Few players came further in 2007 than Geovany Soto.
His bat came alive after he got himself into shape, and he hit his way not only to an MVP award in the Pacific Coast League but to a starting job behind the plate for the Cubs. Lou Piniella put him on the playoff roster, then started him ahead of veteran Jason Kendall.
This must be heady stuff for a guy who spent seven seasons in the minor leagues, but Soto played so well in September that he figures to receive some mention among Rookie of the Year candidates.
Here are several other rookies worth watching:
JAY BRUCE
Reds outfielder
Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year, the left-handed-hitting 20-year-old has bat speed to burn. He can run a little bit too. He projects as a corner outfielder but could break into the lineup in center as Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. are still on the flanks.
JOBA CHAMBERLAIN
Yankees right-hander
A sensation out of the bullpen a year ago (0.38 ERA), new manager Joe Girardi is looking for the 6-foot-2-inch 230- pound Chamberlain to start.
KOSUKE FUKUDOME
Cubs outfielder
An on-base machine in Japan, Fukudome, 30, received a four-year, $48 million deal to come to Chicago. He’s being compared to Raul Ibanez.
HIROKI KURODA
Dodgers right-hander
The second-most widely pursued Japanese import, Kuroda, 33, is a sinkerballer who should fair well at Dodger Stadium. He and Fukudome are seasoned pros who probably shouldn’t be considered rookies but still are under baseball’s guidelines.
EVAN LONGORIA
Rays third baseman
Like Kansas City’s Alex Gordon a year ago, the Long Beach State product is expected to hit the ground raking. He’s hit .304 with 44 homers in 733 at-bats as a pro.
ADAM JONES
Orioles center fielder
Whether in Seattle or Baltimore, Jones was going to be an Opening Day starter. He’s a dynamic player who headlined the Erik Bedard trade.
HOMER BAILEY
Reds right-hander
With a lineup capable of scoring a lot of runs and a reliable closer in Francisco Cordero, Bailey should have good numbers if he can make 30 starts.
JACOBY ELLSBURY
Red Sox center fielder
Following up 2007 is his biggest challenge. He hit .353 in 33 games last year but still qualifies for rookie honors. He’s got everything but a full-time job, as Coco Crisp is still in front of him.
CLAY BUCHHOLZ
Red Sox right-hander
Curt Schilling’s shoulder injury likely opened a spot in the rotation for him. Like Ellsbury, he carries the weight of great expectations after throwing a no-hitter in his second career start.
COLBY RASMUS
Cardinals center fielder
A true five-tool player, he should be a regular now that Jim Edmonds has been dealt to the Padres.
GIO GONZALEZ
Athletics left-hander
Acquired from the White Sox, Gonzalez could skip Triple A after spending the last two years at Double A.
CHICAGO STORY
Carmen Pignatiello
The left-hander from Providence High School made his big-league debut in 2007, appearing in four games. He could play a significant role this season, with Will Ohman having been traded to Atlanta, but faces competition from Neal Cotts and a deep cast of right-handed relievers. He’ll almost certainly get back to Chicago this season, even if he opens the year at Triple-A Iowa.
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CUBS
LINEUP
Last year: Despite a big-ticket cast of hitters, the Cubs finished eighth in the NL in scoring last year, which was a disappointment. Mark DeRosa may have been the only regular who overachieved as Piniella did a lot of shuffling at every position except first and third base.
Headliners: Aramis Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee.
Additions: Kosuke Fukudome. Losses: Jason Kendall, Cliff Floyd, Jacque Jones.
Health watch: Fukudome, signed to a four-year, $48 million contract, missed the Chunichi Dragons’ run to a Japan Series title while recovering from elbow surgery. He’s expected to be fully recovered. Keeping Soriano’s legs strong will be a spring focus.
X-factor: The trade of Jones to Detroit opens center field for second-year man Felix Pie, who hit .215 as a rookie. The other options include the diminutive Sam Fuld, who was MVP of the Arizona Fall League, or moving DeRosa to right field and Fukudome to center.
Tipping point: Soriano, a 40/40 man for Washington in 2006, needs to be more of a catalyst in his second season with the Cubs. But if there is to be real improvement in the lineup, it could just as easily come at catcher (rookie Geovany Soto, a Triple A MVP last year), in right field (Fukudome) or in center.
ROTATION
Last year: The depth of the rotation was the strength of the 2007 playoff team. The Cubs used only eight different starters–down from 15 in 2006–and posted a 4.19 ERA from that mix, second to San Diego among NL rotations. While Carlos Zambrano received the $91.5 million contract, Ted Lilly and Rich Hill actually had lower ERAs. Jon Lieber and Ryan Dempster will battle against Jason Marquis (who has two years left on his contract), Sean Marshall and Sean Gallagher for the other two spots.
Headliners: Zambrano, Lilly, Hill.
Additions: Lieber.
Losses: Mark Prior, Steve Trachsel.
Health watch: The Cubs got 32 or more starts from all four of their top starters a year ago and none of those guys seem worse for the wear. The decision to non-tender Prior eliminated the biggest question.
X-factor: Dempster, who made 66 appearances out of the bullpen last season, has a 15-win season to his credit but hasn’t been used as a regular starter since 2003. He or Marquis could wind up as the swing man if they don’t have big springs.
Tipping point: The questions are at the front end. Can Zambrano be more consistent than in past seasons? Can Hill and/or Lilly shake off disappointing playoff starts to emerge as a true No. 2 starter?
BENCH
Last year: Piniella got significant contributions from a shifting cast, with Mike Fontenot, Daryle Ward and Koyie Hill playing significant roles.
Headliners: Ward, Ronny Cedeno, Matt Murton.
Additions: None expected to win jobs.
Losses: Angel Pagan, Craig Monroe.
Health watch: No problems.
X-factor: Keep an eye on Bobby Scales. Signed to a minor-league contract, the 30-year-old switch hitter can play all over the field (primarily second base and the outfi eld) and had a .373 on-base percentage in Triple A last year.
Tipping point: The loss of Floyd and Jones raises questions about the options Piniella will have. Cedeno needs to deliver on the potential he’s shown in the minors and winter ball.
BULLPAN
Last year: The development of Carlos Marmol played a huge role in helping the Cubs reach the playoffs after their 22-31 start. Dempster wasn’t as good as his rate of 28 saves in 31 tries, which is why he auditions for a new role.
Headliners: Bob Howry, Kerry Wood, Marmol.
Additions: None with guaranteed jobs.
Losses: Ohman.
Health watch: Wood, who is scheduled to share the closer’s role with Howry, appears fitter than ever. But the Cubs will watch closely in spring training to see if he holds up working back-to-back days.
X-factor: The Cubs paid Tampa Bay to select Tim Lahey for them with the first pick in the Rule 5 draft. The converted catcher is a hard thrower who joins familiar faces Angel Guzman, Juan Mateo, Chad Fox and Shingo Takatsu in camp. They’ll have to beat out right-hander Kevin Hart and lefty Neal Cotts (and maybe one of the starters) for the last spot in the pen.
Tipping point: Marmol, who was electrifying at times in 2007 and again in the Dominican Republic this winter, has closer’s stuff but should be a true difference-maker if Howry and Wood pitch well enough for Lou Piniella to use him as the game’s best set-up man.
FARM SYSTEM
Last year: While Pie’s stunted development continues an unproductive trend for the Cubs’ most hyped prospects, the organization got big leaps forward from Ryan Theriot, Jose Ceda, Marmol, Soto and Hart.
Headliners: Josh Vitters, Tyler Colvin, Ceda, Donald Veal, Gallagher, Jeff Samardzija, Eric Patterson, Fuld, Jake Fox.
Additions: Jose Ascanio, Luis Figueroa, Andres Blanco, Carlos Rojas, J.D. Closser, Ed Campusano.
Losses: Buck Coats, Jake Renshaw. X-factor: Fox hit .284 with 24 homers between Double A and Triple A last season, playing a lot more outfield than catcher. He’s a prospect as a hitter but needs to establish himself in the field.
Tipping point: Soto quietly has put himself in position to become the Cubs’ best homegrown position player since the days of Shawon Dunston and Mark Grace. He and Marmol headline a nice stream of talent flowing from a deep farm system, which Jim Hendry could dip into to fill immediate needs in Chicago.
