With spring training in full swing, let’s take a look at how all the former Chiefs are looking at big league camp. And I’ll even throw in a bonus with two potential 2008 Chiefs who got at-bats with the Cubs last week. All stats listed are updated after the games on Sunday March 9.

 

Not surprisingly, the Cardinals and Cubs have used the most former Chiefs with 14 playing for St. Louis and 12 for Chicago. Overall, former Chiefs have seen action this spring for 16 of the 30 teams.

 

Lets start with the Cubs. Sam Fuld, who came on strong in September 2007 and was named MVP of the Arizona Fall League leads the way with 10 games played and is 2-for-14 with two runs scored and eight walks. His former Chiefs teammate, Eric Patterson, was player of the game on Sunday with his first homer and his hitting .300 (6-for-20) with five runs scored in eight games. Three members of the ’07 Chiefs saw their debuts on Saturday with Josh Lansford picking up a hit in his only at-bat while Darwin Barney and Jim Adduci were both retired in their lone plate appearances. Catcher Wellington Castillo is 1-for-2 so far in two games.

 

On the pitching side, Juan Mateo, who rehabbed with the Chiefs for two months last season, has been lights out so far allowing just one run and two hits over five innings and four appearances. Sean Gallagher looked good on national TV for two innings Saturday in a rebound from a shaky previous outing. Overall, the 21 year old is 0-0 in three games with five hits and four earned runs allowed in six innings. He has struck out five and walked just two. Lefty Ed Campusano has also pitched three times as he recovers from arm surgery that cost him his entire 2007 season. Campy has allowed four hits and two runs in three innings. Jose Ceda started camp with the Cubs and has since been sent back to Minor League camp after allowing five hits and four runs in three outings for an 18.00 ERA. Jeff Samardzija is the lone ex-Chiefs pitcher with a win for the Cubs despite a 6.00 ERA. The former Notre Dame standout has pitched twice allowing four hits and two runs in three innings. The Chiefs closer from last season, Rocky Roquet tossed a perfect 2/3 of an inning in his debut on Saturday.

 

As for the former Chiefs playing with the Cardinals, let’s get the regulars out of the way first since they aren’t playing for a roster spot. Despite a reported elbow injury, Albert Pujols is batting a mere .450 after eight games (9-for-20) with six runs scored, three homers, three doubles, six walks and one strikeout. Yadier Molina is just 2-for-20 in seven games for a .100 average. Rick Ankiel leads the team in atbats so far with 27 in eight games. The former pitcher has collected 11 hits for a .407 average to go along with a homer, a double and four runs scored. Meanwhile, Chris Duncan is hitting .083 (1-for-12) with one run scored in five games.

 

Of the former Chiefs looking for a roster spot with the Cardinals, Joe Mather is having the best spring. The former Chiefs OF/1b/3b is hitting .391 (9-for-23) in 10 games with three doubles, one home run and four RBI. Also surviving the first round of roster cuts is infielder Brendan Ryan who is hitting .250 (5-for-20) through nine games. Jarrett Hoffpauir has played in seven games batting .200 (1-for-5) while Cody Haerther has been in five games with one hit in six atbats (.167). Catcher Matt Pagnozzi has played in two games going hitless in one atbat.

 

On the mound, Brad Thompson leads the veterans with a 0.00 ERA in 5 1/3 innings in two games allowing five hits while striking out seven. Tyler Johnson and Josh Kinney are both injured and neither has pitched yet in Grapefruit League action. As for the newcomers, Kyle McClellan is having the biggest impact in his return to starting. In two appearances, McClellan has allowed just one run while striking out four over five innings. Jason Motte has not allowed a run or a hit in three games and three innings while striking out four. Mike Parisi has a 5.40 ERA and a 1-1 record in two outings spanning five innings. Mark Worrell has allowed two earned runs and four hits over three innings and three games. Former MWL All-Star Blake Hawksworth has had the roughest spring surrendering eight runs and 10 hits over three innings for a 24.00 ERA. On the bright side, he has recorded seven strikeouts in the nine outs against him.

 

Cliff Politte, trying to make a comeback after sitting out 2007 allowed one run on three hits in his first inning for the Cardinals over the weekend.

 

Former Chiefs as veterans with other squads include Greg Maddux, Jack Wilson, Placido Polanco, Coco Crisp, Jose Molina, Pablo Ozuna and Danny Haren. Maddux is off to a 1-0 start and a 2.25 ERA in two outings for the San Diego Padres. The four-time Cy Young Award winner has allowed one hit in four innings. Haren has a 1.80 ERA in his first two starts with his new team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. The righty allowed seven hits, but just one run in five innings. On the hitting side, Jack Wilson is hitting .368 (7-for-19) with four RBI and four runs scored in six games with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Placido Polanco is also off to a great start hitting .500 (11-for-22) in nine games with the Detroit Tigers. Polanco has a homer, two doubles and five runs scored so far. Also off to a hot start is Pablo Ozuna with the Chicago White Sox. The 1998 MWL MVP is hitting .474 (9-for-19) with a double through seven games. Jose Molina meanwhile has struggled for the New York Yankees hitting just .133 (2-for-15) through seven games.

 

As for the other former Chiefs battling for spots, John Gall is hitting .167 (2-for-12) in nine games with the Florida Marlins. Daric Barton has only seen action in three games and is hitless in eight atbats with the Oakland A’s. Terry Evans is also struggling hitting .143 (2-for-14) in 11 games for the LA Angels. Eli Alfonzo has the biggest struggles for former Chiefs hitting .040 (1-for-25) for the San Francisco Giants.

 

On the young pitching side, Chris Lambert is 0-1 with a 0.00 ERA in three outings with the Detroit Tigers, allowing just one unearned run in 5 1/3 innings of work. Lefty Jerry Blevins is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA for the Oakland A’s. In four outings he has allowed four hits and two runs while striking out two over four innings of work. Carmen Cali is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in three games and 2 2/3 innings with the Minnesota Twins. Rick Asadoorian is 0-1 with a 6.77 ERA in two outings, allowing four hits and one run in 1 1/3 innings for the LA Dodgers. Andy Cavazos is 0-0 with a 0.00 in one inning for his new team, the New York Mets.

 

Neither Ben Johnson (Injured – New York Mets), nor Ben Julianel (recently signed by Minnesota Twins) has appeared in a spring training game yet.

 

On the possible future Chiefs side, catcher Josh Donaldson, infielder Marwin Gonzalez and outfielder Jonathan Wyatt have seen action for the Cubs this spring. Donaldson, a 2007 draftee out of Auburn University, is 0-for-1 in one game while Gonzalez, a Venezuelan native is also 0-for-1. Wyatt, a 2007 draftee out of the University of Georgia, singled in his lone at-bat.