Cubs Felix Pie among Cactus League phenoms

Cubs Felix Pie among Cactus League phenoms
Felix Pie, CF, Cubs The Cubs dabbled in acquiring a veteran center fielder in the offseason. They expressed interest in the Angels' Chone Figgins, but found him cost-prohibitive. And they discussed a Matt Murton-for-Marlon Byrd deal with Texas, only to find the Rangers weren't buying. Felix Pie Pie Center Field Chicago Cubs Profile 2007 MLB Stats GM HR RBI R OBP AVG 87 2 20 26 .271 .215 So now it's come down to the overachieving Stanford economics major, Sam Fuld, vs. the perennial prospect, Pie. While Pie isn't guaranteed a spot in Chicago's Opening Day lineup, he appears to have the best chance of anyone on this list of breaking camp with the big club. Manager Lou Piniella has consistently hinted that it's Pie's job to lose. At 23, Pie already has 2,171 at-bats in the minor leagues. Last year he hit .362 with a .963 OPS in Iowa, so there's not much left for him to prove in the Pacific Coast League. Right now Pie has three things to overcome: (1) A swing that's a tad long, (2) a tendency to expand his strike zone too readily and (3) trouble with breaking balls. Will Piniella be patient with the kid as the Cubs try to get off to a fast start? We'll see. "I think it's put-up-or-shut-up time with this guy,'' a scout said. "At some point, you have to let him play his way on or off the team. I don't think you're going to know with him until he plays half a season and gets 300 at-bats.'' Or 600. Even if Pie takes his lumps offensively, he's likely to be hitting in the No. 8 spot. He also has the speed, glove and arm to contribute when he's not hitting. As we saw with Dustin Pedroia in Boston last season, Pie's grace period could hinge in part on how well the Cubs play in April and May.