Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Padres Monday Game ThreadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2014-03-25T08:00:15-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/52819772014-03-25T08:00:15-05:002014-03-25T08:00:15-05:00Padres 7, Cubs 1: Lights Out
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<p>We don't want to see the Cubs play many games like Monday night's in 2014. Unfortunately, we're probably not going to get our wish.</p> <p><b>MESA, Arizona</b> -- There's an old saying attributed to legendary manager Casey Stengel. It's variously quoted as: "Can't anyone here play this game?" or "Can't anyone play this here game?"</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> provided evidence of both Monday night in <a href="http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2014_03_24_sdnmlb_chnmlb_1" target="_blank">a dull 7-1 loss to the San Diego Padres</a>, who are not a very good team. The Cubs, though, made them look like the best team in baseball, as the visitors at Cubs Park pounded out 10 hits, drew five walks, and generally made the Cubs look helpless at the plate all evening.</p>
<p>Here's the sum total of the Cub scoring Monday night: <span>Emilio Bonifacio</span> led off the bottom of the first inning with a triple into the right-field corner, well placed, and I'll give the guy credit because I went on record earlier as not being in favor of his signing: He runs well, has played multiple positions creditably, and is obviously going to make this team and be an asset.</p>
<p>Bonifacio then executed another baserunning play well, as he held up on Donnie Murphy's ground ball to third long enough to make third baseman <span>Chase Headley</span> throw to first, upon which he took off for the plate and scored, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead.</p>
<p>Really, if you were a Cubs fan, you could have left after that half-inning and not missed much of anything. The Cubs posted just five more hits and, though they got three runners into scoring position, never seriously threatened to score. Meanwhile, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> were pounding hits off <span>Carlos Villanueva</span>, who gave up three runs before being lifted after four innings -- does that make sense to you? If Villanueva is going to be the fifth starter, shouldn't he have more than a four-inning outing one week before Opening Day?</p>
<p><span>Jose Veras</span> wasn't any better, allowing a pair of runs in an ugly fifth inning in which he faced eight batters and allowed three hits, a walk, a hit batsman and was charged with two runs.</p>
<p><span>Brian Schlitter</span> had a nice inning, striking out the side, two of those being Padres regulars (Headley and <span>Will Venable</span>). But Schlitter's not going to make this team, as we already know.</p>
<p>Which brings up another point that I've made several times over the last few days. The Padres' regulars played most of the game, several of them getting four at-bats. Meanwhile, among the Cubs who started this game, only Bonifacio got four at-bats; most of the rest were gone after six innings, replaced by four guys from the minor-league camp, players far from playing at the major-league level. What's the point of that, one week before Opening Day? Shouldn't the team be looking at combinations of bench players who actually are going to be playing in the major leagues this year?</p>
<p>The perfect example was the bottom of the ninth. The Padres trotted out closer <span>Huston Street</span>. Facing him were <span>John Andreoli</span> (who played at Double-A Tennessee last year), <span>Jacob Hannemann</span> (last June's third-round draft pick) and <span>Jeimer Candelario</span> (2013 at Low-A Kane County). The results were predictable: a groundout and two strikeouts. I can see doing this during the first week of spring training. The last week? Not so much.</p>
<p>Attendance watch: another sellout produced a crowd of 15,126, making the season total 183,369 for 13 dates, an average of 14,105. That puts the Cubs on pace for 211,580, which, again, would shatter the all-time spring-training record set by the Cubs in 2009.</p>
<p>The Cubs invited spring season-ticket holders to a reception before the gates opened Monday and offered free drinks, a nice gesture; I thanked them for this yesterday but thought I'd do so publicly here again. Upon leaving the area where the drinks were being served, I passed by the Cubs Park marquee, which has an electronic sign upon which you can have your name placed for photographs. Monday night, though, it looked like this:</p>
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<p>I can tell you, that applies very well to Monday night's game... one we'd all like to forget. The Cubs also had a fireworks show after the game, a first, and also a nice gesture. Too bad they couldn't have provided any from hitters during the game.</p>
<p>Tuesday is the final split-squad game of spring 2014. <span>Tsuyoshi Wada</span>, just released and re-signed to a minor-league deal, will start against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> in Mesa in the afternoon affair (I'll be there), and <span>C.J. Edwards</span> will start against the Padres in Peoria in the evening contest, which I won't be attending.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/3/25/5545530/cubs-padres-recap-carlos-villanueva-jose-veras-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2014-03-24T22:30:02-05:002014-03-24T22:30:02-05:00Overflow Thread: Cubs vs. Padres, Monday 3/24
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<figcaption>Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/3/24/5518156/overflow-thread-cubs-vs-padres-monday-3-24-9-05-ctAl Yellon2014-03-24T21:00:01-05:002014-03-24T21:00:01-05:00First Pitch Thread: Cubs vs. Padres, Monday 3/24
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/3/24/5518160/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-padres-monday-3-24-9-05-ctAl Yellon2014-03-24T19:00:06-05:002014-03-24T19:00:06-05:00Cubs vs. Padres at Mesa Preview, Monday 3/24
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<p>The Cubs play their only home night game of the spring this evening.</p> <p><b>SCOTTSDALE, Arizona</b> -- The Cubs will meet the Padres under the lights at Cubs Park this evening, the first-ever night game at the new facility. I can tell you that the lights are all functional, and pretty bright, having driven by there a couple of weeks ago in the evening (on my way somewhere else), and they had the lights on. (Not sure why.) The Cubs are promising a fireworks show after the game.</p>
<p>Imagine that. A fireworks show after a Cubs home game.</p>
<p>Another thing I wanted to talk about before tonight's contest is this: We are one week away from Opening Day in Pittsburgh. Yet, even yesterday, there were random guys from the minor-league camp playing in the game. When are games going to start being managed even close to major-league quality? When do we get to see whether guys "on the bubble" are given chances to make the team, rather than see <span>Wes Darvill</span> and <span>Zeke DeVoss</span> play the final innings of spring-training games?</p>
<p>The lineup tonight is full of big-league regulars, but <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/thekapman/status/448221661821546496/photo/1">the reserves list</a> includes more guys who have been cut and players and pitchers from the minor-league camp.</p>
<p>Decision time is coming, and it's time to get more playing time for the guys who will actually be on the 25-man roster a week from today, in my view.</p>
<p>Oddity: if you believe in the law of averages, this game has a fair chance of ending in a tie. The Padres have had five tie games in their 25 spring-training games so far this year, a very high percentage. The Cubs have not played a tie game this spring.</p>
<p>Cubs lineup:</p>
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<pre>Bonifacio 2B, Murphy SS, Rizzo 1B, Ruggiano LF, Schierholtz RF, Castillo C, Sweeney CF, Roberts 3B, Villanueva P</pre>
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<p>Speaking of who might be on the 25-man roster, still think <span>Ryan Roberts</span> has a shot at making it, as they continue to look at him at multiple positions. As you can see above, <span>Mike Olt</span> is among players listed as subs for tonight.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> lineup:</p>
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<pre>Cabrera SS, Venable CF, Headley 3B, Quentin LF, Gyorko 2B, Smith RF, Medica 1B, Hundley C, Stults P</pre>
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<p><span>Carlos Villanueva</span>, who appears to have the fifth spot in the rotation, will start tonight for the Cubs. Also scheduled: <span>Justin Grimm</span>, <span>Jose Veras</span>, <span>Brian Schlitter</span>, <span>Neil Ramirez</span> and <span>Jonathan Sanchez</span>.</p>
<p>Lefthander <span>Eric Stults</span> goes for the Padres.</p>
<p>Tonight's game is on WGN radio with Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer. No TV for tonight's game.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2014_03_24_sdnmlb_chnmlb_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=3/24/2014">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 9 p.m. CT and 10:30 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/2014/3/24/5517830/cubs-padres-mesa-preview-mondayAl Yellon