The White Sox and Cubs had been off Monday. At Sox camp, supervisor Pedro Grifol inspired everybody to take full benefit of the breather.
“Days off are days off,” Grifol stated Sunday. “This will be the last one before the one in Houston (the day before the March 30 season opener).”
The Cubs come off the break with back-to-back night time video games towards the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds.
Chicago Tribune baseball writers LaMond Pope and Meghan Montemurro will probably be offering Cubs and White Sox updates all through spring coaching.
Jake Burger’s energy show had added that means
Saturday was memorable in multiple manner for Sox infielder Jake Burger.
“It was Brooks’ first game,” Burger stated Sunday, referring to his son born in November. “It was the first one he was at and I guess brought me some extra strength.”
Burger homered twice within the 6-5 loss to the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium. He hit a two-run homer within the fourth and added a solo dwelling run within the eighth.
“It was unbelievable,” Burger stated of the day. “It’s cool having him in the stands and knowing (Burger’s wife, Ashlyn) is up there with him. The only thing you get a little nervous about are foul balls and making sure they don’t hit him. But other than that, it’s really cool to share that experience with him.”
Burger entered Sunday tied for the major-league lead with 4 dwelling runs this spring.
“I’ve always hit the ball hard but at a down angle,” he stated. “So now it’s trying to get it in the air as much as I can.”
Grifol stated Burger is “performing against good pitchers.”
“I’ve said it from Day 1, there’s a lot of competition here,” Grifol stated Sunday. “It’s fun to watch, it’s fun to see the depth that we have. I think guys are smelling it. They’re smelling that there’s some competition and it’s good to see.”
Derailed by accidents, Nick Burdi taking glass-half-full method
Nick Burdi was rehabbing in Arizona from his second Tommy John surgical procedure in 2021 when the Downers Grove South alumnus reached a crossroads in his profession.
The current beginning of his daughter coincided with the surgical procedure, leaving Burdi and his spouse, Rebecca, to attempt to navigate life with a new child and one other tried comeback from a critical damage. Healthy and getting a shot with the Cubs is all Burdi can ask for as Rebecca takes care of their daughter again dwelling in Rhode Island.
“That’s been a big motivation,” Burdi advised the Tribune. “I don’t want to give up on my dreams because someday I want my daughter to see that I did this for a long as I could. I’m very lucky to have a supportive wife that let me keep chasing this dream. It’s hard but it is a journey and I’m excited about where I’m at right now.”
The Cubs acquired Burdi, 30, from the Padres in the course of the minor-league part of the Rule 5 draft in December.
Burdi was getting ready to throw on the Padres advanced when he noticed his telephone blowing up with messages. His agent requested if he had any movies of him throwing and the way far alongside he was in his rehab. His agent advised Burdi the Cubs doubtless would decide him within the Rule 5 draft.
Burdi missed the 2022 season as a result of built-up scar tissue from his second Tommy John surgical procedure wanted to be eliminated, once more dropping a full season as he recovered.
“Over in San Diego, I don’t think there’s as much opportunity than over here,” Burdi stated. “There’s a lot of guys here that are good players and we’re all working for these roles that are open on the roster.”
Burdi needed to discover ways to deal with the psychological aspect of going by means of Tommy John surgical procedure. He hasn’t pitched within the minors or majors since Aug. 3, 2020, for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“The faster you can understand that the game is being played at 7 p.m. with or without you, whether you’re Mookie Betts or Nick Burdi, that first pitch is being thrown,” Burdi stated. “You really have to believe in yourself and keep trucking along and checking the boxes. You hope all the work pays off and when you go out there, you let it fly.”
He has flashed nice stuff in camp, exhibiting why the Minnesota Twins took him within the second spherical in 2014. Burdi, a non-roster invitee, is working to harness higher command of his pitches. Through three Cactus League video games, he has given up one hit and no runs in 2⅔ innings. Walks have been a problem (5), however he has struck out 5 of 13 batters.
“There’s always a glass half full,” Burdi stated of the final two seasons. “I got to spend a lot of time with my daughter and have seen her grow up. That’s time we’re really thankful for because I know a lot of guys in this locker room don’t have that opportunity and they miss a lot. So we tried to always be positive about it while also being like, there’s an end goal here.”
Sox trim roster, with prospects Bryan Ramos and José Rodríguez amongst 9 strikes
The Sox optioned infield prospects Bryan Ramos and José Rodríguez to Double-A Birmingham as a part of 9 roster strikes Sunday.
Catcher Carlos Pérez and infielder Lenyn Sosa had been optioned to Triple-A Charlotte, whereas outfielder Yoelqui Céspedes and pitchers Edgar Navarro, Nate Fisher, Andrew Perez and Sammy Peralta had been reassigned to minor-league camp.
Ramos, the No. 3 prospect within the group in keeping with MLB.com, slashed .368/.429/.526 with one homer and 5 RBIs in 11 video games this spring.
Rodríguez, the group’s No. 6 prospect in keeping with MLB.com, had one hit in eight at-bats (.125) and stole one base in 5 video games.
With Sunday’s strikes, the Sox have 50 gamers remaining in camp: 26 pitchers, 4 catchers, 12 infielders and eight outfielders.
World Baseball Classic information
- Cubs right-hander Javier Assad introduced the warmth towards Team USA.
Entering in aid for Team Mexico, Assad threw three scoreless innings, permitting one hit and no walks. He struck out Pete Alonso twice in Mexico’s 11-5 win Sunday night time. Assad averaged 95-96 mph together with his fastball, topping out at 97. His velocity was up 2-3 mph from final yr.
- Sox shortstop Tim Anderson went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for Team USA within the loss to Mexico. Anderson drove in a run with a single within the second and had a two-run double within the eighth.
“When Tim has his mind set on things it’s probably going to happen,” Sox starter Lance Lynn, additionally a member of Team USA, advised reporters earlier than the sport. “He’s that talented of a player and he works his butt off every day.”
Sox reliever Kendall Graveman pitched a scoreless one-third of an inning.
- Sox pitcher Nicholas Padilla pitched a scoreless inning for Puerto Rico in a 9-6 loss to Venezuela in a Pool D recreation Sunday in Miami.
- Sox outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jiménez went 2-for-4 with one RBI for the Dominican Republic in a 6-1 win towards Nicaragua in a Pool D recreation Monday in Miami.
Jiménez drove in a run with a single within the third. He had one other single within the fifth.
Up subsequent
- Cubs vs. Rockies, 8:05 p.m., Marquee
- White Sox vs. Athletics, 3:05 p.m.
What we’re studying this morning
Quotable
“I mean, I don’t ever want to take away the credit for the guys that were here. You have to give them credit, they came in and did all that stuff. What I love about the success we’ve had down there is taking some of those veteran guys and having them pitch to their strengths.” — supervisor David Ross on how the Cubs have gotten constant outcomes from the bullpen regardless of turnover in recent times
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Source: www.bostonherald.com
