Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Angels – 03/07/11

March 7, 2011 By 32 Comments

Spring Training Game Ten: Cubs (3-6) vs. Angels (5-4)
Game Time – 2:05pm CST
Coverage – TV: None – Radio: Cubs.com webcast, XM Radio Channel 187
Location – HoHokam Park, Mesa

Carlos Silva (0-1, 27.00/4.00) vs. Dan Haren (0-1, 13.50/1.50)

Q’s crew will go back to work this afternoon after winning two of their last three exhibition games. While the wins are nice, the Cubs have showed a lot of improvement over the last five games … especially in the field.

With scouts in attendance, Carlos Silva’s last start was a nightmare. Silva followed a horrible one-inning performance with a dugout scuffle that involved Aramis Ramirez. The Cubs held multiple meetings about the scuffle … and even had a meeting about having more meetings according to a sarcastic Jeff Baker. The Cubs have put the events from last Wednesday behind them.

James Russell is slated to follow Silva in Monday’s pitching rotation … and Welington Castillo is expected to make his first start of the spring. What was lost in the Silva-Ramirez game is the horrible performance turned in by Carlos Silva. Silva gave up two long home runs in between the Cubs’ defensive lapses. Everything was up and his first start was very similar to his first one last spring against the White Sox.

Silva surrendered six runs, three earned, on three hits with a walk against the Brewers.

Like Silva, Dan Haren is coming off a bad first outing. Haren will make his second start of the spring after allowing three runs on three hits (a home run) with two strikeouts in two innings of work.

Fernando Rodney, Michael Kohn, Hisanori Takahashi and Eric Junge are schedule to follow Haren this afternoon.

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  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Today’s starting lineup:

    DeWitt – 2B
    Colvin – RF
    Byrd – CF
    Ramirez – 3B
    Pena – 1B
    Soriano – LF
    Welington Castillo – C
    Ojeda – SS
    Silva – P

  • paulcatanese

    Neil,have we seen the last of Barney?

    • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

      I don’t think so, he played yesterday.

    • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

      Barney is in right now.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

    OMG Silva got through an inning without giving up a run. He is a lock for the rotation now.

    • studio179

      You spoke/posted too soon. Then along comes the 3rd. Yikes!

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

        It was sarcasm. But I did speak too soon.

        • studio179

          Yeah, I know it was sarcasm. ;)

  • cubtex

    Cut Silva now!!!! This guy is just taking up space and they are better off giving a more deserving player his roster spot!

    • paulcatanese

      Agree if it would solve the problem,but either way Silva gets paid,I think he will just kick back and collect his $$$.Their is one other way,and I may not be accurate on this but if the Cubs have an insurance policy on Silva and he is proven to be medicaly unsound,he may be able to be released and the Cubs get their money back. Not sure on that point but I have heard about it.

      • Cheryl

        I wondered if that might be an option. If it isn’t, thenthere isn’t much they can do.

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

          I would send him to the trainer tomorrow and see if his shoulder is “structurally sound”. I hope he has good insurance. Actually most of these contracts are set up with insurance incase of injury. That way the cubs are not on the hook for it.

          Maybe he has “social anxiety disorder”. It worked for the Tigers to keep Willis on the DL for a year without cutting him.

          • Cheryl

            I think social anxiety disorder fits.

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

            Now that I think of it with the money the Cubs got in the trade to offset the contracts. They would actually make a profit out of Silva if he was done for the year. BRING ON THE TRAINER.

      • cubtex

        Yes but if they have to pay him anyway….I would still like to see him GONE! If they put someone like Marcos Mateo on the team to take his spot….Mateo makes only the minimum( I believe around $400,000) so essentially for $400,000 more they could have a much better option to help out the bullpen than having Silva waste a roster spot!

        • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

          Here is a link to the CCO’s 40-man roster … all salaries are listed

          https://docs.google.com/View?id=dfmzmn9w_3k8spwfc4

          • cubtex

            Thanks Neil…So that backs my point! If Mateo or someone else stand out this spring and deserve to make the team, paying an extra $400,000 is well worth it to get some more productivity than this waste of space named Silva!

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Silva’s getting rocked in the third … and there is an error by Colvin

    • cheryl

      Agreed. But he did throw strikes for two innings. If he has to be kept, there’s the bullplen.

  • cubtex

    10 hits in 3 innings……….but he would have gotten out of it if it wasn’t for that error by Covin!!! LOL

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    The Angels ‘B’ Team is taking BP against Cubs pitching …

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Byrd just broke up the Angels no-hit bid with a one-out single in the fourth

  • John G

    If the first week or so of ST is any indication of the way the season is going to go, I can tell you right now, My yard is going to be the best looking one on the block. I’ll certainly find something more productive to do than watch or listen to the Cubbies. Thank God I haven’t subscribed to MLB.TV yet. That would be money not well spent.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

    HOLY GEEZ we just came back from a 12 to 2 deficit to take the lead! Is that a statement on the toughness of our team or the lack of pitching depth on theirs?

    • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

      Toughness of the minor leaguers … Samardzija just gave up a solo homer to Brandon Wood in the top of the 9th, game tied at 13.

      • Pricewriter

        Montanez and Perez seemed to do okay in this game. What are the chances of them and Max Ramirez making the team.

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Cubs won an ugly one … 14-13 on walk-off single by Bryan LaHair in the 9th.

    Silva’s line: 8 runs on 10 hits in 2 1/3 innings
    Russell’s line: 4 runs, 3 earned, on 6 hits in 3 innings

    • Ripsnorter1

      Silva is starting off in 2011 like he pitched after the All-Star break in 2010. I think the NL has caught up to him, and the AL had long ago caught up to him. This is batting practice, and it sure is ugly.

      The #5 starter’s job was his to lose, and he’s doing a good job of losing it so far.

      • studio179

        Yes, Silva is doing a good job of losing his spot. I thought short of federal crime, Silva was the 5th starter. I still think the Cubs will try and squeek out a few Silva starts in April and May. But hey, maybe the team finds a medical reason to DL him at the end of camp and ease him out.

  • Dorasaga

    Talking of pitchers, fangraphs is making a little “fussy” after Randy Wells not guaranteed a spot:

    http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/why-is-randy-wells-battling-for-a-rotation-spot/

    I don’t know enough about pitching and what traditionally baseball (scouts and coaches) think about pitchers, but Wells had OK stuff, good control, but I’m guessing they think he’s not mentally ready to stay in the Big after last year’s party thing…

  • cubs1967

    tommy “PK” ricketts; have some balls and cut Silva NOW!

  • Dakeller80

    I doubt much can be learned from a team’s stats after a week of spring training, but the Cubs are a surprising team in good and bad ways. Among all MLB teams, they rank in the top 5-8 in most offensive stats (1st in doubles), but have the worst pitching stats and worst fielding stats (ERA over 7.00!!). I’m worried about the lousy fielding, but feel fine about pitching. . .they’ll be average or slightly better than average during the reg season. I’m excited about the early results in offensive categories, especially the good run production despite having an average number of home runs. It could wind up being a compelling if not frustrating season. . .lots of games blown by defense blunders, lots of exciting comebacks/high scoring games. Can’t wait for April . . .but may be looking forward to November (and the Pujols auction) by June.