Arizona Phil's Archives
Arias Blazes Way to Victory at Salt River Fields
Carlos Morfa and Frank Hernandez drilled two-run singles, Reivaj Garcia and Josue Huma belted RBI doubles, Cristian Hernandez tripled, singled, and reached base on an HBP, and SP Michael Arias hurled three innings of one-run ball, as the Cubs defeated the Diamondbacks Red squad 6-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Whirlwind Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick east of Scottsdale, AZ.
The game was called after 7-1/2 innings of play.
The 20-year old Arias is an ex-SS who was released by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020 and then subsequently signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at their Dominican Academy. He features a blazing 96-99 MPH FB, an inconsistent SL, and a nascenrt CH. He will be making his stateside debut in 2022, and not including pitchers in the Rehab & Conditioning Group, Arias is the Cubs top pitching prospect at EXST.
Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):
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D'Backs Pitchers Make Cubs See Red at Sloan Park
SP Jose Cabrera hurled three innings of shutout ball and Juan Corniel and Manuel Pena stroked consecutive RBI singles in the 6th to account for both Diamondback runs, as the D'backs Red squad blanked the Cubs 2-0 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.
The game was called after six innings of play.
Cole Roederer collected two singles for the Cubs.
Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):
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Cubs Win Walk-a-thon at Tempe Diablo
Cristian Hernandez belted a two-run inside-the-park HR and walked twice, Andrelton Simmons doubled, singled, and scored two runs, Moises Ballesteros singled, doubled, and drove-in a run with a SF, Cole Roederer walked in all three of his plate appearances and scored two runs, and the offense took full advantage of 13 walks, a HBP, six wild pitches, and a balk, helping the Cubs outlast the Angels 10-9 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training Opening Day game action Thursday morning on Field #3 at the Diablo Stadium Complex in Tempe, AZ.
The Angels drew ten walks and Jorge Ruiz (RBI single), Denzer Guzman (RBI double), David Calabrese (RBI double), Nelson Rada (two-run double), and William Rivera (RBI single) stroked run-scoring hits in a losing cause.
The game was called after seven innings of play.
Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):
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Mills & Simmons Alive & Well at Sloan Park
Alec Mills and Danis Correa hurled two shutout innings a piece and Andrelton Simmons and Reivaj Garcia clubbed RBI doubles, as the Cubs "Blue" squad blanked the Cubs "Red" squad 2-0 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training Cubs intrasquad game action Tuesday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.
The game was pre-planned as a four-inning affair.
Simmons served as a DH for both squads and went 1-3 (K, 6-3, 2B)
Here is the box score from the game:
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Paris & Yon Take Out the Trash at Riverview
Kyren Paris smacked a solo HR and Edwin Yon belted a two-run HR, leading the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels AA affiliate) to a 7-4 victory over the Tennessee Smokies (AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) in Cactus League Spring Training Minor League Camp game action Saturday afternoon on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.
Pete Crow-Armstrong singled twice, drove-in two runs, and scored another, and Bryce Ball collected three singles and scored a run for the Smokies.
There was only one home game played on the Riverview backfields on Saturday, as the Iowa Cubs - Salt Lake Bees AAA game was played in the stadium (Sloan Park).
Here is the abridged box score from the game played on Field #6 (Cubs players only):
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2022 Cubs Spring Training - Minor League Camp Rosters
Here are the current Cubs Minor League Camp rosters:
* bats or throws left
# bats both
Sierra Salami Too Much for Giants to Swallow
Jonathan Sierra slugged a grand slam HR and walked and scored, and Ismael Mena drilled a two-run double, walked twice, and scored a run, leading the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs' Lo-A affiliate) to a 10-5 drubbing of the San Jose Giants (Lo-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants) in Cactus League Minor League Camp game action Thursday afternoon on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.
Victor Bericoto belted a two-run triple and scored a run for the Giants in a losing cause.
The game was pre-planned as a seven-inning affair.
There was only one home game on the Riverview backfields on Thursday, because South Bend played Eugene in the stadium (Sloan Park).
Here is the abridged box score from the game on Field #6 (Cubs players only):
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2022 Cubs Spring Training
2022 CUBS SPRING TRAINING
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Mervis Long-Ball Helps Cubs Split at Riverview
Matt Mervis slugged a two-run HR and drove-in another run with a FC, Reggie Preciado clubbed an RBI double and scored a run, and James Triantos drilled an RBI single and scored a run, helping the South Bend Cubs (Hi-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) defeat the Tri-City Dust Devils (Hi-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels) 6-4 on Field #6, and four pitchers combined to toss a one-hitter as the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels Lo-A affiliate) cruised past the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Lo-A affiliate) 7-1 on Field #5, in Cactus League Minor League Spring Training Opening Day game action Friday afternoon at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.
The game on Field #6 was pre-planned as a seven-inning affair, and the game on Field #5 was called after six innings of play.
South Bend CF Christian Franklin (Cubs 2021 4th round draft pick - U. of Arkansas) had to be carted off the field after he was beaned on the top of the head by a fly ball in the top of the 5th inning of the game on Field #6.
Here are the abridged box scores from the games (Cubs players only):
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Cubs 2021 Rule 5 Draft Roster Prep
3/11 UPDATE:
As was expected, 1B Tyler Durna (2018 15th round - UCSD) has been placed on the Voluntary Retired List (official papers have been filed).
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3/10 UPDATE:
Since the first of the year, the Cubs have officially signed LHRP Matt Dermody, RHRP Kyle Johnson, RHRP Kevin McCarthy, LHRP Eric Stout, and RHP Eric Yardley, and C-1B John Hicks to 2022 minor league contracts.
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2021 MLB International Signing Period
12/1 UPDATE:
The Cubs have officially signed another 2021 IFA, bringing to 34 the number of IFA signed by the Cubs so far in the 2021 ISP (see full list below).
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21 Cubs Are Declared Minor League Free-Agents
21 Cubs minor leaguers were declared post-2021 MLB Rule 9 (formerly MLB Rule 55) minor league free agents at 5 PM (Eastern) on Sunday 11/7.
Cubs 2021 Rule 5 Draft & Minor League Free-Agent Watch List
UPDATED 11/7
As things stand right now...
Off-Season Roster Machinations
The best thing about non-tendering a player on December 2nd is that it's the one day each year when a club can remove a player from its MLB 40-man roster without having to risk losing the player off waivers.
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Projected Post-2021 "Super Two" Players
An unsigned player under club control who has accrued at least three but less than six years of MLB Service Time is automatically eligible for salary arbitration.
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Recent comments
Finwe Noldaran (view)
Phil: Great to see what Rosario is doing!
Do you think having Rosario may have influenced/impacted the front office's decision on including Hope in the trade for Busch at all?
crunch (view)
it's so crazy we got a new "barnstorming" harlem globetrotters-type baseball product that was introduced less than 5 years ago and is wildly popular all over the nation.
a notion left long in the past, unearthed, polished for modern audiences and popular as ever.
Arizona Phil (view)
No question right now Alfonsin Rosario is one of the Cubs Top 20 prospects (probably Top 15). Rosario is to the Cubs what Zyhir Hope is to the Dodgers.
Arizona Phil (view)
The Savannah Bananas will be playing the Party Animals at Sloan Park in Mesa this coming Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The games are sold out (15,000+ each night), and berm tickets are going for well over $100.
Arizona Phil (view)
RAISIN: In the game versus the A's at Fitch Park last Friday, Mule threw half FB and half SL (16/16), and one CH (which coincidentally was the only hard-hit ball off him -- a near HR line-drive double off the LF fence). FB was 91-94 and the SL (really more of a "slurve") was 80-82, and he got three swing & miss on each pitch (six swing & miss total out of his 20 strikes). So I think it is safe to say that right now, Mule is strictly a two-pitch pitcher (FB/SL),
Sonicwind75 (view)
Recalled it was sampled in a Nas song. Did a little sleuthing. It was a Nas song called "Hate Me Now" that featured Puff Daddy. Imploring the crowd to hate somebody seems a bit overly dramatic for a keyboardist but perhaps there is some other connection to the song.
In general there has been a weird overuse of Carmina Burana's O Fortuna in sports and commercials in past decade or so. Maybe it is a fallback choice if there isn't anything else.
Sidenote, while the O Fortuna part has become a bit pop-culture cliched; the overall piece is very interesting and rather expansive in scope. I played percussion in a production of it while in college. There is a rather jovial movement set in a tavern. In the score it calls for the clinking of beer steins. Let's just say we did a lot of research to determine the best sounding beer steins.
crunch (view)
ooof...this is just as likely as anything. professional organists are weird humans.
SheffieldCornelia (view)
Maybe it is only played when the hitter thus far in the game is "oh for two"-na at the plate?
crunch (view)
who was AB when it was being played? it could be something as corny as playing it for nick fortes because fortes/fortuna...fortes...marlins...fish...tuna...sigh.
while the cubs organ player isn't a frequent groaner weaponizing the organ song selection, they all dabble in it.
crunch (view)
in 2016 hendricks threw 190 innings for 45 earned runs.
in the shortened 2020 season hendricks threw 81.1ip for 26 earned runs.
in 2024 hendricks has thrown 21ip for 28 earned runs.