Spring Training Game #1: Cubs vs. Athletics

Spring Training is back in full swing. I am so ready for the season which is close. It doesn’t matter if the Cubs are good bad, it’s just fun to watch them and root for them. Also, you never know, the Cubs have players who need to prove their self and Team Theo are hoping for the players to have a rebound year. So … maybe the Cubs will play good. Here’s a recap of ST game #1

Chicago Cubs (0-1) lose to the Oakland Athletcs (1-0) 12-10 at HoHoKam Park, Mesa Arizona

Boxscore (thanks to MLB.com):

Hitters:
Alfonso Soriano – 1-3 with a 1B
Ian Stewart – 1-3 with a 1B and a K
Starlin Castro – 0-3
Brian LaHair – 0-2 with a K
Marlon Byrd – 1-2 with a 1B a R, and a SB
Davis DeJesus – 1-1 with a 1B and a BB. He was also picked off 1B by the catcher
Jeff Baker – 0-2 with a R
Darwin Barney – 2-2 with a 1B, 2B and 2 rbi’s. He also had a stolen base and was picked off 1B by the catcher too.
Welington Castillo – 1-2 with a HR, run, and a rbi
Jae-Hoona Hae – 2-2 with 2 1B and 2 rbi’s
Johnathon Mota – 0-2 with a K
Junior Lake –  0-2 with a K
Anthony Rizzo – 1-2 with a 1B, R and a walk
Brett Jackson – 0-2 with a R, BB and a K
Dave Sappelt – 1-1 with 2 R, 1B, rbi and a walk
James Adduci – 1-2 with a 1B, R and as K
Adrain Cardenas – 1-2 with a 3B, 3 rbi’s and a R

Pitchers:
Rodrigo Lopez: Pitched 2 innings … 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks and struck out 2.
Carlos Marmol: Pitched 1 innings … 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks and struck out 1.
Jeff Beliveau: Pitched o innings …. 1 hit, 4 runs, 3 walks and struck out none.
Dae-Eun Rhee:  Pitched 1.2 innings … 6 hits, 5 runs (4 earned runs), 0 walks and struck out none
Trever Miller: Pitched 1.1 innings … o hits, 0 runs, 0 walks and struck out none
Rafael Dolis: Pitched 1 inning … 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks and struck out 1
Lendy Castillo: Pitched 1 inning … 1 hit, 1 run, 1 walk and struck out none.
Marcos Mateo: Pitched 1 inning … 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk and stuck out none

Positives from the game:
*Rodrigo Lopez looked good and mostly threw all strikes.
*Carlos Marmol got ahead of all the batters and walked none in his lone inning.
*The Cubs may be aggresive this year. I know it’s just one spring training game, but they stole a base when they could.
*Let’s hope Darwin Barney can keep this up all season and not just one half.
*Brett Jackson continues to show he’s willing to take walks.

Negatives from the game:
*A guy who I like and who Theo Epstein has talked about Jeff Beliveau did not look good. He can’t give up walks and control was not there. He’s a guy who could make the team out of ST, but not if he keeps having a line like that.
*Rhee came in and gave up a grand slam (went on Beliveau’s line) and a single home run. Not going well for young Cub pitchers.
*A big worry for me is Castro is gunna be too distracted thi season, but let’s hope not and he does great.
*Mateo continues to show he’s not a major league pitcher.

The Cubs will play the Oakland Athletics tomorrow at 2p.m central. May we see Cuban Yoenis Cespedes play in his first action for the A’s tomorrow?