Results tagged ‘ Starlin Castro ’
3/30 Cubs 6, Astros 6
Dioner Navarro hit his fifth spring home run and Darwin Barney delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth but the Cubs and Astros finished in a 6-6 tie Friday night at Minute Maid Park. Chicago had runners on first and second in the 10th but Alfonso Soriano grounded into an inning-ending double play. Edwin Jackson struck out nine over four innings but also gave up five runs in the first two innings.
* Starlin Castro did rejoin the team on Friday. He had gone to New York to be with his girlfriend for the birth of the couple’s first child.
* The Cubs outrighted right-handed pitcher Guillermo Moscoso to Triple-A Iowa, which reduced the 40-man roster to 39. Moscoso was claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays on Wednesday.
* On Saturday, the Cubs close their spring exhibition schedule against the Astros, starting at 1:05 p.m. CT. Travis Wood is scheduled to start. The game will be broadcast on Cubs.com.
* The Cubs have 35 players in camp, including six non-roster invitees. There are 18 pitchers, four catchers, seven infielders and six outfielders. Among the roster moves to be made include placing Scott Baker, Matt Garza and Ian Stewart on the disabled list.
* The Cubs open the regular season Monday in Pittsburgh with first pitch scheduled for 12:35 p.m. CT. Jeff Samardzija will get things started against A.J. Burnett at PNC Park. The game will be broadcast on WGN TV and WGN Radio 720.
3/27 Castro expecting
Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro was headed to New York on Wednesday to be with his girlfriend, who is expecting the couple’s first child. Castro was expected to rejoin the Cubs in Houston for their final exhibition games. Castro was in the lineup for Wednesday’s game but scratched.
– Carrie Muskat
3/24 Cubs lineup – UPDATED
It’s Starlin Castro’s 23rd birthday, and he’ll be in the lineup Sunday when the Cubs travel to Goodyear to face the Indians. Chris Rusin, who will open the season in Triple-A Iowa’s rotation, gets the start. Dave Sappelt was scratched after getting hit on the right side of his neck by a ball in Saturday’s game. He’s got a large lump there. Here’s the revised lineup:
Lillibridge CF
Navarro DH
Rizzo 1B
Soriano LF
Castro SS
Hairston RF
Castillo C
Barney 2B
Gonzalez 3B
– Carrie Muskat
3/15 Cubs vs. White Sox
The Cubs and White Sox square off on Friday at Glendale in a split squad game for the Cubs. Scott Feldman will start while the other half of the team faces Team Japan in an exhibition game at HoHoKam Stadium. This is the last meeting between the intracity rivals until a four-game home and road series May 27-30. This will be different than the six-game Interleague series the two teams have played in the past.
“I like it,” said Brent Lillibridge, a non-roster invitee for the Cubs, who has played for the White Sox in these games in the past. “Especially last year, after doing it for four years with the White Sox, it was a great experience and a lot of fun, but last year, I think the fans got stagnant a little bit and there wasn’t the intensity right away.
“I don’t know exactly why they changed it to four — I think because there’s so much Interleague play happening,” he said. “I think this will work good. A smaller series, even though it’s a four-game series — although it’s hard to win a four-game series — the less games will make it more fun for the fans who look forward to it. Also, away or home, you’re still at home. Two, you get to play in your own city and your fans for that time, it’s exciting and I like how it’s going. In the end, obviously, the most important thing for Chicago is they want to see that seven-game series and the World Series.
“[Intracity series] are always a great thing. Basically every city that has two teams loves that. It’s a great time of trash talking and all the stuff. Fans love it. I like that there are a few less games so it’s not dragged out process. We’ll just get them out of the way, have fun playing them and move on to playing our division.”
Do the players see them as exhibition games? Lillibridge says no.
“There’s a better vibe, more excitement, there’s more of a playoff feel to it because the fans are so rowdy,” he said. “We enjoy seeing the fans get at each other verbally and chanting, ‘Go White Sox’ and during the seventh inning stretch, screaming out. That’s the fun stuff about it. That’s why it’s been a fun part of the season every year. I think the four games is a good medium for going forward.”
Friday’s lineup at Glendale:
Valbuena 3B
Barney 2B
Castro SS
Schierholtz RF
Hairston DH
Navarro C
Bogusevic LF
McDonald CF
Nelson 1B
– Carrie Muskat
3/13 Cubs lineup vs Rockies
Starlin Castro is back in the Cubs lineup Wednesday, batting third against the Rockies at HoHoKam Stadium. It’s his first game action since Feb. 27 when he injured his hamstring. Here’s the lineup:
Valbuena 3B
Barney 2B
Castro SS
Soriano LF
Hairston CF
Navarro C
Soler RF
Maysonet 1B
E.Jackson P
– Carrie Muskat
3/11 Injury updates
* Matt Garza played catch on Monday, making 25 tosses from about 45 feet, for the first time since he felt some soreness in his left lat. Garza had not been on a mound since Feb. 17 when he felt discomfort in his lat, and had to cut short a live BP session. Garza, not expected back for the first month, will rest Tuesday then resume throwing on Wednesday.
* Starlin Castro, Brent Lillibridge, Ian Stewart and Josh Vitters all ran the bases on Monday, and all should be in games by the end of the week. Castro, who has been out since Feb. 27 with tightness in his left hamstring, was expected to start Wednesday, while Lillibridge, who suffered a groin strain the same day, will get some at-bats on Wednesday.
The news is better for Stewart, who could get in a game on Thursday. He’s been out since Feb. 21 because of a sore left quad.
“I think there’s plenty of time now,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said about Stewart. “We were a little bit worried that it would be next week but everything’s gotten a little bit quicker.”
Stewart said Sunday he feels he’s the Cubs starting third baseman.
“He came in knowing it was a job he was going to have to just play well and produce,” Sveum said. “It’s still 16, 17 possible games left starting Thursday. You’re looking at hopefully cramming 30 at-bats into that and some Minor League at-bats, too.”
– 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
3/7 Extra bases – UPDATED
* If Thursday was Opening Day, Starlin Castro would be in the Cubs lineup, but because it’s early March, the shortstop is still rehabbing. Castro has been sidelined since Feb. 27 with a tight hamstring. He could return Monday, or the team may take advantage of Tuesday’s off day and give the shortstop one more day before having him play Wednesday.
“If it was Opening Day, he’d be playing,” Sveum said. “I don’t think he has to worry about his job.”
Castro was able to take batting practice and also take part in the bunting tournament. More on that below.
Brent Lillibridge, who injured his groin on Feb. 27, also was projected to return to the lineup either Monday or Wednesday.
* Scott Baker threw a two inning simulated game on a back field at HoHoKam Stadium Thursday and the Cubs were encouraged by the velocity of his pitches. The next step will be to pitch in a Minor League game next week. If all goes well, the right-hander, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, would then make his first Cactus League appearance.
“He got up to 89 miles an hour today in the second inning and let it go today a lot more,” Sveum said of Baker. “He felt good, finished good. It all went really well, especially the second inning when he cranked it up a little bit.”
* Rule 5 Draft pick Hector Rondon continues to impress. He gave up one hit and struck out one on Wednesday against the Rangers. He has given up two hits over four innings in four outings this spring.
“His fastball was OK, but it was impressive how he snapped off the breaking balls that he’s been working on,” Sveum said. “It wasn’t really in his tool box coming into spring and [pitching coach Chris Bosio] has been working on a little bit better breaking ball. [Rondon] pulled them off in some key spots.”
* Some of the Cubs played a doubleheader on Thursday, appearing in both the early “B” game and the regular Cactus League game against the Rangers. Sveum called it a learning experience for some of the young players, who saw some big league pitching most of the day, and saw quite a variety of arm action, including some sidearm delivery.
“They got a little taste of everything to understand what 162 games of Major League pitching is all about,” Sveum said. “That’s where you have to evaluate yourself as a player like maybe, ‘Whoa, I might have to adjust some things to hit this kind of pitching 162 days.’”
* The Cubs bunting tournament resumed Thursday with sweet 16 matches between Edwin Jackson and Casey Coleman, and Starlin Castro and defending champ David DeJesus. Jackson narrowly beat Coleman, who won the defending champion among the pitchers last year. DeJesus needed 35 points in the final round to beat Castro, and he got that on his first three bunts, hitting the “20″ mark, then “10,” then “5.” Well done.
* Looking ahead to Friday’s game in Goodyear, Nick Struck will start and be followed by Chris Rusin. It’ll be Struck’s second Cactus League start. He held the Angels to two hits over three innings in his last outing. On Saturday, Brooks Raley and Alberto Cabrera will face the Indians. The Cubs have been strugging to score runs.
“We’re all looking forward to that day when we have [Anthony] Rizzo back and [Starlin] Castro is healthy and you have your core players out there,” Sveum said.
– Carrie Muskat
3/6 Castro feels no pain, ready for 162
Starlin Castro said he feels no pain in his left hamstring and is sidelined strictly as a precautionary move.
“There’s no pain anymore,” the Cubs shortstop said Wednesday in Mesa. “When I’m hitting on the field, it’s 100 percent, I don’t feel anything.”
He has not played in one week because of tightness in his hamstring, and was not expected to get back into a game until Monday.
“I want to be playing,” he said. “I don’t want to see the other people play. It’s not for me. I like to play every time I can get in the game.”
If there’s no pain, why is he sitting now?
“I want to be strong, I don’t want to go in a game now, and get hurt in a game, and out maybe one month of the season, two weeks,” he said. “I don’t want that. I want to make sure I’m good and can play in the season.”
Castro appeared in all 162 games last season, and that’s a goal of his heading into the 2013 season.
“It’s an important goal for me,” he said. “I see guys who play a lot of games, and that’s what I like to play. I don’t care where, I don’t care what league, I like to play. This is the only thing I know how to do is play baseball. That’s why I put it in my mind to play. I don’t want to miss games. In the season, I don’t want to miss games. I like to play every game.”
– Carrie Muskat
3/5 Extra bases
* Starlin Castro was able to run and took some ground balls at shortstop on Tuesday, continuing to progress from a tight left hamstring that has sidelined him for one week. Castro was not expected to get into a game until Monday.
“It’s kind of a non-issue now,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “Because we have the luxury to do it, we’re going to make sure he’s completely healthy, even though he’s completely healthy now. He’ll get plenty of playing time going into the season so there’s no reason to rush it.”
* There was no controversy over using the designated hitter on Tuesday for the Cubs-Rockies game. On Monday, the Reds and D-backs had some miscommunication that got a little ugly, but Cubs manager Dale Sveum said bench coach Jamie Quirk doublechecks. Tuesday was the first day the Cubs did not use the designated hitter.
“It’s time for those guys to start hitting,” Sveum said. “Even if it’s one at-bat, at least they see pitching.”
Feldman did fine in his only at-bat, and collected the first Cubs hit off Jeff Francis with two outs in the third.
* Hisanori Takahashi, competing for a spot in the bullpen, will start on Wednesday when the Cubs travel to Surprise to face the Rangers. Takahashi has appeared in three games in relief so far this spring, giving up one run on three hits over four innings. Junior Lake will start in center field and Javier Baez at shortstop. If you get to Surprise early, Jeff Samardzija will be pitching against the Rangers in a “B” game at 10 a.m. MT. The game will be broadcast on Cubs.com.
* The Cubs are still sorting out the rotation for the start of the season. Samardzija will kick things off April 1 against the Pirates and be followed by Edwin Jackson. Scott Feldman may start the third game, but that could change. Feldman has faced Pittsburgh twice in his career, and given up six runs on 14 hits over 7 2/3 innings. Carlos Villanueva and Travis Wood round out the rotation.
– Carrie Muskat
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