Cubs Extended Spring Training game report

Eloy Jimenez drilled a two-run single, walked twice, reached base on an HBP, and scored a run, Jemile Weeks singled twice, walked twice, and scored two runs, Yovanny Cuevas singled three times, stole a base, and scored two runs, Carlos Diaz belted an RBI double and an RBI single and scored a run, Jhonny Bethencourt singled twice, walked, stole a base, knocked-in two runs, and scored another, and Jose Gonzalez ripped an RBI double and a single and scored a run, helping the Cubs take an early 6-0 lead, but the Giants "black" squad rallied to get within a run at 6-5 in the 7th, and then after the Cubs took an 8-5 lead in the top of the 9th on the Eloy two-run single, the Giants scored three times in the bottom of the 9th, as the two teams played to an 8-8 tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning on Field #2 (AKA "Jim Davenport Field") at Indian School Park in Scottsdale, AZ.    

The game was called with two outs in the bottom of the 9th after the Giants tied the game.

Cubs LHRP Jose MacDonna left the game with what appeared to be a blister on his left index finger after facing only four batters in the 5th (and all four reached base and all four eventually scored the first four Giant runs).

Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - March 2017 right shoulder injury) played RF for all nine innings, and he uncorked one long throw to third base in the 5th as a runner was attempting to advance from 1st to 3rd on a single down the RF line. And although the runner was safe at 3rd, it was the best throw and the strongest throw I've seen Eloy make all year.

Jemile Weeks (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL - February 2017 sprained knee) continued his EXST rehab in the game, playing SS for all nine innings (he has played 2B-SS-CF-LF so far). Weeks expects to remain at EXST through the weekend, and then will be re-evaluated on Monday.  

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):

Luke Lowery slugged a solo HR, Joel Novas belted a two-run double, Jorge Perez singled twice, stole a base, and scored two runs, and RHSP Jhoan Duran hurled five innings of shutout ball, leading the Diamondbacks to a 5-3 victory over the Cubs on Field #6, and on Field #5 RHSP Jesus Camargo tossed four innings of no-hit ball for the Cubs and RHSP Matt Koch (on AAA Reno 7-day DL) fired four innings of shutout ball for the D'backs, and then with the Cubs trailing 4-1 going into the bottom of the 8th, Kwangmin Kwon tripled and Yonathan Perlaza walked to start the inning and Franklin Tineo and Orian Nunez followed with RBI singles as the Cubs rallied to tie the Diamondbacks 4-4, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader action Thursday morning at the Riverview Baseball Complex In Mesa, AZ. 

The game on Field #5 was called after eight innings of play, and the game on Field #6 was halted after seven innings.

Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder injury) served as a DH and went 0-4 with a walk in five PA.  

RHSP Casey Kelly made what will probably be his last Cactus League EXST appearance before moving-up to AAA Iowa, getting the start on Field #6 and throwing 4.1 IP (75 pitches) and allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits (three singles, two doubles, and the Lowery HR) and a walk, with two strikeouts and a 7/2 GO/AO. Although Kelly's fastball velocity has shown a slight uptick since Spring Training in March (when he was working in the upper-80's and topping out at 90 MPH) and his curve and change-up have been fairly sharp and his command has been good, he still isn't missing many bats as opposing hitters seem to be consistently squaring-up his offerings.

Casey Kelly 2017 Cactus League EXST game stats:
3 GAMES (3 GS)
4.91 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, .293 OppBA 
11.0 IP, 12 H, 7 R (6 ER), 4 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 2 WP, 14/10 GO/AO    
 
Meanwhile, INF Elliot Soto (March 2017 foot injury) has completed his EXST rehab and has been reinstated from the AAA Iowa 7-day DL. Soto was absolutely on fire both offensively and defensively at EXST. Nobody could get him out, and the slick-fielding Soto (one of the best defensive middle-infielders in pro ball) made several acrobatic defensive plays at both SS and 2B (much to the delight of the young Cub pitchers).  
 
Elliot Soto 2017 Cactus League EXST game stats:     
6 GAMES (23 PA)
562/695/750
1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 RUNS, 5 BB, 2 HBP, 2 K
 
Here are the box scores from the games (Cubs players only):

Jemile Weeks (RBI double), Miguel Amaya (RBI single), Kwangmin Kwon (RBI triple), and Jose Gutierrez (RBI single) stroked run-scoring hits to highlight a four-run 1st inning and Aramis Ademan singled, walked twice, and scored two runs, leading the Cubs to a 6-2 victory over the Angels in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Wednesday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

Jemile Weeks played LF in the game, the fourth different position he has played during the course of his EXST rehab assignment (he has also played 2B-SS-CF). 

In EXST Cubs roster news, 1B-3B-LF Kevin Cornelius (March 2017 broken hand) has completed his EXST rehab assignment, has been reinstated from the AA Tennessee 7-day DL, and has rejoined the Smokies.

Kevin Cornelius 2017 Cactus League EXST game stats:
7 GAMES (25 PA)
350/444/800
3 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 7 RUNS, 0 SB (2 CS), 3 BB, 1 HBP, 9 K
ASS scouting report: Plus-power, slow runner, below-average defensively no matter where he plays, and he strikes out a LOT 
NOTE: Cornelius was selected from the New York Yankees AA Trenton affiliate in the AAA Phase of the December 2016 Rule 5 Draft.
 
Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):

Marcus Mastrobuoni belted a three-run HR to highlight a five-run 2nd and RHSP Jose Albertos tossed three innings of shutout ball and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter, as the Cubs defeated the Giants "orange" squad 7-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday morning on Field #2 (AKA "Jim Davenport Field") at Indian School Park in Scottsdale, AZ. 

Josh Phegley (on Oakland Athletics MLB 7-day concussion DL) belted two two-run home runs, Jarrett Costa drilled an RBI triple and a double and walked, and LHSP Zach Erwin and three relievers combined to hurl a three-hit shutout with eleven strikeouts and no walks, as the A's blanked the Cubs 6-0 in Cactus League Extemded Spring Training game action Monday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 
 
The game was extended an extra half-inning so that all of the A's pitchers scheduled to throw in the game could get their work.  

After ten days off, Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder injury) returned to EXST game action, playing RF for five innings and batting clean-up. Eloy went 1-3 at the plate, with a broken bat single in his first AB (hump-back line drive to CF), an L-3 line-out his second time up, and a strikeout (swinging) in his final PA. He made three or four throws from the outfield after base hits (including the first-inning triple to the right-field fence by Costa), and while he didn't exactly cut-loose with any of the throws, he was able to get the ball to the cut-off man on the fly.  

Ellliot Soto (on AA Iowa 7-day DL - March 2017 foot injury), Jemile Weeks (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL - February 2017 sprained knee), and Kevin Cornelius (on AA Tennessee DL - March 2017 broken left hand) also continued their EXST rehab. Soto played 2B and went 1-3 with a single and two strikeouts, Weeks played CF and went 0-3 with two strikeouts, and Cornelius served as a DH and went 0-3 with two strikeouts.    

In EXST roster news, LHRP Manny Parra (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL - April 2016 TJS) has completed his EXST rehab and has been moved-up to Iowa & reinstated from the 7-day DL. 

Manny Parra 2017 Cactus League EXST stats:
7 GAMES 
1.08 ERA
1.08 WHIP
8.1 IP, 7 H, 1 R, (1 ER), 2 BB, 9 K, 2 WP
 
Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):

Jose Gonzalez (RBI single), Jemile Weeks (two-run double), and Elliot Soto (RBI single) stroked consecutive two-out run-scoring hits to cap a five-run 5th, Christopher Morel belted a two-run HR in the 6th, Kevin Cornelius and Kevin Zamudio drilled RBI doubles in the 7th, and SP Casey Kelly fired four innings of shutout ball, leading the Cubs to a 9-2 victory over the Rockies in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Saturday morning on Dust Storm Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ.  

Jemile Weeks (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL - February 2017 sprained knee) and Elliot Soto (on Iowa 7-day DL - March 2017 foot injury) continued their rehab in the game, with Weeks going 2-4 with the two-run double mentioned above, a single, and a walk,and Soto going 2-4 with two singles. Weeks was at SS amd Soto was at 2B for the first five innings, and then the pair switched positions with each other for the final four innings. Both appear to be ready to return to the I-Cubs  

Veteran MLB RHRP Fernando Rodriguez (on Iowa 7- day DL - September 2016 lat surgery) threw "live" BP (one inning - 25 pitches) on Field #1 at Riverview Park earlier in the day and it appeared to go very well, so he could be close to seeing some action in Cactus League EXST games. He also would be a good candidate to get called up to Chicago at some point later in the season (presuming he completes his rehab without any setbacks and pitches OK at Iowa).    

In EXST Cubs roster news, OF John Andreoli (hamstring strain) has completed his rehab and has returned to AAA Iowa. Andreoli went 0-15 with ten strikeouts in three Cactus League EXST games

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):

Jose Gutierrez belted an RBI triple and a single and scored a run, Miguel Amaya doubled and scored and knocked-in a run with a sacrifice fly, Henderson Perez drilled a two-run triple, and five pitchers combined to hurl a four-hit shutout with eleven strikeouts, as the Cubs blanked the Diamondbacks 8-0 on Field #5, and Luis Lara mashed a two-run triple, singled, and walked, Connor Owings slugged a solo HR and walked three times, Luis Tejeda roped an RBI double, walked, and scored a run, and RHSP Jhoan Duran tossed five innings of two-hit shutout ball, leading the D'backs to a 5-2 victory over the Cubs on Field #6, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader action Friday morning at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

AAA Iowa RHRP Conor Mullee (August 2016 ulnar nerve decompression surgery), LHRP Manny Parra, (April 2016 TJS), OF John Andreoli (April 2017 hamstring strain), INF Jemile Weeks (February 2017 sprained knee), and INF Elliot Soto (March 2017 foot injury), and AA Tennessee 1B Kevin Cornelius (March 2017 broken left hand) continued their EXST rehab on Friday in the games at Riverview Park.

Mullee threw an inning on Field #5 and allowed no runs on one hit (a harmless two-out single) with two strikeouts, Parra followed Mullee to the mound on Field #5 and threw two shutout innings (two singles and a walk, an inning-ending 6-4-3 DP, and three strikeouts - all three swinging), Weeks played SS on Field #6 and went 1-4 with a double and a run scored, Corneluis doubled and walked and scored a run while playing LF on Field #6 (as the Cubs begin to try Cornelius at other positions besides 1B), Soto played 2B with his usual flair, singled twice, walked, and scored a run on Field #5, and Andreoli served as a DH and went 0-5 with a HBP and a run scored in six PA (Andreoli is now 0-15 with ten strikeouts in three EXST games).     

Also, LHRP Jack Leathersich (who is at EXST to find his fastball command) looked VERY good in his one inning of work on Field #5, striking out the side (albeit with a walk mixed-in) while throwing 60% strikes (a definite improvement from when he arrived in Mesa last month).

OF Eloy Jimenez (right shoulder bruise) took pre-game BP on Field #3 in a group with Andreoli, Cornelius, Soto, and Weeks, and looked good, but he did not play in either of the games. He also did not participate in pre-game outfield drills. Note that - IF -  Eloy were to remain at Extended Spring Training until mid-June and then join Myrtle Beach, he would not accrue 90 days on minor league active list(s) in 2017 (90 days accrued being necessary before he would accrue a "full season"), and if so he will get a 4th minor league option in 2021 (presuming he is added to the Cubs MLB 40-man roster post-2017) - IF - he remains at Extended Spring Training until mid-June.    

In EXST Cubs roster news, RHRP Juan Carlos Paniagua has been moved-up to AAA Iowa, and OF Brandon Cummins has been moved-up to South Bend.

Both games were called after 6-1/2 innings of play.   

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

The Diamondbacks took advantage of four errors, six walks, and two wild pitches and defeated the Cubs 9-4 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday morning on Whirlwind Field at Salt Piver Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ.

Kevin Cornelius belted a three-run HR to account for three of the four Cub runs.

RHSP Jose Albertos (2015 IFA - Mexico) made his 2017 game debut, getting the start for the Cubs and working 2.1 IP (46 pitches). He allowed two runs (both unearned) on two hits (both singles) and three walks (but no strikeouts), and threw a ton of ground balls (6/0 GO/AO including a 4-6-3 DP, plus two more ground balls that turned into errors). He was obviously a bit rusty, however, throwing only 52% strikes while occasionally spiking his 94 MPH fastball into the ground and bouncing his plus-curve in front of home plate from time-to-time. (Catcher Gustavo Polanco got quite a work-out trying to block pitches in the dirt!). Albertos also mixed-in a couple of decent change-ups in addition to the FB and CV. (Unlike most any pitcher his age, Albertos already has a legit three-pitch arsenal... he just needs a lot more innings).   
 
The 18-year old Albertos was rated one of the Cubs Top 10 prospects (and #4 pitching prospect) by Baseball America going into the 2017 season, but he hadn't thrown in a game since last June. He was placed on the AZL Cubs 60-day DL after being shut-down with right forearm/elbow soreness, and while he was eligible to be reinstated the last week of the AZL season in August (he was throwing bullpen side-sessions at that time), the Cubs opted to have him wait until post-2016 Instructs to get game work. But he did not pitch in Instructs, and he was assigned to the Rehab Throwing Program when he reported to Minor League Camp this past March. He threw a two inning "live" BP session (30 pitches) on April 15th, and then a couple or three bullpen sessions after that (to work on improving his command) prior to making his first game appearance today.

INF Elliot Soto (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL - March 2017 foot injury), OF John Andreoli (on Iowa 7-day DL - hamstrong strain), and 1B Kevin Cornelius (on AA Tennessee 7-day DL - March 2017 broken left hand) continued their EXST game rehab. Soto played 2B for all nine innings and went 2-4 with two singles and a walk, Andreoli played CF for eight innings and went 0-5 at the plate (including three strikeouts-- and he has now struck out seven times in ten EXST PA), and Corneliuis played 1B and went 1-3 at the plate with the three run homer and a HBP (plus a CS), and he also committed an E-3 fielding error.  
 
The game was pre-planned as a ten-inning affair so that all of the D'backs pitchers who were scheduled to throw could get their work.  
 
Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):

LHSP Grant Watson hurled five innings of one-hit shutout ball with ten strikeouts and John Riley walked twice and fisted a two-un double into the RF-CF-2B "Bermuda Triangle" (as three Cub fielders collided attempting to catch the ball), leading the Giants "black" squad to a 13-6 drubbing of the Cubs in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Wednesday morning on Field #2 at Indian School Park in Scottsdale, AZ.  

Michael Cruz belted a moon-shot two-run HR over the RF fence and onto busy Hayden Road and Luis Diaz ripped a two-run triple to provide the Cub offensive highlights,  

John Andreoli (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL - hamstring strain) saw game action for the first time since , playing CF for seven innings and going 0-5 at the plate (he struck out looking the first four times up, then reached on an error and scored a run). . 

Jemile Weeks (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL - ACL sprain) continued his EXST rehab, playing 2B for seven innings and going 1-5 (K, 6-3, F-9, F-7, and an RBI single). He also made a spectacular defensive stop & throw in the 2nd and a diving catch in short right before starting a slick inning-ending 4-6-3 DP in the 3rd.

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):  

Jemile Weeks tripled, singled, and scored, Elliot Soto reached base four tines (solo HR, HBP, and two walks). Kevin Cornelius belted a solo HR, and Kwangmin Kwon ripped an RBI triple and walked, leading the Cubs to a 4-1 victory over the Giants "orange" squad in Cactus League Extended SpringTraining game action Tuesday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

The game was called after eight innings of play.

RHRP Conor Mullee (on Iowa 7-day DL - August 2016 right elbow surgery) saw his first game action since undergoing right elbow ulnar nerve decompression surgery last July. The 29-year old Mullee was claimed off waivers by the Cubs from the New York Yankees on November 2nd (later that day -- actually early the next morning -- the Cubs would win Game 7 of the World Series), then he was non-tendered and signed to a 2017 minor league contract in December. Prior to the injury, Mullee was a member of the Yankees MLB bullpen, so once he has completed his rehab at EXST, he should slide right into the AAA Iowa bullpen and be available for a possible call-up to Chicago later this season, should his services be required.      

And Jemile Weeks (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL - February 2017 left knee injury) saw his first game action since suffering a sprained ACL after being upended while attempting to turn a DP in an MLB Cactus League game versus the White Sox at Sloan Park on February 27th. He showed no signs of any problem with the knee today, busting out of the batter's box and motoring around the bases at full speed after belting a triple off the CF Batter's Eye leading off the bottom of the 1st inning. He did commit an error in field, however. Barring any medical set-backs in the meantime, Weeks could get called up to Chicago at some point in 2017, providing a veteran utility player who can play 2B-SS-CF, switch hit, and steal bases.  
 
Meanwhile, SS Elliot Soto (on Iowa 7-day DL - March 2017 left foot injury) has reached base in all seven of his Plate Appearances (a HR, a single, three walks, and two HBP) since returning to game action yesterday at Fitch Park. So within a week or so, Iowa Cubs fans should be seeing Weeks and Soto manning the 2B-SS slots in Des Moines.    

Not to be outdone, 1B Kevin Cornelius (on AA Tennessee 7-day DL - March 2017 broken left hand) hit a monster solo HR over the LF fence and onto Field #2 in the bottom of the 3rd. Cornelius was selected by the Cubs off the New York Yankees AA Trenton roster in the AAA Phase of the December 2016 Rule 5 Draft.  
 
In EXST Cubs roster news, 1B Chris Dominguez has completed his rehab assignment and has rejoined the Iowa Cubs.

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):