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Mike O'Neil
Andreoli & Kalish Long Balls Carry Iowa Cubs to Victory at Fitch Park
Employing the long ball (a Ryan Kalish three-run bomb and a John Andreoli solo blast) and six innings of one-run ball from 2015 Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year Ryan Williams, the Iowa Cubs (AAA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) defeated the Nashville Sounds (Oakland Athletics AAA affiliate) 6-2 on Field #4, while on Field #3, Michael Soto, John Nogowski, and J. P. Sportman drilled consecutive RBI singles to highlight a three-run 7th, lifting the Midland Rockhounds (A's AA affiliate) to a 6-3 victory over the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs AA affiliate), in Cactus League Minor League doubleheader action Saturday afternoon at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
In addition to his HR, Andreoli also walked twice and stole a base.
The I-Cubs bullpen (Peralta-Edwards-Pena) retired the last seven Sounds hitters, striking out six of them.
Iowa 1B Dan Vogelbach left the game on Field #4 after being hit on the foot with a pitch.
Gioskar Amaya reached base four times (three walks and a single), Mike O'Neill collected three singles, and Mark Zagunis drove-in all three Tennessee runs (two-run double and a bases loaded HBP) in a losing cause on Field #3.
Smokies SP Jonathan Martinez and reliever (ex-starter) Daury Torrez had rough outings on Field #3, with Martinez allowing five hits (two doubles and three singles) and four walks in just 3.2 IP (78 pitches - only 60% strikes), and Torrez surrendering three runs on five hits in just one inning of work.
In Minor League Camp roster news, the Cubs have released RHRP Matt Brazis (acquired from SEA for OF Justin Ruggiano post-2014), 1B Matt Clark (ex-MIL), OF Donnie Cimino (2015 37th round draft pick - Weslyan U.), LHRP Heath Dwyer (2015 NDFA - VCU), LHRP Nick Greenwood (ex-STL), C-INF Jordan Hankins (2013 11th round draft pick - Austin Peay), RHRP Santiago Rodriguez (2013 IFA - Dominican Republic), RHSP Austyn Willis (2014 18th round draft pick - Barstow HS - Barstow, CA), and LHRP Sam Wilson (2013 8th round draft pick - Lamar CC).
Cubs Spring Training Depth Chart
Minor League Camp Rosters (updated daily)
Here are the abridged box scores from the two game (Cubs players only):
Recent comments
JoePepitone (view)
Fighting Ham for Mother Nippon!
crunch (view)
reliever market is f'n crazy. guys that aren't "lights out" but still good are getting crazy loot. josh hader gonna get crazy paid if these early contracts are an indication of the market.
emilio pagan - 2/16m (8m average)
nick martinez - 2/26m (13m average)
reynaldo lopez - 3/30m (10m average)
it also makes me wonder how much j.assad is worth as a trade piece in this market...or how valuable he is to the team to save money. these swing guy types are going to start making good loot for relievers. in 2023 there were 5 pitchers in all of MLB that pitched 200+ IP...8 in 2022...4 in 2021. Pre-COVID you have to go back to the strike shortened 1994 to find less than 10 pitchers with sub-200 IP (Greg Maddux the only guy in 94).
crunch (view)
thomas hatch is going to fight ham in japan. he was on PIT's 40-man.
crunch (view)
morel played somewhere besides 3rd and SS...he got 8 innings in CF, 2 putouts and an assist.
crunch (view)
ryan flaherty new cubs bench coach.
crunch (view)
bellinger wins comeback player of the year. the AL winner was liam hendricks and his 5ip before he got tommy john...setting himself up for a 2025 shot at the award.
Bill (view)
I hope that Perlaza goes on to have a successful career. On most Cubs teams prior to the current administration, he would have been one of their more highly ranked prospects. As far as the others are concerned, one or more may well go on to be much better than expected, but unfortunately there is no way to tell which one at the present time. You can't keep everyone.
crunch (view)
s.gray signs with the cards...3/75m
Arizona Phil (view)
Another one of the nine Cubs post-2023 Rule 9 minor league 6YFA has signed, as RHP Carlos Guzman (acquired from the Tigers for Zack McKinstry at the end of Spring Training) signed a 2024 minor league contract with the Mets.
So RHRP Yovanny Cruz (SD), C-INF P. J. Higgins (CIN), and now Carlos Guzman (NYM) have already signed 2024 minor league contracts with new MLB organizations, and OF Yonathan Perlaza is headed for Korea (Hanhwa Eagles).
crunch (view)
...and back to 3rd for another game. at this point i'm gonna hang back and when/if he actually plays 1st then i'll find it notable. i am glad he's playing a good amount of 3rd, though...give the club one more good look at him there. shrug