Was there a Cubs game yesterday?
I was so in shock at Wisconsin's ability to score more than 60 points that I failed to pay attention to yesterday's games. It looks like it was probably a good thing. In the Dbacks game, Ryan Dempster gave up eight hits and a walk in three and 2/3 innings, but shocklingly only three runs. Every 2012-relevant pitcher who played in that game gave up at least a run, except for Carlos Marmol who had a scoreless (two-baserunner) inning. Kerry Wood only managed to get one out while giving up four runs. The Cubs offense managed to scratch out eleven htis but only two runs, one on a Michael Brenly homer.
The Cubs lost the other split squad game 7-5 to the Rockies. No pitcher was particularly shelled but the team slowly bled runs the whole game. Junior Lake provided the main highlight for the Cubs with a three-run homer.
A few players suffered minor injuries yesterday. Darwin Barney felt tightness on his left side while warming up in BP, and Ian Stewart was scratched with a minor quad injury. Blake DeWitt was hit on hte hand by a pitch but probably just needs to rub some dirt on it.
Is there a Cubs game today?
They face the Giants at 3PM CT. Matt Garza pitches for the Cubs, and Len and Mick have the call on Gameday audio. Or you could just watch Florida State obliterate St. Bonaventure.
Today's lineup
RF DeJesus
CF Byrd
SS Castro
1B Rizzo
3B Mather
C Clevenger
LF Sappelt
2B Cardenas
P Garza
Theo compensation on the one-yard line
Cubs relief prospect Aaron Kurcz is the PBTNL on the Cubs side. The last part of this tedious process will be the Red Sox sending some likely insignificant player back at some point in the next day or to.
OVBlog bracket challenge update
It was a big day for the favorites yesterday, with only favorite-to-upset VCU winning and stealth favorite to go deep in the tournament UNLV losiing. Mish, cwolf, and skipVB lead the group with 14 correct picks.
Lineup ordering speculation
ESPN's Doug Padilla takes a look at the possible opening day lineup. We know that David DeJesus is the leadoff hitter, and that Starlin Castro will probably be hitting third. LaHair's been talked about for the cleanup spot, Soriano's strong spring could push him back to fifth. But the most important slot that we haven't really received any tea leaves from which to read is the second spot in the lineup. Darwin Barney spent most of the time there last year but I haven't sensed a willingness from Sveum and Thoyer to give a .296 wOBA hitter the second-most PAs on the team. I like Padilla's suggestion, that everyone would just move up a spot, resulting in an opening day lineup of DeJesus, Castro, LaHair, Soriano, Byrd, Stewart, Soto, Barney, P. He has LaHair/Soriano flipped, but eh.
Cubs not leaving Peoria for South Bend
The owner of the South Bend minor league team announced on twitter yesterday that they renewed their affiliation with Arizona for another three years.The Peoria Chiefs are stil lstrapped for ash so the Cubs could move somewhere else in the nearish future, but it won't be to South Bend.
Yesterday's roster cuts
Cabrera, Beliveau, Gaub, Vitters ———> AAA
Lake, Szczur ——-> AA
Jaramillo ——–>minors
That's an a gressive promotion for Szczur, who struggled when promoted to high-A last year. He is having a pretty good spring though, for what it's worth, and his roster status has to be factoring in to his promotion.
Is there Wrigley Talk Friday today?
Well, it is Friday. Tune in at 1 PM, if you dare.
There goes my hope that the new Cubs would be better at lineup construction. It’s really frustrating how under-appreciated the no. 2 slot is. And it’s doubly frustrating since Castro is a (good) example of a prototypical no. 2 hitter.
http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2012/03/9-things-to-consider-when-projecting-2012-cubs-roster/
I thought Sveum talked about Barney hitting 2nd already.
@ ACT:
Agreed. In whatever lineup they put together I’m likely to think that Castro is the one is most obviously out of place. That is unless they bat Garza 3rd.
@ mb21:
I can’t remember, and Padilla didn’t mention it. I certainly don’t remember many instances of him hitting high in the lineup this spring.
I probably shouldn’t have been so quick to write off Sveum’s lineup-setting skills since I have little to go on except ST. Padilla’s proposed lineup seems reasonable, though I would prefer to platoon several spots/positions (I know Sveum said he won’t do this, but why not?). I do have a lingering fear of Barney being in the no. 2, slot, however.
For some reason I remember him saying DeJesus and Barney at the top of the order.
ACT wrote:
I’ll be surprised if he’s not the primary number 2 hitter.
@ mb21:
I think he’s committed to DeJesus at the top of the order but not Barney. A couple months ago he sort of suggested Barney in the #2 spot but didn’t really say it with a lot of conviction (at least I didn’t think so). I think depending on how Soriano and LaHair do they’re more apt to just move everyone up a spot rather than hit Barney second as Doug Padilla suggested.
@ Berselius:
Incomplete, no section about who is in the better shape of their lives.
@ ACT:
I think we’ll see some platoons, or at least some unofficial ones. Certainly Baker and Reed Johnson will see time against LHP. I think that lineup above is assumed to be the regular lineup against RHP, not against everyone.
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/16/george-brett-if-steroid-users-get-elected-to-the-hall-of-fame-current-inductees-will-boycott/
Hmm.
I’d be surprised if we don’t see platoons. Maybe not early on, but at some point there will be. When Darwin Barney is wOBAing .270 vs righties something will change.
Andy Pettite ———> Yankees
http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/comments/women_only_thread/#comments
@ Berselius:
Wait wut
bevo looks awful
@ GW:
Wow that is creepy (dying laughing)
Woodjock sounds like accidental erections during sports games.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120316&content_id=27323478&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
@ GW:
3-23 shooting last I checked (dying laughing)
MGL and Tango get their feathers ruffled in the comments section
@ GW:
I don’t know why you’d post a women’s only thread on a blog that is 105% male. (dying laughing)
MO’s bunt tournament nightmare ends today
I don’t understand the women’s only thread. Is it just me, or does that look bad in any number ways?
@ mb21:
that’s why i found that one comment so funny.
I gotta say, I don’t hate the Marlins uniforms. The crazy colors on black works for me.
signs of life for bevo
@ GW:
You mean Devo?
@ GW:
(dying laughing)
I wonder if Tango and MGL is acceptable?
@ WaLi:
That comment from him annoyed me. Jensen was so obviously addressing the both of them in a way that did not lump their opinions together. I have no idea what the issue is. If 424 and I are arguing similar points it stands to reason that he and I do not agree on everything. However, if we’re talking about the points where we agree and someone says 424 and mb, blah blah fucking blah, so what?
@ mb21:
I don’t read much of his shit, but does he does he ever change his opinion or admit he was wrong about something?
@ mb21:
Yes. I am creeped out just be reading it.
DeJesus vs Coleman in the bunt tourney final
New shit in a new feature: http://www.obstructedview.net/chicago-cubs/ask-ov-questions-about-bleachers-breasts-beer-and-for-some-reason-john-elway-and-the-1979-royals.html
DeJesus ———-> bunting champ
Cubs claimed Frankie De La Cruz from the Brewers.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/03/cubs-claim-frankie-de-la-cruz.html