Cubs Lose in Close Game

Final Score: Indians 5, Cubs (ss) 4

Cubs Starting Line-up Hitting:
Gathright: 2-4, Run
Miles: 0-4, RBI
Lee: 1-3, Run
Bradley: 1-3
Dubois: 1-4
Snyder: 1-3
Scales: 1-4
Spears: 2-2, BB, 2 Run
M. Johnson: 0-2

So the big story is Milton Bradley DHing for the first time since last Wednesday when he left with a quad injury. Bradley did well hitting a double. Derrek Lee hit the ball sharply in 2 of his 3 ABs.

Cubs Pitchers:
Gaudin: 3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 3 K
Campusano: 1 Ip 1 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 1 K
Schlitter: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 ER
Smith: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 ER
Roquet: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K, 0 ER
Berg: Loss, 1 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB

Gaudin struggled, and after Chad today I don't think any of the other guys will be in the 25-man roster. I'd say right now Gaudin is last in the race for the 5th starter.

Cubs hitters off the bench:
Campana: 0-1
Seller: 0-1
Adduci: 1-2, RBI
Wright: 0-1
Reed: 0-1
Camp: 0-1
Clevenger: 0-1

A lot of the guys are in Vegas to play the Sox tonight, so the Cubs brought even more minor leaguers into camp today.

Game Highlight: Milton Bradley's double in the 5th inning.

My Player of the Game: Nate Spear for getting on base in all 3 ABs and scoring twice.

Up Next: The other half of the split squad will play the White Sox in Las Vegas tonight at 9 PM CT and tomorrow at 3:00. Jeff Samardzija pitching tonight and Aaron Heilman tomorrow. I'll have a recap of both games tomorrow night.

Radio Recaps:

Dan Plesac on Mully and Hanley today:

• Dan says he has a hard time believing that the Cubs lost 3 straight against the Dodgers in the NLDS last year.
• On paper, the Cubs will have to have a lot of things go wrong for them to not be really good and win the division.
• The Cubs are deep and solid according to Dan.
• One of Plesac's concerns is that they won't get as much out of center field this year.
• His other 2 concerns are the injury problems, and Soriano leading off. Dan is not totally sold on Soriano leading off.
• Plesac doesn't think Alfonso does any good at the top of the order if he does not steal bases.
• He doesn't see Jake Peavy being traded to the Cubs this season. He thinks the Padres need to keep one good pitcher in the rotation.

Ron Santo talked with Lou Piniella and then told Jim Memelo about those conversation on the Cubs Central Pre-game show:

• Lou was not too excited about going to Vegas and spending money because of the economy.
• The ball club is pretty set besides the 5th starter. Piniella wants to find 2 set-up men to pitch the 7th and 8th innings. Gregg and Marmol will pitch at the ends of games, but it sounds like Lou wants another guy in that mix.
• Piniella likes the talent that the Cubs have vying for the 5th starter in the rotation.
• Ronny thinks there are 2 ways the Cubs can go; The Cubs will either send Samardzija to AAA to start or put him in the bullpen.

Ron chatted with Ryne Sandberg on the Pre-game show on WGN Radio:

• Sandberg spent two summers in Peoria in the Midwest league. Ryno is exited to have some of the same guys he had in 2007 with the Chiefs, at AA this year.
• The smartest thing he did after baseball was staying with the organization as a Spring Training instructor for the Cubs.
• Ryne thinks that the right way to do baseball is to start at the minor league level and work your way up. He is getting a flavor of what managing is like.
• Ronny says that there is no doubt that Sandberg will be a major league manager some day.

Other Cubs Notes:

• Ted Lilly pitched for Team USA today in a practice game against Lilly's former team, the Blue Jays. Lilly pitcher 4 innings giving up 1 run. Ted will pitch the 3rd game of the WBC.
• Alex Maestri and Vince Perkins both pitched in WBC exhibitions today. Maestri got the win in his game for team Italy and Perkins got the loss for Team Canada.
• Kosuke Fukudome will play for team Japan tomorrow, when the WBC opens with Japan VS China at 3 AM CT.
• According to the Tribune, Aramis Ramirez wants to finish his career with the Cubs. (Thanks to Phil Wilson for that one)
• Bobby Dickerson was the Cubs manager today because Lou is in Vegas. Dickerson will manage at AAA Iowa this year.

Bring on the White Sox!

"I don't care who wins as long as it's the Cubs!"