I just landed in Phoenix, hopped off the plane, and immediately hopped on here because I knew there was miscellany to recount. The Cubs beat the Rockies 10-8 today, but Jeff Samardzija – fresh off probably being handed a rotation spot – got slapped around in his four innings of work, giving up all but one of the Rockies’ runs on 10 hits (no walks, though). He struck out two. I’m going to say he was “working on stuff” and leave it at that.
Among the other notable bits…
Casey Coleman got three innings of work (which theoretically still lines him up to be the long man in the pen, but it’s more likely he’s ticketed to start the year in the front half of the Iowa rotation at AAA), giving up just one unearned run on two hits. He struck out two.
Manny Corpas, who’s as likely as any of the remaining right-handed relief options to make the pen, threw another scoreless (perfect) frame, striking out one.
It doesn’t matter if you give Joe Mather only one at bat. He will get a hit. And he did, a double.
Bryan LaHair went 3 for 3 with a double, and he’s suddenly hitting .256 on the Spring. His OPS remains terrible, but maybe he’s getting ready to turn it on for the season.
Steve Clevenger had a hit in his two at bats. Welington Castillo did not make an appearance. (Geovany Soto started and went deep twice.)