Recent comments

crunch 1 week 5 days ago (view)

masterboney sweating....or hoping madrigal starts to tank.

Arizona Phil 1 week 5 days ago (view)

Patrick Wisdom goes on an Article XIX-C Minor League Rehab Assignment to AAA Iowa. Barring another (different) injury or an aggravation of the original one, Wisdom must be reinstated no later than April 26th. 

A maximum of 20 days on a rehab assignment are allowed for position players (even if the player moves from one minor league affiliate to a different one during the course of the rehab assignment), a max of 30 days for pitchers, a max of 40 days for position players rehabbing from TJS. and a max of 60 days for pitchers rehabbing from TJS. 

crunch 1 week 5 days ago (view)

cubs bases loaded 0 out in bottom 1st, cubs still outperforming the dodgers in a messy way.

...and yama escapes with no damage.

27 pitches for him, too.

crunch 1 week 5 days ago (view)

i knew cubs fans wanted belli back, but they are rooting him -every- time he comes to the plate like he's a cubs legend.

Arizona Phil 1 week 5 days ago (view)

There are now 151 minor league players on the Cubs in-season 165-man Domestic Reserve List (DRL), plus seven players are on the 60-day IL, three are on the Full-Season IL, and two are on the Restricted List (players on the 60-day IL, Full-Season IL, and Restricted List do not count against the DRL roster limit, so 14 DRL slots are open). 

There are now 65 players on the Cubs 70-man International Reserve List (IRL), plus two players are on the Restricted List (players on the Restricted List do not count against the IRL roster limit, so five IRL slots are open). 

So of the 235 minor league reserve list slots available during the season (not counting players on the MLB 40-man roster who are on Optional Assignment to the minors), 216 of the slots are filled and 19 are open. 

crunch 1 week 5 days ago (view)

wicks puts 2 on, 3-2 count on freeman...0 out...and he gets out of the entire inning with 0 scored.

27 pitches, though.

crunch 1 week 5 days ago (view)

counsell may be cautious of the dodgers and want the best chance for the guys putting so much stuff into play.  dunno, though.

SD and SEA are next.  i'll be paying closer attention to those series and where morel plays.

Charlie 1 week 5 days ago (view)

We're eight games into the season and Counsell is already going with Madrigal over Morel consecutive games at third base. In the short term, I get it. In the long term, I worry that this organization lacks the coaching tools and patience to find Morel a position. He's too athletic to settle him at DH already.

Arizona Phil 1 week 5 days ago (view)

Brennen Davis with a line drive solo HR over the LF fence off Grayson Moore in Saturday morning's EXST "sim" game on Field # 1.

Also, RHP JC Coronado left the game with an apparent injury after throwing just seven pitches in the bottom of the 1st inning. 

Arizona Phil 1 week 5 days ago (view)

As a post-2023 MLB Article XX-B free-agent who signed a 2024 minor league contract at least ten days prior to MLB Opening Day, David Peralta has automatic player opt-outs on Opening Day (which he did not exercise), May 1st, and June 1st, so unless something really bad happens to Ian Happ, Peralta opting out on 5/1 or 6/1 seems inevitable. 

Arizona Phil 1 week 5 days ago (view)

David Peralta (October 2023 left flexor tendon surgery) who previously was limited to DH at MLB Spring Training, is now routinely making 250+ foot throws from the outfield. So he is about 100% ready to play with no restrictions. (He was already raking at the plate). He also has been like an outfield coach for the young Cubs outfielders (A. Rosario, Lubo, L. Espinoza, and Suriel) during drills, interrupting reps to offer instruction. 

Childersb3 1 week 6 days ago (view)

Shane Bieber to have TJ surgery. 

That hope ended quickly

Cubster 1 week 6 days ago (view)

Cubs resigning Carl Edward’s Jr to a minor league contract. Iowa bullpen depth. Also a minor league catcher Ali Sanchez.

Arizona Phil 1 week 6 days ago (view)

First "full squad" Camp Day at Extended Spring Training Friday morning, with RHP Jaxon Wiggins (February 2023 TJS), RHP Brody McCullough (post-2023 knee surgery), RHP Naz Mule (March 2023 right elbow surgery), and RHP Vince Reilly (ex-OAK - signed by the Cubs on 3/20) throwing "live" BP on Field # 1... each pitcher threw one "inning," hitters rotated, no defense, no base running, no batting cage, no pitcher's screen, and with a home plate umpire hired by the Cubs calling balls & strikes: 

1. JAXON WIGGINS: 
One inning  
20 pitches 
10 strikes 
3 swing & miss 
2 fouls 
4 called strikes
1 BIP 
9 balls 
1 HBP 
BATTERS FACED: Brennen Davis (HBP), David Peralta (K-looking), Felix Stevens (BIP - FLY RF), Jose Escobar (K-looking), and Brennen Davis (walk).    

2. BRODY McCULLOUGH 
One inning
25 pitches 
13 strikes 
4 swing & miss 
3 fouls
5 called strikes 
1 BIP
12 balls
BATTERS FACED: Brennen Davis (walk), David Peralta (BIP - infield pop), Felix Stevens (walk), Adan Sanchez (K-looking), and Brennen Davis (K-looking),

3. NAZ MULE: 
One inning 
25 pitches 
10 strikes 
3 swing & miss 
2 fouls 
2 called strikes
3 BIP 
14 balls
1 HBP 
BATTERS FACED: Adan Sanchez (BIP - line drive CF), Jose Escobar (walk), Alfonsin Rosario (BIP - FLY CF), Adan Sanchez (walk), Felix Stevens (BIP - FLY CF),  Jose Escobar (K-looking), and Adan Sanchez (HBP).  

4. VINCE REILLY: 
One inning 
17 pitches 
13 strikes 
5 swing & miss 
3 fouls 
2 called strikes
3 BIP 
4 balls 
BATTERS FACED: Felix Stevens (K-swinging), Yahil Melendez (BIP - grounder 5.5 hole), Jose Escobar (BIP - infield pop), and Felix Stevens (BIP - line drive CF).    

Patrick Wisdom had an individual work-out on Field # 1, fielding ground balls at 3rd base and running the bases, but did not take BP. (Wisdom took "live" BP versus RHP Luis Rujano on Thursday, but the rest of the squad had the day off). 

All of the position players took BP on fields 1 & 2 after the Wisdom work-out, but not all of the position players participated in the "live" BP. Pitchers who were not scheduled to throw did PFPs on the half-field.  

RHP Matt Thompson and RHP Jeral Vizcaino threw 25-pitch bullpen sides at the 12-pack but did not throw "live" BP (although they did throw "live" BP within the last week at Minor League Camp).    

The only MIA was LHP Daniel Brown. 

2024 CUBS EXTENDED SPRING TRAINING ROSTER (updated 4-5-2024

39 players 

* bats or throwsd left 
# bats both

PITCHERS: 21 
Gabriel Agrazal
* Daniel Brown
JC Coronado 
* Miguel Cruz 
Luis Devers
Fraiman Marte 
Luis Martinez-Gomez
Brody McCullough (ACTIVE REHAB)
Grayson Moore
Wilme Mora  
Naz Mule (ACTIVE REHAB)
Eligio Paredes
Mat Peters (on Restricted List)
Vince Reilly 
Luis A. Reyes
Yenrri Rojas
Luis Rujano
Freilyn Silverio
Matt Thompson
Jeral Vizcaino 
Jaxon Wiggins (ACTIVE REHAB)

CATCHERS: 4 
# Jairo Diaz
Yidel Diaz 
Frank Hernandez (ex-OF) 
Adan Sanchez 

INFIELDERS: 7 
Angel Cepeda  
* Jose Escobar
* Albert Gutierrez 
Scott McKeon
* Yahil Melendez
Felix Stevens 
Patrick Wisdom (ACTIVE REHAB)

OUTFIELDERS: 7 
Bradlee Beesley  
Brennen Davis (ACTIVE REHAB)
Leonel Espinoza 
Geuri Lubo (ex-INF)
* David Peralta (ACTIVE REHAB) 
Alfonsin Rosario 
* Anderson Suriel 

MANAGER: 
Corey Ray 

COACHES: 
Collin Andrews 
Andrew Craig
Yovanny Cuevas
Clayton Mortensen
Chris Pieters
Connor Rooney 
Kyle Sutherland 
Jose Zapata

BULLPEN CATCHERS:
Alex Espinoza
Howard Hudson 

azbobbop 1 week 6 days ago (view)

Jefferson Rojas with an opening night home run.

Jackstraw 1 week 6 days ago (view)

Waiting for me to get there for the Saturday game. Nice.

Childersb3 1 week 6 days ago (view)

TN Smokies OD lineup doesn't include Horton, Shaw, or Pagan (Roederer over Pagan was a toss-up for sure).

Of course, this means less than nothing, but it certainly caught my attention. 

TarzanJoeWallis 1 week 6 days ago (view)

Yep, DJL. Thanks for the spirited debate!

Eric S 1 week 6 days ago (view)

Aside from the first inning miscues, Cubs defense was outstanding. Madrigal at third over Morel particularly paid off, at least today. 

Smyly very deserving of the W - too bad Merryweather was not able to strand the two runners he inherited from Smyly with two outs in the inning. 

crunch 1 week 6 days ago (view)

wow, what a messy and fun cubs win.

9th inning was pure drama.