28-year old righty reliever Angel Guzman has a significant ligament tear in the front bottom part of his right shoulder. Whether he needs surgery or rehab he is likely going to miss a big chunk of the 2010 season for the Cubs. Guzman pitched in 55 games (0 starts) for the Cubs last season and he was 3-3 with 1 save, a 2.95 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Guzman only allowed 41 hits in 61 innings last season for the Cubs as it all finally seemed to come together for him in 2009. This is a bad break for both Guzman and the Cubs.

The Cubs did not tender a contract for the 2010 season to 29-year old lefty reliever Neal Cotts making him a free agent. Cotts is still recovering from Tommy John Surgery so it wasn’t a surprise that the Cubs decided to let him walk. Cotts pitched in 19 games (0 starts) for the Cubs last season and he was 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA and a 2.09 WHIP. In three years with the Cubs, Cotts pitched in 85 games (0 starts) in which he was 0-5 with a 4.97 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. The Cubs won’t miss Cotts too much as he wasn’t that good for them even when he was healthy.

The Cubs could be without 33-year old lefty starting pitcher Ted Lilly for the start of the 2010 season because of recent shoulder surgery. This would be a big blow to the Cubs as Lilly has been their most consistent player since coming to Chicago. Lilly started 27 games for the Cubs last season and he was 12-9 with a 3.10 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Lilly has now pitched in 95 games (all starts) in three years with the Cubs and he is 44-26 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. The Cubs need Lilly back healthy early on in the baseball season because he is the one pitcher the Cubs can’t replace.

The Cubs have shut down 31-year old righty reliever Kevin Gregg for the remainder of the season. Gregg pitched in 72 games for the Cubs this season and he was 5-6 with 23 saves, a 4.72 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Gregg lost the closer’s job for the Cubs late in the season as he was just pitching awful for the Cubs. He gave up 13 homers in only 68 2/3 innings this season and that can’t be tolerated for a pitcher who works late in ball games. The Cubs will probably let Gregg walk after the year is officially over.

The Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano stated that he wants to get surgery on his ailing left knee “sooner than later” saying that he is basically playing on one leg right now.  This most likely means that Soriano is done for the year, as it puts a disappointing end to Soriano’s disappointing 2009 season.

If Soriano’s knee has been bothering him so much that he feels like is playing on one leg, then why has been in the line-up all these weeks?  The Cubs have been pathetic down the stretch and no Cubs player has been more pathetic than Soriano.  He ends the season with career lows in BA, RBI, OBP, and SLG %.  If the problem was his knee and it was hindering his play this badly, he should have been out a long time ago.

However, I don’t think Soriano’s knee is as bad as he is hinting at and I am not the only one.  Manager Lou Piniella stated “The injury is not of a serious nature,” adding that he thinks the procedure would be to “clean it out.”  The Cubs will now go 101 years without a World Series title.