Spring Training Miscellany: Cubs 5, Rockies 7 – March 7, 2015

arizona cactusIs Joe Maddon DOOMED!?!?

The Cubs fell to 0-3-1 on the Spring today against the Rockies after a 7-5 loss, but, while Maddon has said he likes to see his team winning in the Spring, I’ll say … I’ve never really cared. Sure, it’s nice to see a win for that tiny little fun pop you get in your stomach, but in terms of whether it predicts anything for the regular season, it doesn’t really.

  • Each of Jason Hammel and Felix Doubront gave up four hits in his two innings of work, with Hammel’s four hits including a three-run homer. I give that the ole shrug of the shoulders, because, again, maybe they were just working primarily on pounding the zone with fastballs today. Or maybe they need a little more time to warm up. Or maybe it was a small sample fluke. Last year in Spring Training with the Cubs, Hammel posted a 3.24 ERA … but 8 walks in just 16.2 innings. And, as we saw, he went on to dominate with the Cubs in the regular season.
  • Matt Szczur came off the bench and notched a couple hits, including a homer. Although he’s on the 40-man roster, Szczur doesn’t get a ton of attention when it comes to the Cubs’ bench competition. The fact that he’s got a minor league option left plays into that, as does the big question with Szczur: will the bat ever become big league caliber, even in a bench role? He can hit a little bit and doesn’t strike out a ton, but, to date, there’s been so little power. He plays great defense and has great speed, so a bench role in the future is not at all out of the question. We’ll see.
  • Kris Bryant scored Jorge Soler on a deep homer early in the game, which was probably the highlight of the afternoon.
  • Miguel Montero didn’t have a hit, but those in attendance said he looked excellent behind the plate.
  • Albert Almora had yet another hit (a hustle double, at that), and he’s having himself a nice Spring already.
  • In the lefty bullpen competition, Joe Ortiz gave up a couple unearned runs in his inning, striking out two (we’d call that a mostly good outing, because it looks like one of the runs would have scored even without the errors behind him), and Drake Britton pitched a scoreless frame (one HBP) while striking out one.
  • Blake Parker gave up one earned on one hit, striking out one.
  • Tommy La Stella played some third base in this one, but he had a throwing error.
  • 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

    Enhanced Box Score: Braves 7, Cubs 0 – May 14, 2024

    Not every game is a referendum on a team. Actually, come to think of it, a single game is NEVER a referendum on a team. Anyway, point is, a whole lot of teams are going to get stomped by these...

    Pablo Aliendo Goes Way Deep, Alexander Canario Goes Way Grand

    Pablo Aliendo gave the Tennessee Smokies an early lead on Tuesday night. Matching up with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Aliendo sent a ball deep into left field during the 2nd inning. The homer gave the Smokies an early 1-0...

    Nico Hoerner Was Scratched Just Before Tonight’s Game Started

    You know that expression, when it rains, it pours? This is like that, except instead of raining, it is pouring deluxe turds. Just an absolute monsoon of shit. Another Cubs injury issue to another key Cubs player: https://twitter.com/maddie_m_lee/status/1790522697002455532 So, Nico...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Braves (6:20 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs were shutout in the opener against the Braves last night. And it doesn't figure to get any easier against a resurgent Chris Sale tonight. Here's how Craig Counsell will line 'em up against the 35-year-old...

    Adbert Alzolay Update: Imaging Results, Timeline, and a Sprinkle of (Unexpected) Optimism

    I had the weirdest reaction to what is objectively bad injury news on Adbert Alzolay just now. According to Meghan Montemurro, medical imaging confirmed that Adbert Alzolay has a right flexor strain. While I should have been upset to learn...

    Jed Hoyer Speaks: New Reliever, Bullpen Issues, Imanaga, Morel, Swanson, Bat Data, More

    The Chicago Cubs' President of Baseball Operations just hopped on 670 The Score On the Bernstein & Holmes Show, discussing a number of Cubs-related items. He led things off with a discussion of newly-acquired reliever, Tyson Miller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hes1lI-8ZCI So, then,...

    Shota Imanaga Favored for NL Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, MVP, Nobel Peace Prize, and an Oscar

    There is nothing Shota Imanaga can't do. Going up against one of the best teams in baseball — and best overall offenses versus LHP — on the road, without his best stuff, Shota Imanaga tossed 5.0 scoreless innings in Atlanta, with...

    MLBits: ShĹŤta and ReyLo Duel, New MLB Pipeline Top 100, Investigating the New Statcast Swing Metrics, More

    Baseball's top two pitchers in the ERA department squared off last night and did not disappoint—that and more in today's MLB Notes. Shōta Imanaga Was Awesome (Again), But So Was Reynaldo Lopez I've watched a lot of Reynaldo López, given...

    Cubs Farm Report | May 14, 2024: Top 25 Prospect Stock Report

    The Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates were off on Monday, so it's time to take stock of some recent hot (and not-so-hot) performers inside the Cubs Top 25 prospects down on the farm in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm...

    Did You Ever Wonder What Happened to Frank Schwindel?

    I've gotten back into baseball cards, which, among other things, sends me down a lot of Memory Lanes. You pull a particular card, you think about that player, and you have various memories. It's part of the fun. The other...

    Latest News

    Enhanced Box Score: Braves 7, Cubs 0 – May 14, 2024

    Not every game is a referendum on a team. Actually, come to think of it, a single game is NEVER a referendum on a team. Anyway, point is, a whole lot of teams are going to get stomped by these...

    Pablo Aliendo Goes Way Deep, Alexander Canario Goes Way Grand

    Pablo Aliendo gave the Tennessee Smokies an early lead on Tuesday night. Matching up with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Aliendo sent a ball deep into left field during the 2nd inning. The homer gave the Smokies an early 1-0...

    Nico Hoerner Was Scratched Just Before Tonight’s Game Started

    You know that expression, when it rains, it pours? This is like that, except instead of raining, it is pouring deluxe turds. Just an absolute monsoon of shit. Another Cubs injury issue to another key Cubs player: https://twitter.com/maddie_m_lee/status/1790522697002455532 So, Nico...

    WATCH: Caleb Williams is Already Making Connections with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen at Halas Hall

    Caleb Williams clips, however brief, will always grab my attention. Because while I can tell myself over and over again that I will not get googly eyes over spring practice videos, the reality is that I can't wait to see...

    How to Watch Phillies Games: Full 2024 Schedule, Live Stream and More

    If you are a Philadelphia Phillies fan and looking to catch their games, you can watch most of them on TV with a cable subscription or via streaming with one of the many different apps. Let’s break down the cable...

    Connor Bedard Scored Again for Canada

    Oh hey! Blackhawks' star Connor Bedard scored his fifth goal of the World Championships for Canada on Tuesday afternoon. https://twitter.com/BN_Blackhawks/status/1790468565675483262 Bedard helped Canada sprint to a 6-1 lead... which evaporated as Austria scored five unanswered goals in the third period...

    How to Watch Yankees Games: Full 2024 Schedule, Live Stream and More

    The Bronx is booming! Yankee Stadium crackles with energy as the New York Yankees chase another World Series title. Whether you're a die-hard Yankees fan bleeding pinstripes or a baseball enthusiast captivated by the American League East race, their remaining...

    Adbert Alzolay Update: Imaging Results, Timeline, and a Sprinkle of (Unexpected) Optimism

    I had the weirdest reaction to what is objectively bad injury news on Adbert Alzolay just now. According to Meghan Montemurro, medical imaging confirmed that Adbert Alzolay has a right flexor strain. While I should have been upset to learn...

    Kiran Amegadjie Reportedly Signed His Rookie Deal (UPDATE: It’s Officially Official)

    Chicago Bears offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie is reportedly signing his rookie deal. NFL reporter Aaron Wilson has details on the contract, which includes: A $1.121 million signing bonus Annual workout bonus of $50,000 per year from 2025-27 Total deal worth...

    2024 PGA Championship Prize Purse and Payout Breakdown: How Much Money Does the Winner Make?

    The countdown has begun for the highly anticipated PGA Championship. As the second major of the 2024 calendar, this prestigious event will grace the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, from May 16-19. This year marks the 106th edition of the championship,...

    more cubs news