Game Thirty-Nine - Cubs 1 Yankees 10
WP - Andy Pettitte (3-0) LP - Rich Harden (0-1) Save - None
Spring Training is over and it is a good thing because the Cubs limped to the finish line. For the last time, wins and losses do not matter in the exhibition season but performance on the field does. Two teams reported to New York for the weekend games, but only one team showed up to play.
Rich Harden followed Ted Lilly's example and gave up three home runs on Saturday afternoon. Harden was lifted with two outs in the fourth. The Yankees scored eight runs, seven earned, off Harden on seven hits with four walks...two were of the four-pitch variety. Harden struck out a pair and did not exactly light up the radar gun.
In two games at the new Yankee Stadium, Ted Lilly and Rich Harden served up six home runs...only one was a solo shot. Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira hit the long balls on Saturday off Harden that accounted for seven of the Yankees 10 runs.
The Cubs played a very sloppy game. Two errors, one by Kosuke Fukudome and the other by Aramis Ramirez, and bad baserunning by Derrek Lee. Alfonso Soriano was responsible for one of the Cubs few highlights, but he turned in one of the lowlights as well. Soriano hit his sixth home run of the spring in the third but he 'admired' a long single that hit the wall to start the game off Andy Pettitte. Soriano finished the day 3-for-4.
David Patton pitched his way in and out of trouble in the fifth. After disposing of Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano rather easily, Xavier Nady reached on a 2-out single. Patton then issued back-to-back walks to Cody Ransom and Brent Gardner before retiring Melky Cabrera on a fly out to center.
Angle Guzman retired the Yankees in order in the sixth...his most efficient outing of the spring. Chad Gaudin pitched in what could have been his last game as a Cub. Gaudin sat the Yankees down in order in the seventh.
Luis Vizcaino surrendered the last two Yankee runs. Shelley Duncan hit the Yankees fourth home run of the game in the eighth. John Rodriguez and Melky Cabrera hit back-to-back doubles off Vizcaino for the Yankees' tenth run of the game. Jeff Samardzija recorded the last two outs of the inning.
Joey Gathright struck out to end the 2009 Spring Training schedule.
The Cubs finished the extremely long Spring Training schedule with an 18-18-2 record after winning only twice in their last 10 games dating back to March 25.
Rich Harden located the ball rather well in the first two innings. He threw a variety of changeups on Saturday, with a few high 80s fastballs sprinkled in. Jim Hendry mentioned during the game that Harden is healthy and was getting his work in on Saturday. Hendry said he was not going to throw any high 90s fastballs at Yankee Stadium.
Without his fastball, Harden's changeups are a lot easier to hit.
Harden retired the Yankees in order on just seven pitches in the first inning, six for strikes. The second inning began with an error by Kosuke Fukudome in center and went downhill from there. Fukudome dropped another ball, this time hit by Hideki Matsui. The ball hit off the heel of Fukudome's glove and fell to the ground.
Robinson Cano drove in Matsui with a 1-out single to center.
Koyie Hill threw out Cano trying to steal second to end the second inning.
After Alfonso Soriano tied the game in the top of the inning, the Yankees jumped all over Rich Harden in the bottom of the third. Harden threw 35 pitches in the 4-run inning, 17 for strikes.
Cody Ransom walked on four pitches to start the inning. Brent Gardner reached on a throwing error by Aramis Ramirez. Gardner was bunting for a hit and Ramirez threw wide of Derrek Lee at first base. With runners on first and third and no outs, Derek Jeter launched a 3-run homer over the wall in right center.
Mark Teixeira hit his first of two long balls on the afternoon a batter later.
Harden continued to struggle in the third. He walked Matsui following the Teixeira blast, then issued his second four-pitch walk of the inning to Jorge Posada. After Cano lined out to center for the second out, Xavier Nady singled to left. Alfonso Soriano threw a perfect strike to Koyie Hill to cut down Matsui at the plate...inning over.
Cody Ransom started the 3-run fourth inning for the Yankees with a ground rule double to right center that fell between Kosuke Fukudome and Milton Bradley then bounced over the wall. Harden retired Gardner on a lineout to center...a good running catch by Fukudome toward the infield. Harden then struck out Jeter but walked Johnny Damon.
Mark Teixeira looked at three straight out of the zone before launching Harden's fourth pitch into the second deck in right field...8-1 Yankees.
Carlos Marmol retired Matsui on a ground out to second on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
Someone needs to flip the switch because starting Monday every game counts.
The Cubs will spend Sunday in Houston and will workout at Minute Maid Park in preparation for Opening Day. They final two spots on the Cubs roster will be announced by 2:00pm C.T.
Carlos Zambrano will face Roy Oswalt on Monday evening at Houston. A 6:05pm C.T. start time from Minute Maid Park.
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Neil i think you have been a little to hard on our bullpen guys. It is only spring ball and guys are working on different stuff. Gaudin and Samardzija were working on the 5th starter spot at the start of spring and i felt they had their worst games then. But today they looked good along with Guzman. Patton was lucky Derek Jeter was pulled for a pitch hitter today. I don't think Patton is ready to pitch in the big leauge yet. You can't have a work in progress come in during regular season games. Thats what the minors are for. I think the Rockies were well aware of what they were doing when it comes to Patton. In time he could become a real good relief pitcher but not yet. So i think if the Cubs can trade Gaudin they should keep Guzman and Samardzija who threw hard today and looked the best. Cubs should take their chances on Patton being released and save themselves a ton of money.
Steve, I have little to no patience with pitchers that do not throw strikes. Getting beat is one thing but make them earn it.
I liked Gaudin last year when he came over and he pitched rather well until his late night run in with the dumpster. Gaudin was not be aggressive on the mound and that has been the coaching staff's main complaint about him.
To use one of the biggest cliches of all-time, the best pitch in all of baseball is strike one.
On Patton, I really like him. Throws strikes, for the most part, and seems to let things go. What I meant by a work in progress is he did not appear to be checking on the runners. He does that in a regular season game and they are going to run and run and run on him.
I can only imagine what was going on in his head. Never pitching above A-ball then going to Yankee Stadium.
Neil, I have question for you. Do you think the Cubs will start Harden off this season on the DL?
Hendry said today that Harden will start against the Brewers on Friday.
O.K. Neil who makes the 25 man team?
If they can't move Gaudin, it should be him and Guzman. If they trade Gaudin, it will be Guzman and Patton.
I do not see a way Samardzija does not start the year in Iowa. He has options left and if one of the others do not work out he would be a phone call away.
There is still an outside chance Hendry could trade Vizcaino, but I do not see a team paying his salary. They are having a hard time moving Gaudin and his $2 million.
Neil, who makes the 25 man roster?
when do they have to officially turn in their 25 man roster?im real anxious to see who they keep for the pen.imo i think they keep gaudin and guzman.even though they have struggled mightly,they both are out of options.patton is nice,in ST.does that translate into success?possibly,not likely.and shark has options,so......who do you loyal cub fans think they keep?
2:00pm on Sunday.
Dump Vizcaino and be done with it. You know and I know that there is only one reason to keep him: $4 million salary. Sure wasn't his performance last year or this year. So let's eat the salary and go one with life. It is going to be tough enough to stay ahead of the Cards and Reds this year without carrying dead weight.
That would open up three spots: Gaudin, Guzman and Patten. And that solves all of our problems.
S.T. Nobody got hurt to speak of. Position players who should play a lot were quite good. A couple of starters and a couple of long relievers may need a couple of my patented enema sticks (to get right). In Ky Derby terms, Guzman's late speed in the prep races has been impressive. Details to follow.
what are the details?they will keep vizcaino for sure.might not be right,but they keep him.
They need to follow suit as some other teams have done and dump a guy who doenst fit in their plans reguardless of his salary. In the grand scheme of things for this club, Vizcainos 4 mil isnt a whole lot to eat.
I'm not all that concerned about some of the stuff mnentioned above.
As for Soriano, I know he has a history of the home run admiration thing....but as long as he does it in the regular season, I don't care if he wants to stand and watch rather than run all out. If it was too much of a problem, his teammates would let him know...or the opposing team would during his next at bat....
I'm not worried about losing a bunch at the end of spring training. Think about it....with as long as S.T. was this year...do you not think they were just going through the motions at this point. They are professionals. I assume they can flip the switch on Monday.
As for folks like Harden and Lilly. I don't care how they looked. Why would they go all out in their "tune up" start before the regular season? Why would you even want Harden to waste any bullets when they don't count?
Maybe the Cubs didn't show up to play in New York...but I don't blame them.
I would be suprised to see Shark in AAA Iowa considering his 2 million dollar salary. If they are going to waste that salary in the minors, they might as well release Vizcaino and keep Shark. If the Tigers can eat 14 million on Sheffield why cant we eat 4 million on Vizcaino.
What I do know for sure and that is one things we can ALL agree on.....Bring on Monday baby....it's time to start the season!!!!!