The Chicago Cubs are the only unbeaten team in the NL during early exhibition games. They are 4-0 and have outscored their opponents 35-11 and outscored the Rangers and White Sox 23-4 in their last two games.

Yesterday two rookies Brad Snyder and Bobby Scales combined to drive in seven runs in their 13-0 win over the White Sox with Snyder hitting his first homer of the spring. Micah Hoffpauir drove in his eighth run of the spring which leads all major leaguers. Hoffpauir should win a roster spot but is likely to be a fill in player during injuries and pick up some at bats as a pinch hitter.

Cotts Picks Up Win
Neal Cotts picked up the win something he hasn’t done in a regular season since 2006 having been winless in the last two seasons. There were 20 hits in the game but 16 of them were singles. Adam Russell who was 4-0 for the White Sox last season gave up 8 runs and 5 hits without retiring a batter and left the game with a 54.00 ERA. Octavio Dotel continued to struggle giving up 2 runs and 3 hits in an inning raising his ERA to 22.50.

There were no Milton Bradley sightings during the game. Micah Hoffpauir hopes there are none during the regular season so he can get some playing time.

Spring Stats Leaders
Micah Hoffpauir is in a five way tie leading in hits this spring with six.... Josh Hamilton, Hoffpauir and five other players lead in homers with 2.....Hoffpauir leads in RBI’s with 8 and Mitch Jones of the Dodgers is second with 7.....Hoffpauir and Travis Ishikawa lead in total bases with 12 each.

Andruw Jones Imploding
In Early Spring Games
Andruw Jones is hitting even worse than he did last season for the Dodgers this spring with the Rangers. Jones has struck out eight times in his first nine at bats. If this continues Ron Washington eventually will have to give Jones less playing time so he can give more playing time to players that actually could contribute to the Rangers outfield in 2009.

Carlos Marmol Changes Mind
Will Pitch In WBC After All
Carlos Marmol has reversed his decision of not to pitch in the WBC so he could concentrate on the closer competition between him and Kevin Gregg. Now he has decided to pitch for the Dominican Republic team in the WBC that starts next week. If the Dominican Republic plays in the finals Marmol won’t return to the Cubs spring camp in Arizona for another three weeks. Lou Piniella said Marmol’s decision won’t affect the closer competition but it won’t hurt Gregg’s chances if he can pitch well while Marmol is away.

Too bad October ain’t in the spring, huh?

Come on Tyrone. You know they way they are made up that they can go 209-0.

KEEP THE FAITH.

Yeah, that’s the ticket. 

Cubs may do great if they can keep Bradley out of the lineup and let Hoffpauir get 500 at bats but then there is that matter of Bradley being paid $9 million this season including his $4 million signing bonus. Then the Cubs will be paying Fukudome $11.5 million and Alfonso Soriano is earning $16 million so that is $36.5 million tied up this season in Bradley, Fukudome and Soriano so it is not likely Hoffpauir will get much playing time earning $450,000 or so. The front office doesn’t want high paid player sitting on the bench even if Lou wants them on the bench.