Spring Training Game Thread

[Bertz]

Are we thinking that the usual pre-season topics (bold predictions, win totals, etc) make more sense to do ahead of Tuesday or to do ahead of the Arizona series?

[Bertz]

This would be huge

 

[Andy]

6 hours ago, TarzanJoeWallis said:

The more I hear Alex Cohen, the less I like him. He’s got a lot of Chip Caray in him. Over reacts to too many things. Numerous times in these Tokyo games he’s talked about a guy having a chance for his biggest hit in a Cubs uniform. It’s still spring training. 

I didn't care for him last year. I'll be putting the Pat and Ron track on MLB.TV whenever he's on, though in fairness I would've likely done that even if I thought he was fine.

Edited March 16, 2025 by Andy

[CubinNY]

4 hours ago, Bertz said:

Are we thinking that the usual pre-season topics (bold predictions, win totals, etc) make more sense to do ahead of Tuesday or to do ahead of the Arizona series?

Probably tomorrow 

[chibears55]

9 hours ago, itisallpartoftheplan said:

Tucker 1-31 heading into the season opener. 

Yea, I gotta bad feeling these 2 games against the Dodgers may be very low scoring on the Cubs part if he not hitting.

 

[Rcal10]

2 hours ago, chibears55 said:

Yea, I gotta bad feeling these 2 games against the Dodgers may be very low scoring on the Cubs part if he not hitting.

 

I don’t think Tucker going 1/31 this spring plays a part in my concern the Cubs might not score a lot of runs in this series. TBH, had he gone 10/31 this spring I would still not expect much scoring. They are playing the Dodgers and facing a very solid staff. I think that is a bigger concern than a slow spring by Tucker. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

10 hours ago, Bertz said:

This would be huge

 

 

[squally1313]

This is a dumb question at this point but is opening day in 19 hours or 43 hours? My score app says 5:10 AM Tuesday but I don't know if that means like, a super late night start Tuesday night (ie like a Hawaii football game showing up on Saturday even though it kicks at 1 AM) or if it's actually tomorrow morning. 

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Just now, squally1313 said:

This is a dumb question at this point but is opening day in 19 hours or 43 hours? My score app says 5:10 AM Tuesday but I don't know if that means like, a super late night start Tuesday night (ie like a Hawaii football game showing up on Saturday even though it kicks at 1 AM) or if it's actually tomorrow morning. 

Yes, it is at 5:10 am tomorrow.

[chibears55]

Who waking up at 5 AM to watch ?

Im gonna record and watch around 9

[chibears55]

14 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I don’t think Tucker going 1/31 this spring plays a part in my concern the Cubs might not score a lot of runs in this series. TBH, had he gone 10/31 this spring I would still not expect much scoring. They are playing the Dodgers and facing a very solid staff. I think that is a bigger concern than a slow spring by Tucker. 

Had he gotten 10 hits, id be alot more comfortable in feeling like they could have a pulse in these 2 games even against the Dodgers pitching and a chance to put up a few runs, but him not doing much makes it harder.

Imanaga,  Steele,  and the bullpen gonna need to be sharp if they're gonna try and get at least 1 win in this series.

 

[We Got The Whole 9]

The Dodgers had an insane offseason but we did take the 6-game set from them last year. I am sure we will show a pulse.

[Jason Ross]

I feel like every year we do this whole thing where people pick a player who didn't look good in glorified practice, get all worried about him, then said good player is a good player once the season starts and we all go about our merry way. 

Do I think the Cubs will score a boat load of runs? No - Yamamoto and Sasaki have good stuff. And while I suspect Sasaki will be more up and down at the start of his MLB career then when he settles in, as he is adjusting to some great hitters, I'm not betting against him like that, either. The dude has some gas and that splitter is so funky.

Regardless, it seems silly to start acting like the Cubs offense is like, scary bad or incapable of scoring runs before they even play a game this year. On paper, they have a good offense. 

[JBears79]

Yeah. I'm not concerned about Tucker at all. We have no clue what hes working on

[BKHoo]

I lost 16 pounds in 4 days when I got COVID. I hope Betts has a speedy recovery but I’m sure it’s tough for a professional athlete to lose that much weight that quickly. (He lost 15). 
 

I just wanted a split with the Dodgers.  Best case we get a sweep. Worst case we get swept and the trip has lingering effects into a bad start. 
 

Go Cubs!

[Rcal10]

35 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

I feel like every year we do this whole thing where people pick a player who didn't look good in glorified practice, get all worried about him, then said good player is a good player once the season starts and we all go about our merry way. 

Do I think the Cubs will score a boat load of runs? No - Yamamoto and Sasaki have good stuff. And while I suspect Sasaki will be more up and down at the start of his MLB career then when he settles in, as he is adjusting to some great hitters, I'm not betting against him like that, either. The dude has some gas and that splitter is so funky.

Regardless, it seems silly to start acting like the Cubs offense is like, scary bad or incapable of scoring runs before they even play a game this year. On paper, they have a good offense. 

Agreed. Cubs offense is fine. Tucker having a bad spring is of NO SIGNIFICANCE. Cubs might struggle scoring because typically pitchers are ahead of hitters in mid March AND the Dodgers have a great staff. But if they do struggle to score the next two games that is not a sign of things to come this year. It is a sign of playing a good pitching staff early in the year when pitching is ahead of hitting. It also is just 2 games where the team doesn’t hit. Not a reflection of the line up or how the season will go. Same if they come out and score 8 runs each game. Suddenly that doesn’t mean the Cubs are the best offense in baseball. As you said, on paper they have a good offense. It should just be left at that. But hot take posters are going to hot take! 

[thawv]

3 hours ago, squally1313 said:

This is a dumb question at this point but is opening day in 19 hours or 43 hours? My score app says 5:10 AM Tuesday but I don't know if that means like, a super late night start Tuesday night (ie like a Hawaii football game showing up on Saturday even though it kicks at 1 AM) or if it's actually tomorrow morning. 

It's starting at 7:10 pm Tokyo time. 

[WhyCantWeWin]

5 am CST? Yeesh guess im missing the game. 
 

 

[Bertz]

It's not hard to see this offense being bad.  PCA and Amaya were trash in the first half last year, Matt Shaw's a rookie, and both of our middle infielders had surgery this winter.

Kyle Tucker continuing to hit .033 is not a rational worry though.

[BKHoo]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

Agreed. Cubs offense is fine. Tucker having a bad spring is of NO SIGNIFICANCE. Cubs might struggle scoring because typically pitchers are ahead of hitters in mid March AND the Dodgers have a great staff. But if they do struggle to score the next two games that is not a sign of things to come this year. It is a sign of playing a good pitching staff early in the year when pitching is ahead of hitting. It also is just 2 games where the team doesn’t hit. Not a reflection of the line up or how the season will go. Same if they come out and score 8 runs each game. Suddenly that doesn’t mean the Cubs are the best offense in baseball. As you said, on paper they have a good offense. It should just be left at that. But hot take posters are going to hot take! 

I plan to be like most Cubs fans and emotionally overreact based on the first two games. If we go 0-2 and don’t hit I will assume the season is over. It’s science. 

[Forgotmyoldlogin]

Opening Day is in eight hours and no game thread??

[chibears55]

Im only talking about these 2 games,  not the whole season.  I know Tucker going to hit and the Cubs offense will be fine overall, but i just think for these 2 games they're going to need something out of him if they're gonna have a chance at putting up a few runs.  

 

[jumbo]

21 hours ago, BKHoo said:

I lost 16 pounds in 4 days when I got COVID. I hope Betts has a speedy recovery but I’m sure it’s tough for a professional athlete to lose that much weight that quickly. (He lost 15). 
 

I just wanted a split with the Dodgers.  Best case we get a sweep. Worst case we get swept and the trip has lingering effects into a bad start. 
 

Go Cubs!

I just need to get COVID twice instead of dieting...

[WhyCantWeWin]

Looks like the Astros are seriously considering Cam Smith breaking camp with the team. 
 

Will be interesting if he does….

[jumbo]

9 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Looks like the Astros are seriously considering Cam Smith breaking camp with the team. 
 

Will be interesting if he does….

A whole lot of Cubs Twitter already has their outrage tweet written, just ready to hit send