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Read More: Ian Stewart (3B – COL), Tyler Colvin (RF – COL), Casey Weathers (P – COL), DJ LeMahieu (2B – COL), Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies agreed to a four-player deal on Thursday that sent outfielder Tyler Colvin and infielder DJ LeMahieu to Colorado for Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart and relief pitcher Casey Weathers.

Colvin and Stewart both have shown flashes of excellence in their brief major league careers, but they’re both coming off a dreadful 2011 season:

Colvin had a miserable 2011, hitting .150 in 206 at-bats. Stewart fell out of favor after an awful 2011 season. He went homerless in 142 plate appearances and struggled with knee, hamstring and wrist injuries.

LeMahieu is a 22-year-old infielder who hit .286/.328/.366 for Chicago’s triple-A affiliate last season. Weathers is a 26-year-old relief pitcher who spent 2011 with Colorado’s double-A affiliate.

For more updates on Chicago sports, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of the Cubs, head over to Bleed Cubbie Blue. Also, check out MLB Daily Dish for Cubs rumors and transactions.

There is the quick update of the day.

Published: Aug. 17, 2011 at 12:00 AM

Not much else going on in the MLB planet today.

Published: Aug. 2, 2011 at 10:36 PM

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Updated May 31, 2011 5:58 PM ET

CHICAGO (AP)

The Chicago Cubs have put left fielder Alfonso Soriano on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left quadriceps.

They recalled outfielder Tyler Colvin from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday.

Soriano was hurt in the first inning Monday trying to beat out a groundball to third. He pulled up a few feet from first base, holding his left thigh.

Soriano leads the team with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs. He is hitting .271.

Colvin was hitting .260 with a home run and eight RBIs at Iowa. He was sent down May 16 to get more at-bats after hitting just .113 with two home runs in 62 at-bats with the Cubs.

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CHICAGO, April 18 (UPI) — Tyler Colvin smacked a double in the 10th inning Monday, chasing home Geovany Soto with the game-winning run in the Chicago Cubs’ 1-0 decision over San Diego.

Soto was on first with two outs when Colvin socked a pitch from Chad Qualls (0-1) into the right-field corner. The Cubs’ catcher rounded the bases and slid home with the winning run after Chris Denorfia’s throw from right missed the cut-off man.

The hit made a winner of Carlos Marmol (1-1), who tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings as the Cubs won the opener of a three-game series on a cold and windy night at Wrigley Field.

Chicago starter Carlos Zambrano was dominant in eight shutout innings, yielding only three hits while walking one and striking out 10.

The Padres’ Tim Stauffer countered with seven scoreless frames of his own, allowing four hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

That’s all for today.

CHICAGO, April 5 (UPI) — Tyler Colvin clubbed a two-run homer and drove in another run Tuesday in the Chicago Cubs’ 6-5 win over Arizona.

In his first start in the major leagues, Andrew Cashner gave up just one run on two hits and a walk before leaving in the sixth inning with tightness in his throwing shoulder. He didn’t figure in the decision.

James Russell (1-0) got the win in relief, holding the Diamondbacks scoreless on two hits with two strikes and no walks in 1 2/3 innings. Sean Marshall earned a save despite allowing one run in one full inning of relief for Chicago.

The Cubs’ offense featured a 3-for-4 effort from Marlon Byrd that included a run-scoring double in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Arizona starter Barry Enright gave up four runs on seven hits through six innings but escaped without a decision. Sam Demel (1-1) allowed two runs in 1/3 inning of relief to take the loss.

The Diamondbacks, losers of three straight, got a two-run single from Willie Bloomquist in the top of the seventh.

There is the quick update of the day.

CHICAGO — Tyler Colvin made his major league debut at first base for the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, replacing Carlos Pena, who is dealing with a sprained right thumb.

Pena suffered the injury during Monday’s 4-1 victory over the Diamondbacks on a play to his far right. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth inning.

“I actually made the play in the seventh on a ball into the hole,” Pena said. “As I threw the ball, I put my glove hand down and kind of jammed it into the ground.”

Pena’s hand was wrapped before Tuesday’s game.

“He’s day to day,” Cubs manager Mike Quade said. “I could probably use him if I needed him late [on Tuesday]. But we’ll see. We’ll be careful with it.”

Pena told reporters he’s anxious to play.

“I told Q if you need me, let me know, because I’m ready to go,” Pena said. “But we’re trying to be cautious. I told him if you need me to pinch hit, I’m out here working to stay loose at all times. I’m available, is what I told Q.”

With an off day on Thursday, the conventional wisdom would be for the Cubs to rest Pena for the Cubs’ first road trip, which begins Friday in Milwaukee.

“I’m still looking forward to playing tomorrow,” Pena said. “I always try to push myself too much. But I still feel tomorrow is a pretty good chance.”

The free-agent acquisition from the Tampa Bay Rays is hitting .200 with four RBIs.

Bruce Levine covers baseball for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000. Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The Chicago Cubs play their last spring training game today against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In other words, it’s all over but the shouting. The same can be said about the team’s 25-man roster, which finally came together yesterday with the announcement that many fans have been dreading (or, perhaps, waiting gleefully to rage about).

I’m referring to the team’s backup catcher, of course. Yes, that was the last roster spot remaining open after the bullpen settled into place, and Carlos Silva pitched and bitched his way off of the team over the weekend. The 32-year-old Koyie Hill was awarded the lauded position of replacement backstop — and that’s why many Cubs fans are hoppin’ mad.

You see, Koyie Hill is not what you’d call a “strong hitter.” His career (774 plate appearances) batting average/on-base percentage/slugging line is .215/.276/.302 (.578 OPS, .255 wOBA). That’s actually not bad — for a pitcher. And, to make matters worse, Cubs fans watched 23-year-old catching prospect Welington Castillo put up video game numbers — .632/.696/.842 — in 19 spring training at-bats this year. The Cubs also had a 26-year-old catcher waiver-claim catcher in camp, Max Ramirez. He’s generally considered a good-hitting backstop, and he showed that in Cactus League play. Ramirez was placed back on waivers yesterday.

Of course, baseball is not just offense. It’s also baserunning and defense. Taking the former out of the equation (we are talking about a backup catcher here), Hill was considered a pretty solid defensive catcher up until last season — when he failed to gun down many base stealers (only eight, after throwing out 20 the season before) and made a few other garish mistakes. Like the entire team, he didn’t get off to a great start defensively this spring either.

So why do the Cubs stick with him? As far as I can tell, it’s because Mike Quade — and, perhaps more importantly, pitching coach Mark Riggins — see him more as a player/coach than just a backup catcher. He apparently knows what the coaching staff wants from its pitchers and can communicate that system or philosophy very effectively both on the field and in the clubhouse.

And even though the team will naturally swear up and down that it intends to contend this year, 2011 is still nonetheless a transitional year of sorts with several big contracts expiring and youngsters (Andrew Cashner, Starlin Castro, Darwin Barney, Tyler Colvin) looking to take the next step toward solidifying their respective roles with the team. So they need Koyie’s presence for stability or, to use a work I read somewhere or other recently, “continuity.”

That’s the best I can do, really. Cubs fans will just have to hope starting catcher Geovany Soto can finally have that 120- to 140-game season that’s eluded him so far. Otherwise, we’ll have to hope the team is quick to put Geo on the disabled list and call up the aforementioned Castillo in his absence. Koyie Hill seems like a great guy and his inclusion on the 25-man alone won’t make or break the Cubs season. But, combined with the pitcher, his presence in the batting order will create a black hole of epic proportions should Soto have another injury-addled season.

Deep breath. Now here’s a complete look at the North Siders’ 25-man roster:

Starting lineup

1. Kosuke Fukudome RF

2. Starlin Castro SS

3. Geovany Soto C

4. Aramis Ramirez 3B

5. Carlos Pena 1B

6. Alfonso Soriano LF

7. Marlon Byrd CF

8. Darwin Barney 2B

Bench

9. Jeff Baker IF/OF

10. Blake DeWitt IF

11. Koyie Hill C

12. Tyler Colvin OF

13. Reed Johnson OF

Starting rotation

14. Carlos Zambrano RHP

15. Ryan Dempster RHP

16. Matt Garza RHP

17. Randy Wells RHP

18. Andrew Cashner RHP

Bullpen

19. Carlos Marmol RHP

20. Kerry Wood RHP

21. Sean Marshall LHP

22. John Grabow LHP

23. Jeff Samardzija RHP

24. Marcus Mateo RHP

25. James Russell LHP

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GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP)—Chad Billingsley(notes) and Ryan Dempster(notes) hope they pitch nearly as well in April as they did Tuesday in the Cactus League.

Billingsley, set to be the Dodgers’ No. 2 starter, gave up four hits in six shutout innings to help Los Angeles beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 in 10 innings.

He ran into trouble in his final inning, giving up a hit and two walks before a sliding catch in center field by Xavier Paul(notes) bailed him out.

Billingsley threw 94 pitches.

“And I still felt strong,” he said. “I had good fastball command, and my changeup was really good. … I want to build off today and take it into the season.”

Dempster, the Cubs’ opening-day starter, continued his excellent spring by giving up one run and six hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked one, lowering his ERA to 1.88.

“My body feels good. My pitches feel good,” Dempster said. “I was able to locate well today.

“I’m looking forward to getting out there again five days from now and tuning up for opening day.”

The Dodgers won it in the bottom of the 10th when Orlando Mercado lofted a bloop single to left off Jeff Samardzija(notes) with the bases loaded and two outs. The hit, which barely eluded a diving Fernando Perez(notes), scored Kyle Russell, who had doubled.

Jeff Baker(notes) hit a solo homer for the Cubs in the ninth to tie it at 1.

Eugenio Velez(notes), a non-roster invite to Dodgers camp, sprained his right ankle when he landed awkwardly on first base while running out an infield hit.

The injury probably ends the chance for Velez, who can play the infield and outfield, to make the club coming out of Arizona.

“He was in the mix,” manager Don Mattingly said. “He switch-hits, has that speed and is able to play the infield and outfield. He’s an interesting guy.”

NOTES: Hector Gimenez(notes), making a long-shot bid for a roster spot with the Dodgers, made his first appearance of the spring in the outfield. He threw out Tyler Colvin(notes) trying to score from second on a single by Marlon Byrd(notes). Gimenez, a first baseman, has appeared in the outfield only three times in his minor league career. At the plate, though, he was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. That lowered his batting average to .294 with three homers and seven RBIs. … Neither team made an error. Coming into the game, the Cubs had committed 34 errors this spring, second-most in the majors behind San Diego (36). … The Dodgers reassigned RHP Oscar Villareal to minor league camp. … Byrd went 2 for 5, which actually lowered his average to .478.

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Surprise, AZ (Sports Network) – Mitch Maier singled home the game-winning run in the seventh inning as Kansas City came back to knock off the Chicago Cubs, 5-4, in Cactus League action.

Eric Hosmer belted a grand slam that tied the game in sixth inning and Billy Butler added a pair of hits for the Royals.

Blaine Hardy tossed a scoreless frame to earn the win and Steven Shell worked a perfect ninth to record the save.

Tyler Colvin hit a solo home run and drove in three while Starlin Castro delivered the other Chicago run with a triple.

Sean Marshall took the loss after allowing a run on two hits in 1 1/3 frames.

GAME NOTES:

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Chicago Cubs (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Paul Connors)

The Chicago Cubs prepare for they’re second spring training game. On Monday, they’ll take on the Milwaukee Brewers with Carlos Pena, Tyler Colvin and Alfonso Soriano in the lineup.

The Cubs’ full lineup is as follows:

1) Reed Johnson – CF
2) Darwin Barney – SS
3) Tyler Colvin – RF
4) Alfonso Soriano – LF
5) Carlos Pena – 1B
6) Jeff Baker – 2B
7) Marquez Smith – 3B
Koyie Hill – C
9) Randy Wells – P

Accoridng to Carrie Muskat, of MLB.com, Kerry Wood, Andrew Cashner and Sean Marshall are scheduled to pitch for the Cubs.

That’s all the news for today.

MESA, Ariz. — Already comfortable in his new surroundings, Carlos Pena joked with teammates Friday, downed a big bowl of Cheerios and then looked forward to his first season — maybe his only one — with the Chicago Cubs.

Pena says winning in Chicago, where the Cubs’ World Series title drought could reach 103 years this season, would be an unforgettable experience.

“If you win in Chicago, it will be lights out,” he said.

The Cubs signed Pena to a one-year, $10 million deal in December that his agent Scott Boras called a “pillow contract” because of the comfort it provides. It will allow Pena to put up a good season and then perhaps reap a bigger deal as a free agent.

Pena is already working with Cubs hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo to simplify his approach and hike his batting average.

He’s the left-handed power bat Chicago needs in its lineup, but it’s hardly a secret that everyone expects him to go above the Mendoza Line this season. Hobbled in August by plantar fasciitis, he ended up batting only .196 last season with the Tampa Bay Rays when 28 of his 95 hits went for homers.

“I definitely want to improve all my numbers. The emphasis is on the batting average because last year was so difficult for me in that category,” Pena said.

“I understand that’s not me. It doesn’t represent me. It wouldn’t be intelligent on my part to carry that piece of luggage on my back, that batting average, to carry it around and let it be the number that identifies me. It’s not even an issue.”

Pena is known for his slick fielding at first base and his power, with 144 of his 230 major league homers coming for Tampa Bay the last four seasons.

With Derrek Lee traded away during last season’s fifth-place finish, the Cubs needed to address first base. Tyler Colvin, who had a strong rookie season mostly in the outfield, will also work at the position, an insurance against injury and also a way to give Pena a day off when needed.

Pena’s transition has been helped by the presence of his former Rays teammate Matt Garza, who could be the Cubs’ ace this season. The two helped the one-time doormat Rays make the World Series three years ago.

“I know I don’t have to worry about the left side of the infield,” Garza said. “I played with him for three seasons, so I know his range and he knows mine. I know everything he can do and everything he can’t do, which is very little. It’s a comfort zone.”

Pena, who won a Gold Glove in 2008, credits his fielding acumen to an early desire to be a shortstop.

“It goes all the way back to when I was a kid and I wanted to be a shortstop and obviously I couldn’t because I was left-handed,” he said. “So I had to take shortstop to first base. I’ve always had an appreciation for the good defensive shortstops of my country, like Tony Fernandez. I just think it was ingrained in my head at a very early age that defense was important. And I’ve carried that all the way.”

Game notes

Outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, in the final year of a four-year, $48 million deal, said he’d prefer to stay in the major leagues and with the Cubs. Fukudome has batted .259 in his three seasons in Chicago and will likely be the fourth outfielder behind Tyler Colvin, Marlon Byrd and Alfonso Soriano. … Todd Ricketts, a member of the Cubs’ board of managers, said the team is working on choosing an architect and contractor for its new spring training facility in Mesa. He said ground will likely be broken this fall and the complex could be ready by 2013, but it will probably be 2014.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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