Spring Training games thread

[chibears55]

Imanaga in mid form today giving up bomb

🙄

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

4 homers in 2.2 is crazy, lol

*n/m one was another pitcher, but still

Edited March 1 by Tangled Up in Plaid

[chibears55]

Sox own the Cubs 🙄

[CUBDOM4life]

2 hours ago, Bertz said:

My guess is he will be in real honest to goodness games before the end of April, but given that he missed an entire year we're talking 5+ rehab starts in full season ball.

 

Cant wait to have him back

 

[Gjfificifjdej]

I know its just spring but Shota is unbelievably awful. 

[Jason Ross]

32 minutes ago, Gjfificifjdej said:

I know its just spring but Shota is unbelievably awful. 

It's Spring. Kyle Tucker had something like 1 hit and then went bananas in April. We don't need to do this every time an established MLB player has a not great outing in the spring. 

He averaged 92.7mph. That's really all that mattered. 

[Bertz]

Shota's velo is still up he could give up 30 dongs and today's a good day

[Radar3454]

Shelby 2 the 60 day dland Cowles is back again

[Gjfificifjdej]

18 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

It's Spring. Kyle Tucker had something like 1 hit and then went bananas in April. We don't need to do this every time an established MLB player has a not great outing in the spring. 

He averaged 92.7mph. That's really all that mattered. 

I get that but this is a guy with a track record of being lit up for home runs. Tucker last spring wasn’t a guy who struggled in 2024 and then had a bad spring, whereas Shota gave up homers like he was trying to do so last season and thats continuing in spring. 

[Jason Ross]

9 minutes ago, Gjfificifjdej said:

I get that but this is a guy with a track record of being lit up for home runs. Tucker last spring wasn’t a guy who struggled in 2024 and then had a bad spring, whereas Shota gave up homers like he was trying to do so last season and thats continuing in spring. 

Everyone knew Imanaga would give up home runs since he came over 2+ years ago; it's what happens when you throw fastballs up. If you miss just a little they go far. This isn't a newsflash. It's like being upset if PCA struck out twice in a ST game; he's going to do that a bunch this season. These are "water is wet" comments. Shota will give up home runs, even more so during ST in the desert dry air. Even if he's closer to 2024 Shota, he's going to give up more HRs than others. It's apart of his game. It's a feature and a bug.

His velocity is back. That's all that matters right now. We don't have to act like a player is "awful" because he is having rough ST numbers. He's much healthier, the arm angle is up and the velocity is up. That's good news. A bunch of those HRs will turn into FBs especially in the cold weather. 

[cl smooth]

Love me some Shota Imanaga.

[NorthsideAvenger]

8 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Everyone knew Imanaga would give up home runs since he came over 2+ years ago; it's what happens when you throw fastballs up. If you miss just a little they go far. This isn't a newsflash. It's like being upset if PCA struck out twice in a ST game; he's going to do that a bunch this season. These are "water is wet" comments. Shota will give up home runs, even more so during ST in the desert dry air. 

His velocity is back. That's all that matters right now. We don't have to act like a player is "awful" because he is having rough ST numbers. 

As long as Shota is healthy for Opening Day, I really do not care if he gives up 100 homeruns in spring. I will simply assume he is working on something particular to get ready for the season. 

[mk49]

No excuse for 3HR, but Shota's velo was up there.  No more 88~90mph fastball, at least so far in this spring.  The 1st HR wasn't a bad pitch, and they were all solo HR.

PCA finally started hitting, and Bregman hit a HR.  I know that's just matter of time, but made me feel good.😀

[Post Count Padder]

I absolutely love Ian Happ and some people need to get over themselves. 

[Post Count Padder]

The Cubs cannot quit Ben Cowles. 

[mk49]

8 hours ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

4 homers in 2.2 is crazy, lol

*n/m one was another pitcher, but still

5 homers between two Chicago teams.  Something was going on, I guess (wind + the dry weather?).  No more HR after that.

[Brian707]

15 hours ago, Gjfificifjdej said:

I get that but this is a guy with a track record of being lit up for home runs. Tucker last spring wasn’t a guy who struggled in 2024 and then had a bad spring, whereas Shota gave up homers like he was trying to do so last season and thats continuing in spring. 

This must be the baseball version of when Caleb starts out 1/8 in his first preseason game completion percentage 

[Rcal10]

17 minutes ago, Brian707 said:

This must be the baseball version of when Caleb starts out 1/8 in his first preseason game completion percentage 

I’m not worried about the homers. TBH those were 3 balls that don’t even get out of Wrigley in April. Typically in April the wind is blowing in and it is cold. Those fly balls don’t carry at Wrigley. They are fly outs and everyone is happy about how Imanaga pitched.
But, I was at the game. I saw the gun show 93 in the first inning, 92 in the second and 91 in the third. Maybe that is ok. But his velo was dropping each inning. I would be more concerned about that then the 3 homers he gave up. What does he need to show in velo to be effective? Is 91 enough? 

[Geographyhater8888]

11 hours ago, Post Count Padder said:

I absolutely love Ian Happ and some people need to get over themselves. 

I wasn’t speaking for myself. I’m speaking on behalf of many cubs fans (few in here) who senselessly dislike Happ. Much like Scott senselessly dislikes Toby. 

[mk49]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I’m not worried about the homers. TBH those were 3 balls that don’t even get out of Wrigley in April. Typically in April the wind is blowing in and it is cold. Those fly balls don’t carry at Wrigley. They are fly outs and everyone is happy about how Imanaga pitched.
But, I was at the game. I saw the gun show 93 in the first inning, 92 in the second and 91 in the third. Maybe that is ok. But his velo was dropping each inning. I would be more concerned about that then the 3 homers he gave up. What does he need to show in velo to be effective? Is 91 enough? 

It must be really nice to be there.

I noticed the velo, too.  According to Savant, they were 93.2, 92.7, then 92.0 in the 3rd.  The slowest fastball was 91.3, which is still better than the average in 2025.  Then, I checked his first game in 2024, the home opener against the Rockies.  The velo dropped from 93.4 (1st inning) to 91.5 (6th inning).  So, I guess that's kinda normal for him.  Hopefully, he can keep the velo up there.

Edited March 2 by mk49

[Bertz]

Mo Baller catching!

Game is on Marquee and is also the MLB.tv free game of the day

 

[mk49]

20 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Mo Baller catching!

I love it + Alcantara RF.  I wanted to see more Rojas defense, so that's cool, too.

[JunkyardWalrus]

Kingery has to lead the team in abs

[chibears55]

Lmao.. game on marquee but we get Reds announcers.

Guess JD and Boog cant work more than 80 games 🙄🙄

[Bertz]

Taillon’s fastball that inning