The Dodgers are back in town for the 6th and 7th games of the season and I couldn’t think of a better way to start the day. Every time the Dodgers come to Wrigley I’m immediately pulled back to the best Wrigley home run I can ever remember.
There’s some competition from the World Series but nothing that stands out so drastically.
And to me, that’s the furthest home run in the history of Wrigley Field. It’s still going. Scientists say it’s about to complete it’s 297th orbit around the Sun.
We like that a lot.
Here’s ome other programming notes that we also like:
- Shota at home under the lights with the team fully rested is a perfect recipe for maximum run prevention in the first 5 innings tonight. Take the first five under. There’s your first official play of the season from me. This should be 1-0 into the 6th inning.
- The Cubs have 3 off days in 8 games around this homestand and they’re in the middle of it. That means we have a perfectly fresh and rested bullpen that got an off day last Thursday to be with family. Then we did a weekend series against the Diamondbacks with an off day Monday. Now two against the Dodgers with an off day Thursday and then Phillies this weekend. For all the bullshit travel and the insanely difficult strength of schedule, this homestand stretch has been worth it provided we don’t lost 5 in a row.
- People are mad at me for being conservative about this club but the reality is that we were 19-12 last year through April before the wheels fell off. Now we’re 14-10 and it feels a lot different, but is it? I think so. And it feels that way. But we drop the next 5 in a row then we’re 14-15 after the first month and people are going to be very cranky.
- It’s unrealistic based on how well the Cubs have played but worth mentioning because everyone’s already making playoff plans. In my head we’re still very much taking this 1 game at a time until I can at least look ahead for one week and not be extremely nervous.
- Matt Shaw looks like butt cheeks in AAA if anyone’s paying attention. There’s a real chance we traded the wrong 3rd baseman. More on that later today.
- Another thing I want to look at is Ben Brown’s command, especially in the first 2 pitches of a plate appearance. He’s usually pretty dialed by the 3rd but sometimes he just gives away the first pitch which means an overcorrection on the 2nd. I hate how much effort goes into each pitch with him and I think it’s as simple as a mental adjustment.
- Ben Brown’s gonna fuckin kill me before this season over. It’s so stressful.
Miscellaneous notes:
- I’m going to Miami on Sunday with my old lady and will be pool side all next week
- I love being pool side
- I’ve fully transitioned to green hot sauce recently and I feel confident it’s a smart decision. I just don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing to announce a week before Miami
- I’m trying to hit a couple 7 irons this afternoon. Still working on getting left and shallow on the downswing
- I still need an NHL team for the Stanley Cup playoffs. I like Eastern Conference for time zones but a lot of good players in the West. My gut says one of the trashy Florida teams but I don’t want to be too heavy on Florida influence just because I’m going to Miami
- More on this Miami trip later
- The Monday Morning Cubs Show is out if you want to get a taste of that