Cactus League-Spring Training

The Spring Training games finally began over the weekend with both positive and not so positive results ... plus a few injuries. It was good to see the Cubs back on the field and to be in a ballpark again.

There was a different vibe around the team over the weekend. The players appeared to be working hard, but with upbeat attitudes and smiles on their faces ... last spring they seemed to just be going through the motions.

Unlike the regular season, Spring Training is not about winning or losing it is how they play the game. Here are a few first hand observations, news and notes from Mesa and video, including Casey Coleman's bullpen session, from the first two Spring Training games.

Game Three - Cubs 3 White Sox (ss) 15
WP - Daniel Hudson (1-0) LP - Carlos Silva (0-1) Save - None

Lou Piniella's crew dropped their first game of the spring on Saturday afternoon after a horrible start by Carlos Silva. Silva dug a hole for his new team and the White Sox kept tacking on throughout the game.

Carlos Quentin hit two of the Sox five home runs in the first two innings, both off Silva. Cubs pitching allowed 18 hits and the Sox scored seven of the 15 runs in the final two innings off of non-roster invitee Jeff Kennard and John Grabow.

Carlos Marmol settled down after a rocky start and put together a perfect inning in his first outing of the spring. Marmol struck out a pair on 13 pitches, 10 for strikes.

James Russell took over for Marmol in the fourth. Russell threw the ball extremely well, hit his spots and struck out two with a walk in two innings of work. Alfonso Soriano's error allowed an unearned run to score while Russell was on the mound.

The Cubs offense was pretty quiet in the third game of the spring. They managed only three runs, all in the third inning, off of White Sox starter Daniel Hudson ... for the game, the Cubs scattered only six hits.

With the bases loaded, Kosuke Fukudome drove in a pair with a single to right. The Cubs other run came courtesy of a Derrek Lee sacrifice fly.

Two of the concerns at the beginning of camp were pitching and defense ... and the Cubs showed why on Saturday afternoon.

Game Two - Cubs 8 Diamondbacks 7
WP - Justin Berg (1-0) LP - Esmerling Vasquez (0-1) Save - None

Friday afternoon at HoHoKam Park could have been a look into the future of the Chicago Cubs. Three of the Cubs' last four number one draft picks were in the starting lineup along with top prospect Starlin Castro ... and the young Cubs did not disappoint.

Brett Jackson (1-for-1 with a triple, a run scored, hit by a pitch and two walks), Josh Vitters (2-for-4 with two runs scored) and Tyler Colvin (2-for-3 with a double and two RBI) held their own against a Diamondbacks lineup that featured a majority of their everyday players.

Starlin Castro continued to impress and turned in a pair of hits, including a ground rule double, in four trips to the plate. Castro played a solid, but not spectacular short while showing off his speed on the bases once again.

Brad Snyder (2-for-5 with a double, a run scored and two RBI) delivered the game winner in the bottom of the ninth. A walk-off two run double off the batter's eye in center that just missed leaving the park. Snyder scored a run in the Cubs' two-run eighth that helped tie the game.

While it is just Spring Training, it is good to see the kids play to their hype.

Carlos Zambrano started the game and was very sharp in his first action of the spring. Zambrano tossed two perfect innings with a strikeout. Big Z kept the ball down, inducing four groundball outs and threw 28 pitches, 18 for strikes.

Casey Coleman took over for Zambrano in the third. Other than a long double by Chris Young, Coleman's spring debut was a success. Coleman hit his spots, featured a very good change up and retired six of the seven batters he faced in his two innings of work.

It is always a good day when the Cubs win a ballgame, no matter if it counts or not.

Game One - Cubs 9 A's 3
WP - Randy Wells (1-0) LP - Trevor Cahill (0-1) Save - None

The first game of the long exhibition season was a successful one for the Chicago Cubs. Not only did the Cubs' offense hit five home runs and pound out 16 hits but several of the young Cubs had impressive afternoons.

Randy Wells was very sharp. He retired all six batters he faced, throwing only 25 pitches in two perfect innings. Tyler Colvin got the start in place of Alfonso Soriano in left. Colvin hit the ball with authority and finished the afternoon 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a long homer over the right center field wall.

Derrek Lee, Marlon Byrd, Brad Snyder and Sam Fuld each homered on a beautiful afternoon with the wind blowing out at HoHoKam Park.

Starlin Castro made his debut on Thursday. He finished 1-for-3 with a triple and played a solid game in the field. Castro's reputation preceded him ... he is a smooth fielder with a strong accurate arm. Castro caught the last out of the day, a pop up to short ... a fitting end to the Cubs' first Spring Training game.

The Cubs beat the A's on Thursday at HoHoKam Park, 9-3. It was a beautiful day for baseball ... and the Cubs' offense pounded the ball.

Granted it was just an exhibition game, but to see the Cubs on the field after such a long winter was more than a welcomed sight to see.

The Cubs are back ... and the CCO caught some of the first game on video, including Derrek Lee's home run, Marlon Byrd's first Cubs' at bat, Xavier Nady and Starlin Castro.

Game Four - Cubs 13 White Sox 0
WP - Neal Cotts (1-0) LP - Ehren Wasserman (0-1) Save - None

Spring Training games are fun to win, especially against the White Sox, but it is the individual performances and tune-ups that are more important during the exhibition season. Several of the players Lou Piniella figures to depend on in the upcoming season played against the Sox on Saturday afternoon in front of a record crowd of 13,010 at HoHoKam Park....and none was more impressive than Aaron Heilman.

After much criticism of the Cubs' front office, Aaron Heilman made his Cub and pitched two impressive innings...just reading the box score will not due his performance justice. Heilman worked fast, seemed to find a solid rhythm and struck out four of the seven batters he faced on 23 pitches, 18 for strikes.

Aramis Ramirez turned in a great day defensively despite his 0-for-3 at the plate. Ramirez made a diving stop on a ball hit down the line by Carlos Quentin that took away extra bases in the first inning. Derrek Lee hit the ball hard in his three trips to the plate and the wind knocked down what should have been his first home run of the spring.

Lou Piniella's crew improved to 4-0 on the spring, in large part to a 9-run seventh inning, but the performances turned out by several of the regulars on Saturday were the true highlights....

Game Three - Cubs 10 Rangers 4
WP - Ted Lilly (1-0) LP - Scott Feldman (0-1) Save - None

The Cubs improved to 3-0 on the young Cactus League season on Friday in front of 5,413 behind Ted Lilly in his only tune-up before the World Baseball Classic. The Cubs offense scored seven runs in the second inning to put the exhibition game away at beautiful Surprise Stadium.

Micah Hoffpauir started his third game at a different position and provided one of the defensive gems of the game and his second home run of the spring. Mike Fontenot added his first long ball of the year and a 2-run triple. 'Hoff-Power' and 'Little Babe Ruth' drove in seven of the Cubs' ten runs. Sam Fuld added a solo shot in the eighth that accounted for the Cubs' tenth and final run.

Ted Lilly was very good in his two innings of work. Lilly struck out a pair and showed very good command and velocity. However two defensive plays helped Lilly toss the two scoreless frames.

Micah Hoffpauir robbed Josh Hamilton of at least a double with a diving stop on a ball hit down the line. Reed Johnson and Ryan Theriot turned in a textbook relay that turned a run scoring double off the bat of Jared Saltalamacchia into an out at the plate to end the second inning.

The Cubs offense continued to swing the bats and pounded out 14 hits. The Cubs 3-0 spring record is their first under Lou Piniella.

Game Two - Cubs 7 Brewers 4
WP - Chad Gaudin (1-0) LP - Seth McClung (0-1, BS 1) Save - Angel Guzman (1)

In front of a small crowd of 6,711 on Thursday, Lou Piniella's crew improved to 2-0 on the spring with a solid victory over the Brewers. Rick Sutcliffe was calling the shots at HoHoKam on Thursday. Piniella named him the team's honorary manager before the game and the Red Baron pulled all of the right strings...with a little help from Jake Fox.

Many of Jim Hendry's off-season acquisitions took the field at HoHoKam Park against the Brewers on Thursday. The Cubs won the game 7-4, with the big hit coming off the bat of Jake Fox, a 3-run homer in the third. Joey Gathright was 3-for-3 with a walk, a run and a stolen base in his debut.

Milton Bradley made his brief Cub debut on Thursday as well. He walked in his only at bat before lifting himself for a pinch runner. The Cubs called it mild tightness in his left quad that he felt during warm-ups. Bradley is expected back in the lineup this weekend.

Here's more video from HoHoKam, including Milton Bradley's first at bat...

Game One - Cubs 5 Dodgers 3
WP - Ken Kadokura (1-0) LP - Ramon Troncoso (0-1, BS 1) Save - Jeff Stevens (1)

Ron Santo received the best birthday present possible...a Cubs Win! 7,916 showed up to HoHoKam Park on a beautiful day in the low 80s for the Cubs Cactus League opener against the Dodgers. And they did not leave disappointed.

Jeff Samardzija started the game and after a tremendous diving catch in right center by Reed Johnson helped him retire the Dodgers in order in the first, he stumbled a little in the second inning and gave a pair on three hits and two walks.

Mitch Atkins was charged with the Dodgers' third run in his two innings of work. Atkins, like Samardzija, looked good in his first inning of work. Ken Kadokura picked up the win after his scoreless inning of relief and Jeff Stevens picked up the save.

The highlight was clearly Micah Hoffpauir's grand slam in the fifth. Hoffpauir grounded into a double play in the first inning that accounted for the Cubs fifth run of the game.