Gatorade Showers for Everyone and Other Bullets

The Wife and I are headed back to our college town (Oxford, Ohio) for a little mini-vacation this weekend, mostly so we can pretend we’re not 30 for a couple days. Keg stand!

  • The Cubs/Pirates series that opens today is pretty huge for the Pirates, who’ve lost 10 of 12. If the Cubs take this series, or even split it, the Pirates’ playoff hopes probably die. They’re three games out of the second Wild Card (and behind two teams, the Dodgers and Cardinals), and are nearly tied with the Brewers(!) at this point.
  • BN’er cjdubbya (on Twitter as the same) snapped some awesome pictures at Jeff Samardzija’s final start of the year last week, including that Gatorade blast shot you see there to the right (ok, “Gatorade”). Check the series out on the BN Facebook page.
  • Gordon Wittenmyer looks at what the last long homestand for the Cubs could mean for 2013 (“long” being operative, as the Cubs do return to Wrigley for the final series of the year against the Astros). As rough as the roster looks, we still might be seeing six or seven of the regular offensive starters for next year in the current lineup. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
  • Paul Sullivan talks to and about Starlin Castro’s big extension, and how it could change him (pointing to Carlos Zambrano’s changes after his $91 million extension back in 2007). Castro, himself, instead points to Alfonso Soriano as the example. “No, I’m pretty sure [I won’t change],” he said. “It’s the same as Soriano. Look at him. He has a lot of money, too, but he hasn’t changed.”
  • Carrie Muskat answered some questions in her “Inbox,” and noted, among other things, that the dates for the 2013 Cubs Convention will be January 18 to 20. Plan accordingly.
  • A little fluff on Josh Vitters’ path to the big leagues.
  • Today’s the deadline to enter the Cubs DVD set contest is today at 5pm CT. So check out the details, and enter! I’ll be contacting the winners over the weekend/Monday, so make sure you check your various message thingies on Monday (email if you entered by comment, DM if you entered on Twitter, and messages if you entered on Facebook).
  • The MLBullets at BCB are largely about how the Cardinals are going to make the playoffs, so you may want to avert your eyes.
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Enhanced Box Score: Braves 7, Cubs 0 – May 14, 2024

    Not every game is a referendum on a team. Actually, come to think of it, a single game is NEVER a referendum on a team. Anyway, point is, a whole lot of teams are going to get stomped by these...

    Pablo Aliendo Goes Way Deep, Alexander Canario Goes Way Grand

    Pablo Aliendo gave the Tennessee Smokies an early lead on Tuesday night. Matching up with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Aliendo sent a ball deep into left field during the 2nd inning. The homer gave the Smokies an early 1-0...

    Nico Hoerner Was Scratched Just Before Tonight’s Game Started

    You know that expression, when it rains, it pours? This is like that, except instead of raining, it is pouring deluxe turds. Just an absolute monsoon of shit. Another Cubs injury issue to another key Cubs player: https://twitter.com/maddie_m_lee/status/1790522697002455532 So, Nico...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Braves (6:20 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs were shutout in the opener against the Braves last night. And it doesn't figure to get any easier against a resurgent Chris Sale tonight. Here's how Craig Counsell will line 'em up against the 35-year-old...

    Adbert Alzolay Update: Imaging Results, Timeline, and a Sprinkle of (Unexpected) Optimism

    I had the weirdest reaction to what is objectively bad injury news on Adbert Alzolay just now. According to Meghan Montemurro, medical imaging confirmed that Adbert Alzolay has a right flexor strain. While I should have been upset to learn...

    Jed Hoyer Speaks: New Reliever, Bullpen Issues, Imanaga, Morel, Swanson, Bat Data, More

    The Chicago Cubs' President of Baseball Operations just hopped on 670 The Score On the Bernstein & Holmes Show, discussing a number of Cubs-related items. He led things off with a discussion of newly-acquired reliever, Tyson Miller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hes1lI-8ZCI So, then,...

    Shota Imanaga Favored for NL Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, MVP, Nobel Peace Prize, and an Oscar

    There is nothing Shota Imanaga can't do. Going up against one of the best teams in baseball — and best overall offenses versus LHP — on the road, without his best stuff, Shota Imanaga tossed 5.0 scoreless innings in Atlanta, with...

    MLBits: ShĹŤta and ReyLo Duel, New MLB Pipeline Top 100, Investigating the New Statcast Swing Metrics, More

    Baseball's top two pitchers in the ERA department squared off last night and did not disappoint—that and more in today's MLB Notes. Shōta Imanaga Was Awesome (Again), But So Was Reynaldo Lopez I've watched a lot of Reynaldo López, given...

    Cubs Farm Report | May 14, 2024: Top 25 Prospect Stock Report

    The Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates were off on Monday, so it's time to take stock of some recent hot (and not-so-hot) performers inside the Cubs Top 25 prospects down on the farm in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm...

    Did You Ever Wonder What Happened to Frank Schwindel?

    I've gotten back into baseball cards, which, among other things, sends me down a lot of Memory Lanes. You pull a particular card, you think about that player, and you have various memories. It's part of the fun. The other...

    Latest News

    London’s Calling: Bears and Jaguars Are Going International in 2024

    The wait is over. We now know who the Chicago Bears will be playing in London. As fate would have it, it is a team that is no stranger to international travel. The Jacksonville Jaguars are set to be the...

    Enhanced Box Score: Braves 7, Cubs 0 – May 14, 2024

    Not every game is a referendum on a team. Actually, come to think of it, a single game is NEVER a referendum on a team. Anyway, point is, a whole lot of teams are going to get stomped by these...

    Pablo Aliendo Goes Way Deep, Alexander Canario Goes Way Grand

    Pablo Aliendo gave the Tennessee Smokies an early lead on Tuesday night. Matching up with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Aliendo sent a ball deep into left field during the 2nd inning. The homer gave the Smokies an early 1-0...

    Nico Hoerner Was Scratched Just Before Tonight’s Game Started

    You know that expression, when it rains, it pours? This is like that, except instead of raining, it is pouring deluxe turds. Just an absolute monsoon of shit. Another Cubs injury issue to another key Cubs player: https://twitter.com/maddie_m_lee/status/1790522697002455532 So, Nico...

    WATCH: Caleb Williams is Already Making Connections with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen at Halas Hall

    Caleb Williams clips, however brief, will always grab my attention. Because while I can tell myself over and over again that I will not get googly eyes over spring practice videos, the reality is that I can't wait to see...

    How to Watch Phillies Games: Full 2024 Schedule, Live Stream and More

    If you are a Philadelphia Phillies fan and looking to catch their games, you can watch most of them on TV with a cable subscription or via streaming with one of the many different apps. Let’s break down the cable...

    Connor Bedard Scored Again for Canada

    Oh hey! Blackhawks' star Connor Bedard scored his fifth goal of the World Championships for Canada on Tuesday afternoon. https://twitter.com/BN_Blackhawks/status/1790468565675483262 Bedard helped Canada sprint to a 6-1 lead... which evaporated as Austria scored five unanswered goals in the third period...

    How to Watch Yankees Games: Full 2024 Schedule, Live Stream and More

    The Bronx is booming! Yankee Stadium crackles with energy as the New York Yankees chase another World Series title. Whether you're a die-hard Yankees fan bleeding pinstripes or a baseball enthusiast captivated by the American League East race, their remaining...

    Adbert Alzolay Update: Imaging Results, Timeline, and a Sprinkle of (Unexpected) Optimism

    I had the weirdest reaction to what is objectively bad injury news on Adbert Alzolay just now. According to Meghan Montemurro, medical imaging confirmed that Adbert Alzolay has a right flexor strain. While I should have been upset to learn...

    Kiran Amegadjie Reportedly Signed His Rookie Deal (UPDATE: It’s Officially Official)

    Chicago Bears offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie is reportedly signing his rookie deal. NFL reporter Aaron Wilson has details on the contract, which includes: A $1.121 million signing bonus Annual workout bonus of $50,000 per year from 2025-27 Total deal worth...

    more cubs news