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HOUSTON -- Just because the Chicago Cubs head into play Wednesday with the worst winning percentage in baseball doesn't mean they don't have a magic number.

Whether the Cubs want to admit it or not, that magic number is 104.

If red-hot slugging prospect Anthony Rizzo is on the major league roster for 104 days this season he would be eligible for free agency in 2017 instead of 2018. It could mean as much as $10 million in the difference between an arbitration-eligible contract and a free-agent one.

And if the Cubs aren't in a position to retain Rizzo, it could mean one less year with the club.

Cubs management has insisted all along, though, that service time has nothing to do with whether guys like Rizzo or Brett Jackson are called up to the major leagues. But when seeing how Rizzo has torn up Triple-A pitching, and with the major league offense in dire need of help, it has become a hot topic of conversation.

"Service time is not really a factor," president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said way back in spring training, well before Rizzo was crushing the ball at Iowa. "With potentially impact young players we always try to make decisions based on what is best for their development.

"There is certain criteria for advancement that we have at each level of the minor-league system and a checklist that goes into how those decisions are made. The same is true for the promotion of a potential regular player from Triple-A to the big leagues."

Raw numbers aren't always the only criteria for advancement, but Rizzo has certainly made a case for himself with a .352 batting average, a .697 slugging percentage, 15 home runs and 42 RBIs. He easily leads the Pacific Coast league in home runs and is second in RBIs, just two behind Reno's Randy Ruiz.

So what more does Rizzo have to do?

"I'd like to see players get a significant amount of time at Triple-A, usually a full calendar year if possible," Epstein said. "And certainly I'd like to check all the boxes and make sure all the criteria are fit before they advance up here. So as talented as some players are, and as talented as Anthony and Brett are, there are still some issues left in their development so we would like to see those addressed before they get up here."

Rizzo had 93 games of experience at the Triple-A level last season and another 43 this year gives him 136. When it comes to his major-league experience he had 68 days of service with the San Diego Padres last season and another 104 days would put him at the magical 172 mark that would mark a full season and alter his arbitration-eligible/free-agent status.

Jed Hoyer was the San Diego Padres GM last season and called up Rizzo on June 9, but he struggled with 14 hits in 98 at-bats (.143) and was sent back down. He was called back up in September.

So if the Cubs do go ahead and recall Rizzo for a two-week stretch in June, when the team would need a designated hitter in a June 8-10 series at Minnesota and a June 18-20 series across town against the White Sox, he could then go back down again if the Cubs want to keep his service time under 172 days. He could then be recalled again after the All-Star break.

Or if what Epstein said was true and that service time isn't a factor he could stick around. But he only will play first base, which means Bryan LaHair could move to left field. What that means for Alfonso Soriano, who is making $19 million not only this season but also $19 million in each of the next two as well, would remain to be seen.

CHICAGO -- Chicago's respective baseball seasons don't have to be dreary. Fascinating might be a stretch but interesting is a definite possibility.

April promises to be compelling merely for curiosity sake. Can the Cubs or White Sox stay competitive enough to give rise to actual optimism, false or otherwise? Or do they sink so quickly and so profoundly as to fulfill all of our worst expectations?

By the end of May, early June, Cubs fans can stay engaged as they begin clamoring for Anthony Rizzo and Brett Jackson, while Sox fans can officially give up on Adam Dunn and Alex Rios comebacks and start debating whether Paul Konerko's first mini-slump means he's over the hill.

July and August will bring trade deadlines and that annual fantasy known as hoping someone is dumb enough to take on Alfonso Soriano's contract. And by September, there are sure to be at least a handful of Sox fans who long for Ozzie Guillen's "fire."

See? It might even be fun.

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The Chicago Cubs assigned right-handed pitcher Andy Sonnanstine to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday, reducing the Cubs' spring roster to 47.

The Cubs' 40-man roster stands at 39.

Brett Jackson is the prototype for what the Cubs' new front office wants in a prospect.

I had a chance to sit down with the 23-year-old outfielder to discuss a variety of subjects.

When do you expect to be playing in the major leagues?

Brett Jackson: That is not on my agenda right now. My days are filled with day-to-day work. That is all I can control, but of course I want to be in the big leagues as soon as I can. I will just keep knocking on the door until I get there.

Who is the coolest player you have been around?

BJ: Reed Johnson. He has that certain awesomeness that you can't pinpoint. Just the way he goes about his business and dresses, you have to catch his act on road trips. He rocks some pretty incredible fashion statements. He has nice cars. Just an all-around good dude.

Who has had the greatest impact on you baseball wise?

BJ: Dave McKay. People think a first-base coach does not do much.They are so wrong with that premise. Any bases I steal will be because of Dave and his teachings. If I put it all in Dave's hands I may have 50 by the middle of the year.

What's it like being a California kid?

BJ: People always talk about people being different from California, but I am from the San Francisco area. I love my home. Maybe the So-Cal guys are weird. Oscar Wilde said: 'Be yourself, everyone else is taken.' I agree with that statement.

MESA, Ariz. -- In the Chicago Cubs' Cactus League opener on Sunday they looked as sloppy on the bases as they did the previous two seasons.

But even though Darwin Barney and David DeJesus were picked off first base in the same inning, there is a case you can make for this team being much better than they have been recently.

New Cubs manager Dale Sveum and his coaching staff should be worth a bunch of wins from a preparation standpoint alone. Sveum is a no-nonsense guy with an old school gruffness that may include the ‘Cub Way’-or-the-highway approach with his players and the media alike.

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MESA, Ariz. -- A day after getting hit on the right arm with a pitch, Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro was cleared to participate in all activities.

"It's good, a little sore," Castro said Tuesday morning, rolling over his right arm to expose the area where he was hit.

Castro was participating in live batting practice Monday afternoon when he was hit on the inside of his right forearm by a Kerry Wood fastball. After a brief rest, Castro returned to batting practice.

Pitcher Paul Maholm, who has been in and out of action since coming down with the flu on Saturday, is expected to participate in a full workout Tuesday.

MESA, Ariz. -- In case you're wondering if Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein already has his "Reverse the Curse" game face on, well, he does.

On Saturday -- one day before Cubs pitchers and catchers begin their first official workout, five days before position players report, 15 days before the first spring training game and 47 days before the season opener at Wrigley Field -- Epstein announced, again, that the goal of 2012 Cubs "is to win the World Series."

Yes, and my goal is to need hair gel this year, but that's probably not going to happen either.

Still, Epstein had to say it. What else could he say: "Our goal is to finish ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates"?

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MESA, Ariz. -- Amid rumors that the Chicago Cubs compensation obligation to the Boston Red Sox for Theo Epstein could be decided soon, the club’s new president of baseball operations said nothing has been finalized.

“I’ve been in a meeting the last 3½ hours but I don’t think it’s been settled,” Epstein said Saturday, the scheduled day for the team’s pitchers and catchers to report to spring training. “But hopefully it will be here sometime soon.”

Commissioner Bud Selig got involved in the compensation decision since the Cubs and Red Sox failed to reach an agreement. The compensation for the Cubs is in exchange for hiring Epstein, who had one more year on his contract as Red Sox general manager.

Asked if he could clairify the process Selig will use to decide what type of player compensation the Red Sox will receive, Epstein declined to give any insight.

“I think those questions are probably best directed at Major League Baseball,” he said.

MESA, Ariz. -- The Chicago Cubs expect shortstop Starlin Castro, who was under investigation by Chicago police this offseason on a sexual assault complaint, will report on time for spring training.

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MESA, Ariz. -- In 1982, the Chicago Cubs new general manager Dallas Green told fans that the team was “building a new tradition” at Clark and Addison. That premise bothered some long-time Cub fans while others, tired of the team’s losing ways, embraced the idea.

Fast forward to 2012 and team president Theo Epstein’s proclamation that the team will now do things “The Cub Way”, his definition of the right way, from this time forward. The new Cub brass has put together a book defining how players from the lowest minor league level to the major leagues should comport themselves with high standards both on and off the playing field.

Epstein was quick to point out that doing things the same way throughout the organization is not a new idea. Not only did he do the same thing in Boston, as did Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer in San Diego, but the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves have been model teams over the last twenty years while using same approach.

What Epstein is trying to get his people to concentrate on is unity and focus. Any good leader has a message that he has the troops concentrate on, Epstein and Hoyer are no different.

“It’s baseball, no one has all the right answers,” Epstein said. “This is the right way for us.”

It’s the “Cub Way” or the highway for the people who work for this team now.

With pitchers and catchers reporting to Mesa, Ariz., on Saturday, Bruce Levine previews the Cubs roster by position this week.

The Chicago Cubs have an incomplete look to their outfield. The front office has been trying to move Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd throughout the offseason without any takers. The present group lacks enough range and arm strength to help pitchers fight off that dreaded fourth out of the inning.

Center field: Byrd returns as the incumbent in center. After serving as the Cubs' lone All-Star in his first season in Chicago in 2010, Byrd's 2011 season was derailed when he was beaned in May against the Boston Red Sox, keeping him out for six weeks. As tough as Byrd is, he never regained his batting stroke, hitting .276 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs. The Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves have asked about the 34-year-old Byrd since July. Former Cubs general manager Jim Hendry turned down a deal with Atlanta because he wanted the next GM to make the call since Hendry already knew he was fired. Speedster Tony Campana will back up Byrd and try to prove to manager Dale Sveum that he can handle the everyday job. Campana led the Cubs with 24 stolen bases in 95 games. Dave Sappelt, acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in the Sean Marshall trade, is a solid defender who has hit for high averages in the minor leagues. Sappelt, who batted .313 at Triple-A Louisville last season before being called up by the Reds, will battle Campana for a backup job.

Left field: Soriano, who hit 26 home runs with 88 RBIs last season, is the only legitimate home run and RBI man in the lineup outside of perhaps first baseman Bryan LaHair or third baseman Ian Stewart. Soriano, 36, is best suited to be a designated hitter at this point of his career. If he stays with the Cubs he will be a seven-inning player in close games. Reed Johnson will back up all three outfield spots. Johnson led the Cubs with a .309 average last season and proved to be a clutch hitter. Sappelt or Campana will also back up this spot.

Right field: David DeJesus will be the everyday right fielder to start the season. The 32-year-old veteran batted .240 with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs with the Oakland A's last season. He will likely lead off against most right-handed pitchers.

Wild card: Brett Jackson, 24, will break into this outfield sometime this season. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer do not want to rush him or first baseman Anthony Rizzo to the majors. Jackson has five-tool ability and will probably settle in as a right fielder. Expect both young players to be in the big leagues by June.

With pitchers and catchers reporting to Mesa, Ariz., on Saturday, Bruce Levine previews the Cubs roster by position this week.

By midseason, the Cubs should have one of the youngest and cheapest infields in the major leagues. First baseman of the future Anthony Rizzo is set to begin the season at Triple-A Iowa. That said, do not be surprised if he is promoted by the middle of May. The infield of Rizzo, Darwin Barney, Starlin Castro and Ian Stewart will be very young -- with an average age under 25 -- and cost an average of $1 million per player. Pacific Coast League MVP Bryan LaHair will be the Cubs’ starting first baseman on Opening Day.

First base: The 29-year-old LaHair hit 38 home runs last season at Iowa while driving in a minor league-high 109 runs. LaHair is a nice story about a player who refused to accept the notion that he was an extra player at best. He will get a window of time to prove just that to the Cubs' new front office and manager. Rizzo is waiting in the wings for his chance to play.

Second base: Barney played his way on to the Cubs' roster and into the starting lineup with guts and heady play, batting .276 last season as a rookie. After fading the last two months of 2011, Barney tried to add muscle mass in his offseason workouts. He will be pushed by new addition Adrian Cardenas, who was picked up in February off Oakland's roster. Cardenas has a solid bat and will factor somehow in the teams infield mix.Blake DeWitt was designated for assignment, but he could still show up as a non-roster invitee.

Shortstop: Castro, 21, will have to put off-the-field issue behind him -- he was accused of sexual assault last fall -- as he tries to become one of the elite players in the game. Castro, who led the National League in hits with 207, should begin to hit for more power and settle in to the third slot of Dale Sveum's lineup. Although he is a free swinger, the sky is the limit for the talented Castro. Do not be shocked by an MVP-like season from this young superstar.

Third base: Former Rockies first-round draft choice Stewart will man the hot corner for the Cubs coming out of spring training. Stewart had two injuries that hampered his performance in 2011 when he batted .156 in 122 at-bats. Stewart, who hit 25 home runs with 70 RBIs in 2008, came to the Cubs in a trade that sent Tyler Colvin and DJ LeMahieu to Colorado. A steady defender, Stewart will be hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo's pet project this spring. Veteran Jeff Baker backs up Stewart as well as Barney and LaHair. Baker is a super utility guy who can play anywhere in the infield or outfield. Josh Vitters, a 22-year-old prospect, made some progress in the minors last year, hitting 14 home runs and driving in 81. The Cubs' top draft pick in 2007, Vitters is not yet a finished product and still needs to upgrade his defense to advance to the majors.

With pitchers and catchers reporting to Mesa, Ariz., on Saturday, Bruce Levine previews the Cubs roster by position this week.

The Chicago Cubs have three receivers who can catch in the majors this season. Geovany Soto is the incumbent and will be the team's every day catcher.

•Geovany Soto: He had another down season with the bat. Soto hit 17 home runs with 26 doubles, but hit just .228. He threw out a National League-high 30 runners, but also was the league leader in errors (13). Soto was almost traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates last season and could be moved this summer if the other catchers step up.

•Jason Jaramillo: He can defend and has prior big-league time behind the plate, playing 119 games over the past three seasons with the Pirates. A left-handed hitter, Jaramillo would seem to fill the backup role if the organization's two young catchers are not ready.

•Welington Castillo: The 24-year-old has big-time power and can throw with the best of them, but the Cubs are not sure of his pitch-calling ability. Castillo called for a slider from Justin Berg in a 2010 game and Giants outfielder Pat Burrell hit a game-changing home run in San Francisco. After that game the previous front office soured on Castillo. He has the tools but maybe not the tool box.

•Steve Clevenger: He caught his first major league game in September. The 25-year-old could push the other two candidates for the backup role behind Soto. Clevenger is known as a good catch-and-throw guy. A. 308 career hitter in six minor league seasons, Clevenger hit .407 in 26 games at Triple-A Iowa after batting .295 in 95 games at Double-A last season.

With pitchers and catchers reporting to Mesa, Ariz., on Saturday, Bruce Levine previews the Cubs roster by position this week.

The Chicago Cubs' bullpen was a strength of the 2011 team. But gone from the mix is lefthander Sean Marshall, who was one of baseball’s best set–up men the past two seasons. The back of the pen will be a question mark with the loss of Marshall and the uncertain status of Carlos Marmol's arm strength. The pen will really have to tighten up if Jeff Samardzija goes into the rotation.

1. Carlos Marmol, RHP: He must bounce back with a better season and fewer blown saves. The 29-year-old right-hander had 10 blown saves in 2011, tied for the most in the majors. Marmol also has been baseball's most overused bullpen arm with 27 back-to-back outings last season, by far the most in all of baseball. Since 2008, Marmol has the most appearances of any pitcher, a foolish number when you consider that for two and a half of those four years he was a closer. Marmol told ESPNChicago.com that he has lost 10 pounds since last October. Expect a rebound if manager Dale Sveum and pitching coach Chris Bosio watch how they use him.

2. Kerry Wood, RHP: The setup man can still get quality hitters out, but like Marmol he needs to be protected from overuse. Wood was up too many times in 2011 without coming into a game. The Cubs icon has recovered from offseason knee surgery, and 50 innings should be his max this season.

3. John Gaub, LHP: He will get a shot as the team's main set-up man along with Wood. Gaub fanned 75 batters in 55 innings at Triple-A Iowa in 2011. Finding a power arm from the left side was a pleasant surprise for the new Cubs brass.

4. James Russell, LHP: The lefthander learned how to pitch at this level through trial and error last season. Russell, who started five games for the Cubs last season, will set up Marmol if Gaub falters.

5. Manny Corpas, RHP: He will get a chance to regain his form this spring. A closer for the Rockies in 2007, Corpas, 29, has been throwing hard since sitting out 2011 following arm surgery. He could set up or close if anyone gets hurt.

6. Andy Sonnanstine, RHP: The former Tampa Ray has had experience as a starter and reliever. He will be available in either role.

7. Chris Carpenter, RHP: He can hit 100 mph with his fastball and could be the sleeper in the Cubs bullpen this season. Carpenter pitched in 10 games for the Cubs in 2011 before going back to Triple-A. He impressed scouts in the Arizona Fall League.

The rest of the bullpen will depend on which pitchers make the rotation. Samardzija goes back to a setup role if he is not part of the rotation. Randy Wells and Casey Coleman might also go to the bullpen if they don't crack the rotation. Chris Volstad is a part of the same mix as the rest of this group. Scott Maine is a situation lefty who could squeeze his way on the 25-man roster.

With pitchers and catchers reporting to Mesa, Ariz., on Saturday, Bruce Levine previews the Cubs roster by position this week.

1. Matt Garza, RHP: The 28-year-old is the new ace of the Cubs' staff. He had a 3.32 ERA in 31 starts last season and won 10 games, but that is a deceiving stat. The Cubs gave up seven games that Garza left with a lead. Unless he is traded during the spring, Garza will be the Opening Day starter.

2. Ryan Dempster, RHP: Dempster will do his best to rebound from a poor 2011 season. After putting up 200 innings for the fourth consecutive season, Dempster, who is in the last year of his contract, declared that he would prepare for a big comeback in 2012.

3. Paul Maholm, LHP: Maholm gives the Cubs their first legitimate left-handed starter since Ted Lilly was traded in July 2010. A sinker–slider pitcher, Maholm must still keep the ball down at Wrigley Field. The power alley in left field is 30 feet shorter than in Pittsburgh.

4. Chris Volstad, RHP: He had a an awful time trying to get National League hitters out last season, with the league batting .289 against him. New pitching coach Chris Bosio will spend a ton of time working with Volstad, who finished 5-13 last season with the Marlins. Acquired in the Carlos Zambrano trade, Volstad will have have to beat out four other right-handed pitchers to win a starting role.

5. Travis Wood, LHP: Acquired from the Reds in the Sean Marshall trade, Wood also is coming off of a poor 2011 season. The new Cubs brass feel that the 24-year-old lefty will come back to form with the Cubs. Wood will back off the cut fastball he used as his primary out pitch last season.

The other candidates for the rotation include Randy Wells, Jeff Samardzija, Casey Coleman and Rodrigo Lopez. Wells was the Cubs' fourth starter in 2011 before missing seven weeks with a strained forearm. Wells had a solid August but tailed off in September. Samardzija will get a full look in spring training. Many scouts think the former Notre Dame football star was the most improved bullpen pitcher in the game last season. He will have to show new manager Dale Sveum and Bosio he can command three pitches in order to bump Volstad out of the rotation. Coleman and Lopez will compete for a swing role this spring.

Outlook: The projected five starters were a combined 37-55 in 2011. None of this group won more than 10 games and only Garza and Maholm had earned-run averages under 4.80. Still this group should put up better numbers than the 2011 Cubs staff which had an NL-worst 4.79 earned-run average. The potential for an improved bullpen and an influx of new offensive players should help pitchers such as Garza and Maholm win more games in 2012.