Schuster: Cubs Yearning For Spring Training Games To Start
By David Schuster-
MESA, Ariz. (CBS) -- You've often heard the refrain from NFL players during training camps that they can't wait to start beating on other teams rather then their own teammates. The same is true of baseball players during Spring Training.
"Oh yeah, we're ready for Sunday," Cubs outfielder David DeJesus said. "We want to get out there and apply all the things we've been working on in all these practices. I feel once those games start coming we will feel better at the plate or on the mound and everything will come together for us."
Over the years, teams that have gone on to win the World Series have had poor records during the spring and vice versa, so is winning important in exhibition play?
"You know we want to win but most importantly we want to be ready for opening day," DeJesus said. "Staying healthy and preparing our bodies for the start of the season is most important because that's when things really matter."
For his part, Reed Johnson took a slightly different tact.
"I think winning late becomes a little bit more important. Obviously your starters are going to play deeper into games so i think that will translate what will happen. Winning isn't always the most important thing out here. If you're a real student of the game you can kind of see things within the game that certain teams are doing right and that are really going to translate into the season. Hopefully we can see those things early in Spring Training and that will kind of let us know how good things are going to be during the regular season."
For more Cubs spring training coverage from Mesa, Ariz, click here. Find all of David Schuster's spring training blogs here and follow him on Twitter (@schumouse).
