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December 22, 2011

Sun-Times Sean Marshall to be dealt to Reds; Bill Buckner joins minor-league staff By: GORDON WITTENMYER

They weren’t factors in the bidding for Japanese pitching star Yu Darvish and aren’t serious players in the sweepstakes.

But the Cubs are quietly having a busy week, bringing back one of their .300 hitters, adding a former champ to the organization and getting close to trading setup man Sean Marshall for young Reds left-handed starter .

The biggest name involved is former All-Star Bill Buckner, who has agreed to rejoin the organization as a hitting instructor for Boise (), where he lives.

A Cubs source confirmed the hiring of Buckner, who was briefly linked to coaching vacancies on ’s staff in Boston and last coached in the big leagues with the White Sox in 1996 and ’97. Buckner managed the independent Brockton (Mass.) Rox last season.

The Cubs announced all their minor-league managing, coaching and roving staff Wednesday, leaving only Buckner’s slot with a ‘‘TBD.’’

Meanwhile, the Cubs and Reds are nearing completion of a trade that would send Marshall — who team president said earlier this month ‘‘might be the most valuable left-handed reliever in all of baseball’’ — to Cincinnati for Wood and a pair of prospects.

Wood took a two- shutout into the eighth against the Cubs in his major-league debut two seasons ago before walking the first two batters of the eighth and exiting. He won a 3-2 decision, then faced the Cubs twice more that year in Reds’ wins.

In 17 starts that rookie season, Wood went 5-4 with a 3.51 ERA and allowed barely a baserunner per inning. But the control without an overpowering fastball regressed during a 2011 season that included lengthy stints in the minors.

With starting pitching depth being the Cubs’ top priority, acquiring Wood doesn’t mean talks with free- agent such as and would stop, contrary to some reports.

Finally, the Cubs also reached agreement with popular, hard-nosed on a one- year contract believed to be worth just over $1 million.

Johnson hit .309 with 28 extra-base hits in 246 at-bats of platoon duty in his second tour with the team last season.

Daily Herald No shock if Cubs move Garza, too By: Barry Rozner

Maybe it’s the language barrier.

Perhaps it’s that Chicago doesn’t speak Theo.

Sounded like English to me, but apparently it was difficult to comprehend when Theo Epstein said, “There is a significant amount of work to do. I’m not going to put a timetable on it, but there’s a lot to do to get this where we want it to be.”

Or maybe it was too complicated when Jed Hoyer said the Cubs would look for undervalued free agents to “fill holes” for the near term but wouldn’t blow a large portion of the payroll on a big-ticket free agent to try to fix the mistakes of the past — at least not when they’re years away from competing.

For two months Cubs management has been saying they’re going to completely rebuild this from the bottom up, and yet this is still a news flash to many when they hear it — over and over and over again.

The Cubs are years away from fixing this organization, and that means not a player on the roster is untouchable. No, not a single one, not even .

Now, a reasonable person can quite easily assume that Castro is going nowhere, that he’ll be 22 in March, is under control for five more years and has a huge future. His present is pretty good, too.

But if Cubs management was brought a package that included three potential Starlin Castro-type talents, they might consider it.

Again, I don’t believe that will occur.

The point is that there’s much concern the Cubs will trade , anger that they’ve dealt Sean Marshall, and worry about how it affects the 2012 season.

That’s the disconnect.

Something’s missing between the reality of where the Cubs are going to be the next two or three years and what some expect next season.

Think of it this way: Any player who isn’t certain to be here and helping the Cubs in a significant way in three years is absolutely expendable if he can bring the Cubs something of value in return.

The Cubs aren’t going to give away any reasonable assets, but Garza could net a huge package, so they’re shopping him to see just how big that could be. If they can’t get enough, the Cubs won’t do it and they’ll be happy to have Garza stay here and start for them, revisiting trades again in July and next off-season.

Garza will be 30 and a free agent in two years if the Cubs don’t trade him or lock him up long term before that.

If he remains on the roster, they have time to decide whether they want to do that. But in the meantime they will consider all the options — only one of which is trading Garza for a package of players that helps them build for the future.

The deal

Baseball America is out with its top 10 Rays prospects and ranks Hak-Ju Lee No. 2 and righty Chris Archer No. 3, projecting Archer as Tampa’s future . Both were acquired from the Cubs in the Matt Garza deal a year ago.

Bull stuff

How much did Tom Thibodeau like Rip Hamilton on Tuesday?

“Defensively,” Thibodeau said, “I thought he looked very good.”

It’s a meaningless exhibition game and one shouldn’t overreact to such a game, but Thibodeau doesn’t toss around defensive compliments unless merited.

The stat

QB Caleb Hanie now has a career rating of 41.6, which makes him the worst Bears QB of the last 10 years among those who have started at least three games, worse even than Craig Krenzel’s 52.5 and Jon Quinn’s 53.7.

Take some time with that, but you probably shouldn’t consider a large meal just before or after.

The new QB

You have to wonder how very little Josh McCown must have shown in practice for the Bears to keep going with Caleb Hanie.

At 0-2 after the terrible K.C. performance, McCown would have been in there if the Bears believed in him at all. And at 0-3 after the Denver game, the Bears came back with Hanie for a fourth start? Yikes.

Hare apparent

Kim Jong Un is reportedly a fan. He also takes Kwame Brown first in his fantasy league every year — which he wins every year by a billion points.

The quote

Derrick Rose, after signing a five-year, $94 million extension Wednesday: “Money, I don’t think, is gonna change me.”

Best line

Bulls Tom Thibodeau: “I wish it were a 10-year contract.”

Best tweet

Deadspin: “After five days in captivity, Chris Kaman emerges to assure family that he is unharmed and Hornets are treating him well.”

Best dream

Emailer Tom Barnicle: “My wish for this holiday season is that George McCaskey wakes up Christmas morning as Rocky Wirtz.”

Best headline

Onion Sports: “New horse-racing initiative aimed at training thoroughbreds from inner city.”

And finally …

This tweet from Chris Kaman, on his trade from the Clippers: “I feel like my girlfriend broke up with me, but I still want to be friends because I really like her family.”

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Daily Herald Is Cubs-Reds deal for pitchers close? By: Bruce Miles

If you’re worried about the Cubs trading left-handed reliever Sean Marshall, know that such a move fits the plan laid out by team president Theo Epstein and general Jed Hoyer.

While it is true Epstein said Marshall “might be the most valuable left-handed reliever in all of baseball,” that also makes him a valuable commodity in other teams’ eyes.

The Cubs would not confirm a report Wednesday that they have agreed to send Marshall to the for left-handed Travis Wood and a pair of minor-leaguers. Players in the proposed deal would have to pass physical exams first.

It fits the Epstein/Hoyer mold of trading a player nearing free agency (Marshall will be eligible after the 2012 season) for young players under team control for a long time.

Marshall, 29, will make $3.1 million in 2012, finishing a deal signed with former GM . That’s hardly bank-breaking money, especially if you agree that Marshall is the top left-handed reliever in the league.

But Marshall probably is at his peak trade value now, and who knows how much he’ll command if he hits the open market next fall.

Wood, who turns 25 in February, is not eligible for salary arbitration as he has just over one year of major-league service to his credit.

This year, Wood was 6-6 with a 4.84 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP in 22 games (18 starts). He pitched 106 , giving up 118 hits while walking 40 and striking out 76.

Wood made his major-league debut at on July 1, 2010, getting a no-decision as the Reds beat the Cubs 3-2 in 10 innings. On that day, Wood worked 7 innings, giving up 2 hits and 2 runs.

The Cubs could use a lefty in their rotation. As of now, they have right-handers Matt Garza (if they don’t trade him), , Randy Wells and perhaps , if he works his way back into the team’s good graces.

Reed all about it:

The Cubs and veteran outfielder Reed Johnson have agreed on a new deal, pending a physical, according to sources. Johnson has had chronic back problems for much of his career.

This year with the Cubs, Johnson appeared in 111 games and had a hitting line of .309/.348/.467 with 5 homers. The right-handed hitter batted .312 against righty pitchers and .305 against lefties.

He’ll be a backup outfielder and a positive influence in the clubhouse. Johnson was with the Cubs in 2008 and 2009. He played for the Dodgers in 2010 before coming back to the Cubs on a minor-league deal in January and being added to the big-league roster at the end of .

Familiar look in minors:

The Cubs made very few changes to the managerial and coaching staffs of their minor-league clubs.

Longtime organization man Dave Bialas goes from minor-league field coordinator to manager of the Cubs’ Class AAA Iowa farm club. Bill Dancy, who managed Iowa, will be the organization’s infield coordinator.

Dave Keller, who was on the major-league staff this year as a coaching assistant, will become Iowa’s hitting coach. Former Cubs reliever Jeff Fassero goes from being the pitching coach at Class A Peoria to pitching coach at Class AA Tennessee.

Minor-league managers , , Casey Kopitzke and remain as managers, with Harper going from Tennessee to Daytona (A) and Bailey going from Daytona to Tennessee. Former big-league outfielder Bobby Mitchell will manage the Cubs’ Rookie affiliate at Mesa.

Onetime Cubs Bill Buckner likely will be named the hitting coach at Class A Boise.

The Cubs have kept most of their minor-league structure in place. Owner Tom Ricketts repeatedly said he was impressed with the staff, and the new baseball management team appears willing to give that staff a fair shot.

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Cubs.com Cubs, Johnson agree to one-year contract By: Adam McCalvy

Outfielder Reed Johnson has an agreement in place to return to the Cubs, a baseball source confirmed to MLB.com on Wednesday.

Johnson, 35, will have to pass the requisite physical exam before his one-year contract is official. FoxSports.com first reported the deal.

Johnson has played three of the past four seasons in a Cubs uniform, returning on a Minor League deal in 2011 after a down 2010 season with the Dodgers. Johnson won a role by hitting .309 with an .816 OPS in 266 plate appearances spanning 111 games with the Cubs during the 2011 season. He made 49 starts in the outfield and has experience at all three spots.

Johnson will serve as a backup to regular Cubs , Marlon Byrd and newly acquired David DeJesus.

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Cubs.com Cubs, Reds reportedly agree to swap lefties Chicago said to send Marshall to Cincinnati for Wood, prospects By: Adam McCalvy and Mark Sheldon

CINCINNATI -- The Reds appeared close Wednesday to completing a trade that would land left-handed reliever Sean Marshall from the Cubs in exchange for young lefty starter Travis Wood and two Minor Leaguers.

According to ESPNChicago.com, the deal was agreed to, pending physicals. A source confirmed to MLB.com the Reds' interest in Marshall but did not expect the trade to be consummated on Wednesday.

Cincinnati currently has a vacancy for the closer's role, but the Reds are looking at Marshall as a lefty set- up man.

The trade would fill a need for both teams. Appearing to be in a go-for-it mode for the 2012 division title, the Reds are flush with starting pitchers after acquiring Mat Latos from the Padres on Saturday.

The Cubs, undergoing a remodel under new president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, have some uncertainty at the end of their starting rotation. They would also covet Wood because he is under club control for at least five more seasons.

Compare that to Marshall, 29, who is a free agent after 2012. He has been one of baseball's most reliable relievers over the past two seasons, with a 2.45 ERA and 158 appearances in that span, second to Atlanta lefty . Marshall will earn $3.1 million in 2012, the second season of a two-year deal he signed with the Cubs in January to cover his final two years of arbitration.

The Cubs would have much more control of Wood, 24, who does not project for free agency until October 2016. He was 6-6 with a 4.84 ERA in 22 games last season, 18 of them starts, and was twice demoted to the Minor Leagues.

Wood made his Major League debut at Wrigley Field on July 1, 2010, and gave up two hits over seven innings. He made one other start there in 2010 on Aug. 8, and picked up the win, giving up three earned runs on four hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Overall in 2010, Wood made a nice splash as a rookie with a 5-4 record and 3.51 ERA in 17 starts. But his down season in 2011, and the Reds willingness to deal him within the division, shows he lost some of his luster within the organization. He became more expendable after the Reds acquired Latos, giving Cincinnati a slew of starters including Latos, Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo, Mike Leake, Homer Bailey and fireballing left-hander , whom the Reds have been planning to convert from relief.

The Cubs, meanwhile, have some lefties who can step into the setup role in James Russell and Scott Maine, plus prospect Jeff Beliveau. Beliveau was named the Cubs' Minor League pitcher of the year after he held hitters to a .192 average in 53 appearances.

They also have the makings of a solid starting rotation with right-handers Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells currently in the three spots, Carlos Zambrano still in the mix despite spending the end of last season on the suspended list and Jeff Samardzija an option to convert from relief.

But Garza has appeared in trade rumors and Zambrano is a wild card, so Epstein and Hoyer have been looking at available starters. Among the free agents they reportedly have contacted are left-handers Paul Maholm and Jeff Francis.

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Cubs.com Top prospect Jackson excelled in 2011 By: Jonathan Mayo

At the start of the 2011 season, MLB.com unveiled Top 10 prospect lists for all 30 Major League organizations on Prospect Watch. Over the course of the season, those lists changed due to graduations to the big leagues, trades and performances. With the season completed, MLB.com will review how the prospects on those lists fared in 2011.

It's always an interesting test when an organization promotes a player up a level, with everyone involved curious to see how that prospect responds to the challenge. It's clear the Cubs' No. 1 prospect, Brett Jackson, passed with flying colors.

The 2009 first-round pick began the year with -A Tennessee. But after 67 games and a .256/.373/.443 line (to go along with 10 homers and 15 steals), he got bumped up to -A and performed better than he had down a level.

In 48 games with Iowa, the outfielder hit .297/.388/.551, with 10 more homers and six steals, allowing him to finish with a 20-20 season. After taking some time to make adjustments -- he hit .233 in 60 July at-bats -- Jackson hit .351 in August.

Some of it was just a matter of getting his timing back. Jackson missed a chunk of games in May with a dislocated finger and had difficulty finding a rhythm. The timing of the promotion came at just the right time, in terms of his being ready for such a move.

"I had an interesting year as far as coming off an injury, making adjustments in the right places," Jackson said. "I had a tough month coming off dislocating my finger. When I got called up to Triple-A, I made the right adjustments to my swing, settling into a new atmosphere. I was really comfortable in Iowa, not that I was uncomfortable in Double-A, but the way it worked out with my finger healed, I [was ready for] the transition to the higher level. I took off from there."

"I think he's going to be an impact player," Cubs vice president of player personnel Oneri Fleita said. "He plays better when he's challenged. I don't think we're close to seeing [everything he can do]. He thrives playing in front of bigger crowds; he thrives, responds and enjoys the challenges."

Many felt that after Jackson's strong finish that he'd get the challenge of playing at Wrigley Field in September. But that wasn't in the cards, perhaps partially because Jackson is not on the 40-man roster and won't have to be added for a while. Jackson wasn't fazed by it too much, and got the opportunity to play for USA Baseball for the second straight year to help cushion the blow.

"I understand the business of baseball," said Jackson, who hit .400 over 35 at-bats for Team USA. "Of course, I was disappointed. At the same time, I understand the transition Chicago is in now. Certainly, playing for my country and that extra month of baseball, it was definitely what I needed. I was happy to get to do that, despite not getting to play that extra month in Chicago."

Top 10 review

Jackson wasn't the only prospect in the system to excel in 2011 on the offensive end. Most notably, fellow outfielder Matt Szczur, now the organization's No. 2 prospect, made the transition from being a football player who played some baseball to a baseball-only guy look easy. He earned a promotion after the Futures Game and was on a Daytona club that went on to win the title.

Overall, the Cubs are quite pleased with the fact the organization finished over .500, with three affiliates - - Tennessee, Daytona and Boise -- making the playoffs.

"Combining winning and development, we finished the regular season with the youngest team at every level we played in," Fleita said. "Our system is deep with a lot of guys who'll play in the Major Leagues, but maybe a little lacking in a deep pool of guys who will be impact players."

That might be especially true at the upper levels of the system and on the mound. Several of the top 10 pitchers at the start of the season didn't completely live up to expectations, with Trey McNutt (No. 4) and Jay Jackson (No. 7) getting most of that negative attention at the upper levels. Jackson, to be fair, finished strongly, with a 2.95 ERA over his final seven starts.

The strength may have been in the bullpen, as No. 3 prospect Chris Carpenter made the full-time transition to a relief role and was called upon to help out in Chicago. No. 6 Rafael Dolis had a very good year in Double-A, finishing second in the system in saves and making his Major League debut, for good measure. Marcus Hatley pitched at three levels in 2011, starting in Peoria and ending in Tennessee.

Beyond that, Fleita said, there's more help coming down below as the Cubs returned to focusing on pitching after a few years of searching out bats. He also was quick to point a finger at himself in terms of evaluating the performances of the pitchers in the Cubs system in 2011.

"You look at the last couple of Drafts, we drafted a lot of position players," Fleita said. "The next wave of starting pitching is coming, there's a wealth of guys coming at the lower levels.

"Some of [the pitching], you could blame me. The shortcomings could've been attributed to that I pushed them a little more quickly than I should have."

Cubs top 10 prospects A look at how the Cubs Top 10 Prospects list looked at the beginning and end of the 2011 season:

No. Preseason Postseason 1. Brett Jackson, OF B. Jackson 2. Trey McNutt, RHP Szczur 3. Chris Carpenter, RHP Carpenter 4. Hayden Simpson, RHP McNutt 5. , 3B Vitters 6. Jay Jackson, RHP Dolis 7. Rafael Dolis, RHP J. Jackson 8. Matt Szczur, OF Golden 9. Reggie Golden, OF Simpson 10. Darwin Barney, 2B Robert Whitenack, RHP Players in bold were removed from the list after reaching the rookie eligibility threshold.

Organizational Players of the Year

MLB.com's Preseason Picks

Matt Szczur, OF: It was predicted, rightly, that Szczur would hit the ground running, hitting for average, some power and stealing some bases while making the All-Star team. He did that, as well as making the Futures Game, while earning a promotion in July up to Daytona.

Trey McNutt, RHP The thinking was McNutt would compete for the organizational triple crown. It didn't exactly work out that way. McNutt finished with a 4.55 ERA over 95 innings, allowing Southern League hitters to hit .319 off of him.

MLB.com's Postseason Selections

Bryan LaHair, 1B: At age 28, he set an record with his organization- and Minors-leading 38 homers. He also topped the system, finishing fifth in the Minor Leagues with his 109 RBIs. Oh, and his .664 SLG also topped all Minor Leaguers. All that earned him his first callup to the big leagues since 2008.

Jeff Beliveau, LHP: Relievers were a strength, and Beliveau had a terrific 2011 season, pitching across two levels and finishing with a 1.57 ERA, a .192 batting average against and a 10.8 K/9 ratio.

Cubs.com Changes abound among Cubs' Minors staffs Club has five new managers, including Bialas at Triple-A By: Adam

The Cubs will have new managers at five of their eight Minor League affiliates, including Triple-A Iowa, where Dave Bialas takes the helm after 10 seasons as the organization's Minor League field coordinator.

The club announced its full slate of 2012 Minor League coaching staffs and coordinators on Wednesday, and there were changes at each of the top three affiliates. Besides Bialas, Buddy Bailey and Brian Harper switched spots, with Bailey taking over as manager at Double-A Tennessee and Harper moving to Class A Daytona.

Only one of the Cubs' new Minor League managers is also new to the organization. Bobby Mitchell took over managerial duties at Rookie level Mesa after spending the last nine years in the Angels organization, including five as a Minor League manager.

The full list of staffs is available in the Cubs' official news release.

Notable assignments include new Triple-A hitting coach Dave Heller, who was a Cubs special assistant in 2011 after spending the previous seven seasons as the club's roving Minor League hitting coordinator. At Tennessee, former big leaguer Jeff Fassero takes over as pitching coach after filling the same role at Class A Peoria last season and another longtime Major Leaguer, Mariano Duncan, is back for a second season as the Smokies' hitting coach.

The Cubs also named their Minor League coordinators for 2012:

• Taking over field coordinator duties from Bialas is , the ' bench coach for the past season and a half. He joins the Cubs as Minor League field coordinator after nine years with the Marlins.

• enters his second season as the Cubs' Minor League pitching coordinator, and his sixth in the Cubs organization.

• James Rowson, 35, is new to the organization and will be Minor League hitting coordinator after working the previous four seasons in the same role with the Yankees.

• Tom Beyers returns for his 13th season with the Cubs but his first as short season hitting coordinator, a newly created position. In this role, he will focus on players with Class A Boise, Rookie League Mesa and the Cubs' two Dominican clubs. Before joining the Cubs in 2000, Beyers spent 21 seasons in the Dodgers chain as a Minor League player, coach or manager.

• Bill Dancy enters his first season as infield coordinator in his third year with the organization. He managed Iowa in 2011 after earning the 2010 Southern League Manager of the Year award while guiding Tennessee to the Southern League Championship Series. Dancy takes over for Franklin Font, who was named a special assistant on the Major League coaching staff.

• will be in his third season as catching coordinator, Lee Tinsley enters his second year as the organization's outfield/baserunning coordinator and Carmelo Martinez enters his 15th season in the Cubs organization and his fifth as Latin American field coordinator.

• In the athletic training room, Doug Jarrow (strength and conditioning coordinator), Justin Sharpe (Minor League athletic training coordinator) and Chuck Baughman (rehabilitation coordinator) will all retain their roles.

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Tribune Trade for Reds' Wood could be winner for Cubs Price is Marshall, but club desperately needs starting pitching By: Phil Rogers

I've been waiting for the Cubs to say they are going to try Sean Marshall as a starter. Turns out they're using him to get a younger guy who already has a decent record as one.

Makes some sense, even if Marshall was one of the few working parts on the 2011 Cubs.

There were many things wrong with them, but no flaw bigger than the lack of solid starting pitching. Their starters were last in the with a 4.79 ERA and 14th with 9312/3 innings. Theo Epstein knows he must add a lot of starting pitching from somewhere to avoid a repeat in 2012.

While Carlos Zambrano and Randy Wells remain on the roster, the only two starters Epstein feels he can count on are Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster. They worked a combined 4001/3 innings last year. That means Epstein must figure out a way to cover another 570-plus innings just to get the Cubs into the middle of the pack.

Fox's Ken Rosenthal was first to report the Cubs are close to a trade that would send Marshall to the Reds for left-hander Travis Wood and perhaps a minor leaguer or two. Wood is a young, talented odd man out in a rotation that will get deeper with Aroldis Chapman moving over from the bullpen.

You can argue the Cubs shouldn't be trading within their division, as the Reds are going for the jugular after a disappointing 2011. With in Anaheim and Prince Fielder in limbo, Reds general manager Walt Jocketty sent two elite prospects (and four in all) to the Padres for Mat Latos and now sees Marshall as a key part for a bullpen that is minus closer Francisco Cordero.

Marshall-for-Wood sounds like a solid baseball trade that can help both teams. The reasons it could work for the Cubs:

•Wood, who will be 25 on , is a solid pitcher who could work in the back end of the rotation in 2012 and could grow into a Ted Lilly-like middle-of-the-rotation guy. He didn't as well last season as in 2010, when he worked 2022/3 innings between Triple-A and Cincinnati, but he has delivered promising numbers across the board in 2082/3 big league innings, including 35 starts. His 4.18 career ERA likely would have been better if he had not been based at Great American Ball Park, a hitter's paradise.

•While Marshall has excelled as a setup man, the Cubs have left-handed arms to replace him. James Russell has shown he can be effective if he figures out how to give up fewer home runs. But the bigger hope lies in the minors.

Jeff Beliveau, who worked mostly at Double-A Tennessee last year, and Scott Maine, who has pitched very well in the Dominican Republic after a solid year with Triple-A Iowa, are in the wings. Beliveau held hitters to a .192 average in 53 appearances last season, and then was a standout in the Team USA bullpen in international competition in October.

•While Marshall is only one year from free agency, Wood would be under the Cubs' control through 2016. Marshall is due to earn $3.1 million in the last season of the two-year deal he signed a year ago, and the financial savings would be put toward inducing a free-agent starter, whether it be someone with upside such as Hiroki Kuroda, Edwin Jackson or or just an innings-eater such as Paul Maholm or Jeff Francis.

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Tribune Johnson ready to do 'little stuff' for Sveum By: Paul Sullivan

After agreeing on a one-year deal to return to the , outfielder Reed Johnson spent an hour on the phone with new manager .

"We strayed off and started talking about baseball situations," Johnson said. "The little things you need to do within the game to help your team win ballgames, whether it's breaking up a or keeping an inning alive by hustling down to first base. I think everybody notices the obvious things, the big home or the big RBI late, but you never realize what set up that inning.

"We talked about all the little things we need to do better next year to win games. It's really refreshing to talk to somebody that knowledgable about the game of baseball, and hones in on all the little stuff. That's kind of what I do, hopefully, those little things within the game that sometimes go unnoticed to help you win."

The deal is contingent on Johnson passing a physical, which he said he'll do in San Diego, where he's visiting family for Christmas. Johnson has been doing mixed martial arts training this offseason and said his back issues aren't a problem.

"I do more of the strength and conditioning side of it," he said. "I'm not that stupid to step into the same octagon with those guys."

The 35-year-old veteran, who hit .309 with 22 doubles after making the club on a minor-league deal last spring, will play mostly against left-handers.

Johnson had only 246 at-bats last year, and his playing time may depend on whether the Cubs can dump Alfonso Soriano's contract, or if Marlon Byrd is dealt to make way for rookie Brett Jackson.

"It's like every year," he said. "I just kind of walk in with no expectations at all. I'm just going to go out and play hard and show this new regime in Chicago what I can do. I'm sure they'll recognize that, and that usually warrants more playing time for me. I do feel like there is that opportunity to show these guys what I'm all about."

Johnson's hard-nosed play and one famous catch that nearly got him decapitated helped turn him into a cult favorite amongst Cubs fans in 2008, and he returned to Chicago in 2011 after one season with the .

Johnson believes the clubhouse nucleus is strong enough to compete in 2012, and said he hopes Carlos Zambrano can "earn the trust" back that he lost after his walkout in Atlanta last August.

"I don't think there are any guarantees in this situation, from what it sounds like," he said. "He really needs to come in and prove not only to the coaching staff, but to the players that he's really a changed guy- not only in spring training or that first month of the season, but he's got to carry that over through the rest of the season. That's the big thing. That's going to be a huge thing, trust-wise, for the players and the organization, to see if this is going to be a long term thing."

Extra Innings

Longtime Cubs minor league instructor Dave Bialas returns to the manager's seat at Triple-A Iowa, where former Cubs coach Dave Kelller joins him as hitting coach. The Cubs also plan to hire Bill Buckner as a hitting coach at Boise, their short-season Class-A affiliate, according to an ESPN report.

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Tribune Cubs nearing deal to send Marshall to Reds By: Dave van Dyck

The Chicago Cubs apparently will not only get young left-handed starter Travis Wood in exchange for reliever Sean Marshall, but at least one minor leaguer and possibly two in a potential trade with the Cincinnati Reds.

A deal between Central Division rivals appears closer to going down, although it won't be announced until the involved players are agreed upon and they pass physical exams.

As reported Tuesday, the Cubs are willing to trade Marshall, who is a year away from free agency, for a promising pitcher in Wood whom they would have control over through 2016.

Marshall also will earn $3.1 million in the last season of the two-year deal, and the Cubs could put the financial savings toward signing a free-agent starter.

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CSNChicago.com Cubs to go through a complete rebuild By: David Kaplan

After speaking with several baseball sources over the past few days I am hearing that a complete and total rebuild of the Cubs is more likely than ever to take place during the remainder of the off-season. I have confirmed that Sean Marshall has been dealt to Cincinnati for Travis Wood and two minor leaguers, pending a physical.

However, Marshall along with several other players on the Cubs roster are all being shopped as Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and company look to maximize their value as they look to completely overhaul the team. In speaking with a current major league executive from outside Chicago who would only speak with me on the condition of anonymity he was brutally honest in evaluating where the Cubs are right now.

“If you are completely honest about the current roster that Theo and Jed inherited I don’t see more than a handful of pieces that a championship type team would want to have on their roster. Garza, Castro, Marshall, perhaps Marmol if they can get his wildness under control, and maybe another bullpen piece or two and that’s about it,” he told me.

As I questioned him further he told me that the talk around baseball when it comes to the Cubs is that they need a full scale house cleaning. “There is no doubt that the Cubs need a major overhaul and with that comes a couple of seasons of teams that will have more than its share of struggles. However, if Theo and Jed can make astute deals for the few pieces that they do have the rebuild can get off to a very good start. In the addition, the farm system is not in good shape in terms of nearly major league ready starting pitching so if they can make some very solid deals they can reload in the minor leagues as well,” he said.

A look at the current makeup of the Cubs roster shows a handful of big contracts that the Cubs are having trouble trying to move despite their willingness to eat significant portions of the remaining dollars. From Alfonso Soriano to Carlos Zambrano, to Ryan Dempster, the Cubs have approximately $50 million tied up in players who do not figure to be a part of their future when they are ready to win. Add in Marshall, Carlos Marmol and Marlon Byrd along with a handful of others who do not figure to be a part of the Cubs long term future and you have current 2012 salary commitments that total $72,850,000. Add in deals that would have to get done with Matt Garza, , and others who are arbitration eligible and the Cubs 2012 payroll climbs into the 90+ million dollar range.

Now with that much money already committed you have a 71 win team from 2011 that has lost one of its top power bats in Carlos Pena and has only added David DeJesus and which cannot at this point be considered major additions to the roster. The starting pitching is still among baseball’s worst and the everyday lineup has a number of holes in it. Question marks include first base, third base, left field, at least two if not three spots in the rotation and a couple of spots in the bullpen.

That doesn’t include the question marks that occupy the other positions of the current team. Is Soto really worth the $4-5 million or so that he will earn in 2012 and is he the of the future? Is Darwin Barney the long-term answer at 2nd base?

A look at the pitching staff shows more questions that need answers such as the closer role where Marmol has a world of talent but is coming off of a horrific 2011 when he blew 10 saves and saw his K’s per 9 innings drop by four from his record-setting 2010 season. Is he the long-term answer in that role or could the Cubs get a solid return if they were to move him in a deal?

The Cubs roster is devoid of impact position players with the exception of Starlin Castro. So the question that must be asked is does it make sense for Epstein and Hoyer to spend significant dollars to try to patchwork a lineup that has virtually no chance of contending? Or should they use this one opportunity to truly tear the team down to its foundation and rebuild it the right way knowing that major on field success is a few years away?

One thing that Tom Ricketts has shown in his statements to the media and the fan base ever since he purchased the franchise is that he is in this for the long haul so from that perspective a complete rebuild makes a lot of sense. When Epstein spoke to the media before the he gave this assessment of the potential for the Cubs to sign a free agent to a mega contract. “We’ve been consistent from Day 1 that our priorities are building this thing the right way, for the long haul, mainly through scouting and player development and through the acquisition of young players. The second priority is to take advantage of every opportunity to win that you have. But we’re not going to do anything to serve the second priority that disrupts the first. So any rumor that you hear, it’s probably worth your while to assess it through that lens. Not saying that we’re not going to make a move that might be unanticipated or catch people by surprise or might not on its face fit perfectly into that box. But generally that’s our philosophy. That’s how we’re evaluating moves as we try to build this thing.”

Two other sources confirmed to me today that the Cubs are not players in the Prince Fielder negotiations and are not preparing to make a major offer to land him. In fact, the same major league sources expect the Cubs to try to move most of their valuable assets before spring training and that a complete overhaul of the team will definitely happen. As one current NL executive told me it is about time that it happened. “The Cubs have never had the guts to completely blow up their roster and build it the right way. They have to have a plan for sustained success instead of always trying to patchwork a roster for a surprising season. They should have done that when Andy MacPhail took over but for whatever reason they couldn’t or wouldn’t. By the time Jim Hendry became the GM they had some young starting pitching and a mandate from management in 2006-09 to try to buy their way to a championship. It never worked out so the rebuild is the right way to go,” he said.

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CSNChicago.com Confirmed: Marshall traded to Reds for Wood By: David Kaplan

The deal is done. Sean Marshall has been dealt to the Reds for Travis Wood and two minor-leaguers. No report yet on who the minor-leaguers are.

The players still have to pass physicals, but these should be done by the end of business tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday at the latest. Neither side wants to drag this business into the Christmas holiday.

Baseball sources told me the reason that you will see more deals like this: The new CBA will not include draft pick compensation if the Cubs were to let Marshall leave as a free agent after the 2012 season. It doesn't matter how good he is.

Unless you sign the player to a certain $12.5 million qualifying contract, you get zero in the way of compensation.

At the end of 2012, the Cubs wouldn't get anything when Marshall left.

There was also reason to trade him this offseason. If you trade him in July, you're not going to get a lot because the team that trades for him will only have him for two months and they will not get a draft pick at the end of the year, so it wouldn't lead to elite prospects.

Marshall developed into one of baseball's best relievers over the last two seasons, posting ERAs well below 3.00 with gaudy numbers. The 29-year-old lefty has been with the Cubs since 2006 and has a career 3.96 ERA.

Wood started 18 games and appeared as a reliever four times in 2011 for the Reds, compiling a 4.84 ERA. The 24-year-old owns a career 4.18 ERA in 208 2/3 innings. He may be best known for nearly throwing a no-hitter against the Phillies in his third career start in 2010, instead settling for a complete game one-hitter.

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Daytona Beach News-Journal Former Twins catcher Brian Harper named Daytona Cubs manager By: SEAN KERNAN

The Brian Harper File AGE: 52 HOMETOWN: San Pedro, Calif. RESIDES: Scottsdale, Ariz. PLAYING CAREER (catcher): 1979, 81 –– Angels; 1982-84 –– Pirates; 1985 –– Cardinals; 1986 –– Tigers; 1987 –– Athletics; 1988-93 –– Twins; 1994 –– Brewers; 1995 –– Athletics STATISTICS (16 seasons): .295 batting average, 63 home runs, 428 RBIs, 1,001 games COACHING CAREER: 2001-05 –– Rookie League Angels manager; 2006-07 –– Triple-A (Angels) manager; 2008-09 –– roving catching instructor; 2010 –– Single-A manager; 2011 –– Double-A (Cubs) manager

The Daytona Cubs lost a Florida State League-winning manager Wednesday and gained a - winning catcher as their skipper for 2012.

Former catcher Brian Harper was named manager of the D-Cubs for next season. Harper switches teams with Buddy Bailey, who returns to the Double-A Tennessee Smokies after guiding Daytona to the FSL championship in 2011.

"We're excited about having Brian Harper as our manager," Daytona Cubs general manager Brady Ballard said. "He was in the big leagues for many years and won a World Series. We're looking forward to working with him.

"We're also happy for Buddy to get to stay with those guys from our championship team that will move up to Tennessee this season. Tennessee has been so close (to winning a championship) in recent years. Hopefully he'll get them over the hump."

Harper, 52, batted .295 in 1,001 games over 16 big-league seasons and went to two World Series. He played an integral part as the starting catcher in the Twins' triumph over the and was on the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals that lost to Kansas City.

Harper never played in the FSL, nor has he managed in the advanced Class-A league, but he's managed at similar levels in the and the Arizona Fall League.

"I'm looking forward to it," Harper said Wednesday in a telephone interview from his home in Scottsdale, Ariz. "I'm looking at it being similar to my experience in the California League. It's the same level and the teams are close by."

Harper managed the San Jose Giants, San Francisco's high-A affiliate, to a 76-64 record in 2010. He joined the Cubs' organization in 2011 and guided Tennessee to first place in the Southern League's North Division. The Smokies went 83-57 in the regular season, defeated the Chattanooga Lookouts (Dodgers) in the opening round of the playoffs and lost the best-of-5 championship series 3-1 to the Mobile BayBears (Diamondbacks).

"Talent makes managers look smart," Harper said. "I was impressed with the Cubs' minor league system, the level of communication we have. I think the Cubs are doing a good job of developing players, and I think we'll have some good talent in Daytona."

Harper never played at Ballpark. In fact, he said the only time he's been to Daytona Beach was on a day trip to the beach with family at a time when the Twins trained in Orlando.

Harper said his managerial style was greatly influenced by , manager of the Twins when he spent seven of his 16 seasons in Minnesota.

"Hopefully I get that 'Tom Kelly theory' through to the players," Harper said. "I believe the team is going to resemble its manager a little, and for me that means working hard, playing hard and having fun."

The Chicago Cubs also announced other staff assignments Wednesday. The D-Cubs get a new pitching coach in Marty Mason and hitting coach in Desi Wilson. Tom Pratt and Barbaro Garbey, who guided Daytona's pitchers and hitters, respectively, last season will be with the Peoria (Ill.) Chiefs for 2012.

The D-Cubs open the season at Brevard County on April 5 and play their home the following night.