ST 3/25 Cubs (Marshall) vs A's & Cubs (Williams) @ Royal

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Today the Cubs play a split squad double header. The first group of Cubs will take on the Rich Harden and the A's at HoHoKam. The second group of Cubs will travel back to Surprise to take on Runelvys Hernandez and the Royals.

 

The game vs the A's will be on WGN radio and WGN TV. The game vs the Royals will be available on MLB audio.

 

It appears both games are on MLB TV as well.

 

Let's see if we can't keep up with both in the game thread! :)

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Let's go Marshall! 8)

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

If all goes well here, I plan on watching the A's vs Cubs on WGN and listening to the Royals/Cubs. I'll try to keep up as best as possible.

 

However, once the LSU game starts, there are no guarantees. :)

[Bruce Miles]

Don't have opposing lineups, but Cubs will go this way in each game:

 

At Surprise

Hairston, 2B

Perez, SS

Ramirez, 3B

Restovich, DH

Barrett, C

Grissom, LF

Pagan, CF

Pie, RF

Dopirak, 1B

Williams, P

 

At Mesa

Pierre, CF

Murton, LF

Mabry, 1B

Jones, RF

Walker, 2B

Moore, 3B

Cedeno, SS

Blanco, C

Marshall, P

[otis89]

I thought the Cubs sent Dopirak down? Did they call him back up since Lee has to take care of some family matters?

[Bruce Miles]

I thought the Cubs sent Dopirak down? Did they call him back up since Lee has to take care of some family matters?

 

They always bring minor-leaguers up, even more for split-squad games. Luis Montanez homered last night. Mike Fontenot is up for one of today's game. The more bodies the better.

[radarluv1]

I thought the Cubs sent Dopirak down? Did they call him back up since Lee has to take care of some family matters?

 

i think somebody posted that with SS games, minor leaguers can be called in easily.

 

edit: what Mr. Miles said. :)

[otis89]

Bruce, according to your lineups, Williams is pitching at Surprise against the Royals while Marshall is pitching at Mesa against the A's. According to Cubs.com, Marshall is pitching against the Royals and Williams is pitching against the A's.

[radarluv1]

<---- wants to see marshall on WGN.

[Bruce Miles]

Bruce, according to your lineups, Williams is pitching at Surprise against the Royals while Marshall is pitching at Mesa against the A's. According to Cubs.com, Marshall is pitching against the Royals and Williams is pitching against the A's.

 

Marshall is pitching the home game against Oakland.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Bruce, according to your lineups, Williams is pitching at Surprise against the Royals while Marshall is pitching at Mesa against the A's. According to Cubs.com, Marshall is pitching against the Royals and Williams is pitching against the A's.

 

Not according to da Muskat:

 

On deck: It's split-squad Saturday. Right-hander Jerome Williams and half the team will play the Kansas City Royals in Surprise on Saturday, while left-hander Sean Marshall and the other half of the team will play host to Oakland at HoHoKam Park in Mesa. Both games are scheduled to start at 2:05 p.m. CT. The game in Mesa will be broadcast on WGN Radio and WGN TV.

 

link

[CUBZ99]

I frequently support giving Dusty a break, and this is spring training, but his lineups make me laugh daily.

 

Bruce -- the other day in the paper I thought you said that Dusty and the other coaches turned in their suggestions for the final 25 man roster. Does this mean that Hendry is calling all of the shots in regard to the 25 man? If so, does Hendry have a tighter reign on the roster/playing decisions this year?

 

Also, does the fact that Grissom is not on the 40 man roster make it more difficult for him to make the team over someone like Pagan?

[Bruce Miles]

I frequently support giving Dusty a break, and this is spring training, but his lineups make me laugh daily.

 

Bruce -- the other day in the paper I thought you said that Dusty and the other coaches turned in their suggestions for the final 25 man roster. Does this mean that Hendry is calling all of the shots in regard to the 25 man? If so, does Hendry have a tighter reign on the roster/playing decisions this year?

 

Also, does the fact that Grissom is not on the 40 man roster make it more difficult for him to make the team over someone like Pagan?

 

General managers usually have the final say. Hendry will make the call, taking into consideration the input from his staff, much like any other business. Grissom's non-roster status doesn't help him, especially with the Cubs having to add Wade Miller to the 40-man by Opening Day.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

What's the word on Wuertz? Is he going to be demoted off the 25 man and sent to Iowa to work out his issues?

[Bruce Miles]

What's the word on Wuertz? Is he going to be demoted off the 25 man and sent to Iowa to work out his issues?

 

Because of his work over the last two years, the Cubs are doing everything to give him the benefit of the doubt. But this is a huge week for him.

[rawaction]

Don't have opposing lineups, but Cubs will go this way in each game:

 

At Surprise

Hairston, 2B

Perez, SS

Ramirez, 3B

Restovich, DH

Barrett, C

Grissom, LF

Pagan, CF

Pie, RF

Dopirak, 1B

Williams, P

 

At Mesa

Pierre, CF

Murton, LF

Mabry, 1B

Jones, RF

Walker, 2B

Moore, 3B

Cedeno, SS

Blanco, C

Marshall, P

 

Interesting notes on the lineups. Pie in RF with Pagan in CF? I could see it with Pierre playing, but it makes me wonder about the Cubs future plans. Will Felix play a lot of RF in the minors this season? If Pie and Pagan are both in Iowa, will they continue in RF and CF respectively?

 

Also, Dopirak will probably never hit 9th again.

 

Murton hitting 2nd in 1 game, Perez in the other. Seems like the best and worst case scenarios for the regular season all in 1 day.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I thought the Cubs sent Dopirak down? Did they call him back up since Lee has to take care of some family matters?

 

They always bring minor-leaguers up, even more for split-squad games. Luis Montanez homered last night. Mike Fontenot is up for one of today's game. The more bodies the better.

 

Are you at Hohokam or Surprise, Bruce? Do you have an assistant at the game you aren't able to attend?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Cubs Press Notes

 

Murton gets a little love in the notes.

 

Outfielder Matt Murton, who is 17-for-35 at the plate this

spring, leads the NL with a .486 batting average … Murton’s

average is second in the majors (Kansas City’s Doug

Mientkiewicz is hitting .487).

1. Murton has reached base safely in his last 15 games.

2. He’s hit safely in five of his last seven games, batting

.533 (8-15) in that span … he’s gone 1-for-2 in each of

his last two games after going 0-for-2 with a walk on

March 21.

3. Prior to March 21, Murton had gone 2-for-3 in back-toback

games on March 19 and 20.

[Bruce Miles]

I thought the Cubs sent Dopirak down? Did they call him back up since Lee has to take care of some family matters?

 

They always bring minor-leaguers up, even more for split-squad games. Luis Montanez homered last night. Mike Fontenot is up for one of today's game. The more bodies the better.

 

Are you at Hohokam or Surprise, Bruce? Do you have an assistant at the game you aren't able to attend?

 

I'm in Mesa. An assistant? I wish. The Cubs give us inning-by-inning reports from the other game. They staff it with a media-relations person.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I thought the Cubs sent Dopirak down? Did they call him back up since Lee has to take care of some family matters?

 

They always bring minor-leaguers up, even more for split-squad games. Luis Montanez homered last night. Mike Fontenot is up for one of today's game. The more bodies the better.

 

Are you at Hohokam or Surprise, Bruce? Do you have an assistant at the game you aren't able to attend?

 

I'm in Mesa. An assistant? I wish. The Cubs give us inning-by-inning reports from the other game. They staff it with a media-relations person.

 

That's cool. I'm going to try to watch the WGN game while listening to the Royals broadcast, but LSU plays at 3:30 CST and when that starts, all bets are off.

[Blueheart05]

I'm not sure if it's already been mentioned, but ESPN AM 1000 reported that DLee left camp because of an illness with his grandfather.

[abuck1220]

anybody know if gooz and/or hill will be pitching in relief today? they both threw last on monday, if i remember right.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

anybody know if gooz and/or hill will be pitching in relief today? they both threw last on monday, if i remember right.

 

Don't know for certain, but you would assume one or both will make appearances today. Ryu is starting tomorrow, and Maddux on Monday.

[abuck1220]

anybody know if gooz and/or hill will be pitching in relief today? they both threw last on monday, if i remember right.

 

Don't know for certain, but you would assume one or both will make appearances today. Ryu is starting tomorrow, and Maddux on Monday.

 

weird...ryu just threw on wednesday...and not that well. why is he getting starts over hill and gooz? and it seems strange that marshall is starting again so soon.

[craig]

anybody know if gooz and/or hill will be pitching in relief today? they both threw last on monday, if i remember right.

 

Yeah, I found it interesting that Guzman and Hill both pitched ahead of Marshall last rotation, but this time will pitch behind him, in relief.

 

I assume Dusty stays at the home game, and sends coaches to the other game.

 

On Pie playing right, I expect he'll play a lot of RF for Iowa, especially if Pagan goes down to Iowa. (Which I'd kinda prefer...)

 

Hendry's best-case layout for the Cubs has Pierre being a productive player. If he's a huge bust and stinks, they'll need somebody else. But if he's at least decent, I don't think there's much doubt but that Hendry would like to keep him. And I don't think there's much question but that the Cubs hope Pie deveops enough punch as a hitter to be able to play corner. So I think it would make good sense for Pagan to play a lot of center, and be ready as trade bait to a CF-needing team, or be ready to function as a utility outfielder who can be the #2 CFer down the road. And if becoming a starter for Pie means playing RF, he should practice there. It may not require as much speed as does center, but technically it's more difficult to get good reads on fly balls from right than from center. So he'll benefit from some practice there. IMO.