Almora & Vitters Lead Cubs to Victory over A's

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 4:38pm

Albert Almora laced an opposite-field RBI triple into the RF corner and then scored one out later on a sacrifice fly, Josh Vitters roped an RBI double, and Jose Rosario threw four innings of one-hit ball, helping the Cubs edge the Athletics 4-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Fitch Park Field #4 (formerly known as "Field #3") in Mesa, AZ. 

Almora (the Cubs 2012 1st round draft pick) saw his first game action in more than six weeks, since having hand surgery on March 16th (he broke his hamate bone at Minor League Camp on March 14th). He was a DH and hit five times in today's game, once in each of the first five innings. He lined out to CF in his first AB, then bounced out to third, reached base on an E-5 (another bouncer that the A's third-baseman tried to cut-off in front of the shortstop), ripped his RBI triple (and then he tore his pants and got a pretty good "raspberry" on his left thigh sliding home on the sac fly), and (in his last AB) grounded out to short. 

Josh Conway got the start for the Cubs and went five strong innings (80 pitches), allowing two runs on four hits (all four singles) and two walks, while striking out six (five swinging). He retired nine of the first ten men he faced and then four of the last five, but in between he gave up two runs on four hits in the top of the 4th. The way he is being stretched out makes it look like the Cubs might be thinking about moving him up to Kane County or Daytona in the near future.

Jose Rosario followed Conway to the mound and threw four innings of one-hit ball (although he did walk three). He surrendered a lead-off triple in the top of the 9th, but looked like he would get out of the inning and leave the runner stranded at 3rd after retiring the next two hitters. However, a two-out fielding error by 1st baseman Mark Malave allowed the runner at 3rd to score. Rosario looks like he might be about ready to move up to either Kane County or Daytona, too.




The game was pre-planned as a ten-inning affair, and the A's did score two runs off Ethan Elias to take a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th. However, the game was called in the middle of the 10th because the A's ran out of available pitchers, and so the score reverted to what it was at the end of the 9th inning, and therefore the Cubs won 4-3. 

Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only): 

CUBS LINEUP:
X. Albert Almora, DH #1: 1-5 (L-8, 5-3, E-5, 3B, 6-3, R, RBI)
NOTE: Almora batted five times, hitting 2nd in each of the first five innings  
1a. Shawon Dunston Jr, CF: 0-1 (K, F-8 SF, RBI)
1b. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 1-1 (1B, F-7 SF, RBI)
2a. David Bote, 2B: 0-2 (L-9, 1-3)   
2b. Roberto Caro, CF: 1-1 (1B, BB, CS)
3. Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-3 (E-6, 1B, F-8, R)
4. Josh Vitters, 3B-DH: 2-3 (5-3, 2B, 1B, RBI)
5. Yasiel Balaguert, RF: 1-3 (4-3, 1B, K)
6a. Jose Dore, 1B: 0-2 (L-4, 4-3)
6b. Wilfredo Petit, C: 0-1 (K)
7a. Xavier Batista, LF: 0-2 (K, K)
7b. Mark Malave, 1B: 0-1 (4-6 FC)
8a. Lance Rymel, C: 0-2 (6-4-3 DP, 4-3)
8b. Garrett Schlecht, LF: 0-0 (BB, R)
9. Kevin Encarnacion, DH #2: 0-1 (BB, K, BB, R)
10a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TWO TIMES THRU BATTING ORDER
10b. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 0-1 (L-4)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Josh Conway: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 6 K, 80 pitches (50 strikes), 4/4 GO/FO
2. Jose Rosario: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 59 pitches (33 strikes), 4/6 GO/FO
3. Ethan Elias: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 19 pitches (14 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO

CUBS ERRORS: 2
1. 1B Mark Malave - E-3 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely & unearned run to score)
2. C Wilfredo Petit - E-2 (overthrow at 2nd base on SB attempt allowed baserunner to advance to 3rd)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
1. Lance Rymel: 1-3 CS
2. Wilfredo Petit: 0-1 CS , 1 E (see above)

ATTENDANCE: 14

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 90's 


 

Tags: 
EXST Cubs Extended Spring Training
Josh Conway
Albert Almora
Josh Vitters
Jose Rosario

Comments

Submitted by QuietMan  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 4:52pm  
When you don't hustle, you don't play for the Daytona Cubs. That was the message that was delivered to outfielder Jorge Soler on Sunday, when the highly touted prospect was benched for a game for not running hard on two at-bats in a Saturday night loss to Lakeland. http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/201...

Submitted by Charlie  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 5:02pm  
The first month of the season has been inauspicious for Mr. Soler.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 12:40am  
speaking of... cespedes (OAK) just turned a double/triple into a single by watching what he thought was a HR bounce off the wall before he started running to 1st. he tied the game in the 9th at least.

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 5:01pm  
the SB is over-rated... http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-base...

Submitted by Charlie  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 5:04pm  
Might want to think about holding the runner, Meat.

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 6:22am  
The batter looked a little bummed. "Wait. Where do I fit in all this?"

Submitted by VirginiaPhil  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 5:12pm  
Kyle Hendricks starting to pitch well for Tennessee. Very well: in his last two starts (including today) his numbers are 13 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 17 K's.

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 7:16pm  
ninja with 2 wild pitches in the 1st...leading to a run...that's 6 WP in 33.2ip this season.

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 7:41pm  
s.hairston + c.ransom back to back solo HR, bottom 2nd, cubs lead by 1

Submitted by Rob G.  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 7:41pm  

heh

Hairston and Ransom go back to back...better odds at winning lotto.

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 8:20pm  
vidal nuno making his debut (out of the pen) for the yanks...that's the guy i really wanted the cubs to go after in the rule 5 and was kinda shocked no team snagged him. cubs have done okay with rondon, though...at least with early returns.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 9:25pm  

The Unsinkable Cody Ransom 

Submitted by The Joe  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 9:27pm  
Greatest Cub of all time?

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 10:05pm  
him or ace closer kevin gregg.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 10:21pm  

a close second to Jose Macias...

Submitted by Jackstraw  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 11:50pm  
Sheesh, kids these days. None of those mopes even make the Carmen Fanzone wing of Cubs greats.

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 10:10pm  
welly got his 1st walk of the season tonight...it only took 73 trips to the plate.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 10:45pm  

Strasburg - forearm tightness.

worked out well for you Rizzo

sorry for Strasburg if its serious...

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 11:10pm  
bottom 14th, NYM/MIA...NYM out of relievers so s.marcum comes in to pitch, 2 days after starting fresh off the DL. i guess if you throw 85mph fastballs it doesn't matter too much.

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 11:44pm  
mets score 1 in the top 15th...marcum comes on to pitch the bottom 15...gives up 2 runs and picks up his 2nd loss of the season. neat.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 1:51am  
speaking of doing weird things with starters... b.anderson (OAK) who has been in the dugout with a cast/boot to immobilize his ankle all game is now pitching in the top 13th. that said, his ankle has been bothering him a while and hurt since his last start (which he made)...so it's not like it's broken or something.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 2:52am  
crazy game...going to the middle 17th now. both crisp and c.young have left the game due to leg injuries (crisp 13th, hamstring - c.young 15th, right quad). b.anderson just finished his 5th inning and is showing signs of discomfort, though pitching effectively. longest game in oakland colosseum history...3rd longest OAK game ever.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 3:09am  
b.anderson done after 5.1 (man on 1st) in the top 18th...he was getting really messy on the mound and was obviously in pain for a few innings...limping hard into the trainer's room.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 3:20am  
j.blevins up for his 1st MLB AB (they lost the DH slot due to injured player shuffling)...the A's crowd (an impressive amount still at the game considering the time/length, especially in the OF bleachers) with a huge JERRY BLEVINS chant...dugout with rally hats turned inside-out, fan style...and he Ks. ...a couple of outs later...to the 19th.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 3:48am  
b.moss 2r HR ends it in the bottom 19th on the 598th pitch of the game...longest (by time) game in A's history...fun times. c.iannetta (LAA) caught all 19 innings...man of steel.

Submitted by billybucks  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 8:07am  
J. Baez with his 11th error of the season last night -- on April 29. I can't bear to do the math for a full-season projection. And we think he's a defensive upgrade to Castro? Yikes.

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 6:35pm  
Who is "we"? Anyway, Baez was also Florida State League player of the week for April 22-28

Submitted by billybucks  on Wed, 05/01/2013 - 8:28am  
Sorry..."we" = seems to be a growing consensus that Baez is the SS of the future and Castro will move.

Submitted by John Beasley  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 8:09am  
I have it from an inside source that the real reason Matt Garza missed his rehab start is because he got kicked in the arm by a billy goat. Also, the Cubs are definitely going to lose 100 games this year. #negativity

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 9:40am  

Today is the beginning of a new MLB waiver period, and it is in effect until 4 PM (EDT) on July 31st. .

For the past seven months or so the Cubs have had second waiver claim priorty (because they had the second-worst record in MLB last season), but starting today waiver claim priority changes daily, based upon the standings the morning the two-day waiver-claiming period ends for a particular player. So as of this morning, the Cubs are now 6th in waiver claim priority, behind MIA, HOU, TOR, SD and LAA. (The Padres and Angels are tied in the standings, so either could have 5th waiver claim priority, depending on whether the player is waived by an American League club or a National League club).     

Also, beginning with the new waiver period, Outright Assignment Waivers (once secured) are good for the entire waiver period, so (for example) a player who is outrighted during this waiver period can be sent back & forth to the minors without having to be placed on waivers each time. However, the player would have the right to decline the Outright Assignment and elect free-agency i9f he is outrighted a second in the waiver period, since he would have been outrighted at least twice in his career. But at the same time, a player on a minor league roster who is called up to MLB and is added to an MLB 40-man roster can sign a 45-day waiver that allows the club to outright the player without the player electing free-agency anytime during that 45-day period. This would be used (for example) in the case of a veteran player on the Iowa roster (somebody like Brad Nelson, J. C. Boscan, Alberto Gonzalez, Brian Bogusevic, et al) who is brought up to MLB to replace an injured player for a short period of time, where the club tells the player "we will bring you up for 15 days, but only if you sign the 45-day waiver." Sometimes a player will agree to sign the 45-day waiver (especialy if he understands his role in the organization), and sometimes he won't. And if two players play the same position and one agrees to sign the waiver and the other doesn't, the club will likely select the contract of the one who agrees to sign.

Here is a refresher on how waivers work:

For Optional Assignment Waivers, Outright Waivers, and Release Waivers, if a player is claimed by only one club, that club is awarded the claim. If more than one club makes a claim, the club with the lowest winning percentage (regardless of league) on the day the player clears waivers is awarded the claim. If two clubs with the same winning percentage make a claim, the club in the player's own league is awarded the claim. If two clubs from the same league make a claim and they are tied in the standings, the club with the lowest winning percentage from the previous season is awarded the claim. If the clubs are still tied, standings from two years back (or three years back, four years back, etc) are used to break the tie.

However, in the case of Trade Waivers (only), if a player is claimed by more than one club, the club in the player's own league with the lowest winning percentage is awarded the claim, even if that club has a higher winning percentage than the club or clubs making a claim from the other league. So a player placed on Trade Assignment Waivers must first be "waived out of his own league" before he can be assigned to a club in the other league. BUT THIS ONLY APPLIES TO TRADE WAIVERS, and Trade Waivers are only used beginning on August 1st up through the conclusion of the MLB regular season.  

For the purpose of determining the awarding of waivers claims, the previous season's standings are used during the off-season and up through the first 30 days of the following season. Then beginning on the 31st day of the season, the standings as of the date the player clears waivers are used to determine the awarding of waiver claims, with the previous season's standings used to break any ties.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 3:46pm  
"Mariners signed OF Corey Patterson to a minor league contract." lulz etc.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 4:24pm  
"Randy Wells has announced his retirement from baseball." the ex-cub ratio in MLB is balanced again.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 4:28pm  

Cubs get $10.5M for draft

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130...


$3.85M for international signings

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130...

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 4:54pm  
appel vs gray...and HOU gets to force the decision for the cubs...should be a boring, yet highly satisfying draft. outside chance of kris bryant (3rd, power + plate selection, college player). fwiw...the stats so far... M.Appel - 78.2ip 57h 14bb 93k - 1.49era (1hr) J.Gray - 74.1ip 40k 13bb 91k - 1.09era (1hr) K.Bryant - 156ab 55h 11dbl 22hr 46rbi - 53bb 31k 6/9sb - .346/.517/.865 (6e - 44g)

Submitted by John Beasley  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 6:42pm  
Bryant's bombs aren't really coming against elite arms, but it's hard to ignore all that jack.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 4:41pm  
DeJesus CF, Castro SS, Riz 1B, Sori LF, Schierholtz RF, Castillo C, Valbuena 3B, Barney 2B, Jackson P.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 7:09pm  
84F night game @wrigley...place not even 1/2 full at 1st pitch. yow.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 8:22pm  
late-comers have filled to park to about 2/3rd full...is this LA or something?

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 7:21pm  
a.rizzo just stole 3rd base with 2 outs...lulz.

Submitted by jacos  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 8:12pm  
Jackson and Sori should bring a boatload of prospects come trade deadline.

Submitted by jacos  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 8:13pm  
Dale, How about flipping Sori and Schierholtz in line up for awhile?

Submitted by The E-Man  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 8:39pm  
4/52 = the new 3/44 Thanks Theo.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 8:40pm  
that extra 4m a year for a.sanchez is looking really sane right now.

Submitted by tem99  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 9:22pm  
And thats putting it mildly. You know salary inflation is in full effect when soriano's contract goes from outright insane to just plain crazy.

Submitted by Charlie  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 10:07pm  
Can we get a mercy rule or something? Maybe it's time to put Borbon on the mound.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 10:32pm  
mark grace update... “He is now beginning his new chapter as a uniformed coach on the field, and I am thrilled for him and us,” Derrick Hall, Diamondbacks president and CEO, said Monday. “He is full time and will be with us long after June 10 (when his sentence ends),” Hall said. “When the Arizona Summer League begins, he will be our hitting coach for that team.”

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Wed, 05/01/2013 - 1:29am  

CRUNCH: Mark Grace was the EXST Diamondbacks 1st base coach on Jackrabbit Field in the Cubs-D'backs doubleheader at Talking Stick last week. He also is one of the hitting coaches.

He kind of gave me a double-take at one point when he saw me writing stuff down. I think he thought maybe I was working for Sheriiff Joe and was there to keep tabs on him.

But his situation (work release) is kind of like Field of Dreams, where Shoeless Joe (not to be confused with Sheriff Joe) can't walk off the field and go the house. He can go into the corn field when the game is over, but he otherwise he can't leave the field. It's sort of like that with Mark Grace,     

Submitted by crunch  on Wed, 05/01/2013 - 1:42am  
he was corny as hell, but i'm gonna miss him behind the mic (and it's weird hearing bob calling for ARZ again)... he deserves every bit of punishment he's getting for endangering lives...repeatedly... still, i hope he learned something and can stick around the game until he gets bored with it rather than the game getting bored with his antics.

Submitted by billybucks  on Wed, 05/01/2013 - 8:32am  
Seems to be a lot of dead air with Len and JD at this point -- or, one will make a comment and the other doesn't pick up on it. I realize it takes a while to develop "chemistry" -- but I think Len misses his old pal.

Submitted by Andrew  on Wed, 05/01/2013 - 9:10am  
JD is a lot chattier than Bob was. Len used to have to carry the conversation quite a bit, since BB would only chime in when he really had something to say. JD tends to carry the conversation line a lot more. I think they're still working out the chemistry, but the dynamic is going to be different too.

Submitted by Charlie  on Wed, 05/01/2013 - 11:33am  
I think with the Cubs the way they are, WGN ought to hire two or three more color commentators so that the broadcast is like a Superbowl party: constant chatter about nonsense until something truly exciting happens.

Submitted by jacos  on Wed, 05/01/2013 - 1:37pm  
Cant wait for the wacky plays on the video board http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re7O5q3xuTg

Recent comments

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The first 600 characters of the last 16 comments, click "View" to see rest of comment.
  • Dolorous Jon Lester 13 hours 23 min ago (view)

    He played in the big leagues longer than he played any other level of organized baseball combined.

     
  • crunch 13 hours 26 min ago (view)

    al kaline has died at age 85.

    from highschool to the majors without touching the minors...22 seasons, all with DET...18x all-star...3000 hit club.

     
  • Charlie 2 days 13 hours ago (view)

    Currently at a near full-time job that just barely covers my monthly expenses if nothing emerges.

    I make more than that.

     
  • crunch 2 days 13 hours ago (view)

    "Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that Major League Baseball is considering opening the season in empty spring training parks -- with no fans and all players quarantined.

    The plan would have all teams stationed in one centralized location -- likely Arizona"

     
  • Arizona Phil 4 days 2 hours ago (view)

    In addition to 40 players signed to 2020 MLB contracts, after releasing 22 minor leaguers this week the Cubs now have 279 players signed to 2020 minor league contracts (plus one minor leaguer on the Restricted List), for a total of 320 players in the organization (181 pitchers, 30 catchers, 60 infielders, and 49 outfielders).   

     
  • JustSayin' 4 days 11 hours ago (view)

    Years of over-drafting pitching shown here.

     
  • Dolorous Jon Lester 4 days 13 hours ago (view)

    Some of the players cut I am not too surprised by. Some of them I think are definitely victims of the minor league pay thing and being squeezed out.

    That said, I am very surprised they gave up already on Riley McCauley and Niels Stone.

     
  • Hagsag 4 days 15 hours ago (view)

    Baseball America is showing a big group of players that have been released.

     
  • Arizona Phil 5 days 4 hours ago (view)

    The Cubs have released minor league catcher Rafelin Lorenzo. He was selected from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the AAA Phase of the 2018 Rule 5 Draft and spent the 2019 season at South Bend. He was eligible to be a minor league 6YFA post-2020. 

     
  • JustSayin' 6 days 13 hours ago (view)

    The organizations will cut rosters down, as if the full-season teams were breaking camp to start the season, THEN pay the remaining minor leaguers $400/week or whatever.  That's similar to what costs would have normally been but the "one last chance" players who got spring training invitations this year and didn't have an obvious roster spot won't be getting their last chance.

     
  • crunch 6 days 15 hours ago (view)

    "According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, all minor league players will be receiving $400 per week from MLB through at least May 31."

    so that's where that promise landed.  the scary thing is that's still more than some in the low minors make on a weekly basis.

     
  • crunch 1 week 2 days ago (view)

    "Jeff Passan of ESPN writes that the players and league agreed that the 2020 season won't start until "there are no bans on mass gatherings that limit the ability to play in front of fans, there are no travel restrictions and medical experts determine games will not pose a risk to health of teams and fans." Passan does add that the two sides "will consider the feasibility of playing in empty stadiums" and also at neutral sites.

     
  • crunch 1 week 2 days ago (view)

    i miss baseball.  it could happen in june...it may happen in late may...it might not happen either way.

    there's so many things getting messed up right now i would get lost making a list.  there's some college guys making a serious "okay, we need to look at that guy" push that's dead.  former cubs draft pick russell smith (2017, LHP highschool) took last season off for injury (TCU college) and returned with a low 90s fastball, impressive control, and a MLB-quality changeup.  his "comeback" was 4 games and done thanks to this current situation...

     
  • JustSayin' 1 week 2 days ago (view)

    COVID 19 + a short draft + Manfred's obsessive drive to shrink the minor leagues will change baseball forever.  It WAS still America's grass roots sport.  Where I live, from June through August, you could see a quality live game any day of the week, within an hour's drive.  I believe that era is over.  What's going on will have ripple effects, contracting serious college ball, college summer leagues and independent pro ball just as much as the MiLB systems.  With those changes, some of the game's charm will also go.  I've seen a kid from Cape Cod play in the Ca

     
  • crunch 1 week 3 days ago (view)

    fyi for anyone who bought MLB.tv

    for "some reason" getting a cancel+refund via phone is like pulling teeth, but if you contact them via a webpage contact request many people are getting a cancel+refund confirmation within an hour or 2...

     
  • bradsbeard 1 week 3 days ago (view)

    I imagine because the new labor agreement freezes rosters as of whenever the agreement is approved by the owners and it might affect what those guys are paid under the agreement. 

     
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