Mariners 12, Cubs 9: Jason Hammel scuffles, Javy Baez almost back

SHARE Mariners 12, Cubs 9: Jason Hammel scuffles, Javy Baez almost back
cubs_reds_spring_baseball_60208147.jpg

Jason Hammel started against the Mariners on Sunday. (AP)

MESA, Ariz. — Jason Hammel knew the problem: His upper body was moving too fast, making it hard to him to keep the ball down. He saw the result, too, in the Cubs’ 12-9 loss to the Mariners on Sunday at Sloan Park. Hammel allowed nine runs on eight hits, striking out four and walking three in 4 1/3 innings. “Obviously execution has to be better down in the zone, but that was because of being a little quick up top,” he said. “That was always my mistake before. I was trying to create when I really didn’t need to.”

Three homers

Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano had quite a day, hitting three home runs and driving in seven. He hit two against Hammel in the first two innings. The first came on an 0-2 pitch when Hammel didn’t shake off the third-straight fastball call. “You never throw that guy three heaters in a row,” he said. Hammel was able to laugh about it. “Happy Easter, Robby Cano, I guess,” he said.

Baez back?

Javier Baez, who has been out since trying to play through a sore thumb on March 19 and 20, could return to the lineup Monday against the Angels. “I know he’s feeling pretty good,” manager Joe Maddon said. Baez could get enough at-bats to be ready by Opening Day, the skipper said.

Ramirez in?

Maddon said his 25-man roster was pretty much set — the only question mark being Baez’s health — but still wasn’t ready to acknowledge publicly whether reliever Neil Ramirez would make the team.

Lineup tinkering

Maddon hit Kris Bryant third and Ben Zobrist sixth, another step in his self-described “playing around” with his batting order. He met with team statistics analysts Saturday.

On deck

Cubs at Angels, 3:10 p.m., Cubs.com, Nick Tropeano vs. Kyle Hendricks

Follow me on Twitter @patrickfinley

Email: pfinley@suntimes.com


The Latest
The acquisition of Tamarack Farms makes Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge a more impactful designation and creates within Hackmatack a major macrosite for conservation.
The man was found unresponsive in an alley in the 10700 block of South Lowe Avenue, police said.
The man suffered head trauma and was pronounced dead at University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.
Another federal judge in Chicago who also has dismissed gun cases based on the same Supreme Court ruling says the high court’s decision in what’s known as the Bruen case will “inevitably lead to more gun violence, more dead citizens and more devastated communities.”
Women make up just 10% of those in careers such as green infrastructure and clean and renewable energy, a leader from Openlands writes. Apprenticeships and other training opportunities are some of the ways to get more women into this growing job sector.