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 160: Cubs 6, Reds 0: Cubs Clinch Division

 

CUBS WIN

 

 

DIVISION

 

Box Score, Play by Play, Photos

W- Zambrano (18-13), Cubs Fans Everywhere. Setting up your rotation for the playoffs. L- Arroyo (9-15), for one night, at least, talk of Cubs' history. Magic Number - 0 (Brewers Lose 6-3.) Things to Take from This Game 1. Cubs Clinch the Right Way
We're playing baseball in October, folks. Check out this picture, courtesty of our own "Brick." It's too large to really be done justice inside of a Word Press column.
2. Resting Easy, Early
Soriano led off the game with another solo Home Run. Theriot added a sacrifice fly in the second, and Zambrano looked to be in command of his pitches and his emotions early.
3. Power Game
Besides Soriano, Lee hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and Jones had a blast of an opposite-field, two-run double in the eighth. Really, from the second inning on, you just felt that we had this game in hand. But it was good to see the Cubs keep pouring it on.
4. Great pitching.
Z had no troubles at all with the Reds injury-riddled lineup, and neither did Howry or Dempster. Not a lot of strikeouts tonight (just 5), but really few serious rallies or even hard-hit balls.
your 4 years in waiting details, below. Game Recap Inning 1
  • On an 0-2 pitch, Soriano gets a high fastball and drives it to right-center, a couple seats into the bleachers. Solo HR to lead off the game. 1-0 Cubs.
  • Major laggage on my computer, but Kendall K's, Lee Lines out, and woo, my feed is back, and Floyd gets hit on the left ankle (back foot) with a 2-2 pitch, takes first. Ramirez bounces out to third to end it, 1-0 Cubs after top of the first
  • Z quickly gets Hopper 0-2 to start the inning. Hopper bounces out to Lee.
  • Keppinger bounces one that Derosa can't quite corral. Called a base hit.
  • My connection goes down, but Votto and Phillips both fly out, ending the inning.
Inning 2
  • We'll see if my connection does better, this time. Derosa lines a single to lead off the inning, Jones gets an inner-half fastball and lines it to right for a single. 2 on, no outs, Theriot up, Cubs hitting Arroyo pretty hard.
  • Wild pitch, both runners advance! Valentin with a real bad effort - ball wasn't even in the dirt, he just moves his glove to his lower right, and the ball deflects off of it.
  • Theriot hits a sinking liner to center, and Hopper makes a nice shoe-string, sno-cone catch on it. The throw is a one-hopper up the third base line, Derosa scores standing up just ahead of it, and the ball gets past Valentin, allowing Jones to take third. 2-0 Cubs!
  • Zambrano pops out to second.
  • Soriano flies to the warning track in Right. Lots of opposite field power in the last week or so, from Soriano. Inning over, 2-0.
  • Encarnacion K's on a check swing to start the Reds' second.
  • Valentin bounces to Theriot, two quick outs.
  • And Coats bounces back to Z. I haven't had a chance to see as much of Z as I should do to internet complications, but from the sound of the Reds play-by-play guys, seems like Z looks good. Certainly making quick work of things.
Inning 3
  • Kendall rolls one to third, easy ground out.
  • Lee with a fly just short of the warning track in right. Another good swing on Arroyo.
  • Floyd walks.
  • Unlike the Marlins broadcasters, who decried the Marlins fans for not turning out, the Reds broadcasters are complimenting the Reds-fans turnout, interviewing some of their fans.
  • And Ramirez grounds into a 6-4 FC, end of inning.
  • Ellison bounces to Ramirez to start the Reds half
  • Reds broadcasters now have their roving guy chat with the Cubs fans. Decent broadcast to be stuck with on mlb.tv, tonight. Still wish it was Len and Bob.
  • Arroyo flies out, Hopper grounds out, and Z has another very quick inning. 37 pitches through 3
Inning 4
  • Derosa flies out to center.
  • Jones grouds out, and Theriot flies to shallow center, Hopper calling off Phillips. There have to be a ton of people watching baseball via mlb.tv tonight, as again my feed slags. Arroyo seems to be settling in.
  • Keppinger grounds out, but then Votto singles, Phillips singles, and suddenly Encarnacion is up with 2 on, 1 out.
  • Z goes 2-0, then 3-1 on Encarnacion.
  • Encarnacion grounds through the hole past a diving Theriot, into left.
  • Quick Quiz: What do you do when you have a ground ball single to Soriano, and a runner on second base? A. hold the runner, or B. let him get thrown out at the plate.
  • The Reds third base coach chooses B, and Votto is out at home. Throw was actually up the third base line a bit, but Kendall dives back to tag Votto.
  • Valentin then flies to Soriano, and the inning ends without the Reds scoring. Phew.
Inning 5
  • Z hits a bouncer that Votto fields way off the bag, almost where the 2B man would be if you were playing the infield really far in. Arroyo has to race to cover, beats Z who, to no surprise, is busting his butt to get down the line. Don't get cramps, Z.
  • Soriano gets another fastball, hits a double down the left field line. Reds broadcasters just besides themselves that Arroyo would, at this point, throw a fastball anywhere near the plate to Soriano.
  • Kendall lines out to just short of the warning track in Left. 2 outs.
  • Lee lines a home run out to left center, gets out easily. 4-0.
  • Cubs fans going nuts in Cincinatti.
  • It's time for me to go put the bottle of champagne on ice. brb.
  • Floyd bounces out to short, inning over. 4-0 Cubs.
  • Some Reds fan is very amusing in his drunken excitement over winning season tickets for next year through the Ohio lottery. Go drunken Reds fan.
  • Coats bounces to Lee, unassisted, to start the Reds off in the fifth.
  • Ellison hits a soft looper that Jones catches in shallow right-center. Sort of does a casual shoulder-to-shoulder bump with Floyd when they meet after the catch.
  • Arroyo bounces one over Ramirez's head for a single.
  • Hopper bounces sharply to the drawn-in Ramirez, out of the inning.
Inning 6
  • Ramirez pops to Ellison
  • Votto with a nice grab over the tarp on a foul popup by Derosa.
  • Jones legs out an infield hit, bouncing it softly off the mound towards shortstop.
  • Theriot flies out, ending the Cubs half of the inning.
  • Replay seems to suggest that Arroyo may have buckled an ankle a little bit on that close play on Zambrano's 3-1 ground out the other inning.
  • Keppinger leads off by rolling one through the middle.
  • Votto hits one about six feet up the first base line. As good as a bunt, he's out, Keppinger advances.
  • Phillips advances the runner to third with a roller to Derosa.
  • Z K's Encarnacion on a 93 mph fastball up. Inning over.
Inning 7
  • Z with 92 pitches so far, Arroyo with 93. Arroyo taken down for Coffey. Coffey strikes out Z.
  • Coffey K's Soriano.
  • My mlb.tv feed is suffering, again, but Kendall K's, somehow. Nice inning for Coffey.
  • Another drunken fan, this time a Cubs fan who does a better Harry impersonation than the guy they showed in Florida. I guess this is what teams with no fan support and that are out of the running do to run out the broadcasts....
  • Valentin walks to start the seventh. No time to lose it now, Z.
  • Coats K's
  • Ellison K's
  • Mark Bellhorn (when did HE become a Red?) grounds out to end it. Good to see ya again, Mark, thanks for not hurting us.
Inning 8
  • Lee strikes out
  • Fans cheer as they see that the Padres are now up 3-2 on the Brewers.
  • After a long AB, Floyd flies to Hopper at the warning track. Got a nice jump on the ball.
  • Brad Salmon (WHO!?!?!?) in to face Ramirez. Ramirez rolls one back through the middle for a single.
  • Derosa bloops one into left. Sounds like he broke his bat on it. Runners on 1 and 2, two outs.
  • Jones drives one deep opposite field to left. Coats makes a nice leaping effort at the wall, but misses it, ball hits high off the wall. Both runners score.
  • Theriot immediately singles to left, Jones thrown out at the plate. 6-0 Cubs after the top of the 8th
  • Howry in for Z.
  • Howry K's Hopper on a check swing.
  • Pie in center, Jones over to right. Keppinger singles.
  • Votto flies to deep left- center, Pie grabs it on a very nice running catch. 2 outs.
  • Phillips pops out to end it. Again, struggling with my mlb.tv feed.
Inning 9
  • Marcus McBeth (WHO?!?!?) in to pitch for the Reds. Fontenot pinch hits for Howry, flies out.
  • Soriano hits a long drive foul. K's swinging at a fastball on the corner. Kendall flies to center, inning over. 3 outs to go.
  • Switching to the Pat and Ron radio feed for bottom half of the inning, as A. I want to hear Ron and B. my mlb.tv feed is jamming, again.
  • Encarnacion grounds to Ramirez. Pat reports the thousands of Cubs fans at the ballpark are standing.
  • Valentin lines a base hit tothe right-center gap, Pie cuts it off.
  • Pat and Ron get the update, Padres up on the Brewers 4-3.
  • Can hear the Cubs fans cheering as the Padres scores gets posted at the Great American Ballpark
  • Coats 6-4-3 DP. Just one big "yes" from Santo to acknowledge the accomplishment. Game Over, Cubs win.
  • Santo sounds pleased, not overly aggitated or excited, gives his Chevy Player of the Game award to everyone.
Parachat Recap Inning 1 Trolling the Cubs blogosphere message boards. Reds hitters we most fear in this game. Good names for a Bears blog. Big celebration on the Soriano HR, how big of a blowout are we hoping for, tonight? What is Z hitting on the gun so far? Is Ward available at all? Inning 2 If it was Larussa managing the Cubs here.... Is Theriot the new Izturis? Are we disappointed that Jones struck out last night with the bases loaded against the lefty? Was Hopper's catch a catch? How bad a catcher is Valentin? Internet Explorer and AIM security holes. (THAT will get a ton of people stumbling upon TCR.) Inning 3 Thunderbird vs. Outlook Express. The Crazy/Hour ratio seems to be a bit down, tonight. Can it recover? Welcoming new people to parachat, everybody A. simultaneously tries to show off how crude they can be while B. denying every accusation that's ever been hurled at them. Funny stuff. Pink-socked gay witches for Jesus playing with beachballs. (I think. Huge numbers in parachat, and every running joke is being brought up, at once.) Excitement over Good Z. showing up tonight. Inning 4 Cats that can use toilets. The Mets imploding in their game against Florida. Scaring people away from parachat. Movie names that are funnier when you add "in my pants" to the end of the title. There must have been at least 100 titles suggested. Inning 5 The In My Pants Movies idea continues. Have got to be pushing 150 titles. Lee homers, Parachat goes absolutely bonkers with every "sent sound" they can find. Switching from Movies to Band Names In My Pants. Following the start of the Milwaukee game. Now moving to Poets In My Pants. We're a crude bunch, but a very well read bunch. Inning 6 Bowl scrapers and stainers. TV Shows In Pants. And now on to Opera. We must be up to at least 250 such jokes, so far for the night. 300. Now doing Game Shows.... I'm guessing we're up to 350 or so.... The FBI joins parachat. 400 (ish.) Inning 7 Mocking chat room lingo of the 90s. Back to the Mom jokes, now. 450ish. 500ish. This really is incredible, the level of single-mindedness, the sheer relentlessness, the refusal to let this joke get old, or die a dignified death. 550ish. Can we push it to 1000? Inning 8 650ish... Following the Brewers/Padres game. 800 ish, I would have to guess. Pretty much all other chatter has ground to a halt. The alarming thing is, it's still funny. Probably approaching 900, if I had to guess. Only a few comedic weaklings are begging for mercy. We have to be pushing 1000, by the bottom half of the 8th. Inning 9 We are guessing we've hit 1000. Upset with Bruce Froemming, who makes a terrible call in the Brewers game, calling Hardy safe. Cheering as Maddux gets out of a jam. A Sox/Yanks tiebreaker... A "Standing O" of all capital letters in parachat. Tracking our magic number to the decimal point (magic number 1.02, .98, etc....) Absolute pandemonium in parachat as the Cubs win. 100s of "sent-sounds."

Comments

GREAT JOB Z! GREAT JOB Offense! WTG!!! I HATE the Mets almost as much as the Cards and Oh-Man!, but it sure would be great to face those overated guys in the playoffs instead of the Phillies. The one team that gives me shivers is the Phils.

Well, I live in Denver and I'd love to see the Rockies make the postseason. Both for the Rockies sake and the outside chance I could see Cubs playoff games at Coors field. So now I'm hoping the Brewers lose tonight so we can clinch. Then I can root for the Brewers tp beat the Padres Saturday-Sunday in hopes the Rox get in. Then I fire up the rape shower (sorry!). Baseball is so complicated these days!

very happy man here if SD can gittrdone. Random thought. Z ends season with 18 wins. He easily could have had 23.

WOOOOOOO WOOOOOOOOOOOOO WOOOOOOO WOOOOOOOOOOOOO

People that can suck it: Cody Ross Corey Hart Ned Yost Milwaukee Doubters (including me) Dusty Baker Prince Fielder Cards fans Brewers fans

Updates to this thread are going to come to an end, soon, as I down my bottle of champagne. Go, Cubs, Go!

PLAYOFFS BITCHES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wife and I going to Morton's to celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:)

Best postgame comment in celebration interview may have come from Gail Fischer. "Wow, it really does sting when it gets in your eyes."

Lots of signs at Miller Park, and lots of Brewers-blog noise about the Cubs 'choking.' My, my, my

posted this in the wrong thread...damn. I gave up on the Cubs in early June like I never had in my adult life. It was at the point that I honestly stopped checking the scoreboard, I just didn’t care…honestly, I felt relieved that I wouldn’t have to waste another summer watching day, by day, by day, hanging on each of 250 pitches a game. I thought to myself “It’s just not worth it, it’s just a game that I have no control over” It took thi September to remind me again why this is oh so worth it. There is nothing like this that brings a city and community together…even when they live 3,000 miles away away from each other. We get to share these moments forever. We will never forget ‘84, ‘89, ‘98, ‘03 and now ‘07. Sure, we want even more wonderful memories and the ultimate goal is yet to be had. But, we won’t forget this, we won’t forget this summer. Thanks to all of you for providing a place to share the fun despite living in Los Angeles where few share our joy. Thanks for reminding me what being a Cubs fan, through good times, and bad times means.

First things first, let's see all the retarded predictions from the beginning of the year, by sports reporters who had the Cub's finishing in 3rd & 4th place. What now, bitches? Please tell me someone documented all that.

whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

ehh...I think most actually predicted the number of wins right....we couldn't have predicted it would only take 82 to win division. Let's just enjoy the fun together...nothing worth fighting about now.

Ryno's favorite moments of the '07 division champ season: * Aramis' walk-off game against the Brewers * 3-HR Game by Soriano against Braves * Crazed fan going after Howry after giving up the lead, and the Cub's storming back to win it. Most noteworthy TCR Comment of the season, imo: "Can a middle reliever carry a team?"

guys...youve gone from champagne to shaving cream and beer...party's over...seriously... sigh...

Turning point game: Cubs give up 6 in 9th to go down 1 to Rockies, score 2 with 2 outs in 9th. Represented change from April/May to June/July Best early season win: Arams walk off against Brewers Best late season win: 9th inning comeback against reds at Wrigley

I have been very fortunate to been to 20 something games. Pretty damn good record, too... So - 11 more games in the W column for the World Series title! Will experience in the Post-Season give us an edge at all? Here are our roster guys with it: LOUUUUUUU! Soriano DLee A-Ram DWard M.DeRosa Woody Stevie Ire Bob Howry Jason Marquis Z (Lilly was left off Yankees roster 2000) Craig Monroe (blech) Cliff Floyd That is nearly half of the roster. Several of the above have played on the "biggest" stage. Heaven help us if: Ryan Dempster has to be counted on. Oh-Man! is on the playoff roster.

We clinch the Division, and the Dempster bashing continues! somethings will never change

Post 26: 84 89 98 03 0 Mother F’ing 7 =========== 07 08 0 Mother F'ing 7?

Zambrano the sage: "This one was very important to me. We started the season here. Before the game, I was thinking: 'Here we started, and here we finish.'" -- Zambrano Ummm... Carlos... that's true win or lose. Thankfully, it's WIN !

WOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! F**** WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!

What Rob G. said! Wheeeeeeee!!!!!!!

I'm stuck in a hotel room in Cali. for my daughter's softball tourney this weekend and my cell can't access the chat...anyway...CENTRAL DIVISION CHAMPS!!! Chat responsibly!

HELP when r the cubs playing at home th e first pllay off series is it sta and sun im in ft laud i need to book my flight PLEASE help

Excellent work. Big tests to come now though. The Dbacks are one thing but the Padres and the Phillies are very very good teams. We are going to need to be at our best.

from Paul Sullivan, from the postgame interviews: What would a long run through October mean? "It would be wonderful for our organization and for the city and for the Cub fans," Piniella said.... "We'd love more than anything else to …" Piniella paused for a second, catching himself from saying what he was thinking. "You know what?" he said. "There's no sense in even mentioning it." comment of the season, Mr. Manager of the Year. I think I'll have a Tshirt made up with this on it

Good times!! They reopen the Sports Authority at 10:00 and got my shirt last night. Wow. Just keep winning, check out the Lou interview in the locker room its all over ESPN. Really cool. I was checking my Tivo save list this morning, and a year ago and two nights I recorded the premiere of "Wait til Next Year: the Saga of the Chicago Cubs" on HBO. Very poignant.

america f* yeah freaking sweet......i think the cubs are at least as good as any of these other NL teams. what a bunch of holes (not that kind.....that's tony larussa who is making his DUI plans for the offseason). i'd probably be most scared of the phils, but not that much (cubs bats in that park would get a lot more fun too) and the cubs might not have to play them. wow.

as in earlier threads we were wondering if marshall was hurt i think we will find out cause he be pitching one of the next 2 days.

Woo hoo! Still feeling it! The Kerry Wood interview on WGN last night was great, you can really tell that this meant so very much to him, with all the rehab and work he's put into it. Heck, the way Woody pitched in Florida, why not give him the start on Sunday, have him go two innings or so? Just to give him a start. Although it's logical that Marshall and Gallagher will get the starts--possibly Hart but he pitched twice in the Southern Florida Series of Bad Dreams.

I think Hill still gets the start today. His turn in the playoff rotation wouldn't come up until next weekend anyway, so I think he goes out there for 4-5 innings, and then maybe Gallagher takes over.

That was a blast last night. I will be interested to see how many starters are playing today. I, for one, think that Theriot needs to sit BADLY. I think he should sit out for the next two games. He just looks terrible at the plate.

I want to see Pie and Cedeno get starts and play themselves onto the postseason roster. Fontenot could use a start too, but I'm not as curious about him. I'm guessing Blanco will get a start, too, just to cure him of his boredom. But let Soto face Bailey on Sunday - he'll be seeing him quite a bit over the next several years, one would hope.

I wonder what the record is for teams on day after clinching. I bet it is pretty decent. Here's my guess the lineup today: Pie CF Fontenot 2B DeRosa 3B Soto C Murton LF Monroe RF Fuld 1B Cedeno SS Gallagher SP I agree with Jace that Theriot should sit today, and I also think Soriano, Lee and ARam should sit as well. That makes 1B a hard slot to fill because Ward is hurt. I could see Blanco at 1B, but I'm guessing Fuld. After Ward, DeRosa is the back-up 1B but with ARam sitting, DeRosa needs to play 3B. Though Fuld has not played first base, he is the best athlete off the bench. In addition. playing Fuld for a few innings at 1B might be useful in the playoffs if Ward's injury persists. Teams are allowed to make changes to playoff roster in the middle of a series due to injury, but only for a player that plays the same position. So if Ward goes down in the middle of a series, we can only bring up a 1B to replace him. For that reason, we might even see Fontenot slide over to play some 1B in the next two days. I am not sure I would pitch Hill in a game today even though it is his turn. Better to do that in a side session. Also, this is an opportunity to see Gallagher against big league hitters before he goes to the Arizona Fall League, so it is an important evaluation tool.

Hey Trans- I just sent an email to the address that's listed on your profile. It contains a photo I took last night of the Wrigley marquee, in case there's any use for it. It contains no spam, viruses or explicit material (unless you get off on Cubs championships).

after thinking about it all night I just wanted to add: WOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! F***** WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Watching all of the postgame stuff on Comcast Sports Net last night made be happy for the first time that I had Comcast. Then I switched over to WGN just in time to see Len get the shaving cream. Nice.

sounds like Z, Lilly, Hill for the first 3 games definitely. Wouldn't be surprised if they bring Z back on 3 days rest for Game 4 if we're down 2-1.

Thanks Brick, I have it up there. It's just too huge to be scaled down to a size that will fit our page reasonably, so I gave it a link underneath Things To Take From This Game #1. Great Photo. I really, really need to take a sabbatical for a few days. Talk to everyone in the Playoffs. (Jim Mora Style: PLAYOFFS?!?!?!?)

Wow. That is huge. Sorry about that. Wish I knew how to scale that down. Thanks for putting it up, and have a good time sleeping off last night. See you in the postseason.

scales those photos down, but theyre stuck in "crunch is a big fat spammer land". 40-45K photos, 500 width.

Crunch and Brick - I did scale the image down in an image editor on my PC. Needed to, just to get the file size down to something WordPress would accept. Problem is, that when you shrink the photo size to get it to dimensions that will fit within the confines of our blog size, the text of the marquee becomes too small to read. Regardless it's an awesome photo, and it'll take readers all of one click to get to. Ok, seriously heading out for a bit now. Have an awesome weekend.

Nevermind, I found it. After last night, I think I'll be clinically retarded until Monday.

Congrats...yeah, that J.J. Hardy call was horrendous...glad the Crew didn't score off of it. I haven't decided who to root for in the NL race, yet (not that my hopes will have any effect on the outcome)...pulling for the Indians and Angels on the AL side...but I think that the Red Sox will probably win the pennant.

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.