Wake Up With Shota Imanaga’s Introductory Press Conference

Welcome back to CarlsBlogs.com and as I explained last week – we’d be light in the blog schedule so I can get some product launched with SterkFamilyFarms.com and what a week+ it was working on the family brand.

I care so by extension that’s what I’m going to talk about because it’s my blog.

You have no idea how long it takes to label 1,000 lip balms. On that subject, we got new labeling that basically factory seals the container which is a big deal if I’m shipping two dozen to a California real estate firm.

Which reminds me. SterkFamilyFarms.com is a great place for corporate gifts and packaging up something nice to let a prospect or client that you’re thinking about them. Obviously feel free to DM me directly if you have a bigger order or want to do some customization. I am here to help.

On that note, we have restocked all products except Italian Beef Lip Balm because I need to refill my ingredients. And shortly we should be in Chicagoland STORES for you to purchase IN PERSON. That’s crazy to type out loud but it’s true and it’s actually a really cool feeling as an American man to start your own little family business and see it grow each day.

So excuse me for being away from the blog the last … 10 days? It’s a balance and I’ll find the right mix as baseball turns into football provided I can still devote myself to Sterk Family Farms. That’s the personal trade off I’m making. As long as SFF is moving then I have no problem putting in 15-20 hours a week on the blog and podcast.

So that’s where we stand on the projects in general and I’d like to say Thank You to everyone for their support. This is easily the most fun I’ve had talking baseball ever and I can’t recommend the Monday Morning Cubs Show enough. Mahoney is Chicago’s greatest secret weapon.

In that spirit, some notes and observations about the Cubs today:

• 1:15pm first pitch after destroying the Cardinals last night is exactly the kinda momentum you want
• Shota Imanaga is back on the mound after an IL stint that has almost ruined my emotional well being. It’s awesome the Cardinals haven’t seen him yet and they are objectively worse against LHP so big advantage of the Cubs to go 2-2 while playing poopy baseball
• I saw the other day some commentary about the 162 and it’s so true that I have to regurgitate. Counsell is basically saying the peaks and valleys are so substantial that you shouldn’t get on the roller coaster if you can’t stomach the drops. When it’s bad, it’s real bad. And when it’s good, you’re the best club in the world. I need to get away from that mentality and I think this is a good exercise midseason to remind us just how hard it is to have a good team in MLB
• I don’t know why Dansby Swanson is the only person can hit 5th in the Cubs lineup so please stop asking me about it.
• I’m not huge on a Sandy Alcantara trade but would make the deal if it only costs one name in AAA. And by one name, I mean Owen Caissie or Kevin Alcantara and even that kinda feels like a lot. I have to do some serious thinking about the starting pitching market and Sandy just doesn’t pop to me like so many Cubs fans. So I’m sharing this to say that you shouldn’t just assume he’s going to be awesome. He’s a much different pitcher than the guy who won a Cy Young and that’s being generous. Don’t just follow the herd because it’s the herd. Do your own research.
• Cade Horton needs a 3rd pitch that works off his 4-seam fastball. Either a cutter or change but he needs something and the mechanics essentially rule out a splitter or 2-seamer because he doesn’t have the requisite arm action. This is a huge blind spot for starting pitchers at every level. You need more in the repertoire but your mechanics are limiting. So you start compromising the mechanics that got you somewhere in order to develop a 3rd pitch. Kevin Gausman has talked about it before and it plagues young pitchers. So keeping all of this in mind, Cade Horton needs another pitch to reach his potential but he can’t go changing himself middle of the season to get there. That’s why it takes so much time to get good at this sport.
• Matt Shaw is just not a good major league hitter right now. He’s guessing and lost and I regret to believe a Mental Midget in that he’s just inbetween his ears like a crazy person.

All of these talking points are worth a separate blog. Let’s see how many I can get to today.

Thanks again for the support and don’t forget to check out this week’s Monday Morning Cubs Show!

PS – Love Yout