9th Inning Rally Gains Split for Cubs at Riverview
RHSP Jen-Ho Tseng hurled three innings of perfect baseball, Kevin Cornelius laced two RBI doubles (one in the 2nd inning and another in the 8th), Eddy Julio Martinez singled and doubled and scored a run, and Gioskar Amaya drilled a bases-loaded two-run walk-off double off the LF fence in the bottom of the 9th to overcome a 4-3 deficit, as the AAA Iowa Cubs rallied to edge the Reno Aces (AAA affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks) 5-4 on Field #6, and Anfernee Grier smacked a two-run HR in the 1st inning and Marcus Wilson hammered a solo HR in the 3rd, and LHSP Alex Young hurled three innings of shutout ball, as the Jackson Generals (D'backs AA affiliate) edged the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs AA affiliate) 4-3 on Field #5, in Cactus League Minor League Camp doubleheader game action Friday afternoon on John Arguello Way at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.
Diamondbacks RHSP Taijuan Walker was sent to Mesa from D'backs MLB camp and got the start for Reno on Field #6, working 4.2 IP and allowing one run (earned) on three hits (a double and two singles) and a walk, with seven strikeouts and a 4/2 GO/AO. Kevin Cron belted two tape-measure home runs (a solo blast off Zach Hedges in the 5th and a two-run bomb off Preston Morrison in the 7th) to give the Aces a temporary 3-2 lead (later expanded to 4-2), before the Cubs came back with a run in the 8th on the second RBI double by Cornelius and then the two runs in the bottom of the 9th on the G. Amaya clutch two-bagger (the culmination of a magnificent ten-pitch AB).
Down 4-0 going into the 9th on Field #5, Zack Short blasted a three-run HR to pull the Smokies within a run, but the potential tying and winning runs were subsequently left-stranded.
Tennessee pitchers allowed only three hits on Field #5, but eight walks (including six by Smokies SP Kyle Miller) and two HBP combined with the two early HR helped give the Generals just enough runs and the eventual victory.
Because the Cubs MLB squad has split in two for the weekend (the Cubs will be playing a two-game set versus the Cleveland Indians in Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday while the other squad remains in Mesa to face an Indians split-squad on Saturday and the Kansas City Royals on Sunday), a number of players (mostly from AAA Iowa) were called up to the MLB squad from Minor League Camp just for the weekend, and so there were also a number of temporary promotions at Minor League Camp as well.
Here are the abridged box scores from the two games played at Riverview Park on Friday (Cubs players only):
FIELD #5
TENNESSEE LINEUP:
1. Roberto Caro, LF: 2-4 (K, 1B, 4-3, 1B, R, PO)
2a. Andruw Monasterio, SS: 0-2 (P-6, F-8)
2b. Luis Diaz, 2B: 1-2 (F-9, 1B, R)
3. Zack Short, 2B-SS: 2-4 (2B, L-9, K, HR, R, 3 RBI)
4. Jesse Hodges, 1B-3B: 1-4 (F-9, 1B, 3-1, P-3, SB)
5a. Vimael Machin, 3B: 0-2 (K, 3-1)
5b. Luis Hidalgo, 1B: 1-1 (1B)
6a. Jhonny Pereda, C: 0-2 (L-9, K)
6b. Richard Nunez, C: 0-1 (BB, 6-U FC)
7a. Chris Pieters, RF: 0-2 (4-3, 1-3)
7b. Jose A. Gonzalez, RF: 0-1 (F-8)
7c. Ramsey Romano, PH: 1-1 (2B)
8a. Kevin Zamudio, DH: 0-3 (F-7, L-8, K)
8b. Tyler Alamo, PH: 0-1 (F-8)
9. Robert Garcia, CF: 0-3 (P-3, K, 1-3)
TENNESSEE PITCHERS:
1. Kyle Miller: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R (4 ER), 6 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 2 HR, 1 GIDP, 2/2 GO/AO, 59 pitches (26 strikes)
2. Casey Bloomquist: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 3/1 GO/AO, 29 pitches (15 strikes)
3. Jake Stinnett: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 4/0 GO/AO, 23 pitches (14 strikes)
4. Elvis Diaz: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 11 pitches (8 strikes)
5. Wyatt Short: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 15 pitches (9 strikes)
TENNESSEE ERRORS: 1
3B Vimael Machin: E-5 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)
TENNESSEE CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Jhonny Pereda: 0-2 CS
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FIELD #6
IOWA LINEUP:
1a. Eddy Julio Martinez, CF: 2-3 (K, 1B, 2B, R)
1b. Jose Gutierrez, CF: 0-1 (K)
2a. Jeffrey Baez, RF: 0-2 (5-3, K)
2b. Ian Rice, C: 0-2 (5-3, L-7, RBI)
3a. P. J. Higgins, C-DH: 0-2 (K, BB, F-8)
3b. Christian Donahue, PH: 1-1 (1B, R, SB)
4a. Alexander Guerra, DH #1: 0-3 (K, K, 5-3)
4b. Tyler Payne, PH: 1-1 (1B, R)
5. Bijan Rademacher, LF: 0-3 (3-U, K, K, BB)
6. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 1-4 (L-7, K, F-8, 2B, 2 RBI)
7a. Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-2 (1B, 5-3, R, SB)
7b. Trent Giambrone, SS: 1-1 (2B, R)
8. Kevin Cornelius, 1B: 2-3 (2B, K, 2B, 2 RBI)
9. Stephen Bruno, 3B: 0-2 (6-3, F-9, BB, CS)
10a. Tyler Pearson, DH #2: 0-1 (K)
10b. Connor Myers, RF: 0-1 (K)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
IOWA PITCHERS:
1. Jen-Ho Tseng: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 3/2 GO/AO, 36 pitches (23 strikes)
2. Zach Hedges: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 2/3 GO/AO, 22 pitches (15 strikes)
3. Preston Morrison: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 22 pitches (18 strikes)
4. Tommy Nance: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GO/AO, 10 pitches (7 strikes)
5. Dave Berg: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 0/3 GO/AO, 6 pitches (4 strikes)
IOWA ERRORS: 2
1. 3B Stephen Bruno: E-5 (errant throw to 1st base on bunt single allowed batter to advance to 2nd)
2. C Ian Rice: E-2 (errant throw to 1st base on bunt allowed batter to reach base safely)
IOWA CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Ian Rice: 1-1 CS, 1 E (see above)
ATTENDANCE: 49
WEATHER: Partly cloudy with temperatures in the 70's
Arizona
Scoring
Service
"Just because it's not official doesn't mean it didn't happen"
Recent comments
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CTSteve 1 hour 22 min ago (view)
You can't fire all the players. Why is that, again?
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Charlie 6 hours 34 min ago (view)
Honestly, Urias guessed wrong on that one. But he stilled managed to make contact despite being way out in front, so that breaker must have rolled.
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Charlie 6 hours 36 min ago (view)
KB having a perfectly adequate KB stretch and it's a highlight. Sigh.
Chafin may be reconsidering that jalopie after being the man on the mound when the wheels fell off in this one.
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crunch 7 hours 35 min ago (view)
i know we're only 10 games in and you can't get good numbers on that, but this is a full-team hitting slump aside from marisnick and his 12 PA.
no one on this team is this bad, but all of them doing it at once is crazy. bad ABs, tons of swings and misses, crap contact...
upon reflection (and another hit in the 9th) i need to give props to k.bryant...he's a 1-man show right now for the regulars.
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Eric S 8 hours 23 min ago (view)
I can pause it for pinch hitting - otherwise I'm locked in as there's nothing else to see here
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Dolorous Jon Lester 8 hours 27 min ago (view)
Me too, Eric Sogard
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Eric S 8 hours 33 min ago (view)
Well, Chafin ... not your night I guess ... looks like its time to catch up on the latest installment of Falcon and the Winter Soldier
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Dolorous Jon Lester 8 hours 36 min ago (view)
It's kinda starting to feel like this team sucks? But yes this game definitely sucks.
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crunch 8 hours 39 min ago (view)
justin steele warming...seems like his debut is on tap.
also, this game sucks.
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Eric S 8 hours 41 min ago (view)
Luis Urias is not impressed 😩
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crunch 11 hours 18 min ago (view)
steele, wieck, and strop called up.
btw, strop is a "replacement player" in this move and isn't subject to 40-man roster waiver rules
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crunch 11 hours 45 min ago (view)
cubs covid...chris young tested positive. j.adam, d.winkler, and b.workman are now on the "injured list"
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Charlie 12 hours 10 min ago (view)
Sorry that I couldn't access things for opening day and then got busy for the next couple series. Glad to have a baseball routine to share with you all again!
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Sonicwind75 12 hours 41 min ago (view)
Guessing I'm a little late to the game on this; but just read Chafin's twitter about wanting to buy a cheap car to drive around Chicago. He seems like a good dude.
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Arizona Phil 1 day 5 hours ago (view)
RHSP Duncan Robinson (June 2019 TJS) has retired.
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Arizona Phil 1 day 5 hours ago (view)
Rex Brothers and Tony Wolters reached five years of MLB Service Time this weekend, so Brothers now cannot be sent outright to the minors without his consent (he is out of minor league options) and Wolters (who has a minor league option left) now cannot be optioned or outrighted to the minors without his consent.
Comments
Zack (Short) attack!
Zack (Short) attack!
PHIL: Do you know which of
PHIL: Do you know which of the remaining NRIs have options left? Bass, Hancock, Ryan, Court, Freeman, etc.? Thanks!
K-DUB: The only 2018 Cubs
PHIL: Thanks! I had been
PHIL: Thanks! I had been looking for and asking around to see who had options left. As always, you are the go to guy. Thanks for being such an available and excellent resource.
man...vogelbomb is gonna hit
man...vogelbomb is gonna hit like 40 homers this year.
dude seems to have given up "going slim" but the weight he put back on is beefcube bulk...and he's hitting the crap out of the ball.
j.baez played 6 innings of
j.baez played 6 innings of today's early split squad game...got 3ab, 1-3 (single)...says he feels great
schwarber hit a triple and a double. zobrist hit a homer. eddie butler didn't do so well 3.1ip 2h 3bb 2k, 3r/er
Carrie Muskat @CarrieMuskat 15,826 at Sloan Park today for #Cubs vs Indians. 3rd largest Cactus League crowd everMaddon might have defined the
Maddon might have defined the former Grimm spot as competition. Butler showed why he is not made it as a starter, suddenly losing command, my guess he is waived as teams look to vulture a cast off for innings like TB looking for a 5th starter or inclusion as 5th starter by committee. So possible dark horse or acquired, either way I think it just keeps the seat warm until mid June.
Eddie Butler pitched very
So I'm not sure what this all means for Butler going forward. Obviously he is not competing for a job in the Cubs starting rotation so how he performed in his 4th inning of work today probably doesn't matter much, because he was very good for the first three innings. And since he is out of minor league options, I would think the Cubs will probably just keep him on the 25-man roster and see how he performs in a multi-inning role out of the bullpen over the first month or so and then re-evaluate his spot on the roster.
And BTW, LHRP Justin Wilson was excellent today, pitching with confidence and combining a 96-97 MPH FB and a hard slider to produce an easy 1-2-3 inning. And -- HE THREW STRIKES!
RHP Luke Farrell worked the final three innings for the Cubs (he's getting stretched-out to be a SP at Iowa), and he racked up seven strikeouts. Farrell "pitches backwards," meaning he uses his 90-91 MPH FB to set up his plus-CV and CH, and he depends on plus-command to make it work. He had plus-command today.
Thanks for game account, Phil
It seems like a good sign
they seem to like him better
I think Mills needs to be
The thing that concerns me
The thing that concerns me about the Cubs giving up on Eddie Butler is that he fits a similar profile as Jake Arrieta circa-2013. He has above-average stuff and he has the diversity of pitches to be a starter, but he also has command problems, throws too many pitches per inning, and seems to be unable to fight back against adverse situations.
That was the knock against Arrieta when the Cubs acquired him from Baltimore. He was seen as being mentally weak and unable to handle adversity. Of course Arrieta ultimately became mentally and physically strong, but that's probably atypical. There is just no way to tell in advance if that will ever happen with Butler, so it's just a question of how long the Cubs can carry him on the roster waiting for the light to go on (presuming it ever does, which it probably won't).
Also, this is not a rebuilding situation like it was in 2013-14 where the Cubs can afford to let Butler struggle and (hopefully) eventually figure things out and - MAYBE - become another Jake Arrieta. Or - MAYBE - he will be able to harness his stuff in short burts and morph into a quality reliever (as happened with Carl Edwards Jr).
Bottom line is, if the Cubs get a reasonable offer (like maybe a younger pitcher who is not out of minor league options), I can see the Cubs trading Butler. Meanwhile he's the 8th man in the pen.
One hope I've got for Butler
One hope I've got for Butler is that he's always been used in rotation, where his fastball is good but not all that fast. (Faster maybe than the Cubs soft-toss rotation last year, but not fast relative to league.) But a lot of guys throw harder in relief. And sometimes when a guy is pitching more often, it's almost easier to kind of stay in sync. Would be cool, for him and Cubs, if he emerged as a pretty decent long-relief and 6th-inning guy. The erratic control is a concern, though. When Grimm was getting used for 6th inning work, you never new if he'd be able to get the ball over the plate. Maddon might like somebody with averag stuff, but who's safer to be able to throw strikes and get through the 6th inning more consistently.
RIP ryan merritt's ERA and
RIP ryan merritt's ERA and WHIP.
Wow. Hannemann is putting on
Wow. Hannemann is putting on a power display today. 1 HR and two doubles that had home run distance -- and one of them should have been ruled a home run. Double #1 hit high off the 30 foot high centerfield wall 433 ft. from the plate and double #2 hit the 364' sign sticking up above the wall in right center field. It was above the blue line going along the top of the wall (they don't have a yellow line at the top of the wall, for some reason). I think I got all of that right -- there being no replay in spring training games and the TV shot was not very zoomed in. Len and JD discussed that it should have been ruled a HR but no one's going to argue a spring training judgement call like that. It would have been cool for Jacob to have a three homer day, though.
it's one of the few 3-hit
at the end of the top 8th the
at the end of the top 8th the stadium sound dude ended the half-inning by playing the Super Mario World "course clear" song.
vegas is ready for baseball. they have my vote of confidence.
Q: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 8K.
Q: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 8K.
More of that, please.
Q was awsome last night.
Q was awsome last night.
I'm pretty happy about where
PHIL: Thanks for the Eddie
PHIL: Thanks for the Eddie Butler summary. With options for Simmons, Maples, et. al., still, you’re probably right about them keeping him on the 25-man.
I am interested in what you are seeing with J Heyward on a daily basis. It seems really like he just can’t hit anymore. I hate to say it, but do you think he will just be the highest-paid platoon guy now?
Btw, ETHS lost to Whitney Young in the semi’s. Close game...E-MAN: For now Jason Heyward
Too bad about ETHS. As I'm sure you know, 2018 is the 50th anniversary of the Wildkits' last state basketball championship (that was the Bob Lackey-Farrell Jones-Walter Perrin team that had Minnie Minoso's son as the 6th man), and it sure would have been sweet to win the 4-A championship this year. But it was exciting, and at least they did come close. And the businesses at Church & Dodge survived. (There was a near-riot at that intersection in 1968 -- I know because I was there!)
PHIL: Yeah, it was too bad
Ha! 1968 was the year for
Wow K Dub. That is pretty
Wow K Dub. That is pretty neat. Marcus Liberty then went on to Lou Henson's Flyin' Illini team with Kenny Battle, Kendall Gill, and Stephen Bardo? Man - those were they days they could recruit. No more.
AZ Phil, can you give me an
AZ Phil, can you give me an update on Eddy Julio Martinez? What is his
AZ Phil, how is Eddy Julio Martinez looking this Spring? I see he is still with the Iowa group, at least for now.
Hey Hagsag . Opps.
HAGSAG: As I mentioned here
Boy it would be great if the