2017 Spring Training Game Thread

[Little Slide Rooter]

Not sure if there's a WBC thread (heck, I didn't even know there was a WBC going on until yesterday,) but this evening, Ryan Dempster will take the mound for Team Canada as they take on Carlos Martinez and The Dominican Rupublic.

 

Meanwhile, in where are they now news, Jason Marquis is the apparent ace for Team Israel, Jair Jurjens for the Netherland's, and Ryan Searle's in Team Australia's pen.

 

That is if anybody cares about the WBC. Which they probabaly don't.

[David]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Ding Dong Johnson]

in WBC news, Dempster is pitching now and just hit 91

 

Smoltz says "his fastball likely won't get up to 90"

[bukie]

in WBC news, Dempster is pitching now and just hit 91

 

Smoltz says "his fastball likely won't get up to 90"

Well it's 91 Canadian so you still need to do the conversion.

[UMFan83]

So I guess this isn't the start to an improbable MLB comeback for Demp?

[NonProfitCow]

I think I root for the Dominican team over USA. They just have so much damn fun. Much more enjoyable to watch.

[Schwarber Fan]

Chris Dominguez seems to be this year's Spring Training hero.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Ian Happ homer!

[David]

SCHWARBOMB

[We Got The Whole 9]

Happ and Eloy blasts give the Cubs the lead

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Apparently Butler looked really good too.

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Tryptamine]

I really can't believe Eloy, who hasn't even seen A+, is absolutely mashing the way he is in spring training. In my mind he's not far from being completely unavailable pending some kind of ridiculous overpayment.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Andrew Miller hasn't been the same since David Ross got done with him in Game 7.

[Liam Neeson]

The Royals back up catch completely ignored the stop sign while trying to score from 1st only to end up rolling Salvador Perez's knee and injuring him.

 

https://streamable.com/2dtp3

 

lol

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Javi just hit a double.

 

MLB Network still thinks he plays for the Detroit Tigers.

[David]

Apparently Butler looked really good too.

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

These mother [expletive] just know how to find hitters don't they

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Correa threw one away and nearly got Javi killed in the process.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

JAVY HOMER!! Look at him prance around the base paths.

[Brian]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Aaron_Kennelly]

basically, what i'm saying is, heyward has always looked ugly. last year def more out of whack and obviously results were awful, but scouts have been talking crap about his swing and overall mechanics forever. so hopefully he can go back to being good at the plate again despite looking goofy, instead of looking a little more goofy and being very bad like last year.

 

edit - here he is with the goofy footwork again, taking james russell deep

 

http://m.mlb.com/video/v32792295/chcatl-heyward-adds-insurance-with-tworun-homer/?query=jason+heyward+braves+cubs+home+run

 

Yep. We are now just looking for the Jason Heyward that hit .275 or so with 15-18 homers and made everybody say, "Wow, this guy could be a monster, hitting 30-some homers, if his swing wasn't so ugly." I suppose we can give up on the hope of him ever figuring it all out and being an absolute monster. But, maybe, just maybe he doesn't have to be completely horrendous. Pretty please.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

I've been incredibly busy and haven't really seen much of anything. So can someone that's been paying attention to things fill me in on how Almora has looked? Obviously, his numbers look good, but is he actually making solid contact a lot? Is he showing any patience whatsoever? Any details would be appreciated. He's the one guy I'm most intrigued by heading into the season. I'm hoping he can be a pleasant surprise.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I've been incredibly busy and haven't really seen much of anything. So can someone that's been paying attention to things fill me in on how Almora has looked? Obviously, his numbers look good, but is he actually making solid contact a lot? Is he showing any patience whatsoever? Any details would be appreciated. He's the one guy I'm most intrigued by heading into the season. I'm hoping he can be a pleasant surprise.

 

I've only seen the replay of his HR and heard a few tweets about him having put on some muscle and hitting BP bombs, but comparing his spring to last year might be illustrative:

 

2016: 47 PA, .244/.255/.311, 7/1 K/BB, 3 XBH (all 2B)

2017: 24 PA, .304/.333/.609, 6/1 K/BB, 4 XBH (2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR)

 

It'll be interesting to see if he's trading some contact for pop. I'd be on board with that, since he has so much room to safely trade K's for IsoP with his past K rate, and because that would help make it easier for him to add some BBs too.

[UMFan83]

Overall a great day for the Cubs yesterday including Javy and the fact that Rondon won't be needed since Venezuela was eliminated

[David]

basically, what i'm saying is, heyward has always looked ugly. last year def more out of whack and obviously results were awful, but scouts have been talking crap about his swing and overall mechanics forever. so hopefully he can go back to being good at the plate again despite looking goofy, instead of looking a little more goofy and being very bad like last year.

 

edit - here he is with the goofy footwork again, taking james russell deep

 

http://m.mlb.com/video/v32792295/chcatl-heyward-adds-insurance-with-tworun-homer/?query=jason+heyward+braves+cubs+home+run

 

Yep. We are now just looking for the Jason Heyward that hit .275 or so with 15-18 homers and made everybody say, "Wow, this guy could be a monster, hitting 30-some homers, if his swing wasn't so ugly." I suppose we can give up on the hope of him ever figuring it all out and being an absolute monster. But, maybe, just maybe he doesn't have to be completely horrendous. Pretty please.

 

i mean if by absolute monster you mean mike trout, yeah...because he's pretty horsefeathering good as it is being the guy he was before last year (especially - and obviously - if he can channel 2012 like they're trying).

[bukie]

Overall a great day for the Cubs yesterday including Javy and the fact that Rondon won't be needed since Venezuela was eliminated

Venezuela won yesterday, not eliminated.