Why the Ice Man Goeth

The trade of Jon Leicester to the Rangers for the dreaded PTBNL, this creates an extra spot on the forty man roster (currently, 36 spots are filled). With the Rule V Free Agent draft rapidly approaching, the Cubs need as much room as they can create to prevent more "Andy Sisco to the Royals"-type losses.

The following is an incomplete list of players that are Rule V eligible.

Billy Petrick
Bobby Brownlie
Brandon Sing
Brian Dopirak
Buck Coats
Carlos Marmol
Carmen Pignatiello
Chadd Blasko
Dwaine Bacon
Felix Pie
Jake Fox
Jason Wylie
Jae-kuk Ryu
Jon Connolly
Luke Hagerty
Matt Craig
Micah Hoffpauir
Ricky Nolasco
Ryan O'Malley
Sean Marshall

As of now, the Cubs can only protect four of them. My choices:

Nolasco, Pie, Sing, and I dunno who else. Ryu, I guess. No one else seems like they are read for anyone to risk a full season major league roster spot on them (Connolly) or, they just aren't very good (Brownlie).

It's been suggested that more room could be created by a trade of 2 guys off the forty man for one. If that happens, let's hope that Patterson is one of the two.