Ivan Medina
Cubs Rally to Squeeze Past Giant Orange at Riverview
RHP Ivan Medina hurled three innings of shutout ball (in relief), Alexander Guerra singled and scored twice and drove-in a run, and Eric Gonzalez drilled a two-run double to break a 4-4 tie, as the Cubs rallied to upend the Giants orange squad 6-4 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action on Field #5 on John Arguello Way at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.
Beicker Mendoza (RBI double), Cody Brickhouse (two-run double), and Dylan Manwaring (RBI triple) contributed run-scoring extra-base hits for the Giants to highlight a four-run 4th that chased RHRP Eury Ramos before he could retire a batter in his second inning of work.
The game was called after eight innings of play.
As happened with Brendan King and Enrique de los Rios a couple of weeks ago, Ivan Medina is being stretched-out at EXST in likely anticipation of either being a SP at Eugene or possibly a move-up to South Bend where he would work as a "swing-man" out of the SB-Cubs bullpen. (I. Medina was the last cut from the South Bend roster at the end of Minor League Camp).
Prior to the Cactus League game on Field #5, RHP Ryan Williams (2017 shoulder surgery) and RHP Peyton Remy (Cubs 2017 17th round draft pick - Central Arizona JC) threw "live" BP on Field #4 (one "inning" & 25 pitches a piece).
In EXST Cubs roster news, OF Roberto Caro has been moved-up to South Bend.
Here is the abridged box score (Cubs players only):
Recent comments
Childersb3 (view)
Mastrobuoni can't come back, yet
Wisdom does have an option left. He can hide in Iowa if Jed DFA's someone else
Does Brennan Davis get shown the door? I know it's too early for that, but these injuries are crunching the roster of a 12-7 team playoff demands and BDavis isn't going to help anytime soon.
Someone has to go to add Peralta. And Canario isn't going to get to play everyday regardless of RHers or LHers. Neither is Tauchman. Also don't see PCA getting a chance over Peralta.
If Jed does those moves:
4 OF: Belli, Peralta, Canny, Tauch
2 C: Gomes and Amaya
2 DH: Cooper and Mervis
5 INF: Busch, Nico, Dansby, Morel, Madrigal
Little short on OF depth but two injuries will do that
Arizona Phil (view)
I have had the pleasure of watching some of the young A's pitchers lately (first Joe Boyle the last day of Minor League Spring Training in March, and more recently Luis Morales last week and Steven Echavarria yesterday at Extended Spring Training), and it reminds me of the Miami Marlins a couple of years ago. A really nice collection of young pitchers. It will be interesting to see what the A's will get for two years of ex-Cub Paul Blackburn at the Trade Deadline (there should be a robust market for Blackburn).
Childersb3 (view)
Good deal
MB needs some talent infusion!
Arizona Phil (view)
Childersb3: Very possible. Suriel, too.
Arizona Phil (view)
DJL: if a pitcher is recalled to be the 27th man for a doubleheader and then is optioned back to the minors the next day, the 15-day "clock" does NOT reset. The one day call-up for the doubleheader is treated like it never happened with respect to a pitcher having to spend at least 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled.
Arizona Phil (view)
Probably the only reason David Peralta is still in the organization (he is at AAA Iowa) is to be available in case anything bad were to happen to Ian Happ (which it just did). So if Happ needs to go on the IL, the Cubs can select Peralta to play LF, DFA Wisdom (and hope he and what remains of his $2.725M salary gets claimed off waivers), and recall Mervis to platoon at DH with Cooper (with Canario / Tauchman sharing RF), at least until Suzuki and Happ are back...
crunch (view)
i'd just like to take a moment to express to the world i'm still pissed willson contreras is not a cub when the pricetag was 5/87m (17.5m/yr).
it would be nice to have a legacy-type player to stick around, especially one with his leadership and the respect he gets from his peers. cubs fans deserved more than 1 season of contreras + morel...that was gold.
crunch (view)
happ, right hamstring tightness, day-to-day (hopefully 0 days).
he will be reevaluated tomorrow.
Childersb3 (view)
I guess I'm not looking for that type of AB
Just a difference of opinion
TarzanJoeWallis (view)
I don’t see Tauchman as a weak link in any position. He simply adds his value in a different way.
I don’t know that we gain much by putting him in the outfield - Happ, Bellinger and Suzuki and Tauchman all field their positions well. If you’re looking for Taucnman’s kind of AB in a particular game I don’t see why it can’t come from DH.