Spring Training Game Thirty-Four: Cubs (17-15) vs. Royals (12-16-3)
Game Time - 3:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet, MLB.TV - Radio: XM Channel 177
Location - Surprise Stadium, Surprise
Rich Harden (0-0, 5.79/1.71) vs. Kyle Davies (1-0, 3.00/1.24)
Countdown to Opening Day...7 days. Lou Piniella's crew will begin the last week of Spring Training with their final trip to Surprise. Rich Harden will make his first start in a big league game since March 15 today. Harden was lights out in the first two innings against the Diamondbacks before leaving in the third after allowing three runs and recording only two outs.
Harden threw in a minor league game at Fitch Park last Wednesday. After a very effective outing and reportedly feeling great afterwards, Harden will make his penultimate start of the spring today...Harden is scheduled to face the Yankees in New York on Saturday in the Cubs final exhibition game.
Rich Harden says his shoulder feels better than it ever has. He is crediting his off-season conditioning program as the reason. In the past the A's had him shut it down for the winter but this off-season, Harden chose a different route and spent a majority of November, December and January at Fitch Park.
Today will be Harden's third start of the spring. He has allowed three runs on five hits in his first two starts (4 2/3 innings). Harden has walked three and struck out four.
The Cubs will face Kyle Davies, who has already been named the Royals' third starter. Davies has allowed eight runs, seven earned, on 16 hits in six games, four starts, this spring. Of the 16 hits Davies has allowed, four of them have been home runs. He has also walked 10 and struck out 14 in 21 innings.
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Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Fukudome - CF
Hoffpauir - 1B
Bradley - DH
Ramirez - 3B
Fontenot - 2B
Johnson - RF
Hill - C
Miles - SS
Guzman, Marmol and the Shark are scheduled to pitch
Two strikeouts in the first inning for Harden, both looking. 3 up, 3 down.
Harden struggling with command in the 2nd. Leadoff walk, then 2-out, 2-run homer by Alex Gordon on a 3-2 pitch.
Harden 1-2-3 in the third
Mark Teahen solo home run to start the 4th...centerfield
Hoffpauir 2-out, 2-run single to tie game.
Bradley is 3-for-3
Thanks for the updates Neil. I'm unable to follow the game otherwise (active flash disabled at work).
Man I hope Harden stays healthy for the majority of the season.
Second homerun By Gordon. 4-3 Kansas City
Alex Gordon, home run to lead off the fifth. All 3 hits allowed by Harden have been home runs.
4-3 Royals, bottom 5
I think Harden is trying his piches instead of getting people out because he keeps thowing off speed pitches. He threw like 5 in a row. What do u think Neil
Heilman is taking Harden spot
DeJesus 2-out RBI single to right, 5-3 Royals.
Harden out, with 2 outs in the 5th. Aaron Heilman in with DeJesus at second.
Was harden trying his off speed pitch to see how good it is, instead of trying to get people out.
The 'Dirtbag' with a 2-out, 2-run shot to right. Miles ties the game at 5 in the 6th
1-2-3 for Marmol in the 6th on 8 pitches with 2 strikeouts.
That is one of my reasons on hate the WBC. Kosuke is not a center fielder and needed that time at camp to work on communications
Samardzija gave up inherited run in the 8th with 2 outs.
Fukudome dropped fly ball by Gordon in right center, error cost the Cubs 2 runs
How many home runs does Fomtenot have this preseason
Three
Fukudome with a 2-run shot to right in the 9th, 8-7 Royals
Thanks Neil
How do you find the spring training stats?
Here ya go:
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/stats/sortable_player_stats.jsp?c_id=chc
where did you here that? Out of my trades for Fukudome, the one I like best is for vermon wells because his contract expires the same year as Kosuke ans is 1 year younger. If the Blue Jays are shedding payroll he will be on the trade block because the next 2 years after this one he is making 21 million a year. The Cubs could trade Kosuke and a prospect for Wells and they could accept. Wells is also a gold glove fielder.
Would you go after Wells and do what I said.
I got to watch the 8th and 9th. Guzman was great on a half dozen or so pick off throws to first. All of them about knee high and right on the bag. He did give up a couple more hits than is called for, but they were through the infield. Maybe if the infielders were better posistioned.....
On the spring training stats Waldo, go the the Cubs main page and click on stats. You will have your choice of spring training or last season's numbers.
Speaking of stats, how about Bradley's and Miles'? They are grippin' and rippin'! And ain't it sweet that Hoffpauir (a no doubter) and Hill have made the 25 man roster.
Don't want to dump cold water on those stats, Jim, but I remember a few years ago when Nomar hit something like .500 in Spring Training and then ..... and then he got injured again.
John....Like my grandmother from Denmark used to say in her broken English when I was three, "Hold your water, Yimmy." LOL