Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Reds Friday Game ThreadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2016-03-11T17:35:33-06:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/109232652016-03-11T17:35:33-06:002016-03-11T17:35:33-06:00Cubs 7, Reds 4: Hey, Look! A Win!
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<figcaption>Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs rode timely hitting and good relief pitching to victory.</p> <p><b>MESA, Arizona</b> -- Wins, as you know, mean nothing in the Cactus League.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, watching the boys in blue walk off the field high-fiving and hearing "Go <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> Go" is always a pleasant experience, and the Cubs broke a seven-game spring losing streak Friday afternoon <a href="http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2016_03_11_cinmlb_chnmlb_1" target="_blank">with a 7-4 win over the Reds</a>.</p>
<p>Beyond the victory, there were some important performances in this game to discuss, so let's have at it.</p>
<p><span>John Lackey</span> made his first spring start and struck out the side in the first inning. That's good, but the home run he allowed to <span>Jose Peraza</span> to give the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a> a 1-0 lead in that inning wasn't. Lackey allowed a second-inning single and three fly-ball outs in that frame, and then got touched up for two more runs on three singles and a walk in the third. It might have been more, but he got out of it with a nice 3-6-1 double play.</p>
<p>All in all, not great, but not awful either. His velocity seemed fine and for the most part, he was locating well.</p>
<p>The Cubs, who have fallen behind in many games this spring, this time generated some offense early. <span>Anthony Rizzo</span> scored twice, first on an <span>Addison Russell</span> single after a double in the second, then on a two-run homer by <span>Miguel Montero</span> in the fourth, which highlighted a three-run inning. Montero, who is 7-for-12 this spring, has homered twice.</p>
<p>The homer gave the Cubs a 5-3 lead which they never relinquished. <span>Drew Rucinski</span>, who won't make this team, threw two somewhat-shaky scoreless innings. He allowed a hit and issued three walks; since the Cubs took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, he got the "win" for this one. Then the "real" bullpen guys, <span>Justin Grimm</span> and <span>Neil Ramirez</span>, set the side down in order in the sixth and seventh.</p>
<p>Granted they were doing it against Reds minor leaguers (and the Reds brought over only a couple of recognizable names on a split-squad day), and Ramirez's outing in particular was something that gave hope that he might be able to make the bullpen after all. He struck out one and retired the other two hitters on fly balls to center, looked like he had good velocity, command and control. I'd love to see him get back to where he was before last year's injury.</p>
<p>The other Cubs runs scored on solo homers by <span>Dan Vogelbach</span> and <span>Tim Federowicz</span> and an RBI single by <span>Munenori Kawasaki</span>. Kawasaki has little chance of making this roster, either, but I enjoy watching him play. He's got excellent range and a good arm at shortstop and although I realize spring hitting numbers mean almost nothing, he's shown a decent bat so far this spring. I'd certainly like to see him stay in the organization and play at Iowa in case the Cubs need an injury replacement infielder this season. Plus, he's fun:</p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p2gPEAiJLlc" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><span>Spencer Patton</span>, who pitched in relief for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> last year but who also appears headed to Iowa, struck out three Reds minor leaguers in the ninth to post a save.</p>
<p>Attendance watch: Another sellout of 15,256 raises the spring total for six home dates to 87,649, or 14,608 per date. I heard lawn tickets (season ticket price $10) were being sold for as much as $30 today, and it'll likely be the same Saturday with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.southsidesox.com/">White Sox</a> the opponent and another sellout expected.</p>
<p>Saturday is a split-squad day, with the Mesa game against the White Sox in the afternoon and then a night game (8:05 p.m. CT) in Glendale against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>. <span>Jason Hammel</span> will face <span>Erik Johnson</span> in the Sloan Park game (radio on 670 The Score) and <span>Trevor Cahill</span> starts at Glendale against <span>Brandon Beachy</span>.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2016/3/11/11209112/cubs-reds-recap-john-lackey-miguel-montero-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2016-03-11T15:30:03-06:002016-03-11T15:30:03-06:00Overflow Thread: Cubs vs. Reds, Friday 3/11
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<figcaption>Christian Petersen/Getty Images</figcaption>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2016/3/11/11159270/overflow-thread-cubs-vs-reds-friday-3-11-2-05-ctAl Yellon2016-03-11T14:00:03-06:002016-03-11T14:00:03-06:00First Pitch Thread: Cubs vs. Reds, Friday 3/11
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<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2016/3/11/11159266/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-reds-friday-3-11-2-05-ctAl Yellon2016-03-11T12:00:02-06:002016-03-11T12:00:02-06:00Cubs vs. Reds at Mesa Preview, Friday 3/11
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<figcaption>Christian Petersen/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs have lost seven in a row. Something's got to go right... eventually. Right?</p> <p><b>SCOTTSDALE, Arizona</b> -- <span>Jon Lester</span> <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jon-lester-shaky-defense-cubs-spt-0311-20160310-story.html" target="_blank">spoke to reporters</a> about his fielding woes, which showed up several times Thursday:</p>
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<pre>Lester said he works every day on pickoffs and throwing to bases and conceded he "never has been comfortable" throwing to bases since his high school days.
"I'm a bigger guy (6 foot 4, 240 pounds), I have a harder time with being in the infield," he said. "I never played the infield. I played the outfield. Everything is a lot different. Obviously pitching is a very different motion and (throwing to a base) is something I've not felt comfortable with."</pre>
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<p>I found this statement curious. Most of the Cubs' starting staff is "bigger guys" (figures from the player's baseball-reference page):</p>
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<pre><span>Jake Arrieta</span>: 6-4, 225
<span>Jason Hammel</span>: 6-6, 225
John Lackey: 6-6, 235</pre>
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<p>Those men don't seem to have the problem Lester does. (<span>Kyle Hendricks</span> is a bit smaller at 6-3, 190.) It's not as if Lester is a kid trying to learn the game -- he's been a professional baseball player for 14 years. I'm not sure what the issue is here, but it seems to me the Cubs have got to find a way to deal with it.</p>
<p>Good news on <span>Kyle Schwarber</span>, who left Thursday's game with "knee soreness":</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Maddon says Schwarber will take 2 days off with sore left knee. Not concerned</p>
— Paul Sullivan (@PWSullivan) <a href="https://twitter.com/PWSullivan/status/708337275080290304">March 11, 2016</a>
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<p>Note on spring attendance: as of Friday morning, the next seven games at Sloan Park are sold out. Tickets remain (but not many) for Sunday 3/27 vs. the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Mariners</a> (lawn only), Tuesday 3/29 vs. the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Athletics</a> and Wednesday 3/30 vs. the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a>.</p>
<p>Here are today's particulars.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> lineup:</p>
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<pre>Fowler CF, Heyward RF, Zobrist 2B, Rizzo 1B, Russell SS, Montero C, Victorino LF, Vogelbach DH, Candelario 3B</pre>
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<p>Reds lineup:</p>
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<pre>Cave CF, Peraza SS, Suarez 3B, Duvall RF, Allen 1B, De Jesus 2B, Ervin DH, Holt LF, Cabrera C</pre>
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<p>The Reds are a split squad today, thus the almost complete lack of recognizable names in the lineup.</p>
<p><span>John Lackey</span> makes his first spring start this afternoon. Other Cubs scheduled to throw today: <span>Eric Jokisch</span>, <span>Justin Grimm</span>, <span>Neil Ramirez</span>, <span>Drew Rucinski</span> and <span>Spencer Patton</span>.</p>
<p><span>Robert Stephenson</span> goes for the Reds. Others on the Reds pitching list: <span>Rookie Davis</span>, <span>Drew Hayes</span>, <span>Sal Romano</span>, <span>JC Ramirez</span> and Layne Somsen.</p>
<p>Yes, there is a real pitcher named Rookie Davis. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=davis-024wil" target="_blank">It's a nickname.</a> He came to the Reds from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> in the <span>Aroldis Chapman</span> deal.</p>
<p>Today's game is on cubs.com with Len Kasper and Mick Gillispie.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2016_03_11_cinmlb_chnmlb_1&mode=gameday">MLB.com Gameday</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mediacenter/index.jsp?date=4/1/2015#date=3/11/2016">Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.</a></p>
<p>Please visit our SB Nation <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a> site <a href="http://www.redreporter.com" target="_blank">Red Reporter</a>. If you do go there to interact with Reds 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.</p>
<p><i>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.</i></p>
<p>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 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.</p>
<p>These threads will <i>not</i> post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked <a href="http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/chicago-cubs-game-threads">"Chicago Cubs Game Threads"</a> at the <i>bottom</i> 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.</p>
<p>Discuss amongst yourselves.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2016/3/11/11159052/cubs-reds-mesa-preview-fridayAl Yellon