Wow, talk about some terrible drafting by the Chicago Cubs. You can say that all three of these players were complete busts after being drafted so high by the Cubs. In the past week, the team has cut ties with Ryan Harvey, Grant Johnson and Mark Pawelek. Three players right there that when they were drafted, we had all thought would be helping out the big league team about right now. I guess the team felt they needed to go in another direction even though the players are only in their 20′s.

I know a lot of people thougth Pawelek was a stupid signing when it happened. Sure he was a fireball thrower, but he played in the state of Utah and didn’t exactly face the best competition out of high school. Also, it was very weird seeing him sign the same day even though he was a Scott Boras client. Talk about taking seven figures from the Cubs and giving nothing back as far as production! Oh yeah, we can’t forget about the falling in the middle of the night over your Playstation and breaking your arm! Or having passport problems and getting shut down the rest of the year even though you were healthy. Sounds like there was more to Pawalek then most of us know.

Pawelek appeared in only 54 games over four seasons with the Cubs, mostly at short-season Low Class-A Boise. He was 6-12 with a 3.80 ERA and 147 strikeouts and 79 walks in 149 1/3 innings in those four seasons.

Pawelek was told “We have exhausted all efforts with you, and things did not go as we planned.’ Basically … ‘you’re not playing well and we don’t want you around anymore in Pawelek’s words.’”

Harvey is actually one player I was excited to see progress through the Cubs minor league system. However that never really happened as he only made it to Double-A Tennessee. Harvey compiled a career batting average of .247 in 471 games with a career .298 OBP. He was the Cubs first round pick in the 2003 draft and the sixth overall pick. Ryan had a very hard time hitting the ball in the minor leagues, and the Cubs had thoughts of coverting him to a pitcher as he also pitched in highschool but he didn’t want any part of that I have heard.

As for Johnson, he was the teams first pick in the 2004 draft even though he was drafted in the second round out of Notre Dame. Johnson struggled at Class-A Daytona Double-A Tennessee last season as he compiled a 5.32 ERA to go along with a 3-8 record.

The Cubs also released Paul Bako and Mike Stanton as they have trimmed their Major League roster down to 28 players. Expect to see a trade or release involving Chad Gaudin or Angel Guzman who both have struggled this spring and both are out of options. We could also possible see Jeff Samardzija be sent down Triple-A Iowa.

Manager Lou Piniella announced on Sunday that Kevin Gregg would open the season as the teams closer. Gregg beat out last years setup man Carlos Marmol for the closers role. Many fans had thought that Marmol would be the closer once Kerry Wood was not resigned but Gregg has had a great Spring Training and has not allowed a run compared to Marmol who has a 4.50 ERA and hit five batters.

Marmol didn’t sound to happy about it when he was asked about the decision. Here is what he had to say when he was asked if playing in the World Baseball Classic made a difference in the decision:

“I don’t think it would’ve made a difference,” Marmol said. “They knew what they were going to do before I got here. That’s why I say there’s not competition.”

Asked to clarify, Marmol switched his tone.

“I don’t know,” Marmol said. “I guess we’re going to get ready for the season, no matter what. You’ll see the same smile. I’ll be the same guy. I’ll throw my 80 innings, do my job. I can’t make their decision. I can’t control it.”

Sure Gregg has been named the starter, but things can sure turn around quickly. If Gregg does not perform in the first 10-14 games, I would expect the team to make a change and give Marmol a chance. Marmol will also get some opportunitis when Gregg needs a rest and hopefully that is very often because that would mean that the team is winning multiple games in a row.

In other moves, the team has announced that catcher Mark Johnson, infielders Andres Blanco and Esteban German and outfielders Brad Snyder and So Taguchi had been re-assigned to Minor League camp. Relief pitchers Kevin Hart and Randy Wells were both optioned down to Triple-A Iowa as well. Is Hart’s time done with big league team? He has had many chancs and still can’t keep a spot on the big league roster.

The Chicago Cubs have made a trade for the second time on Monday as they have now sent relief pitcher Michael Wuertz to the Oakland Athletics for two minor league players. The Cubs received outfielder Rich Robnett and infielder Justin Sellers in the deal.

Wuertz was 13-7 with one save and a 3.57 ERA in 265 relief appearances in all or part of five seasons with the Cubs. He was 1-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 45 relief appearances last season for Chicago and also pitched at Triple-A Iowa.

Robnett is a former first round pick of the A’s back in 2004. He only played in 82 games last season as he has a tumor removed from his stomach. He is a career .256 hitter in the minor leagues. Robnett was ranked as the A’s 15th best prospect but has yet to live up to the billing.

Sellers as alternated between second base and shortstup for the A’s minor league affliates. Sellers would probably be similar to Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot but will more then likely be a career minor leaguer after reading reports on him.

The deal will save the Cubs about $2 million on the payroll and also opens up another spot on the 40-man roster. I’d expect Angel Guzman to get Wuertz’s spot in the bullpen.

The Chicago Cubs have traded starting pitcher Rich Hill to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for a player to be named later. Hill was out of the mix with the Cubs and also out of options for this was really the only move the club could make for Hill. Hopefully a change of scenery will help him out as he as the “stuff” to be a good pitcher but needs to clear his head and I think this move will do that for him.

Looking back to just one year ago Hill was “untouchable” by Jim Hendry and now his stock has dropped so far that the Cubs could only get a player to be named. Just how things work out from time to time. Hill went 18-17 with a 4.37 ERA in 64 appearances (57 starts) over the past four seasons with the Cubs. The southpaw went 11-8 with a 3.92 ERA in a career-high 32 starts in 2007 but went 1-0 with a 4.12 ERA in five starts with the Cubs last season before being optioned to Triple-A Iowa on May 3.