This is the first of a few reader-submitted topics from the Twitterverse. Basically, it’s my small way of giving back to you folk who endure me on a daily basis. The first topic was suggested by a pair of my favorite baseball writers: Tommy Bennett and Shawn Hoffman. Both of Baseball Prospectus’ employment and both are masters of their craft. Bennett is also master of his magnificent beard, while Hoffman mastered this nifty Google Chrome add-on.

Cubs’ fans were well accustomed to left-handed first baseman by the time Hee-Seop Choi climbed the ivy. Mark Grace manned the position for more than a decade. The illustrious Matt Stairs and Fred McGriff split the majority of the playing time once Grace signed with Arizona. Both were lefties with endearing cult qualities; namely great mustaches. Choi was a product of the Cubs’ international scouting efforts

Baseball America named him the Cubs’ top prospect in 2003, while ranking him as the 22nd best prospect overall. They praised his short stroke and power potential. Potential that would never be realized, although that would be a common theme amongst fellow Cubs’ prospects David Kelton and Nic Jackson. Choi tore up the minors. He hit 45 homers in 810 Triple-A at-bats between the ages of 22 and 24. The Cubs decided Choi was ready for Major League exposure on a consistent basis in 2003. And boy, did they look right.

Coming into an early June affair with the New York Yankees (famous for the Texas heat match-up occurring between Kerry Wood and Roger Clemens), Choi had a line of .244/.389/.496 with seven homers in a shade under 170 plate appearances. It was on that day that Choi’s career took a drastic turn. In the top of the fourth, Jason Giambi would hit a pop fly that neither Choi or Wood efficiently called. They collided, and in a disturbing scene, an ambulance would enter Wrigley Field through the right field fence. Choi would suffer a concussion and miss most of the month. Upon his return, he would hit .164/.263/.269 in 77 plate appearances as Eric Karros became the starter.

Choi would be traded to the Florida Marlins for Derrek Lee in the off-season. A deal that looked like a win for the Marlins, if Choi could live up to his potential. Through 340 plate appearances, he looked well on his way. He was hitting .270/.388/.495 with 15 homers. The Marlins traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers, though, in the Brad Penny trade. Choi would go homerless over his next 76 2004 plate appearances while posting a .531 OPS. He would spend 2005 with the Dodgers too, posting a .789 OPS and hitting another 15 homers in 368 plate appearances, but they would non-tender him in the off-season.

Choi would then be claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox in March of 2006 and would sign a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for the 2007 season. He would sign alongside some guy named Carlos Pena, in what amounted to a battle between the two former top prospects with loads of power to become the Rays’ eventual first baseman. Pena won, and Choi has since found a home in the Korean leagues.

It’s hard to really put Choi’s career in perspective. What isn’t hard is seeing why general managers like Larry Beinfest, Theo Epstein, and Andrew Friedman saw in Choi. His power was legitimate. He walked 13% of the time during his big league career and struck out around a third of the time. His greatest shortcoming was a hellacious time against southpaws. His career wOBA is .341 overall, but only .279 against lefties. Managers were well aware of the struggles and impressively Choi only saw 106 plate appearances against lefties, and 980 versus righties.

Choi celebrated his 31st birthday eight days ago. Presumably his Major League career is over. The ending was pretty bland and in 100 years Choi is going to be less than a footnote in baseball history. He’ll be a journeyman or something. But aren’t journeymen supposed to stink? Choi was a part of five different organizations in five seasons time despite being an above average hitter with a terrible platoon split while batting from the side where having a terrible platoon split still means starting 60-70% of the games. Heck, insert him in the Mets’ lineup tomorrow and they become better because of it — although I suppose the Mets would only be interested in the 20-year-old version of Choi.

Maybe Choi hated American life or just missed Korea. I can feel him on both, but I do find it disappointing that nobody gave Choi 450 plate appearances to go with that trip to the Home Run Derby.

I’m pleased to announce that FanGraphs first publication, The 2010 Second Opinion is now available for sale at the price of $7.95! What you get is a PDF and all the information is also available online through your FanGraphs.com account. Here’s the rundown:

Player Profiles – Over 400 in-depth player profiles written by many of the FanGraphs and RotoGraphs contributors you’re already familiar with.

Articles – Closer situations, players coming back from injuries, sophomore players to watch, 2010 fantasy prospects, impact trades, the big questions for 2010, and something that Carson wrote, where he answers your questions before you even ask them!

Stats & Graphs – Each player profile is accompanied by a stat box with 10 very useful stats for both fantasy and real-life player evaluation including spark graphs showing career trends.

Team Previews – Each team is previewed for next season, giving you the rundown on what to expect from a fantasy and real-life standpoint.

Bonus Material – FanGraphs has partnerned with ESPN Insider this season and if you purchase the PDF, you’ll have access to anything we write for ESPN Insider right here on FanGraphs.com up until March 1st, 2011.

Online Integration – In addition to the PDF, you will have access to all the information in the book on FanGraphs.com when logged in to your FanGraphs account. This information will include the written player profiles which will be integrated into the stats pages and all the articles and team previews in the book.

If you run into any payment problems or other issues please fill out a contact form and we’ll try and solve the problem as soon as possible!

Franklin Morales has endured a career destined for someone well beyond his years. Morales has always been a precocious talent though. The Rockies signed him back in November 2002. At the time, Morales was two months from turning 17. In 2007, Baseball America would rank Morales as the 30th best prospect. A season later he was up to 8th — the highest rank a Rockies’ pitcher has ever received. He made his MLB start at the age of 21, and threw in more playoff games that year than he had previously at Triple-A.

The six-foot-nothing southpaw seemingly found his home in the bullpen last season, which is to say that he appeared 40 times and 95% stemmed from being summoned from the bullpen. He struck out more than a batter per inning while still struggling with some control issues. Nevertheless, he managed to deliver a 4.15 FIP while throwing in some tense moments. He tossed fire to lefties, striking out 10 per nine and showing a better feel for the zone.

Unsurprisingly, Morales leans heavily on his mid-90s fastball, but does mix his breaking pitch in along with the occasional change-up. Each pitched held a whiff rate over 8% last season, including that change’s 15.4%. Morales rarely threw it, but when he did, the similar break to his fastball really gave batters fits. The Rockies never scrapped Morales from the rotation because he couldn’t miss bats though; it was about control, something he still struggles with.

It does raise a question though: Are the Rockies giving up on Morales the starter too quickly? Maybe not. He’s made 47 starts between the bigs and Triple-A. His Triple-A numbers are the damning ones. A 1.19 SO/BB ratio just won’t cut it. If a guy with this kind of stuff can’t avoid walking that many batters in Triple-A, where the batters are considerably less talented, then it’s probably not happening in the big leagues. Morales being out of options and being short for a traditional starter complicates manners even more.

Most are aware that Huston Street will begin the year on the disabled list and as of now, Morales looks like the favorite for the job. He’s certainly dressed for the part, although at the tender age of 24, he would be the youngest closer in baseball, at least until Street returned. If for whatever reason Morales is removed from the gig, the Rockies have plenty of alternatives, including Rafael Betancourt and Manny Corpas.

I like a lot of players on the Orioles. The core is certainly there – few teams in baseball can boast a young stable of talent like the O’s have, who can build around Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, and Brian Matusz, plus a host of other quality guys without the same star potential but who are productive nonetheless. They also have a star player in Brian Roberts, who doesn’t get nearly enough credit for how good he is. Andy MacPhail has done a lot of good things for the Orioles, acquiring talent and building a team that should be at least decent in 2010 and better going forward.

There’s just one really large glaring problem; they play in the American League East, the division of behemoths. The bar is set so ridiculously high that even with all the things that Baltimore has done well the last few years, they’re still extreme long shots to make the playoffs. They have to climb over two of the three best teams in baseball just in order to have a chance at a Wild Card spot. The degree of difficulty for the Orioles is off the charts.

And, fair or not, we have to hold this against them in a series where we’re trying to figure out which teams are in position to win now and in the future. In any other division, the Orioles are an interesting sleeper for 2010 and a potential giant going forward, but in the AL East, they’re an afterthought. They would need monstrous career years from multiple players at the same time just to get in the discussion, and then they’d still have to hope that the Yankees or Red Sox didn’t react to having another contender by just trading for the best player available at the deadline.

It’s sad, in a way. This roster should offer O’s fans a lot of hope, but due to factors beyond their control, that hope is significantly diminished. Even if Jones, Wieters, and Matusz all develop into stars, it still probably won’t be enough. MacPhail needs to continue to hit home runs on trades, have every draft pick pan out, and they need to stay completely healthy – if all those things happen, they could challenge for the AL East crown in a year or two, until their core gets so expensive that they’ll struggle to surround them with enough quality players to keep up.

It’s the crappiest situation in baseball, outside of Toronto, anyway. The O’s front office has done yeoman’s work in building a good young roster, yet there’s still a pretty decent chance it won’t result in anything besides a few better than .500 finishes and frustration at the size of the mountain they’re trying to climb. If anyone ever deserved a medal for finishing fourth, it’s these guys.

If you’re looking for talented and promising pitching then you’ve come to the right place. This organization can certainly challenge the Rays for the best pitching prospects in the American League East (if not the entire league). The club has recently graduated Chris Tillman, Jason Berken, Brad Bergesen, and David Hernandez with mixed success.

At just 21 years of age, Tillman has the highest ceiling – that of a No. 1 if all goes well – of the quartet. The right-hander posted a 6.10 FIP in 12 big league starts in ’09 but it was a year of learning, which he should be all the stronger for in 2010. Bergesen is a back-of-the-rotation warrior with modest stuff, a promising sinker and good ground-ball rate (50%). Hernandez flashes some of the nastiest stuff on the staff but his below-average command led to negative values on all his pitches (including the 93 mph fastball). Berken is most likely a long-term reliever and fringe Major Leaguer.

Ready to contribute full-time in 2010 is Brian Matusz, who made eight big league starts in ’09 but managed to hold on to his rookie eligibility. The lefty could rival Tillman for the No. 1 man in the rotation within the next few years. The club also has some promising arms in Zach Britton, Jake Arrieta, and Brandon Erbe. Kam Mickolio and Troy Patton have potential, as well, and the former has a shot at being the club’s closer of the future.

At the plate and in the field, the club acquired a promising third baseman from the Dodgers last season in Josh Bell. He should be ready to take over the position from Miguel Tejada by 2011, if not sooner. Across the diamond we find Brandon Snyder, a sweet-swinging first baseman (and former catcher) with fringe-average power for the position. The minor league hitting depth is not as impressive as the pitching, but the club does have some promising, young players in the Majors.

Matt Wieters has the potential to be an absolute star behind the dish and the 23-year-old hitter posted a .330 wOBA in his 96-game debut. He has much more to offer. The club also has an exciting, young outfield with the likes of Nolan Reimold (age 26), Adam Jones (24), and Nick Markakis (26). The slick-fielding Michael Aubrey is already 27 but he’s appeared in just 46 MLB games and could be a late bloomer thanks to injuries.

The club nabbed some interesting prospects in the ’09 draft in shortstop Mychal Givens and left-hander Cameron Coffey. The club toed the line a bit in ’09 (at least by going inexpensive in the first round before collecting quite a few over-slot players) after spending big dollars on Matusz and Wieters in recent years.

The organization has done a nice job of drafting in recent years, especially in the pitching department and when the organization was not afraid to spend a little money. Players like Bell, Jones, and Tillman were brought in through smart trades. General manager Andy MacPhail continues to entrust scouting director Joe Jordan (entering his six season) and farm director David Stockstill (third) with overseeing the club’s young flock of players. After all, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

The Baltimore Orioles are one of those teams for which the line between Current and Future Talent is a little blurry. Though the club has as yet to solidify its 25-man roster, whichever group they send northward, it will consist of at least five — and, very possibly, seven or eight — players who made their major league debuts last season. Nor does that tally include players like Adam Jones or Felix Pie who, despite their relative experience, won’t even turn 26 before the end of 2010.

Well-known superhero (and sometime catcher) Matt Wieters did not, in fact, save the planet last season. Still, he actually hit pretty well down the stretch (.354/.420/.525 over his last 112 PA, with improved BB/K ratio). CHONE rates the second-year player at 4.0 WAR. Center fielder Adam Jones won a Gold Glove in center last season. That probably shouldn’t have happened, but it’s not Jones’ fault. He should play a league-average-y center while hitting above league average.

Left fielder Nolan Reimold didn’t make his major league debut till the middle of May, but when injuries befell teammates Luke Scott and the aforementioned Jones, it was difficult for Baltimore not to give a chance to Reimold and the .394/.485/.743 line he put up in Norfolk.

If you want the brass tacks on right fielder Nick Markakis’s down 2009, Jack Moore’s article on the same is the place to go. Here’s the most interesting thing you’ll probably learn from it, though: last season, Markakis saw a drop in Z-Swing and an increase in O-Swing. The Orioles hope that sitch straightens itself out before he gets too far along in the six-year, $66.1 deal to which they signed him prior to least season.

Luke Scott isn’t a bad hitter at all, but gets hit hard by the DH positional adjustment. It’s not clear that he’s actually a worse fielder than Nolan Reimold, but Baltimore appears committed to giving the latter all the time he needs in left.

Likely first baseman Garrett Atkins and fellow corner infielder Miguel Tejada are not — nor are they intended to be — long-term solutions at their repsective positions. Suitably, they’re each signed to one-year deals.

Shortstop Cesar Izturis is a liability with the bat, with CHONE and ZiPS calling for 69 and 68 wRC+s, respectively. If it were possible to bat him 10th in the lineup, Manager Dave Trembley might consider it. Still, he’s been worth two full wins afield the last two years while netting fewer than 900 PA. Oh, and while we’re at it, we might as well consider the guy who’s been the team’s best player for awhile: second baser Brian Roberts signed a four-year, $40M extension before last season that begins this year. Reports out of spring training that Roberts’ back is a problem are not particularly encouraging, but CHONE projects a 3.2 WAR and, as we all know, projections are designed to be completely accurate exactly 100% of the time.

Sitting on the bench you’ll almost definitely see Felix Pie and Ty Wigginton. The former can play any outfield position well and is interesting because of his youth and pedigree; the latter can play any infield position below average-ly and is interesting because, despite a body type that belongs in the Before column, is still a major league baseball player. (And, fine, he can hit, too. Usually, at least.) A fierce battle is raging at back-up catcher between Chad Moeller and Craig Tatum. I can barely contain my excitement.

As Marc Hulet will almost definitely shout to the heavens in the Future Talent version of this report, the Orioles have a cadre of young, high ceiling starters. Of that group, lefty Brian Matusz and righty Chris Tillman combine potential with ability to contribute immediately. It’s probably not best to expect the biggest of things from either this year, but something in the vicinity of league average may not be crazy talk.

Also in the discussion is Brad Bergesen, who will probably enter the season as the third starter despite the fact that he very likely is what he is. One thing “he is” is the guy who led all Baltimore pitchers in WAR in 2009 (2.3). According to our own Bryan Smith, he has the sort of sinker that could go unrecognized at lower levels but still make him a useful major leaguer.

Rumor has it that Jeremy Guthrie was once a highly touted prospect. Now he’s a 31-year-old coming off 200 innings of 5.22 xFIP pitching. If he can hit the 200 IP mark again while FIP-ing under five, that makes him something, at least — and probably worth the $3M he’s being paid. Old Man Kevin Millwood will spend the last year of his five-year, $60M contract — originally signed with Texas — as the “ace” in Baltimore.

Right handers David Hernandez and Jason Berken made their respective debuts last season. Despite his giant minor league strikeout totals, Hernandez might not have the overall repertoire to gets outs as a major league starter. Look for him in the bullpen at some point. Koji Uehara actually didn’t pitch poorly at all last year in his Stateside debut, posting a 1.6 WAR in just 12 starts. The problem was that kept straining his thigh and elbow. A move to the bullpen is one possible remedy for that, although, as we speak, the 35-year-old is dealing with — what? — a strained hamstring.

Though it’s not Brandon Lyon-bad, the O’s signing of Mike Gonzalez to a two-year, $12M deal is a head-scratcher for a team that will almost assuredly not be contending this season. What’s more, Baltimore has young-ish Jim Johnson, who became the team’s closer after the departure of George Sherrill to the Dodgers. Also of note here are Cla Meredith — he of the immense ground-ball rate — and Kam Mickolio — he of the immense Man Body. Matt Albers, Mark Hendrickson, and Will Ohman all own Baltimore Orioles jerseys, and will — for better or worse — probably wear them at some point this season.

Organizations like the Cubs present some challenges in a series like this. They have some very obvious strengths – the printing press that is Wrigley Field, the ability to support a $140 million payroll, new ownership that at least appears to be committed to improving how the organization is run, and some really good players on the field. They also have some similarly obvious weaknesses – a lot of committed money to aging players, a front office with a long history of questionable decision making, and a roster that needs some good luck to contend in 2010.

If you just focus on the strengths, you can make a case for the Cubs to be a bit higher than this. After all, they have a real resource advantage over the rest of their division and some really good players in place. If a few things go right, they could steal a playoff berth this year, and they’ve got the finances to be a real player in the future. Their strengths are stronger than most teams strengths.

Likewise, however, you can just focus on the weaknesses and make a case that they should be lower. Their core is getting long in the tooth, with most of their best players being past their prime. They have some good young talent, but not a roster full of it, and the big contracts will hamper their ability to rebuild around guys like Soto and Castro. And, even with a sizable payroll, you can’t expect Hendry to spend it all that well, based on his track record.

When I try to balance the strengths and weaknesses, this is where the Cubs end up – in the middle of the pack, getting less out of what they have than most clubs, but having enough to keep them from being too bad. If the Ricketts demand that the front office catches up to the rest of the league, the team could rise pretty quickly – a more efficient front office could do wonders for the Cubs. There’s enough talent and enough money in Chicago that they should be a top ten franchise without too many problems. They aren’t there now, however. They may get there, but based on where they currently stand, middle of the pack is about as high as I can place them.

When Geovany Soto parlayed a 2007 breakout season in Triple-A with the Rookie of the Year award in 2008, it appeared the Cubs tortured recent history with position prospects might be coming to an end. Soto (and to a lesser extent, Ryan Theriot) was destined as pay-back for the many disappointments: Corey Patterson, Felix Pie, Brian Dopirak, and more. But nothing comes easy to this organization, as Soto turned 3% of his line drives into ground balls from 2008 to 2009, and saw his BABIP drop 86 points as a result. Soto’s true value is probably somewhere in between, and even a sustained 3 WAR pace going forward would make him the Cubs best farm-produced player since Carlos Zambrano.

This bad streak is destined to change soon, as Cubs fans will soon see the benefits of employing revered scouting director Tim Wilken. The director made a controversial splash in his 2006 draft debut with the Cubs, “skimping” on Tyler Colvin in the first round to save money for Jeff Samardzija’s record-breaking fifth round bonus. But Wilken has been more by-the-book since, with first round picks Josh Vitters (2007), Andrew Cashner (2008) and Brett Jackson (2009) representing three of the team’s top five prospects. This consistency on the domestic front will blend well with an international scouting department responsible for producing Soto, Zambrano, Carlos Marmol, and now top prospect Starlin Castro. The success extends to the Asian rim, where Derrek Lee’s father has built a foundation that helped produce Castro’s potential future double play partner, Hak-Ju Lee.

The prospect of a homegrown left side is both very real and very exciting for Cubs fans, so much so that some have called for Castro’s Major League debut as early as Opening Day 2010. That won’t happen, but there have been indications that Jim Hendry has talked with Theriot about moving to the keystone eventually. Castro still has a ways to go to meet his potential, but scouts have commented positively on all five of his tools this offseason. As for Vitters, his timetable coincides nicely with that of Aramis Ramirez, who should not be counting on his 2012 team option to be picked up (the Cubs will use a one-year stopgap if Ramirez turns down his $14.6 player option for ’11). They’ll need the discount, however: Alfonso Soriano will be making $18 million through 2014.

Besides Soriano, most of the money the Cubs have committed will come off the books following the 2011 season. Ted Lilly will come off the books following this season, where he could be replaced by one of the Cubs three solid pitching prospects: Cashner, Jay Jackson and Chris Carpenter. Another should take over the fifth slot in the rotation — as early as this All-Star Break, in fact — so the Cubs threaten to open 2011 with four homegrown starters: Zambrano, Randy Wells and two prospects joining Ryan Dempster. This is a testament to Hendry’s recruitment of Wilken, a long-successful international scouting department, and an organization learning to lean on its farm system.

The Chicago Cubs are in a liminal state. The club’s farm system has shown considerable improvement recently, with the emergence of prospects like Starlin Castro, Josh Vitters, Hak-Ju Lee, Brett Jackson, Andrew Cashner and Jay Jackson. But outside of Cashner and perhaps Castro, those guys aren’t ready for prime time.

At the major league level, the Cubs could once again be expensive and ordinary in 2010. According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, Chicago enters the season with a payroll topping $140 million. Despite spending big bucks, though, the North Siders have run-of-the-mill win totals from most projection systems. The FANS (78 wins), CHONE (79) and PECOTA (80) all call for a sub-.500 campaign. Oliver (86) is more optimistic, with a forecast that has the Cubs keeping pace with the Cardinals and staying in the Wild Card hunt.

The Cubs figure to be strong at the infield corners. Derrek Lee isn’t likely to eclipse 5 WAR again next year, but CHONE calls for a three win season. At third, Aramis Ramirez had a hard time staying on the field last year, suffering shoulder, back and calf injuries (he has been slowed by a triceps issue this spring, too). But if healthy, his potent bat should produce another 3+ WAR campaign. Both are very good players, but it’s hard to call either a huge bargain or a long-term asset: the 34 year-old Lee will pull down $13 million in 2010 and hits free agency after the season, and the 31 year-old Ramirez will earn $15.75 million this year, with a $14.6 million player option for 2011.

Up the middle, Ryan Theriot’s slick glove work and decent offense make him a good, if not breath-taking option at shortstop. He might slide over to second when Castro arrives, though he has some trade value as a guy with a few years of team control remaining. At the keystone, Jeff Baker and Mike Fontenot have the makings of an average duo.

Behind the dish, Geovany Soto looks like a great bet to bounce back in 2010. A plummeting BABIP obscured what was otherwise another season in which he displayed patience and pop at a premium position (and he’s skinny now!) CHONE forecasts a 3+ WAR season.

In the outfield, Kosuke Fukudome and Marlon Byrd are average to slightly above-average starters. And then, of course, there’s Alfonso Soriano in left, he of -0.7 WAR in 2009. The 34 year-old, hampered by calf and knee injuries in recent years, is owed $18 million annually over the 2010-2014 seasons. Even if there’s a dead cat bounce in Soriano’s performance, he’s going to be a drag on the bottom line for years to come. This is what happens when a team signs a free agent at or around his current market value, but then pays him that same rate years and years into the future, as if the player is a baseball version of Richard Alpert, impervious to the effects of aging.

On the bench, Xavier Nady is a fringe starter/good fourth outfielder, though a second Tommy John surgery that wiped away his 2009 season continues to give him problems. Manager Lou Pinella said that Nady might not be able to uncork a throw from the field until June, limiting him to pinch-hit duty. Sam Fuld, a 28 year-old with on-base chops and speed, could be the reserve outfielder called upon most often. Micah Hoffpauir will lace some extra-base hits, but limited defensive ability and so-so strike zone judgment curtail his value. Tyler Colvin, a 2006 first-rounder, could also enter the picture. A lack of plate discipline means he’s probably a long-term fourth outfielder. Koyie Hill will back up Soto at catcher.

Like Soriano, Carlos Zambrano is owed enough cash in the years to come to buy his own magical island. The 28 year-old will earn $17-18 million annually between 2010 and 2012, with a possible vesting option for 2013. He’s still a quality starter, but the mileage on Z’s arm belies his age, and shoulder, back and hamstring injuries over the past two years have kept him far from the 200 inning mark that he zipped by from 2003-2007.

Free agent-to-be Ted Lilly has been one of the better open market values over the past few seasons (providing $43.5 million in production from 2007-2009 while earning $24 million), but knee and shoulder injuries figure to sideline him in April. Ryan Dempster proved that his breakout 2008 was no fluke, providing another season of quality pitching. But, his salary ($12.5M in 2010, $13.5M in 2011, $14M player option for 2012) makes him more of a “get what you pay for” player than someone who provides cost savings. Randy Wells had a nifty rookie season, though his peripherals were more in line with a mid-to-low four’s ERA than the sparkling 3.05 mark that he posted. Former Pirate Tom Gorzelanny looks like the best bet of the back-end candidates, a group that also includes Jeff Samardzija, Sean Marshall and Carlos Silva.

In the bullpen, Carlos Marmol channeled Rick Vaughn last year, posting a sub-50 first-pitch strike percentage (58 percent MLB average). He’s absolutely filthy, but all of the free passes and plunked batters preclude him from relief ace status. Samardzija or Marshall could end up in the ‘pen, should they fall short of securing a rotation spot, and Cashner could arrive at some point this season. John Grabow is a slightly above replacement level reliever, yet he figures to occupy a late-inning role and earn a decent chunk of change ($7.5 million) over the next two years. Sadly, Angel Guzman (shoulder) has been dealt another career blow, and will miss the 2010 season. Keep an eye on Esmailin Caridad. The 26 year-old righty originally signed with the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Central League, but the Cubs nabbed him during the ’07 off-season. A starter in the minors, Caridad impressed in relief last season. He seems better suited for ‘pen duty, given his impressive fastball and fringy secondary stuff.

Even in the most sanguine scenario, Chicago figures to pay Rolls Royce prices for Honda Civic production. There just aren’t a lot of players that you can point to and say, “man, is that guy a steal.” There are a couple of ominous long-term deals and several market-value contracts, with a few players who provide production at below-market prices sprinkled in. The Cubs are lacking in young, cost-controlled talent, something that the next wave of well-regarded prospects could fix. To contend in 2010, the team needs Ramirez, Soto and Zambrano to stay healthy, while hoping that Soriano can rise from the ranks of the undead.

After what appeared to be some back and forth negotiations, lefty specialist Joe Beimel signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies on Monday. This must be a disappointing development for Beimel, who made nearly $4 million over the last two years.

Beimel is a LOOGY, plain and simple. Over the course of his career, Beimel has performed well against left handed pitchers, with an FIP of 3.62. When forced to face right handers, his production plummets, as his FIP rises over a full run to 4.75. This is due to an increase in walk rate and a complete inability to strike batters out. Against right handed batters, Beimel’s K/BB is an abysmal 0.90.

Despite this poor performance against righties, Beimel has put up 1.9 WAR since 2007. Even at age 33, CHONE projects Beimel to be worth about half a win in 2010. If Colorado can limit his exposure to right handers, then there’s a good chance that he can reproduce his 2007 and 2008 numbers with the Dodgers, in which Beimel averaged 0.8 WAR per season. There is, of course, some risk with any 33 year old reliever, but that risk is far outweighed by the potential reward in this case.

I find it hard to believe that there weren’t other teams willing to bid against the Rockies to raise Beimel’s price to at least some guaranteed money. At 33, the aging process may be taking hold of Beimel, but he’s still a good bet to be a major-league quality LOOGY, and that’s worth at least $1 million dollars in this market, if not more. The Rockies got a steal here, and especially with Huston Street to miss time, this move could have an impact on a tight NL West race.