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

Head in a Word Cloud.

Perhaps you have run into "word clouds," a visual device that represents how frequently different words appear in a text.  As a historian I love it, as I can do fun things like compare Obama's 2008 Democratic National Convention nomination acceptance speech with McCain's from the Republican National Convention.

That's useful stuff.  I can show word clouds like those to my students, and ask them what the clouds do (and do not) reveal.

But who cares about utility.  Let's use some word clouds to navel-gaze, and check out our favorite baseball-related websites.

 

Using the free java application at www.wordle.net I entered the link for The Cub Reporter's RSS feed, and got this:

What does this tell us about ourselves?  Eh, on the one hand, perhaps not much more than a bit of fun navel gazing.  It does look like it's spring training, though.  The most prominent names I see are Micah Hoffpauir, Darwin Barney, Joey Gathright and Marshall.  And it looks like we're a permissive group, we like the word "allowing."  I have no idea why.

 

However, comparing our cloud with that from Carrie Muskat's feed shows some interesting differences

"Cubs" is even more prominent for Muskat than it is for us.  Perhaps not surprising, as selling the team is part of her job description.  But look at that Giant Blue Sutcliffe!  Muskat's readership likely is A. more interested in name-brand Cubs (and ex-Cubs) and B. more interested in human interest stories.  Those differences show up elsewhere in the word cloud:  check out how much more prominent Milton Bradley and his quadriceps are.  LouPa features prominently, as do other marque names like Aramis and Harden.  Forgive me for noticing, and remarking on, the prominence of "Carrie."

If you're really in to self-mutilation, there's Phil Rogers' RSS feed.

 

It doesn't look like Rogers actually talks much about baseball.  Appropriate.

I should credit Rogers, though, as there isn't a larger Tribune Cubs News feed.  Paul Sullivan also doesn't seem to have any sort of news feed.  So instead, I cut and pasted the text of four of his "mailbag" columns into wordle, and got this.  (Wordle will randomly pair different fonts and color schemes and word layout, if you don't specify any.  This layout struck me as quite pretty, so I left it as is.)

I dare you to guess, from this word cloud, what the title is of Paul Sullivan's column.

Both the Sun-Times and the Daily Herald offer Cubs RSS feeds. Here's the Sun-Times' feed.

 

 

Compare that to the Daily Herald's feed.

 

The Sun Times appears to care far more about Milton Bradley.  The Herald, the Cubs.

 

How does TCR compare to Bleed Cubbie Blue?  Here's their word cloud.

 

 

I'm not interested in any BCB/TCR rivalry:  It's a big enough fan-base to support both of us.  But there are interesting differences.  BCB's word cloud includes a lot more, well, internet-y words like "post" and "comment" and "link". TCR's wordle word cloud more closely resembles "traditional" news media with a higher preponderance of player names and baseball-event sort of words. 

Like many of you, I read Fan Graphs religiously. Here's the word cloud on their feed.

 

Look much like a sabrmetric site?

 

 

Comments

Yes, I know that my clouds broke the normal margins and formatting and all that stuff.

 

No, I don't know how to fix it.  Rob will spank me, later; it's part of the little games we play.

 

 

Interesting post Trans. I've never seen a word cloud before. Cool stuff.

Trans, you glorious word cloud-gazing bastard...

Love it. I, too, played the Obama/McCain game during the campaign, though I used op-ed pieces they wrote on consecutive days for the Wall Street Journal, right before the election. It was illuminating, as are all of these. (The historian in you might also enjoy running the Gettyburg Address or the Declaration of Independence through this sort of analysis.)

What I take from the Phil Rogers cloud--he can't believe he is lucky enough to have a job that takes him to Arizona.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubnut

Ha, yeah, I also gathered that about Mr. Rogers.

 

I haven't started collecting them yet, as I just in the last week realized how much teaching potential this has, but yes, I'm going to be doing this for the Gettysburg Address, the Declaration, Inaugural speeches, etc. etc....

 

If I really wanted to be a naughty blogger, I'd do it for, say, the last year's worth of posts written by You....  and then by Phil... and Rob and The Good Doctor.....

 

And thanks, Nate, glad to introduce something new to TCR.

fixed it, images should be no bigger than 600 to 650 pixels in width, there's a dimension attribute when you add an image. Think Al wrote a post about commenting guidelines recently, hence the odd word cloud. Not sure it's the norm for that site....

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Thank you!  ~wincing at my embarassed neediness~

 

I should have added that disclaimer about ALL the word clouds:  they reflect only recent RSS feeds:  they're a snapshot in time, nothing permanent.  Al had a very large post on commenting guidelines, yes.

[ ]

In reply to by Andrew

I really don't have a dog in that "rivalry" - it was the first time I checked out BCB in over a year, but that's just due to lack of time and ambition on my part.

  I would have done word clouds for TLFC and League of Her Own as I check those out more frequently (but sadly, not often enough), but that would have then opened me up to a lot more of "hey, why not MY site?"   So I just left it at the highest-volume Cubs blog out there, and called it good. 

 I am now ready for my exile, and hate-mail from all offended Cubs bloggers. :)

I love that "Chad" appears in our RSS feed word cloud. And Mr. Fox is probably only a small part of this.

Is there one that highlights, "Fuck the Economy, I'm going to Spring Training"?

http://twitter.com/cst_cubs Corey Koskie signs a minor league contract with the Cubs. I guess he'll compete with Luis Rivas for that backup 3B/2B job that may or may not exist on the 25-man roster. Koskie would be a more interesting backup in case A-Ram goes down, at least.

But Trans, those word clouds are just a graphic way of presenting word counts which have been available forever. For example, and I apologize for the exceedingly long post, here is the word and special character count for the entire TCR home page. You'll note that "CUBS" obviously and "RHP" currently are very important at TCR Word Frequency % - 40 1.79 — 2 0.09 ! 5 0.22 " 4 0.18 $1 3 0.13 $11 1 0.04 $12M 2 0.09 $133 1 0.04 $137M 1 0.04 $13M 1 0.04 $15 1 0.04 $162M 1 0.04 $16M 1 0.04 $17 1 0.04 $2 1 0.04 $2M 1 0.04 $3 2 0.09 $300K 1 0.04 $3M 1 0.04 $4 1 0.04 $400K 1 0.04 $725K 1 0.04 $7M 2 0.09 $800K 1 0.04 $875K 1 0.04 ( 11 0.49 ) 11 0.49 , 142 6.37 . 103 4.62 : 20 0.90 ? 2 0.09 ›last 1 0.04 > 15 0.67 » 11 0.49 ©2008 1 0.04 … 1 0.04 0 2 0.09 000 1 0.04 02 10 0.45 05am 1 0.04 07pm 1 0.04 09 1 0.04 1 3 0.13 10 6 0.27 100 2 0.09 10-4 1 0.04 10th 1 0.04 11 4 0.18 12 2 0.09 123456789…next 1 0.04 13 1 0.04 14 2 0.09 141 1 0.04 15 2 0.09 16 2 0.09 16pm 1 0.04 17 3 0.13 18 1 0.04 19 2 0.09 1B 5 0.22 1B-OF 2 0.09 1B-OF-C 1 0.04 1M 1 0.04 1st 1 0.04 2 5 0.22 20 4 0.18 2008 1 0.04 2009 17 0.76 21 1 0.04 22 2 0.09 23 1 0.04 24 1 0.04 25 5 0.22 26 3 0.13 27 4 0.18 279 1 0.04 27am 1 0.04 28 2 0.09 290 1 0.04 2B 5 0.22 2M 2 0.09 3 4 0.18 300 1 0.04 30pm 1 0.04 37 1 0.04 39 1 0.04 3B 5 0.22 3M 1 0.04 4 5 0.22 40-MAN 1 0.04 42 1 0.04 47pm 1 0.04 5 4 0.18 50 1 0.04 500 1 0.04 50am 1 0.04 5-3 1 0.04 535M 1 0.04 55am 1 0.04 55pm 1 0.04 59pm 1 0.04 5M 3 0.13 5th 1 0.04 6 2 0.09 61 1 0.04 625 1 0.04 65M 1 0.04 7 2 0.09 70 1 0.04 711 1 0.04 7-4 1 0.04 75M 1 0.04 8 2 0.09 88 1 0.04 89 1 0.04 9 3 0.13 a 29 1.30 Aaron 3 0.13 about 4 0.18 Abreu 1 0.04 acceptance 1 0.04 account 1 0.04 Act 1 0.04 action 1 0.04 actually 1 0.04 afternoon 1 0.04 agents 1 0.04 ahead 3 0.13 Alex 1 0.04 Alfonso 1 0.04 all 2 0.09 also 1 0.04 an 3 0.13 Analysis 1 0.04 and 33 1.48 Andre 1 0.04 Andres 1 0.04 Andrew 1 0.04 Angel 2 0.09 Angeles 1 0.04 anniversary 1 0.04 another 3 0.13 any 1 0.04 appear 1 0.04 applicable 1 0.04 Approved 2 0.09 Aramis 2 0.09 Archives 1 0.04 are 6 0.27 aren't 1 0.04 Arizona 6 0.27 around 1 0.04 Articles 7 0.31 as 7 0.31 Ascanio 1 0.04 ask 1 0.04 associated 1 0.04 at 13 0.58 Atkins 2 0.09 Attribution-No 1 0.04 Ausmus 1 0.04 authentic 1 0.04 author 1 0.04 authors 1 0.04 AUTO-RENEWAL 1 0.04 award 2 0.09 away 1 0.04 AZ 3 0.13 back 4 0.18 Bako 2 0.09 Ballclub 1 0.04 bar 1 0.04 Barney 2 0.09 base 2 0.09 Baseball 1 0.04 baseball-related 1 0.04 basis 1 0.04 be 6 0.27 been 1 0.04 before 2 0.09 begins 1 0.04 behind 1 0.04 believe 1 0.04 Berg 1 0.04 Bit 1 0.04 Blake 1 0.04 Blanco 2 0.09 Blast 1 0.04 bloggers 1 0.04 Bobby 1 0.04 both 1 0.04 bottom 1 0.04 box 3 0.13 BR 1 0.04 Brad 1 0.04 Bradley 2 0.09 Braves 1 0.04 Brewers 3 0.13 Brian 1 0.04 but 2 0.09 buy-out 1 0.04 Buzz 1 0.04 by 12 0.54 C 9 0.40 C-1B 1 0.04 Cactus 3 0.13 CALENDAR 1 0.04 called 1 0.04 Camp 4 0.18 Campusano 1 0.04 can 3 0.13 cannot 1 0.04 Can't 1 0.04 Cardinals 2 0.09 career 1 0.04 cares 1 0.04 Caridad 1 0.04 Carlos 2 0.09 case 1 0.04 Cashner 2 0.09 Castillo 1 0.04 catch 1 0.04 center 1 0.04 Central 3 0.13 CF 4 0.18 Chad 3 0.13 Chart 2 0.09 CHAT 1 0.04 check 1 0.04 Chicago 2 0.09 CHONE 2 0.09 Claudio 1 0.04 Clevenger 1 0.04 clip 1 0.04 Cloud 2 0.09 clouds 5 0.22 clubs 1 0.04 coach 1 0.04 com 4 0.18 come 2 0.09 comment 1 0.04 comments 18 0.81 Commons 2 0.09 compare 1 0.04 Conditions 1 0.04 Contact 1 0.04 Convention 2 0.09 Copyright 1 0.04 CORNER 1 0.04 Cotts 1 0.04 couple 1 0.04 Creative 2 0.09 crowd 1 0.04 crushed 1 0.04 Cub 3 0.13 Cub-hater2 1 0.04 Cubnut's 1 0.04 Cubs 39 1.75 current 1 0.04 daily 1 0.04 Darwin 2 0.09 date 1 0.04 David 1 0.04 Dawson 7 0.31 DC 1 0.04 Deeds 2 0.09 defeated 2 0.09 deficit 1 0.04 Democratic 1 0.04 Dempster 1 0.04 Depth 2 0.09 Derivative 1 0.04 Derrek 1 0.04 Detailed 1 0.04 device 1 0.04 DeWitt 1 0.04 DH 3 0.13 did 1 0.04 die-hard 1 0.04 different 1 0.04 Disclaimer 1 0.04 Division 1 0.04 do 3 0.13 Dodgers 6 0.27 does 4 0.18 doesn't 1 0.04 donated 1 0.04 Doug 2 0.09 Dr 1 0.04 drive 1 0.04 driven 1 0.04 drove 1 0.04 Drupal 1 0.04 DSL 1 0.04 Dubois 2 0.09 during 1 0.04 Dwight 2 0.09 each 1 0.04 Edward 1 0.04 Eisenberg 1 0.04 elected 1 0.04 Enjoy 1 0.04 entry 5 0.22 Escape 1 0.04 Esmailin 1 0.04 especially 1 0.04 Ethier 1 0.04 even 1 0.04 excitement 1 0.04 EX-CUB 1 0.04 expressed 1 0.04 FACEBOOK 1 0.04 FACTOR 1 0.04 Fame 6 0.27 fan 2 0.09 Fangraphs 1 0.04 FAQ 1 0.04 favorite 1 0.04 Featured 1 0.04 February 1 0.04 FEED 1 0.04 Feel 1 0.04 Feldman 1 0.04 few 1 0.04 field 5 0.22 FIGGINS 1 0.04 finishes 1 0.04 First 1 0.04 five 2 0.09 Follow 1 0.04 follows 1 0.04 Fontenot 5 0.22 for 14 0.63 found 2 0.09 four 3 0.13 fourth 1 0.04 Fox 6 0.27 franchise 1 0.04 free 1 0.04 frequently 1 0.04 Fri 4 0.18 Friday 2 0.09 from 5 0.22 Fukudome 1 0.04 Fuld 3 0.13 fun 1 0.04 Furthermore 1 0.04 G 5 0.22 Gallardo 1 0.04 game 3 0.13 Gameday 6 0.27 Games 1 0.04 Gathright 4 0.18 Gaudin 1 0.04 gear 1 0.04 Geovany 2 0.09 Get 1 0.04 Getting 1 0.04 givers 1 0.04 giving 1 0.04 Gloves 1 0.04 go 2 0.09 God 1 0.04 Gold 1 0.04 gone 1 0.04 Good 1 0.04 got 1 0.04 grand 1 0.04 Gregg 1 0.04 G's 1 0.04 Guzman 1 0.04 had 8 0.36 Hall 6 0.27 Harden 1 0.04 Hart 1 0.04 has 2 0.09 hats 1 0.04 have 4 0.18 he 9 0.40 Head 2 0.09 heading 1 0.04 Hecht's 1 0.04 Heilman 1 0.04 Henry 1 0.04 her 1 0.04 here 2 0.09 he's 1 0.04 Hill 1 0.04 him 2 0.09 his 4 0.18 historian 1 0.04 hit 3 0.13 hits 2 0.09 Hoffpauir 8 0.36 Hoff-POWER 2 0.09 HoHoKam 4 0.18 home 2 0.09 homer 3 0.13 homers 1 0.04 Honors 1 0.04 Hosting 1 0.04 HotDrupal 1 0.04 how 2 0.09 husband 1 0.04 I 9 0.40 I'd 1 0.04 idea 1 0.04 if 8 0.36 IF-OF 1 0.04 in 21 0.94 Inc 1 0.04 includes 1 0.04 independent 1 0.04 individual 1 0.04 INF 2 0.09 infer 1 0.04 Info 2 0.09 information 1 0.04 INJURY 1 0.04 in-season 1 0.04 instead 3 0.13 insufferable 3 0.13 into 3 0.13 INVITEES 1 0.04 irrefutable 1 0.04 is 10 0.45 it 4 0.18 its 3 0.13 J 1 0.04 Jake 5 0.22 Jason 4 0.18 Jeff 3 0.13 Joe 1 0.04 Joey 4 0.18 Johnson 4 0.18 Jose 1 0.04 Jumbo 1 0.04 just 2 0.09 Justin 1 0.04 Kadokura 2 0.09 Kemp 1 0.04 Ken 1 0.04 Kevin 2 0.09 knees 2 0.09 know 1 0.04 Kosuke 1 0.04 Koyie 1 0.04 lack 1 0.04 Latest 3 0.13 lead 1 0.04 LEADERS 1 0.04 League 10 0.45 Leagues 1 0.04 led 1 0.04 Lee 2 0.09 left 1 0.04 Let's 1 0.04 LF 4 0.18 LHP 8 0.36 License 2 0.09 licensed 1 0.04 like 3 0.13 Lilly 2 0.09 Lineup 2 0.09 Lineups 1 0.04 Link 1 0.04 Links 2 0.09 list 2 0.09 listed 1 0.04 Lists 1 0.04 locks 1 0.04 Log 1 0.04 Loney 1 0.04 look 2 0.09 Los 1 0.04 Louis 1 0.04 love 1 0.04 Luis 3 0.13 Luxury 1 0.04 made 1 0.04 managed 1 0.04 Map 1 0.04 Marcos 1 0.04 Mark 1 0.04 Marmol 1 0.04 Marquis 1 0.04 Marshall 4 0.18 Mateo 1 0.04 Mathes 1 0.04 Matt 1 0.04 McCain's 1 0.04 me 2 0.09 member 1 0.04 Mesa 2 0.09 Mets 1 0.04 Micah 7 0.31 Mike 5 0.22 Miles 2 0.09 Milton 2 0.09 Milwaukee 1 0.04 mimimum 1 0.04 Minor 6 0.27 Mitch 2 0.09 MLB 3 0.13 Mobile 3 0.13 MoFuse 1 0.04 Mon 1 0.04 more 1 0.04 Mr 1 0.04 much 1 0.04 Music 1 0.04 Muskat 2 0.09 my 2 0.09 National 3 0.13 navel-gaze 1 0.04 navigator 1 0.04 Neal 1 0.04 nearly 1 0.04 new 9 0.40 newest 1 0.04 nice 1 0.04 NL 4 0.18 no 3 0.13 nomination 1 0.04 not 7 0.31 NOTE 1 0.04 Notes 2 0.09 Numbers 2 0.09 Obama's 1 0.04 of 40 1.79 OF-1B 1 0.04 off 1 0.04 Oh 1 0.04 Old 1 0.04 on 20 0.90 ONLY 1 0.04 open 7 0.31 opener 1 0.04 or 1 0.04 other 1 0.04 our 5 0.22 ourselves 1 0.04 out 6 0.27 over 1 0.04 P 1 0.04 paid 1 0.04 Park 4 0.18 Patterson 2 0.09 Patton 1 0.04 Paul 2 0.09 Payroll 1 0.04 Perhaps 1 0.04 Perkins 1 0.04 Phil 4 0.18 Phillies 1 0.04 Phil's 3 0.13 picture 1 0.04 Pierre 1 0.04 plate 1 0.04 Player 1 0.04 players 3 0.13 pledge 1 0.04 Posnanski 1 0.04 posts 2 0.09 power 1 0.04 Powered 1 0.04 Powers 1 0.04 pretty 1 0.04 probably 1 0.04 projected 4 0.18 projections 3 0.13 projections1 1 0.04 pronounced 1 0.04 prospects 1 0.04 Prospectus 1 0.04 putting 1 0.04 Question 1 0.04 quick 2 0.09 quite 1 0.04 R 1 0.04 race 1 0.04 Ramirez 2 0.09 Randy 1 0.04 Rangers 4 0.18 rankings 1 0.04 RBI 1 0.04 RBIs 1 0.04 reached 1 0.04 read 6 0.27 reason 1 0.04 Recent 2 0.09 Reds 1 0.04 Reed 2 0.09 Reporter 1 0.04 represents 1 0.04 Republican 1 0.04 Reserve 2 0.09 reserved 1 0.04 rest 6 0.27 results 2 0.09 reveal 1 0.04 RF 4 0.18 RHP 25 1.12 Rich 1 0.04 Richie 1 0.04 right 2 0.09 right-centerfield 1 0.04 rights 2 0.09 ring 1 0.04 Rivas 2 0.09 Rob 6 0.27 Robnett 2 0.09 Rocky 1 0.04 rooftops 1 0.04 Roquet 1 0.04 Roster 1 0.04 rosters 2 0.09 RSS 2 0.09 run 3 0.13 runner 1 0.04 running 2 0.09 runs 4 0.18 Ruz's 1 0.04 Ryan 3 0.13 S 1 0.04 salary 2 0.09 Sam 3 0.13 Samardzija 2 0.09 Sarcasm 1 0.04 Sat 2 0.09 say 1 0.04 Scales 2 0.09 schedule 2 0.09 Schlitter 1 0.04 score 4 0.18 scored 2 0.09 Scott 1 0.04 Sean 5 0.22 Search 1 0.04 season 1 0.04 Second 1 0.04 set 1 0.04 seven 2 0.09 Shawn 1 0.04 show 1 0.04 sidebar 1 0.04 SIGNED 1 0.04 signing 1 0.04 Simulated 1 0.04 site 4 0.18 six 1 0.04 slam 1 0.04 slammed 1 0.04 smacked 1 0.04 smallish 1 0.04 Smith 2 0.09 Snyder 1 0.04 so 3 0.13 solely 1 0.04 solo 1 0.04 some 4 0.18 Soriano 2 0.09 Soto 3 0.13 speech 1 0.04 Spot 1 0.04 Spring 8 0.36 squads 1 0.04 SS 7 0.31 St 2 0.09 Stadium 1 0.04 Stanton 1 0.04 start 4 0.18 Starting 1 0.04 statements 1 0.04 States 1 0.04 stay 1 0.04 Steve 1 0.04 Stevens 1 0.04 stolen 1 0.04 strength 1 0.04 strolling 1 0.04 students 1 0.04 stuff 1 0.04 Submitted 10 0.45 SUBSCRIPTION 1 0.04 subsidiaries 1 0.04 SUB-TOTAL 2 0.09 Sullivan 1 0.04 Sun 1 0.04 sunny 2 0.09 Support 1 0.04 Surprise 1 0.04 suspect 1 0.04 switch 1 0.04 Taguchi 2 0.09 takes 2 0.09 talking 1 0.04 Tax 1 0.04 TCR 10 0.45 team 2 0.09 teams 1 0.04 Ted 2 0.09 Terms 1 0.04 Texas 1 0.04 text 1 0.04 Textual 1 0.04 than 1 0.04 thank 3 0.13 thanks 3 0.13 that 6 0.27 that's 2 0.09 the 74 3.32 thecubreporter 2 0.09 their 2 0.09 them 1 0.04 Theriot 3 0.13 They 1 0.04 they've 1 0.04 things 2 0.09 think 4 0.18 thinks 1 0.04 this 12 0.54 those 2 0.09 thrashed 1 0.04 Thread 6 0.27 three 2 0.09 three-run 3 0.13 threshold 1 0.04 threw 1 0.04 Thu 3 0.13 Tigers 1 0.04 tight 1 0.04 times 3 0.13 to 19 0.85 today 1 0.04 Tom 1 0.04 Tony 1 0.04 top 3 0.13 TOTAL 1 0.04 tour 1 0.04 toward 1 0.04 Trade 1 0.04 traded 1 0.04 Training 8 0.36 Transmission 2 0.09 Transmission's 1 0.04 triple 1 0.04 trot 1 0.04 true 1 0.04 Tue 1 0.04 turning 1 0.04 Twitter 2 0.09 two 4 0.18 two-run 4 0.18 under 1 0.04 Uniform 2 0.09 United 1 0.04 until 1 0.04 up 1 0.04 Upcoming 1 0.04 Updated 1 0.04 us 2 0.09 USA 1 0.04 use 2 0.09 useful 1 0.04 utility 1 0.04 Vargas 1 0.04 very 1 0.04 Victory 1 0.04 viewpoints 1 0.04 Vince 1 0.04 visual 1 0.04 Vizcaino 1 0.04 vs 1 0.04 Waddell 1 0.04 walk 1 0.04 walks 1 0.04 warm 1 0.04 way 1 0.04 we 2 0.09 weather 2 0.09 Web 2 0.09 website 1 0.04 websites 1 0.04 Wed 5 0.22 weekend 1 0.04 weeks 2 0.09 Welington 1 0.04 well 2 0.09 Wells 1 0.04 what 2 0.09 which 1 0.04 while 1 0.04 Whipple 1 0.04 who 3 0.13 Wife 1 0.04 WIKLIFIELD 1 0.04 will 5 0.22 win 2 0.09 WINNERS 1 0.04 wins 1 0.04 with 8 0.36 won 2 0.09 word 6 0.27 words 1 0.04 work 1 0.04 Works 1 0.04 would 5 0.22 Wrath 1 0.04 wrigley 1 0.04 write 1 0.04 writers 3 0.13 writes 1 0.04 yeah 1 0.04 years 1 0.04 you 5 0.22 Young 1 0.04 Your 1 0.04 Yovanni 1 0.04 Zambrano 1 0.04 Different words/items counted: 820 Total Words: 1697 Total Punctuation: 272 Total Other Text: 219 Total Characters: 10330 Total Paragraphs: 308

if only there was a visual way to represent that info that would take up less space... ------ use a smaller font?

Nats Bowden resigns under a cloud of suspicion: $$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$ $$$$$$$$$ Jim B. $$$$$ $$$$$$$

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).

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    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.