When the Cubs decided to tender Chad Gaudin a contract in December, they did so with the idea that he could easily be traded if he didn't make the roster.
But an ugly 10.26 ERA this spring ruined any chance of that, and general manager Jim Hendry bit the bullet Sunday and released the veteran in favor of keeping Rule 5 pick David Patton.
Angel Guzman also made the final cut. Jeff Samardzija and Chad Fox were optioned to Triple-A Iowa. All are right-handers.
Hendry ultimately decided that eating $1.6 million of Gaudin's $2 million contract was preferable to watching him drive manager Lou Piniella crazy with inconsistency.
"Truthfully, Gaudin didn't pitch well," Hendry said. "I think we did the right thing. The facts of the matter are the other guys just outpitched him."
Patton, 24, was low-key about the news, though he was bursting with pride inside. "This is what you devote all your time to and what I've wanted since I was a little kid," he said. "I'm excited about this, but this is just the beginning. I want to do something special."
Hendry credited the Cubs' scouts for noticing a prospect who had been overlooked in the Colorado organization.
"I applaud our scouts that stuck their necks out on a kid that was in A ball in the Cal League," Hendry said. "It was a long shot when he got here, and the kid deserves all the credit in the world for pitching himself [onto the roster]."
Zambrano backtracks: Carlos Zambrano denied saying he wished Chicago would build the Cubs a new ballpark, as he was quoted Saturday by the Associated Press. Many fans were livid over the comment, but Zambrano said they shouldn't be upset with him.
"Why? They don't have to be mad," he said. "I didn't say they have to build a new stadium. If the Cubs do, we will be much better and more comfortable as a player.
"It's my opinion, and sometimes when fans say something about a player, you have to respect it. But I didn't say we should move. I love Wrigley Field. Don't get me wrong. It's a nice ballpark, but if the Cubs think sometime, 10 or 20 years from now, if they think about [building] a new ballpark, it should be good."
The quote: Milton Bradley on his first Opening Day, with Montreal at Wrigley Field: "It was like 25 degrees and freezing, but guys had on no shirts and were talking about my mom. They were telling me I was going to be back at [Triple-A] Ottawa in a couple of weeks, and they weren't too far off. I let it get to me, but I know now it's going to be a different experience, being a Cub."
Extra innings: Samardzija will begin in Iowa's bullpen to stretch out and will go into the rotation after an outing or two. ... The Cubs are 73-58-2 all time on Opening Day.
Source: chicagotribune.com
But an ugly 10.26 ERA this spring ruined any chance of that, and general manager Jim Hendry bit the bullet Sunday and released the veteran in favor of keeping Rule 5 pick David Patton.
Angel Guzman also made the final cut. Jeff Samardzija and Chad Fox were optioned to Triple-A Iowa. All are right-handers.
Hendry ultimately decided that eating $1.6 million of Gaudin's $2 million contract was preferable to watching him drive manager Lou Piniella crazy with inconsistency.
"Truthfully, Gaudin didn't pitch well," Hendry said. "I think we did the right thing. The facts of the matter are the other guys just outpitched him."
Patton, 24, was low-key about the news, though he was bursting with pride inside. "This is what you devote all your time to and what I've wanted since I was a little kid," he said. "I'm excited about this, but this is just the beginning. I want to do something special."
Hendry credited the Cubs' scouts for noticing a prospect who had been overlooked in the Colorado organization.
"I applaud our scouts that stuck their necks out on a kid that was in A ball in the Cal League," Hendry said. "It was a long shot when he got here, and the kid deserves all the credit in the world for pitching himself [onto the roster]."
Zambrano backtracks: Carlos Zambrano denied saying he wished Chicago would build the Cubs a new ballpark, as he was quoted Saturday by the Associated Press. Many fans were livid over the comment, but Zambrano said they shouldn't be upset with him.
"Why? They don't have to be mad," he said. "I didn't say they have to build a new stadium. If the Cubs do, we will be much better and more comfortable as a player.
"It's my opinion, and sometimes when fans say something about a player, you have to respect it. But I didn't say we should move. I love Wrigley Field. Don't get me wrong. It's a nice ballpark, but if the Cubs think sometime, 10 or 20 years from now, if they think about [building] a new ballpark, it should be good."
The quote: Milton Bradley on his first Opening Day, with Montreal at Wrigley Field: "It was like 25 degrees and freezing, but guys had on no shirts and were talking about my mom. They were telling me I was going to be back at [Triple-A] Ottawa in a couple of weeks, and they weren't too far off. I let it get to me, but I know now it's going to be a different experience, being a Cub."
Extra innings: Samardzija will begin in Iowa's bullpen to stretch out and will go into the rotation after an outing or two. ... The Cubs are 73-58-2 all time on Opening Day.
Source: chicagotribune.com
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