Got really lucky today. After a a long day and evening drinking, we didn't roll out of bed until nearly 9 AM, which is when the Cubs are supposed to start working out. Oops. Actually got there around 10:30 AM and to our surprise, they were just starting their calesthenics. Bonus.
This random guy joined in as well.
Apparently, we were one of about 200 lucky fans who got our hands on the Roster Card for this Spring.
Nothing stood out here other than the fact that we finally figured out that the guy who had been just raking the ball on Monday was none other than Bobby Scales. He looked great. But with the number 73 and the fact he's over 30, I don't like his chances. Too bad. He looked great to my untrained eye.
After that, we had the "Running of the Pitchers."
And our first sighting of Mr. Rothschild.
He may be smiling now, but that didn't last long.
There is something mesmorizing about watching fielding drills.
Maybe it's the sound of bat on ball breaking through the quiet morning. Maybe it's how close we were to the action. Either way, I stood there slack-jawed for the better part of a half hour watching Fontenot and some others take some grounders.
It's all about fundamentals.
Scales got waaaay up there for a ball.
Walked over to another field to watch the pitchers field some bunts. With so many blunders over the years by our pitchers, I was unaware they actually practiced this. Everyone (almost) looked pretty crisp for this early in camp.
Big Z getting off the mound in a hurry. He looked like he came to camp in pretty good shape.
Wood looked good as well. He seemed to be all business. Closer's mentality? We'll see.
He was also sporting a sweet facial hair.
Apparently, it's never to early to start getting the playoff beard loose.
See. Z looks pretty svelt. For Z anyway.
Guzman looked healthy or at least his arm seemed to still be attached, which is good.
And then there was Rich Hill.
They were doing a simulation where there was an imaginary runner on second "with speed" and they had to judge which base to go to (1st or 3rd) based on the bunt they fielded. Let's just say that Rich had some issues with the drill. Wrong base twice. Yikes.
Rothschild ripped into him both times. High comedy is seeing a grown-ass man being chewed out by another grown-ass man. He was the only one that had to repeat the drill. Not a good sign. I love Rich, but I worry about the mental part of his game. Boneheaded stuff like this doesn't help that worry. Then again, it's Day 2...maybe I should cut him some slack.
More later.
RANDOM NOTE:
Two great phrases we learned listening to Steve "Psycho" Lyons on the way to the park today.
Talking about Cuba and the amenities that you can find down there...or to put it more bluntly, he was talking about hookers:
He said it was easy to find "interested parties for minimal compensation." Wow.
And after being asked about celebrities who came to the clubhouse when he played, the only one he could remember was Bruce Hornsby, to which his sidekick asked:
"So, who was banging Hornsby?"
I wish I was making this stuff up.
More later.
Sorry this took so long today. I can't find a fast way to upload the photos. If anyone has any tips, let me know.
Go Cubs.
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