5 Burning Questions

Pitchers and catchers reported last week and the first spring training games are looming. Every team has questions that need to be answered and, and always, speculation is in the air. Here are my 5 burning questions hovering over the Cubs’ spring camp:

1.) Who is the everyday second basemen?

I remember the days when you woke up every morning and just knew the answer to this question, but now it seems like 2011 will be the year of the 2B platoon. Let’s review the candidates:

Blake DeWitt
The left-handed side of this platoon is only 25 years old but I feel like we’re in for a Bobby Hill style disappointment. The former 1st rounder hasn’t done anything to solidify any sort of confidence in his ability be play the position everyday. A career batting average of .259 makes me feel like he’s destined for the bottom of the lineup. He doesn’t hit the long ball and has only 6 career stolen bases, so it’s not like we’re trading power for speed here.

Jeff Baker
The right-handed hitting side of the duo really isn't offering up a better solution. His numbers suggest he has more power than DeWitt, but in 6 big league seasons he's only played in 100 games one time. He does take his share of walks and has a better than average fielding percentage, but it appears that, at best, he's ideal for a platoon or pinch-hitting role.

in the running: Darwin Barney, Michael Young (hey I can dream)

2.) Can Quade continue his winning ways?

Mike Quade very quietly went 24-13 in his brief tenure at the helm of the already forgotten 2010 Chicago Cubs. He won 6 of 8 series (including 3-game sweeps of the Nationals, Cardinals, and Marlins) and went 8-2 in his last 10 games. The players appeared to be buying in to what he was doing, and additions of Carlos Pena and Matt Garza give Quade a bit more to work with than the 2010 version did. So the big question remains: does he pick up where he left off in 2011?

3.) Who is going to round out the starting rotation?

The top three spots in the rotation are locked up, but beyond that your guess is as good as mine. As spring training opens I figure there are five guys vying for the final two spots. Carlos Silva and Randy Wells figure to be the front-runners, but Andrew Cashner, Casey Coleman, and James Russell are all young talent looking to turn some heads. Cashner and Russell worked out of the 'pen last year while Coleman posted a respectable 4-2 record in eight starts in the last two months of the season.

 4.) How does the return of Kid K affect the bullpen?

Kerry Wood gave the Cubs a hometown discount and turned down big bucks from the Yankees, so what does it mean for the bullpen? Wood's health is always a question mark, but if he can stay off the DL then the Cubs have a very formidable 8th/9th inning combo. Wood in the 8th inning to Carlos Marmol in the 9th inning is as dominant as.....well...when it was the reverse in 2008. Wood posted less than impressive ERA's during his year and a half stint with the Indians, but something clicked at the trading deadline last year when he was dealt to the Yankees. He went 2-0 with 31 strikeouts and 10 holds in only 26 innings pitched. If he can build off his 2010 resurgence then the Cubs' bullpen just received a very well priced boost of confidence.

5.) Will Castro and Colvin fall victim to the sophomore slump?

We all remember the catastrophic season that befell Geovany Soto in 2009. Fresh off an All-Star game starting nod and a Rookie of the Year award in 2008, Geo's batting average fell 67 points the following year and he drove in almost half as many runs.  Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin must avoid this same fate if the Cubs are going to contend in 2011. There is no doubt that Castro is going to continue to improve defensively, but like Colvin, he must provide consistent production at the plate. Unlike Castro, Colvin isn't assured a spot in the starting lineup. Quade will undoubtedly give him plenty of playing time and his power numbers will be there, but he will still need to improve on that .254 batting average.
 
Burning question honorable mention: Who the hell is going to play right field?