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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 

 



 

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Bold Move Cotton: Z to the Bullpen Starting Friday

Now there's a surprise...

Zambrano to bullpen starting Friday. "Because of his stuff" Lou sez. Z is cool with move.

We'll see if the bullpen gets better, but it's certainly gonna be a lot more expensive. How many bad starts by Gorzelanny or Silva before this gets reversed?

Comments

It really makes a lot of sense, to me. He hasn't pitched better than any of the other guys, he's the guy who will be most "intimidating" back there and, honestly, he has concentration issues which he may not have if he's only facing 3 or 6 batters with a 1 or 2 run lead.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

I agree. Hendry should have been fired when Rickett's took over, but now Lou should leave with him for this stupid move. Not only does it diminish Z's value, but they're taking a guy who pitches 180-200 innings, reducing that to 60-70 in the pen, and having lesser quality pitchers throw the other 120+ innings. That makes no sense. I know Z isn't number 1 caliber starter the last few years, but he's better than Gorzelanny, who is the beneficiary of this nonsense. I understand not wanting to move Silva to the pen since he is regaining his form, but put Gorz in the pen and STFU. They expect Gorz to get rh hitters out in innings 1-6, so why can't he be expected to get rh hitters out in the 7th, or 8th? Either has has big league talent or he doesn't. They needed a righty reliever so badly only because Hendry built a $136.6 million team with no bullpen to speak of. Hendry should be kicked to the curb immediately.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Lou didn't say it was temporary. From Sullivan's Tribune article: " Is it temporary? "Temporary?" Zambrano said. "He told me that probably (assistant general manager Randy Bush) or Jim Hendry was looking for an eighth inning guy. And when they find a guy and trade (for a) guy and get that guy here, I will be back to the rotation. "Right now they need somebody to step up in the eighth inning. I don't like to be a reliever. I don't want to be a reliever, but this team needs somebody to step up and help the bullpen." So Zambrano is OK with staying in the pen all year if they need him there? "I told Lou I want to help this team until you find somebody," he said. "But I told him I want to be back for the playoffs. When, or if we go to the playoffs, I want to go back in the rotation because I want to pitch in the playoffs." Piniella had a slightly different story when asked the same question. "Temporary?" Piniella said. "We're trying to stabilize things and win some baseball games. This will give Jim and the front office more opportunities hopefully to do something (via a trade). If not, this could be not temporary.""

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

It's hypocritical to say this is what's best for the team, having an $17.875 million setup man...who struggles early. Smart. What would have been best for the team, aside from firing Hendry, was to bench Soriano's ass a long time ago. So if you're going to trot that train wreck out to LF day in and day out because of his contract, you can't move Z to the pen and claim it's best for the team. Z has no track record of success as a reliever. If they really wanted what was best for the team they would have moved Dempster to the pen, at least he had some success as a reliever. It would still be a dumb move since Dempster has been a solid starter. Why don't they just send Shark Face to the low minors where he belongs, send Russell down, activate Lilly, move Gorz to the pen, and call up a right handed reliever? AKA Cashner or someone else.

meh, nearly as dumb as moving Dempster imo with the added benefit that he hasn't pitched in b2b days for 8 years and won't be available to pinch-hit anymore (that's probably a good thing). It should help the bullpen though. Since I have little faith in Gorz and Silva both keeping up anything respectable, I doubt this lasts long. But I appreciate the outside-the-box thinking....

WTF? Yeah, don't trade for or sign a reliever, just use your most talented starter in that role. I mean, shit, he hasn't been great, but fuck. Can we swap Lou with Santo? And did Sullivan really type 'sez'? Go fuck yourself.

It'll serve them all right if this fucks up Z's brain and he's never the same when he goes back to the rotation. Un-fucking-believable. This is pony league shit. Fire 'em all. P.S. Did Lou say what the fuck I'm supposed to do with Z now in fantasy league? Shit.

you got a guy pretty much conditioned to throw 120 pitches+ without his arm falling off and now we're getting him off that throwing schedule. it's not like the guy aces through his first 30 pitches then falls apart... depending on how long it goes on it could be a cute trip back to "starter shape" ...and to do this we only have to gamble on silva/gorz keeping their crap together. neat.

Lou on Z to pen: "This is a significant move... Not a panic move." seems a bit panicky...

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

It's more like, "We're fucked, let's take as many people down with us as possible". In other news, Marmol will be converted to catcher. If, on the other hand, there's more involved here, like they think this will actually help him get his focus or whatever back, then cool. But shit, you don't take apart your car to fix your bicycle. Come on, moving Z to make room for Gorzeshitty?

Theriot 6, Baker 4, Lee 3, Byrd 8, Ramirez 5, Soriano 7,Soto 2, Colvin 9, Silva 1

Either Z takes to the pen and dominates and the rotation stays healthy and good and this improves the team or Z doesn't take to the pen, it still sucks and/or Gorz and/or Silva suck and Z gets moved back in a month and the Cubs are in the same place they are today. as long as the leash is pretty short on Gorz and Silva, as it apparently was with Z, I'll live with this move...

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Z says wants to help team but calls move temporary. 'Like Schwarzngr say, I will be back.'

when does Soriano get moved to the pen? he doesn't have to pitch, just hang out there during the games.

I don't think the sky is falling as far as this decision is concerned, but I'd sure like to hear something resembling a logical explanation from Larry on it. It might just be dumb enough to work, but even if it is, it's still dumb.

This seems to me to be the move of a manager and a general manager who believe that if they don't win they will be fired. Hopefully the Rickets family will use their veto power if there are future moves that attempt to morgage the future for an uncertain present.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

While that's a valid assumption, they probably feel that way because if they don't win they will be fired. And rightfully f'ing so. As I'm reading all this, it occurs to me that the Cubs have been built to 'win now' for the last few years, and they've been managed/GM'd like a fucking dynasty. It's as though Jim thinks that since the Cubs are his fav team and the fans return to perennial Cubbery-hell that the rest of the world believes it too. You know who doesn't know the Cubs are a dynasty? The Dbacks and the Dodgers in the playoffs, that's who. Ask Dusty Baker about Game 5 in the '03 NLCS. Yes, game 5, where he left his starter in (yet again) to get shellac'd because the arrogant bastard was so sure we'd win 1/2 in Chicago that he didn't fucking care about losing game 5. Why do I say that? Because Lou did the same fucking thing with the whole "saving Z for game 4" bullshit. And I'll tell you something else, Lou says Z is mature and agreed to it.... I DON'T GIVE A FUCK IF HE AGREED OR NOT. Lou is the manager, if Lou says throw bp in a pink fucking dress Z better get to the big and tall store for some pink taffeta. Look, JH gets paid to build a team and manage prospects, minors, etc. The players get paid to play well and win games. But Lou is paid because he's supposed to know how to win games. ALL of them, not just the ones he feels like showing up for. Lou last year and starting this year looked like he's been suffering from Dusty Baker syndrome,aka I-don't-give-a-fuck disease, similar to I'm-smarter-than-you-therefore-I-can't-lose-itis. But if he's got the balls to take the 'ace' of the staff (which Z ain't, he just gets paid more) and make him a fucking setup man? Bravo old man. He either believes that this is the best shot the bullpen has of at least finding a map to respectability and/or will be good for Zambrano, not to mention he's giving JH time to find a decent trade (which has been stated, and is a bitch this early in the year because you were supposed to have this shit worked out in the spring). The other option is he knows he's done, he doesn't fucking care and he's throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. The benefit to all this is it's good for Zambrano mentally (helping the team, blah blah) which I think will make him a better starter and hopefully avoid his usually shitty August. All this of course if he doesn't fuck up his arm. Okay. I think I'm vented for today, thanks guys!

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

I don't want to sexually harass anyone (not at work anyway), but I have a hard time when I have to convince someone to do what I'm telling them to do. Them: Why do we have to do this? Me: How about because I asked politely and I explained exactly what I wanted and answered all your questions. And because I just fucking told you to. Some other fun workplace sayings: "If you don't do it, then I'll have to do it myself, and then you'll have to go home" "I can get any moron off the street to not do what I tell them - I don't need you, someone with knowledge, skills, and experience, to do that. I can pay them minimum wage" "I'd like for you to be happy and agree with what we're doing, but it's not a requirement." and to quote The Wolf, drumroll please: "Pretty please, with sugar on top, do what the fuck I told you"

[ ]

In reply to by Tony S.

PLEASE tell us how you really feel, will you?! "Lou did the same fucking thing with the whole "saving Z for game 4" bullshit." I was in attendance as were some others "The Night Rich Hill Went Down" on "Sweep Night 1" in the Playoffs. I do not believe that the Cubs would have won that series anyway noting the lack of hitting with RISP in the series anyway. However, I also do not think that either Dusty IN GAME 6, or Lou, understands that even if there is a potential for great risk in the Playoffs on behalf of the Cubs, where there could be a great reward (such as a victory) - based on the team's miserable failure rate - this must be taken on behalf of the fans. Dusty, in revisionist history, should have had Clement in when Prior faltered. Lou should have said, "Fuck it. You are pitching."

i don't get how it's not dangerous to take a guy like Z who can throw a TON of pitches and remove him from that routine. It could take him 2-4 weeks to get back to throwing 100+ pitches if this experiment goes foul. it's not like he's lights-out (or anything resembling it) on pitches 1-30 and then falls apart. it's not like he's lost velocity or he holds things back when pitching to a team he has to face batters 2-3 times. he throws a mix of crap all game. he doesn't have some lights-out pitch he holds back to use for an out he doesn't want to show batters too much. the team is about to put one of the most stretched out and capable-of-long-use arms in this era into a 10-30 pitch situation. uggg...

If I told you March 30 that Carlos Silva will force Z to bullpen when Lilly comes back, with no difference to Z's pitching or injury 14 games into the season, you would say I was nuts. I didn't think Dusty could be replace on Mt. Idiot, but move over Lou is the new Zeus.

I think it makes sense as a short-term plan. Z misses, 2-3 starts while pitching in the pen, Cubs ride the hot hands in the rotation and have time to see how Cashner and Thomas Diamond (and other minor league pitchers) do in their next few appearances. If he's there for more than two bad or questionable starts by either Gorzo or Silva, then I'll be upset. If that all works out, Z could still make 29 or 30 starts on the year (provided he stays healthy). It doesn't save the team by any means, though. And if Gorzo or Silva stink it up immediately or Z pitches badly out of the pen, it actually hurts the team.

I actually think this makes sense. Z cannot control his pitch counts, which is actually a pretty important trait for starting pitchers. He has also been the worst performing starter this year. As long as Silva and Gorzellany have short leashed on them once they begin to suck (and I am pretty confident they will), I think this is the most reasonable thing to do. I don't give a damn how much he is being paid. If he sucks, his role should be diminished until he begins to suck less than someone else(I'm looking at you, too, Samardzija!!!).

wscr- Z saying "he does not want to be a reliever" doing it because "temporary". Lou said "it will be temporary until Hendry trades for a reliever" So he's there until July. Brilliant. Just shut up already.

"Is it crazy, or does it make so much sense that it just blew your mind?" I guess the whole idea here is to shore up the bullpen. So if Z can go out there and provide some stability and consistency on a relatively temporary basis, then I say go for it. I even sort of like the fact that the team is trying something crazy. There is an excellent chance that having Z in the bullpen will not make the bullpen worse, so why not give it a try?

imo, the only thing right about this whole thing is having the manager and the player on the same page with both giving a quick vocal "it's cool, man." lilly's back this weekend...hope they snag a reliever before the weekend begins. i kinda think we're probably gonna see that happen given how uber-chill Z is about all of this.

WSCR-Paul Sullivan "guessing Lou's idea, larry said yeah sure" "not particularly good first inning guy" "interesting to see" Sullivan was giggling during this interview. "Z said if it's whole rest of the year it will be okay as long as he gets to start in the playoffs"-HOLY SHIT Sullivan "Hendry had to sign off on it, has not talked to Hendry yet" Z rationalizing that "Mariano is the "ace" on Yanks." This is all just so dumb.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Who is saying Z is a dick? That being said he is a mental midget, so I don't know how the most psycholigical fragile pitcher we have will do in tight 8th inning and then bouncing him back to starting rotation. This is so wrong in so many ways. It's a baseball abomination.

oh, and Lou, if you wanna make a statement, bring up Vitters and Castro and then play with your nads while the rest of the organization tries to figure out what to do with that huge beer belly of yours.

If Wrongway is somehow correct, it could explain Z's non-freakout: respect for Maddux, or at least organizational politics. I still think it's completely bananas. it will also be a chore to watch.

I could actually see Z thriving in this role for a while. He's one of those really athletic guys that wants to do everything but what he's supposed to do. He's a pitcher, but wants to be a great hitter. Maybe after he gets his fix in the bullpen, he can try something with the Bulls or Blackhawks.

Len said if they trade for a reliable set up man, Z will be right back in the rotation. So they're trying to trade Gorzalanny or Silva for a reliever? If so, keeping them in the rotation would be best value wise.

In the piece by Paul Sullivan that Rob linked to above, Z said he wanted to do what he could to help the team and compared it to Piniella coming to Soriano and asking him to move back to second base to help the team win. I'm sure it was a throw away line, but let's overanalyze it for a second. Does the idea have merit? Moving Soriano to the infield would open up a spot in the outfield for Nady (or Colvin). It could add some much needed firepower to the offense. Is Soriano so bad at second base that it would hurt more than it would help?

Let's face it-it's a spanking. Lou is fed up with Z and his lack of professionalism. I give Lou credit-he doesn't care about the contract, he's demoting him. He warned Soriano two weeks ago and he's already playing better. I dig the move. If they don't shake things up now the race could be over by June.

[ ]

In reply to by Tony S.

Give GRABOW some time. He's a streaky pitcher (but I'm not sure Hendry actully took this into consideration because a guy who tanks for 2 months isn't exactly a ripe condidate for setup man). Look at what he did last year: ERA Apr 1.74 May 6.94 Jun 2.57 Jul 2.19 Aug 0.00 (14 appearances!) Sep 6.39 So far we're seeing the May/Sep Grabow

Bold move is right. High risk, potentially high reward. I argued that Z might make a great closer as long as five years ago on this very blog. It seems to me that part of what Lou said is true..."because of his stuff". Only guy on the Cubs who can miss as many bats as Z is Marmol. If you limit Z to 3 or 4 or 5 hitters in a game he doesn't stick around long enough to lose focus. He gets to be the center of attention 3 days out of 5 rather than 1 out of 5. Envision a Cubs team where after Marmol in the 8th, the other team gets to stand in against a 94-95-96 mph fastball that Z himself may not know where it's going. I think odds are about 1 in 3 that it turns out well, but if it does, tell me how many teams would have a better back end than Marmol and Z?

I think #75 hit on something Z in bullpen for a month or so let the starters Gorzo and Silva build up trade value or if they continue too suck Lilly. Zambrano is going nowhere Gorzo,Silva, or Lilly could. On a different note we will see how much clout Lou has with Hendry when next roster move is made. Samardzja should be the one visiting Iowa, but it could be Russell.

Given the offense finally waking up...it was a bit hidden but did anyone notice the somewhat crappy 8th inning last night...at least it started out like crap: 6-1 score, Marshall's first 3 men get on base (single, triple, single)...in comes Berg who gets two outs. (I'm thinking, don't change pitchers here...Berg just got two easy outs, Grabow...oh, no...oh, yes...sheit) Pinella takes him out for Grabow to be used as a LOOGY and it works. I think someone woke Lou up.

Bradley should be in the lineup on Friday night when the Mariners open a three-game weekend series against the White Sox.
http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100421&content_i…
and with soreness in his right and left calf muscles the past few days, he was out of the starting lineup in Wednesday night's series finale against the Orioles. He left Tuesday night's game in the first inning with tightness in his left calf. Discomfort in his right calf limited him to pinch-hit duty on Saturday night against the Tigers. "It's nothing serious," manager Don Wakamatsu said...

Real Neal pull your head out of your ass. Your complaining that Z has a 7.45 ERA 2 weeks into the season? Were talking about a pitcher who has never had a season ERA above 4.00 in his career. But lets freak the fuck out and listen to Real Neals lame excuse for why Z needs to go to the bullpen and how he thinks it makes sense. Besides 2007 (his first full year starting) Gorz hasn't had an ERA below 5.00. Carlos Silva has been gifted with facing some of the worst teams in baseball and doesn't exactly have a great track record lately of keeping an ERA over the course of the season under 5.00. Also with Silva, one thing is out of line with reality. The guy gives up hits like they are going out of style, he has done it his entire career. His 19 innings and only 10 hits given up isn't going to last. Z isn't going to the bullpen because he sucks, he is going to the bullpen because this team needs a pick-me up because no one else in the bullpen can get the job done, besides Marshall. Silva, Gorz, Wells would all be shitty relievers. But if you listen to Real Neal Z is going to the bullpen because he is the worst guy in the rotation after 2 weeks. Knee-jerk reaction much Neal?

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

When they hook you up to the crack inhaler at work, do they sanitize it from the night shift? It's about accountability, a term you're obviously not familiar with. If you get the shit kicked out of you, or suck you get a lesser role. That's what Lou has said he was going to do for a year now, and he's finally doing it. When Soriano played left field like, well, like MikeC applies reason - he got benched. You're a fucking moron if you think that I've said that the future prospects of Silva are better than Zambrano's, but there is only one guy who has sucked Donky balls in the rotation this year, and that's Zambrano. Deal with it, Z has.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

Real Neal was using the logic of 3 starts versus an entire career to justify Zambrano going to the bullpen. Either Real Neal is stupid or a retard. There is no insight, there is no factoring in ability, there is no history taken into account. It's just about the dumbest justification to use for why Zambrano is in the pen. And it's not like this is the first time he has done it. Zambrano is in the pen because we have crappy pitchers all around. And most of them aren't suited for the bullpen role. I don't give a damn about Carlos Silva and what he is doing now, you gonna put that whirlwind hit giving up machine in the bullpen? Thats why Zambrano is in the pen and it is all Milton Bradley's fault, because we paid 30 million for him. See circle of life Simba.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

1. I didn't send Zambrano to the bullpen. 2. The Cubs biggest two problems are the offense and the bullpen. If Zambrano is so great, wouldn't using him to address one of the biggest problems be a good idea? Zambrano is not an ace. I wish he were, but he's not. He's a #2-or #3 starter, and thus far on the season, he's been the worst, by far of the four guys. Maybe he'll be a dominant setup guy - he's been a mediocre starter for four years. The only reasonable argument I've seen to keep Z in the rotation ahead of the others is because it helps your fantasy team. If you do crappy, you lose playing time. I know you though having Soriano bat .215 for three months last year helped the team win, but you were wrong and you're wrong again here.

First, it is nice to see that Soriano is taking the criticism in the proper way and is trying to improve his game. Good for him. Moving Z to the pen appears to be a ploy to give Hendry time to trade one of the starting pitchers (I would assume Gorzelanny is the most likely to go). Of course the problem I have is that I would rather trade Z and I think Silvia is a better fit in the bull pen because he throws strikes.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

You might want to update your version of reality to include facts. Lou said that in regards to Milton Bradley, because he was tired of Milton deciding when he would play, or not play, and his lack of hustle.
So what did Piniella have to say? That Bradley will sit until he's 100 percent, that he will run out ground balls, and that he'll be moved down to the No. 6 hole when he eventually returns to the lineup. In what could be a seminal moment in the Cubs' 2009 season, Bradley got his first real lesson of Life under Lou. Asked about the nice chat, Piniella gave a CliffsNotes version of the meeting: "I had a conversation with Milton. He's not 100 percent. When he's 100 percent I'll put him out there to play. Until then, I'll use (Reed) Johnson and I'll use (Micah) Hoffpauir in the outfield."
That was April 23rd, exactly one year ago today.

"That's not a good team," one NL scout said bluntly. "They're not a contender, not as constituted. They've got some good offensive players, but they've got no team speed. And they've got pretty good starting pitching, but that bullpen is terrible. So all teams have to do with the Cubs is just grind the starters down and get into that bullpen. And that's exactly what's been happening." The interesting stuff is later on: • Cub snub: The Cubs have plenty of problems. But Derrek Lee isn't one of them. Nevertheless, with Lee on the last year of his contract, we're hearing that when Lee's agent, Casey Close, checked in on whether the Cubs were interested in talking extension, the response was: "Let's see how this year plays out." The Cubs don't have any policies against handing out extensions. Carlos Zambrano's deal stands as living proof. But Lee will turn 35 in September. He makes $13 million a year. And the Cubs essentially have been telling all their players they're not extending anybody until the new owners get a chance to assess what kind of team they have. So the way this year is going, they may feel a serious urge to blow up half the roster. But if Lee comes anywhere close to last year's numbers (.306, 35 homers, a .972 OPS), he'd seem like the last guy on this payroll the Cubs could afford to wave sayonara to. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&page…

[ ]

In reply to by Rob Richardson

You know, the more I listen to these anonymous scouts, the more I think they sound a lot like Wrongway Phil or, more accurately, my old uncle repeating Wrongway Phil. It's not that I necessarily disagree with him. But what great wealth of information is that scout calling upon to tell the Cubs they have no team speed and a bad (bad and young, to be accurate) bullpen? It's not like he's discerning some hidden insight into Cubs suckitude.

Recent comments

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    The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022. 

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    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.