Spring Training Game Seven: Cubs (0-5-1) vs. Indians (2-4)
- Game Time – 3:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: MLB.TV (Indians), MLB Network (delay) – Radio: Cubs.com
- Location – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear
Travis Wood (0-0, 0.00, 0.00) vs. Trevor Bauer (0-0, 0.00, 1.00)
The Cubs look to end their string of winless games this spring today against the Cleveland Indians. Joe Maddon’s team hits the road and makes the trip to Goodyear for the exhibition game.
It was a rough day for the Cubs on Monday. While Joe Maddon received several very good pitching performances, he did not sound too thrilled with several aspects of the way the team played.
Travis Wood gets the ball for the second time in the Cactus League. And Jacob Turner should follow Wood to the hill. Wood and Turner started the games on the first day of the Cubs’ exhibition season.
This afternoon’s game is available on MLB.TV. The Indians are televising the game that will also be aired, via tape delay on the Network (MLB Network). Len Kasper and Mick Gillispie have the call on Cubs.com.
Today all starts with Travis Wood …
Travis Wood started the spring opener against the A’s at Sloan Park and was rather sharp. Wood threw strikes and did not allow a baserunner in his two innings of work. Wood struck out two batters and threw 26 pitches, 16 for strikes.
Wood is believed to be the favorite to begin the season, if he’s not dealt, as the fifth starter in the Cubs’ rotation. As for camp competition, by all accounts the Cubs fifth spot will be filled by one of the group of starters that includes Wood, Edwin Jackson, Jacob Turner, Felix Doubront and Tsuyoshi Wada. But the injuries (groin, hamstring) that Wada is dealing with would seem to take him out of the competition at this point. Wada simply is not going to have enough time to be stretched out and be able to pitch at least five innings when the season starts.
Travis Wood should go three innings today. And what was lost in the first week of games is that outside of Jon Lester, Wood had the best outing of the pitchers projected to start the season in the Cubs rotation.
Trevor Bauer makes his second appearance of the spring today for Terry Francona. Bauer was charged with one unearned run on three this without a walk or a strikeout in his first start against the Reds on March 5. Bauer is coming off a solid first full year in the majors (5-8 in 26 starts with a 4.18 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 4.01 FIP) and is looking to build on what he did last season this spring.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …