This is an ultra abbreviated Cubs News & Notes blog because we’ve already gone knee deep into the 0-2 start with game notes and quite frankly the negativity is exhausting.
People are fuckin PISSED and I think it’s wild.
Yes – the Cubs were sloppy and the umpires kinda/totally fucked us on several occasions but that’s the nature of the game.
Also: we walked 15 hitters in 18 innings. That should come with a multi-million dollar fine if we’re being truly equitable.
So just try to cool off about our shitty performance and let’s get back on track to enjoying a summer full of baseball played by guys we personally like.
Here’s some other important stuff
Childhood Reuinion
I would easily argue Kerry Wood and Mark Prior are right behind Derrick Rose on the All Time Chicago Sports What If’s of my lifetime. Some people want to see Cody Parkey field goal but I think a decade of these two is even bigger.
And now 20+ years later, it actually doesn’t feel any better to see them together. Instead it kinda hurts and I think that’s going to stay with me for the rest of my life.
Am I alone on this?
The 2003 Cubs team has this bizarre place in my history as meaning much, MUCH more than losing in the NLCS. In fact I don’t think you could even compare it to 2017, which also ended in an NLCS loss.
It’s just such a special feeling that even a candid video of them small talking around the media puts my emotions to work.
I’m still waiting for the comeback.
Speaking of which
Nico Hoerner Is Coming Back Soon(ish)
I like Jon Berti just fine but Nico Hoerner is a gold glove second baseman and of the most valuable guys on the team. So getting him back isn’t just a nice boost – it’s a necessity to be competitive with little room for error. Especially if Matt Shaw is your permanent everyday 3rd baseman without any flexibility to mix in 2nd base. If that’s the case then we’ve got an unavoidable downgrade for however long Nico’s out and that sucks.
And now that I type this out, I really don’t like the depth chart. I think we’ve traded our way into a corner and that means multiple guys have to play 145+ games or else it’s easily .500 baseball at best.
First Hit:
Congratulations. Big moment. Blah blah blah.
Unfortunately everybody expects him to log about another 170 hits this season so let’s measure ourselves appropriately here. He looked really good at times, really terrible at others, and that’s probably going to be a recurring theme throughout the season.
Trust the process and the numbers will come.
And finally on the subject of numbers:
25,000,000 People Watched Opening Day In Japan
That’s a lot of people and a perfectly good reason for Rob Manfred to continue his expansion into Japan.
Personally I think that’s awesome provided two things happen:
- The Cubs continue to sign elite Japanese talent
- Rob Manfred gives me at least a 3-year window inbetween Tokyo Opening Days
If that’s on the table, then I love Tokyo.
Anything less and I’ll be extremely disappointed to wake up at 5am to watch the Cubs play like shit against the world’s best team.
Next time, pass.