Baez back in lineup after monster weekend
(Photo by Stephen Green)
Javier Baez’s Spring Training stay with the Cubs looks like it’s coming to an end Monday night. With just a few weeks until Opening Day, the organization likely wants to start consolidating the players they feel are in serious consideration of a major league spot. Even though the 20-year-old has said on numerous occasions he feels he’s ready to contribute to the major league team right now, the phenom hasn’t even spent much time in Double-A. But that’s not to say he isn’t going down without a fight.
Baez had an incredible stretch at the plate over the weekend, including one point in which he hit three home runs on three straight pitches.
On Friday, a Cubs split-squad team squared off against Team Japan, a side competing in the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic. With the game tied at five in the ninth, and a seventh-inning home run already to his name, Baez stepped up with a man on second. After falling behind 0-2, the shortstop ripped a slider over the fence for a walk-off, two-run homer. He had allegedly told Welington Castillo—who was on deck at the time—that he wouldn’t have to hit.
The next day Baez hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, the Cubs’ fourth run of the game at that point. After a fly out in the third, Baez hit another solo shot to left in the fifth to wrap up his day.
He concluded the weekend with a pair of hits on Sunday, including a double and an RBI against the Athletics. Baez will bat fourth in what could be his final Spring Training game with the major league club on Monday.
Edwin Jackson will take the ball for the Cubs as they take on San Diego. The game starts at 3:05 CST and can be heard on Cubs.com. Clayton Richard will throw for the Padres. Here’s the lineup he’ll be facing:
CF Dave Sappelt
LF Darnell McDonald
RF Jorge Soler
SS Javier Baez
C Steve Clevenger
3B Edwin Maysonet
1B Brent Lillibridge
2B Alberto Gonzalez
P Edwin Jackson
Cubs split squad, visit White Sox, host Japan
(Photo by Stephen Green)
Even the biggest Cubs die-hard can get a little tired of Spring Training baseball—especially this year, with 39 games on tap. But sometimes all it takes is a high-profile match-up to get fans back in the swing of spring.
Cubs fans are in luck Friday, as the North Siders take on a pair of interesting opponents. Half the team will be traveling to Camelback Ranch to face the White Sox, while the other half will stay at HoHoKam to host Team Japan.
Throwing for the Cubs against the Sox will be right-hander Scott Feldman. In three starts this spring, he’s gone 7.0 innings, owns a 9.00 ERA, and has struck out six. Opposite the 30-year-old will be Sox starter Gavin Floyd.
The game starts off at 2:05 CST and will be broadcast on MLB.TV and locally on WGN. Here’s the lineup Floyd will be facing:
3B Luis Valbuena
2B Darwin Barney
SS Starlin Castro
RF Nate Schierholtz
DH Scott Hairston
C Dioner Navarro
LF Brian Bogusevic
CF Darnell McDonald
1B Brad Nelson
With Anthony Rizzo not yet back from his stay with Team Italy, prospect Dan Vogelbach will man first base as the other half of the Cubs host Team Japan. Named one of the top 10 first base prospects by MLB.com this offseason, the power-hitting Vogelbach had a great 2012 campaign, hitting .322/.410/.641 with 17 homers in 61 games of rookie and Short-Season ball. He’ll be batting eighth.
Having already wrapped up a spot in the World Baseball Classic semifinal (March 17 in San Francisco), the Asian team is looking for a little extra work. Unlike previous Japanese WBC sides that were led by high-profile big league names like Ichiro and Daisuke Matsuzaka, this squad has no players currently on a major league roster.
Travis Wood will be starting for the Cubs. The game kicks off at 3:05 CST. Here’s the lineup Japan will be facing:
CF David DeJesus
SS Javier Baez
C Welington Castillo
DH Alfonso Soriano
LF Dave Sappelt
3B Josh Vitters
RF Jorge Soler
1B Dan Vogelbach
2B Alberto Gonzalez
Castillo’s offense could make a difference
(Photo by Stephen Green)
The Cubs made starting pitching a priority this offseason, as evidenced by the addition of four experienced right-handers. However, the organization didn’t acquire an offensive version of Edwin Jackson—a headline name that will instantly bolster the lineup.
One potential reason they didn’t add a bat via free agency is that they’re banking on a hitter they already have in the system to step up this season. One likely spot for offensive improvement is at catcher, where 25-year-old Welington Castillo is primed to take over the starting job. Castillo showed in the second half of 2012 that he can compete at the major league level. He hit .265/.377/.418 (AVG/OBP/SLG) with five home runs in 170 at-bats last year, but much of that damage came after the All-Star break (.289/.353/.434, four home runs).
This offseason, the Cubs also brought in former All-Star catcher Dioner Navarro to both push the 25-year-old Castillo and give him some much-needed advice. Castillo will be batting fourth Thursday as the Cubs head to Camelback Ranch and take on the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Chris Rusin, 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA on the spring, gets the start Thursday, and the Dodgers will send out lefty Chris Capuano. Cubs fans can listen to the game exclusively on Cubs.com. Here’s the Cubs’ lineup:
2B Darwin Barney
3B Brent Lillibridge
RF Nate Schierholtz
C Welington Castillo
CF Dave Sappelt
SS Luis Valbuena
LF Darnell McDonald
1B Brad Nelson
P Chris Rusin
Cubs Notes: Ian Stewart is scheduled to play in a minor league game Thursday. It marks his first game action since injuring his left quad on Feb. 21.
Castro back in the lineup, Baker to debut Sunday
(Photo by Stephen Green)
Two-time All-Star Starlin Castro will be back in the lineup for the Cubs Wednesday afternoon as they square off with the Colorado Rockies.
The 22-year-old has been out since Feb. 27 after injuring his hamstring while running the bases. Despite being out two weeks for precautionary reasons, the injury was never deemed serious, and Castro continued to practice. He’s participated in three games so far this spring.
With first baseman Anthony Rizzo out with the Italian squad at the World Baseball Classic (Italy vs. Puerto Rico, 6 p.m. CST), non-roster invitee Edwin Maysonet will get another crack at first. He’s hitting just .130 in 13 games this spring.
Scott Hairston will slide over and play center field, giving prospect Jorge Soler more time in right. The 21-year-old Soler is hitting .304 in 26 plate appearances.
Cubs fans can listen to the game’s free webcast on Cubs.com. Edwin Jackson will get the start against the Rockies, who will be sending out lefty Josh Outman. Here’s the full lineup Outman will face Wednesday:
3B Luis Valbuena
2B Darwin Barney
SS Starlin Castro
LF Alfonso Soriano
CF Scott Hairston
C Dioner Navarro
RF Jorge Soler
1B Edwin Maysonet
P Edwin Jackson
Cubs Notes: Scott Baker is slated to make his first Spring Training start on Sunday. It will be his first official return to the mound since having Tommy John surgery in April 2012. He went two innings in a minor league game on Tuesday.
Baez gets the start, Cubs demote six
(Photo by Stephen Green)
Cubs fans shouldn’t read too much into it, though just the idea is mildly intriguing. Shortstop phenom Javier Baez will be in action Monday, playing in place of the injured Starlin Castro. And he’s penciled in alongside what many feel is going to be the Opening Day lineup (sans Anthony Rizzo, who boosted his Italian squad to the second round of the World Baseball Classic over the weekend).
Many publications—Vine Line is no exception—have followed the organization’s top prospect very closely of late. From his stellar season in High-A, to breaking his hand in the Arizona Fall League, to participating in the Cubs’ Rookie Development Program, to being invited to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, it’s all been well documented. Many scouting sites, like Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and ESPN, have named him an elite prospect and the top name in the Cubs system.
But while fans might be excited by Baez’s impressive spring (.360 AVG, two homers, 25 at-bats), it’s also been well documented how far away the Cubs feel he is at this stage of his career. On multiple occasions, manager Dale Sveum has lauded his abilities, but reminded reporters that Baez is only 20 years old and has some growing up to do.
Jeff Samardzija will get his third start of the spring as the Cubs go on the road to take on Arizona Monday afternoon. Righty Trevor Cahill will throw for the D-Backs. First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 CST, and the game can be heard on a free webcast at Cubs.com. Here’s the lineup Sveum has posted for Monday:
CF David DeJesus
2B Darwin Barney
RF Nate Schierholtz
LF Alfonso Soriano
3B Luis Valbuena
C Welington Castillo
SS Javier Baez
1B Steve Clevenger
P Jeff Samardzija
Cubs Notes: Rafael Lopez, Alberto Gonzalez, Christian Villanueva, Brett Jackson, Dave Sappelt and Jorge Soler are also expected to get into the game Monday.
The Cubs sent pitchers Alberto Cabrera, Trey McNutt and Brooks Raley and infielder Logan Watkins to Triple-A Iowa; pitcher Robert Whitenack to Double-A Tennessee; and pitcher Nick Struck to minor league camp.
Takahashi takes the mound vs. Rangers
(Photo by Stephen Green)
This offseason, the Cubs dipped into the free agent market to get some help for a bullpen that struggled in 2012. Japanese import Kyuji Fujikawa got much of the press, especially considering his previous success in the NPB. But the Cubs also acquired a few other relievers, including lefty Hisanori Takahashi.
The 37-year-old Japanese native started last season with the Angels before the Pirates claimed him on waivers in late August. The Cubs signed Takahashi to a minor league deal on Dec. 27, after he was released by the Pirates.
Last season, he recorded a 5.54 ERA in 50.1 innings, striking out 52 batters, with a WHIP of 1.25. In 68 innings in 2011 with Los Angeles, he recorded a 3.44 ERA. Before the Mets originally signed him to a major league contract in 2010, Takahashi spent 10 seasons in Japan, playing for the Yomiuri Giants.
In four innings this spring, the finesse pitcher has given up three hits and one earned run. He’ll be the starter Wednesday as the Cubs take on the Rangers on the road. Though he might start the season at Triple-A, Takahashi could prove a serviceable, veteran arm in the ‘pen as the season progresses.
Steve Clevenger will get the start at first base, while Anthony Rizzo is off playing for Team Italy in the WBC.
Wednesday’s game is scheduled for 2:05 CST, and it will be webcast at cubs.com. Texas will send lefty Robbie Ross to the mound. Here’s the lineup he’ll be facing:
CF David DeJesus
2B Darwin Barney
RF Scott Hairston
LF Darnell McDonald
DH Dave Sappelt
C Dioner Navarro
SS Javier Baez
3B Junior Lake
1B Steve Clevenger
Scott Feldman set for Cubs debut
(Photo by Stephen Green)
It seems like a new starting pitcher makes his Cubs debut every day. Both Edwin Jackson and Carlos Villanueva got their first starts earlier this week. On Thursday, Scott Feldman will take his turn, as the North Siders host the Oakland Athletics at HoHoKam Stadium.
The right-hander, who signed a one-year deal this offseason, relishes the opportunity to crack the Cubs rotation. He has spent his entire career shuttling back and forth from the rotation to the bullpen, starting 101 of 204 games over his eight-year career. With Texas in 2012, Feldman was 6-11 with a 5.09 ERA in 123.2 innings.
His best season came in 2009, when he went 17-8 with a 4.08 ERA and struck out a career-high 113 batters over 189.2 innings. The 30-year-old has also won a pair of pennants in Texas’ back-to-back World Series trips in 2010-11.
Behind him will be an exciting team that includes two of the organization’s top prospects in Javier Baez and Jorge Soler. The shortstop Baez is going to see a bit more playing time with Starlin Castro out for the next 2-3 days nursing a tight hamstring. Despite being just 20 years old, many view Baez as one of the game’s most promising players. Soler, another elite-level prospect whose power bat has impressed this spring, will be playing right field.
First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 CST, and the game will be webcast at cubs.com. The Athletics will be sending lefty Brett Anderson to the hill. Here is the Cubs full batting order:
CF Dave Sappelt
2B Darwin Barney
DH Scott Hairston
LF Darnell McDonald
RF Jorge Soler
C Dioner Navarro
SS Javier Baez
1B Brent Lillibridge
3B Junior Lake
Samardzija gets the start in spring home opener
(Photo by Stephen Green)
Jeff Samardzija came into Spring Training last season just looking for a spot in the rotation. He comes to Arizona this year as one of the best young arms in the game and a possible Opening Day starter. On Sunday, he’ll take the hill for the Cubs in their Cactus League home opener against the defending World Champion Giants.
That’s quite a transformation for the 6-foot-5 former Notre Dame wide receiver.
As absurd as it may sound, Samardzija—yes, former million-dollar draftee turned minor league bust turned major league reliever turned frequently brilliant starter Jeff Samardzija—may be ready to take yet another step in his unusual career arc and become the piece that every team desires, a true font-of-the-rotation ace.
“Jeff was the one [in our starting staff] who matured as a pitcher [last year],” said pitching coach Chris Bosio. “[He went] from a pretty good pitcher to I think in that top five, maybe top six category as far as starters in the National League. I thought he had a very nice season, but we’re expecting bigger and better things out of Samardzija this year.”
That’s high praise for the tall right-hander, as Bosio seems ready to put him in the same category as elite pitchers like Clayton Kershaw, Stephen Strasburg and Cole Hamels.
As outlandish as Bosio’s claim may sound, there are signs Samardzija may actually deserve such acclaim. Conventional wisdom among scouts is that—unless you’re Randy Johnson—you have to carry three plus pitches to be among the true number ones in baseball. Having always been blessed with one of the hardest fastballs in the game (an offering he commanded exceptionally well last season), Samardzija has finally honed his slider into an above-average pitch. He also developed a splitter that proved to be his go-to, put-away pitch when he got two strikes on an opposing hitter.
Last season, the Shark led the Cubs in games started, innings pitched, quality starts, strikeouts and complete games.
According to PITCHf/x data, of starters who tossed at least 150 innings, Samardzija was third in fastball velocity (behind Stephen Strasburg and David Price) at an average of 95.96 mph. But, naturally, you need to be able to do more than just throw a ball hard to succeed; a pitcher needs to convert that heat into strikeouts. Samardzija’s 12.1 percent swinging strike rate and 24.9 percent strikeout rate ranked sixth and seventh (minimum 150 innings), respectively, in all of baseball.
If Samardzija can improve on his career low 7.8 percent walk rate from last season (the league average usually hovers around 8.0 percent), reduce his home runs allowed (he gave up 20 long balls in 2012) and develop that all-important consistency every pitcher needs, he’ll be primed to take another big step in his development.
If and when that time comes, he’ll officially earn the label “The Man.” But the always confident Samardzija isn’t one to shy away from the spotlight.
“That’s what I signed up for,” Samardzija said. “If you don’t want those expectations for yourself, then you may as well go play somewhere else. That’s just kind of a given. There’s going to be pressure, and there’s going to be a lot riding on what you do.”
The Cubs will run out most of their projected starters today at HoHoKam against Giants righty Matt Cain. Cain is coming off another exceptional season, which saw him compile a 16-5 record and a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts. That was good for sixth in the 2012 NL Cy Young voting.
Len Kasper will broadcast today’s game on mlb.com. Here is the lineup:
CF DeJesus
SS Castro
1B Rizzo
LF Soriano
RF Schierholtz
C Navarro
DH Bogusevic
2B Barney
3B Villanueva
Wood gets the start in Cactus League opener
Travis Wood will take the mound in the Cubs’ Cactus League opener Saturday against the high-powered Angels offense at Tempe Diablo Stadium. In 26 starts last year, Wood went 6-13 with a 4.27 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The left-hander could have the inside track on the fifth starter job out of camp because the Cubs other four projected starters are all right-handed.
Relievers Jaye Chapman, Rafael Dolis, Trey McNutt, Zach Putnam, Hector Rondon and Hisanori Takahashi also made the trip.
Ian Stewart was initially scheduled to make the start at third base, and Luis Valbuena was penciled in at second. But after hitting a ringing double Thursday in the first at-bat of his first game action since June 12 of last season, Stewart felt a tweak in his left quad as he was rounding first and was pulled from the game. He underwent a precautionary MRI Friday and will be out 10-14 days with a mild-to-moderate quad strain.
In his stead, manager Dale Sveum has moved the versatile Luis Valbuena to third and inserted minor league player of the year Logan Watkins at second. Sveum has always raved about Valbuena’s defense, but the the 27-year old needs to get more out of his bat to play on an everyday basis. Though he smacked a two-run home run in Friday’s intrasquad matchup, Valbuena struggled with the bat last season. In 90 games, he hit .219 with four home runs and 28 RBI. Still, Sveum made it clear that Stewart hasn’t locked up the starting third base job yet—especially considering his health issues.
“It was [Stewart's] job to win, not to lose,” Sveum said on Friday. “Things might change, because who knows when Stewart will be back to play. I know Valbuena can play third. He doesn’t need to play third to get his at-bats. The guy had a good winter ball, and obviously put a good swing on a ball today. I’m not too concerned about Valbuena. I need to see him everywhere. If things work out that way, then he’ll be playing third base quite a bit. But first half of spring, you’ll see him a lot more at other positions.”
The Cubs are slated for 39 spring games this season, including one exhibition game against a World baseball Classic opponent. That’s the most spring games they’ve played since 1952. They’ll play their home opener at HoHoKam Stadium tomorrow afternoon against the defending World Champion Giants, with Jeff Samardzija squaring off Matt Cain.
Len Kasper will broadcast today’s game on WGN Radio. Here is the lineup:
2B Watkins
CF Sappelt
1B Rizzo
RF Hairston
3B Valbuena
C Castillo
LF Jackson
SS Lillibridge
DH McDonald
Lineups for Friday’s intrasquad game
(Photo by Stephen Green)
The Cubs official Cactus League season kicks off tomorrow against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium, but the team is gearing up for its second five-inning intrasquad affair Friday at HoHoKam. Most of the major league regulars are getting the day off, but top prospects like Jorge Soler, Javier Baez, Junior Lake, Brett Jackson and Matt Szczur will all be on the field.
Brooks Raley, who went 1-2 with an 8.14 ERA in five games with the Cubs last season, will get the start for the white squad. Raley will be followed by Drew Carpenter, Rule 5 pickup Hector Rondon and Dayan Diaz.
Alberto Cabrera, who made a name for himself out of the Cubs ‘pen last year but is being transitioned to a starting role in 2013, will throw for the blue. Michael Bowdon, Blake Parker and Jensen Lewis will back him up.
The game kicks off at 1:05 p.m. Here are the lineups:
White Squad:
2B Watkins
CF Szczur
C Clevenger
RF Chavez
3B Lake
SS Maysonet
1B Lillibridge
LF Soler
DH Valbuena
Blue Squad:
CF B. Jackson
LF McDonald
C Lopez
DH Sappelt
RF Bogusevic
3B Villanueva
2B Gonzalez
1B Nelson
SS Baez
