Cubs & A's Play to a Draw at Fitch Park

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 04/28/2018 - 04:20 pm

Kevin Moreno (making his pro debut) singled twice, walked, and stole a base, Luis Vazquez singled twice, stole a base, scored a run, and drove-in another, and Gustavo Polanco belted a solo HR for the Cubs, and Jesus Lage drilled an RBI double and a single and scored a run, Daniel Bautista doubled, walked, scored a run, and drove-in another with an RBI GO, Kevin Richards singled twice, stole a base, and scored a run, and Lazaro Armenteros singled, walked, stole two bases, and scored a run for the Athletics, as the two teams played to a 5-5 tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Saturday morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.  

The game was called after eight innings of play.

In EXST Cubs roster news, RHSP Jesus Camargo has been moved-up to South Bend. 

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):
CUBS LINEUP:
1a. Fernando Kelli, CF: 1-2 (1B, BB, L-8, R, SB)
1b. Luis Ubiera, LF: 0-1 (4-3)
2a. Luis Vazquez, SS: 2-3 (1B, 1B, 6-3, R, RBI, SB)
2b. Herson Perez, 3B: 0-0 (HBP, CS)
3a. Carlos Pacheco, RF: 1-3 (P-5, 2B, F-9, RBI)
3b. Jose Alonso Gaitan, RF: 0-1 (K)
4a. Alexander Guerra, DH #1: 0-2 (L-9, F-9 SF-DP, 3-1, RBI)
4b. Eric Gonzalez, PH: 0-1 (K)
5a. Gustavo Polanco, C: 1-3 (K, K, HR, R, RBI)
5b. Raymond Pena, C: 0-1 (K) 
6. Yovanny Cuevas, LF-CF: 2-4 (K, 1B, 1B, F-8, R, CS)
7. Kevin Moreno, DH #2: 2-3 (BB, 1B, 1B, F-8, SB)
8. Reivaj Garcia, 2B: 0-2 (P-4, BB, 6-3)
9. Fidel Mejia, 1B: 0-2 (4-3, HBP, K, RBI)
10. Delvin Zinn, 3B-SS: 1-2 (1B, K, BB, R) 

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Eduarniel Nunez: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 0/2 GO/AO, 46 pitches (24 strikes) 
2. Fernando Calderon: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 2/3 GO/AO, 36 pitches (23 strikes)
3. Peyton Remy: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1/0 GO/AO, 16 pitches (12 strikes) 
4. Garrett Kelly: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3/2 GO/AO, 24 pitches (14 strikes)
5. Jeffrey Passantino: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1/3 GO/AO, 36 pitches (24 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: 2 
1. 3B Delvin Zinn: E-5 (two-base throwing error allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely) 
2. 1B Fidel Mejia: E-3 (dropped infield pop fly allowing batter to reach 2nd base safely) 

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
1. Gustavo Polanco: 1-3 CS 
2. Raymond Pena: 0-1 CS 

ATTENDANCE: 12 

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 90's 

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service 

"Just because it isn't official doesn't mean it didn't happen" 

Tags
Cubs Extended Spring Training game report
Kevin Moreno
Luis Vazquez
Gustavo Polanco
Jesus Camargo

Comments

Submitted by tim815 on Sun, 04/29/2018 - 04:25 am

I love hearing when guys like Moreno debut and represent.

 

Either he sticks in the states, pushing everyone else. Or he starts in the DSL, which is probably unlikely. Most teams seem to have given up on the remaining amateur talent. 

 

Moreno could be in South Bend in less than 24 months.

 

Thanks, as always.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 04/29/2018 - 04:40 am

TIM: Interesting thing about Kevin Moreno is that Kris Bryant (not one of the Cuban players) is his favorite MLB player (and the Cubs are his father's favorite MLB club), and he actually has a similar body-type as Bryant and he has patterned his swing after Bryant as well. And (also somewhat like KB) Moreno is a "four-corner" guy defensively (3B-1B-LF-RF). So if there ever was a Cuban baseball player born to be a Cub, it's probably Kevin Moreno.

Moreno's two hits yesterday were both line drives pulled into the LF corner (they both probably should have been doubles, but he returned to 1st base after going about a 1/3 of the way to 2nd base both times, but then he stole 2nd base after his first single anyway). His walk was on a 3-2 pitch (after he started to 1st base on what he thought was "ball four" on the 3-1 pitch), and he appears to have a very good eye at the plate. How and why he never played on the Cuban U16 or U18 junior national team is mystifying, although that may be why it was so easy for him to sign with the Cubs while remaining a Cuban citizen.

The thing about Moreno is that he is not a Cuban defector. He is a Cuban resident who is in the U. S. on an H2B work visa issued by the U. S. Embassy in Bogata, Colombia (the U. S. Embassy in Havana stopped issuing H2B work visas last summer), and if the H2B visa program is eventually (once again) blocked to Cuban residents even through the Bogata embassy (as it was for more than 50 years prior to the re-establishment of "normal" relations with Cuba in 2016), Moreno may not be able to return to the U. S. after this season. The Cubs do have two Cuban defectors at Extended Spring Training (catcher Alexander Guerra and RHP Raidel Orta), and they both played in Serie Nacional (the Cuban "major" league) prior to defecting. 

Submitted by Childersb3 on Sun, 04/29/2018 - 04:52 pm

Az Phil,

What can you tell us about Javier Assad? I don't recall a lot of chatter about him over the last year. He's only 20, but he was solid last year at Eugene, and has started well in SBend.

Thanks

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 04/30/2018 - 04:36 am

CHILDERSb3: When I first saw Javier Assad a couple of years ago he featured a 90-91 MPH FB, a decent CV, a promising CH, and good command of all of his pitches, but he was a little bit pudgy and not in great physical condition. But he came to Minor League Camp last year in much better physical shape, and then he added a slider and a couple of MPH to his FB at Extended Spring Training and had a fine year at Eugene, which has carried-over to this season at South Bend.

Submitted by JustSayin' on Sun, 04/29/2018 - 04:14 pm

At some point, enough has to be enough.   The coaches and players on the SB Cubs don't want an automatic loss every fifth or sixth game.  Whatever great potential Jose Albertos may have, it isn't being developed by getting knocked out after an inning or two once a week.  Isn't this why we have extended spring training?

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 04/30/2018 - 04:10 am

JUSTSAYIN: RHSP Jesus Camargo was stretched-out to four innings and 60 pitches last week before he was moved-up to South Bend from EXST on Saturday, LHSP Manuel Rondon threw three innings (45 pitches) in an EXST "sim" game last Thursday, and RHSP Erick Leal (who missed all of last season with an elbow injury) is gradually increasing his innings and pitch count at EXST as well, so I would expect some changes with regard to the starting rotations at both Myrtle Beach and South Bend (and possibly a 6th starter added to the starting rotation at Tennessee) in the next week or so (possibly in the next few days), with perhaps Camargo replacing Albertos at South Bend (with Albertos going to EXST), Rondon replacing Paulino at Myrtle Beach (with Paulino moving to the bullpen), and Leal added as a 6th starter (maybe "piggy-backing" with Hedges) at Tennessee. 

Cubs MLB Roster

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40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on 60-DAY IL   

32 players are on the MLB ACTIVE LIST (26-man limit in effect on MLB Opening Day)

17 players signed to minor league contracts are Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-18-2023
 
* bats or throws left
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PITCHERS: 16
Adbert Alzolay
Javier Assad 
Brad Boxberger
Michael Fulmer
Kyle Hendricks
* Brandon Hughes
Julian Merryweather
Michael Rucker
Adrian Sampson
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele 
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski
Rowan Wick

NRI PITCHERS: 10 
* Ryan Borucki  
Nick Burdi 
Tyler Duffey 
* Roenis Elias  
* Anthony Kay  
Mark Leiter Jr 
* Brendon Little  
Vinny Nittoli 
Manuel Rodriguez 
Cam Sanders 

CATCHERS: 2 
* Tucker Barnhart 
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
* Dom Nunez  
Luis Torrens 

INFIELDERS: 9
Nico Hoerner
* Eric Hosmer
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Zach McKinstry
Christopher Morel
* Edwin Rios
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
# Sergio Alcantara 
David Bote 
* Matt Mervis  

OUTFIELDERS: 5 
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Trey Mancini 
Seiya Suzuki 
Nelson Velazquez

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 2
Ben DeLuzio 
* Mike Tauchman   

OPTIONED: 8
Keven Alcantara, OF 
Miguel Amaya, C 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Jeremiah Estrada, P 
Ryan Jensen, P 
Caleb Kilian, P 

60-DAY IL: 2 
Codi Heuer, P 
Ethan Roberts, P
  


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