Recent comments

bradsbeard 12 hours 56 minutes ago (view)

AZ Phil, do you think Jefferson Rojas will have a chance to be the primary SS for the ACL Cubs this year? He played more 2B in the DSL last year. Curious if you think he can handle SS. 

KingKongvsGodzilla 18 hours 15 minutes ago (view)

Thanks! He’ll need more than that come showtime! 

bigsky33 18 hours 59 minutes ago (view)

Hi Phil,  anything happening on the back fields the rest of this week? And, when does extended spring training start?  Looking forward to watching!

crunch 19 hours 46 minutes ago (view)

he didn't do anything amazing, but wow...the stuff that came out of jake reindl's arm in his 1 inning closing out the last spring game was really interesting for a 26 year old who's never seen above A-ball.  if that's repeatable outing to outing we could actually see him in the bigs.

crunch 21 hours 4 minutes ago (view)

they even got the B-team in the announce booth and field reporter crews...rough day for anyone in the stands or watching on TV that's not a fan of the farm system.

Charlie 1 day 3 hours ago (view)

Solid extension. Both sides get security and Nico doesn't give up his chance at a free agent payday.

Arizona Phil 1 day 12 hours ago (view)

The Iowa Cubs (as well as the Chicago Cubs) have left town, so the Tennessee Smokies will be playing as the "Chicago Cubs" versus the White Sox in Tuesday afternoon's MLB Cactus League game at Sloan Park. 

Arizona Phil 1 day 12 hours ago (view)

Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Monday's Cubs - White Sox game at Sloan ParK:

JAMESON TAILLON: 
FB: 90-93 
SL/CT: 88-89 
CH: 8182 
CV: 78-81 
COMMENT: Worked five shutout innings (66 pitches - 47 strikes - that's 72% strikes), allowing two hits (both singles) and an HBP, struck out five (all five swinging), and 4/6 GO/AO... retired the first seven men in a row (K-swinging on a CV, F-7, P-4, K-swinging on a CV, 4-3, L-7, and 3-U) before allowing a one-out single in the top of the 3rd, and then struck out the next two batters (both swinging, both on  a CV)... retired the side 1-2-3 again in the 4th (5-3, F-8, and a K-swinging on a CV)... first two batters reached base in the 5th (single and an HBP), but then he got out of it on an F-7, a 5-4 FC, and an L-8)... pitches per inning were 14-9-14-12-17.... got seven swing & miss total (five on CV all of which were strike three, one on SL/CT, and one on FB)... he probably could have pitched seven or maybe eight innings if it had been the regular season...

JULIAN MERRYWEATHER: 
FB: 96-97
SL: 86-87
CV: 83-84  
COMMENT: Pitched the 6th inning (20 pitches - 14 strikes) and allowed three consecutive singles (producing one run) on his first seven pitches, but then struck out the next two batters (both swinging) and retired the last hitter on an F-7... got four swing & miss (one on FB, one on CV, and two on SL)... for whatever the reason, his FB in this outing was initially VERY hittable... 

ADBERT ALZOLAY: 
FB: 93-95 
CT: 88-91 
SL: 86 
COMMENT: Threw an easy 1-2-3 7th (11 pitches - 9 strikes),  inducing a 6-3 GO, an F-8, and then another F-8... got three swing & miss (two on FB, one on CT)...  

MICHAEL RUCKER: 
FB: 95-96 
CH: 91 
SL: 84-85 
COMMENT: Threw a 1-2-3 8th (11 pitches - 8 strikes), getting a K-swinging on a SL, then an F-8, and finally a K-swinging on a FB...  got six swing & miss among his 11 pitches (which is outstanding), including three on FB, two on SL, and one on a CH.... FB was electric... this was the best one inning outing by any Cubs reliever so far this spring... no way Rucker doesn't make the Cubs Opening Day roster..  

MICHAEL FULMER: 
FB: 92-94 
SL: 86-89 
CV: 80-83 
COMMENT: Entered the game in the top of 9th with the Cubs leading 6-1... had a terrible outing... couldn't find the strike zone (27 pitches - only 13 strikes)... allowed a single and issued a four-pitch walk to begin the inning, but then retired the next two batters on a F-7 and a 5-4 FC, before Erik Gonzalez unloaded a three-run HR on Fulmer's 22nd pitch of the inning (a hanging SL) to make the score 6-5... Fulmer remained in the game and faced two more batters, who continued the hard contact with a single and a double... the main problem was that he just could not command his usual "go-to" SL and so he could not get out of the inning...   

BRADFORD DEPPERMANN: 
FB: 94 
SL: 86-87    
COMMENT: Up from minor league camp as an extra arm... relieved Fulmer with runners on 2nd & 3rd and two outs in the 9th and the Cubs still leading 6-4... surrendered a game-tying two-run single (hard-hit ground single through the box) on his 2nd pitch of the inning, before inducing an inning-ending hard-hit L-8...  
 

crunch 1 day 14 hours ago (view)

we're gonna get so spoiled on middle-IF defense if nico/swanson stay healthy.  christian hernandez now has plenty of time to break into a full-time job (if he pans out).

Cubster 1 day 14 hours ago (view)

Nico gets $3/35 which buys out his first free agent year.