Spring Training Game Ten: Cubs (ss) (1-7-1) vs. Indians (ss) (3-6)
- Game Time – 3:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: None – Radio: Cubs.com
- Location – Sloan Park, Mesa
Tsuyoshi Wada (0-0, 0.00, 1.00) vs. T.J. House (0-0, 3.60, 0.60)
Spring Training Game Eleven: Cubs (ss) (1-7-1) vs. Athletics (ss) (7-2-1)
- Game Time – 7:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: None
- Location – Cashman Field, Las Vegas
Jake Arrieta (0-1, 4.50, 2.00) vs. Drew Pomeranz (0-0, 0.00, 1.50)
The Cubs make the annual trip to Las Vegas this weekend and will play four games over the next two days. Joe Maddon is staying Arizona to manage one half of his roster while Dave Martinez travels to Vegas to call the shots for the Cubs in the two games against the A’s. Bob Melvin will be in Vegas this weekend while the rest of his roster travels to Surprise to play the Royals this afternoon.
The weekend begins with Tsuyoshi Wada taking on an Indians split squad in Mesa. Wada has been slowed by leg injuries this spring and makes his first start this afternoon. Terry Francona’s team also hosts the Royals in Goodyear.
The Cubs tied the A’s in one of the first two spring games last Thursday and lost to the Indians earlier in the week despite the back-to-back-to-back home runs.
Anthony Rizzo, Jorge Soler, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Miguel Montero, Dexter Fowler, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora, Tommy La Stella, Jonathan Herrera, Christian Villanueva, Chris Valaika and Cael Brockmeyer are among the position players that were scheduled to make the trip to Las Vegas.
On the pitching side, Jake Arrieta, Eric Jokisch, Blake Parker and Donn Roach are scheduled for Friday night at Cashman Field. Kyle Hendricks starts the Saturday afternoon game against the A’s and is expected to be followed by C.J. Edwards, Joseph Ortiz, Drake Britton, Armando Rivero and Frank Batista.
Minor league pitchers RHP Frank Batista, RHP Steve Perakslis, RHP Carlos Pimentel, RHP Michael Jensen and RHP Yoanner Negrin are on the Cubs’ travel roster for the weekend.
Mick Gillispie and Ron Coomer have the call from Sloan Park on Cubs.com this afternoon. Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies will be on the TV side from Las Vegas on Comcast SportsNet.
Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer return for Saturday’s game in Maryvale on WBBM and Hughes and Coomer will also call the action from Sloan Park on Sunday when the Cubs host the Reds. WGN-TV airs its first game of the year Sunday with Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies on the telecast.
Today all starts with Tsuyoshi Wada and tonight it all begins with Jake Arrieta …
Spring Training Game Ten: Cubs (ss) (1-7-1) vs. Indians (ss) (3-6)
The Cubs take on the Indians for the second time this week while the other half of Terry Francona’s roster hosts the Royals in Goodyear.
Tsuyoshi Wada makes his first start and second appearance of the spring this afternoon. Wada has been slowed in camp by two injuries, tightness in his hamstring and a groin injury. Wada has completed just one inning of work in the Cactus League, last Sunday against the Rangers at Sloan Park. Wada gave up a hit without a walk or a strikeout.
Wada is competing for the fifth spot in the rotation with Travis Wood, Edwin Jackson and Felix Doubront. But with already missing time, it’s questionable if Wada would be able to build up his pitch count by Opening Night in order to make the rotation out of camp.
Lefty T.J. House makes his third appearance, second start, of the spring today. House pitched two scoreless innings against the Reds on March 4. House struck out two batters and did not give up either a hit or a walk. House also faced the Rangers last Sunday. House surrendered two runs on three hits without a walk and four strikeouts in three innings.
T.J. House, like Wada, is vying for the fifth spot in his team’s rotation.
Spring Training Game Eleven: Cubs (ss) (1-7-1) vs. Athletics (ss) (7-2-1)
Jake Arrieta struggled with his command when he faced the Rangers last Sunday. Arrieta said he was unable to make the right mechanical adjustment and that led to his struggles.
Arrieta walked three batters and struck out two in two long innings of work (45 pitches, 25 for strikes). Arrieta surrendered only one run on one hit, a solo homer by Mitch Moreland, but overall he was not good the first time out this spring.
Look for Arrieta to bounce back tonight after having almost a week to make the proper adjustments.
Jake Arrieta is scheduled to pitch the first three innings tonight. Eric Jokisch, who was hit rather hard in his first spring start last Sunday, is supposed to follow Arrieta with three innings. Blake Parker and Donn Roach are on the pitching schedule for Friday night.
LHP Drew Pomeranz squared off against the White Sox last Sunday. Pomeranz surrendered two hits but no runs and a walk while striking out four in two innings. Pomeranz makes his second spring start tonight.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …