Sveum having some fun with Cubs’ bunting drills

MESA, Ariz. — They say you drive for show and putt for dough.

In the case of the Cubs, they might be bunting for dough this spring.

In an effort to improve one sadly lacking element from last year, new manager Dale Sveum is having players engage in a bunting tournament, so to speak, in which points are awarded for placing the ball best.

There might be a little cash prize for the winner.

“We’re obviously emphasizing a lot of fundamentals, and it’s just a fun way of introducing guys getting bearing down a little more,” Sveum said Monday.

“So we have the point system out there. Good bunts are 40, 30, 20, 10 points, and there is a 100-point bull’s-eye out there, but you have to call it.

“You can’t just bunt a (bad) bunt and end up in the bull’s eye and get 100 points for it. You have to call that kind of like horse.

“It’s just a fun way, and we’re going to have a match-play bunting tournament all throughout spring training where the pitchers will have one bracket, and the hitters will have one bracket, and when it’s all said and done, one hitter and one pitcher will have a championship match-play bunting tournament.”

Although Ryan Dempster is regarded as the team’s best bunter, Sveum said Kerry Wood might be the early clubhouse favorite.

A new beginning:Closer Carlos Marmol said he agreed with manager Dale Sveum that it#146;s time to junk the cut fastball he experimented with last year in favor of sticking with his slider and fastball.Marmol has a devastating slider, but he wound up blowing 10 saves last year.#147;I#146;m going to get rid of that for sure,#148; Marmol said. #147;You#146;re not going to see that. It didn#146;t work. It didn#146;t work last year.#148;Marmol said the rough spots last year hurt his confidence.#147;I lost lot of confidence the last month,#148; he said. #147;It#146;s a new year. I#146;m trying to forget about last year.#148;DeWitt coming back:Infielder Blake DeWitt has accepted the Cubs#146; outright assignment to Class AAA Iowa. He will be in camp as a nonroster invitee.The Cubs earlier designated DeWitt for assignment after they acquired infielder Adrian Cardenas. DeWitt, 26, will battle for a backup infielder#146;s spot.Good turnout:Position players don#146;t have to report until Thursday, with their first formal workout Friday. But many are in camp already.#147;Whenever you get guys champing at the bit like that, I think we have 14 or 15 position players already here, so it#146;s nice to see them all out there getting ready and getting in shape and hearing the bat crack in spring training,#148; Dale Sveum said.