SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- Hi. Yes, I'm here. Have had some internet connectivity issues and just made it online now, so this post will be fairly short.
The Cubs lost to the Royals 13-4 Wednesday afternoon; Matt Garza said he needs to work on his control problems, which is true. One thing that occurred to me about that is that this is Garza's first spring in Arizona and he's played his entire career for teams with an indoor home. He may need to make adjustments.
All of this can be set aside for a day, I believe, after the horrifying accident in Florida in which a line drive off the bat of the Braves' Brian McCann hit Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar in the face. Salazar was airlifted to a hospital in Orlando and is staying overnight; he was awake and responding to doctors, according to reports, and though he has multiple fractures, fortunately, he does not appear to have any brain damage.
Salazar is a former Cub, who played for the team from 1989-1991. Acquired on August 30, 1989, with one day to spare to be eligible for the postseason, the one firm memory I have of him is the game-winning double he hit in extra innings against the Cardinals on September 9, 1989, scoring Andre Dawson from first base in one of the most memorable games of that season -- only one day after the Cubs had blown a big lead to St. Louis and had their lead cut to only a half game.
My thoughts are with Luis Salazar and his family; this is why I've put no photo of today's game with this post. McCann was so upset he took himself out of the game and went with Salazar to the hospital. Let's hope everything works out OK. Back to baseball and my first game in Mesa, tomorrow.