Sunday, March 4, 2012

Cubs Spring Training Opener

Today reminded me why I left Chicago and moved to Arizona few years ago. 81 degrees on March 4th? Not a bad day to watch the Cubs spring training opener. It sucks that they lost 12-10 to A's, but sitting on the grass watching Cubs baseball and pounding Old Styles is tough to beat.

Here are my notes from the game:

- The collective attitude of the fans seems different this year. The usual anger and frustration over "Cub plays" has been replaced with a sense of amusement, an acceptance that the Cubs are going to suck this year so we might as well have fun with it. I'm pretty sure rooting for the Cubs has permanently raised my blood pressure and taken a few years off my life, so I'm on board with the laid-back vibe (at least for spring training).

- Rodrigo Lopez & Marmol combined for 3 perfect innings to start the game. It was good to Marmol not walk anybody for a change. Hopefully Bosio can get him back to his 2010 form. Lopez was solid. Who cares.

- Rafael Dolis was the most impressive arm out of the pen today (not much competition). He has an intimating presence on the mound and his stuff looked filthy

- Jeff Beliveau's stuff was the opposite of filthy (clean?). He walked the only 3 batters he faced, but it was due more to not being able to miss any bats then being wild. All three batters fouled off multiple strikes before eventually drawing walks. Dae Eun Rhee came on in relief and promptly gave up a grand slam to Brandon Allen and then gave up another bomb to the next batter. Rhee feel behind almost every batter he faced and then got shelled when forced to throw strikes. I was excited about seeing both these guys live and was disappointed. I know it's only 1 game, but they didn't pass the eye-test today.

- It looks like the battle for the 2nd base job could be exciting. Darwin Barney had an impressive all around game. He drove in the first two runs of the game with a 2 out double in the gap, stole 3rd a few pitches later, and made a great defensive play before being pulled for Adrien Cardenas. Cardenas first AB as a Cubs came with the bases loaded in the 6th and he delivered a bases clearing triple. He made an out in his next at-bat but hit the ball hard. Defense is supposedly his weakness, but he made a nice catch on a foul ball in shallow right and didn't embarrass himself out there. Blake DeWitt still blows.

- The talent level on the field is questionable, but in the lawn section it's outstanding. 

- Cub fans got a glimpse of the future in the 6th inning. Rizzo led off with a single, Brett Jackson walked, Jimmy Aducci singled to load the bases, Dave Sappelt singled in a run, and then Cardenas cleared the bases with a triple. Jae Hoon-Ha added another RBI single to cap off a 5 run inning. Good times. 

- I hope Jae Hoon-Ha eventually gets some time in the big leagues. Fun name. Ha. 

- Rule 5 pick-up Lendy Castillo gave up a run and was wild, but his stuff looks legit.

- Brett Jackson made an impressive sliding catch in CF.

- The Cubs had two runners (Dejesus & Barney) picked off first base in the same inning by the A's catcher, Kurt Suzuki. Frustrating, but it's not like the Cubs are going to be a fundamentally sound team overnight. 

- No boos for Soriano today! No applause either, but I guess all the "good guy / hard worker" press he's getting lately has softened up the fans. Or maybe everybody was just in too good of a mood to boo.  



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