Camp Day at Fitch Park
As many of you probably know by now, Thursday is "Camp Day" at Extended Spring Training. This usually means an intrasquad game, and sometimes a pre-game "live" BP session or simulated game involving rehabbing pitchers.
And such was the case today.
The Cubs did play a five-inning intrasquad game this morning on Fitch Park Field #2 (which ended in a 3-3 tie), but prior to the game, LHP Mark Pawelek (ankle) and RHP Jim Henderson (shoulder) squared off in a two inning (30-pitches per pitcher) simulated game on Field #1.
Each pitcher threw 15 pitches per "inning," with the hitters (Bryan Jost, Kevin Soto, and Elvis Lara) remaining at the plate until they either walked, struck out, or hit a fair ball. Then after the pitcher finished his "inning," he would go sit on the bench and talk to EXST Cubs pitching coach Rick Tronerud while the other pitcher threw his 15 pitches.
Henderson (relief pitcher at AA Tennessee in 2007) looked very sharp, with good sinking action on his two-seamer and excellent boring action on his slider. How he felt afterward, I do not know. But he looked good.
Pawelek was a different story, though.
In his first inning, he could not command his hard stuff (fastball and slider) and threw ten balls and only five strikes. But in his second inning, he was at least able to throw his fastball over the plate (somewhat), and threw five balls and ten strikes. (He does not have control issues with his curve or change-up).
So just how wild is Pawelek? When left-handed hitting Bryan Jost stepped up to the plate to hit against Pawelek, Boise Pitching Coach Tom Pratt yelled to Jost: "What's the matter, big guy? You're looking kinda wobbly-kneed up there!"
And he did, too!
One thing for sure... Nobody is comfortable hitting against Pawelek. Not when even he doesn't know where the ball is going.
As for the EXST intrasquad game, rehabbing RHP Jon Mueller (not to be confused with fellow EXST RHP John Muller) got the start for Squad "B" and worked three strong innings. Mueller was a middle-reliever for Daytona last year before he went down with an arm injury,
Then LHP Arik Hempy (2007 17th round draft pick out of the U. of South Carolina) threw a couple of innings, and while his outing was not quite as strong as Mueller's, at least he didn't seem to have any trouble getting his arm loose. His breaking ball looked pretty good.
18-year old Australian LHP Cody Hams worked just one inning, and struggled with his control.
On offense, RF Nelson Perez (who hit the game-winning HR yesterday) had another big day, slamming an RBI double and an RBI triple, while also scoring a run.
2B Dwayne Kemp (hero of the Aruban Little League World Series team a few years ago) was also 2-3, with a triple and a run scored and an RBI single, and Leon Johnson tripled and scored and made a nice running catch in CF.
Here is the abridged box score for the five inning EXST intrasquad game
LINEUPS:
SQUAD "A"
1. Dwayne Kemp, 2B: 2-3 (3B, RBI, R)
2. Alvaro Sosa, C: 1-3 (RBI, R, SB)
3. John Contreras, 3B: 1-3 (2 SB)
4. Bryan Jost, 1B: 0-2 (BB, 2 K)
5. Brandon Guyer, DH #1: 1-2
6. Elvis Lara, LF: 0-2
7. Gian Guzman, SS: 1-2
8. Kevin Soto, RF: 0-2 (2 K)
9. Leon Johnson, CF: 1-2 (3B, R)
10. Jose Guevara, DH #2: 0-1 (BB)
11. Jose Made, DH #3: 0-2 (GIDP)
SQUAD "B"
1. Jeffrey Rea, DH: 1-3 (SB)
2. Roberto Sabates, C: 0-2 (R, BB)
3. Junior Lake, SS: 1-2 (R, BB, SB)
4. Nelson Perez, RF: 2-3 (2B, 3B, 2 RBI, R)
5. Luis Bautista, 1B: 1-2 (2B, RBI)
6. Luke Sommer, LF: 1-2
7. Starlin Castro, 2B: 1-1 (SH)
8. Andres Quezada, CF: 0-1 (BB)
9. Josh Vitters, 3B: 1-2
PITCHERS:
SQUAD "A"
1. Johan Gonzalez - 3.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 0 K
2. Cody Hams - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 WP
SQUAD "B"
1. Jon Mueller - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K
2. Arik Hempy - 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP
3. Jose Severino - 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K
ERRORS:
Vitters - 1 (bad throw to 1st)
Lake - 3 (two bad throws to 1st, one misplayed groundball)
G. Guzman - 1 (bobbled ground ball)
CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Sabates (0-3 CS - bounced every throw)
Sosa (0-2 CS)
WEATHER: Cool with temp around 70, and VERY breezy
ATTENDANCE: 5
Comments