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

Game 5 Recap: Cubs 9, Astros 7

It's... It's.... It's.....
Cubs Game Recaps!
W- Hart (1-0), the Lees, extra-base hits
L- Oswalt (0-1), relief pitchers
S- Wood (2), hope for this homestand

Things to Take from This Game

1. No easy innings

Other than the sixth and the half-inning ninth, no inning went without someone scoring a run. Marquis struggled through five and a third, featuring rolling sliders and fastballs that kept moving back over the plate, but getting out of potentially disasterous innings with 3 GIDPs. Oswalt gave up ten hits and a walk without striking anyone out in six and two-thirds.

2. The Lees

Derrek and Carlos combined for seven hits, five runs, four rbis, three doubles, two home runs, and awful defense. Derrek dropped a ball at first that started a 2-run sixth inning for the Astros. Carlos Lee wandered about aimlessly in left field, occasionally drawing stray baseballs closer to him by virtue of his gravitational field.

3. More love for Fukudome

KF's day featured a fine running catch, a bunt single that surprised the whole ball-park, and the go-ahead, two-run double in the five-run seventh inning.

4. Then, there's Soriano...

Whose 0-5 with 5 LOB day leaves him with a .045 average to start the year.

That je ne se qua of mine that you didn't know you missed until you saw it again, the dinge an sich goodness inherent in a recap, below

 

Game Recap
Inning 1 - Top
  • Bourn singles up the middle. I'm trying to figure out why I can't get the game on mlb.tv, and don't see it. Ah, it's because I have the game on the local fox sportsnet station
  • Bourn steals second, easily. Soto with a bad one-hopper
  • Pence dribbles one up the third base line. Marquis tries to make an athletic bare-hand grab and submarine throw to first, it's a horrible throw. Bourn should have gone for home, but instead stays at 3rd. Runners at 1 and 3, no outs, Berkman up. Great.
  • Berkman taps back to Marquis. Starts the 1-6-3 DP, although he nearly threw it away to the 6. Bourn scores.
  • Foul-tip strikeout of Carlos Lee, on a slider I think, ends the inning. 1-0 Astros

Inning 1 - Bottom
  • Soriano with an easy 5-3 groundout.
  • Johnson with a ground ball single back up the middle.
  • And Lee with an opposite field single. 1 and 2, 1 out with Aramis up. Astros broadcasters suggest Oswalt has more comfort early on with the slider than with the Curve, and indeed, next pitch is a slider that Aramis waves at, for an 0-2 count.
  • Aramis grounds into fielder choice (I missed it), Johnson advances to third, Aramis at first
  • And met with a huge ovation from the fans, Fukudome chops an easy bouncer to second, ending the inning. Can't convert the two runers into a run..
Inning 2 - Top
  • Marquis goes to full count on Tejada, then a leadoff walk. Yeargh.
  • Wiggington with a sharply lined single to center. Tejada can only advance to second. Shakey start to the inning.
  • And with Tejada running on the pitch, Loretta with a sharp liner into the left-center gap. Tejada scores easily, runners hold at 1st and 2nd. Looked like a fastball that tailed back over the plate from the outside corner.
  • Marquis struggling to find the outside corner, 3-1 count to Brad Ausmus
  • Again, a come-backer to Marquis leading to a 1-6-3 DP. Runner at 3rd, two outs, Oswalt up.
  • Another fastball aimed at the outside corner that sails right over the plate, but Oswalt rolls out to third. Inning over, 2-0 Astros
Inning 2 - Bottom
  • DeRosa with an easy grounder to third
  • Soto hits one high off the brown ivy vines in straight-away left. Lee sort of half-flails at it, not really making an effort as it flies behind his head, then bouncing off of Lee and rolling around the warning track. Soto "runs" all the way to third for a triple. That was one ugly triple, all the way around.
  • Theriot with a soft fly to shallow center. Soto starts, stops. Throw is way up the line, fans boo that Soto wasn't going for home. But it really was a shallow fly....
  • Marquis drops a single down the right-field line. 2-1 Astros.
  • Tejada makes a nice play on a well hit Soriano grounder into the hole. A slide-stop, spin and throw to get him at first, inning ends.
Inning 3 - Top
  • Bourn golfs a fly ball to shallow center, Johnson takes charge and calls off DeRosa
  • Good God, Hunter Pence is still really ugly....
  • Pence swings at a slider outside and in the dirt for strike three, throw down to first to complete it.
  • Berkman's not much better. This ugly Astro grounds out to DeRosa, 4-3. A much-needed 1-2-3 inning for Marquis
Inning 3 - Bottom
  • This Astros broadcast isn't bad, just horribly boring. I get to hear what Ty Wigginton did in his off-season. One guess: spent time outdoors doing outdoorsy things. Yep: spent it on a boat on a lake. Whoopie.
  • Reed Johnson flies out to right.
  • 3-1 fastball, outer third of the plate, and Lee drives it to right, two rows or so up into the bleachers for a solo HR. Tie game 2-2!
  • Ramirez with a soft fly out to center.
  • And Fukudome with another, to left. Lee gets a bad break on it, then over runs it, then does a Soriano hop as he catches it. Ugly. Inning over, 2-2
Inning 4 - Top
  • Lee crushes one out to left. Maybe ten rows up. Another fastball that tailed from the outside back over the middle. 3-2 Astros
  • Tejada grounds out sharply to second.
  • Wigginton rolls one down the 3rd base line, hits the bag, fouls up Ramirez's effort. Would have been safe, anyway.
  • Yet another GIDP, Loretta hits the 4-6-3. Inning over, 3-2 Astros
Inning 4 - Bottom
  • Erstad in at 1st for Berkman. Early report from the Astros booth is neck spasms. I'll take switching Berkman out for Erstad. Astros announcers talk up how much depth Erstad adds to the bench. It'd be funny if they were making a fat joke, but I think they were being serious....
  • DeRosa singles to right.
  • Soto rolls one to Loretta at second, who tags DeRosa and throws to first for the 4-3 DP.
  • And Theriot grounds back to the pitcher. Easy inning.
Inning 5 - Top
  • Ausmus lines out to Fukudome on about the 50th fastball that tailed back over the plate.
  • Oswalt grounds out to Theriot
  • Bourn rolls out to DeRosa. 1-2-3 inning, and egads, just noticed that this game is moving along quickly, barely an hour old.
Inning 5 - Bottom.
  • Marquis grounds to third, and Wigginton throws away an easy out. Marquis to second. Ball just sailed on Wigginton.
  • Soriano flies to medium depth center, and Marquis tags up and runs for third. Nice throw by Bourn, a one-hopper right at the bag, and Marquis is out. Aggressive running play by Marquis, debatable decision. The old 8-5 DP.
  • Wigginton with a better play on a slow roller to get Reed Johnson at first. Still 3-2 after the leadoff 2-base error. Nuts.
Inning 6 - Top
  • Pence with a roller up third, Soto takes it, throws, Lee drops the throw, error on Lee.
  • And instead of Berkman, we get Erstad.
  • Pence steals second, Soto's throw quite short and even wider left.
  • Long AB by Erstad, between pickoff throws and SB and whatnot. 3-2 count as a fastball just misses inside.
  • Erstad takes some sort of breaking pitch and pulls it into the right-center gap. Johnson was playing him way around to left. Pence scores, Erstad doubles. Fans boo a bit. 4-2 Astros.
  • Next pitch, and Lee launches one into the right-center gap, as well. Again, a long way for Johnson to run, back-to-back doubles. 5-2. Fans boo a bit more. Rolling slider from Marquis.
  • What should be the third straight double to the right-center gap turns into a nice running, stretching catch by Fukudome. Lee tags and goes to third. Cubs appeal that he left 2nd early, but no luck.
  • Marquis leaves, to boos. Kevin Hart in.
  • Hart K's Wigginton on a nice slider.
  • And another K of Loretta on a fastball inside. Nice work by hard, but it's 5-2 Astros.
Inning 6 - Bottom
  • Lee lofts one into the right field corner. Stays at second, although the throw back in towards second scoots away. Nice start to the inning.
  • Ramirez with a lazy fly to shallow center.
  • Fukudome with a beautiful bunt between the pitcher and third. No one in the ballpark anticipated it. Cubs fans' infatuation with Fukudome goes up by 5 whole Fuku-points. Lee on third, Fukudome on first.
  • Oswalt might have tweaked something in the elbow?
  • Next pitch (to DeRosa) just totally gets away from Ausmus, passed ball, Lee scores, Fukudome to 2nd.
  • Slow roller to third, Wigginton lets another throw sail, leading to a near-collision between Erstad and DeRosa. DeRosa out, no collision. Fukudome to second. 2 outs.
  • Oswalt a bit frustrated with the strike zone
  • Soto rolls one up the middle. Tejada barely gets there, slides spins and throws Soto out, inning over. 5-3 Astros
Inning 7 - Top
  • Ausmus flies to Fukudome.
  • A bit surprised, Oswalt stays in to hit for himself.
  • Oswalt rolls one up the middle, DeRosa with a nice play to get the slow-running Oswalt
  • Astros announcers observe that the infield grass is playing much more fast than the old Wrigley infield...
  • With Johnson again playing shallow and swung towards left, Bourn smarshes an inside fastball, one-hopping the CF wall. News flash: Bourn is very, very fast. Makes third base easily.
  • Pence flies out to Fukudome, inning over
Inning 7 - Bottom
  • Oh dear lord, John Rhadigan on my Astros Gamebreak. Who is this ghoulish man? Somebody hold me.
  • Wigginton leaves the game, having been spiked sometime earlier in the game, I missed it. Thomas Perez (he's not dead?) in at second, Loretta over to third.
  • 3-0 count to Theriot. Oswalt entered the inning with only 74 pitches thrown, although he seemd to be tiring last inning.
  • Ball four. Theriot walks.
  • Fontenot in to hit for Hart.
  • With Tejada playing towards second, Fontenot rolls one to Tejada's right. Nice sliding stop, throws from his butt to second, but everyone safe. 2 on, no out, for Soriano.
  • Soriano with a slow roller to Loretta's left, he gets Soriano at first. Runners advance to 2 and 3, one out for Reed Johnson
  • Some of parachat wants to pull Johnson for Ward, here.
  • Wow, did I just write that last line? I swear the double entendre was unintentional
  • Johnson with a slow chopper towards short. Tejada comes in, just gets Johnson at first. Run scores, Fontenot advances to third. 5-4, runner on third, two outs, Lee up
  • Lee singles past a diving Loretta, 5-5 game. Lee with four hits today, five straight in the series.
  • Oswalt leaves having given up ten hits and a walk, no strikeouts.
  • Oscar Villarreal in.
  • and promptly walks Ramirez. 1st and 2nd, two outs for Fukudome
  • Oscar Villarrreal out.
  • Wesley Wright (who?!??!?) in.
  • For a 23 year old rookie, Wright looks all right. The lefty falls behind Fukudome 3-1 on some very close calls. Fun battle to watch. The same pitch called ball 3 now gets called strike 2, full count.
  • Foo Koo Doh May chant starts
  • Two full-count foul balls. Great at bat.
  • Fukudome hits a sinking liner to left. Lee flails at this one, too, sort of half-diving, half-stumbling for it. It drops for a hit, gets past Lee and skips fifteen feet away. Lee and Ramirez score, it's ruled a double, as opposed to a single and an error.
  • Fans' adoration of Fukudome goes up another eleven Fuku-points.
  • Geoff Geary in. Fourth Astros pitcher this inning, in what had been a very quickly played game
  • And before throwing a pitch, he balks Fukudome over to third, when the ball falls out of his hand while standing on the rubber. Probably a silly rule, but we'll take it.
  • DeRosa lofts a rolling slider to right-center. Carries well in the wind, Bourn can't quite get to it, might have slowed up as approaching the bricks. Double, 8-5 Cubs.
  • Soto K's swinging to end the inning. Finally.
Inning 8 - Top
  • Howry and Blanco both in, presumably on a double switch.
  • Erstad lines a single to right, is now 2 for 2. Cubbery.
  • Lee smokes a double down the left field line, Erstad to third. A very good day for the Lees
  • Marmol warming up, Tejada hitting.
  • Howry gets Tejada to bounce out to DeRosa, run scores
  • Thomas Perez taken down for Geoff Blum. What sort of crazy-ass team carries two different players named "Geoff?"
  • Blum ropes a low fastball into center. Lee scores.
  • Marmol in, Howry leaves to a few boos, but more cheers for Marmol. Looks like DeRosa is also coming out. Why? The double-switch already happened with Blanco, right?
  • Evidently, it must not have been a double-switch when Howry and Blanco both came in, as the assumption was Howry would pitch an inning and be taken down for a pinch-hitter. But you know what happens when you assume... So now DeRosa leaves for Cedeno. Great. We've replaced Soto and DeRosa for Blanco and Cedeno.
  • Marmol throws his first pitch about three feet outside
  • Loretta lines out to Fukudome
  • Ausmus taps weakly to Ramirez, ends the inning. Cubs escape with an 8-7 lead
Inning 8 - Bottom
  • Doug Brocail in. Loretta goes back to second as Blum takes over at third.
  • Theriot K's swinging.
  • Cedeno with a lined single to right-center. Astros announcer gets all excited about Bourn maybe making a great catch. The ball lands five feet away from Bourn. Jerk.
  • Blum with a nice play on a slow roller, gets Soriano at first. A few boos for Soriano. Cedeno advances.
  • Reed Johnson with a big RBI single through the SS hole. 9-7 Cubs.
  • With the 4-4 Lee up and a chance to go for the cycle as well, Johnson gets caught stealing second. Inning over.
Inning 9 - Top
  • Cruz Jr. (He's not dead, either?) in to hit, Wood to pitch.
  • Full count, Cruz flies lazily to Fukudome.
  • Bourn grounds sharply to Cedeno at 2nd. Two outs.
  • "Kerry" chants start.
  • Pence rolls to Theriot, 6-3, Cubs win!
Parachat Recap
Inning 1
  • What payment do I need to do recaps? (Just the love of my readers and fellow parachatters is all)
  • The old roses on piano, tulips on organ joke.
  • Who should hit 2nd?
  • Will Theriot have a good year?
Inning 2
  • Theriot discussion continues
  • and continues.
  • and continues....
  • Back the the important stuff, me: why isn't my parachat name highlighted in green, like Rob's? Why? WHY? (beats me.)
  • The Soto triple
  • Expectations for Cubs rookies
Inning 3
  • The rooftop screens issue.
  • Different rooftop deals and experiences
  • Review and analysis of the Cubs/Rooftop owners negotiations. 18% cut sound ok?
  • Wes says Bill James says the Twins world championship teams were on the juice - Gaetti and Puckett.
Inning 4
  • Opinions about Bill James
  • Ah, and the relevant Twins Steroids accusation link. Seems flimsy.
  • Steroids, Baldness and Acne means..... time for a Johann's Mom reference.
Inning 5
  • The One-Legged Pitcher, Bert Shepard
  • Paul Noce with the observation of parachat so far: Marquis looks like he belongs in a ba 1970s Cop movie
  • Is Lowitzki with comcast, or in the Matrix?
  • Ways that comcast sucks.
  • The Marquis baserunning play
  • If Moises Alou were our third-base coach....
Inning 6
  • Dave Duncan and St. Louis Sports Radio.
  • Bizarro Barrett.
  • Lance Johnson would have caught it. So would Walter Johnson. Lady Bird?
  • Griping about the D. Lee error to start the inning.
  • Those 1961 Mets we all remember....
  • The Giants' "offense"
  • I complain about the recap fodder being offered by Parachat, and get Dick Pole and Dick Trickle jokes. How 2007 of parachat..
  • Should Lee have gone for the triple?
  • Only the second Johann's Mom joke of the day...
  • Some Barry Zito fantasy trade....
  • Admiration of Fukudome
  • Impressed by Soto
Inning 7
  • Decapitation for cheaters?
  • What can we blame on Hendry?
  • Who we hate.
  • Flip-down sunglasses
  • Is Reed Johnson playing too shallow? (yes, but it wouldn't have mattered on any of these extra-base hits, imho)
  • Used-car salesmen.
  • Who should get to sing the 7th Inning Stretch this year?
  • Pinch hit Ward here?
  • Cheering a tie game.
  • We Love Corey Patterson.
  • Lets vs. Let's.
  • Fantasy baseball Qs
  • Dontrelle vs. the White Sox.
  • Proper lineup order for Fukudome, Lee, and Ramirez?
  • More debate about our middle infield. Somebody lobotomize me with a crusty spork.
  • Laughing at Lee's fielding, cheering Fukudome.
  • Future TCR features
  • Wes threatens to fly to LA and kick Rob in the "nutsack."
  • Bagging on a certain Cubs blog
  • Don't like fucking Will Carroll? Then stop fucking him, duh.
Inning 8
  • Putting down the kids to come to parachat.
  • Large TVs
  • Small TVs
  • TVs won for perfect attendance at school.
  • Worried about Howry
  • Trying to find Soriano's batting average
  • Griping about Johnsons' stolen base attempt
Inning 9
  • Bad memories of Bad Closers past..... Wow, think positive, parachat.
  • Cheering an easy 1-2-3 inning.
  • Cubs' 2008 record in games I recap: 1-0
Tags

Comments

I am having formatting issues that are making me cry.  I'm leaving them as they are, and going outside for a walk.

 

Go Cubs! 

...how much depth Erstad adds to the bench. IT'd be funny if they were making a fat joke, but I think they were being serious.... ======= with Blanco getting the start tomorrow, Soto will be on the bench, adding significant depth to it. (maybe we can send the A material in for Len and Bob) Some of parachat wants to pull Johnson... ============= now that's funny stuff, pulling Johnson in parachat?

Wow. Two name drops in the same recap. Career day in parachat for me. That, and I was the one who hates fucking Will Carroll.

I was there today -- fantastic weather, great result, good energy at the park. I just have to say that Fukudome is terrific, almost mesmerizing to watch in person. It's as if he's playing a different level -- or even type -- of baseball than everyone else. That bunt was perfect and absurd, but the thing about it was that he just took the bunt single because it was there, and the execution of it was almost an afterthought. Most guys see an opportunity like that and try their gosh-darnedest to drop a bunt down, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Fuku's bunt was something different -- the opportunity was there, so he simply and effortlessly put the ball in the dead spot up the line. It felt like he was taking an intentional walk or something. This guy is good.

I log on after watching the game on DVR, and there's a Transmission recap! Awesome work as usual, Trans. So, this Fukudome guy is pretty horrible... too bad we didn't spend that money on Jacque Jones instead! (Can you smell the burning sarcasm?)

if Japanese players need an adjustment period, I can not wait for July. They flashed an NL stats during the game with NL leaders in OBP. This was early, maybe the 3rd and Fuku was 2nd behind pujols. I am guessing he is the leader now. on the flipside, they may find the hole in his swing (if there is one) by July. Hopefully by then Fonzie won't look like a lost boyscout in the woods.

[ ]

In reply to by Bigz

I haven't seen enough of fuku to say... ...NONETHELESS... he doesnt seem like he has a hole in his swing or dependent upon certain areas of the plate to gain his good swings. it is WAY early to make this call, though, as anything near a fact. he seems to just swing. he's obviously got an eye for what to not swing at, but he's not got the stroke/eye to hit everything solidly he knows he want to swing at. that should get him in that 100+K/100-ish walk territory, imo. that's based on his japan ball as well as his american ball, btw. personally...im expecting "mark grace in prime" type numbers (with more Ks)...40+ doubles, .350+ob%, 15+ homers...

So I don't get my ass kicked by an angry college instructor, I'll not just mock. Thanks for the recap Trans. I appreciate it!

Well, we can cross "Geoff" off the list of potential real first names of Trans. I'm going out on a limb and guessing it's not "Alfonso", either. Welcome back, game recap!

With a win tomorrow, I'll feel like we started the season off as shitty as possible and still managed to play .500 baseball. That is encouraging.... At least it's not '97.

"3. More love for Fukudome"

Hearing forty thousand people do the chant--"FOO-KOO-DOUGH-MAY!"--was awesome, before and after he got the big double. Listening to the radio call, I think Santo would adopt him. What a treat to watch him work a count, then pound the pitch he was waiting for. As always, stellar recap, Trans.

at least fuko will be worth his money soriano should be emberresed to get his check on the 15th isnt he like 1 for 22

Since game recaps are like an open thread .... Before the season started I came up with my perfect lineup: Fukudome, DeRosa, Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, Soto, Pie, Theriot. When I put a lineup together I find my #3 hitter first. I want OBP, SLG and baserunning. Lee and Fukudome are the only options. Now a couple days into the season I like this lineup: Fukudome, Theriot, Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, DeRosa, Soto, Pie. I moved Theriot up because the OBP of Fukudome and Lee makes the #2 hitter's OPB less important. It also makes it possible to put a known patient OBP guy behind Soriano making him a run producer with the opportunity to run. I'm also intrigued by: Soriano, DeRosa, Fukudome, Ramirez, Lee, Soto, Pie, Theriot.

3. More love for Fukudome and 4. Then, there's Soriano... is it worth asking the question, "are these two things connected?"? granting that only 5 games have been played, could soriano now be in a funk/pout because he was the new wunderkind in town for 2007, but now all the love is pointed towards right field instead of left? sorry i do not know soriano's history. perhaps he starts slow out of the gate every year, like our 3bman, but then gets cooking as the spring turns to summer. or maybe it was lee's turn to spring into action on saturday, and now sunday will be alf's turn? here's hoping. for a breakout, that is.

"could soriano now be in a funk/pout because he was the new wunderkind in town for 2007, but now all the love is pointed towards right field instead of left?" I don't know Soriano personally, but after watching him play up close a few times over the last few years, he doesn't strike me as the type that would "pout" because someone else is garnering more attention. Personally, I just think he is a streaky player, and while this cold streak is worse than normal, he's bound to come out of it pretty soon.

[ ]

In reply to by Little Nate Lewis

Looking at Soriano's Gamelogs, here is how he started seasons during his career, first 5 games. 2001: 4-23, 2 R, 0 RBI, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 SB, 0 BB, 5 K (1st HR game 9) 2002: 3-19, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 SB, 2 BB, 4 K (1st HR game 7) 2003: 13-30, 7 R, 12 RBI, 4 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 0 SB, 2 BB, 6 K (1st HR game 1) 2004: 6-20, 2 R, 0 RBI, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 SB, 2 BB, 2 K (1st HR game 9) 2005: 6-25, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 0 SB, 1 BB, 7 K (1st HR game 2) 2006: 6-18, 3 R, 4 RBI, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 SB, 1 BB, 4 K (1st HR game 5) 2007: 5-23, 1 R, 0 RBI, 3 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 SB, 1 BB, 5 K (1st HR game 25, 19th game played) 2008: 1-17, 1 R, 2 RBI, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 SB, 1 BB, 2 K (1st HR ???) So basically other than 2003 where he started out with a moster first week, he typically struggles early on, although not usually quite this bad.

I'm afraid to ask, but is Milo ("Right in his wheelhouse!)" Hamilton still doing the Astros games? Worst...Cub...Announcer...Ever.

Recent comments

  • 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.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.