Cubs Head North

The Cubs moved their Spring Training operation a half-mile north up Center Street from Fitch Park to HoHoKam Park today, and as was the case each of the previous two years, Manager Lou Piniella once again eschewed the ubiquitous and traditional intrasquad game most MLB clubs play the day before Cactus League and Grapefruit League games commence. Lou just does not like to play any more games than necessary during Spring Training, even if it's an informal seven-inning intrasquad game. With Stadium Operations crews busy accepting food deliveries and scrubbing the rest rooms in preparation for the Cubs Cactus League home opener versus the Dodgers at Dwight Patterson Field tomorrow, Manager Piniella, his coaches, and about a half-dozen Spring Training instructors (including Billy Williams, Ryne Sandberg, and Bob Dernier) ran the position players through a 2-1/2 hour general work-out (baserunning practice, fielding practice, and soft-toss BP) before about 300 enthusiastic Cubs ...