98navigator

LOL, I know. It's still kinda aggravating. I think it's magnified for me because of the struggles last season. I want Mateo to pitch well but it's disheartening to see the walks and problems with location again...

Gio Gonzales pitching

Who sees the mound in the first week of Cactus League games has little to do with who is making the roster. Teams barely have enough arms with them to make it through all the games as it is. And Cherry has no chance at all of making the team. Lou said he had a chance of making the team. Still, it's pretty unlikely that Cherry will make the team unless there are some injuries in the pen. But either way, Mateo needs to get stretched out - he will be starting at Iowa. AAA guys generally get stretched out with the big league team, especially this early in spring training. The talk about Cherry wasn't an endorsement one way or the other. I've never even seen him pitch. It was noteworthy because Lou mentioned it today in his pregame show. The MiL guys will get their chance to be stretched as soon as the rosters thin out. They promised to make the next cuts around March 10th. If they were really hoping to stretch all of the starters (Ml & MiL) why didn't Samardzija get two innings? Because Samardzija will likely be a first cut to the minors guy. Mateo is likely to stick around longer with the big league team. That seems like more reason to give Jeff two innings... I also wouldn't be surprised to see Mateo and Marmol go in the first few cuts. Lou doesn't like guys who don't throw strikes

Who sees the mound in the first week of Cactus League games has little to do with who is making the roster. Teams barely have enough arms with them to make it through all the games as it is. And Cherry has no chance at all of making the team. Lou said he had a chance of making the team. Still, it's pretty unlikely that Cherry will make the team unless there are some injuries in the pen. But either way, Mateo needs to get stretched out - he will be starting at Iowa. AAA guys generally get stretched out with the big league team, especially this early in spring training. The talk about Cherry wasn't an endorsement one way or the other. I've never even seen him pitch. It was noteworthy because Lou mentioned it today in his pregame show. The MiL guys will get their chance to be stretched as soon as the rosters thin out. They promised to make the next cuts around March 10th. If they were really hoping to stretch all of the starters (Ml & MiL) why didn't Samardzija get two innings?

Brian Anderson with an RBI double

Groundout advances the runner to 3B. 1 down

Spivey doubles

Jason Anderson pitching for the Cubs.

Hill strikesout to end the inning

Jacque flies out to CF

Theriot PR for Aramis

Pat and Ron calling this pitcher Matt Thornton. It's John Danks. :lol:

Who sees the mound in the first week of Cactus League games has little to do with who is making the roster. Teams barely have enough arms with them to make it through all the games as it is. And Cherry has no chance at all of making the team. Lou said he had a chance of making the team.

Hill makes up for it with a nice throw to catch Fields

I guess it's because I'm anxious to see how the team is really going to perform. I have no problem giving a Minor League guy an inning but I didn't see the need for two. They had the chance to make it a successful outing for him by possibly limiting his innings (especially looking at the upcoming lineup). Mateo should be at AAA, but he'll be in the big leagues at some point during the season and might even start. That doesn't mean he's ready right now and, more importantly, he's not going to start for us... He's still raw but I do agree that he could probably be a 5th starter right now. As such (and given his pitching in the big leagues last season), I see no problem with him getting 2 innings in a ST game. I disagree and it's based on our starters getting two innings. I understand the Cubs wanting to reward their young guys with an inning but more than that is too much for me unless they are interested in moving him. On a similar note, Lou said, in the pregame show, that Rocky Cherry had a chance to make the team as a bullpen arm. I don't think they are giving the same consideration for Mateo. So who would you like to see pitch instead? Someone like John Webb get more innings? Hill isn't going to get extended more than 2. I'm sure Mateo has a chance to make the team since he logged about 45 innings on the big league squad last year. No, I think they should have brought in Webb right after Mateo's first inning. Mateo's name hasn't come up at all among those being considered. Plus, his lack of control is an issue. If a MiL guy makes the squad he'll be well ahead of everyone else. Lou mentioned that Cherry was mature in age and ability and that he looked good... I think his age has something to do with the consideration because Lou mentioned he's 27.

I guess it's because I'm anxious to see how the team is really going to perform. I have no problem giving a Minor League guy an inning but I didn't see the need for two. They had the chance to make it a successful outing for him by possibly limiting his innings (especially looking at the upcoming lineup). Mateo should be at AAA, but he'll be in the big leagues at some point during the season and might even start. That doesn't mean he's ready right now and, more importantly, he's not going to start for us... He's still raw but I do agree that he could probably be a 5th starter right now. As such (and given his pitching in the big leagues last season), I see no problem with him getting 2 innings in a ST game. I agree. Guys like Guzman, Mateo, Marmol, and Marshall need to get significant innings at the beginning of ST to help determine the pecking order come call up time. ST isn't/shouldn't determine that order. How they actually pitch in AAA will determine everthing the Cubs need to know.

I guess it's because I'm anxious to see how the team is really going to perform. I have no problem giving a Minor League guy an inning but I didn't see the need for two. They had the chance to make it a successful outing for him by possibly limiting his innings (especially looking at the upcoming lineup). Mateo should be at AAA, but he'll be in the big leagues at some point during the season and might even start. That doesn't mean he's ready right now and, more importantly, he's not going to start for us... He's still raw but I do agree that he could probably be a 5th starter right now. As such (and given his pitching in the big leagues last season), I see no problem with him getting 2 innings in a ST game. I disagree and it's based on our starters getting two innings. I understand the Cubs wanting to reward their young guys with an inning but more than that is too much for me unless they are interested in moving him. On a similar note, Lou said, in the pregame show, that Rocky Cherry had a chance to make the team as a bullpen arm. I don't think they are giving the same consideration for Mateo.

Hoffpauir PH

I guess it's because I'm anxious to see how the team is really going to perform. I have no problem giving a Minor League guy an inning but I didn't see the need for two. They had the chance to make it a successful outing for him by possibly limiting his innings (especially looking at the upcoming lineup). Mateo should be at AAA, but he'll be in the big leagues at some point during the season and might even start. That doesn't mean he's ready right now and, more importantly, he's not going to start for us... He's still raw but I do agree that he could probably be a 5th starter right now.

Without the crazy inning it would only be 2-1

Here we go! That wasn't wind blown

Good to know

Anderson grounds out 1down

I guess it's because I'm anxious to see how the team is really going to perform. I have no problem giving a Minor League guy an inning but I didn't see the need for two. They had the chance to make it a successful outing for him by possibly limiting his innings (especially looking at the upcoming lineup).

Thus far, it's been the Minor League guys that have pitched poorly in at least one inning of every game. The starters have looked pretty sharp. That's definitely a positive.