What do the following players have in common?
Val Pascucci, Jamie Hoffmann, Xavier Paul, Darwin Barney, Doug Deeds, Bobby Scales, Jason Dubois, Nick DeBarr, Stephen Randolph, Mitch Jones, David Patton, Esmailin Caridad, Jason Waddell
All of them played in today's Cubs Cactus League 2009 debut, a 5-3 win over the Dodgers.
And all of them have about as much chance of playing in a 2009 regular season baseball game as I do. Even Pat & Ron seemed rather bored and distracted with today's action, which was largely concentrated in Micah Hoffpauir's grand slam in the fifth inning, which turned a 3-1 deficit into the ultimate margin of victory.
(Parenthetical remark: Hey! Look! Here's someone else who won't be playing major league baseball this year!)
Danger! Caution! Warning! This grand slam was hit by a player who turns 29 years old on Sunday (he is a year older than Justin Morneau, to give you a point of reference), and was hit off Ramon Troncoso, who actually does have a chance to make the Dodgers' bullpen this year, considering he threw (and reasonably well) for them in 32 games in 2008.
Hoffpauir was the only player who's likely to make the 25-man roster who had anything resembling a good day, though Alfonso Soriano also singled, walked and scored one of the Cubs' runs (on a Hoffpauir double play ball in the first inning), and Ryan Theriot had -- what else? -- two singles. Even the supposedly die-hard Cubs fans couldn't be bothered; 7,916 showed up on an unusually warm (for late February) 80-degree day, about 5,000 short of capacity at HoHoKam Park.
Jeff Samardzija started, probably to get him into a starting routine as he heads to Iowa to be stretched out for rotation duty. He had one good inning and one bad one. Mitch Atkins, who might also be a recallable starter from Iowa, allowed three hits and a run in a pair of innings.
Oh, we did learn one thing, or more correctly, re-learned it: Stephen Randolph, who was in Cubs camp a couple of years ago, still can't throw strikes. But he's lefthanded, and so teams still think he might be a major league quality pitcher (because he can throw hard). They happen to be wrong.
Meaningless as this game was, both for evaluating what this team might do this year, and for the result itself, baseball is back! Especially with the brutal winter we have had in Chicago, hearing baseball on the radio today was welcome sound in my house. It's 54 degrees in Chicago this afternoon (probably warmer than it'll be on Opening Day). Spring's almost here.
0 recs | 97 comments
1st comment
Cubs win, Sox lose, ah baseball is back.
Cubbinstrongsince86 - February 25, 2009
First post-game comment and...
… a Cubbie fan here comments about the Sox. Just another day here.
No doubt you too, “don’t give a damn about the Sox” and you’re “fixated on the Cubbies…”
DrCrawdad - February 25, 2009
Hi Doc! Happy pre-season!
znohitter - February 25, 2009
FYI -- he is a White Sox fan
Oops, just incremented my count again….
Shanghai Badger - February 25, 2009
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
DrCrawdad - February 25, 2009
no, he pitches later this week. But thanks for playing...
ballhawk - February 25, 2009
Oh, that Zambrano...
… good to hear he’s recovered from the whiplash injury he suffered on October 2, 2008.
DrCrawdad - February 25, 2009
scrambled white sox eggs
ballhawk - February 25, 2009
Zambrano cuckoo for Coco Puffs
DrCrawdad - February 25, 2009
See, now that's funny!
You should inject humor more often.
Shanghai Badger - February 26, 2009
I know.
I don’t have anything against the Sox, or their players, fans, coaches, etc. I just enjoy hearing that they lost. It makes my day better. :P
znohitter - February 26, 2009
Oh, I know you knew that.
I just post that because he’s so obsessed, that he actually was posting messages last year telling individual users how often they posted messages that contained “White Sox”.
So, any such count for me is essentially meaningless — as is any such count for anyone else.
Shanghai Badger - February 27, 2009
It was nice seeing everyone again on the game thread.
It was spring training for me, getting used to following the game on gameday and toggling back and forth to BCB.
tucsoncubsfan - February 25, 2009
I dunno
900+ comments for a game thread – looks like everyone was already in full stride there…
Clutch16 - February 25, 2009
I think people were just excited to talk baseball again.
I’ll be surprised if there are that many tomorrow.
Al Yellon - February 25, 2009
Widescreen monitors...
Invest.
sanantonecub - February 25, 2009
In agreement
with your statements about Hoffpauir. Nothing to get too excited about cause it’s day one of Spring Training, but still happy to see him get a slam this early. Hopefully he can do that when we need him to during the season. Teh best part of today: Hearing the wonderful voices of Pat and Ron. Although Pat was alittle shaky early on. I guess it’s Spring Training in the radio booth too. Haha!
blakethesnake77 - February 25, 2009
Yay baseball
Boo it being meaningless. How distracted were Pat and Ron? Like just talking about random 25-man roster decisions or like talking about their clothes choice distracted or like Ron wondering if cacti could kill a man distracted?
Sam Householder - February 25, 2009
Could you repeat that?
I got distracted.
daver - February 25, 2009
Jeez thanks Debbie Downer
I paid my $15.00 about the 3rd inning and got to listen to Cubs baseball and they won the game. I wouldn’t care if they had invited Neffi to Spring Training and he hit the Grand Slam, BASEBALL IS BACK. I am just dreaming on he fact that in less than 30 Days I will be sitting out on the lawn watching a Cubs game and a few weeks after that I will be watching one that does count. THIS IS FUN.
Doggie Stalker - February 25, 2009
don't say that about Neifi...
No one wants to see him anywhere near the field!
renke81 - February 25, 2009
It feels like I have turned a corner
with Pat and Ron streaming live over my computer while I toil away at work. All is right with the world again.
100yearitch - February 25, 2009
All is right with the world again
goodness that was fun! So happy to be giving my “z” finger a steady workout. Go Cubs!
Emelie - February 25, 2009
Hoffpauir still ain't going to make this roster, or at least not stay once they go with 12 pitchers
BLou - February 25, 2009
Question on Darwin Barney
What are your thoughts on his eventual rise to “the show”? I’m out here in Oregon and he was a star for the Beavers in their championship glory years recently. Does he simply need to go back down to the salt n pepper leagues for seasoning or is he destined to be a career minor leaguer? I haven’t been able to get much info on him since he was drafted.
100yearitch - February 25, 2009
Most of what I've heard...
is that he is pretty well thought of by the Cubs and it’s believed that he has a good shot to rise up to MLB in a couple of years. Obviously you’d hope it’d be a quicker rise since he played college ball, but I haven’t read anything that assumes he has the capability yet.
I wouldn’t fret yet though about him being a career minor leaguer. It’s probably too early to make that determination.
There are some pretty knowledgable folks on here about the minors though, so they could probably give you a more precise analysis.
CubsWin!Oregon - February 26, 2009
Here's a bit on Barney
From the Daily Herald blog, Chicago’s Inside Pitch:
Bill Potter - February 26, 2009
Having seen Barney play in the Arizona Fall League....
… I think he projects as a utility infielder at the ML level. Also, I saw him at the convention. He is listed as 5-10, 175. That’s generous.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
Theriot-lite?
Bill Potter - February 26, 2009
Hmm. I realize not all will agree, but here's a comparison.
Miller is bad beer . . . Miller Lite is a lesser version.
Alas, poor Darwin.
Shanghai Badger - February 26, 2009
Instead of warning track power, its
outfield grass power?
Triple in lieu of double clutch?
Instead of a medioce SS, Darwin’s a mediocre 2b?
Instead of the gap between 1st and 2nd, he hits to the SS?
The better question is can he backup 3rd base?
N Oakley - February 26, 2009
Most of those are plausible
Hiting to the SS would require pulling the ball, though.
Shanghai Badger - February 26, 2009
Well, Miller is the Champagne of Beers...
So would Miller Lite be more like sparkling grape juice? Or Champagne that’s not from Champagne?
Either way, for Barney, being known as “Theriot” in the Hendry system might not be bad (even if it is bad to most outside the Hendry system).
Bill Potter - February 26, 2009
As long as Ricketts doesn't make changes, I guess.
Shanghai Badger - February 26, 2009
Bad day, Al?
What a bizarre first couple of paragraphs to summarize the first ST game of the year.
kanderber - February 25, 2009
It was nice to hear
I’m 40 years old and I still get teary the first time I hear “Cubs baseball is on the air” every year.
Spring is coming.
It is a gorgeous day today. Would settle for this for opening day. I called the hubby and told him he didn’t need to pick me up and walked the mileish home from the bus.
puckishcubsfan - February 25, 2009
Pat and Ron Highlight
Regarding the number of HR James Loney hit last year.
Ron: What about Looney
Pat: Did you just call me Looney
Ron: No him
Pat: His name is Loney
Man I love those guys
NIUcubbie - February 25, 2009
definitely one of the funniest among many
Emelie - February 25, 2009
Who's on First?
100yearitch - February 25, 2009
Hu?????
Chanman25 - February 25, 2009
No, he's a shortstop.
Al Yellon - February 25, 2009
No Hu's a shortstop
Not he
Chanman25 - February 25, 2009
Of course.
How silly of me.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
Oh, Sure
Now they beat the Dodgers.
08Cubs - February 25, 2009
lol... +1
renke81 - February 25, 2009
rec'd
well said
gwood - February 26, 2009
Now...
this is what I’ve been waiting for!!
CubFan81 - February 25, 2009
Kadukora nice job
bren - February 25, 2009
Baseball may be back
but the Hoffpauir bashing by Al has never gone away. I was at work during most of the day, but when I heard Hoff had hit a homerun I knew Al would play it down.
Can’t you just say nice game Hoff and leave it at that? Never really understood where all the BCB Hoff-hate comes from. You all do remember, he IS a Cub ya know?!
cubswynn - February 25, 2009
yeah i dont get it either.
xene - February 25, 2009
I think Al is just trying to temper the opinions...
…of the growing number of Cubs fans who think Hoffpauir is “the answer”…to something. Micah hits very well in Triple A; he hits very well in Spring Training; that doesn’t necessarily mean he should be guaranteed a spot on the 25-man.
daver - February 26, 2009
Exactly.
Rec’d.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
I don't understand the age bashing
If he can contribute, then fine. We all know he’s not worth anything in a trade. But his age has nothing to do with anything.
dr stabbingworth - February 26, 2009
Disagree.
A baseball player’s age plays a HUGE role in his projected productivity. Look at the recent flap over the Nationals prospect who lied about his age. Or the brouhaha that erupted when Tejada admitted that he lied about his age. Does Hoffpauir’s age mean he can’t be a productive major league player? No. But it makes it all the more unlikely.
daver - February 26, 2009
If Hoffpauir were 22 or 23...
… and doing what he’s done the last two spring trainings, last year at Iowa, and in the major leagues, I’d be REAL excited.
But at 29, his peak is probably already past. There is only one player I can think of in the last 30 years who had a career of any decent length start after age 29 — Mike Easler. And Easler had had twice as many AB by 29 as Hoffpauir has.
Point being, the chances of Hoffpauir having any sort of productive major league career are extremely small. More likely, he’s Mike Laga.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
Yawn?
First day of spring? Hoff hits a granny? Cubs score 5 runs? C’mon Al I love ya but this is something to feel great about – one of our projected bench players comes in and puts on his Superman cape. Should we have felt better if it was Darryle Ward?
eamus-catuli - February 25, 2009
"Superman cape"?
He was 1-for-4, struck out and hit into a double play (granted, a run scored).
The Hoffpauir love here absolutely mystifies me.
Al Yellon - February 25, 2009
It mystifies you that people wish Hoffpauir success?
I don’t think he’s anything special, but I do think he can be a solid contributor to the team.
cubswynn - February 25, 2009
Sure, people can wish him success.
Define what you mean by “solid contributor”.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
Solid contributor = Daryle Ward of '07
cubswynn - February 26, 2009
Absolutely right.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
Possible, but doubtful.
Hoffpauir doesn’t have Ward’s experience at the plate, doesn’t have Ward’s patience at the plate and doesn’t command the respect of opposing pitchers at the plate the way Daryle did.
daver - February 26, 2009
Correct!
That’s why I’m so skeptical.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
I'll take that over what Jake Fox did today....
carmen_fanzone - February 25, 2009
Of course
But I think if Fox gets the same number of at bats as Hoffpauir this spring, the numbers will be remarkably similar.
Bill Potter - February 26, 2009
Agreed.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
Dang Al - who peed in your coffee?
I halfway understand (and wholly expected) the less-than-glowing Hoffpauir sentiment – after all, one home run does not a roster spot make. But geez louise, can we stop with the Prior bashing already?
It’s going to be bad enough having to wade through all the DeRo & Woody hubris that is sure to surface throughout the year. And no doubt, we’ll have frequent status reports on the travails of Hie & Pill. I’m sure that’s enough fodder to keep an “All My Ex-Cubs” soap opera going – can we just let Prior rust in peace?
ballhawk - February 25, 2009
eh, I don't mind talking about him
but I don’t understand why people bash him. It’s not like he betrayed the team, he just always got injured and sucked since he returned from the DL in 06. He’ll never be the pitcher he was, which is a shame. I think people are more frustrated by the fact that he was going to be the next Roger Clemens and his ceiling was extremely high, and he barely tapped the vast potential that he had..
Chanman25 - February 25, 2009
+1
I have zero ill will towards Prior. Let it go already people.
cubswynn - February 25, 2009
I miss Mark.
He was really good for awhile. He was my favorite Cub and then Z took his spot. There was just something about him.
fischisgod - February 25, 2009
Has there been any discussion about Fukudome's spring?
( I ask because I haven’t been around in a while…)
With him likely missing all but the last week or two of spring training, is anyone else concerned with him losing ground on last year? And given his performance in the second half, is that a bad thing? I have this fear that he’s going to have a great WBC and pre-season and then completely fall apart in April when he’s facing MLB pitching every day.
znohitter - February 25, 2009
I'm not concerned.
It’s not like he’s sitting around doing nothing. In fact, he’s probably undergoing a much tougher regimen in Japan. Yes, it’s not against major league pitching. But he’s still playing every day.
Al Yellon - February 25, 2009
It may end up being positive
since Dome will be able to work with Japanese hitting coaches all spring who should be able to help him regain his stroke better than the Cubs hitting coaches.
gwood - February 26, 2009
eh, yeah these games are meaningless
but eh, its baseball, I’lll take it..
Chanman25 - February 25, 2009
Boooooo
Negative attitudes about Spring Training. You realize that the Cubs played baseball today right? That hasn’t happened since October (or maybe even September).
TXCub - February 25, 2009
Hey, I'm glad they played.
Did you read the last paragraph?
But the result was meaningless, and apart from the grand slam the game was rather dull. That’s all I was saying.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
Baseball is back! At last!
Fraggin Judge - February 25, 2009
Micah Hoffpauir is the next Matt Murton, who was the next Jason Dubois, who was the next...
Cub fans ALWAYS need to embrace a marginally talented schmuck and make him out to be the next Billy Williams. Micah Hoffpauir is a career minor leaguer. I’m sure he is a swell guy, pays his taxes on time, calls his Mom once a week, eats his Wheaties…but he is NOT major league material. And certainly NOT the person who should be consuming a spot on the Cub bench when we have screaming need for a proven pinch-hitter type and somebody who offers versatility in the field.
BLou - February 25, 2009
...and might I add that Jake Fox seems predestined to be the next Micah Hoffpauir, who was the next Matt Murton, who was the next Jason Dubois, who was the next...
Jake Fox? Good grief no. He is terrible at every position he plays. Jim Hendry has longtime fascination with big swing sluggers whose best position is DH. Apparently Jim doesn’t understand that the Cubs don’t play in the American League.
Brian Dopirak, Brendan Sing, Jason Dubois, Micah Hoffpauir, Jake Fox….all largely cut from the same cloth.
BLou - February 25, 2009
Just for this tantrum.....
…I hope Hoffpauir makes the team. Unbelievable.
Maybe you can start the list that covers who we’re allowed to be happy for, starting with players during Spring, middle Spring, halfway through the season, all that. Personally, I’m for anyone who will help this team win.
BeerCub - February 26, 2009
Why don't you throw in some home that he will actually help the team win
if he makes the roster. I think that’s people’s issue – not seeing a likely situation in which he provides more value for us than a number of other players who could be filling the 25th roster spot.
I’m glad if he can hit for power off the bench (although I’m worried about how often he K’s) but his defensive capabilities (ie a mediocre first and bad RF) are what leaves the roster lacking, IMO.
madcow256 - February 26, 2009
the game was meaningless in the standings since all games in spring training don't count for jack....but
they do between the ears of the players and coaches. Winning is infectious, especially when players actually perform what they are setting out to do. Hoffpauir could be the 13th or 14th position player on this team and to forge a role he has to do it with a big stick. He did it against bona fide MLB level pitching.
Das is good!
Tomorrow is another game situation for players to perform OR not.
Ivy Walls - February 25, 2009
Sign me up for the "I don't get it either"
Lighten up, Al.
Either you’re excited about Spring Training and baseball being back or you’re not. You as much as anyone else know and realize that all these “no-names” are what Spring, and especially early Spring, is what this time of year is all about. And more to the point, I always thought that part of being a Cub fan (who just wrote a book that talks about anyone who dons a Cub uniform is “family”?) is getting excited and happy for any Cub player who does well. If we have to get to the point where a list needs to be supplied that covers who we’re allowed to cheer fro, then you’ve officially crossed into the “elitist” category.
Good for Hoffpauir, and if he has a good enough Spring that helps him make the team, then good for him AND the team.
BeerCub - February 26, 2009
And.........
…….. how come we can be happy for a marginal type like Adam Greenberg signing on with another team but not when Hoffpauir does well for our own?
Moreover, this sucks all the romanticism out of the sport. Baseball is nothing if not romantic, and a story like Hoffpauir finally making it out of Spring on a major league roster fits that to a tee. If he makes, it’s because baseball minds we respect thought it proper.
BeerCub - February 26, 2009
OK, OK...
… maybe I was a little too “Debbie Downer” about this game. Of course I’m excited about baseball being back. ST is quite long this year, and we’re going to see a lot of games with people we won’t see during the regular season.
I’m interested in seeing more of guys like Jake Fox or Luis Rivas, people who are competing for the final bench spot, and see how they do with extended playing time.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
Hoffpauir
He’s not great, but I think he’ll be decent at the big league level. I’m sick and tired, quite frankly, of hearing about his age. He’s 29, not 39, already. He’s got a lot of years left to either be on the bench of a major league team or go back and play in AAA. He’s not at an age, where whatever skills he has should erode quickly. He can be a decent bat off the bench. That’s all we want from Hoff.
memphiscub - February 26, 2009
I want Hoff to be a decent bat off the bench.
I’m just not convinced, yet, that he can be a successful pinch hitter and extra LH power off the bench.
Regardless of age, the guy can hit the fastball and hit them really hard. A pure fastball hitter could survive in the #7 or #8 spot, play every day and hit .240+ with 25 Hrs and a tractor trailer full of strikeouts.
He would be a good backup DH or backup first baseman on someone elses AL roster. The Cubs need a LH pinch hitter who can backup 1st and 3rd. Hoff cannot play 3rd and has not proven he can hit a breaking ball.
His homerun yesterday was fun, but hitting a ST homer off a fast ball doesn’t really prove anything.
N Oakley - February 26, 2009
Hitting an opening day homer....
….doesn’t really prove anything either. But all you can ask is of a guy when the bases are loaded is to knock em in. And he did that. No one is crowning him the Babe Ruth of the Cactus League. But a grand slam beats the heck out of a strike out…or a single…or just about anything else he could’ve done in that spot.
TXCub - February 26, 2009
The other thing I worry about him...
… no matter whether he can hit fastballs only or learn to hit breaking pitches, is he also has to prepare himself to be a part-time player, to come off the bench and make the most of the one at-bat he’s going to get in most of the games in which he appears. So far, I haven’t seen evidence he can do that.
If he can — great. Maybe having him be a pinch-hitter every day would serve him better for preparing for that role, than getting four AB as a DH.
Al Yellon - February 26, 2009
True.
I was listening to an interview with Hoff after the game and Hoff said something to the effect of ‘he threw fastball and I just missed, then he threw another fastball and I didn’t think I got all of it…’
If it was as a PH or on a breaking ball, you’d see more excitement.
N Oakley - February 26, 2009
Totally agree.
And, for the record, let me just say that I don’t hate Hoffpauir nor do I want to see him fail. I’m quite open and willing to being wrong about him. I’m just skeptical about him succeeding in his apparent role as pinch hitter. To his credit, he fired an effective opening salvo in his battle to make the 2009 Chicago Cubs.
daver - February 26, 2009
Cubs have need for a "proven" pinch hitter AND somebody who offers defensive versatility
Hoffpauir fails on both accounts. I also strongly agree with Al that a player of the profile and swing of Hoffpauir is going to have a difficult time adjusting to life on the bench and being expected to come off the bench cold in critical pinch-hitting situations.
BLou - February 26, 2009
Proven Pinch Hitters and Defensive Versatility
Proven pinch hitters are hard to find. I don’t see anybody on this team, who is a proven pinch hitter. Why not put Hoff in that pinch-hitting role? I wish we had a Thad Bosley or Richie Hebner type on this team, but we don’t. Daryle Ward didn’t do well last season.
To your point about defensive versatility, that’s what worries me a lot more about Hoffpauir than hitting ability. I don’t think Hoff can even play a half-decent right field at Wrigley. He might do half-decently in left field, but even that’s a stretch. I wish he wasn’t just a first baseman by trade.
memphiscub - February 26, 2009
I disagree on the pinch hitting part
Pinch hitting is an art form, and not everybody can do it. Hence why guys like Matt Stairs have hung around forever and are very valuable to have. I take a look at Hoffpauir and see a big swing that my suspicion is would have a hard time adapting to coming cold off the bench in key game situations to pinch hit. A team that sees itself as one of the best in baseball needs to have a more suitable option than Micah Hoffpauir on the bench. It just does.
BLou - February 26, 2009
Sigh, BCB is not back
“Yawn”?
This site used to be fun because it was a place for people to share their common joy, angst, hope, dread (and any of a million other emotions) inspired by this team we all cheer for.
Then it seemed to become a place where grumpy veterans groused that there were too many people expressing those opinions in too many fanposts.
Then last fall it tragically (in my view) became a place for posting offseason missives about the perceived worst cubs ever.
Now that baseball has returned, the emotion expressed on the lead post is boredom, and buried in a hyperlink more misdirected anger at a talented player whose failures are long since past.
Forget it, I’m done. Enjoy your website.
Orval Overall - February 26, 2009
Everyone was so excited that ST started
and now people are bitching that the game was boring. What did you expect? It’s ST, it’s always boring. People should’ve know that starters weren’t going to play much. It’s no different than any other ST year. Jeeez
Cubs and Hawks fan - February 26, 2009
Yeah, I loved yesterdays game.
That’s the most excited I’ve ever been about a ST GS, I mean it wasn’t that big of a deal but it was just great to hear the Cubs get that and take the lead and eventually get the W. Ron & Pat were hilarious, if you couldn’t appreciate that then listen somewhere else.
TheNotoriousJJ - February 26, 2009
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