Trey Lang

Jake Hannemann ripped an RBI triple and a single, walked, and scored a run, and Jeimer Candelario stroked a single and a solo home run and drove-in another run with a 3-1 GO, leading the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs AA affiliate) to a 6-4 victory over the Mobile BayBears (Arizona Diamondbacks AA affiliate) on Field #5, and Justin Marks tossed four shutout innings with six strikeouts, and Danny Worth and Peter O'Brien blasted solo home runs, as the Reno Aces (D'backs AAA affiliate) rallied to edge the Iowa Cubs (AAA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) 5-4 on Field #6, in Cactus League minor league game action this afternoon at Mesa Cubtown at Riverview Park. 

Brandon Drury belted an RBI double and a two-run inside-the-park HR for Mobile in a losing cause. 

In Cubs Spring Training roster news, NRI catcher (and 2014 #1 draft pick) Kyle Schwarber has been sent to Minor League Camp. He has been initially assigned to the Iowa squad (subject to change) and in fact was in the I-Cubs starting lineup as a DH this afternoon (he went 2-4 with two singles).

Also, Cubs 2012 5th round draft pick LHP Anthony Prieto (Americas HS - El Paso, TX) has retired. The 21-year old Prieto underwent Tommy John Surgery last season, and he was far enough along in his rehab that he was able to throw an inning against the Ontario Nationals (Canadian amateur team) this past Monday. But he needed 29 pitches to get through the inning, throwing more balls than strikes and walking the bases loaded, before evenually retiring the side.   

Prieto is the second Cub draft pick from the 2012 class to retire in the last couple of months, with 2012 6th round pick RHP Trey Lang (Gateway CC) having retired prior to the start of Minor League Camp. Lang had major command issues throughout his pro career and had been unable to escape Extended Spring Training and short-season ball.    

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games played today at Riverview Park (Cubs players only):

Arnaldo Calero (solo HR, two walks, and an HBP) reached base four times, Gleyber Torres (two walks and an RBI single), Bryant Flete (RBI triple, RBI double, and a single), and Tyler Alamo (RBI single, a walk, and an HBP) reached base three times a piece, and the foursome combined to collect five RBI and score five runs, leading the Cubs to an 8-5 victory over the Athletics in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning on Field #2 (AKA "Connie Mack Field") at the Papago Baseball Complex in Phoenix, AZ.

Seongmin Kim belted a bases-clearing three-run double for the A's. 

Tennessee Smokies RHP Matt Loosen (on the Restricted List since 5/22 and hasn't pitched since 5/17) got the start for the Cubs today and worked 3.2 IP (69 pitches), allowing three runs (all ER) on two hits and four walks. He retired 11 of the first 13 men he faced before running out of gas (temperature 100+) in the bottom of the 4th.

RHP Trey Lang (Cubs 2012 6th round draft pick - Gateway CC) walked four consecutive batters in the bottom of the 7th before being relieved. Lang has now appeared in 11 Cactus League EXST games so far in 2014... COMBINED LINE: 16.1 IP, 23 H, 18 R (17 ER), 21 BB, 16 K, 2 HBP, 8 WP, 314 pitches (49% strikes), 9.37 ERA, 2.69 WHIP, .338 OppBA. 

In 18 Cactus League EXST games (55 PA), Cubs infielder Bryant Flete is hitting a robust 372/491/442, with one double and one triple, 11/10 BB/K, 8 RUNS, 9 RBI, and two SB (two CS), and has committed four errors (two at SS and two at 2B). The 21-year old Venezuelan has played both 2B and SS at EXST (although 2B is his best position), and he presently leads the team in both AVG and OBP (minimum 48 PA to qualify). So don't be too surprised if Flete wins a spot on the Boise Hawks Opening Day roster, especially if the Cubs opt to keep 17-year old SS Gleyber Torres in Mesa (AZL Cubs) for the summer. 

Meanwhile, Torres is hitting a very respectable 272/374/359 in 27 Cactus League Extended Spring Training games (108 PA), with 13/20 BB/K, four doubles, two triples, two SB (two CS and two  PO), 12 RUNS, and 10 RBI, but he has committed 11 errors. 

Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only):

Xavier Batista walloped two two-run home runs, Junior Lake belted three doubles, scored twice, and drove-in a run, and Steve Clevenger stroked a two-run double, leading the Cubs to a 9-2 victory over the Athletics in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Papago Park Field #2 (AKA "Connie Mack Field") in Phoenix, AZ.

The game was pre-planned as an 11-inning contest, and the game was called in the middle of the 11th inning after all of the Cubs and A's pitchers who were scheduled to throw in the game got their work.

Junior Lake (rib cage fracture rehab) played third-base for six innings and batted six times, hitting once in six of the first seven innings.

He lined a double off the LF fence (near-HR) in his first AB in the top of the 1st, and then scored from second base on a Yasiel Balaguert 4-3 GO (Lake was running on the pitch, and he didn't stop when he got to third-base, putting on the "after-burners" before sliding home safely just ahead of the throw in a cloud of dust). Lake also doubled in the top of the 2nd inning, this time an RBI two-bagger off the right-centerfield fence (another near-HR). He struck out swinging on a breaking ball in the 4th, but doubled again in the top of the 5th (opposite-field line-drive sliced into the RF corner) before scoring on Clevenger's two-run double. Lake popped-out to the first-baseman and grounded into a 6-4-3 DP in his final two AB.

Steve Clevenger (strained oblique rehab) was the starting catcher for the Cubs and was the backstop for the first six innings, and then moved to DH for the rest of the game. He batted five times, and went 1-5 with the big two-run double in the top of the 5th. He also struck out swinging, grounded out to the first-baseman (unassisted), flied out to CF, and reached base on an E-6. He was thrown out trying to steal third-base after the 5th inning double, and was picked-off 1st base after reaching on the E-6. He twisted his ankle on the pick-off and limped off the field after being tagged out by the A's first-baseman.

X. Batista came into the game hitting 182/262/255 with no home runs and just one RBI and 19 strikeouts in 22 Cactus League Extended Spring Training games (61 PA), so hitting a couple of two-run HR in one game probably felt pretty good. 

2012 6th round draft pick RHP Trey Lang was the Cubs starting pitcher and worked 3.2 IP, allowing two runs (one earned) on just one hit (a 4th inning single) with five strikeouts (all five swinging). But he also walked five, hit a batter, and threw two wild pitches, and needed 75 pitches (only 36 strikes) to get the 11 outs (including a 28-pitch 4th inning that he could not even finish). Lang will likely be one of the starting pitchers at Boise, although his control issues are a big problem and have been all year.

Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only):

Steve Clevenger laced an RBI double and a single and scored two runs, Jesse Hodges belted an RBI double and a triple and scored three times, Dong-Yub Kim doubled, singled twice, drove-in two runs, and scored another, and Jacob Rogers drove-in three runs with an RBI 6-3 GO, a triple, and a bases-loaded walk, as the Cubs drubbed the Angels 16-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Diablo Park Field #7 in Tempe, AZ.

This was the final Cactus League Extended Spring Training game for Albert Almora (broken hand rehab), as he will be leaving Arizona tomorrow morning, en route to join the Kane County Cougars. In six Cactus League Extended Spring Training games (28 PA), Almora hit 259/286/444, with four singles, one double, and two triples, one walk and four strikeouts, five runs scored. and two RBI. He also stole a base.  

The Cubs 2012 1st round pick (6th overall), Almora sustained a broken hamate bone at Minor League Camp on March 14th.            

Steve Clevenger (strained oblique rehab) was a DH in today's game, and got four AB. He batted once in each of the first four innings, getting called out on strikes in his first PA, rifling a line-drive single over the pitcher's head his second time up and then scoring later that inning, roping an RBI double off the CF fence in his third AB before scoring another run later in that inning, and finally grounding into a DP his final turn at the bat.

Because Clevenger was placed on the Cubs MLB 60-day DL on April 14th, he won't be eligible to be reinstated until June 13th. So once Clevenger completes his work at Extended Spring Training, look for him to spend a few more days on a 20-day minor league rehab assignment at Tennessee and/or Iowa.  

Cubs 2012 6th round pick RHP Trey Lang got the start for the Cubs and had a poor outing, allowing three runs on three hits, four walks, and a HBP (plus a WP) in just 2.1 IP (63 pitches - only 29 strikes). Four Angel runners were cut-down on the bases in the first two innings of the game (two CS, one catcher PO, and one pitcher PO), or Lang's line could have been even uglier than it was.

17-year old Venezuelan LHP Carlos Rodriguez followed Lang to the mound and threw 2.2 IP of no-run/no-hit ball, allowing a walk to the the first man he faced before retiring the last eight batters in a row (4-3, F-8, K, 4-3, 3-U, L-6, P-3, L-1). Rodriguez will likely be one of the AZL Cubs starting pitchers this summer.  

Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only):

Carlos Penalver had four hits (an RBI double and three singles) and scored a run, Reggie Golden singled twice, walked, drove-in a run, and scored two more, Mark Malave belted a two-run double and scored a run, and Duane Underwood and Trey Lang combined to throw six shutout innings, leading the Cubs to a 6-1 victory over the Angels in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Fitch Park Field #4 in Mesa, AZ.   

With his four hits today, Penalver is now hitting 381/422/524 with three doubles and a triple and only four strikeouts in 45 Cactus League Extended Spring Training Plate Appearances (17 games). He also leads the EXST Cubs in stolen bases with with four (no CS), and has committed only two errors (his second error coming today). The 18-year old Venezuelan was signed by the Cubs as a 16-year old for a reported $550K bonus on July 2, 2010 (the first day of the 2010 International Signing Period), and he is probably the best defensive shortstop in the organization. 

Jeffrey Baez smacked a three-run home run onto 8th Street, Danny Lockhart singled twice and drove-in three runs, and Ryan McNeil (Cubs 2012 3rd round draft pick) threw three innings of shutout ball with four strikeouts, leading the Cubs to a 12-7 victory over the Angels in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa, AZ.

Ian Stewart continued his Extended Spring Training rehab assignment, batting five times (once in each of the first five innings) and going 1-4, reaching base on an RBI single and an HBP. He also flied out, lined out, and grounded out.

Oakland A's 2012 1st round draft pick (#11 overall) Addison Russell walked, tripled, and belted a two-run home run, Vicmal de la Cruz clobbered a solo home run and an RBI double, Reynaldo Mateo blasted a two-run HR, and Matt Olson singled twice and drove-in two runs, as the Athletics out-slugged the Cubs 13-8 in Arizona Instructional League action this afternoon at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa.

Meanwhile, Jesse Hodges hammered a two-run home run and a double, Jorge Soler drilled a two-run triple, Marco Hernandez roped an opposite-field two run double, and Tim Saunders doubled, walked, stole a base, and drove-in a run, to help propel the Cub offense.

Yasiel Balaguert laced a double into the left-centerfield alley and scored on a Ben Carhart single to get the inning started, and then ripped an opposite-field line-drive RBI single to right to drive-in Jacob Rogers with the final run of the frame, as the AZL Cubs sent 11 men to the plate and scored five times in the bottom of the 6th en route to an 8-2 victory over the AZL Royals in Arizona League action this evening at HoHoKam Park in Mesa.

Dan Vogelbach blasted a 415-foot+ two-run home run over the right-centerfield fence in the bottom of the 4th and an RBI double off the LF fence in the bottom of the 6th (he also stole a base), and Lendy Castillo and four relievers combined to throw a two-hitter, as the AZL Cubs defeated the AZL Padres 4-2 in Arizona League action tonight at HoHoKam Park in Mesa, AZ.