
Shelby Miller a Mystery to Cubs Hitters
RHSP Shelby Miller (on Arizona Diamondbacks MLB 15-day DL retro to May 25th with a sprained/bruised right index finger) hurled five innings of shutout ball and Max Brown (RBI double) and Gerard Hernandez (RBI single) stroked run-scoring hits to highlight a two-run first inning, as the Diamondbacks made the two runs stand and edged the Cubs 2-1 at Sloan Park, and Joey Armstrong laced a two-run single to cap a three-run second-inning and Marcus Wilson walked twice, singled, stole a base, and scored two runs, leading the D'backs over the Cubs 5-2 on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader action this morning in Mesa, AZ.
With local Phoenix TV crews recording every pitch, Miller breezed-through his five innings (55 pitches), allowing just three singles and no walks, with two strikeouts and an 8/5 GO/AO.
D. J. Wilson belted an RBI double and a single and Wladimir Galindo singled twice and drove-in a run for the Cubs in a losing cause on Field #1.
RHP Jen-Ho Tseng (on AA Tennessee 7-day DL with right shoulder inflammation) and LHRP Jack Leathersich (July 2015 TJS) continued their EXST rehab, working in the game played at Sloan Park.
Tseng started the game and worked four innings (48 pitches - 73% strikes) and allowed two runs on four hits (three singles and a double), but he struck out five, did not issue any walks, and he retired the last eight hitters he faced (K, 4-3, 4-3, 3-1, K, L-9. K, 6-3).
Leathersich followed Tseng to the hill and worked a 1-2-3 5th inning (4-3, F-9, K). While he's still in "rehab mode," Leathersich is increasing his velocity & command with each EXST outing, and he could ultimately replace Clayton Richard as the Cubs second LHRP option (perhaps sooner rather than later).
In EXST Cubs roster news, SS Ho-Young Son (2014 IFA - South Korea) is being converted to pitcher, but he is not ready to throw in games yet (just bullpen side-sessions and PFP drills so far). The 21-year old Son hit just 238/310/295 in 65 career minor league games (AZL Cubs & Eugene) 2014-15, but he has a rifle for an arm.
Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only):
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Recent comments
Childersb3 09/26/2023 - 09:27 am (view)
Padres want to restructure while still competing, yet decrease payroll.
Snell and Hader are FAs.
Soto has one year left on deal.
Our bullpen is in dire need of someone like Hader.
Snell would cost a ton and maybe Steele's presence makes Snell unnecessary, yet you cannot have enough pitching (I'd like Yamamoto)
But, we can put a deal together for Soto. We'd have to pony up the cash to keep him to make the trade worth it long term, but we can make a value deal for the Padres.
Morel, Canario, Mervis, Vazquez, one MiLB SP (Sanders-Arias-Gray-maybe Ferris), and Stroman (or Hendricks)
So, it's a six for one deal.
The issue here is that five of these guys have to be on the Padres 40man roster. That might be too much for them. So maybe BJ Murray instead of Vazquez.
Morel is blocked from a defensive position. So he's our DH. He'd be replaced by Soto.
We'd still keep Alcantara and ONKC to replace Happ and Suzuki eventually.
We'd still need to figure out 3B. Maybe bring back Candelario.
I'd resign Belli for 1B or CF if PCA isn't "ready" in Spring Training.
Wisdom can stay to help Soto with DH spots vs LH arms.
You'd have LH bats at DH, 1B, 3B (switch), LF (switch), CF (PCA or Tauch) with 20 HR pop at DH, 1B, LF and 15 HR pop at 3B and CF. That's pretty solid.
It'll cost too much for the Ricketts to keep Bellinger and Soto but that would be fun to watch.
crunch 09/26/2023 - 09:48 am (view)
missing the playoffs because of an on-paper tiebreaker loss would be peak cubbery.
Hagsag1946 09/26/2023 - 09:10 am (view)
Thanks Phil. I look forward to these reports.
Mike Wellman 09/25/2023 - 09:24 pm (view)
Playoffs essentially start tomorrow for Cubs. Better pack for a week in Milwaukee.
Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:34 pm (view)
azbobbop: If Stroman does not opt out, the Cubs can trade him without any restrictions.
Stroman will make $21M in 2024 if he does not opt out, and Hendricks will make $16M if the Cubs exercise the club option.
Also, it would cost the Cubs a $1.5M buy-out if they decline the Hendricks club option, so they would only be saving $14.5M by declining the option, not the full $16M.
azbobbop 09/25/2023 - 09:08 pm (view)
Phil, if Stroman opts in, does have any trade protection?
Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)
CRUNCH: Unfortunately all of the tie-breakers work against the Cubs in the case of a tie with AZ, MIA, and/or CIN.
Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:48 pm (view)
CUBSTER: The Cubs are expected to be "in" on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but so will about a dozen other clubs.
Arizona Phil 09/25/2023 - 09:54 pm (view)
Childersb3: I suspect the Cubs will pick-up the Hendricks $16M 2024 option rather than pay the $1.5M buy-out, and then depending on what else might happen during off-season (Stroman opt-out now not likely, Smyly to the pen permanently, might or might not sign Yamamoto), Hendricks will either be in the Cubs starting rotation on Opening Day, or else he will be traded.
So while I don't think the Cubs will decline the club option, I do think he could be traded if it becomes clear during the course of the off-season and Spring Training that there is no place for him in the 2024 rotation.
With the need for SP being what it is throughout MLB, Hendricks still has value (especially on a one-year contract for reasonable money), whether it be with the Cubs or with another club (presuming he stays healthy, of course).
Arizona Phil 09/26/2023 - 09:24 am (view)
Here are pitch types / velo from the game:
Alfredo Romero: FB 88-91 and CV 77-79
Shane Marshall: FB 92, SL/CT: 87-88, CV: 79-81
Mason McGwire: FB 93-95, SL/CT 85-88, SPLIT 76-78
Kevin Valdez: FB 92-93, SL 80-83, CV 74
Koen Moreno: FB 89-92, SL/CT 84-85, CH 79-81, CV 73-74