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SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- Just four days remain in the Cactus League season (and two games at Chase Field next weekend), and so I'd expect Joe Maddon to start using more of the players we'll see during the season, mixing and matching late-inning replacements to see how that might work. Today's lineup includes mostly guys who will be with the big-league team this year:
Cubs lineup:
La Stella 3B, Russell SS, Montero C, Bryant LF, Sweeney RF, Baez 2B, Baxter 1B, Jackson P, Alcantara CF
Kris Bryant gets another start in left field.
Royals lineup:
Escobar SS, Gordon DH, Morales 1B, Perez C, Rios RF, Infante 2B, Orlando LF, Colon 3B, Dyson CF
Edwin Jackson gets another shot at showing he can help a team -- any team. Please, other teams, take a close look! I am again advising Edwin to ride the team bus to Surprise.
Relief pitchers on the Cubs' list today: Phil Coke, Justin Grimm, Neil Ramirez, Blake Parker and Brian Schlitter. I'd think this is about the last chance for Parker and Schlitter, who have little chance of making the team.
Edinson Volquez starts for the Royals this afternoon.
Today's game is on WGN-TV with Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies. It's also on WBBM radio 780 with Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer.
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Please note that during spring training, Gameday doesn't usually go pitch-by-pitch as it does during the regular season -- usually, it will update after each at-bat.
For spring-training games, we'll have a first-pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time (because I know how you all like overflow threads!). For today, 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.