Cubs Split EXST Games with Giants at Fitch Park

Ryan Keedy had three hits including two RBI doubles, but the Giants edged the Cubs 4-3 in an eight-inning Extended Spring Training game on Fitch Park Field #3 this morning. Meanwhile, another squad of Cubs blanked a second squad of Giants 11-0 in a seven-inning game on Field #2, as Larry Suarez and Carlos Rojas threw lights-out shutout ball over the seven innings. (The Giants brought their entire EXST squad to Mesa today--which is unusual--so there were enough players for two games).

I could have tried to watch & score both games simultaneously, but I opted to score only the game on Field #3, so here is the abridged box score (Cubs players only) from that game:

LINEUP:
1. Hak-Ju Lee, DH #1: 2-4 (6-3, 2B, 1B, K - 1 R, 1 CS)
2. George Matheus, 2B: 1-3 (2B, K, K, HBP - 1 R)
3. Ryan Keedy, 1B-DH #2: 3-4 (2B, 2B, 1B, GIDP - 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 CS)
4. Kevin Soto, CF: 0-2 (F-9, BB, K)
5. Sean Hoorelbeke, DH #2-1B: 1-3 (1B, P-4, GIDP - 1 RBI)
6. Kurt Calvert, RF: 0-3 (4-3, P-4, K)
7a. Juan Medina, C  1-1 (2B, BB)
7b. Alvaro Sosa, C: 1-1 (1B)
8. Robert Bautista, SS: 0-3 (1-3, 1-3, L-7)
9. Jose Made, 3B: 0-3 (P-5, 3-1, K)
10. Sean Williams, LF: 2-3 (6-3, 2B, 1B)

PITCHERS:
1. Tarlandus Mitchell - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1/1 GO/FO
2. Yohan Gonzalez - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 2/1 GO/FO
3. Eduardo Figueroa - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 6/0 GO/FO 
4. Dumas Garcia - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 3/1 GO/FO

ERRORS (3):
RF Kurt Calvert misplayed a line single, allowing batter-runner to take an extra base, 1B Ryan Keedy bobbled a grounder allowing batter to reach 1st base, and SS Robert Bautista missed a grounder (went off his glove into short left-center) with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the 5th allowing two runs (including the tying run) to score.

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Juan Medina - 1-3 CS

BASERUNNING
Sean Williams was thrown out 9-6-5 trying to stretch a double into a triple leading off the bottom of the 5th.

The EXST Cubs lineup for the other game went something like: Francisco Guzman CF, Matt Cerda DH #1, Chris Weimer 1B, Jake Opitz 3B, Logan Watkins SS, Jericho Jones DH #2, Jae-Hoon Ha RF, Jesus Morelli LF,John Contreras/Jose Guevara C, and Dwayne Kemp 2B, with Larry Suarez the SP.    

EXST NOTES: 23-year old utility INF Jose Made (selected by the Cubs in the 20th round of the 2007 Rule 4 draft out of Dominican College) is learning to switch-hit (he used to hit only right-handed).

24-year old RHP Josh Lansford (ex-3B drafted in 6th round out of Cal Poly in 2006 draft), 23-year old LHP Ryan Sontag (drafted as OF out of Arizona State in 23rd round of 2008 draft), and 19-year old Dominican RHP Gian Guzman (ex-SS) are being converted to pitcher. (Lansford's brother is a pitcher in the A's organization, and his father and uncles were MLB 3rd basemen).

2008 4th round pick 18-year old Matt Cerda was moved from catcher to 2B for a while recently when his defensive problems behind the plate were affecting his hitting, but he has apparently been moved back to catcher (at least for the time-being), although he was a DH today. Whether he will end up as a catcher or a second-baseman is still TBD.  

18-year old Korean bonus baby Hak-Ju Lee (2008 Tommy John surgery) is being eased back to SS, although he was a DH today. He has put on some weight since last year and looks a lot stronger, but he also may be outgrowing SS.

Fellow 18-year old Korean Jae-Hoon Ha has been the most-impressive position player so far at EXST, displaying plus-power while playing mostly RF. He is a converted catcher

Also, 20-year old speedy switch-hitting Dominican OF Jose Valdez is out of action with a leg injury, and RHP Cedric Redmond (signed as a Draft & Follow in May 2007 after being selected in the 27th round of the 2006 draft out of Oakton Community College) has a broken finger on his pitching hand.