It's a strong club, but issues could develop
Geovany Soto knew something good was coming.
He was feeling better day by day as Opening Day approached, ready to turn the page on a great 2008 and get 2009 started. His timing at the plate wasn't there but it was coming.
On Wednesday, it got there.
Soto, who had been without a home run in his 21 at-bats for the Cubs this spring, hit a pair of long homers against the Oakland Athletics, the first of which was a grand slam. But when the game was over, it wasn't either of the blasts that had him smiling. It was his first of three plate appearances, when he walked.
Dallas Braden, scheduled to pitch Opening Day for Oakland, started him out one ball, two strikes, but Soto wound up drawing a walk. That told him a lot about his confidence.
"Today was good," Soto said. "I was squaring balls up, having good at-bats. The first time up I was down 1-2 and got a walk. It's really good to have those kind of at-bats, good at-bats."
He was feeling better day by day as Opening Day approached, ready to turn the page on a great 2008 and get 2009 started. His timing at the plate wasn't there but it was coming.
On Wednesday, it got there.
Soto, who had been without a home run in his 21 at-bats for the Cubs this spring, hit a pair of long homers against the Oakland Athletics, the first of which was a grand slam. But when the game was over, it wasn't either of the blasts that had him smiling. It was his first of three plate appearances, when he walked.
Dallas Braden, scheduled to pitch Opening Day for Oakland, started him out one ball, two strikes, but Soto wound up drawing a walk. That told him a lot about his confidence.
"Today was good," Soto said. "I was squaring balls up, having good at-bats. The first time up I was down 1-2 and got a walk. It's really good to have those kind of at-bats, good at-bats."
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