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School’s Out!
Extended Spring Training (EXST) came to an end today, as the EXST Cubs (Boise/Mesa) played an intrasquad game at Mesa's Fitch Park Field #3 this morning.
The EXST Cubs didn't have enough healthy position players to staff two squads, so the game was played with a free-form, open substitution approach, as position players came and went from offense to defense. There was no no batting order (just batting disorder). Only the pitchers and catchers were assigned specifically to one squad or the other. EXST Cubs manager Tom Beyers (who will be the manager at Boise) called the game in the 5th inning (it was a 3-3 tie at the time) after all pitchers scheduled to throw in the game had reached their pitch limit.
The EXST players will get two days off before they will reassemble, together with players who sign after being selected in tomorrow's Rule 4 Draft and Non-Drafted Free-Agents (NDFAs) signed after the draft, beginning on Saturday, forming two separate and distinct teams--the Boise Hawks (NWL) and the Mesa Cubs (AZL). The two short-season clubs will have pre-season work-outs for about a week to ten days before they each begin league play the week of June 18th.
18-year old Dominican RHP Alberto Cabrera (who was probably the ace of the EXST Cubs staff) got the start for SQUAD "A" today, and pitched fairly well over his four inning stint.
Carlos Perez was the catcher for SQUAD "A."
23-year old Korean RHP Simon Lee (signed by Cubs Pacific Rim scouting coordinator Steve Wilson earlier this year) got the start for SQUAD "B," and worked 2.2 IP before being relieved.
2006 16th round draft pick C-1B-3B Blake Parker, who had been the EXST Cubs best power hitter and run producer before (surprisingly) being converted to pitcher last month, finally got into his first game action as a hurler, but did not have a good outing. L
anky side-slingin' RHP Matt Maradeo (signed by the Cubs as a 2005 NDFA 5th year senior a year ago out of Kutztown State) retired the only four men he faced.
Steve Clevenger was the catcher for SQUAD "B."
On offense, 22-year old Dominican Sammy Baez (who was converted from SS to OF this year after struggling with his infield defense, most notably an inability to make accurate throws from SS to 1B) went 3-4 with a triple and a stolen base and three runs scored, slick-fielding 18-year 2006 32nd round draft pick SS-2B Cesar Valentin went 2-3 with an RBI and a stolen base, and 21-year old Venezuelan 1B Jesus Reyes was 2-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. So here is today's EXST Cubs intrasquad game abridged box score.
Again, there were no specific "lineups" or batting orders, as all the players except the pitchers and catchers played defense and took their swings for both squads.
POSITION PLAYERS:
Nathan Samson, SS (1-3, RBI, CS)
Gian Guzman, 2B-SS (0-3)
Marwin Gonzalez, DH (0-1)
Andres Quezada, RF-CF (0-1, BB)
Jovan Rosa, 3B (0-1, SH)
Mario Mercedes, DH (0-1)
Cesar Valentin, SS-2B (2-3, RBI, SB, CS)
Elvis Lara, 2B-RF (1-2, 3B, R, BB, SH)
Francisco Tirado, 3B-1B (0-2, K)
Nelson Perez, CF-LF (0-1, SF-RBI)
Sammy Baez, LF (3-4, 3B, 3 R, SB)
Jesus Reyes, 1B (2-4, RBI, 2 R)
Drew Rundle, RF-CF (1-3, RBI, K)
Carlos Perez, C (0-3, RBI, K)
Steve Clevenger, C (No AB)
PITCHERS:
SQUAD "A"
Alberto Cabrera - 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 B, 3 K (6/2 GB/FB)
SQUAD "B"
Simon Lee - 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K (3/5 GB/FB)
Blake Parker - 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Matt Maradeo - 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (3/0 GB/FB)
ATTENDANCE: 3 (including AZ Phil and Oneri Fleita, although they did not sit together)
WEATHERr: Sunny and mild, with a temp in the 80's
In EXST roster news, RHP Brad Clipp (2006 33rd round pick out of Point Loma Nazarene University) has been promoted to Peoria, as 2006 23rd round pick RHP Chuckie Platt (who was at EXST prior to his promotion to Peoria in April) goes from Peoria to Daytona, and RHP Rocky Roquet (2005 NDFA out of Cal Poly who was signed by the Cubs a year ago as a 5th year senior) gets promoted again (he just got promoted from Peoria to Daytona a couple of weeks ago!), this time from Daytona to AA Tennessee. Clipp's promotion leaves RHPs Matt Maradeo and Andrew McCormick as the last of the college pitchers signed by the Cubs a year ago who have yet to get their tickets punched out of Fitch Park.
2007 CUBS EXST ROSTER:
* bats or throws left
# bats both
PITCHERS (ACTIVE):
Francisco Acosta
Alberto Alburquerque
Michael Bartek
Alberto Cabrera
Julio Castillo
Brad Clipp (just got promoted to Peoria)
Wily Garcia
Marcus Hatley
Chris Huseby
Kevin Kreier
Jordan Latham
Simon Lee
Matt Maradeo
Oswaldo Martinez
John Muller
Andrew McCormick
Blake Parker
* Mark Pawelek
Cedric Redmond
Audy Santana
Larry Suarez
Brett Summers
randon Taylor
Harol Tolentino
PITCHERS (REHAB):
Jose Ceda (shoulder – limited activity only)
Rafael Dolis (elbow – limited activity only)
Adam Harben (post-’06 TJ elbow surgery – limited activity only)
Junniol Lami (sore arm - limited activity only)
Billy Muldowney (elbow – limited activity only)
* Taylor Parker (elbow – limited activity only)
Leonel Perez (elbow – limited activity only)
PITCHERS (INACTIVE):
Todd Blackford (TJ elbow surgery)
Michael Cooper (torn rotator cuff – awaiting decision on surgery)
Brett Jackson (shoulder surgery – torn labrum)
Kitt Kopach (shoulder surgery)
Roberto Novoa (fractured shoulder – off-season car crash)
Mark Prior (shoulder surgery)
Kerry Wood (torn rotator cuff – no surgery)
CATCHERS:
* Steve Clevenger
Mario Mercedes
Carlos Perez
INFIELDERS:
# Marwin Gonzalez
Gian Guzman
Elvis Lara
Anthony Morel
Jovan Rosa
Nathan Samson
# Francisco Tirado
Cesar Valentin
OUTFIELDERS:
Sammy Baez
* Nelson Perez
# Andres Quezada
Jesus Reyes
* Drew Rundle
POSITION PLAYERS (REHAB)
* Cliff Andersen, OF (lower back strain – BP only)
Ryan Harvey, OF (hamstring – BP only)
Andy Lopez, OF (quad – BP only)
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