Spring Training Game Fourteen: Cubs (8-5) vs. Rangers (4-7)
Game Time - 3:05pm CDT
Coverage - TV: None - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 183
Location - HoHoKam Park, Mesa
Carlos Silva (1-1, 10.80/2.40) vs. Neftali Feliz (0-0, 13.50/1.00)
Updated 12:00pm CDT - The Cubs optioned Rafael Dolis to Double-A Tennessee on Tuesday. Cubs Spring Roster Reduced to 50 players ...
After a very long beginning to the week, the Cubs return home to HoHoKam Park this afternoon to face Rudy Jaramillo's old team, the Texas Rangers. Lou Piniella will begin the game with Carlos Silva ... today should be a good test of how much improvement Silva has actually made since his start against the White Sox.
The Cubs, without Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, will see Neftali Feliz and C.J. Wilson for eight of the nine innings ... both pitchers are penciled in for four-inning outings this afternoon.
Carlos Silva has pitched as expected in his first two starts ... six runs, all earned, on 11 hits with a walk, two strikeouts and two home runs. Silva pitched three scoreless in his last outing but was hit extremely hard. Reportedly the Cubs feel Silva has made a lot of progress. This afternoon will be Silva's third start in the Cactus League ... and reportedly he is still in the mix for one of the final two spots in the Cubs' rotation.
Neftali Feliz will make his first start, third appearance of the spring. Feliz is fighting for a job in the Rangers' starting rotation. In his first two Cactus League outings, Feliz has given up a total of six runs, all earned, on six hits in four innings with four strikeouts, two walks ... and he has hit two batters. Feliz, like Carlos Silva, is expected to throw four innings this afternoon.
Feliz and C.J. Wilson are battling each other for the last open spot in the Rangers' rotation.
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Today's lineup:
Theriot - SS
Fukudome - RF
Nady - DH
Byrd - CF
Hoffpauir - 1B
Soriano - LF
Fontenot - 2B
Soto - C
Tracy - 3B
According to Bruce Levine, Millar left Monday's game with a minor quad strain. Is practicing but will not play today
Damn. I really want to see Neftali throw the ball.
Are there more serious reasons, Neil, for Lee and Aramis not playing - other than rest?
JC, from what I understand if it was the regular season both Lee and Ramirez would be in the lineup.
Ramirez wanted to DH today but Lou needed to get Nady at bats.
I have heard precautionary and only because it is spring training games.
I knnow I am njot Neil but Lee and Ramirez did sustaain injuries like you know but this is probably to give them more time. Like you said a form of a rest.
Let's see Tracy rip it up today...Assuming Millar leaves camp w/ the team (which I know everyone here is really looking forward to), I want to see what we have to replace him when his bat dies due to him riding the pine
Please...no assumptions.
Ladies and Gentleman...Pat and Ron are on the air...I really like their new intro with Jack/Harry etc.
Silva and Feliz must be about as opposite as is gets.
Fattah Plattah (Silva) gets 2 KO's/no runs.
I wonder when was the last time he started out that good?
in little league.
Jim...you snuck one in...lol...an hour later!!!!
While it appears pretty obvious Hoffpauir isn't going to make the team...
I'd really like to see him start doing well...coming into the game he's hitting .143...Comn' Hoffy.
Rudy...in conversation with Santo says
Soriano HAS NOT lost any bat speed.
According to Santo/Rudy...Soriano's big problem has been not planting his front foot before the ball arrives.
Does that make sense to you guys?
Soriano with 2 out single...Feliz is dealing.
It looks to me like Soriano came to camp with a whole new attitude this year. Not necessarily a good one either. I think he cares even less than he did last year.
I couldn't tell if you're right or wrong
John...I d0o know he's a proud guy...I hope that carries him.
-Silva...3 shut out innings.
I don't know where you get that, John. By all accounts, Soriano is competitor, comes to work everyday and is always in shape. He doesn't get down on his teammates or fans.
We all know he's lost step, and it's painful to watch. Think about how painful it is for him. I'm not apologizing. I just don't know where you see this bad attitude.
This just in ... Xavier Nady can hit a baseball! 2-out, 2-run double
Maybe it's just the fact that he's slower than he was last year. But I saw him several time last year that he just didn't look like he had his heart in it. What I've seen this year (granted only once or twice) he looked like he was moving even slower. It bewilders me why anyone at that point in their career would get that long a contract. Maybe if they played exceptional ball for your team and you're rewarding them after the fact. But to sign a guy with that kind of contract, knowing that it will be his last, because of age, just gives him no incentive. Maybe I'm reading it wrong. Maybe it's my attitude about him that has suffered. He really has to prove himself to get me on his bandwagon.
Byrd with a two-out single to center, Nady scored, 3-0 ... all with two outs.
I cannot get the wgn link to work on the mlb.com site so I have to use the mlb.com audio. I don't know who they are, but they make Santo appear to be Vin Scully. Absolutely terrible!!!
Silva looks like gold today.
Good outing for Silva today.
Kudos to Silva...hope he keeps it up.
Seriously now, are you happy that Silva seems to be doing well, or are you annoyed that he is prolonging the inevitable?
If you see him off on the side working with Rudy, then you know he's got game. Just like the other big Carlos.
jc 3-6-3...if the guy wins 15 games (OR SO)(Doubtful, I know) I don't care that he was the worst pitcher in baseball last year...
the other part of it is...if he does well...or does something...then he becomes tradeable for someone that we really want.
So yes...I'd root for him...although there are others I'd rather see pitch.
Hoffpauir with 2 KO's...too bad. He's better then that...he had a couple of really hot season's in the minors...was decent at Wrigley...until Lou buried him on the bench...he needs to get his confidence back.
Jeff Baker goes yard!
Mateo gives up a bomb to Smoak.
Lou's not happy.
Colvin with another hit...
Again, this just in ... Xavier Nady can hit a baseball. Another double!
did you hear that? Ron wants the ground rule double rule changed to be umpires discretion on whether the runner should score! O Ronny.
He also thinks that Colvin needs to play everyday, and pointed out that he's never played AAA...
JC...heard it...I'll chalk upthe ground rule double thing to Harry's ghost.
If Colvin rides the pine at Wrigley...per Lou...then I'd rather see him at Triple A...and Fulf used for defensive purposes....but if Colvin will get playing time...bring him north.
Amen re:Colvin
I said that other day.
Doesn't make ANY sense to me to have him rot on cubs bench instead of playing everyday in AAA.
Russell KO's Aaron's favorite...Mitchell
Moreland...and the Cubs win!!!
CUBS WIN!!! CUBS WIN!!!
Toronto's new ss signing is compared to
A Soriano that can defend...interesting:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/03/details-emerge-about-hechevarria.html
Good Story on Jim Edmunds:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2010/columns/story?columnist=kurkjian_tim&id=4999863
A Texas blog on Byrd/Rudy/Diamond:
http://espn.go.com/blog/dallastexas-rangers/post/_/id/4844747/byrd-getting-guerrero-a-no-brainer