Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Reds Saturday Game ThreadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2014-03-08T17:26:05-06:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/52414252014-03-08T17:26:05-06:002014-03-08T17:26:05-06:00Cubs 9, Reds 0: Pitching And Hitting Together!
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<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>More games like this, please.</p> <p><b>SCOTTSDALE, Arizona</b> -- You know, I'm beginning to wonder.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> are now 1-5 in games I've attended this spring and 3-1 in games I haven't. Maybe I should...</p>
<p>Nah. I'll be back at Mesa Sunday. Most of this, of course, is because the Cubs haven't been winning at Cubs Park. They are 1-4 at home and 3-2 on the road this spring. It's really too small a sample size... but if this kind of thing continues, I'll begin to wonder about the Cubs' ability to win at their own fancy new park.</p>
<p>Saturday afternoon, <a href="http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2014_03_08_chnmlb_cinmlb_1" target="_blank">the Cubs shut out the Reds 9-0</a>, their first shutout of the spring. Five Cubs pitchers combined to allow just six hits to a lineup that contained several Cincinnati regulars. <span>Jason Hammel</span>, making his first official spring start, got out of a bases-loaded jam (that he caused himself with three walks) in the first inning and then settled down and threw three overall good innings, prompting this comment to Carrie Muskat:</p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Cubs&src=hash">#Cubs</a> Hammel says threw some bad pitches in 1st when walked bases loaded but also some that were definitely "swing-attable" <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23newword&src=hash">#newword</a></p>
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) <a href="https://twitter.com/CarrieMuskat/statuses/442421720708685824">March 8, 2014</a>
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<p><span>Eric Jokisch</span> also threw three really nice innings and Len Kasper commented on the webcast that Jokisch seems to do better against righthanded hitters than lefthanded hitters. Jokisch might not make it as a big-league starter, but someone like that would be really useful as a middle reliever. Jokisch gave up two singles and a double in three innings, didn't walk anyone and struck out three. <span>Marcus Hatley</span>, <span>Carlos Pimentel</span> and <span>Neil Ramirez</span> completed the shutout.</p>
<p>The offense had its best showing of 2014, and got going in the first inning with a two-run homer by <span>Nate Schierholtz</span>. <span>Emilio Bonifacio</span> drove in a pair with a long triple and a sacrifice fly, and all told, the Cubs had a nice offensive showing with nine hits and eight walks. <span>Ryan Kalish</span>, who probably isn't going to make the 25-man roster, walked, singled, stole a base and scored two runs. He'll likely be stashed at Iowa as an injury replacement. And, when the minor-league reinforcements took over, <span>Christian Villanueva</span> hit a two-run single in the eighth inning to make it a blowout.</p>
<p>If you were listening, you might have recognized the name of <span>Trevor Bell</span>, who pitched for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a> in the eighth inning. The former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> righthander, who had <a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bell--001tre">a very good year in the Cincinnati farm system in 2013</a> and who has a shot at making their 25-man roster as a non-roster invitee, is the grandson of Bob Bell, who played Bozo on WGN-TV's "Bozo's Circus" from 1961 through 1984.</p>
<p>All told, it was nice to see the team play well both offensively and on the mound Saturday, even though I didn't "see" this game, only followed it on the cubs.com webcast. Another reason I'm glad I didn't go: game time of three hours and 22 minutes. 5,632 showed up at Goodyear on a gorgeous, sunny, breezy afternoon.</p>
<p>And... yes, I'll be back in Mesa Sunday, to see the Cubs take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a>, with <span>Kyle Hendricks</span> (yay!) facing Milwaukee's Tyler Thornburg. This is the Cubs' final spring meeting with the Brewers, so we won't see <span>Matt Garza</span> until the regular season.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/3/8/5485850/cubs-reds-recap-nate-schierholtz-emilio-bonifacio-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2014-03-08T15:30:01-06:002014-03-08T15:30:01-06:00Overflow Thread: Cubs vs. Reds, Saturday 3/8
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<figcaption>Norm Hall</figcaption>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/3/8/5477392/overflow-thread-cubs-vs-reds-saturday-3-8-2-05-ctAl Yellon2014-03-08T14:00:03-06:002014-03-08T14:00:03-06:00First Pitch Thread: Cubs vs. Reds, Saturday 3/8
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<figcaption>Jamie Squire</figcaption>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/3/8/5477388/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-reds-saturday-3-8-2-05-ctAl Yellon2014-03-08T12:00:02-06:002014-03-08T12:00:02-06:00Cubs vs. Reds at Goodyear Preview, Saturday 3/8
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<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs make their second trip to the west Valley in three days.</p> <p><b>SCOTTSDALE, Arizona</b> -- As I noted in yesterday's recap, I am not going to this game, so will be following online with all of you.</p>
<p>A few other notes:</p>
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<li> <span>Starlin Castro</span> is going to <a href="http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140307&content_id=68879080&notebook_id=68878884&vkey=notebook_chc&c_id=chc&tcid=tw_article_68879080" target="_blank">"resume baseball activities"</a> next week. That's a week after he suffered the hamstring injury that was going to keep him out of action for a week, but still no word on when he'll play in games again. </li>
<li> The Reds' <span>Billy Hamilton</span> could <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincinnati.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fmlb%2Freds%2F2014%2F03%2F07%2Fbilly-hamilton-could-revolutionize-mlb%2F6171023%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2014%2F3%2F8%2F5477378%2Fcubs-reds-goodyear-preview-saturday" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">revolutionize the game</a>. Yes, but he'll have to get on base before he steals any. </li>
<li> <span>Ervin Santana</span> is apparently poised to <a href="https://twitter.com/dSoldevila/status/442285327085236224" target="_blank">sign a one-year deal with an AL team</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/442302321721368576" target="_blank">Not the Orioles.</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/McCulloughStar/status/442098763545317377" target="_blank">Not the Royals.</a> Possibilities include the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Mariners</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/">Blue Jays</a>. But Jon Heyman says an NL team is <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24472842/ervin-santana-talking-about-a-one-year-deal-with-jays-os-and-nl-club">"still on the fringe of the talks."</a> Cubs? On the other hand, Heyman says the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a> are in, which contradicts the tweet above. So who knows?</li>
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<p>Cubs lineup:</p>
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<pre>Bonifacio SS, Murphy 3B, Schierholtz RF, Castillo C, Olt 1B, Kalish CF, McDonald LF, Watkins 2B, Hammel P</pre>
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a> lineup:</p>
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<pre>Hamilton CF, Cozart SS, Votto 1B, Bruce RF, Frazier 3B, Mesoraco C, Schumaker 2B, Negron LF, Simon P</pre>
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<p>This is the first time this spring that pitchers will have batted in a game involving the Cubs, for either side. The Cubs will also get the chance to stop Billy Hamilton from stealing bases today.</p>
<p><span>Jason Hammel</span>, who started the "B" game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> Monday, makes his first official Cactus League start. Also scheduled for the Cubs: <span>Eric Jokisch</span>, <span>Carlos Pimentel</span>, <span>Marcus Hatley</span> and <span>Neil Ramirez</span>.</p>
<p><span>Alfredo Simon</span> is scheduled to start for the Reds. Other Reds pitchers scheduled today: <span>Chad Rogers</span>, <span>Nick Christiani</span>, <span>Manny Parra</span>, <span>Sam LeCure</span>, <span>Pedro Beato</span> and <span>Logan Ondrusek</span>.</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=2014_03_08_chnmlb_cinmlb_1&mode=gameday">MLB.com Gameday</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mediacenter/index.jsp?date=2/27/2014#date=3/8/2014">Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.</a></p>
<p>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 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT. 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="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Cubs</a> Game Threads" at the <i>bottom</i> of the front page. They will also appear in this StoryStreamâ„¢. The pitcher box and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.</p>
<p>Discuss amongst yourselves.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/3/8/5477378/cubs-reds-goodyear-preview-saturdayAl Yellon