Finally, we have a live TV game. Today’s split squad matchup in Glendale against the White Sox will be on WGN TV, assuming you can stomach the White Sox broadcast team. Hey, man, it’s worth it. (And, if you can’t stomach it, you could put the game on mute, and listen to it on Cubs.com/MLB.com with Len Kasper and Mick Gillespie (the game is also on The Score).)
The Cubs’ other split squad game is in Mesa against Team Japan, who is getting some practice in as they await the next round of the WBC. That’s probably the game you’d rather see on TV (not just for the Team Japan thing, but also because, well, check out the lineup below), but beggars can’t be choosers. Plus, given the vast international interest in Team Japan, it’s possible there’ll be a feed of the game somewhere online.
Scott Feldman starts against the White Sox, and Travis Wood gets Team Japan. The latter is a very serious and good team, so, again, don’t be surprised if the Cubs struggle.
Dan Vogelbach gets an actual start in today’s game against Japan (like I said, how much do you wish that game was televised?), which says a lot about how highly he’s regarded by the Cubs as a prospect. Minor league players are often brought along for split squad action, and, yeah, sometimes they start. But the Cubs have plenty of other guys to observe at first base this Spring (they’re still trying to figure out who Anthony Rizzo’s backup will be), and they’re giving this start to Vogelbach. It’s quite cool. Man, I just made myself even more bummed this one isn’t televised.
(You can follow the Cubs/Japan game on MLB.com’s Gameday thing, though.)
Lineup versus the White Sox:
1. Luis Valbuena, 3B
2. Darwin Barney, 2B
3. Starlin Castro, SS
4. Nate Schierholtz, RF
5. Scott Hairston, DH
6. Dioner Navarro, C
7. Brian Bogusevic, LF
8. Darnell McDonald, CF
9. Brad Nelson, 1B
Lineup versus Team Japan:
1. David DeJesus, CF
2. Javier Baez, SS
3. Welington Castillo, C
4. Alfonso Soriano, DH
5. Dave Sappelt, LF
6. Josh Vitters, 3B
7. Jorge Soler, RF
8. Dan Vogelbach, 1B
9. Alberto Gonzalez, 2B
(Brett Jackson was also going to be in this prospect-heavy lineup, but he was scratched with “minor” soreness in his throwing shoulder. We’ll follow up on that one later … )
Gotta agree with you Brett. When I first saw the line-ups I was like DANG, they’re televising the wrong game. Well, maybe we’ll get lucky with the games over the weekend, and they’ll give some of the prospects some TV time as a perk. My guess is Baez, Soler and Jackson will be ‘cut’ on Monday.
I have a feeling Jackson is going to stick around MLB camp a bit longer. He’ll be one of the last cuts, in my opinion, but he will be sent to minor league camp for probably the last week or so.
Just noticed the new Kane County ad on the side. That’s friggen sweet, Brett.
Yup. Very excited about that partnership. More on that soon.
Sounds very interesting…
When is Rizzo back?
He’s back in camp today. Probably back in games tomorrow.
Be careful brett. I don’t think it’s a good idea to let your advertisers know that you’d pay them to put cool kane county logos all over your page.
Soler and V back to back, 7, and 8. Wow that’s a lot of pop coming from the bottom of the order!
Vogelbach is only our #13 rated prospect according to Luke. Why the excitement? Just being snarky, love the stuff you do Luke ( even if that was criminally low for a guy showing up on Top 100 lists)
Hey Stoney, thanks for reminding us that the Cubs lost 101 games last year. Already switching to the online audio feed.
I take it is a white sox broadcast?
Yes – although the online feed with Len is too far ahead, so I’m either going with the mute option, or else I’ll just try to grit my teeth through Hawk and Stoney’s commentary.
I like listening to Hawk and Stone in like, a hate-watch kind of way.
Yeah, I’m sort of starting to get into that mindset now. Although, the White Sox’s broadcast is the most gimmicky thing ever (Picks to Click, all of the forced catchphrases, etc.)…I suppose it aligns with their Demolition Derby Night tradition. It’s almost like seeing a car wreck – I can’t look away.
Stone gets more & more annoying all the time. I think I just heard him say Hector Rondon is the other lefty trying to make the bullpen besides “Jeff Russell”. Agreed about Hawks forced catchphrases. “You can cancel the postgame show for Feldman”…..in a spring training game?
Interesting. Kind of like how I approach reading the BN comments.
hawk has a weird crush on starlin castro
Yea, I muted it as soon as I saw Harrelsons mouth open.
Left work a little early to watch some of the game on TV, and the first thing I hear is Hawks damn homerun call. I’ll be happy that tomorrow it will be the Cubs broadcasters.
Damn Castro looks a lot bigger this year. Hawk and Stone are terrible at their job.
Did the same thing. Big lag between internet feed & video.
Completely disagree that Stone is terrible at his job. He is one of the best unless of course you don’t want to know what is happening in advance. Actually one of my All Time favorites.
Yeah man we are on different planets on our views of Stone. He is the most negative broadcaster I have ever heard. I guess he does a decent job at analyzing certain things, but i don’t feel it… I liked him back in the day, but my opinion started to change before he left the Cubs. He reminds me of the dude that no matter how great something is will bring up the negative aspect of something and try to kill everyone else’s buzz.
Run and hit backfires.
Good to see Feldman recover and get the next 3 after a horribly flat pitch which caused the homerun.
Feldman really struggling. BB and hit batter.
Looks like he can be Dr. Jeckel or Mr. Hyde.
I wonder if Feldman knows deep down that he is the definition of trade bait? Hopefully he can have a solid first half:).
I can’t wait until the Cubs stop playing the “sign a player to be traded bait only deal”. It makes sense why they do it, but it still sucks. It really reminds me of my days playing Madden in college when I would sign free agents and then trade them for draft picks. I wonder if they ever fixed that flaw in the game?
Is there anywhere to see the game thread of the cubs Japan game?
Good question. They do have a Gameday up: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_03_15_jpnint_chnmlb_1&mode=gameday
……..in watching game, i find it tough to ID any of the Cub new faces……..good thing I could scroll back up to the lineup to figure out who just batted……btw, i like Nelon’s sense of relaxed-confidence at the plate.
Hawk Harrelson. Worst…announcer…ever.
Yeah that dude sucks balls. He must have some type of following to be around this long, not sure why though… The long stretches when he doesn’t talk when he’s pissed are so funny.
Six fans seem to love the old coot. Even thought they make fun of his stories such as “Jim Rice had the fastest hands I’ve ever seen”. He’s a total homer, but it’s the same way non-Cubs fans thought about Harry
Absolute worst play by play! Mute!
Seen enough of Feldman.
Next.
Question: Is Feldman as mediocre as he’s showing himself to be? — Or should I cut him some ST slack?
Career .500 ERA tells all.
Actually, a career ERA tells you relatively little about a pitcher’s abilities.
man watching feldman, it was like watching film of me, and i was a pretty average high school pitcher. i know he was basically promised a shot in the rotation, but assuming garza and baker come back healthy, as long a travis wood remembers to bring his glove to the park i cant imagine feldman retains his spot very long
Oh, trust me, I wasn’t meaning to defend Feldman with my comment. I haven’t watched him yet this spring, but his lines haven’t looked pretty.
Feldman looked like absolute dog shit today. But Maholm looked really bad early too for the Cubs. Hopefully this “flippable” dude pulls his act together..
Stone reminds me of John Gruden with the name screw ups.
Hey now, I really, really like Gruden…. Here yer runnin a play, gunna keep it simple, a little wide right spider 2 banana… You see how you drop back and make the reads here and how you hit your banana in stride? Man, your a good quarterback. [/gruden voice]
Hahahaha lmao, Gruden is entertaining.
loved when Jaworksi was on MNF only because gruden would keep sayin “JAWS”
So Stone just said the Cubs are looking at another 2 1/2 years of rebuilding for the Cubs. I really wish he would talk about the White Sox farm system. Worst. Farm. EVER…
No depth on the farm but seem to get pitching from trades of staff pitchers and trading the farm. Kenny did a pretty good job with what he had to work with.
Yeah Kenny got a ring. I would trade every single Cubs prospect for a ring. With that said their farm system is a train wreck, plus they have several terrible contracts.
Baez walks!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!
Castro does look bigger. Maybe 10-15 pounds of muscle
Line on Feldman:
3.2 IP 7H 7ER 2BB 1HB 2SO.
If this ST is any indication of the coming season ……it’s gonna’ be a hard season to be a Cubs fan (again). The pitching is (as it’s being shown) looks terrible. The hitting shows little indication to hope it’ll be better consistently. I know what the prognosis is for this year….but that should not mean surrendering the season just because the predictions are dire. Something has to change………I want a winning Cubs team……
Don’t get down on the Cub pitching just yet. Once Baker and Garza are back Feldman should be pushed out of the rotation.
Hitting is going to be the question mark.
Fortunately, spring training isn’t any indication of how a season will go.
E6 – Baez
Is It just me or does Feldman oddly resemble Chris volstad?
I agree, which is another thing that scares me about Feldman. Also, his numbers look very much like Chris Volstad. Have a feeling this is going to be Theo’s worst signing of the offseason.
Volstad’s ST numbers were dynamite last year. That’s what made the regular season pounding so disappointing. Again, take ST numbers with a grain of salt. Roy Halladay is having a poor spring. Watch what he does during this season.
per db kyle:
“Fortunately, spring training isn’t any indication of how a season will go.”
Thank God!!!!!!!!!! I can breathe calmly for awhile…………but for now……it’s a13 to 1 “meaningless game”.
Baez just hit a bomb. Wish I was videoing the AB. Awesome!
Was hit out of Hohokam in left. Well vogalbomb just hit an RBI single to tie it up. Got that vid if you want Brett.
Baez homered in the 7th to make it 5-4 Japan……..
Vogelbach singles in a run to tie the game……..5-5.
Cubs split squad > Team USA