Pancho Dempster - Master of Camelback Ranch

Ryan Dempster threw five shutout innings and Carlos Pena drove-in two runs with a solo HR and a single, leading the Cubs to a 4-3 victory over the White Sox in Cactus League action at Camelback Ranch this afternoon.



box score 


In Chicago "Crosstown Classic" means Northside (Cubs) versus Southside (Sox), but in the Cactus League the "Crosstown Classic" is Eastside (Cubs) versus Westside (Sox). And such it was today, as 11,599 fans crowded into the Stadium at Camelback Ranch to watch the Cubs battle the Sox.


Ryan Dempster was masterful, allowing two hits, a walk, a HBP, and a WP, while striking out six, in 5.0 IP (64 pitches - 38 strikes, 2/4 GO/FO). And one of the hits was a catchable fly ball that fell between Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd in left-centerfield.


Sean Marshall, Thomas Diamond, Scott Maine, and Jeff Samardzija followed Dempster to the hill, with each pitcher throwing one inning. Only Samardzija was ineffective, allowing three runs in the bottom of the 9th on an infield single (not very well played by Blake DeWitt), a ringing double, and a Lastings Milledge two-run HR.


The Cubs scored single runs in each of the first three innings off Sox starter Mark Buehrle.


Jeff Baker led-off the game with a line-drive double into the LF corner (Baker's first of two doubles today), and after Starlin Castro walked and Marlon Byrd was called out on strikes, Geovany Soto ripped a single up through the box to score Baker.


Carlos Pena cracked a solo HR (his first as a Cub) over the right-centerfield fence off Buehrle to lead off the top of the 2nd inning, and then the new Cub first-baseman also knocked-in the third Cub run in the top of the third on a line-drive single down the RF line (also off lefty Buehrle), scoring Geovany Soto from 2nd base. The RBI opportunity was available thanks to a fielding error by White Sox 2B Gordon Beckham on what probably should have been an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP. 


The Cubs scored what proved to be a necessary insurance run in the top of the 9th, as Blake DeWitt and Brett Jackson smacked back-to-back two-out doubles, DeWitt's a ringer into the left-centerfield power alley, and Jackson's an opposite-field liner into the LF corner that was almost an exact duplicate of his walk-off game-winning hit yesterday at HoHoKam.  


Although it did not appear to be a serious injury, Augie Ojeda left the game after being hit on the foot by a Jesse Crain pitch.


The Cubs made two roster moves today, optioning RHP Esmailin Caridad and LHP John Gaub to Iowa. (Minor League Spring Training games start next Thursday). Both pitchers struggled in recent Cactus League outings. Caridad missed most of last season with a sore right elbow and forearm, and Gaub battled control issues at Iowa before being sent to Fitch Park in June.

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Cubs Spring Training Recap
Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 6:13pm
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Comments

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 6:15pm

"when someone yells 'hey carlos' in the lockerroom i don't fall for that anymore." - carlos pena on the amount of carlos-named-players in the lockerroom and how it's become a joke.

lulz.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 6:33pm

They could just nickname our new 1b "Carl Pepper".

Submitted by Cubster
on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 7:54pm

Hank White likes that nickname

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 8:33am

Ex-Cub minor league 2B Dwayne Kemp is playing for the Royal Dutch (Netherlands) National Team that is playing in the St Petersburg International Baseball Tournament in Florida, so expect to see him playing for The Netherlands in the WBC next year. He is the son of legendary Dutch baseball player, coach, and manager Adonis Kemp.

Kempy was the second European player signed by the Cubs (Italian RHP Alessandro Maestri was the first), and was in the Cubs system for three years (2008-2010). His Cub career never really got very far, mainly due to a series of injuries that kept him at Extended Spring Training three years in a row. He was released last Spring.

The Royal Dutch (Netherlands) National team played the Tampa Bay Rays last Wednesday, and they play the Phillies tomorrow.

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 8:44am

AZ Phil: how has Scott Maine looked to you? I'm thinking Grabow starts the season on the DL.
----
Lefty John Grabow, sidelined in recent days with a sore shoulder, is expected to throw on the side today, with a possible return to a game coming by Tuesday.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/...

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 9:15am

Submitted by Cubster on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 8:44am.
AZ Phil: how has Scott Maine looked to you? I'm thinking Grabow starts the season on the DL.

=====================================

CUBSTER: Right now I'm thinking Scott Maine makes the Cubs Opening Day 25 whether or not Grabow starts the season on the DL. Maine has looked the best of all the relief candidates so far.

Scott Maine and Robert Coello have the best stuff among the younger relievers, but Coello has trouble throwing strikes consistently, so if they keep only one, I believe it would be Maine. Marcos Mateo would probably be third on the list behind Maine and Coello, but he has some control issues, too.

Submitted by navigator
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 12:18pm

I've been a fan of Maine since the Cubs acquired him.

For those of you who care about these things, Maine is who we eventually got in exchange for Ronnie Cedeno and Felix Pie.

Submitted by DavidP
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 12:46pm

I thought we got him for Heilman.

Submitted by navigator
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 12:53pm

We did. But we traded Ronnie Cedeno and Garret Olson for Heilman.And previously we traded Felix Pie for Olson.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 1:15pm

For the full picture, the Cubs traded Felix Pie to the Orioles for Garrett Olson and Henry Williamson.

Then 10-days later traded Olson and Ronny Cedeno to the Mariners for Aaron Heilman.

Then after a year of Heilman, they traded him to the Diamondbacks for Scott Maine and Ryne White.

Williamson and White have since been released, leaving Maine as the only Cubs link to Pie and Cedeno.

Submitted by Charlie
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 2:01pm

To get an even fuller picture:

The Cubs turned a 1999 undrafted free agent signing (Cedeno) and 5 years of minor league development, a 2001 undrafted free agent signing (Pie) and 7 years of minor league development, into 1 year of Aaron Heilman (72.1 innings pitched, 4.11 ERA) for whatever they also payed him that year, and a 6th round draftee from 2007 (Maine). With Ryne White and Henry Williamson no longer associated with the Cubs, as noted above.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 4:30pm

To get an even more fuller picture:

Ronnie Cedeno was orphaned at the age of 18 months when his parents were lost in a freak snowstorm during a trip to the grocery store for Miracle Whip. Cedeno wandered out of the family home and was taken in by wolves, who raised him in their den. Cedeno didn't learn to speak Spanish or any English until his 5th year in the major leagues, instead, uttering nonsensical (to others) phrases like "Ack! Ack Ack Hruuuuuuuuuhhhhh!"

Felix Pie was named after both Felix the Cat and his mother's favorite recipe, Cat Pie.

That Cedeno was eventually traded for Aaron Heilmann was irony in it's true form.

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 4:48pm

lulz.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Sun, 03/13/2011 - 12:51pm

I do think it's interesting that Pie's father was Haitian, which is where the French-sounding name ("P-yay") comes from, and why the Cat Pie story is apocryphal.

Submitted by Charlie
on Sun, 03/13/2011 - 5:07pm

It's the Spanish word for foot and it's pronounced exactly that way in Spanish, isn't it? How does Pie sound French?

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Sun, 03/13/2011 - 10:51pm

Yeah, you're right, Charlie. My Spanish is weak or nonexistent. El pie in Spanish, le pied in French, pronounced the same (to my ear).

Felix Foot.

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Sun, 03/13/2011 - 10:57pm

Cat Foot!

Didn't Sandburg (Carl) say that fog comes on little cat feet?

I suddenly feel unclean.

Submitted by Hagsag
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 10:26am

Az Phil, have you seen Junior Lake yet this week? I am wondering if he has gotten bigger and might outgrow the SS position. Thanks.

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Sun, 03/13/2011 - 10:53am

Submitted by Hagsag on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 10:26am.
Az Phil, have you seen Junior Lake yet this week? I am wondering if he has gotten bigger and might outgrow the SS position. Thanks

=================================

HAGSAG: Junior Lake was one of the 16 "early arrivals" among position players at Minor League Camp. He does not look bigger than he did last year. He is still playing SS.

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 2:36pm

c.silva with 2 decent innings...so far.

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 3:23pm

good 1st/2nd/4th...cruddy 3rd...meh cruddy 5th...

5ip 5h 4er 0bb 2k 2hr

Submitted by jacos
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 2:47pm

Cubs on in ten minutes on WGN.

Parachat?

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 3:10pm

smells like mothballs and mold in parachat.

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 3:14pm

Starlin Castro with a 2 run Vegas H(ooke)R, after Fukudome walked to lead off vs Leake

Submitted by jacos
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 4:06pm

Scott Moore needs to find a job on this team.

F' Pena.

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 4:54pm

k.hill double!

1-3 on the day.

he's played some good D behind the plate today, too...blocking and throwing.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 4:58pm

Was just gonna post!

KHill 1ST HIT OF SPRING TRAINING!!

He has sealed his spot on the 25-man today!!

Way to go HILL, you offensive machine!!

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 5:03pm

well hopefully that'll end the Todd Wellemeyer talk

Berg has a scoreless inning lower his ERA to 34.71

McNutt with a scoreless inning as well

Cubs lose 7-6 in game Silva starts

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 5:09pm

welle needed a continuation of what he was doing to even make it interesting...he sure as hell didn't do that today.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 5:45pm

No one seems to want to be the 5th outfielder or 5th starter at this point. I guess Perez and Cashner are the favorites, but they're sure giving Skinny Dick enough PA's.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 5:47pm

Coello trying to finish out the win in the other split-squad game that's also versus the Reds.

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 5:54pm

trying = failing.

neat game, though.

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