Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

28 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 

Last updated 3-26-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 15
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

World Series Game 7 Recap: Chicago Cubs 8, Cleveland Indians 7 (10)

YOUR WORLD CHAMPION CHICAGO CUBS

Box Score, Play Log, Game Graphs

W - Chapman (2-0), all of us.

L - Shaw (2-1)

S - Montgomery (1), my faith that sometimes things work out.

 

Things to Take from This Game:

1. Cubs get to Kluber, Miller

Fowler got things started right with a leadoff home run. Kluber consistently left the breaking stuff up in the zone, and struck out no one in four innings. A Russell sacrifice fly and Contreras double plated two more in the fourth.

2. Baez, Ross, atone for defensive miscues

Baez made a couple of errors of youth and enthusiasm, first throwing away a grounder he went to his knee for, and then missing on an attempted barehand turn of a double play. But he made up for it by chasing Kluber from the game with a solo home run at the top of the fifth. Similarly, David Ross entered the game with Jon Lester, and had a throwing error and then let a wild pitch clang off his facemask that scored two runs. He promptly homered off of Andrew Miller.

3. Hendricks solid, Lester heroic.

Hendricks was functional if not especially dominant, but got the quick hook from Maddon after he walked Santana with two outs and no on in the fifth. Lester suffered from a squibber, a wild pitch, and some rough defense from Ross to give up two runs with two outs in the fifth, but then settled down and pitched masterful relief. Maddon pulled him with two outs in the eighth and one one, bringing in Chapman. Guyer promptly doubled to bring the game to 6-4. And then....

4.Rajai F'ing Davis

With 4 outs to go and Cleveland at a 3.5% Win Expectancy, Davis golfed a home run out down the left field line, tying the game at 6.

(We somehow survived that, and then, with 1 out to go in the bottom of the 10th and a 4.5% Win Expectancy, Davis again tormented us with a lined single to center to bring Cleveland to within a run, at 8-7. However....)

5. The 10th...

After a rain delay postponed the start of the tenth, Schwarber singled, Bryant hit a sacrifice fly to advance the pinch-runner Almora, Rizzo got an IBB, and then a go-ahead RBI double by Zobrist and RBI single by Montero gave us an 8-6 lead.  Carl Edwards Jr. and Mike Montgomery nail down the save, in a nail-biter, as we hang on to win 8-7.  A 10th-inning, Game 7, World Series victory on a rally started by a guy who missed the entire season from game 3 to the start of the world series, and saved by a couple of untested young relievers. But perhaps most indicative of what this year has been all about, eight different Cubs drove in an RBI, in a true team effort. After the game is over we learn the players called a meeting during the rain delay. David Ross gets carried off the field on Rizzo's and Heyward's shoulders, after the preliminary on-field celebrations.

 

All your best-team-in-the-world details, below...

 

Essential Questions

1.  Did Maddon Overmanage?

Maddon had a quick hook on Hendricks, pulling him for Lester, who promptly gave up two (hard luck) runs with two outs.  Lester got pulled three innings later for a fatigued Chapman, who promptly gave up three runs. Pinch-running with Coghlan instead of Almora also raised eyebrows, since it left us with one catcher, and the baserunning skill difference is perhaps less significant than the difference between Almora and Coghlan as pinch-hitters against Cleveland's very right-handed bullpen. Then there was the squeeze play call with a runner on third and 1 out in a tie game in the ninth. Almora then pinch-ran for Kyle Schwarber, Offensive Juggernaut, in the 10th.  Wiser people than me can sort through how much if any of this was overmanaging. But, in the end, does it matter?

2.  How many ways can you split the World Series MVP?

3. Ready to talk Back-to-Back?

 

 

Game Recap

 

Top of 1st

  •  Fowler starts the game by taking a 93 mph fastball for a strike on the inside corner. Next pitch, fastball inside, and then fastball high.
  • Fowler hits a high drive to dead-center field.  My mlb.tv radio feed is ahead of the FOX telecast, and Pat sounds like he wants to call it a homerun, but waits, agonizingly, before calling it gone. I then see on the FOX telecast that his wait was due to Davis making a leaping effort to rob it at the wall, coming up just short.  1-0 Cubs
  • Schwarber squibs one to what normally is shallow second base, where the shifted Lindor races in to barehand it.  Kyle Schwarber legs out an infield hit and looks just fine doing it.
  • There are clear chants of MVP as Bryant comes up. Works a 3-2 count. Kluber at 13 pitches with no outs yet. Chants of "Let's Go Cubs."  Bryant flies one to the warning track in right-center. Breaking pitch that didn't have the normal bite to it.
  • Rizzo starts 1-0. Pops out to Davis in shallow center. Looked like another breaking pitch that stayed too far up in the zone.
  • Schwarber gets a massive running start on Kluber, maybe 8 steps before Kluber starts his delivery. An uncontested stolen base as the Cubs dugout laughs and cheers.  Pat says "I didn't expect that one, Ron."  Ron replies, "Neither did Kluber."
  • Zobrist flies out to Chisenhall in shallow right.  19 pitches for Kluber.

 

Bottom of 1st

  • Hendricks' first plate gets too much of the plate and Santana hits it hard, but right at Heyward.
  • Beautiful changeup from Hendricks and Kipnis swings over it for strike three.
  • Lindor bounces to Baez, who goes to a knee to catch it, and in so doing stumbles and slips as he throws. Rizzo stretches for it but it pulls him off the bag, E-4.
  • 2 pitches later, a broken-bat 6-4 from Napoli. 9-pitch first inning. 8 strikes.

 

Top of 2nd

  •  Russell pops to Lindor. Kluber seems to be catching a lot of the plate.
  • Contreras tries to go the other way, and fouls out to Chisenhall in right.
  • Heyward breaks his bat popping out to Lindor.  26 pitches for Kluber.

Bottom of 2nd

  • Ramirez lines one off of Hendricks' glove, and Russell can't bare-hand the caromb. Infield hit.
  • Hendricks catches Ramirez between steps in his leadoff and throws one to Rizzo that leads him right into the tag for a beautiful pickoff. Chisenhall then promptly singles to left.
  • Davis bounces into a smartly turned 5-4-3, great pivot by Baez.  19 pitches for Hendricks

Top of 3rd

  • Arrieta, Lester, and Lackey head down to the bullpen
  • Baez gets just a bit ahead of a pitch and hits it off the end of the bat out to Crisp.  Cubs aren't being fooled by much, outs are all in the air.
  • Speaking of, a hard-hit fly out from Fowler out to Chisenhall
  • Schwarber lines one down the right field line. Chisenhall gets to it and Schwarber slides into the tag at second, with no one getting horrifically injured.  Kluber is not going to last long at this rate, even as he continues to generate outs...

Bottom of 3rd

  • Crisp inside-outs one past Bryant down the left field line for a double. It sure feels like we should have more than a one-run lead.
  • Perez bunts up the third base line, where Rizzo, who was crashing in hard, races over for it and takes the out at first. Crisp to third.
  • Santana takes a pitch outside and Contreras fires behind Crisp at third, to no luck. This is a gutsy team.
  • Hendricks gets an offspead pitch up and Santana lines it for a single into right. 1-1 tie
  • Kipnis chops to Russell who shovels to Baez at second.  Baez tries to barehand it coming across the bag to turn the DP, but the ball slips through his fingers. The runner is at first called out, but it's clear he never had control of the ball. Two errors on Baez, whose motor is running too fast on defense.
  • Montgomery and Edwards Jr. warming up.
  • 3-0 count on Lindor.
  • 3-1 count, Lindor flies towad the left-field line Zobrist slips a bit, but recovers to make the catch. Baez's first error and this both suggest the grass is a bit slick.
  • 0-2 on Napoli.  1-2 count, Napoli rips one to Bryant's right and he makes a nice catch on the liner.  Not sure if I should be annoyed we aren't up, or relieved we aren't down.

Top of 4th

  • Lester throwing to Ross in the bullpen
  • Full count to Bryant, Kluber at 38 pitches.  Bryant singles one through the left-side shift, between Lindor and Kipnis.
  • On an 0-2 pitch Kluber drills Rizzo in the elbow. 2 on, no outs, no one up for the Cleveland pen.
  • Zobrist bounces one to Napoli who throws high to second. Lindor comes down with it and tags the base as Zobrist comes barreling in. Not conclusive that Lindor ever really got his foot on the bag, but Rizzo slides into Lindor so that Lindor's taggingi him while Rizzo is off the bag, anyway. That's likely the basis for the out call.  Runners on 1st and 3rd, one out.
  • Russell flies to Davis in shallow center, and as Pat describes it, I think to myself "Davis has a bad arm, right?"  Pat is surprised to see Bryant tagging up, and Davis sails a throw that Perez has to leap for, with Bryant sliding in before Perez can get the tag down.  2-1 Cubs. Zobrist advances to second.
  • 2-2 count to Contreras, who lines one into deep right-center, on another breaking pitch that got too much of the plate. Davis breaks in and has no hopes of catching up with it as it hits off the wall for a double. Real nice swing by Contreras. 3-1 Cubs.
  • Heyward gets ahead 3-1. Foul, 3-2.  Kluber at 55 pitches.  Pops up to Lindor.

 

Bottom of 4th

  • Ramirez grounds to Rizzo, ranging to his right, and hey, look at that, a pitcher who covers the bag, for the 3-1 putout.
  • 0-2 count on Chisenhall, who pops to Zobrist in shallow left.
  • Davis flies to Heyward.  A much appreciated quick inning.

Top of 5th

  • Miller ready to go in the pen, but Kluber starts the inning. Baez, just as all the RHH had been working on, waits on an elevated breaking pitch and slams it out to the deepest part of right-center field.  4-1 Cubs
  • 1-2  slider from Miller and Fowler lines it for a single, past a diving Lindor.
  • Schwarber squibs one to Lindor who starts a 6-4-3.   Schwarber hustles down the line, forcing a review, but is just barely out.
  • Bryant works a full count and watches Miller throw a 3-2 slider just off the plate, for a walk. Nice AB. Nice to see Miller getting burned in the fifth.
  • Len tells me Holbrooke is the game 7 homeplate ump because, by the metrics, he graded out as the most accurate pitch-caller.   Hooray for meritocracy in this situation.
  • Bryant runs, and Rizzo lines one down the right field line. Chisenhall gets to it before it hits the wall, but Gary Jones sends Bryant. Bryant, on review, got a great jump off first and scores easily on the double.  5-1 Cubs.
  • Zobrist cracks one to deep left-center, where Davis makes a nice running catch on the warning track.

Bottom of 5th

  • Crisp rolls out to Baez.
  • Perez watches a fastball on the outside corner for strike three.
  • two curveballs to start Santana, 0-2 count.  Lester continues to warn up in the pen. Been doing a lot of throwing out there.  Arrieta sort of wandering around.  Santana meanwhile works a full count, it looks like a 2-2 changeup should have been a stike three. . And ball four. At 63 pitches, Hendricks is pulled for Lester, with Ross coming in to catch.
  • Second pitch, a 92 mph fastball on the corner, 1-1. 
  • Kipnis squibs one up the third base line and Ross throws to first. It sails into the path of the runner, and Kipnis collides with Rizzo's back. ball goes into the stands to put runners at 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. Error on Ross.
  • 2-2 count, borderline pitch on the low outside corner called a ball.  Full-count pitch gets Lindor swinging.

 

Top of 6th

  •  Miller facing Russell, who pops foul to Napoli.
  • Yeah, the best ball-and-strike ump in baseball this year clearly missed what should have been strike three on Santana.
  • David Ross, in what clearly is a fake World Series brought to you by Disney, takes a 1-2 pitch from Miller and hits it out to dead-center field for a home run6-3 Cubs.
  • Heyward rolls to Napoli who gets to first in advance of a head-first diving Heyward.
  • Baez swings over a slider to end the inning.

Bottom of 6th

  •  Lester still in,  2-2 to Napoli, who has an awkard swing at a 93 mph fastball for the strikeout.
  • Lester blows another 93mph fastball past Ramirez for strike two. Ramirez reaches for one, and Russell just does get him at first.
  • Guyer hits for Chisenhall, and singles to left.
  • Lester still hitting 93 at pitch 27 to Davis. Cody Allen warning up. 3-1 count to Davis.  Davis hits a chopper up the middle, Baez charges and throws to Rizzo to end the inning.

Top of 7th

  •  Miller still in, and his 38th pitch Fowler lines into right for a single, with Guyer keeping it to a single.
  • Schwarber with a nice AB against Miller, but eventually flies out down the left field line.  Allen comes in.
  • Bryant pops foul near the first base dugout, neither Napoli or Perez can quite get to it.  Allen giving a lot of attention to Fowler, slow pace to this AB
  • Bryant K's while Fowler runs, and get thrown out on a close play, no challenge.  Strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play

 

Bottom of 7th

  • Crisp pops Lester's 32nd pitch to Zobrist.
  • Full count to Perez, pitch just inside for the walk. 39 pitches for Lester. Naquin pinch-runs.
  • We get Peak Lester, as Santana hits one hard back to Lester.  For a brief moment he contemplates throwing to second, but the ball is also a bit stuck in his glove, so as he yanks it out he settles for what we all knew was inevitable, the underhand toss to first.
  • 1-2 to Kipnis, and Lester throws a big sweeping curve that K's Kipnis, swinging.  44 pitches for Lester. FanGraphs tells me Cleveland's Win Expectancy is at 6.5%

 

Top of 8th

  •  Rizzo swings over a curve in the dirt, with Perez making the throw to first.
  • Chapman ready to go in the pen.
  • Zobrist bounces to Napoli, guarding the first base line
  • Russell jams a popup to Napoli for a quiet eighth inning

 

Bottom of 8th

  •  Lester still pitching. Lindor hits a sharp one-hopper right to Russell for the first out.
  • Napoli takes a 94 mph fastball on the outside corner for strike three.
  • Lindor bounces up to Russell's left, he can't quite field it as it bounes away for a hit.
  • Maddon comes out, and Lester leaves the game.  The Cubs fans give him a great ovation.  In comes Chapman.
  • 100 mph to start Guyer. 99. According to Pat, the temperature for the first seven innings was about 62.  It's now 73. 2-2 count on Guyer. 101, fouled off.
  • Ramirez runs on a 3-2 pitch, and Guyer splits the right-center gap for a run-scoring double.  6-4 Cubs.
  • Fastball high and outside to Davis, for ball one. Wind now blowing out to right. Davis keeps fouling off 98 to 101 mph fastballs.  13 pitches... Davis, choking up on the bat, swings at a low fastball and golfs it down the line in left field for a game-tying home run6-6 tie.
  • Crisp lines a single to left.
  • Gomes hits for Perez. Chapman laboring, "profusely sweating" as Pat describes it." Chapman going to the breaking stuff. As the runner steals, Gomes strikes out swinging. The throw gets into center field, but it's inconsequential, as the inning had ended.  When Napoli K'd, Fan Graphs had Cleveland's Win Expectancy at 3.8%.

 

Top of 9th

  • Allen continues to pitch.
  • It begins to rain. Hard. 3-0 to Ross, 3-1, and a leadoff walk.
  • Coghlan runs for Ross, meaning Montero will catch.
  • 2-0 to Heyward, Cleveland thinking bunt. 2-2, Allen at 27 pitches. Rain letting up, wind picking up.
  • Heyward grounds to Kipnis who struggles to get the feed to Lindor. No attempt at the double play.
  • The grounds crew is about to put the tarp on, while the umpires start to examine Coghlan's slide. It sure looked like a clean slide, and after some confusion, that's what's ruled.
  • Shaw in.  3-1 count to Baez.  Heyward goes, and Baez swings through a fastball.  A good throw would get Heyward, but it is short, clangs off of Kipnis's leg, and goes into center, a throwing error on Gomes. Heyward goes to third. To defend against a sacrifice fly to left, Francona swings Guyer around to left, with Martinez now in the game in right, and the weak-throwing Crisp taken out of the game. Infield in.
  • Shaw throws a fastball and the safety squeeze is on. Baez jabs at it and fouls it at his feet for a strikeout.
  • Fowler  hits a soft liner up the middle. Lindor ranges far to his left, gets to the ball and easily throws out Fowler at first

 

Bottom of 9th

  • Chapman continues to pitch.  3-1 count to Santana, Chapman seems to be fading fast, yet still is throwing 98. Montgomery up. Santana pops to Zobrist; it was a slider that caught a lot of the plate.
  • Rain has stopped.  Full count to Kipnis, Chapman continuing to get breaking pitches out over the plate. Another one, fouled off.Fastball up and in, 98, strikes out swinging at ball four.
  • Lindor flies to Heyward in shallow right. Extra Innings.

 

Top of 10th

  • A rain delay pushes back the start of the 10th. About 20 minutes later, Shaw is staying in the game.
  • Schwarber smokes a low and in fastball past Kipnis, shifted over into short right field for a single.  Almora in to pinch-run. Edwards, Bauer, and Otero all warming up.  Shaw getting pitches elevated to Bryant, who fouls them off.
  • Bryant hits a fly to the warning track in the deepest part of right-center. Almora tags up.  Half an hour ago the wind was blowing out enough to have nudged it out.
  • Rizzo intentionally walked.
  • 1-2 count to Zobrist. Zobrist lines one down the left field line for a double, Almora scoring easily.  Zobrist is leaping and pumping his fists in ecstacy as he bounds into second base. Rizzo has his hands on his helmet in disbelief at regaining the lead. 7-6 Cubs
  • With first base open, Russell intentionally walked.
  • Montero up, and he grounds one the opposite way against the shift, scoring Rizzo. Bases still loaded. 8-6 Cubs
  • Bauer in. Heyward K's trying to check his swing on a curve in the dirt.
  • Baez works a 2-2 count before flying out to center on a hittable inside fastball

 

Bottom of 10th

  • Everyone who had Carl Edwards Jr. as the guy trying to close out the 10th inning of Game 7 of the World Series, please step forward so that we may identify the liars.
  • I missed it, but hear from others that Chapman was in tears in the dugout. Credit where it's due, he did his very best in very tough conditions.
  • 96 MPH fastball on the corner gets Napoli swinging.
  • Ramirez bounces to Russell ranging toward second, for an easy out.  Two down.
  • 3-0 to Guyer with Rajai F'ing Davis up next....
  • Ball four. Rajai Davis comes up as the tying run....
  • Ball one, Guyer takes second on defensive indifference
  • Davis lines one up the middle, and Guyer scores.  8-7 Cubs.
  • Montgomery in to pitch. Starts Martinez with a curveball strike.  Martinez hits a slow roller to Bryant who comes in on it, and fires to Rizzo. How appropraite, Bryant to Rizzo for the world championship.  Rizzo pockets the ball and races to the mound to start the celebration. Cubs Win, Cubs are the World Champions.

Parachat Recap

 

Pregame:

  • Thoughtful conversations about the place of the Cubs in our lives. How and where and with whom we're watching. Relationships. Coffee. Music.
  • Me, johann, CTSteve, bizmarquis, Brick, crunch, MorningtonCrescent, waveland, Wes, Ryno, Just_a_Girl all present and accounted for.
  • Who feels like puking? (Most of us.)

 

1st Inning

  • We lose are shit over the Fowler home run. RichK and John Beasley join. Hot_Karlos shows up.
  • Carlos's halloween costume.  mister_whipple shows up.
  • Laughing manically at the Schwarber SB.
  • SOTBLAN, TOOTBLAN, King of the Hill, and Please Clap.
  • Panic over the E-4

 

2nd Inning

  • sbwilliams joins.
  • Parachat spoilers, like watching a horror movie through your fingers.
  • How on-edge we are, even after the HR.
  • Things city-folk don't get.
  • What Joe West is doing out in right field.
  • A Joe Buckless off-season
  • Biased broadcasters
  • Charlie joins.
  • Ramirez's hair, crunch's crops, DFAs, and Chisenhall facts.
  • HAR: Happiness above Replacement.

3rd Inning

  • The scientific engineering of sad commercials.
  • Feeling good about hitting Kluber
  • TOOTBLAN as TOOTBLKS
  • Memories of Cub futility and futility infielders.
  • Anguish
  • Freaking out.
  • Setting Cleveland on fire (except Drew Carey)
  • Mike Napoli's girlfriend.
  • Napoli as the final batter in a kids movie about baseball

 

4th Inning

  • An appropriate Wells Fargo apology
  • Our goals in run-scoring.
  • Mascots for insurance companies.
  • When to pull Hendricks
  • Rally Quacks.
  • Cleveland's running game involves running backs?
  • Starting Lester for 2 IP before going to Hendricks?
  • Reminding crunch it's an AL game.
  • Thrilled at regaining a lead.
  • Forehead-licking.
  • What we're supposed to be working on right now.
  • Ryno almost calls the 2-2 double. 
  • Rally Quacks.
  • What they're doing in Caracas
  • Big Hits and Big... uh....
  • Carlos, Most Valuable Parachatter.
  • We appreciate that we've been a parachat community for a long, long time.
  • Parachat-dating.
  • redsfan joins.
  • RobG joins
  • Three Cheers for CTSteve
  • And to RobG

 

5th Inning

  • The progression of our booze-consumption.
  • The transative property of North Carolinians.
  • How we're going to cope with tomorrow.
  • Carlos proposes to Dexter Fowler.
  • Whose phones are or aren't lighting up with messages
  • My contractual obligation to recap game 7.
  • Death to Trans.
  • When to pull Hendricks
  • We get really excited.
  • My effort to artfully write around the cleavages fails when RichK reminds me not to forget the cleavages.  Ok, fine. I won't.
  • What we would endure for a World Series Championship.
  • Also, don't forget the Clevengers.
  • Lester's very long warmup
  • Debating the switch to Lester/Ross
  • We begin to panic. Anxiety, recrimination, and dread.

 

6th Inning

  •  Continuing to debate the move to Lester.
  • We happily tease the parachatters who would have rather had Contreras up to hit instead of Ross
  • We doubt that this game is real. It's clearly an overly sappy cliched movie.
  • Soft underbellies.
  • Fake historical facts about pre-1915 baseball
  • Fake Winston Churchill quotations about the Cubs.
  • Audio clips of ballplayers not saying anything = White Sox broadcasts, when losing.
  • How fans of rival teams are handling our success.

7th Inning

  •  Return of the gay witchcraft.
  • A quack can't be a herring, you silly goose.
  • The Miller Trade We Didn't Make.
  • Conditions we impose on trick-or-treaters if they want candy.
  • Coffee-talk.
  • The 2017 roster.
  • Potential WS MVP picks.
  • Matusz's World Series share, ring.
  • JB is not allowed to stop drinking until this is over.
  • Big_Lowitzki joins.
  • and with him, we get a johann's mom joke.
  • Garden Weasel, Garden Claw Gold
  • Getting really excited
  • How do we get through the 8th and 9th?
  • Win Expectancy: do we want to know it or not?

8th Inning

  • Pat's high?
  • Chapman's workload tonight?
  • Who's dropping dead after this game?
  • Are there any normal men out there? (no.)
  • We want Lester to stay in the game.
  • Newport joins.  Parachat presently at 21. More have been in, total, ove rthe course of the night.
  • Making fun of Joe Buck.
  • Alcoholic consumption, supply updates.
  • Who owns TCR?  Who does the Twitter feed.
  • Heart attacks and dying in Parachat.
  • Cubbery....

9th Inning

  • Trying to muster hope.
  • Why Coghlan pinch-running over Almora, when the Cleveland bullpen is so right-handed?
  • RALLY CAPS; RALLY QUACKS
  • Freaking out over the near double play.
  • Keeping an eye on when we all have to go work
  • Debating the squeeze play.
  • Debating Chapman coming out for the 9th.
  • Utter dread and foreboding.

10th Inning

  • Second-guessing through the rain delay.
  • Milli Vanilli lyrics. Other songs about the rain.
  • RALLY CAPS; RALLY QUACKS
  • CTSteve finally gets my Big Lebowski reference. Except it was Whipple's.
  • Ecstacy.
  • Who gets to pitch the 10th?
  • How are our pets handling this?
  • We wish Harambe could see this.
  • We've exceeded the the recommended weight limit for Parachat. Someone call the Fire Marshall.
  • Imagining a lineup for next year in which Heyward reverts to his norm.
  • Giving Chapman credit where it's due.
  • Counting down....
  • Also, Coffee and Corner Gas. And BEEEEEEES.  And Bowl Scrapers.
  • They've boarded up the Wrigleyville Starbucks....

 

 

 

Tags

Comments

Let's update this old chestnut... THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE LAST TIME THE CUBS WON THE WORLD SERIES 1) Nothing.

Until the last out, I didn't really believe they would do it. What a way to win it. I am completely wiped out.

I loved Rizzo's reaction to Zobrist's hit -- I think the guy was literally in a state of shock.

The last 2 times the Indians have been in the WS, they have lost Game 7 in extras. That's rough.

Thanks again to CTSteve and all you gents -- it has been one hell of a ride. Same time next year?

Sorry I couldn't stick out parachat mobile to the end--but I got to talk Cubs WS victory with my dad! Glad we get to keep you around, Trans! [Puts favorite stone back in antique chest.]

I'm still in shock. I've teared up a bunch of times again this morning. Congrats to all of us. This Nike ad is cool, in part because it was shot on the same softball field (Eckhart Park) that my team has played on for 15 years. Nice to see they didn't even make it look good for the ad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4LrTkWq9jU

Congrats to all of you - everyone of us participating here since early on. It has FINALLY happened. I feel that the Cubs players won in spite of the manager panicking in Game 7 and senselessly using his "only" relief option in Game 6 to pitch again early. I was furious in both of those games at his decisions, and Maddon was scaringly close to becoming the Grady Little of the Cubs. Fortunately the players saved his ass. While Hendricks was not the 1-hit version of his Cardinals gem, he was well in control and gave up a walk on strike 3. In the 5th inning! Can't wait 'til next year!

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

That's really good write up. I really agree with the conclusion that the cubs won because of "their talent, their resilience, an their depth". I have had unquestioning faith in Maddon for the whole season, but he really lost me in the 5th inning. "..he was much to mired in the mentality that his counterpart had adopted" is exactly what I was thinking when he gave Hendricks the hook. -and I would add that he was doing so knowing that he had a fatigued closer in the pen. I still think he's a great motivator, but I hope that he learned something from this experience as well. As a side note, I'd like to thank all of you for your insightful comments and therapeutic co-miserations. I've wholeheartedly enjoyed this site and it's predecessors since I found it trying to find solace after the unpleasantness of October 2003. I'm not a frequent poster anyway, but made a decision not to post at all for the last 2/3 of this season, fearful of the bad ju-ju it might bring on. (you can all thank me later)

Frequent reader, seldom poster for over 10 years of The Cub Reporter. Thanks to everyone in this community. I live in Texas these days and this site reminds of having a great baseball discussion at a small midwestern dive bar. Plus is has the added benefit of AZ Phil. What a season!!!! Wow.

Thank you to all of the Cubs community here! Thank you, Trans, for the great recaps! Thank you Rob G. and CTSteve for keeping this site for all of us to congregate. Thanks to AZPhil for allowing us to know about all of these guys from their first moments in the organization. How else would we know about Javy "I'll do whatever the f*** I want" Baez and the nearly wire-to-wire brilliance of Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber? I apologize for not joining in the Parachats -- my laptop wouldn't load it. These recaps at least let me experience them second hand. Go Cubs! They did it! Thank goodness!

Holy hell this is awesome. Also in reflecting on this season I think the thing that most amazes me is Hendricks. This is a guy that most people were thinking could be a decent 4th or 5th starter leading the league in ERA and pitching us through some of the most important post season games. Holy hell what a season this guy had. World Series champs finally.

[ ]

In reply to by johann

For me, it was both Kyles: the amazing return of Schwarber, who posted a .500 OBP in the freaking World Series having not seen MLB pitching in 6 months and not able to even take BP until the last few weeks. Just amazing! And, just to toot my own horn: Schwarber really did = Willis Reed.

Cleveland rocks -- I'm at the Cleveland airport to fly home to Chicago (here for a meeting, not Game 7). I'm wearing a Cubs sweatshirt, and many Cleveland fans have come over to say Congratulations. Very classy.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

some people won't understand what this win means beyond our personal joy because they're not in the mindset. for many of us it's not only about the win, it's about those who didn't live long enough to see this win. lot of people thinking about others today...parents, grandparents, friends, ex-players, ex-booth, ex-front office, etc. i never cared for his mic work, but i really wish ron santo could have seen this.

If you were feeling conflicted about Chapman, I love this take.

http://www.espn.com/espnw/voices/espnw-columnists/article/17960974/sara…

"I have to admit that those final innings were some of the most stressful, agonizing moments of my life, but with the benefit of hindsight I'm grateful that Chapman blew the lead. Because of his failings, the lasting image of my team's first World Series win in over a century was not of Chapman on the mound celebrating a save. Instead of Chapman in the big pile-up, it was Mike Montgomery, who got one out to record his first career save and clinch it for the Cubs.

That might sound petty, but as someone who felt conflicted about Chapman's role on the team since his arrival, there was a sort of poetic justice to him doing nothing to facilitate the Cubs' final moment of glory -- even if he was technically credited with the win. He's almost certainly off to another team in the offseason and a new fanbase will have to decide whether he's made efforts to change or not, whether they will cheer for him or stay silent."

 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Another veteran free-agent the Cubs might target in the off-season is Stephen Drew.

He is a left-handed hitter who hits RHP very well, and (unlike Tommy LaStella) he can play SS in addition to 2B and 3B, and he has more XBH pop than Kawasaki (I would be surprised if LaStella and/or Kawasaki are back with the Cubs in 2017).

[ ]

In reply to by johann

I agree with both of you, and I also think Montgomery gets to make 10+ starts next year, maybe more if Hammel or Arrieta get traded. I'm not a big fan of spending money on relief pitchers, so I'd rather the Cubs not go after Jansen (nor Chapman). But I do think they are going to try to acquire at least one solid left-handed reliever to replace or accompany Montgomery in the bullpen. I'm glad for several reasons that Chapman does not seem like the key part of the team for this WS, and the domestic violence charges feel like the most important of those reasons.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

FA SP market is crap, keep Hammel, you've got Montgomery, possibly Cahill and Zastrzyny as back-up options and maybe a few other cheapies that can compete in spring training. Doubt Cubs will spend any big $$ this offseason, although I'd be intrigued if they could somehow get Jansen on a 2-3 year deal with a crazy AAV to fit in before Bryant, Russell and Schwarber get expensive...but I don't expect that to happen. They were well on their way to 103 wins before Chapman and there will be another Chapman available in June-July.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

CHARLIE: As things stand right now (presuming Fowler declines his side of the mutual option and then declines a Qualifying Offer if one is extended), I suspect it will be an Almora/Heyward platoon in CF with Zobrist in RF and Schwarber (and occasionally Bryant or Contreras) in LF to start the season, and then if things aren't working by the All-Star break, the Cubs will make a mid-season trade for a CF. I think the most-likely off-season trade candidates are Jorge Soler, Hector Rondon, and Tommy LaStella, and maybe Jason Hammel (unless the Cubs want to keep Montgomery in the pen for one more season). Bottom line is, the Cubs save payroll if they trade Hammel, and he should have value in a depressed starting pitcher free-agent market where any team that acquires him before Opening Day gets an established SP for $12M and the right to make him a QO post-2017. Soler makes $3M next season and really has no spot on the 25-man roster at this time, LaStella burned his bridge with the Cubs when he refused to report to Iowa in July, and Maddon quite obviously lost confidence in Rondon in the post-season, although his struggles after coming off the DL might have been related to his triceps issue, and so he quite possibly could be the Rondon we saw the first half of the 2016 season once he has an off-season to rest his arm. I suspect the Cubs might target catcher A. J. Ellis (to replace Ross), INF Stephen Drew (to replace LaStella and Coghlan), and a LHRP like Boone Logan (adding another lefty arm to the pen). Trading Hammel would provide the payroll space needed to sign the three (in addition to presumably acquiring a young arm or two in the process).

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

I'm also thinking the Cubs might try and bring back David Ross in some type of quasi-field capacity (like maybe a roving minor league catching instructor) where he can occasionally take BP and get some reps behind the plate. And then he could be placed on an active roster on 8/31 (making him eligible for the post-season) and get into playing shape at Advanced Instructs in September and be available to be activated for the post-season (if the Cubs get there and if he's needed).

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Of the Cubs free-agents, I think the one the Cubs would most like to bring back is Travis Wood, albeit for a significant salary-reduction (he made $6M+ in 2016). What he brings to the table (athleticism and versatility) is a perfect fit on a Joe Maddon 25-man roster. Whether Wood would be willing to take a pay-cut and whether he would want to continue being used in that role is the question. He might prefer a gig where he can be a starting pitcher again, or at least a conventional lefty reliever who doesn't PH, PR, or play LF.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Yep -- assuming they want Zobrist (only real lead-off candidate) and Schwarber (see "Series, World, 2016") in the everyday lineup for their bats, and Baez at 2B for his glove, the only place for Heyward to play is CF. If Baez sticks at 2B, I don't think we'll see as much multi-positonal stuff next year. But, it's Joe, so he'll probably tinker just to keep from getting bored.

Wow. Thanks guys. It's always awesome reading these pages, and the best informed baseball dweebs on earth. I would have liked to have gone on parachat, but then, when's the last time I was on parachat? And thanks for the Cubs for saving Joe's ass. He overmanaged pulling Hendricks, but if he hadn't, well, I have a feeling there are a few new baseball fans in this world because of the way this game played out - fans that may not have come on board in a 5+-1 boring Hendricks win.

AZ PHIL: I hope you had a nice time last night. And you toasted all the youngsters you have seen "grow up" literally before your eyes.

E-MAN: I did. Then I woke up this morning thinking that I just had a dream where the Cubs won the World Series. I'm still not sure, but I think it probably really did happen.

Hopefully Kyle Schwarber can rejoin the Mesa Solar Sox next week and help them win the Arizona Fall League championship. (The Solar Sox are currently in 1st place in the AFL East). The Solar Sox have the longest AFL championship drought among the six AFL teams (last won it all in 2003).

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Who cares about a Solar Sox championship drought? They aren't even a predominantly Cub team. Phil, congratulations on your (and our) Cubs winning the world series! But suggesting that Schwarber go immediately back to running the bases with abandon as we've seen him do very recently is not your best work.

A fun fact about Schwarber is that when he was down here with the Solar Sox last week, he wore #66 (Ian Happ wears #12).

AZ PHIL: thanks for your on-the-spot report on Schwarbs during his pre-WS rehab. MLB just tweeted he had the 5th highest .OPS in MLB World Series history. Not too shabby! To think there was a tiny chance the Cubs could have traded him for Andrew Miller - I find that fascinating based on what happened 10 weeks later.

if I were to predict the Cubs offseason moves...

- Some rather big trade involving some combo of Soler, Happ, Almora and Eloy that gets a decent SP that's under club control for a few years as back-up for Arrieta's most likely departure in a year

- Heyward in CF...anyone that thinks he won't have a starting job is silly. He may lose it and may even lose it quick, but that's how the season will start.

- 95% chance of picking up Hammel's option, decent chance of a trade though if they can bring in another SP via the above speculated trade.

- Montero is 75% sure to be gone, love his intangible game...physical skills have disappeared though. I think Willson becomes Lester's catcher. He's got the arm to slow down the running game. Lester calls his own game anyway. He will need to work on framing pitches though. A good defensive back-up will also be signed such as Ellis that AZ Phil mentioned or similar type.

- Small, small chance Fowler returns which would necessitate further trades

- Small, small chance they go big on Jansen or Melancon and maybe even Chapman, but more likely continue the throw a lot of arms at the problem and let it sort itself out.

- The normal bullpen, SP and bench 40-man roster shenanigans that they have done every off-season.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Can't imagine Montero will ever have to purchase another drink in the greater Chicago area for the remainder of his life. Between the pinch hit grand slam and singling in what turned out to be the winning run of game 7 of the World Series I will always be grateful. I think coaxing the scoreless ninth inning out of a distressed Chapman was a minor miracle. Huzzah!

[ ]

In reply to by Eric S

Agree with you about Miggy, especially regarding the bottom of the ninth. Would love to know who called all those sliders--whether it was Maddon, Bosio or the catcher. It was so lovely--at least for me--to see Chapman actually "pitching," as the phrase is. (What--I can't get anybody out today because I don't have 103?)

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

If he's willing to let all his arbitration years and an option on some FA years...sure. Cubs set a price and stick to it like Arrieta and Ninja, not gonna deviate from that plan. hendricks is less likely to get injured with his velocity than others so he'd have a better case for sticking it out.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Agreed. He's the kind of guy that fits the profile both as a pitcher and person as a good extension candidate, where each party gives up something to get some certainty. This is random and anecdotal, but he reminds me of a right-handed Mark Buehrle in that the frame is built to handle the stuff and that even some small deterioration in velocity won't doom his results. I say get him paid and locked up this winter if he meets you halfway.

[ ]

In reply to by jacos

I wonder how giant the revenue boost will be in the wake of the WS win and with several winning seasons likely on the way. Merch, ticket sales, and TV contract should bring in waves of money.

Random: Kyle Schwarber 7/17 with 3 BB. Apparently hitting MLB pitching isn't as hard as some people make it out to be. Clinching games: SF: 4 runs in the 9th. LA: Pummel the best pitcher on the planet. CLE: Rough up the other best pitcher on the planet, then do the same to the mostunhittablest reliever. Show mercy on Allen, then whack Shaw around to win it. Will Cubs parade on Friday be the largest sports celebration crowd in US history?

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Obviously, the 2016 Cubs were a horrible experience for him. :) In all seriousness, my take on it is this: He took a lesser contract in 2016 (in number of years) than what he wanted in 2016, but apparently he's had a conversation with his agent and he's ready to get paid with a fat contract. I say good luck to him. Who knows, maybe he'll be back.

Maybe I'm not good at virtue-signaling but I've developed some love for Aroldis Chapman and hope the Cubs are in the bidding for his services. (I've said previously that I feel the same way about Fowler.) The Cubs had a crappy bullpen apart from Chapman and Montgomery, in case no one noticed; and Montgomery doesn't profile as a closer. Rondon never really recovered from his tricep problem in early August, but should mend over the winter. Strop and Grimm don't pitch well under pressure and had no saves during the season. Strop had five blown saves, although that statistic includes blown holds. But he just blows. Edwards looks very promising, but Maddon had the good sense not to pitch him in high-leverage situations, until he just had to use him in the bottom of the tenth when there was no one else besides Strop, Grimm, Wood and a tired Montgomery. We saw how Edwards froze up when he got to two outs. We don't smell a World Series, let alone win it, without Chapman.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

Yes, from a purely baseball perspective, the Chapman deal was awesome. Don't imagine they win Game 5 of the WS without him, and he slammed the door on SF. Maddon's lack of confidence in the pen during the post-season was both justified and self-fulfilling, since most guys didn't get work and knew they would be on a very short leash. Hard to pitch under those circumstances, particularly in the post-season. I would not be shocked to see them make a serious run at Chapman. Next year is a "premium" year in the 2016-2021 window, since Jake and Lackey will still be here and Lester will still be in his prime. If they could get Chapman on a 2-3 year deal, CJ could be worked into the 8th inning role. Not sure where Fowler would play. Assuming Baez at 2B, Schwarbs in LF and Zobrist in RF puts Heyward in CF. Plus, Almora & Soler (barring a deal). I will always love Dex for this year, but great franchises know when to move on.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

If you look at the numbers on Strop and Grimm, they actual both did fine in high leverage positions. Strop underperformed his averages in medium leverage situations, and Grimm underperformed his averages in low leverage situations. Carl Edwards was dynamite in high leverage situations, although the sample size is very small. [Basing all this on splits from Baseball Reference and OPS allowed within those situations.] The eye test is helpful at times, but the numbers don't back up the conclusions.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

I don't recall one moment that the late-inning bullpen guys (Strop and Rondon) were ever really a problem before they got Chapman. It was everything before and Grimm was a lot better once he came back up. Then Rondon and Strop got hurt and were never quite the same. I see no good reason to start throwing bad money at closers on the FA market...although I think Jansen and Chapman are both really, really good. But Better off doing what they've done, accumulate as many as they can and do what they need to in June and July...someone is always available. I have no idea what their financial situation is going to be, the real money doesn't happen until the the TV deal happens and there's not a ton coming off the books and what is is probably going to have to go to raises, arbitration and the few holes they need to fill. That being said, I'm totally cool with them spending their own money, preferably on Jansen though.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

The injuries and subsequent ineffectiveness of Rondon and Strop is what made Chapman so critical. Rondon was very, very good until the injury -- he never seemed to get his slider back. Strop pitched a total of 6 innings after July 31. Rondon gave up 12ER in 10IP after July 31. Not how you want your back-end bullpen guys to be performing going into the playoffs.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I think Madden created a lot of the problems with the bullpen. Rondon was used to clean innings in closing situations and post-Chapman Madden would only put him in after people had already gotten on base and pull him as soon as he let someone on while he would leave other relievers in no matter what. Then he just stopped going to Rondon entirely. Madden never allowed him to get comfortable with his new role, was pretty clear he had no confidence in him and basically set him up to fail.

Still trying to digest it all: - Cubs come back from down 3-1, win the last 2 in Cleveland. - Schwarber returns for the WS, posts a .500 OBP, starts the winning rally in the 10th. - Ross goes deep to CF off Andrew Miller in Game 7. - 65 and sunny in Chicago for the victory parade on November 4. If they made it a movie, no one would have believed the plot.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

BB, that's actually why sports movies tend to be bad. When the good guys win, it's not believable. I'm no Einstein, but I don't believe there's an alternate universe where this didn't happen. For the rest of our lives, those games will be in the Win column. We can fly the W flag confidently.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.