Cubs vs. Giants at Scottsdale Preview, Monday 3/10, 3:05 CT

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- Here's our first "Caption This" for the 2014 season. Just what is Junior Lake doing in the photo above?

ICYMI from last Friday, check out the quotes about Kris Bryant in this Jon Heyman article:

"He's a monster with ridiculous power," one AL scout said.

"All-Star third baseman ... soon," one NL executive said.

"Huge power, Good athlete," another NL executive said.

"Many thought he was the best player in that draft," yet another NL exec said.

"Fifty homer power," yet another NL executive (like the others not with the Cubs) said.

Bryant, who made an error in Sunday's game, still needs work on his defense. From what I've seen, he could probably hit in the major leagues right now. I hope we see him at Wrigley Field in September.

Here we go again with Starlin Castro:

Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro says his injured left hamstring feels good enough to predict a return to games this weekend, but team officials say not so fast.

In fact, an injury characterized as "mild" and less severe than last spring’s injury to the other hamstring, appears to have him sidelined longer than the two weeks he missed last spring.

And, Barry Bonds will be in Giants camp starting today as a guest spring-training instructor, leading the Tribune's Mark Gonzales to ask whether Sammy Sosa would one day be welcomed back to the Cubs.

Cubs lineup:

Bonifacio SS, Kalish CF, Schierholtz RF, Olt 1B, Murphy 3B, Coghlan LF, Roberts 2B, Whiteside C, Samardzija P

Giants lineup:

Blanco CF, Morse LF, Belt 1B, Pence RF, Sandoval 3B, Abreu 2B, Sanchez C, Crawford SS, Cain P

As pitchers begin to go farther into games, we'll see more of them batting.

Jeff Samardzija will start for the Cubs today. He's expected to go four innings. Expected to follow: Chris Rusin, Tommy Hottovy, Jonathan Sanchez and Brian Schlitter.

Matt Cain starts for the Giants.

Today's game is on cubs.com with Len Kasper and Mick Gillispie.

MLB.com Gameday

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

For spring-training games, we'll have a first-pitch thread at game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time (because I know how you all like overflow threads!). For today's game, that will be 3 p.m. CT and 4:30 p.m. CT. These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page. They will also appear in this StoryStream™. The pitcher box and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.

Discuss amongst yourselves.