Adam Greenberg Got His At-Bat and Other Bullets

The final day of 2012 has arrived for the Chicago Cubs. Bittersweet? More sweet than bitter? Are you ready for 2013?

  • Theo Epstein says the 100+ losses this year aren’t on Dale Sveum “in the least bit,” and says Dale has done an excellent job managing the team. Theo is essentially saying, “sorry, Dale, I gave you a crappy roster and you did the best you could.” Which is true. But that’s neither a criticism of Theo or of Dale. It’s just the process. I think everyone is expecting at least some improvement in 2013, though probably not a ton.
  • The Cubs are expected to rest a bunch of the regulars today.
  • Dale Sveum on Brett Jackson’s call-up this year, and what he’s expecting of the young outfielder this offseason: “It’s up to them to make the adjustments and learn from their experience in the big leagues and that’s a big reason why we bring them to the big leagues, so they can have an understanding of how big league pitching is different.The development in Triple-A was average and too many strikeouts. You bring him to the big leagues to show him this is a whole ‘nother caliber of pitching that you have to be able to make adjustments during the winter to be able to compete at this level …. I’d like to see him completely revamp his swing and lower half. They’re not things that you’re asking somebody to stand on their head about. There are players in this game who have made drastic, drastic adjustments and it’s propelled some of them to Hall of Fame stature and long careers in the big leagues. I’ll go to my grave saying if you don’t make any adjustments in this game, you won’t stay here long.” A complete revamp is risky, but might be necessary. Recall, Anthony Rizzo made some pretty significant changes to his swing between 2011 and 2012, and the dividends were obvious. So it can be done.
  • So, Adam Greenberg got his one at-bat last night for the Marlins, and, as a reasonable observer could have predicted, he struck out on three pitches against R.A. Dickey (something Dickey has done to many hitters this year). I’m not sure whether it was fitting, but it was what happened. I’m glad he got his shot, and I look forward to seeing what happens next for him.
  • FanGraphs looked at each team’s set of free agent signings from last offseason, and how those free agents performed this year relative to the expectations set by the contracts they received. You’ll be pleased to hear that the Cubs did better than most with their four free agent signings, on average exceeding the WAR expectation by 0.4 per free agent (good for 8th in baseball). It’s not entirely clear who FanGraphs is including in those “four” free agents, but it looks like it was David DeJesus, Paul Maholm, Reed Johnson, and Kerry Wood. That’s three pretty obvious wins to me, and one seat-filler. Not too shabby.
  • How many factual errors can you cram into one paragraph of a letter to the editor? Let’s find out. I count at least three. Can you spot ’em?
  • The MLBullets at BCB focus on the stories being played out today.
  • I always knew there was voodoo magic in St. Louis, and now they’ve discovered the source: the city was sprayed with radioactive particles for years after WWII.* No wonder the Cubs can’t beat the Cardinals. They’re essentially playing a team full of Spider-Men. (h/t BN’er Anthony on Twitter.)
  • *Is that a legit site? I have no idea. But the story was too good to pass up. Caveat emptor.
  • Remember that Cubs fan who caught Josh Vitters’ first home run in Milwaukee, and instead of asking for swag, asked for the chance to sing the National Anthem at Wrigley Field? Well, Paster Peter Bender got his wish on Monday, and you can see him sing here. Pretty cool. Makes me wonder: if you caught a ball like that, and could ask for one “experience” type thing in return, what would it be? I’d be torn between first pitch and seventh inning stretch.
  • 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

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

    Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

    Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

    I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

    WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

    The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

    Wrigley Field is Gonna Be Lit This Year (As in New Colored Lights!)

    Last year, the Cubs started using their new LED outfield lights to do a little dancing display during 'Go Cubs Go,' lighting along with the song and throwing in a W. It was very fun and I liked it. This...

    Why Craig Counsell Wanted Miles Mastrobuoni on the Cubs’ Bench

    I don't know why Miles Mastrobuoni bugs some folks, but it's probably heavily-weighted toward his small-sample, bad-batted-ball-luck start last year, and that time he didn't dive while playing in right field. It can be hard to shake initial impressions, I...

    Latest News

    Guardians vs. Athletics Probable Starting Pitchers – March 28

    The Cleveland Guardians (0-0) and the Oakland Athletics (0-0) square off on Thursday at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum for Opening Day. First pitch is at 10:07 PM ET.The Guardians will call on Shane Bieber versus the Athletics and Alex Wood.Guardians vs....

    Mariners vs. Red Sox Probable Starting Pitchers – March 28

    The Seattle Mariners (0-0) open their 2024 season with a home contest against the Boston Red Sox (0-0) on Thursday, with first pitch at 10:10 PM ET.The Mariners will look to Luis Castillo against the Red Sox and Brayan Bello.Mariners...

    Diamondbacks vs. Rockies Probable Starting Pitchers – March 28

    The Arizona Diamondbacks (0-0) begin their 2024 season with a home matchup against the Colorado Rockies (0-0) on Thursday, with first pitch at 10:10 PM ET.The Diamondbacks will give the nod to Zac Gallen against the Rockies and Kyle Freeland.Diamondbacks...

    Buffalo Bills 1st Round Mock Draft: Wild Crossroads at 28 – Offense or Defense?

    The Buffalo Bills stand at a crossroads. The 2024 NFL Draft looms, and the 28th pick presents a fascinating dilemma. This Buffalo Bills 1st Round Mock Draft analyzes 10 different options that could be available to them at their current...

    How to Watch Celtics vs. Hawks: Live Stream or on TV

    The Atlanta Hawks (33-39) hope to continue a three-game home winning stretch when hosting the Boston Celtics (57-15) on Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET.In their last time out, the Celtics lost 120-118 to the Hawks on Monday....

    Rangers vs. Cubs Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Texas Rangers look to start their season with a win as home favorites (-120) in a season-opening matchup with the Chicago Cubs. First pitch is on Thursday at 7:35 PM ET on ESPN, live from Globe Life Field.Texas' Nathan...

    Dejounte Murray Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Celtics – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    Will Dejounte Murray make four 3-pointers when the Atlanta Hawks face the Boston Celtics on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET? If so, he'll beat his prop for the game.Dejounte Murray's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the CelticsDejounte Murray's over/under for three-pointers...

    Bogdan Bogdanovic Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Celtics – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    To beat his 3-point over/under, Bogdan Bogdanovic needs to make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Atlanta Hawks meet the Boston Celtics on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET.Bogdan Bogdanovic's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the CelticsBogdan Bogdanovic's over/under...

    Jayson Tatum Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, it'll be the Boston Celtics versus the Atlanta Hawks, with Jayson Tatum needing three treys to beat his 3-pointer prop.Jayson Tatum's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksJayson Tatum's over/under for three-pointers in this game:...

    Jaylen Brown Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    To beat his 3-point prop, Jaylen Brown must make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Boston Celtics play the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET.Jaylen Brown's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksJaylen Brown's over/under for...

    more cubs news