Spring Training games thread

[We Got The Whole 9]

Cabrera finishing the spring on a low note. More hard contact issues. Even allowing a homer to Grichuk.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

2 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Cabrera finishing the spring on a low note. More hard contact issues. Even allowing a homer to Grichuk.

Yeah, he was either way out of the zone or throwing meatballs. Didn't have any command.

[mk49]

4 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Cabrera finishing the spring on a low note. More hard contact issues. Even allowing a homer to Grichuk.

10 hard hits in 4 innings.  Way too many.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Miguel Amaya 👀 110/446

[muntjack]

Amaya is going to be a beast.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Kade Snell 113.5/371 on a triple 

Dude officially has my attention. Huge power.

[Bertz]

18 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Kade Snell 113.5/371 on a triple 

Dude officially has my attention. Huge power.

Really strong contact and chase #s this spring too.  Exciting stuff.

[JBears79]

52 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Kade Snell 113.5/371 on a triple 

Dude officially has my attention. Huge power.

Loving the bounce back from Snell. He was terrible to end the year for a guy who should be a quick mover in the system. Will be watching him closely this season. 

[Bull]

1 hour ago, muntjack said:

Amaya is going to be a beast.

Yeah, I don't see the concern about who will platoon with Busch. You've got to find at bats for Amaya and Kelly. 

[BigbadB]

11 hours ago, Bull said:

Yeah, I don't see the concern about who will platoon with Busch. You've got to find at bats for Amaya and Kelly. 

Mine wasn't concern. It was simply asking the question based on not watching spring training and on who made the opening day roster. I heard both catchers got some reps at 1b, but didn't hear how many or whether it was working out. 

[Geographyhater8888]

15 hours ago, Bull said:

Yeah, I don't see the concern about who will platoon with Busch. You've got to find at bats for Amaya and Kelly. 

Every right handed in house platoon option at 1st base is a reverse split guy outside of Kelly. Has Kelly taken reps at 1st base? 

Edited March 25 by Geographyhater8888

[Bertz]

FWIW it currently looks like rain is supposed to hit in the early evening tomorrow.  So the game looks safe but things don't have to shift a ton for that to change.

[Bertz]

Small potatoes but this is dumb

 

[mul21]

16 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Small potatoes but this is dumb

 

Which part?

[Jason Ross]

I'll assume the Neely thing will end up like Arias and Canario as: interesting youths who were DFA'd and never reappear in a meaningful way, but it's a bit surprising after he looked better this spring. 

Maybe they can sneak him through, though. 

[Stratos]

6 hours ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Every right handed in house platoon option at 1st base is a reverse split guy outside of Kelly. Has Kelly taken reps at 1st base? 

Yeah he played 1b the other day

Apparently before the Austin injury Counsell said Busch had earned the right to play without a platoon anyways.  Maybe Austin was going to get more time at DH vs LHP than anything.

Edited March 25 by Stratos

[Bertz]

47 minutes ago, mul21 said:

Which part?

Losing Neely seems silly with how much other fat is on the roster.  Like he's probably nothing but Trevor Megill was probably nothing and Jeremiah Estrada was probably nothing.  We can't just hoard every live arm on the ~10% chance they pop but why are we dumping a live arm before we dump Justin Dean or Ben Cowles.

Speaking of Ben Cowles, why isn't he just taking the Kingery spot?  I assume the point of Kingery is basically that Shaw will probably not play 9 innings in a lot of games early.  He will either get subbed out for offense (Conforto) or defense (Carlson) until he proves himself more.  So you need another infielder in case Shaw gets swapped out and then god forbid like Nico pulls a hammy later on.  But otherwise that guy is just gonna rot on the bench, so why can't it just be Cowles?  Or hell it's just a week call up Ramirez and be like "hey man you had a great offseason and a great spring training hang out in Chicago for a week and collect a big league paycheck"?

[Stratos]

Neely we hardly knew ye.

[Stratos]

12 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Losing Neely seems silly with how much other fat is on the roster.  Like he's probably nothing but Trevor Megill was probably nothing and Jeremiah Estrada was probably nothing.  We can't just hoard every live arm on the ~10% chance they pop but why are we dumping a live arm before we dump Justin Dean or Ben Cowles.

Speaking of Ben Cowles, why isn't he just taking the Kingery spot?  I assume the point of Kingery is basically that Shaw will probably not play 9 innings in a lot of games early.  He will either get subbed out for offense (Conforto) or defense (Carlson) until he proves himself more.  So you need another infielder in case Shaw gets swapped out and then god forbid like Nico pulls a hammy later on.  But otherwise that guy is just gonna rot on the bench, so why can't it just be Cowles?  Or hell it's just a week call up Ramirez and be like "hey man you had a great offseason and a great spring training hang out in Chicago for a week and collect a big league paycheck"?

Luke Little and Riley Martin and Maples haven't thrown a strike in their lives and the Cubs keep guys like that on the 40 and dump guys like Estrada and Neely who lose their release point for 1 season.  I don't get it.  Highly doubtful Neely gets through waivers.

[Stratos]

28 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Losing Neely seems silly with how much other fat is on the roster.  Like he's probably nothing but Trevor Megill was probably nothing and Jeremiah Estrada was probably nothing.  We can't just hoard every live arm on the ~10% chance they pop but why are we dumping a live arm before we dump Justin Dean or Ben Cowles.

Speaking of Ben Cowles, why isn't he just taking the Kingery spot?  I assume the point of Kingery is basically that Shaw will probably not play 9 innings in a lot of games early.  He will either get subbed out for offense (Conforto) or defense (Carlson) until he proves himself more.  So you need another infielder in case Shaw gets swapped out and then god forbid like Nico pulls a hammy later on.  But otherwise that guy is just gonna rot on the bench, so why can't it just be Cowles?  Or hell it's just a week call up Ramirez and be like "hey man you had a great offseason and a great spring training hang out in Chicago for a week and collect a big league paycheck"?

I just looked up Neely's velo stats, he was throwing 93.6 this spring, was 94.4 last season and in 2024 threw 95.6 in AAA and 96.4 in 9 ip for the Cubs (possible adrenaline velo bump).  So trending down so they cut bait i guess.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Wait, is Carlson on the team?  Or is it Kingery instead?

[Post Count Padder]

That is surprising considering we could've cut other people. And I also don't understand why we're keeping Cowles but giving the bench spot to Kingery. Even if the plan is to just DFA the person after Seiya comes back, we've done it with Cowles multiple times. 

I get it, it's last minute, end of roster finagling but feels like we have no need for Justin Dean or Cowles or other relievers on the 40 man.

[Radar3454]

10 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Wait, is Carlson on the team?  Or is it Kingery instead?

Both made it.  

[Jason Ross]

11 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Wait, is Carlson on the team?  Or is it Kingery instead?

Both made OD.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Scott Kingery is going to make us long for the days of Vidal Brujan.