I had a post almost finished and got a browser burp. It was one of the most magnificent pieces of writing I've ever done.
But you'll never see it. Instead, you'll have to make do with this one.
The Cubs cranked up their bats again today and beat the Giants 10-5, but that's likely not what you want to talk about.
Derrek Lee left the game in the second inning after an awkward slide into second base, "tweaking" his groin. It didn't seem serious, and after something like that you'd leave a spring training game right away as a precaution anyway.
But we worry, given this club's starcrossed last couple of years.
Henry Blanco also left early after fouling a ball off his knee; it was likely almost time for Geovany Soto to get some playing time anyway.
Carlos Zambrano threw 72 pitches in four innings, which is a lot. He walked two, which is too many, and struck out five, and gave up only three hits. He almost matched that at the plate, hitting a double and a triple (which the TV guys said might have been an inside-the-park HR had Z not slipped nearing third base) and driving in a run.
Jeff Samardzija threw two scoreless innings, but allowed five baserunners after the first two batters made easy outs in both innings. This is, obviously, something he has to work on, keeping his focus. I hope he gets to do it in High-A or even Double-A; it's been Cub policy to start college players at levels that are really too low for them, and with a talent like his I think they should start him higher, because he could be fast-tracked to the majors with his fastball and mound presence. His first-ever encounter with Barry Bonds resulted in a lazy little single to RF, after which Bonds left for a runner.
Other good things today: Jacque Jones had two more hits, and I'd like to see him get some PT in CF, even though Alfonso Soriano looked a little less tentative out there today. Jake Fox cracked another two-RBI double, but he's ticketed for Iowa anyway. Will Ohman struck out the side in his inning of work. Cliff Floyd -- yes, he really exists! -- had a two-run single in his first spring at-bat.
Bob Howry gave up a home run to a guy named Chad Santos -- I wouldn't worry about Howry, perhaps he was working on something.
I had more, but it was lost in the browser belch. And I thought I had copied it to the clipboard before everything closed. Oh, well. Tomorrow, Wade Miller will face the Diamondbacks in Tucson, and Rich Hill, whose turn would come up on the off-day Wednesday, will throw "an inning or two" in a minor league game and then resume his regular turn the next time around.
Don't worry too much about the injuries. There haven't been any updates -- good OR bad -- yet, on this, and as I said, neither seemed too serious.
Oh, go ahead. Cross various body parts and entreat whatever source you plead or pray to. Can't hurt.