It’s Thursday April 10th and these are your News & Notes for the Chicago Cubs:
- Off Day
- Jordan Wicks is filling in for Justin Steele
These are simple and easy so let’s get into it.
This is our first of four off days in the next two weeks. And that’s huge when you have your #1b pitcher on the IL with elbow tendinitis in the teeth of your schedule. We need a fully rested bullpen and lineup, and that adds up when you’re constantly playing elite competition. So this stretch of days off couldn’t come at a better time when you combine it with the Steele injury news.
It’s also important because the bullpen needs to get collective rest. And this happening in sunny Southern California is an ideal situation. So hopefully guys got to lay around in the sun and get massages and all that good big league off day shit. If you were around Wrigley for the Rangers series then you know it was miserable as all hell. So even though the Dodgers are good, I think we’re bound to play better in 30-35 degree temperature differences and that’s not particularly crazy.
Another nice thing – I want to get the Dodgers games out of the way now. Nothing ruins late summer momentum faster or easier than three 9pms at Dodger stadium as part of a bigger west coast trip. Fuck that. Just do it now so we can stack a winning streak later. And hopefully Justin Steele is back by then.
Which reminds me.
Jordan Wicks Is Coming Up
This is our 2nd and last note of an abbreviated New & Notes blog and it’s a good point worth repeating.
I think Jordan Wicks is much better than Ben Brown, and I think there’s a little chip on his shoulder that he didn’t make the rotation out of camp. He’s kind of an understated fella but extremely competitive. That’s why he went to Kansas State in the first place – he wanted to compete to be the Friday night #1 pitcher from his first day on campus and Kansas State gave him the best opportunity.
He then made 34 starts in the role becoming a 1st rounder in the process.
I think this has given him a chance to get those competitive juices flowing, which is a real level you get to as a big league starting pitcher. First you have to get over the fact that you’re accomplishing your dreams and pitching on this big stage. And I think a small town guy like him had to go through a number of realizations about life in the big leagues, not withstanding his own health and wellness.
All this to say I think he pitches the best we’ve seen from him and I think he takes Ben Brown’s spot when Justin Steele comes back. And I think this makes Cade Horton more competitive and all this is just really good stuff at the expense of Justin Steele’s elbow.
Obviously we want Steele back but this is our first taste of using the depth that we celebrate on paper at the start of the year. So let’s use it.
In the meantime, can someone… ANYONE… please explain to me what the fuck we’re doing with Colin Rea and why he’s getting $4.25M to pitch slop innings? Thank you I’ll hang up and listen.