Will Colvin make the cut for the Cubs?
TUCSON, Ariz. - Tyler Colvin says he's been told nothing.
And he's taking nothing for granted as far as having the Cubs' roster made even if a teammate such as Jeff Baker is making some opening-week plans.
"No, I'm not," Colvin said Thursday before going 2-for-4 in the Cubs' 7-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. "Baker was talking to me and was like, 'Hey, Clemson's playing in Georgia that first series. I'm going to call Coach (Jack) Leggett up and get us two tickets.' Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up on that because you don't know what's going to happen. I'm just going to keep on doing what I'm doing and see what happens.
"Just talking to a few of my buddies on the team. It's just like, 'Hey, you still have a chance; don't think you're going down yet; there's still a possibility.' Like I've said all along, we have some great outfielders. We'll just have to see what happens."
What's happened already is that Colvin has batted. 444 (24-for-54) this spring and has put himself into the picture to make the 25-man roster when the Cubs break camp at the end of next week.
The Cubs' No. 1 draft pick out of Clemson in 2006 rehabbed last off-season from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. This winter, he was able to work out hard for the first time in his short pro career. He reported for spring training with about 25 pounds more of good weight.
"You know what the difference is?" he said "In the past, I could hit home runs, but I would have to really muscle up. Now, it's a lot easier. I don't have to try to do as much. I just hit line drives now, and, 'Oh, it got over his head, that's nice.' I haven't been able to do that in the past. If I was trying to hit a home run, I probably could, but now, I don't have to try."
The knock on Colvin is that he has been a high-strikeout, low-on-base guy. He's still not sure what kind of hitter he will end up being.
"I haven't walked at all this spring, but I'm getting my pitches to hit, and I'm not missing them," he said. "That's the one thing about hitting. You might get one pitch an at-bat you can handle, and as long as you handle that pitch, you're going to do fine."
The Cubs have made no announcements about Colvin or the rest of the bench, but the picture could clear up some today, when they may pare the roster further.
The choice with Colvin may come down to letting him play every day at Class AAA Iowa or getting him spot duty in the major leagues, backing up starting outfielders Alfonso Soriano, Marlon Byrd and Kosuke Fukudome.
Either way seems OK with Colvin.
"My thoughts are I want to help this team any way I can," he said. "If it's coming off the bench and getting a hit there or starting periodically throughout the week, that's great. Whatever I can do to help get some of these guys some rest, I'm going to do whatever I can.
"You still get your work done (coming off the bench). The only thing that it is is getting consistent at-bats. I think that some point I'll get that. As long as I keep taking b.p. (batting practice) and staying with my routine, it should be fine."
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