Turner perfect in Cubs debut; Alcantara turning heads
Cubs newcomer Justin Turner made his spring debut in the blue on Monday against San Diego, collecting 2 singles and a walk in 3 at-bats.
On Tuesday morning, manager Craig Counsell talked about having a veteran like Turner, 40, available as both a hitter and mentor.
“The thing you learn quickly about Justin is he has a very advanced feel for the game,” Counsell told reporters in Mesa, Ariz. “He is just seeing things before most guys are seeing them. That doesn't have anything to do with going 2-for-2 (Monday), but one of his great tools is how he's able to see the game.
“Probably in the end, it's one of those things that allows him to make adjustments quicker during the season. It's fun to watch him hit. It looks a little different the way he stands up there. He's worked really hard at creating a wonderful bat path and he's got good strike zone discipline and it adds up to being a good offensive player.”
Alcantara connects
One young player off to a good start in spring training is outfielder Kevin Alcantara, who is 6-for-12 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI so far.
Listed at 6-foot-6 and 188 pounds, it's hard to imagine Alcantara hitting with much power, considering his thin frame. But he did hit an opposite field double off the wall on Monday against the Padres, which is a promising sign.
“What makes Kevin so interesting is I think all the tools are available,” Counsell said Tuesday. “Now what's great is he's got a good foundation with all those tools and which one kind of takes over, you don't have to know right now, but they just all keep getting a little bit better.
“What kind of offensive player he becomes may be a little bit of a question still. But when you see balls hit like that (Monday), you know it's not out of the question for him to someday hit a lot of home runs. Just a ball hit that hard and far, that's what you're starting to think.”
Spring wins continue
The Cubs improved to 6-0 in exhibition games with a 4-2 win over Arizona on Tuesday. After falling behind 2-0, the Cubs tied it in the fifth with solo home runs by Carson Kelly and Vidal Brujan. They went ahead in the sixth when Pete Crow-Armstrong singled, stole second and came around to score when the Diamondbacks made two errors while he ran the bases. …
Sammy Sosa, long missing from the Cubs’ arsenal of team legends, was at Tuesday's game and chatted with players in the dugout. The Cubs and Sosa mended the relationship and the slugger will join the Cubs Hall of Fame later this year.
“He's definitely got an energy about him for sure,” starting pitcher Jameson Taillon said. “He was dapping up everyone and just happy to be here. We have a lot of legends walking around here, Cubs Hall of Famers, real Hall of Famers. So it's cool to be breathing the same air and sharing the same space with them.” …
Cubs 2024 first-round pick Cam Smith made his spring debut Tuesday and hit home runs in his first 2 at-bats with the Houston Astros. The Cubs sent Smith to Houston in the Kyle Tucker trade.