The Other Baez Helps Cubs Sweep Giants at Fitch Park

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 05/11/2013 - 5:08pm

Jeffey Baez belted an inside-the-park HR off the CF "Batter's Eye," drilled an RBI single, and walked, Justin Marra hammered a three-run triple, singled, walked, and scored a run, Kevin Encarnacion laced a bases-loaded three-run double, and Yasiel Balaguert blasted a solo HR, as the Cubs swept a Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader from the Giants by scores of 6-3 and 10-7 this morning at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.   

Joey Rapp (on an EXST rehab) walloped a two-run HR for the Giants in a losing cause.

In 16 Cactus League Extended Spring Training games (43 PA), Jeffrey Baez is hitting 342/419/684 with a team-leading four HR. The 19-year old right-handed hitting Venezuelan OF signed with the Cubs for a reported $350K bonus in July 2010 as a 16-year old, at the beginning of the 2010 International Signing Period. Baez went hitless in seven PA at Extended Spring Training last season before breaking his wrist diving for a ball in right field, and then was sent back to the Cubs Dominican Academy where he hit 291/378/448 in 48 games (202 PA) for DSL Cubs #1. 

In two DSL seasons (2011-12), Baez hit a combined 286/363/424, with 8 HR & 64 RBI, 22 doubles, 60 SB (19 CS), 97 runs scored, and 17 outfield assists (playing all three OF slots, but mainly CF) in 116 games (497 PA). He had a brief six-game trial with the AZL Cubs after the conclusion of the DSL season last August, and was likely ticketed for the AZL Cubs this season. But don't be surprised if the "other" Baez skips the AZL, joining fellow Venezuelan teenaged hot-shot Carlos Penalver on what should be a very interesting Boise Hawks team.  

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only):

FITCH PARK FIELD #3:

CUBS SQUAD "B" LINEUP:
1. Jeffrey Baez, CF: 2-3 (HR, BB, 1B, 2-3, R, 2 RBI)
2a. Carlos Penalver, SS: 2-3 (1B, 5-3, 1B) 
2b. Alberto Mineo, C: 0-1 (F-9)
3. Yasiel Balaguert, DH #1: 1-4 (F-8, F-8, F-9, HR, R, RBI)
4. Reggie Golden, LF: 1-4 (P-5, F-8, 1B, K)
5. Trevor Gretzky, 1B: 0-2 (K, BB, 4-6-3 DP)
6. Garrett Schlecht, RF: 0-3 (K, K, F-7)
7. Brad Zapenas, 2B: 1-1 (1B, BB, BB, 3 R)
8. Mark Malave, 3B: 2-3 (1B, F-9, 2B, R, RBI)
9. Erick Castillo, C-DH: 2-2 (F-7 SF, 1B, 1B, 2 RBI)
10a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
10b. Frandy de la Rosa, DH-SS: 0-2 (F-9, 6-3)

CUBS SQUAD "B" PITCHERS:
1. Erick Leal: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 1 PO, 55 pitches (31 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO
NOTE: Top of 3rd inning was stopped with one out when Leal reached his pre-planned max pitch limit for the game
2. Larry Suarez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 8 pitches (8 strikes), 0/1 GO/FO
3. Loiger Padron: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HBP, 41 pitches (19 strikes), 3/1 GO/FO
4. Ethan Elias: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 25 pitches (15 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO

CUBS SQUAD "B" ERRORS: 1
P Erick Leal - E-1 (errant pick-off attempt at 1st base allowed baserunner to advance to 2nd)

CUBS SQUAD "B" CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Erick Castillo: 0-2 CS

FITCH PARK FIELD #4:

CUBS SQUAD "A" LINEUP:
1. Kevin Encarnacion, CF: 1-3 (K, 2B, F-8, 3 RBI)
2. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 1-2 (BB, 2B, 6-4-3 DP, R)
3. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 0-2 (HBP, 6-3, F-9, R)
4. Jacob Rogers, 1B: 1-3 (1B, 3-U, K, R, RBI)
5. Rony Rodriguez, C: 1-2 (2B, HBP, 5-3, 2 RBI)
6. Xavier Batista, LF-DH: 0-2 (K, F-9, HBP, R)
7. Jose Dore, RF: 0-1 (BB, P-5, BB, 2 R)
8. Dong-Yub Kim, DH-LF: 0-2 (E-5, P-6, BB, 2 R)
9. Francisco Sanchez, SS: 0-2 (K, P-6, BB, R, RBI)
10. Justin Marra, DH #2: 2-2 (BB, 1B, 3B, R, 3 RBI) 

CUBS SQUAD "A" PITCHERS:
1. Paul Blackburn: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 57 pitches (36 strikes), 2/2 GO/FO
2. Anthony Prieto: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 2 WP, 36 pitches (20 strikes)
3. Hunter Ackerman: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 31 pitches (20 strikes), 3/1 GO/FO
4. Tyler Bremer: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP, 39 pitches (26 strikes), 4/1 GO/FO

CUBS SQUAD "A" ERRORS: 2
1. CF Kevin Encarnacion, - E-8 (missed catch allowed batter to reach base safely)
2. C Rony Rodriguez - E-2 (overthrow on SB attempt at 2nd base allowed runner at 3rd base to score)

CUBS SQUAD "A" CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Rony Rodriguez: 0-2 CS, 1 E (see above)

ATTENDANCE: 18

WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 90's  


Tags: 
EXST Cubs Extended Spring Training
Jeffrey Baez
Justin Marra
Yasiel Balaguert
Kevin Encarnacion

Comments

Submitted by JoePepitone  on Sat, 05/11/2013 - 5:27pm  
Per the Tribune: "Pitching in an extended spring game in poor conditions at the Brewers' Maryvale, Ariz., complex, the Cubs’ Josh Conway was lost for the season with a stress fracture in his elbow." http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball...

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Sat, 05/11/2013 - 7:55pm  

JOE P: Josh Conway has a cast on his right arm, from shoulder to finger-tips. 

Also, OF Trey Martin has his left arm immobilized in some kind of sling-contraption after undergoing left (non-throwing) shoulder surgery for chronic shoulder instability.

Submitted by JoePepitone  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 5:46pm  
Thanks, AZ Phil. Stupid, stupid, stupid incompetent/cheap Brewers -- skimping on the grounds keeping crew because it's the weekend? Oh, you mean you might still need the same effort to maintain a safe playing surface on a weekend game as you do during the week? Who knew? No reason to protect the investment teams make in their players on the weekend too, y'know. ~sarcasm font~ Did I mention stupid?

Submitted by crunch  on Sat, 05/11/2013 - 6:54pm  
garza goes 66 pitches through 3.1ip for AA Tenn 3.1ip 3h 2bb 2k (0er)

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Sat, 05/11/2013 - 8:31pm  

The Cubs have traded AAA Iowa RHSP Drew Carpenter to the Colorado Rockies for a PTBNL or cash.

Carpenter was an NRI with the Cubs in Spring Training, and had a 1-4 record with a 7.33 ERA & 1.78 WHIP at Iowa.  

Submitted by jacos  on Sat, 05/11/2013 - 8:56pm  
wow Brendan Harris is still in league

Submitted by bigsky33  on Sat, 05/11/2013 - 9:34pm  
They continue to hit. That is a good thing. Didn't see much of that in April!

Submitted by crunch  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 12:05am  
i.stewart finally gets a start in iowa... 0-3 (2k), 1bb

Submitted by jacos  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 1:56pm  
Paging Crunch Gio perfect thru 5 vs Cubs

Submitted by jacos  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 2:05pm  
Dinner serves first hit in 6 Somewhere Sandy smiles

Submitted by George Altman  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 2:26pm  
Maples starting for Kane County - 1 K in scoreless in 1st inning.

Submitted by Charlie  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 3:30pm  
I have no idea how the Cubs managed to win that game. Wow.

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 4:08pm  
It's like the Bizarro World Cubs - Cubs are third in the league in stolen bases. THIRD. CUBS. IN THE LEAGUE. IN STOLEN BASES. I'm not making this up.

Submitted by The E-Man  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 4:38pm  
O & B, are you tricking us? Seems impossible. Although, I have seen Fonzie swipe a couple recently. I think Rizzo, however, should leave the SB attempts to others.

Submitted by crunch  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 4:48pm  
they've been stealing a lot more once the early losses started piling up...especially with guys you don't expect to attempt steals. so far, only rizzo has been "paying" for it negatively. the fact he has 7 steal attempts is kinda crazy.

Submitted by johann  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 4:51pm  
And Cardinals are last with 11. Now compare their records. Despite the double steal attempt today leading to a run, steals are really overrated.

Submitted by crunch  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 5:42pm  
cubs have won at least 2 of their 15 wins in this short season because of what the steal set up adding runs by my count...it might be 3 or more, but i know of at least 2. OAK is stealing a lot of bases this year, too...sending more than a few guys that have "no business" trying to steal bases. it seems more than a few teams are trying to take advantage of pitchers not paying attention to the runner. if you're good at noticing it (y.molina) then it can pay off if things go right afterwards. ...i dunno about keeping a.rizzo's pace of stealing, though...more than a few, even successful steals, have been ill advised even if they caught the pitcher/catcher/manager off guard.

Submitted by johann  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 6:11pm  
And how many were lost due to CSs? Impossible to know but it's a real issue. You can't say SBs won games without taking into account that CSs could have lost them.

Submitted by crunch  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 6:26pm  
one you can quantify, the other you can't... technically, you can't quantify either, but one has a known outcome. taking a chance to steal a base when compared to the world at large may point to one direction, a negative, but technically no one should ever play the lottery or gamble a single cent in a casino because you probably won't get a positive outcome.

Submitted by johann  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 8:10pm  
Well people have quantified steals and shown that for the most part they are a waste unless you have a very good % in terms of chance to score a run in any given situation. Gambling is a pretty good comparison because if you really need money you're a moron to gamble or play the lottery. Just take out a lighter and burn the money. Stealing has a lot of variables but for the times when it both works AND actually leads to a run you can point to a ton of instances when it removes someone from scoring position and gives an out. There's really only a few people I want stealing (Rizzo isn't one of them). We have an abnormally low avg with RISP and Cardinals have an abnormally large one. That means a lot more than steals.

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 6:36am  
I don't see how sabremetrics play a role in this at all. Overall, I'll take a running team any day over a station to station team. You answered your own argument with your RISP comparison. If the Cubs' RISP was even close to normal, they'd have a considerably better record than they do. Stolen bases has nothing to do with RISP. They are in completely different silos.

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 5:45pm  
beyond that, the game changes for the hitter, the pitcher, and defensive alignment if the opposing team(s) know you might have steal in play. when you're opening up gaps in the infield in order to hold a runner there's a better chance good things can happen whether someone actually steals or not. this is before getting "into the pitcher's head" or other more vague variables. the threat of a steal changes how the opposing team plays the game beyond the sb/cs...even if there's no sb attempted.

Submitted by crunch  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 5:45pm  
i.stewart gets his first hit since april 29th (though he didn't play may 2-8)...pinch hit 2rbi triple.

Submitted by jacos  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 8:29pm  
Chris Sale perfect thru six...and Sox have given him no support.

Submitted by jacos  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 8:45pm  
mike trout single up the middle one out 7

Submitted by Jackstraw  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 8:55pm  
Crunch'd, Jacos with the assist.

Submitted by bigsky33  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 9:40pm  
Hi Phil, ever since I left these guys are hitting. I am sure your enjoying that. Your updates have been great!

Submitted by crunch  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 9:52pm  
a.rizzo gets a 7 year $41m extension (through 2019) diz-amn. http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/chicago-cu... " The Cubs have reached agreement with Rizzo on a seven-year, $41 million contract through 2019, according to major-league sources. The deal also includes two $14.5 million club options, sources said. Thus, the total value over nine years could be $68 million; Rizzo would not receive a $2 million buyout if both options are exercised. Escalators could further increase the size of the package to $73 million, sources said." fwiw, he was easily gonna be a "super-two" guy for arb purposes.

Submitted by Charlie  on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 10:14pm  
If he becomes a consistent 30 HR guy with solid defense, I won't mind at all. You know, as long as his other stats aren't Carlos Pena-esque.

Submitted by Jumbo  on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 3:49am  
I like. This is the new standard operating procedure since Longo. Now Castro, Soler, Rizzo signed through 2020. Nobody else is close to an extension other than Samardzija.

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 6:40am  
In a way, it's the new free agency. It's crazy to pay a guy with virtually no track record that kind of money, but it is going to be how it's done for awhile. Instead of risking a monster year, the Cubs are wrapping him up at a reasonable rate and hoping he pans out. Seems kind of crazy, but it's going to be the norm, if it already isn't.

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 7:42am  

CRUNCH: Prior to the contract extension, Rizzo was in-line to be "Super Two" eligible, but not until after the 2014 season. Then he would have been aribtration eligible again post-2015-17, and would have been eligible to be an MLB Article XX-B free-agent post-2018.

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 9:20am  
http://www.baseballnation.com/2013/5/13/43258...