Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

28 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 

Last updated 3-26-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 15
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs @ Brewers: Lester vs Guerra (Game 97)

It takes no time at all for Mike Montgomery to find his inner Cub.CHC (58-38): LHP John Lester (10-4, 2.89)
MIL (41-54): RHP Junior Guerra (6-2, 3.06)
First pitch: 1:10pmCST

Lester had a great bounce-back win against the Mets on Monday (7.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 K, 3 BB). He’s 5-2 with a 3.67 on the road so far this year. Overall, the Brewers are 10-30 (.333) against him. Braun, The Thing that Should not Be, is 5-13.

Guerra had a no-decision in Pittsburgh his last time out (6 IP, 2 ER, 6 K, 3 BB). He beat the Cubs in Milwaukee in May, giving up 3 ER in 7 innings and striking out 11. The Cubs are 4-23 (.174) against him. Fowler is 1-4 with a HR.

Joe Nathan will be activated from the 60-day DL before the game.

Arrieta (12-4, 2.60) versus Gonzalez (2-5, 4.41) at 7:10pmCST on the South Side tomorrow. No word on what uniforms the Sox will be wearing.

Go Cubs!

Comments

from Iowa yesterday in extended inning starts, Cahill was bad/Matusz was pretty good. Soler (0-3, walk), Coghlan (1-3, double, walk) did play in AA. If Nathan is on the 25 man roster Sunday, there are just too many players floating around and I suspect it will take a trade to decompress this. The periphery of the bullpen right now is Edwards Jr, Richards, Warren and Grimm. I could see any of them back in Iowa until the roster opens up in September. Coghlan seems the most expendable hitter although I could see them sending Contreras down if Soler is really back to play LF. Maddon seems to really like using Contreras as late inning catcher option though. Hopefully it will clear up based on trading deadline deals.

Ken Davidoff, NY Post...
An industry source told The Post that the Yankees had asked serious Chapman suitors — a list believed to include the Nationals, the Cubs and the Indians, as well as a mystery team — for their best and final offers. While that doesn’t clinch a trade of Chapman, the impending free agent, it makes such a transaction darn likely. The Yankees intend to hold onto Miller, who is signed through 2018.
I'm thinking mystery team is the Tigers or Giants http://nypost.com/2016/07/23/as-yankees-revival-hopes-dim-selling-is-be…

Drew Storen DFA'd by Bluejays. Another once interesting reliever who fell off a cliff. Bosio fixer-upper vs. irreparably broken?

Lineup without You go, We go... probably just applying hamstring precautions LaStella (2B), KB, Rizzo, Zobrist (RF), Contreras (LF), Heyward, Russell, Ross, Lester

The Chris Sale five-day suspension includes yesterday, so it's only through Wednesday, and therefore he will probably start against the Cubs on Thursday. And he'll be pissed-off and rested, too. 

Torres for Chapman I think Yankees are aiming high,but would much rather get him to keep away from Giants or Nationals.

wow...villar just stole 3rd (after stealing 2nd) by walking 1/2 way to 3rd and then just sprinting toward 3rd with lester watching him do it from the mound.

39 pitch inning by Lester. I guess it's a wash vs yesterday's 1st when Lackey gave up 2 run HR.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

62 through 2ip...yow. it's an off day for d.ross, too. the wild pitch + passed ball in 2 separate strike 3 calls allowing the runner to reach 1st and the 5sb through 2ip makes for a bad game so far. ross cant shoulder any blame for some of those SBs, especially that villar steal of 3rd while lester watched him.

just to lighten the mood: Shark's day: 5.2 IP 5 Runs (all earned), 8 Hits, 2 HR. Left the game down 5-0 to Yankees. Anyone expecting game 4 NLCS Shark vs Hammel or Lackey?

First inning: two on, no out, Rizz and Zobrist due up. Don't score. Third inning: two on, one out, KB and Rizz due up. Don't score. This is getting' old, fellahs.

Miller park roof is closing. Hmmm, might play differently now? Lester at 72 pitches through 3. Roof closing might get him through 6. Middlebrows pulls a calf or hamstring. Len says he blew a tire rounding 1st. Nieuwenhuis enters game. Now roof opening. Dizziness. No AC in the ballpark wrt the field.

a.russell out and down into the clubhouse...no one knows why. it's very hot on the field, so it might be heat related.

Russell left game with left heel contusion from foul ball on Saturday. Started to bother him during the Sunday game.

welcome to the cubs j.nathan. 2 pitches into the inning and there's a guy on 3rd with 0 outs (triple). his velocity is hanging around 91/92mph.

cubs!!!!! cubs lead in the top 7th!

Not scratched because of a headache. Twitter... Source: Cubs prospect Gleyber Torres was in fact scratched due to ongoing trade talks. Destination unknown, but Yankees definitely in play.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

i pretty much assumed this would be one of the last kinds of things they'd do...give up a top prospect (probably the best in the system) to get 1/2(ish) year of a reliever followed by multiple years locked in at his market value. i wonder if there's other players going back/forth, too. i mean, it's not like it's a horrible thing...this is just something that seems out of profile.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Twitter is even more nonsensical with names and rumors than usual right now. I'd wait for a real confirmation from someone reputable at this point before getting too worked up.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

Heyman, Wiatt, and Sharma are definitely reliable sources. Wiatt and Sharma have a ton of connections with the FO, and Heyman is one of the national guys who usually breaks stories first along with Rosenthal and Passan.

i liked it better when Cubs were really good and likeable.

will be very curious how and if they address the DV incident.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

it's a hell of a blockbuster, but it's for a guy who pitches 1/3rd of a season at an extreme premium considering the guy being traded and if the early extension $$$ rumors are true. it's one of those things that is bringing a guy at the top his game, but something is nagging me that this trade piece could have been put to better use. a huge part of me is all "hell yeah, top of the line producer"...another part of me is "hmm, that for that?"

Chapman 12+ Career WAR. Currently 4.7:1 k-BB. With Rondon/Chapman/Strop/Nathan/Montgomery/Wood...Its the best pen I can recall other than Sutter or Lee Smith handling things themselves. Its gonna suck if he gets injured, and it appears he's not the greatest of characters. But, he'll have another Cuban to hang out with on the team.

This all assumes Chapman doesn't want to be a free agent and possibly sign a $20MM+/year deal. We all know free agents get overpaid, sometimes dramatically (Hello, JayHey!). Not sure why Chapman would agree to the extension. If i'm is agent, I would tell him I could get I'm a $100M deal as a FA.

"Like the Chapman deal for Cubs from on-field POV, wish I didn't now have to feel lousy following an otherwise likable Cubs team." @jonahkeri

pretty much sums up my feelings

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Even from an on-field perspective, Torres is a 19-year-old beating up High-A pitching who also plays a great SS. Even if he never develops a legit MLB power stroke, he's still an obvious 4-tool guy with a very high floor. Sucks to trade away his next 6-8 years for a closer, albeit a great one.

Updating: Per @Joelsherman1, #Cubs-#Yankees trade, if completed, would be Chapman for Torres, Warren and likely two others.

Can only imagine they'd only give that much up if he's signing an extension. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Rashad Crawford was a basketball star in HS (he was known as "Baby Jordan", and baseball was only his second sport) and he has plus-speed and athleticism, so when the Cubs drafted him (Keith Lockhart was the scout)  he was seen as a long-term project.  

I was at Fitch Park the day that Rashad Crawford became a LH hitter, He waa never a switch-hitter, He went directly from being a RH hitter to a LH hitter, which I had never seen before. 

He had a long stroke as a RH hitter with some HR power but lots of swings & misses (he had major contact issues), and initially when he started hitting LH he was a slap hitter who bunted a lot and tried to hit the ball on the ground and beat-out infield hits. But somehow, someway he developed into a decent LH hitter with gap power and an occasional HR. 

He's an above-average defensive CF, too, with plus-range and arm. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Billy McKinney had season-ending knee surgery last August and came to Minor League Camp this year somewhat restricted. (He was used mostly as a DH in Cactus League Minor League Camp games), and I'm not sure he's 100% right now (he's repeating AA, and his XBH numbers are way down, like he's not getting good rotation in his lowev half). That might have been part of the reason why the trade wasn't completed right away. The Yankees might have been double-checking McKinney's medicals, and it's conceivable he could end up back with the Cubs (with a different player going to the NYY) if a pre-existing medical issue becomes known. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

The only player in the deal that would cause me a second thought is Gleyber Torres.

McKinney and Crawford are decent prospects but both are redundant/replaceable in the system and Warren was really only a middle-reliever or #6 starter, so to me it's really just Torres for Chapman.

And if Chapman is "nails" as a closer and gives the Cubs greater bullpen length & depth (with Strop moving to "fireman" role in the 6th & 7th innings and Rondon available as an alternate closerwhen Chapman is unavailable) and thereby gets the Cubs to the World Series and helps them win a World Championship that they are probably less-likely to win without him... and then he walks as a FA after the season... even then, I would absolutely make that trade again & again, even if Torres becomes a Hall of Fame SS.    

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

This offseason, after some ridiculous playoff run and Chapman saving every game from here until the end of the postseason striking out 27/9innings, I welcome anyone to quote this thread and call me a dummy: I hate this trade, and my hate is 2 parts Chapman makes this team less likeable and 1 part that's a ridiculous overpay for 30 regular season innings and, at tops, 10 postseason innings. Already hoping they don't extend him.

@JonHeyman: Yanks and Cubs have a deal. Torres, mckinney, Warren and likely 1 more to NYY.

That is a hell of a lot if they don't get an extention done. I'm assuming Chapman is going to be the closer with Rondon in the 8th and Strop in the 7th. That sounds great but Rondon #s aren't as good in non-save situations so we'll see how he responds to being the setup man.

I certainly hope he signed an extension. I would have been ok with this package for Miller, it is too much for 2 (well 3, hopefully) of Chapman. Of course, we win the World Series, I will retract this immediately.

[ ]

In reply to by twcoffee

chap's a FA after this season. 2-3 months of chapman and a sandwich pick after the 1st round (stay healthy chap) seems to be the "worst" outcome, but damn they're giving up a hell of a piece in torres. i don't care that torres is blocked...i just think something more valuable/controlled can come from trading away a guy like him.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Besides what he adds to the Cubs bullpen, getting Aroldis Chapman means the Giants and Nationals (and Indians) can't get him, and that could be important come the post-season. 

When the opponent knows Chapman is out there ready to pitch in the 9th, it can cause the other team to alter their strategy and play things differently than they otherwise might prefer to play things in the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings. 

Also, I like having Strop available as the old school "fireman" to pitch in the 7th or even in the 6th inning if necessary. Now there is no need to push the starters harder than they need to be pushed. 

"According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Cubs will not have a contract extension in place with Aroldis Chapman when their trade for the closer becomes official." hmmm.

thats a lot for 2-3 months....beyond Torres it's a lot of organizational depth, but hate to use your best prospect for a rental.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

i was going off what AZPhil said above...they keep talking about tweaking the rules, i didn't know if that had been changed or not. my winter/spring was way too hectic aside from a couple weeks vacation in janurary and i missed a lot of stuff. if not, this is one hell of an expensive trade for what looks to be 30-40 innings of play...including the playoffs. damn.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

ROB G & BOB R: You're right. The QO can only be extended if the player spends the entire previous season with one club, so only the Yankees could have offered one to Chapman (if he wasn't traded). If an Article XX-B FA is traded during the season, the new club can't offer a QO. .

Did the QO rules change?

unless there's a TARDIS involved, I dont believe that's a possibility

We are giving up a lot, but it's not like we're trading Addison Russell for 2+ months of Jason Hammel. When impact players become available, they are going to cost you. The other bids could also have been high.

Having Chapman as a rental is potentially less disruptive than having him come in with an extension in place. 

I'm not thrilled about the incident, but the police report is not as damning as I imagined it to be, and he was not charged. For the record (read: before anyone attacks me), my drunken father beat my mother on a regular basis for years, so I'd like to think I'm familiar enough with domestic violence. 

World Series with Chapman on the mound, I will have a hard time letting it diminish it.

Also, at least Chapman is not Ryan Braun.

I assume Chapman will replace Richard on the roster, but who goes down when Cahill gets activated? Maybe Grimm? And when Soler and Coghlan get healthy, how do they fit them on the roster when they're ready to be activated?

[ ]

In reply to by chitownmvp01

chitownmvp01: Indeed Clayton Richard would seem to be odd man out once Chapman reports, but Richard might accept a minor league assignment if he is promised a return to Chicago on 9/1 when MLB Active List rosters expand (Richard has minor league ioptions left).

And either Grimm or Edwards probably go down until 9/1 if & when Cahill is reinstated from the DL (all of the other relievers are out of options), Or Cahill might be willing to accept a brief two-week minor league assignment (he does have minor league options left) once his 30-day minor league rehab is completed (the assignment expires on 8/17), and then he'd get recalled on 9/1.

Same goes for Chris Coghlan when his 20-day minor league rehab expires on 8/11 (pitchers get 30 days for minor league rehab, position players get only 20). He might accept a brief minor league assignment, too, if he is promised a return ticket to Chicago on 9/1. (he also has minor league options left). 

Jorge Soler will probably get optioned to AAA when he has completed his minor league rehab (his 20-day rehab assignment expires on 8/10), and then he'll get recalled inn 9/1 when rosters expand. 

I just wonder what will happen with the 25 if the Cubs acquire a LH-hitting OF at the trade deadline like Josh Reddick. Perhaps the Cubs wiould cut back to a 12-man pitching staff and seven-man bullpen until 9/1. 

And what if LHP Brian Matusz has an 8/1 opt-out? Do you just let him walk away as a FA, or do you find him a spot on the 25 and drop one of the guys with options left (Grimm or Edwards) for him until 9/1? 

Obviously lots still TBD . 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

I would expect Richard to accept an optional assignment because based on how he's played this season, there is a decent chance that he won't find work elsewhere. Rather stay and potentially get a ring. Same goes for Coghlan since he's struggled mightily this year. Edwards should not go down. He's pitched very well and Maddon is very impressed with him. I would expect Grimm to go down for Cahill so he can get back on track (he's pitched better in July, but he's not getting enough appearances). I hope Matusz doesn't have an 8/1 opt out. Does he? If he does, maybe he opts in with promise of being promoted on 9/1. No guarantees he finds work elsewhere. Soler staying in AAA is a good idea for him to get some at-bats on a regular basis. Hard to fit him in if Contreras plays LF. Acquiring Reddick doesn't make any sense to me. We don't need another bat, especially in OF. If you get a bat, get an IF because if lets say Zobrist lands on the DL (I hope not, knock on wood), do you trust Candelario or Kawasaki on your bench? It's not as good for sure.

I am 70 years old. The Cubs last played in the World Series in 1945. I was born in 1946. I hate to lose a prospect like Torres, but when the opportunity is there to get that World Series ring, you go for it. This was the idea in stock piling all this young talent. I would like to see Reddick added now and the Cubbies should be done.

[ ]

In reply to by Hagsag

I am right there with you closing in on 60. I don't care that much about "mortgaging" one player who is not only blocked by two guys, but is not ready to hit the majors for at least a couple years. There is no reason why this team, this year, can't have a real shot at something NONE of us have experienced. Further, I don't feel that even if they fall short that they have ruined their farm system. I have made my opinion clear here, with others, Warren was shit on the Cubs save one spot start. The other players - are there no more that would be their equals or outperform them? I'd take that bet. Yeah - the lovable loser Cubbies have a shot to maybe not be so likable, while they try to punch their ticket to the World Series that have alluded them since 1908. I'm ok with the trade-off.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

I'm also not crazy about press convictions. As the police report noted, there were no marks on the lady in question. There's a TMZ link (of course) to her police pictures, as well. I think the only way this trade goes real bad is if Cubbery intervenes and Chapman is suddenly bad for some reason.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

Sure, no marks and some inconsistencies in the witness's statements. But firing your gun into garage wall immediately after an argument and punching out your car window is still threatening and out of control behavior. There was certainly enough for MLB to think it warranted a 30-game suspension.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

Well he didn't leave a mark so its not that bad.

Fuck that.

Facts:

He choked her.

Her brother tackled him to separate him.

He cooled off by shooting his gun in the garage.

I don't have to like him on the team I follow.

And you are others are free to not give a shit about his personal misgivings if you so choose as well.

 

 

[ ]

In reply to by Hagsag

Stockpiling young talent isn't only for trading for someone like Chapman though. Even with an elite closer winning the World Series is basically a crap shoot so the key is to get to the playoffs as much as possible and not just mortgage everything on one year. Once you get there an elite bullpen certainly helps but the playoffs can be won by one hitter or starting pitcher getting hot (Murphy, Molina, Baumgardner) and a closer might not be able to stop that. Also getting Chapman doesn't guarantee an elite bullpen as his #s aren't that much better than Rondon's. The possibility in it is being able to slide the other relievers down to make the 6th and 7th better but we're gonna have to see if Rondon is good in a set up role. If so for sure it'll be great but if not we're only going to be a bit better. I like that Theo is willing to give the team what they need to win I just dislike Chapman as a person and feel like we gave up a lot for what isn't a slam dunk improvement.

Here are some possible corresponding minor league moves we might see in the aftermath  of the Chapman trade: 

SOUTH BEND to MYRTLE BEACH: OF Donnie Dewees and INF Bryant Flete  

EUGENE to SOUTH BEND: OF Robert Garcia and INF Vimael Machin 

There is really no reason to replace Billy McKinney at Tennessee because both Chris Coghlan and Jorge Soler are doing their rehab at Tennessee.  

And there are plenty of pitchers at Iowa. No need to replace Warren at AAA. .  

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

I'm a bit disappointed on the Warren experience. Essentially they gave Castro away for crickets (OK, well they signed Zobrist with the Castro salary dump). Otherwise one might look at it as Chapman for Castro and our #1 minors prospect (Torres) + McKinney/Crawford. Seems pricey for a 2 month rental. We will see if this price tag is that steep in a relative way based on the remaining deadline deals for relievers.

Trading for Warren, Warren sucking, getting Warren back for Chapman plus 3 prospects, sounds like Revenge of The Yankees on the former Boston executive. Old rivalries never die. I pray to the heavens above Chapman doesn't suck for some reason, or he'll be booed out of town faster than a Todd Hundley revival meeting.

When we played the Reds with Chapman, I always thought of it as an eight-inning game. So now other teams have eight innings to try to get a lead against the Cubs. Should be a challenge, assuming three or four Cubs ever start hitting again. I don't really try to get to know and like these players personally. I'm rooting for laundry, for the most part. Exceptions might be when a player makes trouble in the clubhouse or in the dugout. (Zambrano and Bradley come to mind. Also Papelbon.) But I don't think Chapman is one of those jerks.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.