Friday Recap

In the second Cactus League outing, the Cubs lost to the Giants 8-6.

Not much was happening for the Cubs offensively and the pitching wasn't as bad as the result would make it seem.

• Fukudome was 0 for 1, but had 2 walks and 2 runs.
• Alex Cintron went 2 for 2 with 2 RBI playing at third base while Ramirez sat out his second game due to the nagging shoulder tightness.
• Fontenot continued to show shades of last year's start, going 1 for 1 (double), 1 RBI and 2 walks.
• JD Closser did nothing, going 0 for 4 and leaving 4 on base. Henry Blanco did no better at catcher...0 for 2, 1 strikeout, 4 left on base.
• Pie went 0 for 3 with a strikeout and 5 left on base, reminding me of the player I watched last year. On the other hand, Sam Fuld went 0 for 1, but with 2 walks and a strikeout (coming in as a pinch hitter and playing left field, where he had an error on a dropped fly).

What happened to the defense?

• Big Z gave up 2 hits in 2 innings with 1 unearned run and 2 strikeouts. The run came as a result of his own fielding error on a bunt.
• Rich Hill also went 2 innings and gave up 3 hits and 1 ER with 3 strikeouts.
• The real damage was done with career minor leaguer, Les Walrond, on the mound. The lefty pitched 2/3 of an inning and managed 4 hits, 4 ERs, 2 walks and 0 strikeouts. The big hit was a grand slam by Ryan Rohlinger in the eighth inning.
• Marmol pitched one inning with a string of goose eggs.

The Giants held most of their regular players back in Scottsdale for a game with Seattle. Nevertheless, I'm encouraged by the early signs of control from the Cubs pitchers. Taking out Walrond's performance the rest of the pitchers had a 6 to 1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.