Results tagged ‘ Anthony Rizzo ’
3/2 Giants 9, Cubs 7
Carlos Villanueva gave up one run on four hits over three innings, and that was a solo home run by Pablo Sandoval, in the Cubs’ 9-7 loss to the Giants on Saturday. Brett Jackson doubled and scored on Matt Szczur’s sacrifice fly in the eighth. Steve Clevenger, starting at first base, hit two RBI singles. Logan Watkins added a RBI double and Jackson had a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Brian Bogusevic also had two hits.
“I’m satisfied, even with the home run allowed,” Villanueva said. “It’s the best I’ve felt and I had better rhythm that [third] inning. Sometimes you have to tip your cap [to Sandoval]. I’d rather tip now in spring than in the regular season. It’s a better day but still have work to do.”
Sandoval hit a pitch that was ankle high.
“It was exactly where I wanted to throw it,” Villanueva said, shaking his head.
* On Sunday, the Cubs will play split-squad games, sending half the team to Tempe to face the Angels, and the other half will play the Brewers at HoHoKam. Yovanni Gallardo had been scheduled to face the Cubs in Mesa but was scratched because of a groin strain. Edwin Jackson will start for the Cubs. This will be Anthony Rizzo’s last game with the Cubs before joining Team Italy for the World Baseball Classic. According to their respective Twitter accounts, Albert Almora and Daniel Vogelbach will be on the travel squad for one of the Cubs’ teams on Sunday. Almora, the Cubs’ No. 1 Draft pick last year, said he’s going to be playing in Tempe.
Here are the early Sunday lineups:
Vs. Brewers in Mesa
Valbuena 3B
Barney 2B
Rizzo 1B
Soriano DH
Schierholtz RF
Castillo C
Hairston CF
Jackson LF
Baez SS
Vs. Angels in Tempe
DeJesus CF
Sappelt RF
Bogusevic DH
Nelson 1B
Villanueva 3B
Chavez LF
Maysonet 2B
Gonzalez SS
– Carrie Muskat
3/2 Bunt tourney update
The Cubs bunt tournament will resume on Sunday with Anthony Rizzo facing Logan Watkins. Rizzo then leaves the Cubs to join Team Italy for the World Baseball Classic. There will be three matches on Monday. A portion of the prize money will go to the family of Tom Pratt, a Cubs Minor League coach who passed away last year.
Here are the sweet 16:
David DeJesus vs. Starlin Castro
Anthony Rizzo vs. Logan Watkins
Brent Lillibridge vs Michael Brenly
Edwin Maysonet vs Andy Lane (bullpen catcher)
Edwin Jackson vs. Casey Coleman
Hisanori Takahashi vs. Tim Buss (strength coach)
Jeff Samardzija vs Blake Parker
Travis Wood vs Nate Halm (video guy)
– Carrie Muskat
3/1 Clevenger ready for 1B
Catcher Steve Clevenger will start at first base on Saturday when the Cubs face the Giants in Scottsdale. It’s part of manager Dale Sveum’s efforts to figure out a way to get the left-hander on the 25-man roster. They don’t have a backup first baseman for Anthony Rizzo, who will join Team Italy on Monday for the World Baseball Classic.
The switch isn’t a big deal for Clevenger.
“I played infield when I first signed with the Cubs and I feel comfortable doing it, so it’s not a big change for me,” Clevenger said.
“I see [Sveum is] trying to do something to help me try to make the team,” Clevenger said. “I don’t feel out of whack playing infield at all. I just want to go out there and take my ground balls and get my work in.”
Outfield isn’t an option. He’s hasn’t played there since high school.
“How hard is it to catch a fly ball?” Clevenger said, laughing.
He’ll probably get some ribbing from the outfielders on Saturday.
“We kind of experimented a little bit in practice last year at Wrigley with [coach Dave McKay],” Clevenger said about playing the outfield. “We worked on throwing and everything. It’s a little tough at Wrigley at first with the wind and sun. My first day was in right field. I’m like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this at Wrigley.’”
He isn’t worried about finding an infielder’s glove. He’ll tap into second baseman Darwin Barney’s large supply.
– Carrie Muskat
3/1 Oddsmakers
According to a friend who is in Las Vegas this week, the U.S. team is a 3-2 favorite to win the World Baseball Classic, followed by the Dominican (2-1) and Japan (5-2). Those are the odds at the Sports Book at Paris Hotel & Casino.
The Cubs are currently 50-1 to win the World Series. The co-favorites are the Dodgers and Blue Jays at 4-1 (The White Sox, by the way, are 28-1).
And the Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo is an 80-to-1 shot to lead MLB in home runs in 2013. The co-favorites, at 7-1: Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton and Toronto’s Jose Bautista, just ahead of Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera (9-1).
– Carrie Muskat
2/27 Bunt tourney update
Logan Watkins continued to impress and strength coach Tim Buss advanced in the Cubs bunting tournament on Wednesday. Watkins ousted Scott Hairston, who tried to beat the young infielder by aiming for the 100-point spot on the field in the final round. It didn’t work. Buss beat pitcher Scott Baker to advance, and will face Chris Rusin in the next round. Watkins now faces Anthony Rizzo, who beat Ian Stewart.
Thursday’s matches include:
Nick Struck vs. Edwin Jackson
Shawn Camp vs. Casey Coleman
David DeJesus vs. Darwin Barney
Starlin Castro vs. Rafael Lopez
– Carrie Muskat
2/26 Tuesday extra bases
* Carlos Villanueva, obviously, was expected to go two innings on Monday but couldn’t finish the first because of a 16-pitch at-bat against Dodgers leadoff man Dee Gordon.
“That’s a manager’s or starting pitcher’s worst nightmare,” Dale Sveum said of Villanueva’s first batter. “You still need three outs and you’re already at 15 pitches and figure you have to throw 10 more. He was actually keeping the ball down and threw some really good pitches that didn’t get called that changed the whole rest of that inning around, too.”
Villanueva did get Gordon to strike out, then walked the next two batters. One out later, Nick Punto hit a two-run single and Villanueva was lifted. The right-hander will stay in the Cubs’ Cactus League rotation, and is being built up to start this spring.
* Outfielder Darnell McDonald, a non-roster invitee, has been impressive so far.
“He’s obviously been swinging the bat well,” Sveum said. “He’s killed left-handed pitching in his career. He’s in the mix for one of those spots [on the bench]. He’s the ultimate professional, he really works hard and he’s a great guy. We’re just glad to have him in camp.”
* Matt Garza, sidelined with a strained left lat, could begin tossing on Thursday. He has not done any baseball activities since Feb. 17.
* So far, Junior Lake has looked better in games than in practice. Not many players can do that.
“He looks better in games than he does when he’s doing his work,” Sveum said. “It’s like the game speeds up for him in [batting practice] and he slows it down in the game. That’s always a nice asset to have.”
* Anthony Rizzo’s last day in Cubs camp will be March 3, and then he will join Team Italy for the World Baseball Classic.
* Brooks Raley will start Wednesday for the Cubs when they play host to the Dodgers, and Scott Feldman will make his Cubs debut Thursday against the Athletics. Here’s the early lineup:
Valbuena 3B
Castro DH
Rizzo 1B
Soriano LF
Schierholtz RF
Hairston CF
Castillo C
Barney 2B
Lillibridge SS
– Carrie Muskat
2/21 Intrasquad game lineups
It’ll be the White team vs. the Blue team Thursday for an intrasquad game. Here the lineups:
White Team
DeJesus CF
Castro SS
Rizzo 1B
Soriano LF
Schierholtz RF
Navarro C
Stewart 3B
Barney 2B
Hairston DH
Blue Team
Valbuena 2B
Sappelt CF
Castillo C
Nelson 1B
Soler LF
Baez SS
Lake 3B
Jackson RF
Bogusevic DH
– Carrie Muskat
2/19 Samardzija’s mountain climbing
Matt Garza may be sidelined with a strained left lat but that doesn’t mean he’s not in the mix to be the Cubs’ Opening Day starter.
“I know how Garza is, I know he’s a competitor,” Jeff Samardzija said Tuesday. “I know how big of a year he wants to have. To sit and count Garza out wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do. I want that competition. I want me and Garza and Edwin [Jackson] to go out and compete for that spot. It’s only going to make us better and build us as a core of the rotation.”
Garza has been shut down pitching-wise since he came out of Sunday’s live BP session after 20 pitches with a strained left lat. He was to undergo an MRI. On Tuesday, he was working out on the eliptical machine. There’s no timetable for when he’ll resume baseball activities.
As for Samardzija, he was happy to dodge a possible injury on Monday when he danced out of the way of Darwin Barney’s comebacker during the live BP session.
“He sits on my cutter,” Samardzija said of Barney. “He’s not going to get another one.”
Samardzija is on the same schedule he was one year ago, and feels strong. The only change has been the absence of his training partner, Ryan Dempster. The two would run up Camelback Mountain.
“I’ve been up there a few times this year,” Samardzija said. “I guess [Anthony] Rizzo went and ran it yesterday so he’s probably hurting today. Of all the things that have changed for me, that’s been the big thing. For three years, me and Demp have been here in the offseason working out together. When you work out with someone who has a strong work ethic, it’s easier to work out. It’s easier to wake up early, it’s easier to go climb Camelback, it’s easier to do things like that. I’ve really had to learn how to push myself this offseason and do it alone, which is tough. That was great when Demp was here. You get to learn those things and learn how to work and learn when to work, too.”
Couldn’t Samardzija get anyone to train with him in Arizona?
“Nobody was down here in the offseason,” Samardzija said. “I was talking to my dog most of the offseason. My social skills took a hit.”
– Carrie Muskat
2/14 Thursday first watch
* Anthony Rizzo doesn’t know his exact schedule yet regarding the World Baseball Classic. The Cubs’ first baseman will be playing for Team Italy, which is in the same pool as the U.S. team, Canada and Mexico. Italy’s first game is March 7 against Mexico at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale. Italy will then play Canada on March 8, and face the U.S. on March 9. The Italian team has yet to name a manager.
* The Cubs would like to play more night games but the topic has been tabled. The team currently plays 30 night games out of the 81 home dates. Alderman Tom Tunney, who represents the Wrigley area, did not bring up the topic at Wednesday’s City Council meeting, preferring to have the Cubs address parking, traffic and security issues in the Wrigleyville neighborhood.
“Me, personally, I like the day games,” Rizzo said. “It’s the routine I get in at home. I feel night games would throw me off a little bit. But if there are more night games, I’d get into that routine. I personaly like the day games.”
Does he see the ball better at night at Wrigley?
“I don’t think I’ve played enough games to state my opinion yet,” he said. “It doesn’t matter, day or night, it’s still baseball.’
Rizzo batted .257 at night last season and .312 in day games.
* Tony Campana has yet to find a new team after being designated for assignment on Sunday. Rizzo said the move may benefit the outfielder.
“I think it’ll be good, a fresh start,” Rizzo said. “I just told him to keep his head up. He’s a good player. He’ll be successful.”
Campana, moved to make room on the roster for Scott Hairston, is fast, but has had trouble getting on base consistently to utilize his speed.
“I can think of teams in my head right away who could bring him in,” Rizzo said. “I think right now, our team isn’t a fit for him. We need more power than speed.”
* Dayan Diaz reported to camp on Thursday. The only pitcher missing is Hector Rondon, who has been delayed because of visa problems. He was expected in Mesa on Friday. Position players must report by Saturday. So far, the list of players yet to arrive include Javier Baez, Starlin Castro, Junior Lake, Ian Stewart, Luis Valbuena, Josh Vitters, Jorge Soler and Alfonso Soriano.
– Carrie Muskat
mlblogsmuskat1
Recent Comments