Spring Training Game 5

The Texas Rangers play at Surprise Stadium, a baseball stadium that seats over 10,000 people! Sloan Park, home of the Cubs, can seat 15,000. These numbers are just crazy to me but speak to baseball's enduring popularity that for one month out of the year there will be 10-15,000 people watching a baseball game that doesn't really matter.

In any event, the Cubs traveled to Surprise to play the Rangers. How did they fare?

Looking at this lineup, I was most intrigued how Happ and Bote would make out, considering their quiet-ish Spring so far and of course, how Hamels looked.

Cole was an absolute revelation last year and singlehandedly kept the pitching staff afloat after being traded from the Rangers. Sure his final record was 4-3 with a 2.36 ERA but he was crucial I tells ya.

Hamels picked up where he left off pitching 2 innings of shutout baseball scattering 2 hits. Sure is he 35 years old and just one of several aging pitchers on this staff? Yes but I think he is going to be very solid going forward.

Happ once again did next to nothing in this game going 0-3 but Bote had his breakout game, going 2-3 with 2 runs scored. And yes Contreras had a great game with a homer and other Cubs played well in the 9-5 win but I am intrigued by Bote who had a great season last year and seems to be a jack of all trades on the field (something very valuable in Maddon's defensive schemes).

In any event, another day, another win and the Cubs offense seems to be alive this preseason. Whether that translates into the regular season, we will see. 

Spring Training Game 1

Well well well, the Chicago Cubs are playing the first game of 2019, who is pumped?!?

The offseason has been, well, a little off-putting. Tons of relief arms added, no major free agent signings, Russell still on the team, etc. However, hope always springs eternal and as is the slogan of my family's team the Brooklyn Dodgers goes, "wait till next year".

Next year is this year and there is a lot to be hopeful for. This team was run ragged by the schedule, had a crazy amount of injuries (especially to Kris Bryant) and the team STILL won 95 games. With everyone rested and some starting pitching coming back healthy, big things could be in store for the Cubs.

The Cubs came out with a mix of the starters and the...not starters. Seriously, Adduci, Field, Tseng? Still, it will be interesting to see how these guys do but I am much more interested to see 1) Does KB look healthy and does Heyward look like a baseball player (not to bag on the guy but he is clearly the reason the Cubs didn't pursue Harper both salary-wise and positionally)?

Cubs 8 - Brewers 4

Well that was a heck of a start! KB went 2-2 with a HR and looked great!

https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/kris-bryant-starts-spring-with-homer

Heywood was looking pretty good as well with a 1-2 start with a run. Tseng gave up 2 earned in 2 innings.

A whole bunch of bodies did things but honestly, first game of preseason, I am not going to develop any passion one way or another. Still, a win is a win, especially against the Brew Crew. 2019 is under way!