Czech Swing Not Up to the Challenge at Riverview

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 03/13/2016 - 4:24pm

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.     


 (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 

Tags: 
Cubs Minor League Spring Training Game Recap
Jake Hannemann
Yasiel Balaguert
Will Remillard
Trey Martin

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Sun, 03/13/2016 - 4:45pm  

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).  

Submitted by crunch  on Sun, 03/13/2016 - 5:38pm  
i'm gonna edit/delete this out. i'm just surprised t.nixon is back doing anything involving coaching baseball. he must have loved his taste last year doing paid coaching clinics for little leaguers. good for him.

Submitted by crunch  on Sun, 03/13/2016 - 5:59pm  
strop finally pitched! 1ip 0h 0bb 2k. unf. also, h.rondon shit himself and blew a 3 run lead in the 9th...game ends in a 3-3 tie. j.baez got to play 2nd today.

Submitted by billybucks  on Sun, 03/13/2016 - 7:11pm  
Nice to see Strop back out there. I was getting a little concerned.

Submitted by johann  on Mon, 03/14/2016 - 12:57pm  
Strop had a lot of innings last year and while he was very good in most of them I'm happy Madden has cut back his workload so far.

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Sun, 03/13/2016 - 10:46pm  

John Arguello from Cubs Den was also at the game at Riverview, and took some great pics (as usual!)...  

link 

Submitted by Cubster  on Mon, 03/14/2016 - 6:28am  
Tru-link? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olydcdd1KCI

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 7:13am  
Where are the sexy girls?

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 03/14/2016 - 2:46pm  
"The Cubs trimmed their roster by seven players on Monday, optioning Dan Vogelbach, Eric Jokisch and Andury Acevedo to Triple-A Iowa. Pitchers Duane Underwood, Jack Leathersich, Jonathan Pettibone and Armando Rivero were all assigned to the Minor League camp."

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Mon, 03/14/2016 - 9:42pm  

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.  

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Mon, 03/14/2016 - 9:19pm  

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.

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Mon, 03/14/2016 - 9:27pm  

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. 

Submitted by azbobbop  on Mon, 03/14/2016 - 11:35pm  
Phil, have you heard anything about Wen Hua Sung? He was a Boras client and connected to Cubs but never heard of him signing anywhere.

Submitted by Hagsag  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 7:21am  
I read somewhere that he didnt think much of the Cubs offer and went back to school.

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 7:13am  
The Cubs have another nice dilemma with Candelario.

Submitted by Charlie  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 3:24pm  
I wouldn't go that far yet, but: http://www.cubby-blue.com/my_weblog/2016/03/c... Wilson Contreras also having a very nice ST so far.

Submitted by jacos  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 1:08pm  
Lester in sim game today Only way he will learn Bruce Levine ‏@MLBBruceLevine 30s30 seconds ago Cubs have forced the issue of Lester throwing to all the bases.Lester has not backed away from challenge

Submitted by John Beasley  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 1:11pm  
Unstoppable force vs. immovable object: Lester picks off Vogelbach.

Submitted by jacos  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 1:51pm  
Adam LaRoche retires today $ 13 million back to Sox. Win/Win for Reinsdorf, no free agents to spend it on, gets to keep it.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 2:13pm  
wonder if he was gonna piss dirty or something... hopefully his "personal issue" isn't something horrible. he's been limited because of back pain this spring. maybe he just has enough money and pride to not care. maybe it's aliens.

Submitted by jacos  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 2:47pm  
Maybe his son is ready to graduate from Clubhouse U? http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball...

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 3:04pm  
nice piece. also nice to be able to say "screw it" it $13m when you're in your mid-30s.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 3:07pm  
schwarb's back today...batting 4th and playing LF. free live game on mlb.com (video and audio)...tv feed is SD.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 3:32pm  
t.ross lasts 0.1ip for SD...cubs up 5-0 in the 1st.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 5:39pm  
2WP for grimm...having a difficult time with his slider today, but he didn't look horrible...just a couple in the dirt. n.ramirez strikes out 3 with 0bb/0h in his 1ip. \m/ j.andreoli inside the park HR!!!! ...still don't understand how this legit 3-OF-position dude with AAA experience survived the rule-5 even if his ceiling is believed to be a bench OF'r.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil  on Wed, 03/16/2016 - 8:39am  
Hits and runs like a centerfielder, but mostly gets sent out to left and right. That tells me he doesn't track balls very well. Same problem as Coghlan.

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The first 600 characters of the last 16 comments, click "View" to see rest of comment.
  • JustSayin' 3 days 16 hours ago (view)

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  • crunch 4 days 10 hours ago (view)

    christian yelich committed internet homicide on yu darvish...

    https://twitter.com/ChristianYelich/status/1195462...

     
  • Charlie 4 days 14 hours ago (view)

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    j.odorizzi accepted his qualifying offer (17.8m) from MIN...so did j.abreu (CWS)....everyone else is gonna play the FA market.

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  • crunch 6 days 10 hours ago (view)

    nice.

    it's not like i think he's something special, but if he had 5mph more on his stuff he'd probably be a top prospect in the system combined with his command/control.  he's got highly repeatable junk and he's still young enough there might be a little more velocity to discover.

     
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    CRUNCH: As long as Carrera is placed on the AAA Iowa reserve list on 11/20 he should be safe from selection, and I would say he is in fact close to a lock to be placed on the Iowa roster.

    Presuming he is on the Iowa reserve list going into the Rule 5 Draft, I doubt very much that he would get selected in the Major League Phase because he hasn't pitched above Lo-A. 

     
  • crunch 6 days 14 hours ago (view)

    nice info...

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    he throws junk, but he throws it well, and with great control.

     
  • Arizona Phil 6 days 14 hours ago (view)

    I've talked to Player Development people over the past many years about the Rule 5 Draft and how an organization goes about deciding whether to protect or not protect a player from selection. 

    STEP 1: How many of your Rule 5 Draft-eligible players are actually legit candidates to get selected in the Major League Phase?. Usually there a dozen or more who could conceivably/realisticaly get selected. You need to identify them and then carefully evaluate them. 
    EXAMPLES: See my lists above. 

     
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    In truth, the Cubs boss has said the same every year, but it certainly sounds like he means it this time. "We're in the 'information collecting' stages of the process," one general manager put it on Tuesday.

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  • Dolorous Jon Lester 1 week 19 hours ago (view)

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    i wonder where the cubs will go with things.

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  • Hagsag 1 week 1 day ago (view)

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  • Arizona Phil 1 week 2 days ago (view)

    Prior to joining the Cubs in 2012 Scott Harris was Director of Baseball Operations in the MLB office, which means he received, reviewed, and approved all major league and minor league contracts and transactions, as well as providing MLB clubs with schedules, rules updates, and draft information. 

     
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