Spring Training Battle Watch: March 23, 2010

The Cubs lost to the Royals 5-5 today (yes, that’s a tie … but it’s the Royals), behind a mediocre outing from Ryan Dempster. On to the battles yo…

  • Two young relievers who are on thin ice – Marcos Mateo and John Gaub – probably shouldn’t have worn their Timberlands for this one. Each blew a save, giving up a run each in a couple of late innings of work. Carlos Marmol also gave up a run and blew a save, though, so maybe the Royals were just on fire. *titters*
  • Chad Tracy, who is probably still a front-runner for a bench spot (but barely), had a particularly bad day. He went 0-fer at the plate, and had a throwing error at third. His Spring OPS is now down near .600 – of course, it was well over .900 last Spring, before taking a horrific nosedive in the regular season. Kevin Millar, for what it’s worth, had one at bat, and had a single.
  • Tyler Colvin went 2-5, while Sam Fuld only got in to pinch run and got one at bat (a strikeout).
  • Andres Blanco continues to work his way back from a knee injury that stole a couple weeks of his Spring Training, and he had a single in two at bats while playing some shortstop.
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    WATCH: Owen Caissie Stays Alive to Crush a 424ft Homer

    Owen Caissie's third home run of the season was a scorcher! The 21-year-old took Columbus Clippers pitched Adam Oller deep in the bottom of the first inning to give the Cubs a 4-2 lead. The four-seamer was placed perfectly over...

    Cody Bellinger Returned and Was Like, No, Seriously, I’m BACK

    We were all bummed when Cody Bellinger crashed into that wall and fractured two of his ribs for all the obvious reason. No team wants to play without their star center fielder and top-2 hitter. But the injury was especially...

    MLBits: Red Sox Starters Cutting Back on the Heater, A Horrific Trade for the Marlins, More

    MLB Notes — The latest from around Major League Baseball ... The Boston Red Sox have one of the best rotations in baseball through the first month-plus, but it's interesting to see how they're achieving their success this year. Red...

    Chicago Cubs Lineup: Loading Up with Lefties vs Dylan Cease

    CUBS LINEUP — Another day, another rubber match. That's all we have around here. Let's take a look at the Cubs lineup for the finale at Wrigley Field against Dylan Cease and the Padres. Chicago Cubs Lineup: Nico Hoerner, SS...

    We Might Eventually Run Out of Praise for Shota Imanaga, But Not Yet

    It's becoming a routine at this point, but his performances keep justifying it! Shota Imanaga was fantastic once again last night, going 7.0+ innings, allowing 2 ER on 7 H and just 1 BB, while striking out 8. He is...

    Counsell’s Decision on Imanaga, Suzuki Plan, White Sox Trade, Morel, and Other Cubs Bullets

    Thoughts are with folks who were impacted by the severe weather in the Midwest yesterday and last night. We wound up in our basement most of the evening with tornado sirens going off, though thankfully everything was fine. I was...

    Cubs Farm Report | May 8, 2024: Hendricks’ Rehab Start, Pelicans Triple Play, More

    Kyle Hendricks had a successful rehab start with the Iowa Cubs on Tuesday, and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans turned in an impressive triple play! That and more in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm Report | May 8, 2024 Triple-A...

    Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ Saved That Game with Two Incredible Defensive Plays

    The Cubs may have won last night's game because of Shota Imanaga's dominance, Chris Morel's sac fly, Cody Bellinger's homer, and Michael Busch's lightning-fueled walk-off. But the game was saved by two huge defensive moments from Ian Happ and Nico...

    Another Successful Rehab Outing for Kyle Hendricks

    Rehab start number two for Kyle Hendricks was another largely successful one, with both results and good health (he got up to 85 pitches). https://twitter.com/IowaCubs/status/1787992856868561361 https://twitter.com/voiceofcohen2/status/1788009083930304736 https://twitter.com/AlyssaHertel/status/1788021711008391636 The fact that the rotation at the big league level has been doing...

    More Fun With Michael Busch’s Walk-Off Homer

    As the rains were coming down hard, it was fair to wonder whether the Cubs and Padres were going to get to finish that game before going into a rain delay. I'm sure nobody really wanted that to happen, which...

    Latest News

    FanDuel Promo Code: Bet $5, Win $150 in Bonus Bets Today!

    In the bustling arena of online sports betting, the FanDuel promo code emerges as a beacon for bettors with an offer too tempting to pass up. For those ready to dive into the action, the FanDuel promo code unlocks an...

    WATCH: Owen Caissie Stays Alive to Crush a 424ft Homer

    Owen Caissie's third home run of the season was a scorcher! The 21-year-old took Columbus Clippers pitched Adam Oller deep in the bottom of the first inning to give the Cubs a 4-2 lead. The four-seamer was placed perfectly over...

    Pascal Siakam Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Knicks – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    On Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET, the Indiana Pacers face the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, and Pascal Siakam's 3-pointer over/under for this clash requires only one trifecta.Pascal Siakam's Three-Pointer Prop...

    Tyrese Haliburton Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Knicks – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, it'll be the Indiana Pacers against the New York Knicks, with Tyrese Haliburton needing three treys to beat his 3-pointer over/under.Tyrese Haliburton's Three-Pointer...

    Donte DiVincenzo Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pacers – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, it'll be the New York Knicks versus the Indiana Pacers, with Donte DiVincenzo needing four trifectas to beat his 3-pointer over/under.Donte DiVincenzo's Three-Pointer...

    Myles Turner Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Knicks – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    On Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET, the Indiana Pacers face the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, and Myles Turner's 3-pointer prop for this matchup requires two triples.Myles Turner's Three-Pointer Prop Odds...

    Jalen Brunson Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pacers – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    The New York Knicks meet the Indiana Pacers at 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, and one of the 3-pointer props available for this clash requires three triples from Jalen...

    Josh Hart Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pacers – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, it'll be the New York Knicks versus the Indiana Pacers, with Josh Hart needing two treys to beat his 3-pointer over/under.Josh Hart's Three-Pointer...

    Top Player Prop Bets for Knicks vs. Pacers Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 2 on May 8, 2024

    Player prop bet odds for Jalen Brunson, Pascal Siakam and others are listed when the New York Knicks host the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday (at 8:00 PM ET).How to Watch Knicks vs. PacersDate: Wednesday, May 8,...

    2024 Myrtle Beach Classic: Ultimate Course Preview, Plus Key Stats

    While the best and brightest compete up at the Wells Fargo, the grinders and lifers are down at the Myrtle Beach Classic, playing at the alt-event right before tourist season really kicks into high gear on the Golden Strand. Obviously,...

    more cubs news