Say farewell to HoHoKam Park, as the Chicago Cubs will today play their last Cactus League game with HoHoKam as home (they’ll still play there from time to time, though, as the A’s are taking over the ballpark and will remain in Cactus League play).
The Cubs have been there since it opened for Spring Training in 1997, and it’s been a fine home. The new digs should be pretty darn sweet at Riverview Park, but HoHoKam will always hold a soft spot. (But, no, this isn’t quite the same thing as moving out of Wrigley Field.) It doesn’t close down today, by the way – it’s still going to be used by the Cubs for extended Spring Training and the Arizona Rookie League this year.
Today’s game also marks the end of the Cactus League schedule, and the Cubs are a game below .500 on the Spring. It doesn’t really matter, but it would be swell for the Cubs to finish things up at .500.
The game is on CSN, and then will be rebroadcast on MLB Network at 6am CT. Audio is available via MLB.com/Cubs.com.
Carlos Villanueva gets the start today, and you’ll get a chance to see one of the legitimate, but less-heralded infield prospects in the Cubs’ system: Arismendy Alcantara, who starts at short.
The lineup:
1. David DeJesus, CF
2. Darwin Barney, 2B
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Alfonso Soriano, LF
5. Nate Schierholtz, RF
6. Dioner Navarro, C
7. Luis Valbuena, 3B
8. Scott Hairston, DH
9. Arismendy Alcantara, SS