NEWSLETTER
The Cubs finish up their two-game set in Las Vegas against the Mets, while the other half of the squad faces the Indians at Cubs Park in Mesa. The good news is that Vegas game will feature starters like Kris Bryant and Dan Vogelbach … the bad news is there is no broadcast whatsoever. No video. No audio. Hamburgers.
The game in Mesa is on CSN, though, so you can at least sate yourself with some viewing of that one.
Travis Wood starts against the Indians, and Chris Rusin – who remains very much in the mix for the fifth starter job out of Spring Training (though, with the ability to option him to Iowa (no such option exists for James McDonald and Carlos Villanueva), I don’t see it happening absent some additional injuries) – starts in Vegas against the Mets. Arodys Vizcaino could get into the game in Mesa (televised, eh hem).
The Vegas lineup is particularly interesting, with Darwin Barney getting another start at shortstop (Jose Iglesias injury, say wha), Ryan Kalish getting a start in right, and Bryant/Vogelbach/Szczur all in the starting lineup.
Over in Mesa, Luis Valbuena gets a start at second base while Emilio Bonifacio starts at short (and Chris Valaika goes to third). That is all to say that Valbuena could have easily started at third today, and his placement at second is very purposeful. Good to get him some time there, obviously – it’s where he played most of the Winter in Venezuela. MIKE OLT! is the DH.
Lineup against the Mets:
- Darwin Barney, SS
- Ryan Kalish, RF
- Ryan Sweeney, DH
- Donnie Murphy, 2B
- George Kottaras, C
- Kris Bryant, 3B
- Chris Coghlan, LF
- Dan Vogelbach, 1B
- Matt Szczur, CF
Lineup against the Indians:
- Emilio Bonifacio, SS
- Junior Lake, CF
- Luis Valbuena, 2B
- Mike Olt, DH
- John Baker, C
- Ryan Roberts, 1B
- Chris Valaika, 3B
- Josh Vitters, LF
- Brett Jackson, RF
