Cubs ST Game 2 Recap

The Cubs blew another late lead and lost to the A's 8-7. I have yet to see any correlation between spring training record and regular season performance, so I could care less about winning games in the spring. My primary concern is how our prospects look and who is going to be a factor in 2013, so that will be the focus on my recaps.

Offense:

Josh Vitters went 1-2 with an RBI double and didn't make an errors at third. Most scouts question Vitters ability to hit and field at a major league level, so the pressure is on Josh to prove to the new regime he can do both. Good start!

Blake DeWitt hit a 3-run homer in his first AB of the spring. Looks like the 2nd base competition is going to be more heated then I thought. I have very little faith in DeWitt after last season, but I am willing to give him another shot (begrudgingly).

Joe Mather - I mentioned Mather as an underrated signing in my off-season breakdown and he did nothing to prove me wrong today. Mather went 2-3 with 2 steals and a run scored. He's a long shot to make the team out of camp, but if Soriano or Bryd get moved during the season he could get some time in the bigs.

Steve Clevenger went 1-2 with a run, rbi, and a sweet sacrifice bunt. That contest is paying dividends already!

Bryan LaHair went 0-3 with a K and is hit-less this spring after 2 games.

Pitching:

Casey Weathers pitched a perfect 5th for the Cubs. Nobody is talking about Weathers as part of the deal that brought Ian Stewart from the Rockies, but he is a former top 10 pick with a plus fastball. Weathers could be a part of the Cubs bullpen this year with a solid spring.

Kevin Rhoderick pitched a scoreless 8th with 1 K. Not much is written about Rhoderick since he falls into the 25-30 range on the Cubs prospect lists, but he struck out over a batter per inning between high A-AA in his first year with the Cubs. He'll start the year in AA, but is a sleeper candidate for the 2013 bullpen

Tony Zych is another guy to watch for next year, but he didn't fare as well in the 9th. Zych got the loss after giving up a game winning homer to Yordy Cabrera (Who?).

Manny Corpas & Marco Carillo got rocked in the 6th & 7th innings giving up a combined 6 runs on 6 hits and 2 BB. Not much is expected from Carillo, but Corpas has a legit shot to make the team out of camp. Today's performance didn't help his cause.

Misc:

No errors today and no runners picked off first. Fundamentals are back!