Cubs Take Sentimental Journey to Cactus League Victory
The game featured a pre-game fly-over by a World War II vintage B-17 bomber (“Sentimental Journey”) that is based at Falcon Field in Mesa.
NOTE: Scroll down for the updated MINOR LEAGUE CAMP rosters (effective today 3/12).
Ian Stewart got the Cubs on the board in the bottom of the 1st against RHP Bronson Arroyo, ripping an RBI triple into the right-center alley to score Marlon Byrd, who had singled with one out. (Brett Jackson rifled a single to right to lead-off the inning, but was thrown-out trying to stretch the hit into a double). Alfonso Soriano followed Stewart, slugging his 4th Cactus League home run (a two-run shot over the LF scoreboard) to cap the three-run inning.The Cubs scored another run in the 2nd, as Darwin Barney grounded a double down the LF line, and after Steve Clevenger and Brett Jackson walked to load the bases, with one out, Marlon Byrd lofted sacrifice fly to CF to drive-home Barney and give the Cubs a 4-1 lead.
After being sidelined with the flu last week, LHP Paul Maholm made his Cub game debut today, starting the game and allowing one run (a Todd Frazier solo HR) on two hits, no walks, and two strikeouts, in two innings of work (24 pitches – 13 strikes, 5/0 GO/FO). Maholm then threw another 15 pitches in the bullpen after he left the game, demonstrating that he probably could have gone another inning if that was part of the plan. A former rotation-starter for the Pirates, Maholm was signed by the Cubs as a free-agent during the off-season, and is expected to be in the Cubs starting rotation in 2012.
RHP Jeff Samardzija “piggy-backed” with Maholm, throwing three innings (39 pitches – 27 strikes). The Shark allowed two runs on two hits and a HBP in his first inning of work (the top of the 3rd), before retiring the last eight men he faced. The big righthander did not walk anyone, and he struck out three, with a 4/2 GO/FO. Samardzija should have gotten out of the 3rd allowing just one run, but SS Junior Lake rushed a throw while trying to complete a room-service 4-6-3 DP, extending the inning.
Like Maholm, Samardzija threw another 15 pitches in the bullpen after he was removed from the game, so he probably could have gone four innings if asked. (Samardzija appeared to be getting stronger & stronger and his command improved as he threw more pitches).
Rule 5 pick Lendy Castillo worked an easy 1-2-3 6th inning as he battles to win a job in the Cubs bullpen (although he faced only minor league hitters), but closer Carlos Marmol had another bad outing. With the Cubs up 4-3 through six, Marmol gave up the lead in the 7th, allowing three runs on a walk, a double, a HBP, a two-run RBI single, another walk that re-loaded the bases, and a sac fly. Marmol had just about zero command today (29 pitches – only 14 strikes).
Now down 6-4, the Cubs took back the lead in the 7th when Joe Mather continued his hot power-hitting, unloading his two-out three-run dinger that landed well beyond the left-centerfield fence off Reds RHRP Carlos Fisher, following walks to Dave Sappelt and Jim Adduci. Kerry Wood worked a scoreless 8th, and then Blake Lalli ripped his bomb leading off the bottom of the inning. RHP Marcos Mateo then worked a 1-2-3 9th (P-4, K, 6-3) for the save. (Mateo is out of minor league options, so the Cubs need to decide by the end of Spring training if he is MLB-worthy).
Defensive play of the day was a one-out diving catch by 2B Bobby Scales that kept the potential tying run at 3rd base (and saved Kerry Wood) with one out in the top of the 8th. Although he did get an NRI to Spring training with the big club, Scales will likely serve as a player-coach at AAA Iowa in 2012. (He is viewed by the Cubs as a potential future manager or instructor/coach)
Meanwhile, newly signed 20-year old Cuban LHP Gerardo Concepcion made his debut on Field #2 at Fitch Park, working out with the AA Tennessee squad. Also, several of the Cubs top prospects (including SS Javier Baez, 1B Dan Vogelbach, and 3B Jeimer Candelario) were moved down to the Boise/Mesa squad (which will become the Cubs Extended Spring Training squad next month) from the Peoria squad. There were a few other roster adjustments as well, as the six players sent to Minor League Camp this past weekend (RHPs Marco Carrillo, Trey McNutt, and Dae-Eun Rhee, C Micah Gibbs, INF Jonathon Mota, and OF Jae-Hoon Ha) have reported to Fitch Park.
Here are the updated Cubs Minor League Camp rosters (effective today)
IOWA (34)
PITCHERS (18):
Frank Batista
Dallas Beeler
Justin Berg (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Marco Carrillo
Hung-Wen Chen
Marcus Hatley
Aaron Kurcz
Jordan Latham
Oswaldo Martinez
Trey McNutt
* Brooks Raley
Kevin Rhoderick
* Nate Robertson
* Ryan Rowland-Smith
Brian Schlitter
Ryan Searle
Nick Struck
Tony Zych
CATCHERS (4):
Juan Apodaca
Luis Flores (see NOTE)
# Micah Gibbs
Mario Mercedes
NOTE: Luis Flores is on the RESTRICTED LIST while serving a 50-game Prohibited Substance suspension, but he is participating in Minor League Camp activities
INFIELDERS (8):
Leugim Barroso
# David Macias
Rebel Ridling
Jonathon Mota
Greg Rohan
Nate Samson
Marquez Smith
Elliot Soto
OUTFIELDERS (4):
* Michael Burgess
Evan Crawford
Jae-Hoon Ha
Ty Wright
TENNESSEE (32)
PITCHERS (17):
* Jeffry Antigua
Dan Berlind
David Cales (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Gerardo Concepcion
* Frank del Valle (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Brent Ebinger
Ricardo Estevez (see NOTE)
* Casey Harman
Ty’Relle Harris
* Eric Jokisch
Matt Loosen
Yoannis Negrin
Dae-Eun Rhee
Juan Serrano
* Matt Spencer (ex-OF)
Larry Suarez
Rob Whitenack (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
NOTE: Ricardo Estevez is on the RESTRICTED LIST while serving a 50-game Prohibited Substance suspension, but he is participating in Minor League Camp activities
CATCHERS (4):
* Sergio Burruel
Taylor Davis
* Rafael Lopez
Chad Noble
INFIELDERS (7):
* Justin Bour
* Matt Cerda
# Zeke DeVoss
* Jake Opitz
* Rubi Silva
Rafael Valdes
* Logan Watkins
OUTFIELDERS (4):
Abner Abreu
John Andreoli
Eliecer Bonne
Taiwan Easterling (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
DAYTONA (33)
PITCHERS (17):
* Kyler Burke (ex-OF)
Zach Cates
Eduardo Figueroa
Dustin Fitzgerald
P. J. Francescon
Su-Min Jung
* Austin Kirk
Luis Liria
* Jeff Lorick
A. J. Morris
Starling Peralta
Jose Rosario
* Zac Rosscup
Bryce Shafer
Hayden Simpson
Charles Thomas (ex-3B)
Brett Wallach
CATCHERS (3):
Yaniel Cabezas (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Anthony Giansanti (ex-OF)
Neftali Rosario
INFIELDERS (8):
# Arismendy Alcantara
* Ryan Cuneo (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Wes Darvill
Dustin Harrington
Paul Hoilman
* Richard Jones
Pierre LePage
Ronald Torreyes
OUTFIELDERS (5):
* Pin-Chieh Chen
Reggie Golden
* Ben Klafczynski
Mayke Reyes
Blair Springfield
PEORIA (30)
PITCHERS (15):
* Hunter Ackerman
* Willengton Cruz
Ramon Garcia
Ryan Hartman
Michael Jensen
Pete Levitt
Dillon Maples (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Carlos Martinez
Hector Mayora
* Sheldon McDonald
* Andrew McKirahan
Tarlandus Mitchell
Yao-Lin Wang
Ben Wells
Joe Zeller
CATCHERS (3):
Wilson Contreras (ex-3B)
* Justin Marra
# Wilfredo Petit
INFIELDERS (8):
Gioskar Amaya
Xavier Batista
Ryan Durrence
Dustin Geiger
# Marco Hernandez
# Brian Inoa
Kenny Socorro
Brad Zapenas
OUTFIELDERS (4):
Yasiel Balaguert
* Eduardo Gonzalez
Dong-Yub Kim
# Oliver Zapata
BOISE/MESA (27)
PITCHERS (15):
Jose Arias
Ian Dickson
Ethan Elias (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
David Henrie
* Graham Hicks (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Jin-Young Kim
Felix Pena
Roderik Pichardo
James Pugliese
Austin Reed Colin Richardson
Tayler Scott
* Brian Smith
Austin Urban (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Scott Weismann
CATCHERS (2):
* Alberto Mineo
Antonio Valerio
INFIELDERS (5):
Javier Baez
# Jeimer Candelario
* Danny Lockhart
# Rock Shoulders
* Dan Vogelbach
OUTFIELDERS (5):
* Delbis Arcila
* Shawon Dunston, Jr
* Trevor Gretzky (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Trey Martin
* Garrett Schlecht (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
NOT ON FIELD - WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN:
Gregori Gonzalez, IF-OF (?)
Yohan Gonzalez, P (?)
* Cam Greathouse, P (supposedly will report to EXST)
Alvido Jimenez, P (?)
Arturo Maltos-Garcia, P (2011 TJS rehab)
Amaury Paulino, P (?)
* Nelson Perez, OF (?)
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