Mar 18, 2012; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Casey Coleman (27) pitches during the third inning against the Chicago White Sox at HoHoKam Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Cubbies Crib has entered the final stretch in our coverage of the Cubs’ 40 man roster. The next player to be profiled in our 40 man roster series is Casey Coleman.

Coleman was no stranger to Wrigley Field last season. With early season injuries to starting pitchers Andrew Cashner, and Randy Wells; Coleman was asked to fill in the Cubs’ rotation for most of the 2011 season. This was Coleman’s opportunity to prove that he can be respectable starting pitcher in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately for Coleman, that opportunity sailed away as his ERA inflated over the course of the season.

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March 13, 2012; Surprise, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker (12) sits in the dugout before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

There is a disturbing trend that has been taking place in the Chicago media since 2007. This trend is the annoying tendency of Chicago reporters to talk about the Cubs’ new direction with manager Dusty Baker. Need I remind you that Baker has not been a part of the Cubs’ organization since his last season as the team’ manager in 2006. Yet considering how many times Cubs’ reporters have gone to Baker to talk about the direction of the Cubs, one would think that Baker is a Cubs’ analyst rather than the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. When the Cubs hired Lou Piniella to lead the team to the promise land kick start his retirement tour, Baker commented on the hire. When Lou Piniella retired and Mike Quade replaced the hall of fame manager in the later portions of the 2010 and the entire 2011 season, Baker once again shared his opinion on the hire. With the Cubs making substantial changes this off-season with Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer joining the team’s front office, and Dale Sveum being named the new manager, it was only a matter a time before Baker opened his mouth to talk about the Cubs.

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Feb 27, 2012; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano (12) during photo day at HoHoKam Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

For the most part, intra-squad games in Spring Training is nothing to exciting. The only good thing intra-squad games provide is a joke when someone asks “if the Cubs won today?’ and the reply is “Yes, because they were playing the Cubs.” Granted there is usually excitement for the first intra-squad game as that is usually the first game action that the players have seen since the previous season. The Cubs are playing their first intra-squad game on Friday. But there will be something on display during the game that Cubs’ fans were promised they would never see again. Alfonso Soriano will be batting leadoff for one of the teams.

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