Castro expect to be in Cubs camp on time
MESA, Ariz. — Cubs president Theo Epstein said Saturday he expects all-star shortstop Starlin Castro to be in camp when position players report later in the week.
Castro has been the subject of a sexual-assault investigation. He has not been charged, but the allegations became public right before the team’s fan convention last month. Castro maintained a low profile during the convention.
“It’s status quo on that, as far as we’re concerned,” Epstein said. “I know there’s been full cooperation from every end. I expect Starlin in camp. He’s getting ready for the season. I don’t expect it to be a distraction.
“It’s too sensitive an issue; I don’t want to speculate. It’s really not our investigation. Obviously, what we said at the convention stands. There’s a lot of concern about it, and our players have a responsibility to conduct themselves in the right way off the field as well as on the field.”
Epstein added that the Cubs will host seminars run by Northeastern University’s Sport in Society program to help players better deal with situations, especially off the field.
Carrying a big stick:Center fielder Marlon Byrd is in camp early.He said he lost 20 pounds in the off-season by working out and changing his diet. Byrd said medical tests revealed certain food allergies or intolerances.Byrd also is sporting a new tattoo on his right arm, one that features an excerpt from a 1910 speech given by Theodore Roosevelt, #147;The Man in the Arena.#148;The most famous part of the quote goes: #147;It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming #133;#148;#147;My wife sends me this every year before the season starts, and I read it,#148; Byrd said. #147;I wanted to put it on my arm just as a reminder.#148;Cubs want DeWitt back:Infielder Blake DeWitt, recently designated for assignment, has cleared waivers and soon could rejoin the Cubs as a nonroster invitee. DeWitt and the Cubs earlier agreed to a $1.1 million contract, avoiding salary arbitration. #147;We are certainly hopeful that he#146;ll remain with us,#148; general manager Jed Hoyer said.#147;Our thoughts haven#146;t changed about Blake. Certainly if Blake comes back, he has every possible chance to compete for a job in camp and have very much the same role as last year.#148;His kind of guy:Outfielder Reed Johnson is in camp early. He said he likes the no-nonsense approach espoused by new manager Dale Sveum. #147;I think that#146;s a big reason why I came back, as well,#148; Johnson said. #147;You see Dale and the way he approaches things and you can tell that he means that.#147;A lot of coaches and a lot of staff members can say that sometimes, but you can tell that it#146;s not genuine or they#146;re not really going to follow through. He doesn#146;t care if you#146;re making $15 million or making $450,000, you#146;re going to go out there and you#146;re going to play the game hard. If you#146;re not, you#146;re not going to play.#147;For players like me, that#146;s really refreshing because a lot of the times, throughout the league and throughout my experiences, that hasn#146;t been really true.#147;The players know that. If you come in with that attitude, you#146;re going to be in for a rude awakening with this team.#148;Never-ending saga:There was no update Saturday on the compensation talks between the Cubs and the Boston Red Sox for the Red Sox letting Epstein out of his contract to come to the Cubs. #147;I think we all hope it#146;ll reach a resolution soon,#148; Epstein said.