Spring Training: Cubs vs Giants

On Tuesday the Cubs faced the defending World Champions. They also got to see old friend Mike Fontenot, whom the Cubs traded late last season to the Giants. On to the game notes.

PITCHING

This game featured a match up between staff aces Ryan Dempster and Tim Lincecum. It ended up being a bit of a pitching duel more commonly seen during the regular season. Dempster was originally scheduled to pitch just two innings, as all the starting candidates have done so far this Spring, but manager Mike Quade ended up trotting out Dempster for the 3^rd inning to match the three innings tossed by Lincecum. This was despite the fact that Dempster had given up a run in the 2^nd. The Cubs Opening Day starter finished his debut appearance with three strikeouts and allowing two hits.

Rotation hopeful Todd Wellemeyer had a good start to his return as a Cub by following up Dempster with two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and one hit allowed. Casey Coleman and Jeff Stevens continued the scoreless inning stretch with one inning appearances. Esmailin Caridad came in the 9^th to nail down the save for the first Cubs win this Spring.

DEFENSE

Dempster made a nice snag off a come backer in the 3^rd inning and was able to catch Freddy Sanchez straying too far off third base. At the time there were runners on first and third with one out. Unfortunately for the third straight game the Cubs as a team committed three errors. Quade has been quoted as saying that he will not blow a fuse over the errors just yet, but nine errors in three games is a statistic that he will be looking to see players clean up sooner rather than later as Spring goes on.

OFFENSE

After being shut down by the San Fransisco starters Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner through five innings, both who we saw pitch at an elite level during the 2010 post season, the Cubs were able to tag Bumgarner for three runs in the 6^th. Kosuke Fukudome, who made a second appearance from the leadoff spot this Spring, and Starlin Castro led off the inning with back to back singles. Marlon Byrd followed with a single of his own to drive in Fukudome and tie the game at one. Aramis Ramirez hit a double to drive in Castro and Byrd to round out the scoring for the Cubs. Despite Ramirez standing on second with no outs, the Cubs were not able to bring him home.

Castro and Byrd both finished the day 2 for 3 with a run, while Byrd had the RBI as well. Geo Soto, a candidate to hit behind Carlos Pena in the Opening Day line up, went 0 for 3.