The Cubs have indicated that the front office will burn through the waiver wire in the next few days to see if there are any cast-offs that could help the club on Opening Day. It sounds like a noble pursuit until one realizes what the waiver wire represents.
If a player is out of minor league options, a team cannot send him to the minors without first putting him on waivers. Then the 29 other clubs can put in a claim for that player's contract.
Since at this time of the year, most teams have their 40 man rosters set, this would mean that if the Cubs are looking for talent now they would be picking up players ranked 1201 of higher in the collective depth chart. (30 clubs times 40 protected roster players equals 1200.) Only the Astros can beat the Cubs on any selection.
Then, again, the Cubs would have to move a player to the 60 day DL or release a player from the 40 man roster in order to take a waiver player. So the club has to make the determination that the 1201th best player in the majors is better value than someone already under Cub control.
The pipe dream is that the Cubs will find a fifth starter on the wire. Teams have enough problems finding starting pitchers to let any go now. The Cubs may be looking for a reserve infielder to be the 25th man if Clevenger does not make the roster. This is most likely a career minor leaguer or a long-in-the-tooth veteran journeyman.
It is interesting to note that the Cubs have become more stubborn in their insistence that they will not promote quickly their prospects. And in this situation, not even marginal tweeners are not getting any attention after the poor showings last season by B. Jackson and Vitters. The Cubs are holding the line for their key players at the AA and below levels for 2013.
