Tagged: Cubs

Guest Blogger — Nate Spears

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Hey everybody! My name is Nate Spears and I play infield in the Chicago Cubs organization.  I played in Double A for the Tennessee Smokies this season.  I had a good 2008 regular season and the last three weeks they told me I was going to the AFL.  I arrived in Phoenix for the Fall League in late September and I did not know what to expect.  I’m staying in Scottsdale with two teammates, Steve Clevenger and Darwin Barney.  They sent me here to play more positions in the infield.  It’s been a success as I’m getting more comfortable.  After playing second base all season, I have been playing shortstop and mixing in a few games at third and first base. 

It has been a great experience out here.  Our team chemistry is amazing.  We have a lot of fun guys.  Rudy Darrow, a RHP in the Tigers organization, is always lifting people up in the clubhouse and making me laugh.  Van Pope, from the Braves, is another great teammate that always keeps you loose in the locker room.  I knew some of the guys that are on the Solar Sox, as I played against some of the Braves and Marlins.  Our staff of Rocket Wheeler, Ryne Sandberg, and Ray Burris are amazing.  They are amazing minds of experience to learn from.  Ryne has always been available to us, and he has helped me position myself on the field for defense.  Everyone has to find and get into a routine that works for them, and he has helped me find mine. You can’t ask for more than that on a staff.

Thank you for letting me share a little bit of my Arizona Fall League experience with you.

Nate Spears

Guest Blogger: Darwin Barney

Barney_Darwin.JPGHey everyone, Darwin Barney here checking in on the Cubs AFL blog. For those of you who don’t me, I was drafted by the Cubs in the fourth round of the 2007 draft out of Oregon State. I spent the year with Daytona in the Florida State League and was fortunate enough to win a title with the Cubs.

As the weather stays hot here, the fields are staying bouncy, leading to some pretty crazy games.  On Monday, we scored 28 runs, and scattered a bunch of hits. We all can’t wait for the weather to turn as it should in the next week.

The Cubs had a good day today, collecting eight hits. (Steve Clevenger, Nate Spears and I). Clev had four of them.

Our team has been hitting the ball, leading to a few wins these past few days, making the sun much more bearable. With the high Arizona sky and breeze, it’s making for a tough playing field. I think it’s a good challenge for the players in this league.
 
So far we’ve seen two cycles — well one cycle and one almost-cycle. , one by Ray Ray (John Raynor), and the near-cycle by Jason Donald (he was just a triple short), who is hitting the cover off the ball, by the way.
 
It’s been fun so far. I’m going to enjoy a day off on Tuesday, and if we keep putting games together, maybe we could make a run at the league.