Spring Training Game Twenty-Two - Cubs (ss) 4 Giants 2
WP - Jon Lieber (2-0) LP - Kevin Correia (0-1) Save - Jose Ascanio (2)
Jon Lieber followed the performances of Jason Marquis and Ryan Dempster with a solid outing of his own. He worked fast, threw strikes and kept the ball down. Lieber allowed a run on 7 hits with a walk and 4 strikeouts in 5 innings of work. The Giants put runners on base in every inning but the Cubs defense turned 3 well-timed double plays with Lieber on the mound.
Scott Eyre gave up a 2-out single in his inning of work, struck out 2 and did not walk a batter. Bobby Howry had one of his best outings of the spring. He surrendered a hit, but no runs and no walks. Carmen Pignatiello pitched from behind in the count to 2 of the 3 batters he faced in the 8th but did not allow a run and struck out 1. The Giants other run came in the 9th after Jose Ascanio walked the first two batters he faced and then gave up a 2-out double to Rajai Davis.
Eric Patterson scored the first run of the game after an infield single and a stolen base in the 1st inning. Micah Hoffpauir was 1-for-4 with an RBI and started the game in right field. Geovany Soto added a RBI double in 4 trips to the plate but the big blast was a 2-run homer by Ronny Cedeno in the 5th inning.
Alan Trammell's lineup featured only one of the projected starters but they manufactured runs and came up with the big hit when they needed it. But it all started with Jon Lieber. Lou Piniella's pending decision concerning who's in his rotation and who's out did not get any easier after Wednesday. While the Cubs' A-Team lost the first game of the day on Wednesday afternoon, it was not because of Ryan Dempster.
The Cubs first run came after an infield single by Eric Patterson. Patterson stole 2nd with Mike Fontenot at the plate, advanced to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt by Fontenot and scored on a groundout to 2nd by Micah Hoffpauir....a run on 1 hit without the ball leaving the infield.
Matt Murton led off the 2nd with a single to right and scored on a double to left center by Geovany Soto. After Ray Durham dropped the relay throw from Aaron Rowand, Soto advanced to 3rd but was stranded. Kevin Correia shut the door on the Cubs' offense after Soto's double until the 5th inning.
Casey McGehee led off the 5th with a single to center. Ronny Cedeno followed with a home run to left center that put the Cubs up 4-1. Jon Lieber followed with a single to center and Eric Patterson singled to right. Mike Fontenot grounded into a 3-6-1 double play and with Lieber at 3rd, Hoffpauir grounded out to 2nd to end the inning.
Micah Hoffpauir added a 2-out single in the 8th and Yusuf Carter grounded out to 3rd in his first appearance with the Cubs this spring.
Scott Eyre (Eyre pitched in back-to-back games for the first time) and Bobby Howry's performances were more than welcomed after the rough outings by Kevin Hart and Carlos Marmol earlier on Wednesday. Carmen Pignatiello was effective yet again....and still has not allowed an earned run this spring.
Lou Piniella's crew is 9-13 in Cactus League play with 10 left on the schedule.
Box Score from Wednesday night's game against the Giants
Recap from Wednesday afternoon's loss to the A's
The Cubs will play the first of two back-to-back, home and away games against the Rockies on Thursday at HoHoKam. Rich Hill is slated to make the start against southpaw Franklin Morales.
News from Arizona
Or should it be rumors from Dave Kaplan? During Wednesday night's show, Kaplan reiterated the Brian Roberts trade will get done. He said Bruce Kison, Orioles' scout, has been watching the Cubs and was expected to take in the game on Wednesday night. Kaplan added Brian Roberts will cost "a bushel basket of prospects" but did not mention any new names....
Lou Piniella could name his rotation by Friday according to a report in the Sun-Times. Ryan Dempster and Jon Lieber remain the favorites....what about Jason Marquis?
Alex Cintron "is expected to return by the end of the week" according to the Sun-Times.
Kerry Wood is not expected to pitch again until Saturday according to a report in the Sun-Times. The Cubs do not want to have Wood ride in the bus for 2 hours on Friday (both ways from Tucson) after the recent back spasms.
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Smart decision by the Cubs brass on Wood... there's a big difference between a seat on a bus for a two hour ride than a nice theraputic whirlpool bath in Mesa.
I have back issues myself from time to time, and the times that they stick around are when I'm too dumb to just take some time and let it subside. Good call to just let Kerry rest another day.
Wow -
what a great starting pitching competition the Cubs have.
With Lieber willing to go to the pen, http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080320&content_id=2445985&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc,
I would guess the rotation will be (barring a trade):
Zambrano
Lilly
Marquis
Hill
Dempster
Though, ST is far from over...
I'm still in the subscribe to the notion that Dempster is a basketcase, and NO way does he continue his recent success. I think the 6 run inning that he surrendered last time out is more indicative of what we'll get from him, considering his historical starting pitching stats.
As for Marquis, I'd no more trust him than I do Dempster, but I'd keep him for the first half, and trade him before the break when he usually has a slide. Barring the Roberts trade, I'd either bring up Marshall or Gallagher, or insert Hart or the bullpen-bound Dempster into the rotation.
I don't think there's anyway you throw Lieber in the pen with his performance in ST. It's clear that he's very very effective right now.
I'd love to see the Cubs trade Marquis for 2-3 prospects, then turn around and include them in a deal for Roberts to lessen the blow, and give Hoffpauir and Patterson a shot on the team with Fontenot and Cedeno parting ways with the club. I'd also hang onto Murton because of Soriano's health.
Aaron,
I agree with you, but I don't think that we will get 2-3 decent prospects in exchange for Marquis. I think that 2 semi-warm bodies will be a lot to hope for.
As far as Dempster goes,
He will be excellent one time and will be batting practice another. Just like his save situations last year.
when his breaking ball is working, he gets people out, when its not, he gets blown up.
Overall, he will be a decent starter, but have the long reliever ready.
I think the Cubs are hoping someone will just take Marquis and his salary ... no way we get a prospect in return ... maybe we could get an overpriced veteran utility guy in return.
We are talking about our 4 or 5 hole starters here. I was high on Dempster until I witnessed his 5 out--6 run inning at HoHoKam. Aaron and Jerljr may be right. Dempster may be right only about half the time. Lieber may be the best of the lot. He throws strikes and doesn't beat himself with walks and three run homers.
Marquis goes because he is a team disruption waiting to happen. I agree with David that he is part of a salary swap trade. Another good outing though, and he and a player from our suplus bin (like Hoffpauir) could get us an excellent prospect or two + the salary swap guy.
If I'm JH (and aren't we all) I'm seriously looking for another good starting pitcher. Maybe Blanton or Linecum. More likely we have to wait until the trading deadline to get a quality arm. If I'm Andy MacPhail, I settle for Cedeno, Patterson, Gallagher and Petrick for Roberts +. I'm hoping that the + doesn't have to be Payton (who is servicable but not much of a difference maker).
Hopefully Hill finishes ST strong and establishes himself as a 3 or 4 hole guy--starting today. If not, we have 4 bottom of the rotation vets, and that would upset the good humor man.
Rich Hill did not have a good day. Walked the bases loaded twice in the 1st inning, threw 22 pitches only 2 strikes. Was lifted in the 2nd....49 pitches.
Kerry Wood started the 4th inning.
The pitching is poor on both sides in today's game but the Cubs lead 8-6 going into the bottom of the 7th. It's beginning to look like we won't I.D. a reliable pitching staff during ST. We may be seeing who steps up during the first 15 or 20 regular season games. That is not a happy thought.