In today’s installment of ‘NWL Alumni in Spring Training’ we focus on a National League Central team for the 3rd day in a row. The Chicago Cubs and 1st year manager Mike Quade hope to end the longest championship drought of any North American professional sports team (102 years) this season. The ‘Loveable Losers’ finished 5th in the NL Central but hope to turn things around in 2011 with a mixture of free agent position players, an influx of young talent and a strong bullpen.
Four former Northwoods League pitchers are currently on the 40-man roster for the ‘North Siders’. Casey Coleman, Thomas Diamond, Justin Berg and John Gaub all figure to see meaningful innings out of the Cubs bullpen this season.
Casey Coleman, a former Alexandria Beetle, finished 2010 on a high note as he was 3-1 over the final month of the season and was in contention for a starting role in 2011. However, the Chicago Cubs acquired Tampa Bay Rays righty Matt Garza which will likely force Coleman to the bullpen or to Des Moines, IA home of the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. The former 15th round pick has a career 4-2 MLB record in eight career starts and has a steady 28-16 record at the Minor League level.
Another potential starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs is former St. Cloud River Bat Thomas Diamond. Diamond was the Texas Rangers 1st pick in the 2004 MLB Draft as he was picked 10th overall after a successful campaign at the University of New Orleans. The hard throwing righty struggled in 2010 at the Major League level as he finished with a 1-3 record, but is expected to pitch important innings for the Cubs that finished 13th (out of 16) in earned run average in 2010. The 6’3’’ Louisiana native showed flashes of brilliance in 2005 and 2006 as a starter going 25-9, but had a setback in 2007 as he had Tommy John surgery.
Justin Berg was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 43rd round of the 2003 MLB Draft after playing at Triton Community College in Illinois. The 6’3’’ sinkerball pitcher played in the NWL for the Wisconsin Woodchucks in 2003 and has made appearances at the big league level in both 2009 and 2010. Berg spent the majority of 2009 and 2010 with the Iowa Cubs of the Pacific Coast League where he had a combined 10-3 record. The Antigo, WI native threw 41.0 innings for the Cubs in 2010 with a 4.15 earned run average while filling in for injured starting pitchers Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly and Carlos Silva.
Another former St. Cloud River Bat vying for innings at the Major League level is former 21st round pick John Gaub. Gaub was originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 2003, but opted not to sign and attended the University of Minnesota. The former 3rd Team All-Big Ten performer pitched for the Iowa Cubs in 2010 and finished the season with a 3-4 record with three saves. Gaub is expected to start the 2011 season in Des Moines, IA with the Iowa Cubs.
Other former NWL Alumni to keep an eye on for the Chicago Cubs – Matt Camp, Brett Jackson, and James Leverton
Matt Camp spent the 2003 season in Thunder Bay after playing for the North Carolina State Wolfpack. Camp is an athletic second basemen that was drafted by the Cubs in the 13th round of the 2006 MLB Draft. The left-handed hitting Camp has a career .269 batting average in five seasons at the Minor League level, but is best known for his speed (119 MiLB stolen bases). Camp is expected to start the 2011 season with the Iowa Cubs.
The former La Crosse Logger outfielder, Brett Jackson, is on track to contribute at the Major League level on a team that has a very deep outfield. The Cubs No. 2 prospect, according to Baseball America, has played all three outfield spots at the Minor League level and hit .297 in 2010, but was slowed by minor injuries. Jackson is expected to reach the Major Leagues by 2012, if not sooner.
James Leverton is another former St. Cloud River Bat pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization. The former Texas Tech Red Raider was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2008 MLB Draft and is quickly making his way through the Minor Leagues. Leverton pitched for the Daytona Cubs (Single-A) of the Florida State League in 2009 and split 2010 between the Peoria Chiefs (Single-A), Daytona Cubs (Single-A Advanced) and Tennessee Smokies (Double-A). 2009 was a struggle as he finished 9-11, but 2010 was a complete 180 degree turn. In 2010, Leverton finished with a 10-1 record with a 2.75 earned run average in 68.0 innings of work.
Follow www.northwoodsleague.com on Friday, March 4th to read about the Arizona Diamondbacks of the NL West.
