Czech Swing Not Up to the Challenge at Riverview
Jake Hannemann belted a solo home run leading off the bottom of the 1st inning and an RBI double in the 4th, Trey Martin tripled twice and knocked-in two runs, Yasiel Balaguert hammered a three-run HR in the 1st and walked in the 3rd, Will Remillard doubled twice and scored a run, and Paul Blackburn and seven relievers combined to toss a four-hit shutout, as the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs AA affiliate) blanked Team Czech Republic 10-0 in Minor League Camp game action this morning on Field #5 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.
The Czech team (managed by Mike Griffin, with Trot Nixon and Corey Lee serving as assistant coaches) is in Arizona preparing for the World Baseball Classic Qualifier #2 tournament in Mexicali, Mexico later this week. Mexico is the host team, and Germany and Nicaragua are the other two particpants. The winner qualifies for the 2017 WBC.
As per usual, the Tennessee squad added some additional players for the game, with RHP Corey Black, catchers David Freitas, Will Remillard, and Ben Carhart, 1B Matt Clark, SS Bryant Flete, and OF Bijan Rademacher moving down from the Iowa squad, RHRP Scott Effross, 1B Yasiel Balaguert, 2B Ian Happ, and LF Donnie Dewees moving up from the Myrtle Beach group, and 3B Adonis Paula and catcher P. J. Higgins moving up from the South Bend squad.
Cubs Spring Training Depth Chart
Minor League Camp Rosters (updated daily)
Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only):
TENNESSEE LINEUP:
1a. Jake Hannemann, CF: 2-3 (HR, F-7, 2B, R, 2 RBI)
1b. Bijan Rademacher, PH: 1-1 (3B, RBI)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIFTH TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
2a. Chesny Young, 2B: 0-2 (BB, F-8, 5-3, CS)
2b. Ben Carhart, PH-C 0-2 (4-3, F-7)
3. Donnie Dewees, LF: 0-4 (F-9, 3-1, L-7, F-7)
4. Ian Happ, DH-2B: 1-3 (BB, 1B, 4-3, 6-3, R, SB)
5a. Mark Zagunis, RF: 0-1 (BB, F-8, R)
5b. Will Remillard, PH-DH: 2-2 (2B, 2B, R)
6a. Yasiel Balaguert, 1B: 1-1 (HR, BB, R, 3 RBI)
6b. Matt Clark, PH-1B: 1-2 (F-8, 2B, R, RBI)
7a. Jason Vosler, 3B: 0-2 (3-U, F-7)
7b. Adonis Paula, PH-3B: 1-2 (6-3, 1B, RBI)
8. David Freitas, C-DH: 0-2 (F-8, 3-U)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TWO TIMES THRU BATTING ORDER
9. Billy McKinney, DH-RF: 1-3 (1B, F-9, BB, 4-3, R)
10a. P. J. Higgins, DH-C: 1-1 (1B, R, SB)
10b. Bryant Flete, PH-SS: 1-2 (1B, K, R)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
11a. Carlos Penalver, SS: 0-2 (F-7, 5-3)
11b. Trey Martin, PH-CF: 2-2 (3B, 3B, R, 2 RBI)
TENNESSEE PITCHERS:
1. Paul Blackburn: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 PO, 3/0 GO/AO, 30 pitches (20 strikes)
2. Corey Black: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 15 pitches (9 strikes)
3. David Berg: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1/1 GO/AO, 10 pitches (7 strikes)
4. Craig Brooks: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP, 2/0 GO/AO, 7 pitches (5 strikes)
5. Josh Conway: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP, 1/0 GO/AO, 18 pitches (9 strikes)
6. David Garner: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 0/3 GO/AO, 12 pitches (6 strikes)
7. Scott Effross: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/AO, 10 pitches (6 strikes)
8. Daury Torrez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 2/1 GO/AO, 15 pitches (9 strikes)
TENNESSEE ERRORS: NONE
TENNESSEE CATCHERS DEFENSE:
1. David Freitas: 0-1 CS
2. P. J. Higgins: 1-1 CS
ATTENDANCE: 71
WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 70's
Comments
While the Smokies weere
While the Smokies weere trouncing the Czechs on Field #5, "live" BP continued on the other three backfields.
Pitchers throwing "live" BP today were:
Casey Bloomquist
Gerardo Concepcion
Greyfer Eregua
Dillon Maples
Ryan McNeil
Kyle Miller
Jordan Minch
Jose Paulino
Tayler Scott
All nine pitchers threw one inning (25 pitches each).
i'm legitimately shocked t
strop finally pitched! 1ip
Nice to see Strop back out
Strop had a lot of innings
John Arguello at the Cubs Den
John Arguello from Cubs Den was also at the game at Riverview, and took some great pics (as usual!)...
link
Tru-link?
Where are the sexy girls?
"The Cubs trimmed their
In addition to Acevedo,
In addition to Acevedo, Jokisch, Vogelbach, Leathersich, Pettibone, Rivero, and Underwood, catcher Cael Brockmeyer was also assigned to Minor League Camp today. Brockmeyer was a late NRI who was invited to report with pitchers & catcher on 2/18, and he has been in big league camp ever since (until today).
Also, only Acevedo, Brockmeyer, Jokisch, and Rivero were actually on the field at Minor League Camp this morning (all four were with the Iowa squad).
Despite being optioned to Iowa today, Vogelbach is still physically with the big league club, and Leathersich (July 2015 TJS) and Pettibone (2015 right shoulder surgery) will be assigned to the Extended Spring Training Pitchers Rehab Group when it is formed.
Underwood has been bothered by right elbow stiffness (he did not pitch in any MLB Cactus League games), and so he could end up at EXST, too.
More "live" BP at Minor
More "live" BP at Minor League Camp this morning, with 13 pitchers in action on the four fields:
* throws left
THREE INNINGS (45 pitches - 15 pitches-per-inning)
* Ryan Kellogg
Brad Markey
ONE INNING (25 pitches)
Pedro Araujo
Dale Brocker
Jared Cheek
Zach Hedges
Corbin Hoffner
Tommy Nance
James Norwood
* Luis Parra
Alexander Santana
* Tommy Thorpe
* John Williamson
The pitchers throwing three innigs are being primed as starters, and the one-inning guys are being primed as relievers.
Brocker and Nance are the two pitchers the Cubs acquired from Frontier League (independent) teams during the off-season.
In Minor League Camp roster
In Minor League Camp roster news, 17-year old RHP Jose Albertos (2015 IFA - Mexico) has arrived and has been assigned to the South Bend squad. Although he just arrived at Minor League Camp, Albertos participated in Fall Instructs at the Cubs Under Armour Performance Center in Mesa last September-October, and he is one of six IFA players signed by the Cubs out of Mexico (so far) during the 2015-16 International Signing Period (with six being as many IFA as the Cubs had signed out of Mexico over the previous ten years combined).
In addition, RHP Matt Brazis (Iowa squad) has been cleared for full activity, while RHP Luis Hernandez (injured while throwing a "live" BP session last week) is now restricted to Limited Activity Only with the South Bend squad.
Phil, have you heard anything
I read somewhere that he
The Cubs have another nice
I wouldn't go that far yet,
Lester in sim game today
Unstoppable force vs.
Adam LaRoche retires today
wonder if he was gonna piss
Maybe his son is ready to
nice piece. also nice to be
schwarb's back today..
t.ross lasts 0.1ip for SD..
2WP for grimm...having a
Hits and runs like a