Spring Training Game Twenty-Three: Cubs (9-12-1) vs. Mariners (9-10-2)
- Game Time – 9:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: Cubs.com
- Location – Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria
Travis Wood (1-0, 3.77, 1.53) vs. Taijuan Walker (1-0, 0.00, 0.58)
The Cubs hit the road tonight, hopefully with right directions to the park, and play their second night game of the spring in Peoria.
The Cubs square off against the Mariners for the final time in the Cactus League in their last trip to Peoria. The Cubs outlasted the M’s last Saturday at Sloan Park in a game highlighted by four home runs … two by Kris Bryant, one by Addison Russell and the fourth, an opposite field job from Welington Castillo.
Starlin Castro is expected back in the starting lineup tonight. It will be interesting to see if Joe Maddon has Javier Baez at second base in order for the Cubs’ Opening Night double play combination to get more practice in game situations.
Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies have the Spring Training action on Comcast SportsNet and Mick Gillispie has the call on the radio side on Cubs.com.
Tonight all starts with Travis Wood …
Travis Wood makes his fifth Cactus League start tonight and will look to bounce back from a rather shaky outing against the White Sox. Wood was touched up for three runs in the first inning. The White Sox everyday lineup hit him rather hard. Wood gave up 11 hits and the Sox ended up scoring four runs in 4 1/3 innings off the lefty. The big positive from his last start, no walks.
In 14 1/3 innings this spring, Wood has walked only one batter while striking out 10.
Travis Wood has not done anything to lose the fifth spot in the rotation. In four starts, Wood has allowed eight runs, six earned, on 21 hits.
It will be interesting to see how the Cubs plan to begin the season with Travis Wood and Edwin Jackson sharing the same spot in the rotation.
Taijuan Walker has been very, very good this spring. The mega-talented right hander has allowed only four hits over his first four Cactus League starts. Walker takes the hill for the fifth time in the Cactus League tonight.
Walker limited the Indians to two hits, a HBP and two walks over four shutout frames in his last start. Walker has walked three batters with 13 strikeouts in 12 innings this spring.
Taijuan Walker hasn’t sewn up the fifth spot in the Mariners’ rotation yet. Danny Farquhar and Charlie Furbush are expected to follow Walker in Lloyd McClendon’s pitching plans for tonight’s game.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …