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SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- The Cactus League portion of the Cubs' spring-training schedule ends today. (The games at Chase Field will show in the spring standings, but technically are not considered "Cactus League" games).
Not that it really matters, since spring won-lost records are pretty meaningless, but the Cubs have been winning much more consistently since a poor start. A win today would make them 15-15 (with one tie) after an 0-6 start.
I'm pretty sure we'd all take a 15-9 start to the regular season.
The Cubs set an all-time spring-training attendance record last year with 213,815 fans at then-Cubs Park, an average of 14,254 per date. Both of those numbers should fall today; the Cubs need to draw just 4,776 to Sloan Park to set new marks for both total and average (the current average is 14,931). Today's game isn't sold out, but I imagine it should draw somewhere in the 10,000 - 11,000 range.
Here are the rest of the particulars for today's game.
Cubs lineup:
Fowler CF, Soler RF, Rizzo 1B, Castro SS, Montero C, Szczur LF, Alcantara 3B, Hammel P, La Stella 2B
That looks pretty close to an Opening Night lineup -- possibly Mike Olt at third base Sunday would be the only difference, I think. Chris Coghlan, who was supposed to be in today's lineup and was scratched due to a stiff neck, seems likely to also be in Sunday's lineup.
Brewers lineup:
Parra CF, Lucroy C, Lind 1B, Ramirez 3B, Davis LF, Segura SS, Schafer RF, Gennett 2B, Lohse P
Another lineup that has many Opening Day regulars.
Jason Hammel goes for the Cubs. Today's Cubs relief pitcher list: Jorge De Leon, Justin Grimm, Joseph Ortiz, Neil Ramirez, Zac Rosscup and Brian Schlitter. Seems like there are a few on this list going for one or two still-to-be-decided bullpen slots.
Kyle Lohse gets the start for the Brewers.
Other pitchers on the Brewers list for today, all likely menbers of their 25-man roster: Tyler Thornburg, Francisco Rodriguez, Jonathan Broxton and Will Smith.
Today's game is on CSN Chicago with Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies, and also live nationally on MLB Network. It's also on cubs.com with Mick Gillispie.
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.