2015 Spring Training Thread

[SilenceS]

NLCS Preview :woot:

Live Feed

http://m.giants.mlb.com/sf/video/v37551283/cubs-at-giants

WTF? I have the MLB package and they have no video for either game then there is this feed. WTF!

 

[SilenceS]

Cubs might bat Anthony Rizzo second at times this season
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

Anthony Rizzo has primarily hit third in his major-league career with the Cubs, but manager Joe Maddon is toying with the idea of batting Rizzo second when he opts to hit the pitcher eighth in the lineup.

“I liked Jimmy Edmonds batting two,” Maddon said when Edmonds was an Angel, per ESPN. “I liked when we put him in the two hole. When you get a better hitter like that in the lineup, you want someone at the bottom to feed him.”

Rizzo would like to stay in the same spot in the lineup, but he said he is just focused on getting his timing down at the plate.

“I think everyone would like one spot but it doesn’t matter to me,” Rizzo said Thursday. “I just want to see a live at-bat first before I worry about where I’m hitting.”

 

[beckdawg]

This isnt my concept. This is the concept of Tom Tango and two other baseball sabermetric guys that are held in the same regard as Bill James.

I know. I'm not saying it's a bad idea so hope you're not getting defensive. All i'm saying is i don't presently see the fit. Rizzo of last year was pretty common to Votto previously. Votto had a common criticism by some that he walked "too much." The general idea here being that walks only advance a runner one base while hits can do 2 maybe even score a runner. My take on the concept was you were wanting someone who can score guys with those additional chances. It's entirely possible I'm not fully grasping the concept hence my questions. Maybe it's a simple as batting your highest on base guys 1/2 with the obvious preference for Rizzo's more power to be closer to the traditional heart of the line up. All I'm saying is it seems odd to play Castro as a 4 hitter just like it did last season. Maybe the concept is Fowler/Rizzo/Soler and have a crap ton of on base in front of Castro who hits for high average but doesn't have the walk skills of other guys. If so I can sorta buy that idea.

Also, speaking of Tango I'm pretty sure he's working for the cubs so there's reasoning to believe you are right. Like I said, not trying to say it's a bad idea or implausible. I'm just trying to understand the idea better.

 

[Bear Pride]

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2009/3/17/795946/optimizing-your-lineup-by

Essentially, if you go by numbers. The 2 hole is the most important place to bat and your best hitter should bat there.

Good article. I wouldn't put too much into the 1st day of ST in a slipt game lineup. However, knowing you're a metric guy, here's another article I like showing an optimized sabermetric lineup. It says the two hole should definitely be one of your 3 best hitters. I found it interesting.

	Standard	Optimized
1	Speedy guy who can hopefully get on base	One of the three best hitters (high OBP)
2	Good bat handler	One of the three best hitters
3	Best hitter	5th best hitter
4	Best power hitter	One of the three best hittesr (high SLG)
5	Second best (contact) hitter	4th best hitter
6	Best remaining power hitter	6th best hitter
7	7th best hitter	7th best hitter
8	8th best hitter	8th best hitter (or pitcher if NL)
9	9th best hitter	9th best hitter (ith best hitter if NL)

 

[Bear Pride]

Not too much from this game today. Olt with a HR and two RBI's, but it appears Javi didn't strike out. :clap:


Cubs 2, Athletics 2

	Final
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Oakland (2-0)	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	6	0
Chicago (0-1)	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	0

HR: OAK - None CHC - M. Olt (1)




Statistics

Chicago Cubs
Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG	OBP	SLG
Dexter Fowler, CF	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Anthony Rizzo, 1B	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Starlin Castro, SS	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000	.000	.000
Miguel Montero, C	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	.500	.500	.500
Javier Baez, 2B	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000
Daniel Lockhart, SS	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000	.000	.000
Chris Coghlan, LF	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1.000	1.000	1.000
Mike Olt, 3B	2	1	1	2	0	1	2	.500	.500	1.000
Ryan Sweeney, DH	2	0	1	0	0	0	2	.500	.500	.500
Jacob Hannemann, CF	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000	.000	.000
Junior Lake, RF	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000
Adron Chambers, CF	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Matt Szczur, LF	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Jonathan Herrera, SS	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Taylor Teagarden, C	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Daniel Vogelbach, 1B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Jeimer Candelario, 3B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Bijan Rademacher, CF	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1.000	1.000	1.000
Totals	31	2	5	2	0	5	6
BATTING
HR - M Olt (1)
RBI - M Olt 2 (2)
BASERUNNING
CS - B Rademacher (1)

 

[Bear Pride]

A couple things going on in this game. Kyle Schwarber hit a grand slam in his first big league spring at-bat in the second inning off of Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong. Pence was hit with a pitch in Cactus League action Thursday by Cubs reliever Corey Black and has suffered a non-displaced fractured ulna. He's out for 6 - 8 weeks. Ouch. Anyhow, here's the stats

Giants 8, Cubs 6

	Final
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chicago (0-1)	0	4	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	6	11	2
San Francisco (1-2)	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	5	x	8	8	1

W: H. Strickland (1-0) L: H. Cervenka (0-1) S: E. Cordier (1)
HR: CHC - K. Schwarber (1),B. McKinney (1) SF - D. Carbonell (1)

Chicago Cubs
Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG	OBP	SLG
Tommy La Stella, 2B	3	0	1	0	0	0	1	.333	.333	.333
Chris Denorfia, LF	2	0	0	0	1	1	1	.000	.333	.000
Arismendy Alcantara, CF	2	0	1	1	0	0	0	.500	.333	.500
Jorge Soler, RF	3	1	1	0	0	0	3	.333	.333	.333
Welington Castillo, C	2	1	1	0	0	1	0	.500	.500	.500
Kris Bryant, 3B	2	1	0	0	1	1	0	.000	.333	.000
Kyle Schwarber, C	3	1	1	4	0	0	0	.333	.333	1.000
Chris Valaika, 1B	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Addison Russell, SS	3	1	1	0	0	1	0	.333	.333	.333
Rafael Lopez, C	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000
Christian Villanueva, 3B	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000	.000	.000
Albert Almora, CF	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	1.000	1.000	1.000
Mike Baxter, LF	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	.000	.000	.000
Billy McKinney, CF	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	1.000	1.000	1.000
Wes Darvill, SS	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1.000	1.000	1.000
Dustin Geiger, 3B	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000
Mark Zagunis, PH	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.000	1.000	.000
Carlos Penalver, 2B	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1.000	1.000	1.000
Totals	34	6	11	6	3	6	11
BATTING
HR - K Schwarber (1); B McKinney (1)
RBI - A Alcantara (1); K Schwarber 4 (4); B McKinney (1)
SF - A Alcantara (1)

 

[Bear Pride]

News

Cubs adding Phil Coke to bullpen mix


MESA, Ariz. -- It's not official yet, but the Chicago Cubs plan to add another left-handed arm to the bullpen mix in the form of former Detroit Tigers reliever Phil Coke, according to a source familiar with the situation.


[+] Enlarge

Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY SportsPhil Coke is poised to compete for
a spot in the Cubs' bullpen after pitching for the
Tigers (2010-2014) and Yankees (2008-2009).

Coke, 31, appeared in 62 games for the Tigers last season, compiling a 3.88 ERA. In his seven-year career with both the New York Yankees and Tigers, he is 22-27 with eight saves and a 4.16 ERA.

"It's not a secret we're seeking that left-handed kind of specialist, but it's also nice to have that lefty that can get out a righty," manager Joe Maddon said Thursday morning. "I've seen Phil Coke a lot in the past, and he was able to get righties out as well."

Coke has a career .243 batting average against when lefties hit off of him, but that balloons to .303 against righties. Last season's splits (.257/.333) were no different.........

 

[Parade_Rain]

So, I'm just quoting the "good" portion, but here's a bit of info on yesterday's Cactus League Cubs action. Also, per the earlier comments regarding Olt making a change to his approach, he still launched a deep one. Maybe he will get this right. That would be a pleasant surprise for this team.

The Good: Kyle Schwarber hit a grand slam in his first big league spring at-bat in the second inning off of Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong. The blast was preceded by a single by Jorge Soler and a walk to Kris Bryant, setting the stage for the Cubs' 2014 first-round pick. Billy McKinney, acquired with Addison Russell in the deal for Jeff Samardzija last year, also went deep.

In Mesa, Mike Olt provided the offense for the Cubs, clubbing a two-run home run in the second inning before striking out his next time at the plate.

Both Jacob Turner and Travis Wood threw two scoreless innings each. Wood went six up and six down against the A’s, and Turner allowed three baserunners on two walks and a hit against the Giants.

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cub...ighlight-day-1-of-games?ex_cid=espnapi_public

 

[brett05]

And the best part...no one got hurt

 

[Parade_Rain]

And the best part...no one got hurt

Pence got hurt.

 

[brett05]

Pence got hurt.

Not our guy

 

[Parade_Rain]

Not our guy

But he is "some" one.

 

[brett05]

But he is "some" one.

 

[SilenceS]

I don't take home runs meaning much in spring training. I saw some AAA player yesterday hit a lazy pop up that ended 15 feet behind the fence. It would have 40 feet short in a real stadium. Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Parade_Rain]

Thanks, Debbie Downer!

 

[Bear Pride]

So, I'm just quoting the "good" portion, but here's a bit of info on yesterday's Cactus League Cubs action. Also, per the earlier comments regarding Olt making a change to his approach, he still launched a deep one. Maybe he will get this right. That would be a pleasant surprise for this team.

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cub...ighlight-day-1-of-games?ex_cid=espnapi_public

What I found interesting in that article was later in the Notes portion. If Kyle is that good, he could pose an interesting problem of trying to find a way to get his lefty bat into the lineup.

Notes: There are people within the Cubs organization as high on Schwarber as they are on minor league player of the year Kris Bryant. That’s how good he might be. And he’s on the same path as Bryant -- neither has stopped hitting since being drafted.

 

[Bear Pride]

I don't take home runs meaning much in spring training. I saw some AAA player yesterday hit a lazy pop up that ended 15 feet behind the fence. It would have 40 feet short in a real stadium. Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Something about hitting a Grand Slam, in your first MLB at bat, on your birthday, has the makings of a little more then ho hum to me. :dunno:

 

[Six]

todays game vs reds, brian schlitter is still statistically a better hitter than he is a pitcher

 

[SilenceS]

Something about hitting a Grand Slam, in your first MLB at bat, on your birthday, has the makings of a little more then ho hum to me. :dunno:

I like Schwarber a lot with his bat but it legit means nothing. Spring training means very little.

 

[Parade_Rain]

I like Schwarber a lot with his bat but it legit means nothing. Spring training means very little.

At least he didn't get injured while hitting a grand slam in his first ever MLB Spring Training AB, which occurred on his birthday.