Spring Training Game Thirty-Nine: Cubs (18-17-2) vs. Yankees (23-10-1)
Game Time - 12:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Channel 176
Location - Yankee Stadium, The Bronx
Rich Harden (0-0, 7.71/1.50) vs. A.J. Burnett (3-0, 3.72/1.29)
Countdown to Opening Day...2 days. Lou Piniella's crew will complete the longest Spring Training in the history of the organization later today. Following this afternoon's game the Cubs will have played 39 exhibition games, counting the match-up against Team Japan, nearly a quarter of full big league season.
Spring Training is nearly over and there should be a lot of first pitch swinging today.
Look for Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez to be in the starting lineup. Both were late scratches on Friday night due to the bad weather and poor field conditions. Piniella said the decision was solely for precautionary reasons.
The 'Battle for the Bullpen' will be settled today. The Cubs are shopping Chad Gaudin but his performance and price tag have "scared off some potential suitors" according to the Tribune. Angel Guzman wants to stay in the organization but has "received plenty of interest" from other teams.
David Patton is expected to pitch in a Major League stadium for the first time in his career. According to the Tribune, Patton is penciled in for two innings of work.
After a week full of disappointing performances from every starting pitcher with the exception of Carlos Zambrano, Lou Piniella needs a solid outing from Rich Harden today. Harden has struggled, but at least he has pitched this spring.
In three starts (9 1/3 innings) Harden has allowed eight runs on nine hits (four home runs) with five walks and eight strikeouts.
The Cubs offense will see a familiar face in A.J. Burnett. The oft injured (unless it's a contract year) and very talented righty has yet to pitch to his ability. If he does in Yankee pinstripes, the contract he signed will end up being a bargain.
Burnett dominated the Cubs on a Friday night North of the Border last season.
This spring, A.J. Burnett has allowed nine runs, eight earned, on 17 hits in five starts (19 1/3 innings)...five walks, eight strikeouts and four home runs.
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Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Bradley - RF
Johnson - DH
Fukudome - CF
Hill - C
Miles - 2B
Andy Pettitte is starting for the Yankees and not Burnett...no reason why yet
Also, forgot to mention in the game preview. Ron Santo did not make the trip to New York.
Soriano and any other Cub should be fined for admiring their base hits off the wall.
Jim...I agree. That drives me nuts. Soriano must be at second base when he hits a ball off the wall.
Gee, Lee grounds out. What a surprise.
Pat Hughes is not in New York either. Bad weather in New York cancelled his flight.
Judd Sirott is doing the play-by-play on WGN.
Also, Ramirez and Bradley have been flip-flopped in the order. Ramirez is hitting fifth, Bradley fourth.
Another grounder to short by Lee
That was not strike three to Ramirez...and I thought there would be a lot of first pitch swinging by the players
Nice scoop by DLee on the throw by Theriot
Good AB by Koyie Hill
Kosuke just wrote himself off the opening night lineup, no doubt..
Matt, I don't think so.
Message to Fukudome...PLEASE USE TWO HANDS!!!
I've been a big support of Kosuke.
But at what point does Lou have enough. Did you see that expression?!
First...GREAT hit by Lee, went right with the pitch.
I think Kosuke is on a short leash, but not that short.
Hendry said this morning on Talkin' Baseball that he does not tell Lou to play players based on their contract. He said they have been pleased with Kosuke so far.
His troubles in center are experience based. This is where the WBC hurt him, Ted Lilly and Geovany Soto.
WOW!!! I cannot believe he dropped another one in center
Great throw by Koyie Hill
We need to trade Kosuke for a true center fielder or move Bradley to center then move Kosuke and Johnson to right. Kosuke is good at defense but not when playing center.
No one will take his contract.
Bradley in center is not an option. Too many leg injuries...
Reed, yes.
Well, Soriano should be happy.
No clapping today after he dogged it in the first inning
maybe Mattheys or blue Jays for wells. Wells is making 21 the next 2 years and Kosuke is making 13 million
Been there done that with Matthews. You dont want Matthews post-steroids. And Vernon doesnt = Kosuke. What's in it for Toronto?
I would make that trade with Toronto. Wells, when healthy is a great player.
I am speechless. This is still spring training but the Yankees look like they want to play
I was puzzled by that move: Why Fuk to CF??
I'm fine with his 12M/year contract, as long as he can play an adequate corner outfielder. (I was hoping for the signing of a big-game pitcher, but I knew that's not GM Hendry's style.)
Anyway, does anyone know how many pitches Rich Harden is going today? 70?
And why in this world are two Cubs fans elated to have caught a Yanks HR? >:(
I would think around 70 for Harden...he's approaching that
Second 4-pitch walk of the inning by Harden, three walks and two home runs allowed in the third
Great throw by Soriano....and Lou might need to have a 'little pep talk' before Monday with his team.
They are getting outplayed and they are NOT even close to being in the Yankees class.
From what I have seen from Fukudome in CF
I would take Mathhews for him in a heartbeat!
neil what is wrong with harden? he has been giving up lots of runs this spring and especially homers is he still hurt? i think if hes still hurt he shouldnt be trying to pitch i hope him and lilly got enough work in...
Lilly is a slow starter.
Hendry just said that Harden is healthy and getting his work in today.
Jim (TP), you absolutely said it perfect, "they are NOT even close to being in the Yankees class."
I couldn't agree more.
This is yet another pathetic showing with poor baserunning, shoddy defense, and piss poor station-to-station offense. Harden is throwing like Prior when he tried coming back with us, Soriano is loafing still, and it looks ugly
3 of 5 starters coming out of spring with ERAs around 10.00???? That has to be at least some cause for concern to Lou.
Thanks, neil, for the info. With his "rigorous massage and therapy', it's hard to imagine why Harden can't feel better this year. ;)
ARam has learned to stay patient at the plate. And his better position on third--what an improvement since 2006! I just hope Fuk learn Not Too Patient and let go of sweet pitches that he can send outta a park...
Gaudin shaved that thing off his chin.
This is the best Gaudin has pitched this spring.
Guzman looked great and Patton did okay. If they keep him, will be a work in progress.
Neil,
I know it's a lot to ask, but I was wondering if, because you were down in AZ for ST, if you might be able to give a brief synopsis of the 28 players left in camp with the team, and what they bring to the table. What I'm interested in is an up-close look at who these guys are, what they looked like, their demeanor, etc.
For example:
Gaudin-couldn't find plate, got pounded, good trade/DFA candidate; looked uninterested at time, and showed little fire
...also, something stats don't tell in ST, is if these guys are getting lit up by prospects, or if they're facing big leaguers. Likewise, if a position player is getting his hits all against team's minor league pitchers, then it doesn't help in evaluation, but being down in ST, at least you can go off memory, right?
The reason I ask is we've looked horribly sluggish. Last year, our bats were quiet early on, and Piniella voiced his displeasure. The same thing happened in 2007, and he got the guys playing to win...remember his comments back then, "changing the attitude...losing will not be part of our vocabulary...changing the culture," etc.
The announcers just brought up great points when they said the Yankees head into the regular season winning 9 straight, and Joe Girardi wanted momentum, and the team to get used to winning.
I don't care if it's ST or not...it's still baseball, and if players are okay with losing in ST, then they'll be okay losing in the regular season and that doesn't sit well with me.
So let's take a look at the winners on the team:
Bradley: .400+avg, showed fire, and said he wanted to win, was even yelling at umps
Soriano: though he loafed around at times, he still tried
Johnson: always gives max effort
Theriot: ditto
Fontenot: ditto
Z: ditto
Marmol: ditto
Gregg: showed that he wants the closer's role
Hoffpauir: showed he wants a roster spot
Marshall: grabbed a hold of the 5th spot, and didn't let up until his last 2 starts...but at least showed he wanted it.
Jake Fox: while he's a man without a position, it's the second spring in a row where he's raked it, and at the very least, earned himself a call-up at some point.
Miles: really came on at the end, and gave Lou something to think about.
Chad Fox: while he's an injury waiting to happen, he still showed he wants it.
Those who didn't perform: Lilly, Harden, Gaudin, Samardzija, Guzman, Fukudome, Lee (really only the least 4 games of spring did he really come on), Cotts, and Vizcaino....
So pretty much half our rotation, 80% of our pen, our starting first baseman, and our would-be starting CF didn't show they were ready to play and EARN their keep this spring.
I know it sounds pessimistic, but even Lou suggested that they need to get on a roll to start the year, and end the year. In 2007, he said he wasn't surprised to see them go 3 and out, because they floundered at the end, and pretty much limped into the playoffs. The same damn thing happened last year, only we had a strong start to the season. Lou was even pissed at our start this year, saying something like, "I know it's Spring Training, but I'm tired of getting our asses handed to us. Our big boys need to start swinging the stick. Next week and two weeks from now, some might say you still have time...well, eventually you run out of time, and we'd rather figure it out now."
Some players got the message, while others didn't...pitchers didn't locate, and it's clear this team might really miss Kerry Wood and Mark DeRosa. I know both of them cared deeply about the TEAM..not their own stats...but the team. Remember DeRosa taking ownership in 2007 for the failures, and during the celebration after clinching the division, how he's like: "it's important to remember that winning the division is NOT our goal. It's a great time, and we'll enjoy it, but we need to put it in perspective that we have unfinished business"
Well, guess what? He's gone, and we have absolutely NOTHING to show for his departure. Don't kid yourselves. None of those prospects we received will ever reach the majors...especially with us. I'd be shocked if any of the 3 even panned out for another team.
I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about this year, and usually I'm right about my gut feelings.
Imagine what would happen if Bradley goes down. ARAM and Lee show absolutely no fire on the field. Soriano=Sosa (cares more about his stats than the play of the TEAM), and who is going to listen to Theriot or Fontenot?
Aaron, there were several players that impressed me..and several that did not. I will have to work on and think about this.
As for the pen guys, Cotts drives me crazy. Seems to lack focus. Will retire the first two guys then either walk the next or give up a hit. Then on other days he comes in and cannot throw strikes.
Major League hitter or not, when you bury yourself in a 3-0 count, the next pitch is very predictable. That brings me to the last few outings of the spring by Cotts. Minor leaguers lit him up because he was not throwing strikes.
Aaron, I will give this more attention but as I mentioned I need to think about it. Will probably post it in the Community Blog later tonight.
Great questions and thank you for asking.
Aaron, I hope this is what you were looking for...
http://chicagocubsonline.com/community_blog/2009/04/spring-2009.php
Okay, I've got to say it: After today's outing by Viscaino, how in the world does he make the opening day roster??!!!!!
They had better not keep him and toss Patten or Guzman!
FACT: Cotts has options left, and he stinks. Send him down and keep Patten & Guzman.
Cotts is out of options...none left there. Plus he's the only lefty in the pen.
That is the reason I really liked the way Waddell threw strikes this spring.