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37 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (three slots are open)

Last updated 11-17-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 20
Adbert Alzolay 
Michael Arias
Javier Assad
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Porter Hodge
* Bailey Horn
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Luis Vazquez
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 7
Kevin Alcantara
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

 


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Inoa Hits for the Cycle at Talking Stick

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Brian Inoa hit for the cycle and Dustin Geiger ripped two RBI doubles, leading a split squad of EXST Cubs to a 6-5 victory over the EXST Diamondbacks in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Whirlwind Field at Salt River Fields at the Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ.

Justin Hilt and Wagner Mateo homered for the Diamondbacks.

The game was extended an extra inning to allow all of the pitchers who were due to throw today to get their scheduled work.

I can’t remember the last time I saw somebody hit for the cycle in an Extended Spring Training game, so what Brian Inoa did today is quite rare. The 20-year old switch-hitting Dominican catcher tripled to right-center in the top of the 2nd inning, smacked a solo home run over the right-centerfield fence in the 4th, executed a picture-perfect hit & run single into the vacant "four-hole" in the 6th, and smoked a double off the LF fence in the 8th. On the negative side, Inoa also committed two errors (an overthrow on a stolen base attempt that led directly to an unearned run scoring, and a dropped foul pop-up).

This is Inoa’s first season in the U. S. after making his pro debut last year in the Dominican Summer League with DSL Cubs #2 (AKA the “Bad News Cubs”), where he hit 279/356/369 in 60 games (203 PA), mostly as a DH. In just 26 games behind the plate for DSL Cubs #2 in 2010, Inoa committed a whopping 11 errors and allowed ten passed balls. (He is what I guess you might call an "offensive-first" catcher).

Here is the abridged box score from today’s game (Cubs players only)

LINEUP:
1. Vismeldy Bieneme, 2B: 0-4 (3-U, F-7, F-7, 5-3 SH, K)
2. Eduardo Gonzalez, RF: 1-5 (K, 6-3, K, F-7, 2B, R)
3. Marco Hernandez, SS: 1-4 (3-U, 1B, 4-3, BB, P-1, SB)
4. Brandon May, 3B; 2-5 (P-4, K, 1B, 1B, 4-3, RBI)
5. Dong-Yub Kim, LF: 1-5 (K, 5-3, 4-6 FC, F-9, 1B, RBI)
6. Brian Inoa, C: 4-5 (3B, HR, 1B, 2B, 4-6 FC, 3 R, RBI)
7. Dustin Geiger, DH: 2-3 (2B, P-4, BB, 2B, R, 2 RBI)
8. Xavier Batista, 1B: 1-4 (1B, 5-3, F-9, 5-3, RBI)
9. Oliver Zapata, CF: 1-3 (P-6, K, BB, 1B, R, SB)

PITCHERS:
1. Austin Reed: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 1 PO, 42 pitches (29 strikes), 2/2 GO/FO
2. Colin Richardson: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 25 pitches (16 strikes), 2/3 GO/FO
3. Charles Thomas: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 17 pitches (12 strikes), 3/2 GO/FO
4. Ramon Garcia: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 17 pitches (13 strikes), 2/3 GO/FO
5. Larry Suarez: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP, 18 pitches (15 strikes), 3/0 GO/FO

ERRORS: 2
1. C Brian Inoa - E2 (overthrow at 3rd base on stolen base allowed the runner to score an earned run)
2. C Brian Inoa - E2 (dropped pop fly in foul territory extending batter’s AB)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Brian Inoa: 0-2 CS, 2 E (see above)

ATTENDANCE: 6

WEATHER: Sunny and breezy with temperatures in the 80’s

 

Tags
Extended Spring Training
EXST Cubs
Dustin Geiger
Brian Inoa

Comments

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 05/24/2011 - 05:38 pm

Submitted by navigator on Tue, 05/24/2011 - 11:50am. no response... Again, today, Bruce Miles reports, "As I tweeted yesterday from Boston, farm director Oneri Fleita tells me Brett Jackson is in Arizona rehabbing his left-hand injury and getting at-bats in a controlled situation. He should be ready to rejoin Class AA Tennessee later this week. Anyone know where Jackson would be doing this???? ================================================== NAVIGATOR: Probably in a "sim game" at Fitch Park. They had one today on Field #2 before the regularly-scheduled EXST game on Field #3. For those not familar with how a sim game works, it's a bit more than "live" BP, but something less than an intrasquad game. The batting cage is usually in place and sometimes the pitcher throws from behind a screen (especially if the pitcher is rehabbing from an injury). The pitcher throws a pre-determined number of pitches (usually 15 per "inning," although it could be as many as 20 or 25) and then sits down while the other pitcher throws a pre-determined number of pitches (again, usually 15 per "inning"). If only one pitcher is involved, he will throw his pre-determined number of pitches and then sit down on the bench for 10 minutes to replicate the time it would typically take his team to get through it's half inning of offense. The hitters (usually four) rotate into the cage and take an AB, remaining there until they either walk, strike out, or put the ball in play, or an AB could be terminated mid-count if the pitcher reaches his pre-determined pitch count before the batter has walked, struck out, or put the ball in play. If the batter walks or puts the ball in play, he takes 1st base and the pitcher throws out of the stretch, just like he would with a runner on base. The runners on base ahead of the hitter run the bases just like they would in a game, but the defense doesn't necessarily try to throw them out, although they might, depending on how many position players are available to play a position in the field. Pitchers who are not doing anything else usually shag balls hit to the outfield, flipping the ball to the pitcher or coach stationed behind 2nd base who collects balls and puts them in the ball collection bucket (like they do in batting practice). Then the bucket is brought to the mound when it's full and the balls are dumped into a shopping cart located behind the mound, where the coach assigned to supervise the pitcher will take a ball out of the shopping cart and toss it to the pitcher after a hitter has put a ball into play. In the case of a hitter rehabbing from an injury (like Brett Jackson), the sim game would be in the general form of a game, but the ABs would be controlled in the sense that B-Jax could hit first each "half-inning." And because he would be hitting in a group with maybe (at most) three other position players, he would get at least four ABs in just two full innings, but perhaps as many as five or six AB (depending on how many balls are put into play and how many hitters hit each half-inning), whereas it would take him at least four innings to get four AB in an Extended Spring Training game, even if he hits each half-inning. He can rest or maybe play CF for a half-innng if he doesn't want to take another AB right away, or he can lead-off one inning and maybe run the bases, or hit 2nd or 3rd in the next inning. And then maybe play CF again for an inning. And they don't keep score. So other than having a snack of cookies & milk mid-game, it's a lot like a tee-ball game for six-year olds.

Submitted by Rob G. on Mon, 05/23/2011 - 05:04 pm

DFA'd, pretty good numbers vs. lefties in his career, so he's sure to latch on somewhere.

[ ]

Submitted by JoePepitone on Wed, 05/25/2011 - 05:57 pm

Why Steve Swisher? In short, too many big names/great years from the 3B's and OF's and lousy competition at catcher. I wondered that myself at the time, even though he had a good first half (for him) that year -- was batting .268 at the All Star break (July 13), though only 3 HR & 25 RBI (his avg. was as high as .292 as late as June 19). Bob Boone, the other NL reserve catcher, had .308/4/40 at the break, so the competition at catcher wasn't particularly stiff. The other usual '70's All Star catchers weren't doing that well that year: Manny Sanguillén was .295/1/18 and Gary Carter was .239/4/21. Sanguillén was at the end of his All Star run ('71, '72 & '75) and Carter was only in his 2nd full season (although was an All-Star in '75, his rookie year). Even the starting catcher, Johnny Bench, was having a down year: only .234/9/45 at the break. Why not Bill Madlock (3B), Rick Monday (OF) or Jose Cardenal (OF)? The NL All-Star 3B's were Pete Rose (starter), Mike Schmidt and Ron Cey (who hit .319/12/46 in the 1st half that year) and Madlock was "only" hitting .309 at the break with less power -- he scalded the ball in the 2nd half at a .377 pace. How about the outfielders? The starters (voted in by the fans) were George Foster, Greg Luzinski & Dave Kingman. The reserve outfielders were: César Cedeño .297/14/48 & 142OPS+ (28 SB) Al Oliver .360/12/49 & 178OPS+ Ken Griffey, Sr. .340/4/50 & 152OPS+ Bake McBride .345/3/18 & 145OPS+ Rick Monday .286/15/47 & 152OPS+ (3 SB) Jose Cardenal .303/6/32 & 120OPS+ Clearly, Monday was hitting well enough from an OPS+ standpoint but his average was significantly lower than the competition and Cedeño (whose BA was closer) was a flashier & sexier pick at the time.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    If the Cubs do move Matt Shaw to 1st base and don't sign or acquire in a trade any position players or pitchers in the meantime (or at least nobody for more than one year), this could be the Cubs Opening Day lineup in 2025: 

    1. PCA, CF 
    2. Hoerner, 2B 
    3, Happ, LF 
    4. Suzuki, RF 
    5. Shaw, 1B 
    6. Morel/Caissie, DH 
    7. Swanson, SS  
    8. Amaya/Ballesteros, C 
    9. Murray, 3B 

    BENCH: 
    Canario, OF 
    Mastrobuoni or Vazquez, INF  

    STARTING PITCHERS:
    Steele 
    Taillon
    Horton 
    Wicks 
    Assad, Brown, Wesneski, Kilian, Powell, Birdsell, or ?  

    BULLPEN: 
    Alzolay 
    Palencia 
    L. Little
    Cuas  
    Horn  
    Roberts 
    Martin 
    Hodge 

    Also, Julian Merryweather and Mark Leiter Jr would be under club control (via arb) through 2026 but they are both out of minor league options, and Michael Rucker and Keegan Thompson will be out of minor league options after next season, so their value as shuttle guys would be greatly diminished due to loss of fungibility.  

    James Triantos, Jefferson Rojas, or Pedro Ramirez (2B), Kevin Alcantara (RF), Morel, Caissie, Canario, Brennen Davis, Christian Franklin, or Zyhir Hope (LF), Matt Mervis, Haydn McGeary, or Brian Kalmer (DH), and Assad, Brown, Wesneski, Powell, Birdsell, Jackson Ferris, Drew Gray, Michael Arias, Brody McCullough, Will Sanders, or ? (SP) can replace Hoerner, Happ, Suzuki, and Taillon when their contracts expire after the 2026 season. 

    At least that would be my master plan going forward (very much subject to change, of course), again presuming the Cubs don't sign or acquire any position players or SP or closer who would be signed beyond the 2024 season. 

    The only thing is, if the Cubs did it this way (going in-house rather than signing free agents to lengthy contracts or trading for established players or pitchers), the Cubs would (at least temporarily) probably project as a 70-75 win team in 2024 and would probably be "sellers" at the Trade Deadline, looking to move Kyle Hendricks, Drew Smyly, Yan Gomes, Patrick Wisdom, Nick Madrigal, Mike Tauchman (and probably Merryweather, and Leiter, too), that is unless they can sign free agents or acquire guys who would not be signed beyond 2024 (or at the very least not beyond 2026, when the Happ-Hoerner-Suzuki-Taillon window closes) who might be able to help keep them in playoff contention in 2024. 

    The Cubs farm system is absolutely loaded. There are probably at least a half-dozen small market MLB clubs (KC, OAK, MIA, STL, COL, and MIN) plus the White Sox and the Angels that would kill to have the Cubs minor league system as it presently exists. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    If I was the Cubs, I would be working Matt Shaw at 1st base before I'd move Christopher Morel there. A Shaw comp is Steve Garvey (a plus hitter with loud contact and a solid glove but a rag arm). 

    In fact I wish the Cubs had worked Shaw at 1st base at Instructs or assigned him to the AFL to play 1st base, but for some reason he did not attend Instructs and was not assigned to the AFL. 

    If he can learn to play 1st base, Shaw could be in Wrigley by mid-2024, maybe even sooner. 

    Shaw is a first-baseman waiting to happen. 

    And I still believe Christopher Morel will be traded as part of a package to acquire a SP, so that he can play LF (the position scouts say he should play).   

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The Reds signing Jeimer Candelario should allow them to package two or three of their infielders in a deal for Tyler Glasnow. 

  • Finwe Noldaran (view)

    crunch:

    If he's half as good as how much he made me irritated when the camera would pan to him in the dugout during games while he was playing, we'll be alright............

  • Finwe Noldaran (view)

    Arizona P:

    Totally agree. I was really wanting the Cubs to be sellers, and while hindsight is 20/20, that looks as though it may have been the best option; although, part of the reason they decided not to be sellers may have been what some of the returns we're going to be, so my thoughts are merely speculation based on lack of insight into the specifics of conversations leading up to the deadline. I find myself wanting us to allow the prospects to develop and play meaningful roles on the big league team, as I feel that we have quite a few that will become good if not prayerfully great players, but if we trade them away or sign players to fill their positions in a desperate attempt to contend now, I'm left wondering if approaching this year as a transition year, while giving some prospects time in the minors and then bringing them up to see what we have in them, and maybe looking at next year (2025) as more of a contention point may be the way to go, and may even be a catalyst in the long-term development of the consistency in contending that the franchise needs and letting things happen organically, rather than pressing or trying to control things and making a flurry of moves?

    Irrespective, I think Counsel was a great choice for manager, now we just need to add some charging stations at Wrigley, maybe where the garage was?

  • Finwe Noldaran (view)

    Arizona P:

    Just saw crunch saying Candelario went to the Reds, I also was wanting to avoid the retread market or losing a draft pick.......

  • Finwe Noldaran (view)

    Arizona P:

    Totally agree, I was inferring the latter portion of my comment, and agree with your assessment that it's similar to last year; just headscratching............

  • crunch (view)

    it is taking more than a minute for me to get used to craig counsell being the cubs manager.

    he's going to take the field on opening day at wrigley and get massively cheered.

    that is weird.  that's a thing that's happening, though.

    history aside, while i am horrified at the amount of money they're paying him, i welcome his style of management over what d.ross has given the team.  love d.ross and how chill + ready to deliver he kept the team, but he had a serious pitching short-hook problem that exhausted the pen and some very questionable bench/pinch-hitting use.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    FINWE N: If you go by what Counsell did with the Brewers, he is much more likely to go with younger players than Ross was. I think part of it was that Ross was a "veteran players manager," meaning he was well liked and respected by veteran players because he was inclined to play them over younger unproven guys. 

    And that actually might have been OK if the Cubs had been "sellers"at the trade deadline (as they clearly had planned to be before suddenly deciding to go fr it), because Ross would have played the veterans a lot the first four months of the season (which would have maximized their trade value), and then Ross would have had no choice but to play the younger guys the last two months after the veterans were traded. 

    But of course it didn't work out that way. 

    One thing about Craig Counsell that might have attracted Hoyer to him is that Counsel is very "collaborative" as a manager and welcomes and even demands lots of input from the analytics department. In fact I have heard tell that Counsell knows at least as much as the geeks know and that he routinely goes to them for information rather than waiting for it to be offered. So think of Ross as a Chevy pick-up truck, while Counsell is a Tesla. 

  • crunch (view)

    with candelario off the board to the reds, it looks like it's chapman or trade...or another year of gambling cheap on someone like gio urshela or a meh-D donovan solano.

    of course there's also this guy with a rocket arm named morel that could have played a bit more 3rd in 2023 seeing if that could be his thing, but whatever i guess.  i know accuracy isn't a strength with those throws from 3rd, but still, for his cost and a supporting middle-IF that's one of the best in MLB (if not #1) it's not the worst use of a very cheap talent.

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