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 Lose First Series of the Year

The Cubs dropped their first series of the year losing two of three to Dusty and the Reds. The unfortunate details after the jump.

Why the Cubs Lost: Micah Hoffpauir's glove was the main culprit, costing the Cubs two to three runs. He badly misplayed a flyball by Chris Dickerson into a triple that made the game 1-0. The wind had something to do with it, but a decent RF'er definitely makes the play. Then in the 7th, with runners on 1st and 2nd, he tried to come up throwing on a single by Alex Gonzalez and the ball bounced off his glove making sure two runs score(one may have scored anyway) and Gonzalez made it to third base. A nice play on a suicide squeeze attempt by Zambrano did erase Gonzalez though.

Z pitched well for the most part, but he did throw away a pickoff throw to first base, although it did look like a play Derrek Lee could have made. Wily Taveras made it around to third base on the error and after Z struck out Dickerson, Lou came out to see if Z wanted to walk Joey "Cub-Killer" Votto and set-up the double play with the righty Edwin Encarnacion up next. Z's hubris won out and they brought the infield in and Z got ahead quickly. With Geovany Soto setting up low and outside, Z let one up on the inner half of the plate right at the belt and Votto ripped a double to left-center. The fantastic movement on Z's pitches can be a curse as much an asset at times.

After giving up that second run, the Cubs mounted a rally on a hit and error that put Alfonso Soriano at second base and a Ryan Theriot single up the middle to make it 2-1. The first pitch to Kosukue Fukudome saw Theriot stealing and get this...he was thrown out. A great throw by the catcher right on the bag, but nonetheless, Theriot stealing hasn't been a good idea since 2007.

And the bullpen gave up 3 runs in two innings....so great effort all around.

The Good: The Cubs finally scored a run and Z pitched much better than the boxscore shows, a victim of poor defense for the most part. 

Death Pool: Luis Vizcaino surprisingly took the first honor but I still think Neal Cotts leads the way for the next victim. He came in to face Joey Votto and fell behind 3-1, making it 3-2 and then - afraid to walk anyone - left a few pitches down the middle that Votto fouled off and then eventually took out to left center. 

Up Next: The Cubs try to find their bats in St. Louis this weekend who just finished off sweeping the Mets.

Tags

Comments

It's over!!! No chance!! Bad management!!! Cats running amok!! Fan interference!! Racism!! Unchecked aggression!! The Ivey is Brown!! 14th game in season right?

Just got back. Honestly, ROB G., the club was just totally "flat", and Harang was on his game (fucking slow, too). No energy, listless. Fontenot is not an everyday player. Sorry. Miles really does suck. Bad Hendry! Theriot is slow - you nailed it. Soto is molasses. Hoff is not an OF. Bradley is a big disappointment. Bad Hendry! There were baserunners almost every inning. As was the case last night. What team out there will have winning records with half of the lineup hitting .200 or worse? Then, there is Neil Cotts...

OT: A Friend of mine is looking to secure 4 tickets for the Twins/Cubs game for June 13th. If anyone knows who I can have him talk to send me a message. Thanks. On a semi-related note, this team is starting to remind me of the 2004 edition. Lots of talent not playing to it's potential. This team though has a gaping hole up the middle (as much as I love TheRiot, it's hard to play both the kajun kids when one is struggling), Aaron Miles doesn't inspire confidence, and the bullpen blows.

"A Friend of mine is looking to secure 4 tickets for the Twins/Cubs game for June 13th." That is gonna be impossible, unless your friend wants to spend some real money. Probably one of the 2 or 3 most desirable summer games.

[ ]

In reply to by Little Nate Lewis

What do I win for being the first to call 'bullshit' on Pinhead? "Nothing has put me over the edge," he replied. "I don't play people unless they're totally healthy. That's been my M.O. throughout my managerial career. With Milton, when he's ready to play, we'll put him out there." Remind me, who's been the Cubs manager the last two years when Soriano was playing at 85% because of leg woes? Not that I don't like the decision, it's probably the right one based on his loafing last night, but players don't like it when you stare them in the face and lie, then go to the press and lie to them and Milton probably likes it less than most.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

When Dusty came to the Cubs as a manger he was 11 games over his expected pythagorean wins. In his four years with the Cubs he was 7 under. If you want to use that as a barometer of managerial skill, then he got us into the playoffs in '03 and cost us a spot in '04. He's 4 over so far with the Reds. However, I think a lot of us hard-core Dusty haters would say that given his rosters, the teams pretty consistently under achieved when it comes to run differential, so even if he has a knack of over-performing his pythagorean record (outside of Chicago), that is probably better explained by him turning 7-4 vicories into 6-5 victories than any managing acumen.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

If Vinny Del Negro can get a team to the playoffs, anyone can. That team has alot of young talent and if it matures this year they will be in the race for a playoff spot, especially if the Mets and Phils continue to play at a millquetoast level. It is only game 14 guys, so I would not get to wound up. Do you really think the AL playoffs will include Toronto and Seattle? We are only 2 games down in the division and a half game out of the Wild Card. I dont think we can really draw conclussions about worrisome trends until atleast game 35, which is roughly about a fifth of the season and we are still 21 games from that point.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I really don't like the Cards' defense. The Wellemeyers and Lhose' of the world are not going to look as good as they have in the past with that team playing behind them. Their best offense has got 5 inferior defenders (Glaus, Duncan, Ankiel, Schumaker and Ludwick). I think we're being fooled now by their hot starts with the bats. I'll eat a pretty big shoe if the Cardinals continue to have a .380 OBP and score 6 runs per game.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

remember they didn't have Chris Carpenter at all or Adam Wainwright (for the most part) last year either. Cards were +31 on July and August 1st in run differential (ahead of Brewers), and +46 on Sept 1st(brewers finally passed them) and finished at +54. Facts are indeed a bitch.

I think they're the 2nd or possibly best team in the division if everything falls apart for the Cubs. 

It's just my prediction, pointless to argue now anyway. We'll see in October.

-edit- I guess Wainwright had 20 starts last year, thought he missed more time...not that it really changes anything. 

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Numbers from where? What I can quickly find: 1st half: 23 runs above even .552 winning percentage. (Cubs for reference 106 runs above even and won 4 more games. So they turned 83 runs more than their opponents into 4 more wins. This should have been 8-9 more wins). 2nd half: 31 runs above even .500 winning percentage. On the season Runs/Runs Allowed Pythogorean 86 wins. For the real season they had 86 wins. 7th grade math, assuming you're in Pre-algebra at that point tells you that they overacheived during the first half, which is most of the season. 'Hovering around even' is symantics' but when the team your chasing is scoring more than a run a game over their opponents, and you're scoring about .25 a game above yours, I'd call that hovering. Division, it's a bitch.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

"I never had a problem in my life until I started playing baseball. All of a sudden, there are all these things. I just want to be me. I just want to be that guy who plays baseball and enjoys his teammates and has a good time. That's what I do."
This is an odd quote. What person has a problem with the media until they are in the public spotlight? I'm sure Blago never had many problems in his life until he became a politician.

[ ]

In reply to by Jeff_Pico

bradley's problems with baseball go all the way back to his youth. he lived in the hood...kids from his hood didn't play much baseball. as he grew older and talented he got hell for it in his neighborhood for playing with a bunch of white kids and supposedly he didn't have a lot of friends on his teams because they didn't run in near the same crowds outside of the game. not like that's some blank check to be a hothead or distant, but milton is what he is and it doesn't seem like he wants to be a thug even if he's got some social/communication stuff to work on.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

It's like everything i said about Bradley before, and right when he was signed has come true, and it's only 3 weeks into the season. Wittenmyer comes right out and calls bullshit on Bradleys excuse. But this is also an old tactic that Bradley uses to continually play the victim. Always blaming someone else but himself. Creating a controversy out of thin air where one doesn't exist. Got the victim mentality, mixed in with some racism, rinsed with stupidity, and just a pinch of uncontrolled rage. My other complaint about Bradley milking his injuries and playing this day to day injury excuse got Pinella pissed..... Bradley walked into Piniella's office Thursday morning and told Piniella that his strained right groin still is not 100 percent. Although many players take the field at less than 100 percent, an exasperated-sounding Piniella seemed to want an end to the uncertainty. Put his ass on the DL. Sorry Lou but Bradley is going to keep doing this until the day he is DFAed. And he will be by the end of his contract with the Cubs.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

But that right there is a journalist coloring what happens with his own biases. "Although many players take the field at less than 100 percent, an exasperated-sounding Piniella seemed to want an end to the uncertainty." If Reed Johnson said he wasn't 100% and needed a few more days rest, would that same quote have been written? Hell no. You and Wittenmyer can have your vendetta against Bradley, but just know that it's not going to do the Cubs any good at all.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

And now you all see when I was talking about hopefully the Bradley situation doesn't become a JJ situation, which it now has started getting really close to. So in just 14 games, Bradley has managed to get hurt, ejected, suspended, get one hit (1-23 w/a .043 AVG), get booed by the Wrigley faithful and boycotted the media. Am I missing anything?

Overall I had some chores and stopped watching this game when it was 1-0 in the 6th. The Cubs offense wasn’t encouraging and worse than that I doubted the bullpen would hold them to 1. I was sadly right on both counts. I don’t think Samardzija is the answer in the pen at all. He had a hot 6 weeks last year and then was pretty average. He’s prone to wildness also, just the kind of thing that gets on Lou’s nerves. There have been stretches each of the last 2 years early in the season where the Cubs have looked pretty bad only to regroup. Let’s hope this is another one of those times. Today I had flashbacks of ghosts of Cubbie past when they would bring in big sluggers (George Bell, Candy Maldanado) and closers (Dave Smith, Mel Rojas, Rick Aguilera) only to have those guys pretty much completely crap out. I hope that isn't the case with Bradley and Gregg this hurt. It will hurt pretty bad. Oh one more thing, Zambrano! I don't know of any other pitcher in baseball who loses his compusure so often and so easily. Every little thing that doesn't go his way completely ruffles the guy. From a bad at bat, a bad bounce, everything. I sadly thought today that I would be happy to see a guy like him melt down if I was the opposing team or an opposing fan. It doesn't take much to get it done.

Just beginning to track the minors... - Where's Cashner? Did the Cubs mistakenly cut ALL former #1 picks by checking the wrong box? - Guess not, just saw Colvin's name...at Daytona? Maybe he can have Ryan Harvey's locker. The Cubs impressive record with their #1 picks continues. The Basketball Hall of Fame just called -- apparently, they have been told to halt construction of the Derrick Rose wing.

in considering this weekend old home week i will make a prediction that there will be a aaron miles sighting this weekend and it will be a positive outcome for the first time this year.

All right, I've gotten so sick of the Luna jingle they're playing at Wrigley this year after every run and XBH that I decided to create an online petition to try to stop it: http://www.petitiononline.com/lunasux/petition.html You can hear it over the telecast, but if you haven't been to a game this year you really can't fully understand how annoying it is. It's gotten so bad that a part of me was happy after Wednesday night's shutout because they couldn't play it once since the Cubs didn't score and only had singles. Anyway, please sign it and tell your friends about it.

[ ]

In reply to by CPH2133

Hey, we're up to 9 now. I've sent the link to a couple websites (Chicagoist, Deadspin), but I kind of doubt it will have any national interest. This is going to have to be a grassroots campaign, so tell everyone you know or link the petition in any other blogs you guys read.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

The guy's one for his last 8. With no BB's and a K. That's a 80 K rate for the year, and his one hit was a single. I know Wisc gets an erection every time Theriot's named gets mentioned, but if the guy was batting .600 after the first week and now he's hitting .365, even his most staunch supporter should be able to face the facts and say to himself 'Well, his batting average is falling, maybe he's not hitting well'. I am not bashing him, but the truth is right now he is not hitting well - he's not controlling the strike zone and he's not driving the ball. The only thing he has done well over the last 10 days is had a disproportionate number of groundballs turn into singles. It's just more evidence of Lou's increasing detachment from reality. I don't have a problem with him batting second if we've got Johnson or Gathright in the lineup on a daily basis, just don't stay stupid shit when you put him there. Is that so much to ask?

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

If you're talking straight statistically, those lineup maker formulae will say to put your best hitter in the #2 slot. Theriot doesn't strike out a lot, can hit the ball the other way (though not at will like say Sandberg could), and will take a walk which are things that you want in a 2nd hitter. He also rarely gets extra base hits and hits into double plays at an alarming rate: 9 more than an average hitter over the last two years (I think that because he hits the ball where the pitchers pitch it, every time they get a guy on first they just throw the ball over the inside part to Theriot and he grounds to SS) and the knack for stealing bases he displayed in his first two years seems to be gone. On a good offensive team, which is what we should be once everyone gets going, Theriot should be batting 9th formulaicilly or 8th reasonably. If Soriano was moved down, I would say bat him 1st, but it doesn't seem like that's going to happen.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

The point is you went back 8 games to get his two 0-4s, and now you are going back just 2 games because he was 0-4 two days ago. Going back 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12 games his stats look great. So it depends on what Lou means by recently. If he is thinking the Cards and Reds series, then he is 8/24 and doing well. And all you have been doing is pointing out that his high average from the start of the sesaon is unrealistic, yet now you say that since he is no longer hitting .600 he is not hitting well. Don't you think it might be possible for him to have his average fall from .600 yet STILL be hitting well, like say at a .333 clip? I only get into it when you turn the topic to Theriot because you criticize him with a vengeance like he fucked your mom or something. I thus feel I have to defend him.

[ ]

In reply to by WISCGRAD

Wisc, take my hand. Take a deep breath, and say it with me. 1 walk, 5 K's, no home runs. This is not hitting well. Ok, let's say it again. 1 walk, 5 K's, no home runs. This is not hitting well. On the season he's 'hit' very well, due to a BABIP that is unrealistically high, if you want to define hitting as 'the vagaries of batting average given a 52 AB sample size'. He doesn't have a home run, and his ISO OBP isn't impressive, especially if you take out the IBB, which he won't get batting second. For whatever reason he's become a poor basestealer and due to his high GB rate he's a double play waiting to happen. These are all facts. Like I said, bat him second until Soto and Bradley get going, or better yet, move Soriano and bat him first. But to mistake him for a great or even good hitter, and to pretend like he's some un-appreciated all-star is just silly, and demand that he bat second because he's white and generally doesn't strike out much is just as silly.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Take a sample size of any hitter and your bound to find shit Real Neal. How about some facts for you. For the season batting .365 with a .424 OBP, 6 BB, 5 K's. For 400k. He has only had 3 games in which he hasn't registered a hit so far this season. You didn't pull your sample size out of your ass when he had 5 BB and no strikeouts. You know what isn't good? 1 fucking hit for 10 million dollars from our RF.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

So now it's walks and Ks and home runs over a new set of game that defines hitting well? Ok, gotcha. Theriot will never hit homeruns so I guess he is not a good hitter. He is not a superstar, and I don't demand that he bat second. But to say that he is not even a "good hitter"? Really? In 1300 career ABs his OBP is .365; and in 2008-2009 he is hitting .312 with a .390 OBP. If someone who gets on base nearly 4 of 10 times is not "even a good hitter" then your standards are whack.

April is too early for this kind of intensity. Heck, it seems like 3 weeks into the season we should be talking about how Mariano Rivera has blown about 4-5 games and baseball news consists solely of "What's wrong with Rivera?" Instead we have a turning point series with the Cardinals this weekend. We'll see if the Cubs get back in their game or get caught up in the negativity and series loss with the Reds. And I'm just going to say it about Wittenmyer... I think if Bradley is a white guy, Wittenmyer isn't picking fights with him. Just my opinion, flame it if you want, but dude, leave him alone.

"So in just 14 games, Bradley has managed to get hurt, ejected, suspended, get one hit (1-23 w/a .043 AVG), get booed by the Wrigley faithful and boycotted the media. Am I missing anything?" Manny, it's been a long time coming, but I agree with ya.

Looks like the bradley stories are making their rounds now. ESPN has theirs up: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4095214 While I do understand the principal part of not accepting the suspension, it makes total sense to serve it now to get it out of the way while he isn't playing anyways. He is just letting it linger and with his surely attitude letting it fester is not a good idea. And he states he is not close to returning, so I, like E-Man have no clue why he isn't on the DL. The season is still very very very young, but things are not playing out very well for Hendry and the Cubs thus far.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

"I want to say I am, but I'm not," Bradley told Cubs.com. Bradley has not spoken to the media in at least a week. He spoke to Cubs.com because it is affiliated with the Cubs organization, the Web site said. That article is a piece of crap. A total diss of Carrie Muskat who scooped the rest of the sports media. Correct me if I am wrong, BUT..She is NOT an employee of the Cubs and Cubs.com articles are not subject to approval by the Chicago Cubs. Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.Com and parts of her interview with Bradley can be found on her Muskat Ramblings blog.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

Cubs.com is part of MLB.com. MLB.com is owned by MLB. The Cubs are affiliated with MLB, they get lots of money from them every year, including money generated through MLB.com.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

AT the bottom of every Muskat article it says, "Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs." Is that clear enough?

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

It's clear that you don't know what you're talking about. MLB and the 30 MLB teams are essentially sister companies. Bradley works for one of the 30 MLB teams, and Muskett works for MLB. Some of the revenue from the shared sources winds up in Carrie's and Milton's pockets. What part don't you understand?

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

A diagram would be better, but some basic differencs. Musket works for Cubs.com. Bradley works for 'The Chicago Cubs'. The Tribue is owned by the Tribune Corp, which also owns the Cubs. The Tribune does not, send money to the Cubs. The Cubs are part owner of MLB. MLB sends money directly to the Cubs. Some small portion of that money is the money derived from the Cubs.com web site. So, if Bradley gives an interview that drives MLB.com subscriptions, that goes to pay his paycheck. If he gives an interview that sells newspapers, he never gets any of that newspaper money.

all this crap about bradley and bwwwwwwahhh bwwwwwwwahhh media... why don't one of those "reporters" go find the story that lead to viz getting released rather than trying to turn 3 days of new out of 1 press conference after a closed-door meeting. oh no...reporter A, B, and C can't do their milton stories...go find another one.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

I can't say for sure, but maybe, just maybe, since Lou and Rothschild see Vizcaino every day, and watch him throw on the side they think he's not one of their better relievers. And maybe since they've been watching pitchers every day of their entire professional fucking careers they don't think any of the other Cubs relivers are inferior to Vizcaino. That maybe they see more and know more than you, Mannny. Of course, that's just my hypothesis.

struck out 7 in 5 innings in Triple A....

By the way... for all of those who don't like Soriano in the lead off slot.... On the Cubs, Soriano is: #1 in PAs with the bases loaded #2 in PAs with RISP

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

I'm not speaking specifically about homeruns...although that's what I implied. I just mean he's the type of player that is going to clean off bases rather than leave them loaded for the next batters. Meaning, if Reyes or Roberts or Theriot is leading off, they'd have the same opportunities, but the guys that follow might have even more opportunities. Don't know if this is correct. That's just what I'm wondering.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Huh? Do you even know why sample sizes are relevant? I posted the above numbers because I thought it was ironic. The #1 reason people want Soriano further down in the lineup is to get him more RBI opportunities. And this season, he has arguably, so far, actually gotten more opportunities batting lead off. Nowhere did I say that it was indicative of the whole season. Nowhere did I say that it would continue. Nowhere did I imply that it was indicative of anything. And yea... you are right. I incorrectly bitched about your idiotic use of Soriano's 9 at-bats this season as if they were relevant about anything. Except I wasn't incorrect. Because you then responded, not with stats, but with, "But I have seen him look bad" with the bases loaded. Awesome.

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.