MESA, Ariz. — Micah Hoffpauir took advantage of the designated-hitter spot Wednesday in the National League lineup.
Hoffpauir hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to spark the Cubs to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at HoHoKam Park. Teams are allowed to use a DH and stray from a National League format if both agree.
There aren't many openings on the Cubs' roster for position players, and Hoffpauir is hoping to convince Lou Piniella he can handle both corner-outfield spots, back up Derrek Lee at first and be the left-handed bat the manager should call upon off the bench.
"For me to make this team, I have to produce," Hoffpauir said. "The last thing I want to do is worry about it. All I can do is get myself prepared and go out there and have as much fun as I can. I think so far this spring I've been relaxed."
Hoffpauir has done nothing but hit, compiling a .362 average last season at Triple-A Iowa and batting .342 in 33 games with the Cubs. He's putting in extra time to get better in the outfield, working out early Wednesday with coach Mike Quade and teammate Jake Fox.
"This team won a lot of games last year and played well, and we added some good personnel," Piniella said. "We'll let these guys compete. Like I told them, I said, 'Look, if you don't make this team out of Spring Training, the better you play here, we'll remember that and you'll be the one we call up when we need you, assuming you're playing just as well at Triple-A.'
"I wish when I was a young player, I would've come into a camp with so many games and given an opportunity to show what I can do."