Baseball history unpacked, April 27

“That team is better than their record.” — Brandon Palmer

“It’s a damn shame,” said simCubs manager Nony Ross Brandon Palmer, “that someone had to lose that game.

“We definitely need to see some better innings from our bullpen, and our starters need to get deeper into the games,” he continued. “Don’t take this as a blanket indictment, but some of our guys need to get their thumbs out of their ... mouths ...” He chuckled, deep in his throat.

This was after a 17-inning marathon in which the visiting Phillies finally put an end to with two deep flies. Both teams were homer-happy in this classic matchup. Rhys Hoskins for Philadelphia and Jason Kipnis for Chicago contributed two long bombs each, with Kipnis twice tying the game on blasts and Hoskins blasting the game-winner off of tough-luck loser Max Fried, traded to the Cubs just in time to throw 110 or so pitches in a six-inning relief stint.

“Why didn’t Johan Camargo get into the game?” I asked Palmer.

“Johan was ready to pitch if he needed to,” he explained. “He was ready to catch, whatever. He was my insurance policy. He was in the hole — I was gonna bring him in to bat if we made the 18th.

“Man, that was a GAME, wasn’t it? That team is better than their record. Suddenly I’m afraid of the Braves and Nationals.” He laughed. “Bring ‘em on. As the manager of the simCubs here in the Cub Tracks Continuum, I hereby declare us the underdogs. As one of my predecessors might have said, this game was a magic carpet ride. We kept on truckin’ until we couldn’t on hold on loosely any more, but we never backed down.”

We were by then watching some game film.

“Not enough of those highlights are of us. I especially dislike that last inning. We have a lot to learn, still. I take nothing away from my guys. They are professionals, and they give it their all, between the lines. They are in the best shape of their lives, and it shows. They’ve put the time in and are reaping the results.

“Ian Happ could be 7-for-7. He barreled every ball he saw. Javy’s coming out of his mayonnaise. Um, malaise.

“Heck, maybe we need a Miracle Whip. We started out hot but maybe we overcooked early and I’ll have to pull out all the stops to egg these guys on to the victory they so richly deserve. Is that good for you guys? Okay, good night. Drive safely. Advance masked.”

The Cubs will try again, today at simWrigley Field, against the woeful Pittsburgh Pirates. Al will have more information about that game in the game post at 2:30 pm CT, Tuesday, for our 3 p.m. start. I’ll drop the specific URL to the contest in the game thread, but you can lurk at the BCB Media Center and catch it there as well. All past games and highlights reels are available there too, if you want the full #simCubs experience.

... on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue brings a you a lighthearted Cubs-centric look at baseball’s past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow along as we review hand-picked scenes from the rich tapestry of Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball history*.

Today in baseball history:

• 1961 - The expansion Angels play their first home game, bowing to the Twins at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, 4-2. The 74 year-old baseball legend Ty Cobb, in his last-ever visit to a ballpark, throws out the ceremonial first pitch. (1)
• 1977 - The Cardinals snap a three-game losing streak, routing the Cubs at Wrigley Field, 20-3. Redbirds’ shortstop Garry Templeton crosses home plate five times, a team record. (1)
• 2003 - Ozzy, the male osprey of a breeding pair that lived for years on Jackie Robinson Ballpark’s left field light pole, dies at the Audubon Birds of Prey Center as a result of being hit by a baseball being thrown trying to knock it off its perch he shared with his mate Harriet and a brood of chicks. Class A Daytona Cubs hurler Jae Kuk Ryu was charged with second-degree misdemeanor by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for harming a protected bird. (1)
• Cubs birthdays: Rogers Hornsby HOF, Joey Gathright. Also notable: Enos Slaughter HOF.

Sources:

• (1) — The National Pastime.
• (2) — Today in Baseball History.
• (3) — Baseball Reference.
• (4) — Society for American Baseball Research.
• (5) — Baseball Hall of Fame.
• (6) — This Day in Chicago Cubs history.

*We try to vet each item. Please let us know if an item is in error, especially if you have a source. Thanks for reading!