Spring Training Game Seventeen: Cubs (8-7-1) vs. Padres (6-9)
Game Time – 3:05pm C.T. – WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 179
Location – HoHoKam Park, Mesa
Rich Hill (1-1, 3.60) vs. Tim Stauffer (1-0, 0.00)
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
The Ole Professor was scheduled to face his former team for the second time this spring but Greg Maddux missed his last start with a mild abdominal strain and the Padres have decided for him to pitch in a minor league game against the Texas Rangers’ farm hands. Tim Stauffer will take the mound against Rich Hill instead. Rich Hill last pitched against a Padres split squad team back on March 9th and threw in a minor league intrasquad game last week. In 3 innings against the Padres he struck out 3, and gave up 1 run on 4 hits. Hill has done a good job to this point of the spring and has been named the Cubs number four starter in the rotation. Hill has thrown strikes and has not walked a batter in his two previous starts. In 5 innings he has allowed just 2 runs on 5 hits and struck out 6 with a 1.00 WHIP.
Tim Stauffer is 1-0 this spring in 2 games, 1 start, and in 5 innings he has not allowed a run; he has allowed just 3 hits, struck out 4 and walked 3. Stauffer filled in for Maddux when he missed a start against the White Sox last week; Maddux has not pitched in a spring training game since he faced the Cubs back on March 8th. Stauffer was impressive in his only start in 2006 and will likely start the season in AAA but if any of the Padres projected starters suffer an injury he could have an impact for the Padres in 2007.
Look for Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez to be back in the lineup with Derrek Lee probably getting the day off (he has played the last two games). If Lou Piniella does give Lee the day off it would be good to see Cliff Floyd get a couple of innings at 1st base.
From one Irishman to all those out there….grab a green beer and enjoy a little spring training baseball.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball!!!