Extra bases

• Javier Baez fouled a ball off his left foot during his at-bat in the fifth inning Sunday but when the athletic trainer came to check on him, the Cubs shortstop said he was OK.

"It still hurts," Baez said of his foot. "I told [the trainer] I was all right. I don't like coming out of the game."

He was good enough to hit his first Cactus League home run on the next pitch, launching a missile to left for a two-run shot in the Cubs' 4-3 split-squad loss to the Brewers at HoHoKam Stadium. He also picked up another RBI on a walk with the bases loaded in the sixth.

So far, spending Spring Training in the big league camp has been pretty nice for Baez, the Cubs' 2011 first-round Draft pick.

"You learn things that you don't realize you'll learn," said Baez, who is getting a lot of tutoring on his defensive positioning.

He didn't get the ball from his first home run. Was it a big deal?

"Not really," Baez said. "I'm just going to keep trying to hit the ball hard."

• Steve Clevenger survived his first game at first base on Saturday. On Sunday, he was taking grounders at second and will likely be shagging in the outfield soon. The Cubs want to see if the left-handed hitter, who made the Opening Day roster last year as backup catcher, fits on the final 25-man roster.

Clevenger, though, could use a little time. He had to borrow Brad Nelson's first baseman's glove because Clevenger is still breaking his in.

• Albert Almora, the Cubs' No. 1 pick in last June's First-Year Player Draft, was on the travel squad for Sunday's split-squad game, and went to Tempe. He got one at-bat in the 4-2 win over the Angels.

"I'm excited to be around all these guys, pick their brains a little bit," said Almora, who was happy to hang around Jorge Soler and David DeJesus.

The Cubs' Minor Leaguers start camp this week, and Almora was eager to get going.

"I'm looking forward to this year first, then we'll move on to next year and the year after," he said. "I'm just excited to be part of this organization. They're going to do great things."

• Former Cubs pitcher Rick Sutcliffe was back in uniform Sunday at HoHoKam Stadium, feeling much better after undergoing emergency hernia surgery. Sutcliffe actually stopped by Scottsdale Stadium on Saturday, four days after he had the procedure, to watch the Cubs-Giants game. He had just been released from the hospital. A Cy Young Award winner in 1984, Sutcliffe will get the stitches removed Wednesday, then go to work in the broadcast booth for the World Baseball Classic.

• Infielder Logan Watkins beat Anthony Rizzo in the first sweet 16 match of the Cubs' bunting tournament. Three more matches will be played Monday, including video staffer Nate Halm's showdown against pitcher Travis Wood.