The conversation in the comments the last few days about green tea has been fascinating. I just bought a box of Lipton green tea and went at it, but I didn’t really know what I was doing or how many varieties there are or how many ways to prepare it. For now, I’m keeping things very simple – heat up cup of water, stick in bag, let it sit for a bit, drink – but I’m going to check out many of the things you folks discussed.
One thing I don’t know, but have been afraid to ask for fear of breaking the Internet’s limit on people shouting PHRASING! at you … are you supposed to squeeze the teabag out at the end, into your cup? Am I wasting precious flavor/good stuff if I don’t?
And as for the young folks who are readers: welcome to your future, where you’ll often talk about things like green tea.
I very much like hearing this:
Am told when Javier Baez has played CF, been good, instinctive, threw Caguas runner out at the plate
That shouldn’t be surprising, as we know that Baez is incredibly athletic and instinctive on the field already, and we also know that he was getting praise for his ball-shagging ability in the outfield back when he was Iowa (though it’s always hard to know how that would actually translate in-game). We’ve already seen that Baez has the ability to play above-average defense at second and third base, neither of which was his natural defensive home (shortstop). Knowing that he can also play shortstop well, and in the outfield, makes him all the more valuable to carry on the big league roster, even if the bat isn’t quite there. Further, having Baez able to play adequately or better in center field, specifically, could allow the Cubs to more comfortably construct their bench without having to force a right-handed hitting center fielder onto it.
[adinserter block=”1″]
I tend to think it’s going to be hard to know before Spring Training just how well Baez could handle center field if he had to be out there for an extended time, and the Cubs might have to make a decision on adding another outfielder long before then, so I still wouldn’t bank on Baez being considered the primary center field back-up heading into the season. Still, it’s nice to know that the early reviews are positive, and to know that the roster can be even more versatile no matter what.
I hope you’ve heard of the TOOTBLAN. I hope you see it all the time when a baserunner does something stupid and gets thrown out. But did you know that it was started by a Cubs blogger back in 2008? Did you know that Ryan Theriot was the predicate for the term? You can learn these things in the TOOTBLAN’s oral history (in which I said some things, too).
With Ken Griffey, Jr. elected (easily) to the Hall of Fame, we get to wonder which hat he’ll wear when he goes in – Mariners, right? But, hey, who cares about that? What I really want to know is whether the hat can be backwards … and the answer is maybe!
Jeff Sullivan is polling fans on what they think of their team’s ownership. My guess is Cubs fan responses will be fundamentally different now than they would have been a year and a half ago (mine would have been the same (dusts off shoulder)).
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.
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
NEWSLETTER
The conversation in the comments the last few days about green tea has been fascinating. I just bought a box of Lipton green tea and went at it, but I didn’t really know what I was doing or how many varieties there are or how many ways to prepare it. For now, I’m keeping things very simple – heat up cup of water, stick in bag, let it sit for a bit, drink – but I’m going to check out many of the things you folks discussed.
