The Cubs announced the ninth round of spring roster cuts on Monday afternoon. The Cubs reassigned OF Darnell McDonald to minor league camp and released RHP Chang-Yong Lim. Darnell McDonald hit .222/.320/.296 in 15 games this with two doubles after re-signing with the Cubs on a minor league deal during the off-season. The Cubs released RHP Chang-Yong Lim. After spending a majority of last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Lim made his big league debut in September and while the … [Read more...]
Cubs Reassign Javier Baez to Minor League Camp, Seven Players Cut from Spring Roster
The Cubs announced the sixth round of spring roster cuts on Saturday morning. Javier Baez, as expected, was reassigned to minor league camp. Baez will begin the season as Iowa’s shortstop. If Baez continues to check boxes off his player development card, Baez will make his big league debut at some point during the upcoming season, likely in June after he passes the Super Two date. The Cubs optioned RHP Blake Parker to Triple-A Iowa and reassigned non-roster invitees Chris Valaika, Jonathan … [Read more...]
Two Out Base Knocks Lift the Cubs Over the Halos – Cubs 4, Angels 2
Spring Training Game Twenty – Cubs (ss) 4, Angels (ss) 2 WP – Edwin Jackson (1-2) LP – Joe Blanton (1-2) Save – Neil Ramirez (1) Edwin Jackson pitched four scoreless innings and the offense did just enough against Joe Blanton as the Cubs held on to beat the Angels on Monday afternoon in Mesa. Edwin Jackson needed Monday’s outing, even against an Angels’ lineup without their big bats. Jackson mixed his pitches, threw strikes and got his work in. Jackson surrendered three hits with one … [Read more...]
Samardzija Struggles Royally, Jackson Surprises Kansas City Late – Cubs 6, Royals 5
Spring Training Game Sixteen – Cubs 6, Royals 5 WP – Marcos Mateo (1-0) LP – Tim Collins (0-2, BS 2) Save – Jeffrey Lorick (1) The Cubs were shutout for the first seven innings of Saturday’s game in Surprise and managed only one hit. But that was before Brett Jackson drove in five runs in the last two innings and led the Cubs to a come from behind Cactus League win. Brett Jackson hit a three-run homer, his first of the spring in the eighth then singled in the go ahead runs in the ninth … [Read more...]
Colorado Rocks Cubs Pitching – Rockies 13, Cubs 0
Spring Training Game Thirteen – Cubs 0, Rockies 13 WP – Jorge De La Rosa (2-0) LP – Travis Wood (0-1) Save – None In front of a Cactus League record crowd of 14,840 at Cubs Park, the Cubs were shutout for the second time this spring on Tuesday afternoon. And while the Cubs managed only five singles, the Rockies hit four home runs, pounded out 16 hits and took batting practice against Cubs pitching. The Rockies seemingly punished the baseball for nine innings with a lineup that did not … [Read more...]
Cubs on the Wrong End of a Spring Shutout – Indians 1, Cubs 0
Spring Training Game Seven – Cubs 0, Indians 1 WP – Aaron Harang (1-0) LP – Justin Grimm (0-1) Save – Scott Barnes (1) The Cubs outhit the Indians 9-4 on Thursday afternoon in Goodyear but the offense could not push across a single run and the Cubs dropped their fifth game of the spring. Travis Wood was very good in his first Cactus League start. Wood tossed three innings of shutout ball and was so efficient with his pitches that he had to finish getting his pitch count up in the … [Read more...]
Under Armour Performance Center, Cubs Top the Cubs and News from Day 14 of Cubs Camp
The Cubs and Under Armour announced a new multi-year agreement Wednesday that renamed the team’s training facility at Riverview Park the Under Armour Performance Center at Cubs Park. The Cubs are still exploring corporate sponsorship for Cubs Park. Colin Faulkner said Wednesday, “It’s rare to have naming rights for a ballpark in the Cactus League. You don’t see it a lot, but we think there’s a lot of value in it. We’ve talked to several people about it. We just want to make sure we find the … [Read more...]
Vogelbach Slims Down, Intrasquad Game Set and News from Day 13 of Cubs Camp
Dan Vogelbach is one of the top prospects in the Cubs’ system that is often overlooked. Vogelbach can hit and not only can he hit, he has an excellent eye and approach at the plate. Vogelbach is thought of as a one-dimensional player due to his body type. And apparently Vogelbach got tired of hearing and reading about it. Dan Vogelbach reported to camp 30 pounds lighter and ready to prove the critics wrong. Reports surfaced over the weekend that Vogelbach had dropped serious weight. Photos … [Read more...]
Samardzija Could Still Be Traded Before Opening Day and News from Day 12 of Cubs Camp
Monday was photo day for the Cubs and the team practiced on the main field at Cubs Park for the first time this spring. But the biggest news of the day surfaced late Monday night courtesy of the Sun-Times. Rick Renteria announced Monday that Chris Rusin, Travis Wood, Edwin Jackson and Jason Hammel would follow Jeff Samardzija in the starting rotation for the Cubs’ first five games of the spring. Samardzija will start the opener against the Diamondbacks. Rusin gets the start in Tempe against … [Read more...]
Cubs Discuss the Present and Future on the First Day of Spring Training
Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Rick Renteria met with the media Thursday at Cubs Park for the first time this spring. The President of Baseball Operations, General Manager and Skipper covered a variety of topics, announced two signings and provided updates on several of the players. The Cubs’ front office spent the two days leading up to the first day of camp in organizational meetings. There is a tremendous amount of talent in the system and Epstein said there is a belief within the … [Read more...]