Spring Training Game Twenty: Cubs (11-7-1) vs. Indians (11-5-2)
Game Time – 3:05pm CDT
Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet, MLB Network (Tape Delay) – Radio: MLB.com
Location – HoHoKam Park, Mesa
Jeff Samardzija (0-1, 9.00/2.25) vs. Fausto Carmona (1-0, 1.29/0.71)
Lou Piniella’s crew returns home to HoHoKam Park this afternoon to face the Indians for the first time this spring … in what should have been a homecoming of sorts for Kerry Wood. Wood will be out for the next six to eight weeks with a strained latissimus muscle, the source of the pain under his right shoulder.
Jeff Samardzija will make his second start of the spring this afternoon … and his first in a big league game since March 12. Jim Edmonds and the Brewers shelled ‘The Shark‘ 10 days ago. Samardzija made a start in minor league camp last Wednesday to keep on schedule. Today is a big game for Samardzija. This is his last start before the Cubs make their decision their starting rotation. After a solid start to the spring in a relief outing against the A’s, Jeff Samardzija has not thrown the ball the way the Cubs expected him to this spring. Reportedly he had a rough outing in minor league camp after his horrible start against the Brewers. Larry Rothschild voiced his displeasure with Samardzija’s outing against the Brewers on ESPN 1000.
Samardzija has allowed four runs, all earned, on six hits with two walks, a hit batsman and two strikeouts in four innings … two games, one start.
Today will be Fausto Carmona’s second start and third game of the spring. The Indians are depending on Carmona to return to his 2007 form this season.
In seven innings this spring, Carmona has allowed one earned run on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …