big leagues."
--OF Sam Fuld, who played briefly for the Cubs in 2007 but spent all of last season in the minors, was optioned to Class AAA Iowa. He hit .250 (7-for-28) with two homers and three RBIs this spring. --RHP Jose Ascanio, considered a longshot candidate for a bullpen slot, was optioned to Class AAA Iowa. He allowed eight runs in 5 2/3 inning this spring.
--LHP Sean Marshall has won the fifth starter's job to open the season. Marshall, who had the inside track coming into spring training, beat out RHPs Aaron Heilman, Chad Gaudin and Jeff Samardzija. However, with an off day in the opening week of the season, manager Lou Piniella is likely to skip Marshall's first turn through the rotation, meaning Marshall could work in long relief before his first start.
--C Koyie Hill appears to have a big lead over Paul Bako and Mark Johnson for the job as Geovany Soto's backup. Through March 20, Hill was batting .394 with a home run and three doubles. He has come up from the minor leagues the past two years and filled in as the backup.
--RHPs Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg each worked more than one inning for the first time in the March 20 game against the Padres. Manager Lou Piniella said he may announce soon which of the two will win the closer's job. Marmol set up RHP Kerry Wood last year. Gregg was the Marlins' closer. Whichever one loses out will work the eighth inning.
--RHP Rich Harden missed his March 20 start because of a nasty stomach bug. Harden started only twice before that because the Cubs are taking it easy with his troublesome right shoulder, which Harden says is fine. Piniella said he doesn't believe the illness will put in jeopardy Harden's timetable for starting the fourth game of the regular season. The Cubs want three right-handers to face Milwaukee in the second series. They'd send Harden, Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster against the Brewers.
--1B Derrek Lee has been slowed by a sore right quadriceps. Lee played March 16, then sat out the next four days. The Cubs said they were being precautionary with the injury, and Lee said he would have played if it were the regular season. Lee also expressed no concern about a low batting average and a lack of power in the spring.
BY THE NUMBERS: 18 -- RBIs for 1B Micah Hoffpauir, tops in the major leagues through March 20. Hoffpauir has all but clinched a spot on the roster.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "This is going to sound odd, but Elton John is going to help us win some ballgames." -- Cubs chairman Crane Kenney on the revenue generated by having John and Billy Joel play concerts at Wrigley Field.
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