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SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- The Cubs will be seeing quite a bit of the Angels over the next eight days. There's today's Cactus League game, an exhibition game at Anaheim next Sunday, then the two-game series that will open the regular season.
The Angels have a chance to be a really bad team this year. Apart from the great Mike Trout and the who-knows-what-you'll-get Albert Pujols and maybe Kole Calhoun, their offense is likely to be a black hole. Starting rotation? Beyond Garrett Richards, not much.
Let's hope the Cubs take advantage of that next week.
Once again, I am skipping an away game, so I'll be watching this one on TV with all of you.
Here are today's particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Zobrist SS, Heyward CF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Soler RF, Montero C, La Stella 2B, Almora LF, Hendricks P
Javier Baez is not on today's substitute list.
Angels lineup:
Escobar 3B, Choi LF, Trout CF, Pujols 1B, Calhoun RF, Simmons SS, Perez C, Soto DH, Giovatella 2B
Yes, that's our old buddy Geovany Soto.
Kyle Hendricks starts for the Cubs. Also scheduled for the Cubs: Clayton Richard, Neil Ramirez and Justin Grimm.
Nick Tropeano gets the call for the Angels. Others on the Angels list: Greg Mahle, Lucas Luetge, Fernando Salas, Cory Rasmus and Javy Guerra.
Today's game is on cubs.com with Len Kasper and Mick Gillispie. It will also be on MLB.tv via the Angels network Fox Sports West, and carried live on MLB Network.
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Please visit our SB Nation Angels site Halos Heaven. If you do go there to interact with Angels fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
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. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher boxes and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
Discuss amongst yourselves.