Bleed Cubbie Blue - All PostsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2024-03-28T12:00:00-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/current/2024-03-28T12:00:00-05:002024-03-28T12:00:00-05:00On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Rangers series preview
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<figcaption>Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs open the 2024 season against the defending World Series champions.</p> <p id="ft48QL">This will be the first time in Cubs franchise history that they will open a season against a defending World Series champion that’s an American League team.</p>
<p id="RqCuqo">The last time the Cubs opened the season against a defending World Series champion was 1998, when they began the year in Miami against the Marlins. They won two of three in that series on their way to a wild card berth, winning 90 games (including the wild-card tiebreaker game, which no longer exists). We’d take a 90-win season this year, I think.</p>
<p id="jM7Uki">For more on the Rangers, here’s Adam J. Morris, manager of our SB Nation Rangers site <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Lone Star Ball</a>:</p>
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<p id="lUCGeE">The 2024 Texas Rangers are doing something no Rangers team has ever done before — defending a World Series title. A weird feeling for Rangers fans, and one that has me, at least, much more sanguine about the coming year than I might otherwise be. </p>
<p id="RcOwj0">The big question for the Rangers coming into 2024 is about their pitching staff — and in particular, the rotation in the first half of the season. Thus, it seems appropriate that after Nathan Eovaldi, who will be starting on Opening Day, the final two games of the first series between Texas and the Cubs currently have TBD as the starter. Dane Dunning pitched on Tuesday, which would seem to put him on track to start Sunday, but that is up in the air. Jon Gray was supposed to pitch on Tuesday, but didn’t because of a sore neck. Andrew Heaney hasn’t pitched in an A game in two weeks. Michael Lorenzen may not be ready to go, having just signed, so maybe Cody Bradford will start the second game of the year.</p>
<p id="eZSazY">Fortunately, there are fewer questions about the lineup. The Rangers scored a metric crapton of runs last year, and appear well suited to do that again in 2024, particularly with the additions of Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford, who will be playing in their first ever Opening Day game and who are co-favorites for A.L. Rookie of the Year. The lineup is solid top to bottom and in the field, they play solid defense. Corey Seager and Josh Jung, recovering from injuries, only got into games in the last week, so they will probably each get a game at DH in this series. Nathaniel Lowe is on the injured list due to an oblique injury, so Jared Walsh and Ezequiel Duran will platoon at first base in his absence.</p>
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<h3 id="ZWf8CL">Fun facts</h3>
<p id="KjwPUt">This will be the 13th opening series that is the Cubs’ first visit to a park. It happened nine times from 1876-94. The only times since then were:</p>
<p id="bFxWOS">1902: Palace of the Fans, Cincinnati<br>1912: Redland Field, Cincinnati<br>1962: Colt Stadium, Houston<br>2000: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo vs Mets</p>
<p id="owvPAL">All of those four were the first regular-season MLB series ever played in those parks.</p>
<p id="ozYSm5">...</p>
<p id="LVAm6n">In all season-opening series since 1876, the Cubs’ record is 208-193-4, a .518 winning percentage. They have a .512 percentage in all subsequent games of seasons.</p>
<p id="dgRbNO">In season-opening series on the road, the Cubs are 130-121-1, .518. They have just a .466 percentage in all subsequent road games of seasons.</p>
<p id="YqzmOv">(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)</p>
<h3 id="sh4yvL">Probable pitching matchups (2023 records)</h3>
<p id="6CZHSS"><strong>Thursday:</strong> Justin Steele, LHP (16-5, 3.06 ERA, 1.171 WHIP, 3.02 FIP) vs. Nathan Eovaldi, RHP (12-5, 3.63 ERA, 1.139 WHIP, 3.88 FIP)</p>
<p id="fJvqW3"><strong>Saturday:</strong> Kyle Hendricks, RHP (6-8, 3.74 ERA, 1.204 WHIP, 3.81 FIP) vs. TBD</p>
<p id="x3anEz"><strong>Sunday:</strong> Jordan Wicks, LHP (4-1, 4.41 ERA, 1.269 WHIP, 4.70 FIP) vs. TBD</p>
<h3 id="60cMNr">Times & TV channels</h3>
<p id="GKnUQr"><strong>Thursday:</strong> 6:35 p.m. CT, ESPN (full national broadcast, no blackouts)</p>
<p id="sERxsF"><strong>Saturday:</strong> 6:05 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network</p>
<p id="2e4uMh"><strong>Sunday:</strong> 1:35 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network</p>
<h3 id="dJeFKb">Prediction</h3>
<p id="inFzuy">There will be lots of hoopla for this series given the Rangers are defending WS champs and will have a ring ceremony, etc. But I think the Cubs are ready for battle and will take two of three in this opening series, especially with the Rangers pitching sort of in disarray as noted above.</p>
<h3 id="DiBKuI">Up next</h3>
<p id="eN8SZp">The Cubs head home for the Wrigley Field opener Monday afternoon against the Colorado Rockies, the first of a three-game series.</p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/3/28/24052134/cubs-rangers-series-previewAl Yellon2024-03-28T10:30:00-05:002024-03-28T10:30:00-05:00BCB roundtable: 2024 Cubs season preview
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<p>A discussion of the season to come from the BCB staff.</p> <p id="gikcO7">BCB’s front-page writers have done several of these roundtable discussions previewing Cubs seasons and postseasons, so here we are again to kick off the 2024 season. Josh, Sara, Thomas, Duane and I had a lively online conversation Wednesday afternoon. The online chat has been lightly edited for clarity. Ashley was unable to join us for this discussion.</p>
<p id="Kz0fq0"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> This Cubs team is a potential division champion. Right? RIGHT?</p>
<p id="oMVSau"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Yes.</p>
<p id="LK4C9a"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Absolutely.</p>
<p id="McKixy"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> In this division? Of course. If they were in the East or West we’d be having a different conversation.</p>
<p id="FxQnLf"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Yes, because it is a weak division</p>
<p id="moidpv"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Exactly. Everyone is potentially the winnner</p>
<p id="jVL7cf"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> But they can absolutely win 85-88 games and beat the Cardinals and Brewers in the process.</p>
<p id="xtidpj"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> And if you get into the playoffs, you’ve got a chance to go to the WS. Just ask last year’s Diamondbacks. If you had to name ONE player who is the biggest key to the Cubs success this year, who would it be?</p>
<p id="GRLmID"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Shōta Imanaga.</p>
<p id="9uhoJC"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Michael Busch.</p>
<p id="3wgmro"><strong>Duane Pesice: </strong>Kyle Hendricks.</p>
<p id="5u8h1o"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Seiya Suzuki.</p>
<p id="sl0ReZ"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> I’m going to go with Suzuki too. He was a monster the last two months of 2023 and looked great this spring. He’s a potential MVP candidate in my view.</p>
<p id="fZI582"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Those are all good answers. Imanaga was just the first one that came to mind.</p>
<p id="8RuRW2"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Totally has MVP potential.</p>
<p id="lp0ZVK"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Top 5, anyway.</p>
<p id="Ucvnh7"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> What about Cody Bellinger? What are you all expecting from him?</p>
<p id="cpD0De"><strong>Duane Pesice: </strong>Much of the same but more power.</p>
<p id="GwVjHX"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I think Bellinger repeats what he did last year, or very close to it.</p>
<p id="msidJh"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> About what he did last year. Not as good as his glory days with LA, but still pretty good.</p>
<p id="iV3b6K"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> If he does that, does he opt out?</p>
<p id="he5Y9R"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Yes. He opts out.</p>
<p id="LguSeu"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> I don’t think so.</p>
<p id="t6iMaL"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> What he did looks replicable to me, lower K rate, better two-strike approach, 20/20 guy.</p>
<p id="027c1g"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> I’m glad Belli is back. It was a good fit. I don’t think last year was a mirage.</p>
<p id="g1amgV"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> And even if he does opt out, the Cubs will have had two of his better years. And they still have a chance to keep him.</p>
<p id="1QZtp9"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Yeah. The Cubs are probably getting the final good years of Bellinger.</p>
<p id="ktfmxb"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Yes, he opts out — he wants a 7-9 year deal and he deserves that.</p>
<p id="ZR3qJp"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> That depends so much on Busch.</p>
<p id="dlJ501"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> I wonder about those 7-9 year deals that Scott Boras wanted for his clients. He seems to have outsmarted himself this year.</p>
<p id="r5oeeE"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I think Boras wound up asking for too much with the wrong teams at the table. I think if the Cubs keep Bellinger something has gone very wrong for PCA.</p>
<p id="w85592"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> While I like PCA, he definitely still needs some work on the offensive side</p>
<p id="nz9qIZ"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> And yes, PCA would really have to fall on his face for the Cubs to be totally in on Bellinger.</p>
<p id="5HlQp0"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Like he gets what he wants if the Yankees don’t trade for Soto and the Phillies aren’t set or the Padres are in. But Boras was dealing with Jed Hoyer.</p>
<p id="1yAbpK"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> If Bellinger is a first baseman only, he’s not going to be worth what he’s going to want.</p>
<p id="7KbVxs"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> What about the rest of the rotation after Imanaga? Are you okay with it? Concerned? Worried?</p>
<p id="vzJH6Z"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Concerned.</p>
<p id="nsLQPa"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I’d feel better if Taillon had thrown a pitch this spring. Like I actually thought Taillon was going to bounce back this year, and now I am not sure about that at all.</p>
<p id="jne2h0"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Same. And Hendricks regressing is not good.</p>
<p id="oqD2aC"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> I have to tell you, it was VERY weird standing right there watching Taillon’s warmups the day he hurt his back. You could tell something was wrong IMMEDIATELY. If you haven’t seen it, or even if you have, here’s how it happened back on March 9:</p>
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<p id="gle7yF"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> I would have like to have seen another piece added. They have intriguing young options. But I’d rather they were less critical.</p>
<p id="eTXHJn"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I do like some of the young talent (Ben Brown/Cade Horton). I just liked it better when they were guys who could bolster the staff in July, not dudes the Cubs might need up in May. I think Wicks and Assad are great. But I like them both one spot lower in the order than they are now...like Wicks as your No. 5 and Assad as your swing man/spot No. 6.</p>
<p id="IcFyO0"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Ben Brown likely makes several starts this year for the MLB Cubs.</p>
<p id="Oq3Jtg"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Probably. Brown is pretty good too. And I’m with you on Taillon, Sara. I like him, but he’s hurt. And now you wonder if he’ll ever get back to what he was with the Yankees.</p>
<p id="e8x1p5"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> I really think Jordan Wicks is going to become a quality starter in this league. And as a big Hendricks fan I am looking for a nice bounce back year.</p>
<p id="zgis91"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Wicks has that Kyle Hendricks vibe about him—except left-handed and he throws harder. But the same approach to the game. And you won’t find a bigger Cade Horton fan than me.</p>
<p id="TtGqZ4"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Cade is a bad man</p>
<p id="tuVsJX"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> It’s too bad that the Spring Breakout game got rained out, I was looking forward to seeing Horton throw.</p>
<p id="nNsOAP"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Same, Al.</p>
<p id="PnQgTb"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> One thing I think the Cubs did well this offseason was address the bullpen issues that helped cost them a playoff spot last year.</p>
<p id="4wleTm"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Agreed. But the pen needs another lefty.</p>
<p id="jdUTXZ"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> That could be Luke Little, that other lefty.</p>
<p id="C4pzQM"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Little, Smyly, and Leiter are your lefties now.</p>
<p id="YxuvV1"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Smyly was good out of the pen last year. I don’t want him starting anymore, unless it’s an emergency.</p>
<p id="pmnwQP"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Honestly, as much as I’ll always be grateful for David Ross’ contributions to the Cubs, I think one of the biggest bullpen upgrades the Cubs got this offseason is who is managing that pen. I just trust Craig Counsell to do a much better job than that.</p>
<p id="FXx3uw"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Agreed, Sara, Craig Counsell is an excellent manager of bullpens.</p>
<p id="uErYiL"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> I’m assuming Neris’ spring was a fluke.</p>
<p id="QYdLTJ"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Neris is too good to be as bad as he was in the spring. He was probably just working out some things. Having said that, he’s not as good a pitcher as his ERA was last year.</p>
<p id="dchTpu"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Neris is also known as a good clubhouse guy and leader in the pen and last year’s pen didn’t have that. I think that matters. He’s kind of a successor to Pedro Strop in that area.</p>
<p id="RZnzyw"><strong>Sara Sanchez: </strong>I don’t put a lot of faith in reverse splits, so I’m very skeptical of Leiter as a lefty specialist.</p>
<p id="AoC8GK"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Same.</p>
<p id="FaL7eU"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Me too.</p>
<p id="GAbRic"><strong>Thomas Smith: </strong>Agreed on Counsell. The bullpen needed reinforcements from the minors in the second half last year. Ross was really stubborn</p>
<p id="XyxCmB"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Ross also ran his regulars too hard in September. Injuries, yes, but Dansby Swanson could have used a day off or two.</p>
<p id="NAoUAE"><strong>Josh Timmers: </strong>Who does he think he is? Leo Durocher?</p>
<p id="6ytSHv"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Yes. I first guessed the lack of rest when he locked into one lineup. A medium between a different lineup every day and only one lineup would be great. You have to use all 26 and really more like 35 to reach the postseason.</p>
<p id="zOCVHk"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Platooning.</p>
<p id="KvemkJ"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Counsell seems like the kind of guy who knows how to use his bench players to the best of their abilities.</p>
<p id="azeXL6"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Agreed re: Dansby. I also think that heel contusion he dealt with last year probably impacted him more than he let on. </p>
<p id="zi2KCb"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Ross embraced Cuas. I’m not sure he wanted to or he was just desperate. But other than that, he really didn’t experiment with the pen after mid-season.</p>
<p id="triu7s"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I’m never going to get over trading Nelson Velázquez for Cuas. Every time Nelly hits a home run it makes me sad. How many 35+ home run bats can the Cubs let go for very little?</p>
<p id="KQPty2"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> I’m OK with the deal, Sara.</p>
<p id="N8kcZ7"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Schwarber, Soler, Velázquez...</p>
<p id="SFAG6o"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Velázquez wasn’t going to play</p>
<p id="Nbj4Wo"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> All very bad defensively.</p>
<p id="aX7wF2"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> The only one of those let go for nothing was Schwarber. The Cubs did get Wade Davis for Soler.</p>
<p id="KjlfLL"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I said “very little,” although the Davis return for 2017 was good. We don’t need to tangent on this, I just wish the front office appreciated home runs as much as I do.</p>
<p id="I57pkA"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> They didn’t deal Christopher Morel this winter.</p>
<p id="r2uqww"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Oh, I think they do. The Cubs were very good at run scoring last year, and I think this is a better offensive team. It doesn’t have guys like Hosmer, Mancini, Mervis and Barnhart.</p>
<p id="rz53td"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> So you do in fact dig the longball, Sara.</p>
<p id="mcqmuR"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I do, Thomas. Honestly, I think part of why they didn’t deal Morel is that Counsell actually gets how special he can be.</p>
<p id="Ipe574"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Kept Bellinger, Seiya is still there.</p>
<p id="iPlFS9"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> I really hope Morel can be at least league average at 3B. If he’s Aramis Ramirez defensively the Cubs have a special player.</p>
<p id="B08Na9"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I am still not convinced Hoyer gets that.</p>
<p id="HTOk4t"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Counsell with Morel reminds me a bit of Joe Maddon with Javy Báez. He sees something special where others see flaws only.</p>
<p id="ba0Tsn"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Yes! That’s a good comp.</p>
<p id="N3U062"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> 100%, Thomas. Reminds me of Maddon and Willson, too.</p>
<p id="EVWpWA"><strong>Josh Timmers: </strong>Hoyer yelled at Bob Nightengale when he reported that the Cubs were thinking of dealing Morel.</p>
<p id="GaVdT3"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Bob should yelled at on general principles though.</p>
<p id="FmKNnr"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Well, sure.</p>
<p id="HYkcoc"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Okay, name the Cub who you think will be the biggest pleasant surprise this year.</p>
<p id="A0bOg3"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Michael Busch.</p>
<p id="XcGZ8N"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Is Busch a surprise? Otherwise I’d say Miguel Amaya.</p>
<p id="IAeFpl"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Amaya’s a good pick. He’ll earn that job.</p>
<p id="4887fj"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> I, too, will go with Busch. I do think he’s a surprise because many of the projection systems don’t seem to like him much.</p>
<p id="wKSSuE"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> It’ll be pleasant...</p>
<p id="4mX0j0"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Morel for me. I think we will see more consistency.</p>
<p id="hNdceW"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I think Shõta is a Rookie of the Year candidate, and if he keeps the home run rate down, he’s finally the strikeout dude the Cubs have been missing. And I’m calling it a surprise because that deal is so low relative to his potential value</p>
<p id="VIDmL1"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Shōta is SO much fun to watch striking out people. He’s got lots of pitches and movement, almost like a lefthanded Yu Darvish.</p>
<p id="2CRHuc"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Yeah. The way Imanaga looked in Spring Training, the Cubs may have gotten a steal.</p>
<p id="S5tG2l"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Yeah. The second I heard he was making his debut at the home opener I bought tickets behind home plate in the 200s. That’s a must see start.</p>
<p id="hWQsOJ"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> I love the way Shōta has embraced Chicago and Cubs fan culture</p>
<p id="er1LMC"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> He’s a total pro.</p>
<p id="vefjcA"><strong>Josh Timmers: </strong>He looked better than Yamamoto has for the Dodgers.</p>
<p id="IUDK4B"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> No doubt!</p>
<p id="K02jIb"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> The factoid that no Cubs rookie has ever started the home opener is mind-boggling.</p>
<p id="JWpw1r"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Which Cubs player is your biggest concern this year?</p>
<p id="JjfNK7"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Hendricks.</p>
<p id="G59bsa"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I don’t love Happ in the leadoff spot. I’ve seen this movie before. Nico and Tauchman were both great there last year and like I get the whole “look at his OBP” thing. And also, Happ did not thrive at leadoff.</p>
<p id="OALHYt"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> As far as Happ at leadoff, he did walk 99 times last year and his .360 OBP plays at leadoff.</p>
<p id="lyC6wa"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> If Happ doesn’t get into his head and change his approach, his stats fit great at the top.</p>
<p id="JVAE32"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Happ against RHP, Nico against LHP for leadoff.</p>
<p id="fAlzcM"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Taillon. But otherwise Morel and third base. Not that I think Morel can’t hit. I’m just worried about his defense.</p>
<p id="EdkzZx"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> I know Counsell is not going to pull the plug early on Morel at 3B, he will give him every chance to succeed.</p>
<p id="ChMtgk"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> I’m going with Hendricks too.</p>
<p id="xCtw1s"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Not that I think Morel can’t hit. I’m just worried about his defense.</p>
<p id="iwwgll"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Morel is the third base version of Dick Stuart. He’s gonna go 40-40.</p>
<p id="rCSAM8"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I agree, Duane. And I think Morel is an All-Star this year.</p>
<p id="Tley8G"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> I agree. He’s going to hit SO MANY HOMERS... and make SO MANY ERRORS.</p>
<p id="S0AGzz"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> He really does have a shot at 40+ home runs. Did you guys know that the last Cub to hit 40 homers in a season was Derrek Lee? True fact.</p>
<p id="ja9IiK"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Yes. 2005.</p>
<p id="KYKpEb"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> That’s wild and a little sad.</p>
<p id="jGHczy"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Yeah, it’s crazy. But Morel could really do it.</p>
<p id="Ve98GM"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Schwarber would have.</p>
<p id="XJ8NI3"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Schwarber, Bryant, Rizzo all had the power.</p>
<p id="rvQfgG"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Schwarber hit 38 in 2019. Bryant had 39 in 2016. Rizzo’s high as a Cub was 32.</p>
<p id="uN8m2L"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Rizzo has never been the pure power hitter like Schwarber or Bryant.</p>
<p id="QxnHtQ"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> I give Seiya an outside shot at 40.</p>
<p id="M27Eoi"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Seiya? Sure, if he keeps up what he did last August and September Okay, everyone make one BOLD prediction for this year’s Cubs. Mine: Kyle Hendricks posts an ERA of about 3.50 in 32 starts and a year of about 4 bWAR.</p>
<p id="8F7Zl3"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> OK, That’s not bold. That’s crazy.</p>
<p id="4rXTUS"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> That’s not even much more than he did last year!</p>
<p id="RTXUvN"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Imanaga wins 17 games to lead the staff.</p>
<p id="dE8YXS"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Busch hits 30.</p>
<p id="W12bSZ"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Nico Hoerner steals 60 bases. Is that BOLD enough?</p>
<p id="Jx27IJ"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> JOSH NO! Y’all are crushing my hot takes. I mean, mine was gonna be Morel hits 40 HR or Nico is gonna steal 50+ bags. Okay — Adbert has 30+ saves.</p>
<p id="nTcKwT"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> I agree with the Busch one.</p>
<p id="Rhofs3"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> How about Imanaga wins Rookie of the Year?</p>
<p id="jPO8no"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Who was the last Cubs closer with 30+ saves?</p>
<p id="RIMzJg"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Believe it or not, the last Cubs closer with 30+ saves was Wade Davis in 2017. He had 32.</p>
<p id="stPFb2"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Ha ha ha, it comes full circle.</p>
<p id="JPa30E"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Who was the last Cubs 10-and-5 player? Hendricks should get here this year.</p>
<p id="QWclcj"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> I don’t think Rizzo made it there... Might have been Alfonso Soriano</p>
<p id="HlpUY4"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Yeah. I think Soriano is the right answer. Maybe Lester?</p>
<p id="SUsxcY"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Yeah, Lester sounds right.</p>
<p id="3VpeYE"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Heyward would also have reached 10-and-5.</p>
<p id="V7wUG0"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> But as far as someone who played 10 years with the Cubs, I think you have to go back to Sammy, before Hendricks.</p>
<p id="P91vRn"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> This is Hendricks’ 11th year as a Cub. I don’t think there are more than a handful of pitchers since 1900 who have had that many Cub years. Rick Reuschel had 12 years as a Cub. I think Hendricks is the only pitcher since Reuschel to have 11 years as a Cub. Maddux didn’t make it to 11. Neither did Jenkins... Okay, now that this has gotten a bit off track... everyone now make their prediction on the Cubs’ final record and finish this year</p>
<p id="h3XVj6"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> 88 wins, lose in NLDS.</p>
<p id="bJ2Pel"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> 86-76, lose in the NLCS.</p>
<p id="YTg7lv"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> I’ll use one of my favorite Cub years. 89.</p>
<p id="Ua5Cnh"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> 85 wins. That’s enough to win the Central.</p>
<p id="zolG7P"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> 90 wins, win NL Central, win a wild card series, lose in a division series. Seems like we are all optimistic, at least cautiously so, for this to be a Cubs playoff season</p>
<p id="uqcKur"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I believe in Craig Counsell and I already love most of the player decisions he’s made.</p>
<p id="QVzXO1"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Yep. Sara nailed it.</p>
<p id="IzP397"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> I kind of feel like there’s a 10 percent chance they go nuts and win 98 games and a 10 percent chance things fall apart and they lose 90.</p>
<p id="dCbcXq"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> That seems logical, Josh — anything can and will go wrong, but could also go very right.</p>
<p id="OaOl7l"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> The rotation is going to be a little different. I feel like Taillon’s going to be out for a while.</p>
<p id="v7QufR"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> I fear you are right, Duane.</p>
<p id="L2VoUC"><strong>Al Yellon: </strong>Hopefully Wicks and Assad can pick up the slack.</p>
<p id="WLMnhY"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I wish they would have signed Montgomery to that one-year deal.</p>
<p id="YVD8b8"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Taillon has been a disaster so far.</p>
<p id="k8XBVT"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> But for the first time, the Cubs have a ton of good pitching prospects who can step up. Brown and Horton could even do that this year.</p>
<p id="njrTqt"><strong>Duane Pesice: </strong>That’s what I see in my crystal ball</p>
<p id="fnk4bG"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> I feel like they are a pitcher short and I was really excited for Taillon this year but I’m very skeptical of him being back soon given that he didn’t throw in a single spring training game.</p>
<p id="M6bdeF"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Anyone have any final thoughts?</p>
<p id="Akbd0d"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> Go Cubs!</p>
<p id="5YirJE"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Nobody knows anything in this town. They said that about Hollywood, but it’s true about Wrigley as well.</p>
<p id="jkI0e3"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Not one word about Steele!</p>
<p id="Ws2aYt"><strong>Josh Timmers: </strong>Steele is as steady as steel.</p>
<p id="atf7d2"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Oh, because Steele is gonna shove and be a Cy Young candidate again. We all just agree on that, I thought.</p>
<p id="qMpDZ9"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> Steele is a great example of why you shouldn’t give up on prospects too quickly. He took a long time to get as good as he is.</p>
<p id="TMGqw1"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> And is now showing why the Cubs kept him on the 40-man for a LONG time while he couldn’t pitch.</p>
<p id="KsVeKr"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Nice when you have a couple sure things.</p>
<p id="nXy6cG"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> This team has some exciting players and a manager who knows what he’s doing. That combination should produce a very good season at the ol’ ballyard.</p>
<p id="Ie3XHl"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> They’re going to need a catcher.</p>
<p id="ugpjQ8"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Hopefully that’s Amaya full time after this year.</p>
<p id="emeZYc"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> I love Amaya. I’ve loved him since the low minors. I predict good things.</p>
<p id="L0lHWl"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Fun fact, if you go back to the 2014 or 2015 FanGraphs cubs top prospects write up Willson Contreras and Justin Steele are both in the “other guys you should know” section at the end with Mike Zunino. I think about that a lot when thinking about prospects.</p>
<p id="Yo8CF5"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> I know. That always blows my mind.</p>
<p id="Q6Cjxc"><strong>Thomas Smith: </strong>With both guys they were super patient. This front office evaluates players well.</p>
<p id="EGGynH"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> Any other final thoughts before we wrap up?</p>
<p id="PWjUYP"><strong>Josh Timmers:</strong> I think we’re all more optimistic than we’ve been in a while, but it’s a guarded optimism. No one is predicting greatness like 2016 yet.</p>
<p id="Z5IkjK"><strong>Thomas Smith:</strong> Go Cubs Go. Or Eamus Catuli!</p>
<p id="ioHYfA"><strong>Sara Sanchez:</strong> Play ball, y’all! ... er, Play ball, even.</p>
<p id="g04O5q"><strong>Al Yellon:</strong> I’m ready for Opening Day... in just a few hours from now!</p>
<p id="ijELgo"><strong>Duane Pesice:</strong> C you later!</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/3/28/24113930/bcb-roundtable-2024-cubs-season-previewAl YellonJosh TimmersSara SanchezDuane PesiceThomas Smith2024-03-28T08:30:00-05:002024-03-28T08:30:00-05:00Reflections on the cusp of the Cubs’ 2024 season
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Xp1Yu7YV_uddIBAGZCRyXNxqEp8=/260x217:2441x1671/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73238574/wrigleyaerialwillbyington.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by @WillByington / <a class="ql-link" href="http://www.willbyington.com/" target="_blank">www.willbyington.com</a></figcaption>
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<p>This year, I believe the Cubs will be playing October playoff baseball.</p> <p id="5jF8IV">Remember this?</p>
<div id="RhRJhk"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 75%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L6Vggvxliq8?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="TqJKDU">That was Joe Maddon in November 2014, at the freewheeling presser held to introduce him as Cubs manager.</p>
<p id="UAEbp3">The Cubs had just come off three of the worst seasons in recent franchise memory, as Theo Epstein rebuilt the ballclub. They had lost 101, 96 and 89 games those three years and many felt it might still be a few more years until any sort of playoff contender would inhabit Wrigley Field.</p>
<p id="CvMiDY">Watch that clip. Joe Maddon believed playoffs were going to happen in 2015 — if not, “Why would you even report?” — and as it turned out, he was right, the team won 97 games and made it to the NLCS, and won the World Series the following year. Maddon, of course, was a big part of changing team culture to the point where it could get over that 108-year hump. Of course, those teams had tremendous talent on the field as well, obviously you can’t win without that.</p>
<p id="yaf0Om">Now, I believe we stand at a similar point in Cubs history. After Jed Hoyer’s massive selloff in July 2021, the team went 55-94 from July 30, 2021 through July 16, 2022, a .369 winning percentage, one of the worst stretches in modern franchise history. (That’s a 102-loss pace for a full season, something the Cubs have done only twice ever, and not since 1966.)</p>
<p id="1kPAAV">But then things began to turn around. The team went 40-31 the rest of 2022 and on September 6, 2023 stood at 76-64, a wild-card spot or even division title (just 1½ games behind the Brewers at that point) seemed in their future.</p>
<p id="3rFzaP">Well, you know what happened and I’m not here to belabor that. What I will say is that I do believe, both based on runs allowed/runs scored and the way that team felt last year, that absolutely was a 90-win team that collapsed largely due to bullpen injuries.</p>
<p id="hX9ZIC">Hoyer has addressed that with the acquisitions of Hector Neris and Yency Almonte, as well as the fact that everyone else in the pen is healthy, more experienced and ready to go in 2024.</p>
<p id="6QqMbw">Some of you will say this is largely the same team as took the field in 2023. To some extent that’s true, but... the 2024 Cubs won’t be giving 81 starts at first base to Eric Hosmer, Trey Mancini and Matt Mervis, a trio who combined to hit .219/.281/.322 in 419 plate appearances. Michael Busch, I am reasonably certain, will be better than that. They won’t be giving 37 starts behind the plate to Tucker Barnhart, who was awful (and oddly, he’ll be the backup for the Diamondbacks to start the year). Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya will share catching duties and be better than that. The team isn’t giving Opening Day roster spots to guys like Edwin Rios and Luis Torrens. The bench is much stronger than it was a year ago.</p>
<p id="6HuaTe">Shōta Imanaga, I believe, will be better than Marcus Stroman was over the full year of 2023. Jordan Wicks will capably fill a starting role that went (mostly) to Drew Smyly last year. </p>
<p id="R4vqX0">And Cody Bellinger returns. He was cheered loudly every time his name was announced in Mesa this spring and I expect him to get a huge ovation next Monday at the Wrigley home opener. Bellinger’s performance, obviously, is extremely important to this team. If he has a great year, well, he likely opts out — but then, if he has a great year, the Cubs probably will, too. Win-win!</p>
<p id="0dsLUy">The performance of Christopher Morel as the full-time third baseman is one of the biggest wild cards this year. If he’s even near league-average, having his bat in the lineup every day is an enormous plus.</p>
<p id="9dpFKX">And then there’s Seiya Suzuki, who hit .356/.414/.672 with 15 doubles, four triples and 11 home runs over his final 47 games last year. That’s an MVP-type season if he can do that all year, and his Spring Training performance hinted that he can. Yes, spring numbers and all, but even Suzuki’s outs this spring were hard-hit.</p>
<p id="D5PL8w">Dansby Swanson played well in his first Cubs season and won a Gold Glove, but his hitting suffered in the second half. You might recall he had a heel injury in July and came back without a rehab assignment. No one said so, but I suspect that might have bothered him all year. Nico Hoerner had a lousy spring, but so what? Spring numbers mean so little and it appears to me that Nico’s on the brink of a possible breakout season.</p>
<p id="zsTF2M">The most important change the Cubs have made is hiring Craig Counsell to manage. Counsell isn’t the type of guy to say what Maddon said in that video clip — he’s much more laconic than that — but we have seen his competitive spirit across the field for nine years as Brewers manager, and I’m very glad he’s now the Cubs field leader. He’s always gotten more out of a roster than anyone had a right to expect, and I expect he will manage the lineup, bench and bullpen better than David Ross did. And let me say I liked David Ross’ approach, one thing he did have going for him was that his players played hard for him every single day, even after that 2021 selloff. Ultimately, that wasn’t enough, as we saw last September, and Hoyer clearly saw the same thing and so when Counsell became available, the Cubs made him the highest-paid manager in MLB history. It was a daring, bold thing to do, not very Hoyer-like, but I think this will work out well.</p>
<p id="yFtp2n">The Cubs have a challenging schedule this April. After facing the defending World Series champions to begin the year, they’ll play the Wrigley Field opening series against the Rockies — but then, in order, the Dodgers, Padres, Mariners, Diamondbacks, Marlins, Astros, Red Sox and Mets to fill out the month. I suspect we’ll know what direction this team is heading by the end of that stretch, which includes 19 of the first 32 games this year on the road. (Maybe that’s a good thing, avoiding a lot of the potentially bad Chicago weather in April!)</p>
<p id="66aWji">I believe the Cubs will win the NL Central this year. With the Brewers in what appears to be a rebuild, the Cardinals uncertain and the Pirates... just the Pirates, the Cubs’ main competition for the division might be the Reds, who have a lot of good young talent. (Some of that talent is injured right now, though.) </p>
<p id="86CRod">The Cubs scored 819 runs last year. That was sixth-best in MLB (third among NL teams) and just the fifth time since 1970 that any Cubs team had scored 800 or more runs. And that was WITH some poor performers offensively, as noted above. Do that and get just a bit better at run prevention, and that 90-win team on paper could actually do that in real like.</p>
<p id="Jkk9a8">Ready for the 2024 season? I am. Go Cubs.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/3/28/24113446/cubs-2024-mlb-season-reflectionsAl Yellon2024-03-28T07:00:00-05:002024-03-28T07:00:00-05:00Cub Tracks’ C you later
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EJZ2TvlFlpxRDOPbgwllVYIP2V4=/524x698:4159x3121/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73238343/2113125172.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>#Cubs, #MLB, and #MiLB news and notes, links and discussion, plus more or less scientific food for thought. Opening Day 2024!</p> <p id="yN5fos"><strong>WELCOME</strong> to today’s episode of <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/cub-tracks"><strong>Cub Tracks news and notes™</strong></a>, a greatest-hits collection of Chicago-style beat writers and bloggers, ground from #<a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/"><strong>Cubs</strong></a>, #<a href="https://www.milb.com/"><strong>MiLB</strong></a>, and #<a href="https://www.mlb.com/"><strong>MLB</strong></a> baseball, overheated, steeped in <a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0287/8390/2817/products/writers-tears-copper-pot-irish-whiskey-517338.jpg?v=1675310187&width=1800"><strong>writers’ tears</strong></a>, and then <a href="https://downshiftology.com/recipes/how-to-make-cold-brew-coffee/"><strong>cold-brewed</strong></a> overnight for maximum flavor.</p>
<p id="290q2w"><strong>There’s a regular season game tonight</strong>. BCB’s preseason roundtable will be published at 10:30 a.m. CT, with some small changes to my starters’ predictions. I think now that Jameson Taillon’s going to be out for a while, and we’re going to see a few different pitchers. Kyle Hendricks does me a concern.</p>
<p id="wCeqVE">But there will be pleasant surprises, too. Like Michael Busch swatting 30+ homers, and Seiya Suzuki continuing to rake from the 2-hole.</p>
<p id="UY6pkP">I predicted that Christopher Morel will go 40-40. That’s forty homers and forty errors. I don’t think he would be allowed to do so but we will see. The ghost of Dick Stuart smiles upon him.</p>
<p id="tHYwtK">Cub Tracks promises more and better coverage of the coverage this year.</p>
<p id="MhtVcq"><strong>GAME NIGHT!</strong></p>
<p id="1Irysz">It’s going to be a good time. I’ma open an Old Style, eat a Chicago dog, all that.</p>
<p id="BUDzv6">*means <em>autoplay on</em>, or <em>annoying ads</em>, or <em>both </em>(<a href="https://7labs.io/tips-tricks/remove-browser-adware.html"><strong>directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome</strong></a>). <strong>{$}</strong> means paywall. {$} means limited views. <em>Italics </em>are often used on this page as<em> sarcasm font. </em>The powers that be have enabled sarcasm font in the comments.</p>
<div id="ajOQ38"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5D8leDJxyN0?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<ul>
<li id="VMEl4i">Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times*): <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports-media/2024/03/27/espn-will-examine-cubs-switch-from-david-ross-to-craig-counsell-on-opening-night-broadcast">ESPN will examine Cubs’ switch from David Ross to Craig Counsell on opening-night broadcast</a>. “The network will air the Cubs-Rangers season opener exclusively, with the “Sunday Night Baseball” crew of Karl Ravech, analysts David Cone and Eduardo Perez and reporter Buster Olney on the call.”</li>
<li id="J4DGxO">Kennedi Landry, Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): <a href="https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/cubs-rangers-2024-opening-day-faq">Opening Day FAQ: Cubs vs. Rangers</a>. “The Rangers will face off against the Cubs at Globe Life Field on Opening Day on Thursday, as they gear up for a title defense.”</li>
<li id="5aQ2Sq">Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times*): <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2024/03/27/mlb-opening-day-cubs-chicago-craig-counsell-rangers-2024">The 2024 Cubs just need a few things to go right … and then a few more</a>. “Opening Day is here. Let the playoff expectations begin.”</li>
<li id="uGdQNn">Mike McGraw (Daily Herald*): <a href="https://www.dailyherald.com/20240327/chicago-cubs/with-few-changes-to-lineup-how-can-cubs-find-room-to-improve/">With few changes to lineup, how can Cubs find room to improve</a>? “Hoyer’s dream is to mirror the <a href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Houston Astros</a>, and produce a steady flow of homegrown talent...”</li>
<li id="2MPSkv">Eno Sarris (The Athletic <strong>{$}</strong>): <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5351937%2F2024%2F03%2F27%2Fsarris-ten-bold-predictions-2024-mlb-season%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2024%2F3%2F28%2F24113751%2Fcub-tracks-c-you-later" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">10 bold predictions for the 2024 MLB season</a>. “Christopher Morel is an All-Star.” <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5368497%2F2024%2F03%2F27%2Fmlb-predictions-2024-season%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2024%2F3%2F28%2F24113751%2Fcub-tracks-c-you-later" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Keith Law</a><strong> {$}</strong>.</li>
<li id="TwSNC2">Patrick K Flowers (Bleacher Nation*): <a href="https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2024/03/27/2024-mlb-season-preview/">The Stretch: 2024 MLB Season Preview</a>. “... we will look at what’s in store for us this summer.”</li>
<li id="cn6Ler">Eli Ong (WGN9*): <a href="https://wgntv.com/sports/cubs/shota-imanaga-to-wear-special-patch-for-mlb-debut-with-the-cubs/">Shota Imanaga to wear special patch for MLB debut with the Cubs</a>. “The sleeve on Imanaga’s jersey will feature a “MLB Debut” patch, which is a part of a program now in its second year that was created as a partnership with the sports trading card company Topps.”</li>
<li id="JhnOA5">Jesús Cano (MLB.com*): <a href="https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/jose-cuas-cubs-bullpen-2024">Jose Cuas looking to be driving force in Cubs’ bullpen</a>. “Right-hander heads into Opening Day extremely confident, armed with new-look slider.”</li>
<li id="Cch0Fx">Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): <a href="https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2024/03/27/kinda-sounds-like-craig-counsell-may-have-a-set-top-three-in-the-batting-order/">Kinda sounds like Craig Counsell may have a set top three in the batting order</a>. “... I suspect we’ll see Happ-Suzuki-Bellinger as the top three not only for Thursday’s opener, but also for a good long while thereafter in most games, at least against righties...”</li>
<li id="pS9FBk">Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5371037%2F2024%2F03%2F27%2Fcubs-cody-bellinger-return-to-the-top%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2024%2F3%2F28%2F24113751%2Fcub-tracks-c-you-later" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Cubs and Cody Bellinger are trying to climb back to the top</a>. “... when you watched him every day, it was very clear he was sacrificing power for contact. Given where he’s going to be hitting in the order — and given the way it worked last year — I’m great with that trade-off.”</li>
</ul>
<p id="Xp57J3"><strong>Food for Thought:</strong></p>
<div id="wQ3L7r">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Incredible First View Of The Magnetic Fields Around Our Galaxy’s Supermassive Black Hole<a href="https://t.co/SfcHnadgzi">https://t.co/SfcHnadgzi</a></p>— IFLScience (@IFLScience) <a href="https://twitter.com/IFLScience/status/1773017134907707777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2024</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<div id="19OTqe">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">A study of dogs’ brains suggests that there’s a lot going on in there, even if the dog doesn’t show it. <a href="https://t.co/93WqyyN1kI">https://t.co/93WqyyN1kI</a></p>— Science News (@ScienceNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScienceNews/status/1772968085994995717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2024</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<div id="HchlZg">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Homo Sapiens' First Homeland Outside Of Africa Has Been Found<a href="https://t.co/FR3XcbkC2D">https://t.co/FR3XcbkC2D</a></p>— IFLScience (@IFLScience) <a href="https://twitter.com/IFLScience/status/1772653237000143226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2024</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p id="TynbhE">Please be reminded that <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/cub-tracks"><strong>Cub Tracks</strong></a> and <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/"><strong>Bleed Cubbie Blue</strong></a> do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series. Thanks for reading!</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/3/28/24113751/cub-tracks-c-you-laterDuane Pesice2024-03-27T23:30:00-05:002024-03-27T23:30:00-05:00BCB After Dark: Take me out to the ballgame
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<img alt="San Francisco Giants v Chicago Cubs" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TYIROyZaXhQ9Vof1Ngyx1Fxx8QQ=/0x0:5070x3380/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73237946/487151788.0.jpg" />
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<p>The late-night/early-morning spot for Cubs fans asks who will be the most critical player for the Cubs this year. </p> <p id="XLM2sh">It’s the end of another week here at <em>BCB After Dark: the grooviest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and </em><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/"><em>Cubs</em></a><em> fans abroad.</em> It’s also the end of the winter. Tomorrow starts our busy season, so it’s good that you made it in ahead of the crowds. We’ve still got a few tables available. Let the hostess escort you to one. The season will start shortly. Bring your own beverage.</p>
<p id="8ZIBol"><em>BCB After Dark</em> is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.</p>
<p id="7Ly1t7">Last night I asked you <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/3/26/24113230/bcb-after-dark-chicago-cubs-leadoff-craig-counsell-ian-happ-mike-tauchman-nico-hoerner">who you would put in the leadoff spot in the order to start the season.</a> The vote was very close, but 45 percent of you agreed with manager Craig Counsell’s decision to put Ian Happ in that role. Another 43 percent thought the job should go to Nico Hoerner. </p>
<p id="uwXXQn">The regular season starts tomorrow in Texas. Or for most of you reading this, later today. </p>
<p id="r6RUyu">Here’s the part where I play the music and talk movies. Those of you who want to skip that can do so now. You won’t hurt my feelings. </p>
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<p id="S5kTWh">Tonight there is only one possible song to play for you: “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Here’s the great bassist Ray Brown playing the best song of all time. Jeff Hamilton is on drums and Gene Harris plays piano. </p>
<p id="gOD5ow">This is from 1991.</p>
<div id="zBFdp6"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A_8zSKxxnx8?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
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<p id="Zpm5cs">I don’t have a movie to write about this evening, but in the spirit of Opening Day, I’m going to ask you to recommend some baseball movies. It’s that time of year.</p>
<p id="f9IeUD">There aren’t any limitations on what you can recommend, but I will remind you that almost everyone reading this has seen <em>Major League, Bull Durham, The Natural, </em>the original <em>Bad News Bears</em>, <em>A League of Their Own, Moneyball</em> and of course, <em>Field of Dreams. </em>(And I think I’ve made my feelings about that last one clear over the years. I don’t need to rehash it, although you can if you’d like.) We can talk about those films if you want, however. If there’s one of those you really love, let us know. (<em>The Bad News Bears</em> for me.)</p>
<p id="cRRzvD">When I pick out movies to write about, I try to pick ones that I think a majority of you haven’t seen. That’s why most of them are really old. (Also because I watch a lot of old movies. They are good for my mental health in ways new movies aren’t always.) So I’m going to recommend some films from the classic Hollywood period that maybe some of you haven’t watched.</p>
<p id="fqazHU">The original 1951 <em>Angels in the Outfield</em>, starring Paul Douglas and Janet Leigh, is definitely worth watching if you haven’t seen it. Another good one from that period is 1949’s <em>It Happens Every Spring,</em> which features Ray Milland and Jean Peters. Also Paul Douglas. He was kind of typecast as a baseball manager. As far as history goes, <em>The Pride of the </em><a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/"><em>Yankees</em></a> (1942) is not very good. As far as being an entertaining baseball movie, it’s great. And we know Lou Gehrig’s “Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth” speech more from Gary Cooper’s rendition than the actual speech. </p>
<p id="7fD1pr">Also, I’m going to encourage you to include films that have baseball in them but aren’t exactly baseball films. <em>The Naked Gun</em> is the most famous of that kind of film. One film that I really like is the <em>noir Experiment in Terror</em> (1962). Why? Because the climax is a chase at Candlestick Park while a <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>/Giants game is going on. There’s footage of Don Drysdale, Wally Moon, Mike McCormick, Johnny Roseboro, Joey Amalfitano and Felipe Alou in the film. Vin Scully’s voice is heard. (MLB historian John Thorn has <a href="https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/experiment-in-identification-b3f65dc0b4dd">more on <em>Experiment in Terror</em> here.</a>) </p>
<p id="QoyRAO">So this is an open forum for baseball film discussions.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="hEET6J">
<p id="i1tOBX">Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.</p>
<p id="8HzK19">Al asked you yesterday <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/3/27/24052109/2024-major-league-baseball-predictions">how the Cubs are going to do this year</a> in his annual preview article. There’s also a piece coming tomorrow/later today where the BCB staff offered our thoughts on the season. There’s no poll there, but there were a lot of good questions and discussion in there and I hope you check it out when it publishes. </p>
<p id="vRqDbz">The first question we all offered our opinion on is which <em>one player</em> is the biggest key to the Cubs this season. You can check out our answers, but let’s hear your thoughts on the question now.</p>
<p id="aAFFSB">Which player is the key to the Cubs this year? This is an interesting question because it’s not just a pure “Who will be the most valuable player on the Cubs?” but rather which player are the Cubs counting on the most to come through. That certainly could be the team MVP. Or it could be someone the Cubs just need to be good because there is no one to replace him if he isn’t.</p>
<p id="utORB1">I’m going to give you a lot of choices, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense to give you 26 different options. I’m going to pick the ones I think are the ones you are most likely to vote for. There’s always the “other” option. </p>
<p id="DGpIyL">And yes, we know that everyone on the team is important to a successful season. I’m asking you to pick one that is the <em>most</em> important.</p>
<div id="6SLGYs"><div data-anthem-component="poll:12291555"></div></div>
<p id="WApV2V">Yeah, I left out Kyle Hendricks, Miguel Amaya, Luke Little—oh cripes, I’m not mentioning them all. But you can tell us about those players and how crucial they are in the comments.</p>
<p id="xnxvkg">Thanks to everyone who stopped by this evening. We got through the offseason together. Please get home safely—we wouldn’t want you to miss the game tomorrow. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again next week for more <em>BCB After Dark.</em></p>
<p id="eADC5Z">Play ball! Let’s go Cubs.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/3/27/24114241/bcb-after-dark-chicago-cubs-opening-day-seiya-suzuki-cody-bellinger-christopher-morelJosh Timmers2024-03-27T12:00:00-05:002024-03-27T12:00:00-05:00Today in 1984 Cubs history: The Gary Matthews/Bob Dernier trade changed everything
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<p>The Cubs struggled through a painful spring training, and then Dallas Green made a deal that defined the 1984 team.</p> <p id="OPtZeU">The Cubs lost 91 games in 1983, two more than they had in 1982, the first year of “Building A New Tradition” under Tribune Co. and general manager Dallas Green. In fact, they had hovered around .500 as late as June 19, when they were 30-32, but went 41-59 the rest of the way, the worst record in the National League. That got manager Lee Elia fired.</p>
<p id="MBQIAD">When spring training began in 1984, the Cubs had made just two significant player moves since the end of the ‘83 season: Acquiring Scott Sanderson by trade and signing Richie Hebner as a free agent. While Sanderson was a capable MLB starter and Hebner a decent bench player, neither acquisition was seen as moving the needle much.</p>
<p id="R0ho20">The Cubs’ 1984 spring season did not begin well. They lost seven of their first 10 games, and then... lost some more.</p>
<p id="anXUC1"><strong>March 17: Indians 2, Cubs 0 (3-8)</strong><br><strong>March 18: Angels 11, Cubs 7 (3-9)</strong></p>
<p id="2I9nwD">The Cubs released Fergie Jenkins March 17. He hadn’t pitched well in 1983, at age 40, after a good return to the Cubs in 1982, and his ‘84 spring results weren’t good. I remember seeing him pitch once that spring, my first spring training trip, and great as Fergie was, it was time. It’s just too bad he couldn’t have made it one more year to become the only 1969 Cub to go to the postseason with the Cubs (Ken Holtzman and Billy Williams did, but with the A’s.)</p>
<p id="2l0fTq"><strong>March 19: Padres 5, Cubs 1 (3-10)</strong><br><strong>March 20: Padres 5, Cubs 2 (3-11)</strong></p>
<p id="LfXcZq">After the second loss to the Padres in Yuma (yes, MLB teams once had to travel three hours by bus from the Phoenix area to Yuma for spring games), Cubs righthander Dick Ruthven and outfielder Mel Hall got into a fight. In the <em>Tribune</em>, Fred Mitchell described the blows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="816Yt7">As baseball fights go, it was a dandy. </p>
<p id="QhHZcI">The two landed a couple of haymakers to the head behind second base during batting practice.</p>
<p id="ADJdHw">Sportswriters judged the fight “even.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="MDXRQv">Mitchell also reported that the previous Friday, Cubs minor leaguers Bill Johnson and Reggie Patterson had fought, prompting Mitchell to write “infighting is in.” More details on the Ruthven/Hall fight were recollected by Mitchell in <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2007-06-05-0706040967-story.html">this 2007 <em>Tribune</em> article</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="3xUZK7">During batting practice that hot, sultry afternoon, Cubs pitcher Dick Ruthven was picking up baseballs near second base and dutifully depositing them in a basket. When Ruthven saw brash young Mel Hall stroll by without offering to help, the surly veteran asked, “You think you’re too good to pick up the baseballs?”</p>
<p id="ep1HZG">With that, Hall decked Ruthven, and the two continued slugging it out. Other Cubs quickly descended on the combatants behind second base as dust rose from the infield at Desert Sun Stadium.</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="fjyh7C">It was a different time.</p>
<p id="InldeB"><strong>March 21: Angels 6, Cubs 3 (3-12)</strong><br><strong>March 22: Brewers 9, Cubs 8 (3-13)</strong></p>
<p id="C5eKYu">Following the March 21 loss, Mitchell quoted Cubs shortstop Larry Bowa:</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="kjm9de">“I talked to Mel a little bit about keeping a professional attitude, especially on the field,” said Bowa. “Fighting among ourselves is not real cool. Usually alcohol can start a fight going on a team. But these two fights haven’t involved alcohol.</p>
<p id="0UrPNr">“Heck, the season hasn’t even started yet. I’ve been with teams in Philadelphia where players got upset. But players there would get upset with Dallas Green when he was managing the Phillies.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="TCbEhp">Oh, just you wait, Larry. There’s definitely going to be at least one Cubs player upset with Green before the big trade is completed.</p>
<p id="6aoYvj">The same day, the Phillies put Bob Dernier on waivers to try to send him to the minor leagues. But Green and the Cubs put in a claim. By the rules of the time, that meant the Phillies either had to pull back the claim and keep him on their 25-man roster or trade him. The Tribune said Phillies executives were “angry” with Green over the claim, to which Green responded: “Tough stuff. It’s not my problem. My problem is to help the Cubs. We’ve always been interested in a trade. I told them that.”</p>
<p id="BFDSCx">After that loss to the Brewers, Mitchell also reported in the <em>Tribune</em> of a proposed deal that would send Bill Buckner to the Phillies for Dernier and righthanded starter Marty Bystrom. (Good thing the Cubs didn’t make that deal. Bystrom put up a 5.06 ERA in 11 starts with the Phillies in 1984, got traded to the Yankees that summer and didn’t pitch in the majors after 1985.)</p>
<p id="QF77hy"><strong>March 23: Mariners 4, Cubs 2 (3-14)</strong><br><strong>March 24: Giants 4, Cubs 1 (3-15)</strong><br><strong>March 25: Giants 4, Cubs 3 (3-16)</strong></p>
<p id="ZFW8BD">In the March 25 edition of the <em>Tribune</em>, Mitchell reported on a dispute between Buckner and Charlie Fox, who had been the interim manager after Elia was fired in 1983. When Jim Frey was hired, Fox was retained as a special assistant to Green, and there was no love lost between Fox and Buckner.</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="BmG9er"><strong>Buckner:</strong> “Charlie doesn’t like me, and I don’t like him. He was pushing to trade me all winter. Guys like that are trying to tear the team unit apart. He’s the one who put out the stuff in the paper about me. He did some things as a manager that were pretty silly, but we [players] didn’t say anything.</p>
<p id="b3ffZr"><strong>Fox:</strong> “He must think his stuff is made out of ice cream. I have no vendetta against him. We always talk trade with other teams, not only about Buckner. Maybe he should start looking at himself. I think he’s paranoid. If he’s so insecure about his own abilities, I can’t understand it. But hey, he’s not that good.</p>
<p id="cR21Mf"><strong>Buckner:</strong> “There’s no such thing as loyalty in this game. It’s not what you’ve done for me, it’s what you’ve done today. Got to play by the rules. I’ve heard that stuff before, and I can take the criticism.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="lVthRJ">The same article says the Cubs nearly traded Buckner and Joe Carter to the Giants for righthander Bill Laskey and outfielder Chili Davis, but that got called off when the Giants traded for Al Oliver instead.</p>
<p id="BQAtMe">Meanwhile, Green, who had a reputation of having a temper, was concerned.</p>
<p id="ElNVvM">No, more than concerned, Green was livid. After the March 25 loss to the Giants, Green got upset because only 10 of the 34 players in camp showed up at a dinner organized by Cubs TV sponsors, and according to Mitchell in the <em>Tribune</em>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="21CpK6">... several players said it was evident that Green used that as an opportunity to vent his frustrations over the team’s record, which is the worst in the majors this spring.</p>
<p id="LZy6nA">“He really let us have it,” said catcher Steve Lake. “He was pretty hot, even though the dinner was voluntary.”</p>
<p id="eQAb0z">“He exploded,” said first-base coach John Vukovich.</p>
<p id="18ipvq">“What I said to them is between me and the team,” Green said. “Our record doesn’t count until the season begins April 3, but you know me. I want to win everything, whether it’s tiddlywinks or whatever.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="xJToRC"><strong>March 26: Indians 3, Cubs 1 (3-17)</strong><br><strong>March 27: Athletics 3, Cubs 2 (3-18)</strong></p>
<p id="6i6rPx">The Cubs’ spring losing streak reached 11. </p>
<p id="khSoVB">And that’s when Green pulled the trigger on the deal sending Buckner to the Phillies for Matthews, Dernier and reliever Porfi Altamirano.</p>
<p id="zxGaCD">Wait, that’s not right. He didn’t do that deal, and you know that. But, according to Bob Verdi’s <em>Tribune</em> column, Green had told Buckner that was a done deal:</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="eSLjkQ">Monday [March 26], Cubs general manager Dallas Green told Buckner he had been traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. Buckner went to his spring training home nearby, told the news to his wife Jody, and then packed his bags.</p>
<p id="klP8B6">Tuesday morning, Buckner reported to the ballpark. He noticed Leon Durham’s name at first base on the lineup card for that afternoon’s game against the Oakland A’s. Buckner figured the deal was <em>fait accompli</em>.</p>
<p id="Phd7hv">But, then, about noon, Green informed Buckner that the transaction was off. Buckner figured he was still the Cub first baseman. Later, he learned that only half of that proposition was true.</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="unnPxi">Buckner had apparently asked for a year of contract extension from the Phillies to approve the deal — he had 10-and-5 rights — and the Phillies had balked. Buckner had signed <a href="https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/02/18/Buckner-now-highest-paid-Cub/8746382856400/">a five-year, $2.6 million contract extension</a> with the Cubs before the 1982 season, so there were three years remaining on the deal entering 1984. There were rumors Buckner had asked for a four-year extension.</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="nwFaOT">“This is my last hurrah, so I wanted something, but nothing like that,” Buckner said. “Everyone else in my position gets something when they go through this. Isn’t that the least I could ask? I’m sure we could have worked out something with Philadelphia if we’d been given a little time.</p>
<p id="VlZiWa">“But this morning, Dallas calls me in and says about 10 words to me. He says I killed the deal and made it sound like I’m the bad guy. Well, I’m allowed to use the leverage I have, I did, and like I say, if I had more than three hours to think about it, it probably would have worked out.</p>
<p id="PiFhsz">“Meanwhile, I’m sick of this. After the winter meetings, [he] tells me I probably won’t be traded. Then, after he almost trades me to the Giants three weeks ago, he tells me the same thing again.</p>
<p id="MJfL63">“The man keeps lying to me. And I’m supposed to be loyal to him? If he doesn’t trade me in the next three days, screw him. I’ll sit on the bench for the next three years and take his money.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="1hf3K0">Pretty strong stuff, and it’s not all false, either.</p>
<p id="s4b2sd">In any case, Green pivoted quickly and made the trade that we all know now: The Cubs got Matthews, Dernier and Altamirano from the Phillies for reliever Bill Campbell and catcher Mike Diaz. As you know, it turned into one of the best deals in recent Cubs history. Matthews became the regular left fielder and batted .291/.410/.428 with 14 home runs and 101 runs scored. His 103 walks made him the first Cub to have 100+ walks since Richie Ashburn in 1960. He finished fifth in MVP voting, and became the beloved “Sarge” among Cubs bleacher fans. Dernier batted .278/.356/.362 with 45 stolen bases, most by a Cub since Johnny Evers had 46 in 1907. He also got MVP votes and finished 17th, and Dernier and Ryne Sandberg formed the famed “Daily Double” at the top of the Cubs lineup. </p>
<p id="j9e4O9">The trades mentioned here that <em>didn’t</em> get made helped the Cubs, too. If they had traded Buckner to the Phillies, he wouldn’t have been available to get Dennis Eckersley from the Red Sox. And if the Cubs had traded Joe Carter to the Giants — where, ironically, he ended his career by popping up to Mark Grace for the last out in the 1998 Wild Card Game — maybe they wouldn’t have been able to acquire Rick Sutcliffe from Cleveland.</p>
<p id="DJyzQQ">This trade really did change everything. The winning attitude Matthews brought helped energize the Cubs. They won four of their last six spring games, and began the season with a 12-8 April that had them in strong contention. Buckner wound up playing very little, going 9-for-43 in 21 games, starting just seven times, before the Eckersley deal went down in late May.</p>
<p id="5QFqY9">If the Cubs don’t have those fights and that long losing streak during spring training, perhaps Green wouldn’t have had the impetus to shake up the team with a major trade. Matthews and Dernier have been part of the Cubs family and lore for four decades, and today often make appearances at Wrigley Field.</p>
<p id="Bhxz7y">This trade happened 40 years ago today, <strong>Tuesday, March 27, 1984</strong>.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/3/27/24047086/today-1984-cubs-history-trade-gary-matthews-bob-dernierAl Yellon2024-03-27T09:00:00-05:002024-03-27T09:00:00-05:002024 Major League Baseball predictions
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<figcaption>Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>In which I go out on the usual limb to pick this year’s order of finish and playoff results.</p> <p id="x4d3Ay">Today I will join thousands of other bloggers, websites, pundits, etc. in making my so-called “expert” predictions for the baseball season that begins tomorrow. If you have been here at BCB for the last 19 years, you’ll find this prediction format familiar — and yes, you’ll find most of this introductory text familiar too (copy/paste being a useful tool). For those of you new to this site, read on.</p>
<p id="YaRkhS">I started this format more than 30 years ago, when I was passing out my annual predictions to any of my friends who were willing to read them either with or without scoffing, because I found this method both more interesting and challenging to do than traditional predictions. Even more so, if you’re here I don’t need to insult your intelligence by telling you who the ballclubs’ best hitters, pitchers, etc. are. You already know. Instead, you’ll find a pithy word or phrase describing the hitting, pitching, defense and intangibles of the 30 contenders for October glory.</p>
<p id="NIFa8x">I’m also not going to “predict” award winners. How hard would it be for me to sit here clacking away on a keyboard and be master of the obvious by telling you that Shohei Ohtani is a top choice to win another MVP award or that Gerrit Cole could win the AL Cy Young? Just before the 2023 season started, would you have predicted that Brandon Hyde would be the AL Manager of the Year? Last spring, did you predict Blake Snell would win the 2023 Cy Young Award? (No. No, you did not. Surprisingly, <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2023-mlb-awards-expert-picks-for-mvp-cy-young-and-more-as-ronald-acuna-jr-shohei-ohtani-win-unanimously/">Mike Axisa of CBS Sports did</a> — and he got a few others right, too.) </p>
<p id="d3bby4">And in any case, anyone using the search function here, or Google, can come back here in October and tell me how wrong I was.</p>
<p id="5TzeK4"><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2023/3/29/23595045/2023-major-league-baseball-predictions">Here are my predictions for the 2023 season.</a> I got only two of the six division winners (Braves, Astros) correct, and whiffed pretty badly on the wild cards. And that Guardians/Padres World Series? Well... maybe some other year.</p>
<p id="tznukg"><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2023/3/29/23595045/2023-major-league-baseball-predictions">In last year’s prediction article</a>, 54 percent of the 534 people who voted in the poll said the Cubs would miss the postseason. Congratulations, you were the correct ones.</p>
<p id="a5JSnZ">Without further ado, my picks for 2024! (I’ll have more specifically on the Cubs 2024 season coming up later today, and our annual preseason BCB staff roundtable will post at also later.)</p>
<h3 id="XbGCsP">NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST</h3>
<p id="AlcfAV"><strong>1) </strong><a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/"><strong>ATLANTA BRAVES</strong></a><strong> </strong></p>
<p id="8QyIg5">Hitting: Outstanding<br>Pitching: Outstanding<br>Defense: Outstanding<br>Intangibles: They have their team together for years to come</p>
<p id="4GPizG"><strong>2) </strong><a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/"><strong>PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES</strong></a><strong> (Wild card)</strong></p>
<p id="RIZjQX">Hitting: Powerful<br>Pitching: Reasonable<br>Defense: Who needs defense?<br>Intangibles: Always seem to figure out a way to win</p>
<p id="6BDc03"><strong>3) </strong><a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/"><strong>NEW YORK METS</strong></a> </p>
<p id="SySDR7">Hitting: Powerful<br>Pitching: Wait, what?<br>Defense: Next question<br>Intangibles: They’re the Mets</p>
<p id="XIN9is"><strong>4) </strong><a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/"><strong>MIAMI MARLINS</strong></a></p>
<p id="8XcGjY">Hitting: Who are these guys?<br>Pitching: Injured<br>Defense: Acceptable<br>Intangibles: If the Marlins win a game and no one is there to see it, does it count?</p>
<p id="ZGj1Vo"><strong>5) </strong><a href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/"><strong>WASHINGTON NATIONALS</strong></a></p>
<p id="2kKw9t">Hitting: Next question<br>Pitching: Next question<br>Defense: Next question<br>Intangibles: That WS title seems like it was a loooong time ago.</p>
<h3 id="NffTh0">NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL</h3>
<p id="zJEOHY"><strong>1) </strong><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/"><strong>CHICAGO CUBS</strong></a></p>
<p id="ZwDzZc">Hitting: New, and old<br>Pitching: Improved bullpen<br>Defense: Outstanding<br>Intangibles: Spiffy new manager</p>
<p id="5YhFot"><strong>2) </strong><a href="https://www.redreporter.com/"><strong>CINCINNATI REDS</strong></a><strong> (Wild card)</strong></p>
<p id="hDmT7z">Hitting: Uncertain<br>Pitching: Young. Improving? Maybe<br>Defense: Good<br>Intangibles: That youth could make a difference</p>
<p id="PR9k4Z"><strong>3) </strong><a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/"><strong>MILWAUKEE BREWERS</strong></a></p>
<p id="8cxCRh">Hitting: New<br>Pitching: VERY new<br>Defense: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯<br>Intangibles: ♬♪♫ <em>“Zing! Boom! Tarrarel!” </em>♬♪♫ (Also, what’s a “tarrarel”?)</p>
<p id="6pdin4"><strong>4) </strong><a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/"><strong>ST. LOUIS CARDINALS</strong></a></p>
<p id="ieMfsi">Hitting: Adequate<br>Pitching: Old<br>Defense: Oh, come on<br>Intangibles: Counting the days until Yadi is the manager</p>
<p id="vCxDI0"><strong>5) </strong><a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/"><strong>PITTSBURGH PIRATES</strong></a></p>
<p id="tGXPVT">Hitting: Young<br>Pitching: Old<br>Defense: Some guys<br>Intangibles: Loaded up on veterans to flip at the deadline</p>
<h3 id="UPe35a">NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST</h3>
<p id="CQ5MJt"><strong>1) </strong><a href="https://www.truebluela.com/"><strong>LOS ANGELES DODGERS</strong></a> </p>
<p id="F3FcC4">Hitting: Expensive<br>Pitching: Expensive<br>Defense: Mookie Betts, <s>second baseman</s> shortstop<br>Intangibles: Expensive-est team in baseball</p>
<p id="mypfUD"><strong>2) </strong><a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/"><strong>ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS</strong></a><strong> (Wild card)</strong></p>
<p id="wm4ZRq">Hitting: Young and improving<br>Pitching: Young. Improving? Maybe.<br>Defense: Good<br>Intangibles: Riding the high of a World Series appearance</p>
<p id="0rMBrD"><strong>3) </strong><a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/"><strong>SAN DIEGO PADRES</strong></a><strong> </strong></p>
<p id="xmMXqZ">Hitting: Solid<br>Pitching: Yes, there is some<br>Defense: Moving around<br>Intangibles: There’s just something not quite right here</p>
<p id="zULnz2"><strong>4) </strong><a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/"><strong>SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS</strong></a> </p>
<p id="WpwFPa">Hitting: Expensive<br>Pitching: Expensive<br>Defense: Yes, they have some<br>Intangibles: Just angered their fanbase by dumping their longtime PA announcer</p>
<p id="VqZk7n"><strong>5) </strong><a href="https://www.purplerow.com"><strong>COLORADO ROCKIES</strong></a></p>
<p id="s7Fv1x">Hitting: Well, sure, I guess<br>Pitching: Nope<br>Defense: Nope<br>Intangibles: Weirdest ownership/management in MLB</p>
<h3 id="UDEbih">AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST</h3>
<p id="aEp9pA"><strong>1) </strong><a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/"><strong>BALTIMORE ORIOLES</strong></a></p>
<p id="EH2Zox">Hitting: Up-and-coming<br>Pitching: Hopeful<br>Defense: Good<br>Intangibles: A lot of pressure after a 101-win season</p>
<p id="zpcHma"><strong>2) </strong><a href="https://www.draysbay.com/"><strong>TAMPA BAY RAYS</strong></a><strong> (Wild card)</strong></p>
<p id="vrguCr">Hitting: Anonymous<br>Pitching: Anonymous<br>Defense: Anonymous<br>Intangibles: Always, <em>always</em> play better than you’d expect</p>
<p id="mHKgHJ"><strong>3) </strong><a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/"><strong>NEW YORK YANKEES</strong></a> <strong>(Wild card)</strong></p>
<p id="voNSyw">Hitting: Powerful<br>Pitching: Injured<br>Defense: Adequate<br>Intangibles: The pressure to win here is intense</p>
<p id="wsLcsi"><strong>4) </strong><a href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/"><strong>TORONTO BLUE JAYS</strong></a> <strong>(Wild card)</strong></p>
<p id="oeHClQ">Hitting: Returning <br>Pitching: Returning<br>Defense: Returning<br>Intangibles: Fourth in this division could still mean 90 wins</p>
<p id="RT3LA3"><strong>5) </strong><a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/"><strong>BOSTON RED SOX</strong></a></p>
<p id="4w37lZ">Hitting: Not good enough<br>Pitching: Mixed bag<br>Defense: Okay<br>Intangibles: In a “rebuild that isn’t a rebuild”</p>
<h3 id="b1krRb">AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL</h3>
<p id="flYM9Z"><strong>1) </strong><a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/"><strong>MINNESOTA TWINS</strong></a><strong> </strong></p>
<p id="VjXg0p">Hitting: Returning<br>Pitching: Old and new<br>Defense: Good enough<br>Intangibles: Know how to win</p>
<p id="Jw0Npf"><strong>2) </strong><a href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/"><strong>DETROIT TIGERS</strong></a> </p>
<p id="F7hXIq">Hitting: Bad Javy!<br>Pitching: Better than you might think<br>Defense: Good Javy!<br>Intangibles: 19-10 after 8/30/23, best record in AL</p>
<p id="63J9yV"><strong>3) </strong><a href="https://www.coveringthecorner.com/"><strong>CLEVELAND GUARDIANS</strong></a></p>
<p id="rF9v3O">Hitting: Inexpensive<br>Pitching: Inexpensive<br>Defense: Inexpensive<br>Intangibles: Cheaping out in a winnable division</p>
<p id="8ltwuU"><strong>4) </strong><a href="https://www.royalsreview.com/"><strong>KANSAS CITY ROYALS</strong></a></p>
<p id="HmDSvg">Hitting: Young<br>Pitching: Roller-coaster ride<br>Defense: Good enough<br>Intangibles: They signed a lot of guys. Win now?</p>
<p id="FzPpsy"><strong>5) </strong><a href="https://www.southsidesox.com/"><strong>CHICAGO WHITE SOX</strong></a></p>
<p id="1FzDis">Hitting: What...<br>Pitching: ... is this team ...<br>Defense: doing? <br>Intangibles: You really don’t want to know</p>
<h3 id="3X1sbG">AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST</h3>
<p id="do5HoH"><strong>1) </strong><a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/"><strong>TEXAS RANGERS</strong></a><strong> </strong></p>
<p id="JOE1J4">Hitting: Excellent<br>Pitching: Excellent<br>Defense: Excellent<br>Intangibles: They sure have spent a lot of money here</p>
<p id="FHaUXx"><strong>2) </strong><a href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/"><strong>HOUSTON ASTROS</strong></a></p>
<p id="XHvz59">Hitting: All-around good<br>Pitching: Excellent<br>Defense: Excellent<br>Intangibles: New manager</p>
<p id="a5uDpQ"><strong>3) </strong><a href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/"><strong>SEATTLE MARINERS</strong></a></p>
<p id="FwXhbU">Hitting: Very good<br>Pitching: Much better than you think<br>Defense: Good<br>Intangibles: Stood pat most of the offseason</p>
<p id="nTiZNY"><strong>4) </strong><a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/"><strong>LOS ANGELES ANGELS</strong></a></p>
<p id="Gb52g4">Hitting: No more Ohtani<br>Pitching: No more Ohtani<br>Defense: Does it matter?<br>Intangibles: Have not had a winning season since 2015</p>
<p id="ftTJnn"><strong>5) </strong><a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/"><strong>OAKLAND ATHLETICS</strong></a></p>
<p id="cD6tla">Hitting: The worst ...<br>Pitching: ... ownership in ...<br>Defense: ... baseball.<br>Intangibles: The fanbase deserves better</p>
<h3 id="tjFkez">Postseason predictions</h3>
<p id="8rTeOQ"><strong>First round byes:</strong> Dodgers, Braves, Orioles, Rangers</p>
<p id="yt8DYm"><strong>Wild-card series:</strong> Rays over Twins, Blue Jays over Yankees, Cubs over Diamondbacks, Phillies over Reds</p>
<p id="cnnLfm"><strong>Division series:</strong> Dodgers over Cubs, Braves over Phillies, Orioles over Rays, Blue Jays over Rangers</p>
<p id="86sTVG"><strong>Championship series:</strong> Braves over Dodgers, Orioles over Blue Jays</p>
<p id="9pfFjp"><a href="https://www.sbnation.com/world-series"><strong>World Series</strong></a><strong>:</strong> The Orioles win their first World Series since 1983</p>
<div id="9oetQw"><div data-anthem-component="poll:12234442"></div></div>
<p id="DEflMt"></p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/3/27/24052109/2024-major-league-baseball-predictionsAl Yellon2024-03-27T07:00:00-05:002024-03-27T07:00:00-05:00Outside The Confines: Play Ball!
<figure>
<img alt="World Series - Texas Rangers v. Arizona Diamondbacks - Game Five" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9gClmHnXCkktPD2dhIhbzi4Fjuo=/623x415:8042x5361/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73235853/1758916916.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Jordan Montgomery is a Snake at last. Decisions are made concerning who makes the Opening Day rosters. Looking ahead to the 2024 season and other news from MLB. </p> <p id="cGJQPO">I’m not going to have any Shohei Ohtani links today. I think we’ve covered that story well enough in other pieces on this site. If you have read something that you really think the rest of us should take a look at, feel free to share it with us in the comments.</p>
<ul>
<li id="S7XQZp">Free agent lefty Jordan Montgomery has signed a <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39817355/source-diamondbacks-jordan-montgomery-agree-deal">one-year, $25 million deal with the Diamondbacks.</a> There is also a possible player option for a second season that would vest at different salary amounts depending on how many starts Montgomery makes this year.</li>
<li id="Je41k4">The Rockies have locked up shortstop Ezequiel Tovar to <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39813955/rockies-ss-ezequiel-tovar-agrees-7-year-extension">a seven-year, $63.5 million extension.</a> He calls it a “rock solid deal” for both player and club. </li>
<li id="Es9Kx5">Leo Morgenstern <a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/tovar-so-good-rockies-extend-ezequiel-tovar/">evaluates Tovar and the extension that he got from Colorado.</a> </li>
<li id="pIe7AV">At age 40, reliever Jesse Chavez has <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39817781/atlanta-braves-clear-spot-roster-jesse-chavez">made the Braves’ Opening Day roster</a>. It’s Chavez’s fifth stint with the Braves.</li>
<li id="DLnX6A">Outfielder Victor Scott will make his major league debut after making the Cardinals Opening Day roster. Scott will be filling in for Dylan Carlson, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/victor-scott-ii-makes-cardinals-opening-day-roster">who is expected to miss several weeks with a shoulder injury.</a>
</li>
<li id="MvNr4t">Derrick Gould has <a href="https://www.stltoday.com/sports/professional/mlb/cardinals/how-victor-scott-ii-changes-dynamic-as-injuries-force-cardinals-to-rewrite-outfield-on-the/article_7bc4901e-ebb7-11ee-bfdd-47ef6f26773e.html">more on Scott and how the Cardinals are trying to reshape their team on the fly</a> after a series of injuries. </li>
<li id="NCLfor">The <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> released Phil Bickford after <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39815859/mets-phil-bickford-cut-winning-salary-arbitration">he won an arbitration hearing this winter.</a> By releasing Bickford before the season stars, he will only get around $218,000 from the Mets rather than his $815,000 arbitration award.</li>
<li id="NxPZmo">After being out of baseball last year, slugger <a href="https://twitter.com/gregbeacham/status/1772739085368439079?s=20">Miguel Sanó has made the Angels Opening Day roster.</a> </li>
<li id="Dp8vxs">
<a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> outfielder Oscar González suffered <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/oscar-gonzalez-injury-update-yankees-outfielder-suffers-broken-eye-socket-after-fouling-ball-into-his-face/">a broken eye socket after he fouled a ball off his own face.</a> González was not expected to make the Yankees Opening Day roster in any case, but now he will start the year on the injured list.</li>
<li id="YmG3Gs">
<a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> closer Paul Sewald will <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/paul-sewald-to-miss-weeks-with-oblique-injury-for-d-backs">miss several weeks with an oblique strain.</a>
</li>
<li id="KX3Myf">Ken Rosenthal explains why the Rangers are <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5368124%2F2024%2F03%2F26%2Fwyatt-langford-texas-rangers-debut%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2024%2F3%2F27%2F24113254%2Foutside-the-confines-mlb-news-jordan-montgomery-ezequiel-tovar-cardinals-victor-scott-ron-washington" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">so excited about rookie outfielder Wyatt Langford</a>. (<em>The Athletic</em> sub. req.)</li>
<li id="8Avjvf">The Giants gave Pablo Sandoval a big send-off in their final exhibition game in San Francisco last night. Alex Pavlovic writes that Giants fans <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/panda-thanks-due-many-giants-183821482.html">should be grateful for all the great memories the Kung Fu Panda provided.</a>
</li>
<li id="hoQOkp">Michael Baumann looks at the Guardians’ <a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/a-living-embodiment-of-the-idiom-penny-wise-but-pound-foolish/">Myles Straw and his bloated contract extension that will pay him over $5 million</a> to play in Triple-A this year. Straw is Cleveland’s version of David Bote, except that Straw’s extension still has three more years to run.</li>
<li id="LxxMfw">Mike Petriello argues DH J. D. Martinez is actually <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/j-d-martinez-good-fit-for-mets-citi-field">a pretty good fit with the Mets and Citi Field.</a>
</li>
<li id="YdQ5lT">When they do those “projected record” and “playoff odds,” often that’s simply hundreds or thousands of simulated seasons and the results tabulated. David Schoenfield looks at some of those individual <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/insider/story/_/id/39786711/mlb-2024-dodgers-simulations-world-series-ohtani-glasnow-betts-freeman">simulated seasons to look at the best and the worst results for the Dodgers.</a> (ESPN+ sub. req.) I like the worst <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> season. The <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> actually win the NL Pennant, but fall to the Orioles in the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a>. OK, I don’t like that “losing the World Series” part. Do you realize you have to be over 80 years old to remember the last time the Cubs lost a World Series?</li>
<li id="bz8jRA">Jordan Schusterman traces <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/how-the-mariners-assembled-and-developed-the-most-fearsome-rotation-in-baseball-its-unbelievable-what-those-guys-can-do-174240554.html">how the Mariners built a powerhouse starting rotation.</a> </li>
<li id="M0akT0">Ken Rosenthal talked to Jack Flaherty, who is on the MLB Players Association executive subcommittee, <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5365852%2F2024%2F03%2F24%2Fmlb-players-union-jack-flaherty-harry-marino-bruce-meyer%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2024%2F3%2F27%2F24113254%2Foutside-the-confines-mlb-news-jordan-montgomery-ezequiel-tovar-cardinals-victor-scott-ron-washington" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">about the recent revolt against union number-two man Bruce Meyer.</a> (<em>The Athletic</em> sub. req.) Flaherty talked about what led up to it and apologized for how it played out. According to Flaherty, the two sides are now talking rather than trying to force a change. </li>
<li id="kYCHfX">Dayn Perry lists the <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/ranking-mlbs-top-100-players-in-2024-yankees-dodgers-braves-stars-headline-how-far-does-mike-trout-fall/">Top 100 MLB players heading into 2024.</a>
</li>
<li id="HDcbQf">
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/1-important-thing-learned-about-every-mlb-team-in-2024-spring-training">One important thing we’ve learned</a> about every team in Spring Training. </li>
<li id="mWORWw">David Adler has <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/spring-training-stat-lines-that-matter-for-2024">15 Spring Training stat lines that you should pay attention to</a>. That is, they aren’t meaningless. </li>
<li id="KC8eXZ">Sarah Langs has <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-milestones-to-watch-for-in-2024">11 players looking to reach milestones in 2024.</a>
</li>
<li id="eZpfrn">Jayson Stark takes note of the lack of current 300 game winners/3000 hits/500 home runs and <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5366843%2F2024%2F03%2F26%2Fbaseball-milestones-500-home-runs-3000-hits-300-wins%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2024%2F3%2F27%2F24113254%2Foutside-the-confines-mlb-news-jordan-montgomery-ezequiel-tovar-cardinals-victor-scott-ron-washington" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">examines how long it will be until someone reaches one of those milestones</a>. (<em>The Athletic</em> sub. req.)</li>
<li id="iOrZZZ">Gabe Lacques has <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fmlb%2F2024%2F03%2F26%2Fmlbs-five-most-pivotal-players-for-2024%2F73101876007%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2024%2F3%2F27%2F24113254%2Foutside-the-confines-mlb-news-jordan-montgomery-ezequiel-tovar-cardinals-victor-scott-ron-washington" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">five most pivotal players for 2024.</a>
</li>
<li id="YJOfVv">Sam Dykstra <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/rookie-of-the-year-candidates-2024">looks at the Rookie of the Year candidates for 2024</a> in both leagues.</li>
<li id="aiUB5A">It’s that time of year when publications that ignore baseball the other 51 weeks publish baseball articles. <em>Vanity Fair</em> takes a stab at it with Tom Kludt profiling the Mets, owner Steve Cohen, team president David Sterns and <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/new-york-mets-2024-steve-cohen-david-stearns">the new approach the Amazin’s are taking this year.</a>
</li>
<li id="Cw5klC">Benjamin HIll and Josh Jackson have <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/must-visit-minor-league-ballparks-for-2024">one minor league park from each system that is a “must visit.”</a> The drive out to South Bend isn’t that hard, folks. OK, it is for me. </li>
<li id="gGXYD9">Mandy Bell asks Guardians players about <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/guardians-players-coaches-reveal-secret-uber-identities">what they say when their Uber driver (or whomever) asks them what they do for a living</a>. Yeah, if I played for the Guardians, I wouldn’t want to admit it either. (I’m joking. I’d be bragging about it all the time. But I can see how the real players might get tired of it.) </li>
<li id="rOyrD3">Eno Sarris talks to MLB players about <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5351830%2F2024%2F03%2F26%2Fmlb-the-show-scouting%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2024%2F3%2F27%2F24113254%2Foutside-the-confines-mlb-news-jordan-montgomery-ezequiel-tovar-cardinals-victor-scott-ron-washington" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">their relationship with the <em>MLB the Show</em> video game.</a> (<em>The Athletic</em> sub. req.) Yes, a lot of them play it and some even use it for scouting. But I do like Triston McKenzie making himself a shortstop to see what his career would have been like as a hitter.</li>
<li id="V88sgV">Frederic J. Frommer speaks with Joy Hawkins, <a href="https://wapo.st/4998zz3">the first woman ever to serve as a PA announcer at an MLB game.</a> (should be unlocked) Hawkins stint was as a one-game fill-in for the Senators at the suggestion of her dad, who was the PR director in Washington at the time. It was a publicity stunt. But it certainly paved the way for more equality in the game, even if Hawkins herself had other interests.</li>
<li id="aJBVoX">Clinton Yates has <a href="https://andscape.com/features/ron-washington-didnt-take-shortcuts-in-his-baseball-career/">a longform profile of Angels manager Ron Washington</a> and his over 50-year career in baseball. </li>
<li id="lWHIg4">And finally, to add a bit of flair to the last piece, <a href="https://andscape.com/features/ron-washington-is-at-the-center-of-black-baseball/?addata=espn:mlb:index">there is a “Six Degrees of Ron Washington” infographic</a> that shows how closely Washington is connected to pretty much every Black major leaguer since integration. </li>
</ul>
<p id="g7gxJE">And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Because it’s Opening Day. Play ball!</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/3/27/24113254/outside-the-confines-mlb-news-jordan-montgomery-ezequiel-tovar-cardinals-victor-scott-ron-washingtonJosh Timmers