Bard, Russell, and Denorfia Get Pre-Game Reps at Extended Spring Training
Adonis Paula singled twice, stole a base, and drove-in a run, Kevonte Mitchell singled twice and scored a run, and Carlos Sepulveda smacked a solo home run, in Cubs Extended Spring Training intrasquad game action this morning on Field #5 at Mesa CubTown at Riverview Park.
The game was called after 4-1/2 innings with the score tied 2-2. (All three Extended Spring Training intrasquad games played this week have ended in a tie)
RHP (ex-C) Mark Malave finally made his game debut as a pitcher, throwing a shutout inning (4-3, 3-1, BB, 4-6 FC). I didn't see anthing special with his stuff, although he throws both a two-seam fastball and a curve (and the curve might be his best pitch). Malave received a reported $1.6M bonus when he was signed by the Cubs as a 16-year old switch-hitting catcher out of Venezuela in July 2011, the highest bonus ever given by the Cubs to an international amateur free-agent up to that point in time. He was moved almost immediately to 3rd base, and then he was moved back to catcher again (and gave up switch-hitting to hit only RH) after the 2013 season. He struggled offensively throughout his pro career as a postion player (248/347/305 in 141 career minor league games and 560 career minor league PA), and then was converted to a pitcher at Minor League Camp last month.
In Cubs minor league roster news, RHP Daniel Bard (signed to a minor league contract during the off-season with an NRI to Spring Training, then couldn't throw strikes) and ex-Cubs LHP James Russell (signed to a minor league contract by the Cubs this morning after being released by the Atlanta Braves last week) have been assigned to Extended Spring Training. Both pitchers threw morning bullpen side-sessions but did not pitch in the game. Rehabbers RHP Dylan Cease (2014 TJS), RHP Trey Masek (2014 shoulder surgery), and RHP Austin Reed (2014 TJS) also threw bullpen side-sessions this morning.
Chicago Cubs OF Chris Denorfia (15-day DL - hamstring) took BP on Field #6 prior to the game.
Here is the box score from the game:
SQUAD "A" LINEUP:
1. Kevonte Mitchell, CF: 2-3 (1B, 5-3, 1B, R)
2. Frandy de la Rosa, 2B: 1-3 (1B, 5-3, F-9, R)
3. Bryant Flete, SS: 0-2 (4-3, K)
4. Eloy Jimenez, RF: 1-2 (5-3, 1B, RBI)
5. Adonis Paula, 3B: 2-2 (1B, 1B, RBI, SB)
6. Tyler Alamo, 1B: 0-2 (FC, K)
7. Ricardo Marcano, LF: 0-2 (L-8, 4-3)
8. Miguel Rico, DH #1: 0-2 (5-3, 4-3)
9. Jordan Hankins, DH #2: 0-2 (K, L-6)
10. Eric Gonzalez, C: 0-2 (3-U, 5-3)
SQUAD "B" LINEUP:
1. Kevin Brown, 1B: 1-2 (3B, 1-3, R)
2. Ho-Young Son, SS: 1-2 (1B, 5-3, RBI, CS)
3. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 1-2 (HR, 3-1, R, RBI)
4. Tyler Pearson, DH #1: 0-2 (K, 4-3)
5. Varonex Cuevas, LF: 0-2 (K, 3-1)
6. Jhonny Pereda, DH #2: 0-0 (BB, BB)
7. Roney Alcala, RF: 0-2 (FC+E4, 4-6 FC)
8. Carlos Jimenez, 3B: 0-1 (3-U)
9. Kevin Encarnacion, CF: 0-1 (4-1)
10. Roberto Vahlis, C: 1-1 (1B)
SQUAD "A" PITCHERS:
1. Brad Markey: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 16 pitches (10 strikes)
2. Michael Wagner: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 15 pitches (9 strikes)
3. Austyn Willis: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 12 pitches (7 strikes)
4. Mark Malave: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 13 pitches (6 strikes)
SQUAD "B" PITCHERS
1. Ben Wells: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 2/0 GO/FO, 14 pitches (8 strikes)
2. Alexander Santana: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 12 pitches (9 strikes)
3. Jesus Castillo: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 12 pitches (7 strikes)
4. Andin Diaz: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 2/0 GO/FO, 15 pitches (8 strikes)
5. Jose Zapata: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 17 pitches (9 strikes)
SQUAD "A" ERRORS: 1
2B Frandy de la Rosa - E-4 (throwing error attempting to turn DP allowed batter to advance to 2nd base)
SQUAD "B" ERRORS: NONE
SQUAD "A" CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Eric Gonzalez: 1-1 CS
SQUAD "B" CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Roberto Vahlis: 0-1 CS, 1 PB
ATTENDANCE: 7
WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 70's
2015 CUBS EXTENDED SPRING TRAINING ROSTER: 63+7
Last updated 4-8-2015
NOTE: The Extended Spring Training (EXST) group (AKA "Eugene/Mesa") is formed during Minor League Camp. This group consists of players who are the replacement cadre for the full season affiliates, players deemed not ready for full-season leagues, and injured players.
PITCHERS: 39+6
Adbert Alzolay
Pedro Araujo
Daniel Bard
Dallas Beeler (INACTIVE - shoulder)
Jordan Brink
Jesus Camargo
Marcelo Carreno (LIMITED ACTIVITY REHAB - post-2013 shoulder surgery)
Jesus Castillo
Dylan Cease (ACTIVE REHAB - 2014 TJS)
Oscar de la Cruz
* Andin Diaz
Greyfer Eregua
Scott Frazier
David Garner
Trevor Graham
Taner Griggs
Luis Hernandez
Corbin Hoffner
Pierce Johnson (INACTIVE - lat strain)
John Michael Knighton
Daniel Lewis
Mark Malave (ex-C)
Dillon Maples
Brad Markey
Trey Masek (ACTIVE REHAB - 2014 shoulder surgery)
Trey McNutt (INACTIVE - 2014 shoulder surgery)
Yomar Morel
Erling Moreno (LIMITED ACTIVITY REHAB - 2014 TJS)
* Ariel Ovando (ex-OF)
* Jose Paulino
Hector Perez
Austin Reed (ACTIVE REHAB - 2014 TJS)
* James Russell
* Carson Sands
Alex Santana
* Justin Steele
Jacob Turner (INACTIVE - shoulder)
Michael Wagner
* Tsuyoshi Wada (ACTIVE REHAB - groin)
Ben Wells
Austyn Willis
* Sam Wilson
Jose Zapata
CATCHERS: 7+1
Tyler Alamo (also has been playing 1B)
Eric Gonzalez
* Jordan Hankins (ex-3B)
Tyler Pearson
Jhonny Pereda
Will Remillard (INACTIVE - 2015 TJS)
Miguel Rico (ex-3B)
Roberto Vahlis
INFIELDERS: 10+2
# Roney Alcala
* Danny Canela (LIMITED ACTIVITY REHAB)
# Varonex Cuevas
# Frandy de la Rosa
* Bryant Flete
Carlos Jimenez
Joey Martarano (INACTIVE - attending college)
Adonis Paula
Tim Saunders (LIMITED ACTIVITY REHAB)
* Carlos Sepulveda
Ho-Young Son
* Logan Watkins (INACTIVE - torn achilles tendon)
OUTFIELDERS: 8
* Kevin Brown
Chris Denorfia (LIMITED ACTIVIIY REHAB)
* Kevin Encarnacion (formerly a switch-hitter, he is now hitting only LH)
Calvin Graves (LIMITED ACTIVITY REHAB)
Jae-Hoon Ha (LIMITED ACTIVITY REHAB)
Eloy Jimenez
Kevonte Mitchell
* Ricardo Marcano
GAME MANAGERS:
Carmelo Martinez (AZL Cubs Manager)
Gary Van Tol (Eugene Manager)
COACHES
Oscar Bernard (AZL Cubs Hitting Coach)
Tom Beyers (Assistant Minor League Hitting Coordinator)
Nate Maldonado (Mesa Rehab Assistant Coach)
Ricardo Medina (Eugene Hitting Coach)
Terrmel Sledge (Eugene Assistant Coach)
Anderson Tavares (Eugene Pitching Coach)
Rick Tronerud (Mesa Rehab Pitching Coach)
Ron Villone (AZL Cubs Pitching Coach)
Ty Wright (AZL Cubs Assistant Coach)
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACHES
Sean Folan (AZL Cubs)
Ryan Nordvedt (Eugene)
ATHLETIC TRAINERS:
Chuck Baughman (Assistant Minor League Training Coordinator - Mesa Rehab)
Mike McNulty (Eugene)
Toby Williams (AZL Cubs)
Comments
The Cubs have released VSL
The Cubs have released VSL Cubs IF-OF Humberto Garcia and RHP Julio Sanchez. Neither player could return to Latin rookie ball in 2015 because they have spent four "full seasons" playing in Latin rookie leagues, and players can't go back there once they reach the four year limit, Apparently the Cubs did not feel either was worthy of getting a shot in Extended Spring Training.
Both Garcia and Sanchez were "second contract players," with Garcia having signed with the Cubs in 2013 after being released by the White Sox, and Sanchez having signed with the Cubs in 2014 after being released by Cleveland.
http://www.csnchicago.com
http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/why-cubs-are-s...
Edwards starting in AA, wanting to monitor his workload and keep innings down early in case they need him later in year.
starting...bullpen...title
They didn't mention that
for what little it's worth,
for what little it's worth, Mets batting DeGrom in the 8th slot tonight.
The genius of Tony LaRussa
ichiro's 1st hit as a marlin
a.cashner is throwing 99mph
...and then the SD defense
Latoya does his best Hawkins
And of course Hawkins gets
Phil, Kevin Brown is leaving
agonz is really good at
Adrian Gonzalez putting on a
He has 5 HR on the year thru
Somebody needs to tell him
AzPhil,
TOONSTER: I don't know the
TOONSTER: I don't know the cause of it (and he probably does not know either), but Ben Wells showed up at Minor League Camp last season (2014) with a case of the yips. It wasn't as bad as the Daniel Bard or Scott Frazier cases (which are REALLY bad), probably more like Dillon Maples, or Trey Lang (before he retired).
He eventually ended up at Extended Spring Training and they tried to adjust his mechanics (grip, arm slot, release point landing spot), but it didn't really fix the problem.
Some days are better than others, but he still isn't throwing with much confidence. He's been getting cuffed around, almost like he's throwing BP.
Hmm. Can't think of many
Another mock draft...projects
Does anyone have a site that
Nevermind, found a good break
See? It's just that easy
Based uppn the sequence they
Based uppn the sequence they were in at Minor League Camp from this past weekend, the Myrtle Beach starting rotation is Underwood-Torrez-Blackburn-Skulina-Tseng (in that order), and the South Bend rotation is Stinnett-Hedges-Null-Leal-Clifton. However, Hedges got bombed on Friday and so he could be replaced by Ryan Williams or Ryan McNeil (both are stretched-out). James Norwood was stretched-out as a starter but then he was moved to the bullpen this past weekend.
Iowa had Roach-Pimentel-Jokisch-Loux #1-4 through this past weekend with the #5 slot TBA (could be a Britton-Negrin piggy-back, or maybe Tsuyoshi Wada on a 30-daty minor league rehab assignment, since Wada threw 64 pitches in an Extended Spring Training intrasquad game on Tuesday).
Tennessee had Black-Pineyro-Zastryzny-Pena #1-4 through this past weekend with the 5th slot TBA.
The minor league third
The minor league third-catchet/player-coach DL assignments have begun...
3rd catcher Alberto Mineo to 7-day DL at Myrtle Beach, and I would expect the same thing for Erick Castillo (3rd catcher) at AA Tennessee.
Brewers Double-A team will
Brewers Double-A team will play first 2 months on the road
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12652787/mi...
AZ Phil, is there any hope
HAGSAG: There isn't a lot of
HAGSAG: There isn't a lot of hope for a pitcher as deep into the yips as Bard is. I think the Cubs are just giving him a chance because the FO knew him from Red Sox days, but he looks really messed up right now. If the strike zone was high & outside he'd be fine.
According to Maddonni the
Wow.....Milton Bradley is a
yup, pretty terrifying
yup, pretty terrifying article even if you knew about it, probably didn't know the ugly details.
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/san-diego-...
Rosenthal on Padres SS search has this about Castro
Much of the recent media speculation centers on Castro, whom the Cubs likely will attempt to move to clear the position for top prospect Addison Russell.
Well, the Padres indeed have talked to the Cubs about infielders, but not recently, one source said. What’s more, some with the Pads are less than enamored of Castro’s defense, another source said, echoing a view held by many in the industry.
Don't know about the first part because I doubt they're really sold on LaStella/Alcantara at 2b or Baez and Castro can move to 2B for Russell or vice-versa (guessing it's Castro that moves).
Might have been Valbuena.
For some time now, Theo & Jed
CLE loses their bid for a
To get down to the 25-man
To get down to the 25-man Opening Day active roster limit, the Iowa Cubs have placed INF Javy Baez on the Bereavement List and LHP Joe Ortiz on the Suspended List, and have released RHP Jorge DeLeon. OF Kevin Brown has been moved up to Iowa from Extended Spring Training to replace Baez. Also, LHP James Russell is supposedly en route to Memphis to join the I-Cubs after throwing a bullpen side-session at Cubs Minor League Camp at Riverview Park yesterday morning (he spent most of Spring Traning with the Atlanta Braves).
The reason for Ortiz's suspension would NOT be a Prohibited Substance violation, because if that's what it was he would have been placed on the Restricted List. So best guess would be that there was some violation of team rules, like he missed the bus when the I-Cubs left for Memphis from Des Moines yesterday, or he got arrested, or he had a fight with the manager or with a coach or a teammate.
To get down to the 25-man active roster limit, the Tennessee Smokies have placed C Erick Casillo on the 7-day DL and LHP Jeffry Antigua has been sent to Extended Spring Training, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans have placed LHP Michael Heesch and C-1B Alberto Mineo on 7-day DL. and the South Bend Cubs have placed LHP Tyler Ihrig and OF Yasiel Balaguert on the 7-day DL.
The fact that E. Castillo, Heesch, Mineo, Ihrig, and Balaguert were not left behind at Extended Spring Training (and they all looked perfectly healthy on Sunday) tells me they are not really injured (at least not enough to require rehab) and that they will be the in-house "replacement players" for those affiliates. The "injured" pitchers will throw bullpen side-sessions and the "injured" position-players will work as a bullpen catcher or a 1st base coach, and be available to be reinstated whenever needed to replace a player or pitcher who goes on the 7-day DL, and then they go back on the 7-day DL when they are not needed.
What happened to Baez family
I believe his sister died. It
Ah, yes, I do remember that,
http://www.sportingnews.com
Minor league games begin..
Minor league games begin...early returns.
Iowa: Russell 2/2, Bryant 1/2 with a SB, D. Roach starting
Tenn: C. Black starting, 2 shutout innings so far
Myrtle Beach: J. Rogers 3/3 with a HR, V. Caratini 2/3, Penalvar 2/2 and D. Underwood went 5 innings, no earned runs, 5 K, 2 BB
South Bend: Jeffrey Baez 1/3 with a HR, J. Stinnett went 5 innings, 1 ER, 4 K, 2 BB
On this note, I wonder if AZ
What positions were Bryant
Catcher and first base.
What are they going to do
Follow Bert Byleven on
Cubs Lineup today:
Interesting line up. Seems
who the hell is castillo?
also, he's been one hell of a
also, he's been one hell of a sport not pushing his "3rd string" status in public.
Please stop trying to make this a thing.
alright...should i ignore his
we got that...move on,
we got that...move on, because literally no one else here or in the universe has mentioned, cared or said one thing about Castillo being a distraction about this. He's on the Geovany Soto career journeyman path, I'm sure he knows his place in the baseball world by this point.
ooooooooooooookay. *clicks
TCR brass has spoken!
I completely agree with
Castillo (runs into Theo
Castillo (runs into Theo office): TRADE ME!
Theo (hangs up phone): I've been fucking trying!!! No one wants you.
*End scene
Sounds like a conversation
Hah!!
Hah!!
as for the moving on comment,
as for the moving on comment, since you clearly have not been around...harping on things is frowned upon around here, particularly things that aren't things, I obviously wouldn't say anything if that was the first or even second time it was mentioned.
Yeah, fair enough. I get that
As one who was guilty of
Looks like we have a new
that comes with a membership
haha, non-believer!
Schlitter has returned from