Results tagged ‘ Junior Lake ’
3/13 Add Lake to injury list
Cubs infielder Junior Lake was diagnosed with a stress fracture in the top rib on the right side, and will be sidelined four to six weeks, the team announced Wednesday. He will rehab the rest of Spring Training. Lake, who missed time last spring because of an ankle injury, and then was slow to start the season because of a back injury, played third and some outfield this year.
“Learning a new position, he’s a little bit raw there, but he still did a pretty good job there,” Dale Sveum said of Lake’s play at third. “Swinging the bat, he’s a very premeditated swinger. He’s just not getting good pitches to hit, and he’s swinging at arm action a lot. He’s a guy who has a lot of bat speed, and doesn’t have to be a premeditated swinger but he’s still in that mode. He’s got all the tools — we didn’t get to see him play the outfield but a couple times. It’s a nice player to have but there’s still development there.”
Lake, who turns 23 on March 27, batted .304 in 10 games this spring.
– Carrie Muskat
3/10 Cubs injury updates
Neither Ian Stewart or Josh Vitters was expected to be ready until the weekend as both try to come back from sore left quads. The two Cubs third basemen have not played since an intrasquad game Feb. 21. Stewart hit a double in his only at-bat, then had to leave the game with soreness in his quad. He was projected to come back by mid week but now that’s been pushed back.
“Now it’s looking to the weekend,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “They’re still feeling it — both he and Vitters are the same thing. They’re still feeling stiffness when they’re jogging at 80 percent or running at 80 percent. Hopefully, maybe this weekend. Now it seems to be getting pushed back every day.”
Sveum had mentioned that Stewart would have to undergo a cram session to get ready in time for the regular season.
“It’s getting more crammy,” Sveum said.
There’s better news about Starlin Castro and Brent Lillibridge. Both of them should be back on Wednesday. Castro has been sidelined since Feb. 27 with tightness in his left hamstring, while Lillibridge was injured that day, suffering a strained groin.
On Sunday, the Cubs medical staff was to re-evaluate Matt Garza and see if he could begin a throwing program. He’s been out since Feb. 17 with a strained left lat.
Add another name to the injury list: Junior Lake was scratched from Sunday’s game. He has shoulder soreness, which Sveum called a “stiff trapeze.” He meant trapezius.
– 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
1/17 Updating Cubs prospects
A dozen Cubs prospects completed a week-long rookie development camp on Thursday. The sessions included a workout at Northwestern University, a seminar, and some extra training. Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, David DeJesus, Theo Epstein and Tom Ricketts were among the people who addressed the group. The 12 players who participated included position players Javier Baez, Jae-Hoon Ha, Matt Szczur, and Logan Watkins, and pitchers Dallas Beeler, Marcus Hatley, Barret Loux, Trey McNutt, Zach Rosscup, Nick Struck, Robert Whitenack and Tony Zych.
Jason McLeod, the Cubs scouting and player development director, was asked about a few of the prospects. Here’s an update:
* How close is Baez to the big leagues?
“Javy’s still so young,” McLeod said. “He’s only played really three months of a full season and obviously, last year, he took the Midwest League by storm in a short time there and hit some bumps there in Daytona. Being that he just turned 20 years old [on Dec. 1], obviously, he’s a talented young man, he’s going to ultimately decide [when he's ready]. He loves to work, he works extremely hard. The plan for him this year is to get a full season under his belt.”
* McNutt was used as a starter and reliever last season at Double-A Tennessee. What’s his future role? McLeod said that’s to be determined. The results were better when McNutt pitched in relief and that may be the best spot.
* Jorge Soler worked out in the Miami area this offseason, and had some sessions with new hitting coordinator Anthony Iapoce and player development director Brandon Hyde.
“He’s still getting used to being in the states and getting ready to coming into Major League camp,” McLeod said of the Cuban outfielder.
Where will Soler play in 2013? That’s also to be determined. He spent last season at Class A Peoria.
“He’s put himself in position to start at a higher level but we have to see how things shake out,” McLeod said, noting that they have an overload of outfielders, including Reggie Golden and Evan Crawford, who are both coming back from injuries.
* Whitenack has missed time after needing Tommy John surgery in 2011, but is now 100 percent.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing what everyone here saw two years ago,” McLeod said of the right-hander, who was 7-0 in 11 starts in 2011 before he was hurt.
* Junior Lake has played infield and outfield in the Dominican Republic Winter League. Where will he end up? McLeod said Lake will get most of his playing time at shortstop or third, but will also play in the outfield this spring.
“We want to maximize his ability and versatility,” McLeod said.
– Carrie Muskat
1/10 Winter league update & roster moves
Cubs prospect Junior Lake was 0-for-3 in Estrellas’ 11-3 loss to Aguilas on Wednesday in the Dominican round-robin playoffs. Estrellas is now 2-9, and faces the Toros (6-5) on Thursday. Also, there was a report on Thursday that Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro plans to play for Escogido, but does need to get permission from the Cubs front office. Escogido is 7-4 and tied with Aguilas for first in the round-robin playoffs.
* Luis Valbuena was 2-for-4 in Lara’s 7-1 loss to Zulia on Wednesday in Venezuela winter league playoffs. On Tuesday, Valbuena hit a three-run double and scored twice in an eight-run seventh inning rally in an 8-5 win.
Roster moves:
* The Rockies signed right-hander Manuel Corpas to a Minor League deal with an invite to big league camp. He was the Rockies closer in 2007. Last year, Corpas made 48 appearances for the Cubs, but was a free agent at the end of the season after refusing an outright assignment to the Minor Leagues.
* Kosuke Fukudome will play in Japan again. He has signed a three-year deal believed to be worth $5.5 million with the Hanshin Tigers. Fukudome, 35, batted .171 in 51 plate appearances with the White Sox last season before he was released. He posted a career .258/.359/.395 numbers at the big league level with the Cubs, Indians and White Sox.
* In case you missed it, pitcher Randy Wells has signed a Minor League deal with the Rangers, and pitcher Justin Berg has signed with the Rockies.
– Carrie Muskat
1/9 Winter league update
Cubs prospect Junior Lake was 1-for-5 with a stolen base and scored a run for Estrellas in an 8-5 loss to Toros in the Dominican Winter League playoffs. Estrellas is now 2-8, and plays Aguilas (6-4) on Wednesday.
– Carrie Muskat
1/6 Winter League update
Luis Valbuena was 2-for-4 and scored two runs in Lara’s 13-6 win over Zulia in Venezuelan winter league play.
In the Dominican, Junior Lake was 1-for-4 with a double and one RBI in Estrellas’ 3-2 loss to Escogido. On Sunday, Estrellas (2-6) plays Aguillas (5-3).
– Carrie Muskat
12/30 Dominican league playoffs
Cubs prospect Junior Lake was 1-for-3 with a double in Estrellas’ 5-2 loss to Aguilas in the Dominican League round robin playoffs on Saturday. The two teams meet again Sunday. Estrellas now is 0-3.
– Carrie Muskat
12/29 Winter league update
Cubs prospect Junior Lake was 2-for-4 and scored two runs Friday but it wasn’t enough as Estrellas lost, 12-5, to Escogido in the round robin playoffs in the Dominican Winter League. Estrellas is now 0-2, and plays Aguilas Saturday and Sunday.
– Carrie Muskat
12/28 Winter League playoffs
Cubs prospect Junior Lake went 2-for-4 with a stolen base for Estrellas de Oriente, which lost, 3-1, on Thursday to Toros del Este in the first game in round robin playoffs in the Dominican Winter League. Lake, who batted .312 in 44 games during the season, started in left field in the playoff game. The Cubs are looking for bench players, and Lake’s versatility is a plus.
– Carrie Muskat
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