Talkin' Cubs Live

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.

Spring Training Game Twelve: Cubs (7-4) vs. Angels (2-6-2)
Game Time - 3:05pm CDT
Coverage - TV: WGN TV - Radio: XM Radio Channel 176
Location - Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe

Randy Wells (1-0, 0.00/0.20) vs. Joel Pineiro (0-0, 4.50/2.00)

Updated - 11:08am CDT - Cubs announced first round of cuts on Sunday morning. Nine players removed from Spring Training roster ... two optioned and seven assigned to minor league camp.

Mitch Atkins was optioned to Triple-A Iowa and David Patton was optioned to Double-A Tennessee. Steve Clevenger, Blake Lalli, Jeff Kennard, Josh Vitters, Matt Camp, Brett Jackson and Vince Perkins assigned to minor league camp.

The Cubs travel to Tempe for the first time this afternoon to face the Angels ... one of two games for the Cubs against the defending AL West Champions in the Cactus League this year. The Cubs will send Randy Wells to the mound against the ex-Cardinal, Joel Pineiro.

Aramis Ramirez left Saturday's game against the Reds in the third inning with soreness in his right triceps. Ramirez is listed as day-to-day. The Cubs have downplayed the injury ... he is expected back in the lineup in a couple of days.

After X-rays showed no damage in Derrek Lee's left foot, the Cubs said he would be out for a couple of more days with a bruised left foot. Lee is not expected back until Tuesday.

The Cubs are expected to announce their first round of cuts following today's game ...

Spring Training Game Ten: Cubs (ss) (5-4) vs. Reds (4-3)
Game Time - 2:05pm CST
Coverage - TV: None - Radio: MLB.com (Reds feed)
Location - HoHoKam Park

Sean Marshall (0-0, 2.25/1.00) vs. Homer Bailey (0-0, -.--/-.--)

Spring Training Game Eleven: Cubs (ss) (5-4) vs. White Sox (ss) (4-4-2)
Game Time - 3:05pm CST
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 670 The Score, MLB.com (White Sox feed)
Location - Cashman Field, Las Vegas

Ryan Dempster (1-0, 0.00/0.00) vs. Lucas Harrell (0-0, 9.00/2.00)

Another split-squad day for the Chicago Cubs ... half of Lou Piniella's roster will face Dusty Baker and the Reds at HoHoKam while the other half completes the "Big League Weekend" at Cashman Field in Las Vegas.

The Reds joined the Cactus League this year and today will be the first time the Cubs have played the Reds in a Spring Training game since 1945 ... today will also be the first appearance for Dusty Baker at HoHoKam Park since 2006.

The Cubs will be the home team at Cashman Field this afternoon.

Spring Training Game Nine: Cubs (ss) (4-4) vs. White Sox (ss) (4-3-2)
Game Time - 9:05pm CST
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 670 The Score, MLB.com (White Sox feed)
Location - Cashman Field, Las Vegas

Tom Gorzelanny (0-0, 9.00/1.00) vs. Carlos Torres (0-0, 2.25/1.00)

For the sixth year in a row, the Cubs will participate in "Big League Weekend" at Cashman Field in Las Vegas. The Cubs annual trip to Sin City will have them face their Crosstown rivals ... who beat them rather soundly at HoHoKam Park, 15-3, last Saturday.

Alan Trammell will manage a Cubs' split-squad this weekend that will feature the likes of Tom Gorzelanny, Micah Hoffpauir, Kevin Millar, Mike Fontenot, Jeff Baker, Ryan Theriot, Matt Camp, Josh Vitters, Geovany Soto, Robinson Chirinos, Welington Castillo, Sam Fuld, Marlon Byrd, Brett Jackson, Kosuke Fukudome, Brad Snyder, Xavier Nady, Thomas Diamond, Blake Parker, Justin Berg, Jeff Kennard, Mitch Atkins, John Gaub, and J.R. Mathes.... Ryan Dempster will take the ball against the Sox on Saturday afternoon.

Tom Gorzelanny will make his first start, second appearance, of the spring tonight.

Spring Training Game Eight: Cubs (ss) (4-3) vs. Brewers (3-5)
Game Time - 2:05pm CST
Coverage - TV: None - Radio: MLB.com (Brewers feed)
Location - Maryvale Baseball Park, Maryvale

Jeff Samardzija (0-0, 0.00/1.50) vs. Doug Davis (0-0, -.--/-.--)

It is split-squad day for the Chicago Cubs. Half of the roster will face the White Sox on Friday night but the other half will play the Brewers for the second time in less than a week.

The Brewers beat the Cubs on Tuesday 5-3 after Joe Inglett hit a two-run homer off of Blake Parker in the top of the ninth. Randy Wells and James Russell had solid outings and Derrek Lee hit his second longball of the spring in the loss.

Jeff Samardzija will make his first start of the spring this afternoon. The Brewers figure to run out their A-team lineup in their home park ... so today should be a good test for 'The Shark'. Samardzija did not allow a run in his two innings of work against the A's on Monday (one hit, a walk and hit a batter).

Spring Training Game Seven: Cubs (3-3) vs. Padres (1-5)
Game Time - 2:05pm CST
Coverage - TV: None - Radio: XM Radio Channel 185 (Padres feed)
Location - Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria

Carlos Silva (0-1, 27.00/3.50) vs. Jon Garland (0-0, 4.50/1.00)

The Cubs begin a stretch this afternoon of six games in four days. Half of the Cubs roster, without Lou Piniella, will leave for Las Vegas this afternoon for two split-squad games against the White Sox on Saturday and Sunday. Alan Trammell will serve as the Cubs manager for the two games in Vegas.

Lou Piniella will manage the other half of his team in games against the Brewers (Friday in Maryvale) and Reds (Saturday at HoHoKam).

Piniella said on Wednesday that Kevin Millar, Chad Tracy, Bryan LaHair and Micah Hoffpauir will start against the Padres with the regular lineup staying behind in Mesa to get their hitting in at HoHoKam.

Carlos Silva will make his second start of the spring this afternoon. The Cubs have made a few adjustments to Silva's mechanics and he will try to keep the ball in the park.

Spring Training Game Six: Cubs (3-2) vs. Giants (6-1)
Game Time - 2:05pm CST
Coverage - TV: None - Radio: MLB.com (Giants feed)
Location - HoHoKam Park, Mesa

Carlos Zambrano (0-0, 0.00/0.00) vs. Jonathan Sanchez (0-0, 0.00/3.00)

The Cubs will square off against the Giants for the first of two times on the spring this afternoon. The Cubs travel to Scottsdale during the final week of Cactus League play to face the Giants on March 30.

Carlos Zambrano will make his second start of the spring. Like Randy Wells, Zambrano should pitch three innings this afternoon against a new-look Giants offense that should include Mark DeRosa. Zambrano threw the ball extremely well against the Diamondbacks last Friday. Big Z completed two perfect innings of work.

Spring Training Game Five: Cubs (3-1) vs. Brewers (2-3)
Game Time - 2:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: None - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 186
Location - HoHoKam Park, Mesa

Randy Wells (1-0, 0.00/0.00) vs. Jeff Suppan (0-0, 0.00/0.00)

The Cubs return to HoHoKam Park this afternoon for the first match-up of the year against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs will face the Brewers two more times this spring, both in Maryvale ... and both times as split-squad games. The Cubs open their home schedule on April 12 against the Brewers.

Randy Wells will make his second the spring. Wells tossed two perfect innings with a pair of strikeouts in his first outing against the A's last Thursday. Will Wells apply what Greg Maddux has been telling him this spring? Maddux has been talking with the pitchers about the importance of setting up hitters in the Cactus League.

Updated - 11:40am CST - Game in Glendale vs. White Sox Cancelled Due to Rain

Updated - 1:50pm CST - Game in Mesa vs. Dodgers Cancelled Due to Rain

Spring Training Game Four: Cubs (ss) (2-1) vs. White Sox (2-1-1)
Game Time - 2:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN TV - Radio: None
Location - Camelback Ranch, Glendale

Jeff Samardzija (0-0, -.--/-.--) vs. Jake Peavy (0-0, -.--/-.--)

Spring Training Game Five: Cubs (ss) (2-1) vs. Dodgers (1-1-1)
Game Time - 2:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: None - Radio: None
Location - HoHoKam Park, Mesa

Tom Gorzelanny (0-0, -.--/-.--) vs. Clayton Kershaw (0-0, -.--/-.--)

Weather permitting, Sunday is the first of five split squad days for the Cubs this spring (March 12 against the Brewers and White Sox in Las Vegas; March 13 against the Reds and White Sox in Las Vegas; March 20 against the A's and Royals; March 31 against the Angels and Mariners).

Half of Lou Piniella's crew will stay in Mesa while the other half will travel to face the White Sox at Camelback Ranch in Glendale.

Spring Training Game Three: Cubs (2-0) vs. White Sox (ss) (0-1-1)
Game Time - 2:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN TV/MLB Network - Radio: 720 WGN
Location - HoHoKam Park, Mesa

Carlos Silva (0-0, -.--/-.--) vs. Daniel Hudson (0-0, -.--/-.--)

The Cubs and White Sox face off for the first time in 2010 this afternoon. Spring Training or not, this is the Cubs versus the Sox.

The Cubs will travel to Camelback Ranch in Glendale on Sunday (weather permitting) to play the South Side ... then the two teams play a pair of games next weekend in Las Vegas (both split squad games). Lou Piniella's crew will see Ozzie Guillen's bunch one more time in Arizona on March 19 in Glendale.

Xavier Nady (designated hitter) and Alfonso Soriano (left field) are expected to make their spring debuts this afternoon ... along with Carlos Silva.

Silva's conditioning has been a big story for the Cubs this spring. Silva insists that he is ready to compete and this afternoon will be his first chance to prove it.

This afternoon's game is the first telecast of the spring for the Cubs. The game can be seen on WGN TV and the MLB Network ... Pat Hughes and Ron Santo will have the play-by-play on the radio.

Continue reading for more on Angel Guzman and other notes from Mesa ...