Spring Training Miscellany: Cubs Win, New Record, Chatwood Solid, Bats Rake, More

March 16, 2019, by Brett Taylor Chicago Cubs

The Cubs beat the Diamondbacks today at Salt River Fields, where it sounded – in the videos, anyway – more like it was at Sloan Park. As usual, Cubs fans travel:

A-14,035. Salt River Fields record.

— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) March 16, 2019

I reckon virtually all Cactus League record attendance figures come in games against the Cubs.

Cubs win!

Final: #Cubs 7, D-backs 1. https://t.co/cCYqxQQhi2 pic.twitter.com/RtbcyeWoos

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 16, 2019

Kyle Hendricks, briefly, on his outing:

Kyle Hendricks on his outing. He went 3.1 innings and allowed 5 hits, an earned run and walked two batters. Finished with 74 pitches pic.twitter.com/bQeHPwAkvy

— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) March 16, 2019

Clearly, we are at a point where you can’t put too much into any one positive Tyler Chatwood outing, and it’s hard to know how/if/when we will ever trust that he’s past the EXTREME command issues that torpedoed him completely last year. I just don’t know that it could have happened this Spring anyway. But, all that said, this is actually pretty great to see:

So Chatwood comes in with 2 on and gets 2 straight out then singles at the plate then goes 1-2-3 the next inning.

— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) March 16, 2019

So long as you don’t blow it out of proportion, it’s good to know that he had a really wild last outing but did not carry it mentally/mechanically into the next one. He’s here and he’s gonna be here. The Cubs are better if he pitches well.
Mike Montgomery and Allen Webster followed Chatwood with clean appearances. Montgomery was delayed by shoulder stiffness at the outset of the spring, but seems to be long over it. Webster is gunning for a job in the bullpen.

Good news – Allen Webster’s velo was up from his last outing. 95.9-96.8 according to Statcast (screenshots below). Wrote this week how Webster needs his FB to be playable to set up the all-world slider. Today? A double on a FB, 3 outs on the SL (assuming the 2sm was misdiagnosed) pic.twitter.com/2mpR96X9RJ

— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) March 16, 2019

Meanwhile, a number of the bullpen regulars got work in at the minor league games today, per our own minor league dude Bryan. Each of Steve Cishek, Carl Edwards Jr., and Brad Brach pitched in the minor league games, which is fairly standard for established guys who are not going to travel with the big league team to another park for a Cactus League game.

@Cubs vs @Athletics Triple-A game at Minor League Field 6 as @CEdwardsSBS comes in to pitch with Victor Caratini behind the plate. pic.twitter.com/BzZc2FrrRZ

— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) March 16, 2019

David Bote continues to rake this Spring, sending a homer the other way in this one. He also singled in the game, raising his OPS to 1.3lol52 and is your frontrunner for Cactus League MVP.
Anthony Rizzo smacking a double and Javy Baez smacking a single: