Chris Rusin Knows Who He Is and Other Bullets

chris rusin cubsI had one of those classic “rough nights” as the parent of an infant, which is both fine and to be expected (though I’m tired as all get out today). It did afford me the benefit of being online quite late last night, so I wrote about Albert Almora’s broken hamate bone, as well as threw up some video of Reggie Golden and Dan Vogelbach from BN’er Eric. In case you missed those two posts due to their lateness, now you can un-miss them. I’ll have more on Almora’s injury later this morning.

  • Lefty Chris Rusin is a legit candidate to make the bullpen out of Spring Training, and he had a legit outing against a legit Dodgers lineup yesterday. When it comes to a guy like Rusin, who will always need to be a “control” guy that hits his spots to be successful, I love hearing that he knows who he is (per Carrie Muskat): “I didn’t know where it was going to go after [I walked leadoff man Mark Ellis on four pitches]. I settled down, started throwing strikes, and just worried about location instead of trying to throw it by hitters because I’m not that kind of guy.” Rusin’s raw stuff and velocity are not going to allow him to be a guy – as a starter, anyway – who strikes out a ton of hitters. That means, to be successful as a back-end starter, he’s going to have to precise in his location around the plate, while still not ever walking anyone. He’s had incredible control throughout his minor league career, so it’s possible.
  • If you’re coming to the home opener on April 8, your starter will be Edwin Jackson, who follows Jeff Samardzija in the rotation.
  • The Cubs are doing the split squad thing today, playing the White Sox in Glendale and playing the Japanese WBC team. Team Japan is very good, so you’ll have to gird yourself for a split-squad to get blasted.
  • While I’m not looking to put anyone on blast just for the sake of doing it, I do feel compelled to correct something in the most recent Tribune piece about the construction of the bullpen, since it is a fact that is salient to the evaluation of lefty Hisanori Takahashi. In the piece, Dave van Dyke says of Takahashi, “While he has experience, he certainly doesn’t overwhelm batters with his power and he is no more effective against left-handed hitters than righties.” Given that I’ve frequently noted Takahashi’s attractiveness as a bullpen option because he can be used as a LOOGY in addition to being a long-reliever, I think it’s worth pointing out that righties have hit .252/.321/.418 off Takahashi in his three MLB seasons, while lefties have hit considerably worse: .238/.283/.381. His K/BB ratio against righties is 2.12, while it is a lofty 4.14 against lefties. He’s quite clearly been far more effective against lefties than righties. And that matters.
  • The Kane County Cougars’ blog – something you’re going to want to follow this year – dropped an interview with Cubs Scouting and Player Development Chief Jason McLeod. He talks about the relationship with Kane County and the progress in the front office.
  • The Cubs’ first base situation is the 5th best in baseball, according to FanGraphs. That’s pretty amazing, all things considered. Viva Rizzo. He’ll be back with the Cubs today (though maybe not into a game until tomorrow), and it sounds like Dale Sveum is glad Rizzo had the experience he did in the WBC. You can’t really duplicated outside of a playoff run.
  • 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: Cubs 5, Pirates 4 – May 12, 2024

    It's Mother's Day. I'm hanging with the family. I don't feel like being as pissed off as a game like that threatened to make me. So I am QUITE relieved by that 10th inning (and the fact that the Cubs...

    Christopher Morel Kicks Off Mother’s Day With Some Love

    I'll just presume he was sending this one out for mom. And I'll also presume that the knee is indeed feeling good. Home run number nine on the season for Christopher Morel: https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1789713524052087082

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Pirates (12:35 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs have played thirteen series so far this season, and this is already their eighth rubber match. Let's see if Kyle Hendricks and the Cubs can bring this one in. Chicago Cubs Lineup: Nico Hoerner, SS...

    Cubs Roster Move: Kyle Hendricks Activated to Start Today

    No surprises here, as the decision to start Kyle Hendricks this afternoon against the Pirates was made yesterday, but the news has officially hit the wire, and here it is. Kyle Hendricks Activated Kyle Hendricks is returning from his short...

    Horrible History, Morel’s Knee, Almonte’s Shoulder, Hoerner, Wesneski, Hendricks, Mervis, and Other Cubs Bullets

    Happy Mother's Day to the mothers among you, and to the mothers in my life! I'll be doing some extra family stuff today, so I'm gonna cruise through these Bullets ... Up front, because this was certainly the thing most...

    Kyle Hendricks Will Start for the Big League Cubs Tomorrow

    The Sunday TBD has been D'd, and it's going to be Kyle Hendricks coming back an outing early. Instead of making another rehab start at Iowa, Hendricks is going to be activated from the IL to rejoin the rotation tomorrow:...

    Enhanced Box Score: Pirates 10, Cubs 9 – May 11, 2024

    The Cubs came within 90 feet of keeping that ridiculous game going. No dice. Stupid game. Early on, it just kinda seemed like the Cubs might lose a perfectly normal - bad, but normal - game. Justin Steele did not...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Pirates (3:05 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — After a little tease yesterday, Seiya Suzuki is actually, officially in the Cubs lineup today. And he'll be greeted with a tough matchup against the top pitching prospect in Major League Baseball. Welcome back! Chicago Cubs Lineup:...

    Oh, Good, Yency Almonte is Now Also Hurt

    Today the Chicago Cubs placed reliever Yency Almonte on the Injured List with a right shoulder strain. Jose Cuas has been recalled from Iowa to take his place in the bullpen. Almonte, together with Mark Leiter Jr., had been performing...

    Credit to Assad, Huge Ups to Brown, Hopes for Taillon, Happ’s Bat and Glove, Bellinger History, and Other Cubs Bullets

    How did I not know that the Aurora Borealis was going to be visible last night?!?!? I woke up this morning to all these awesome pictures from friends and other people in the area, and I'm MISERABLE ABOUT IT. With...

    Latest News

    Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 5, Pirates 4 – May 12, 2024

    It's Mother's Day. I'm hanging with the family. I don't feel like being as pissed off as a game like that threatened to make me. So I am QUITE relieved by that 10th inning (and the fact that the Cubs...

    Nikola Jokic Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Timberwolves – Conference Semifinals Game 4, Sunday, May 12, 2024

    Nikola Jokic must make two 3-pointers to beat his prop when the Denver Nuggets play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday at 8:00 PM ET, in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs.Nikola Jokic's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs....

    Michael Porter Jr. Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Timberwolves – Conference Semifinals Game 4, Sunday, May 12, 2024

    To beat his 3-point over/under, Michael Porter Jr. must make three from beyond the arc on Sunday, when his Denver Nuggets face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, starting at 8:00 PM...

    Anthony Edwards Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Nuggets – Conference Semifinals Game 4, Sunday, May 12, 2024

    On Sunday at 8:00 PM ET, the Minnesota Timberwolves play the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, and Anthony Edwards' 3-pointer over/under for this matchup requires three treys.Anthony Edwards' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs....

    Jamal Murray Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Timberwolves – Conference Semifinals Game 4, Sunday, May 12, 2024

    To beat his 3-point over/under, Jamal Murray must make two from beyond the arc on Sunday, when his Denver Nuggets face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, starting at 8:00 PM ET.Jamal...

    Karl-Anthony Towns Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Nuggets – Conference Semifinals Game 4, Sunday, May 12, 2024

    Karl-Anthony Towns must make two 3-pointers to beat his over/under when the Minnesota Timberwolves play the Denver Nuggets on Sunday at 8:00 PM ET, in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs.Karl-Anthony Towns' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs....

    Top Player Prop Bets for Timberwolves vs. Nuggets Western Conference Semifinals Game 4 on May 12, 2024

    Player prop betting options for Anthony Edwards, Nikola Jokic and others are available in the Minnesota Timberwolves-Denver Nuggets matchup at Target Center on Sunday (starting at 8:00 PM ET).How to Watch Timberwolves vs. NuggetsDate: Sunday, May 12, 2024Time: 8:00 PM...

    Christopher Morel Kicks Off Mother’s Day With Some Love

    I'll just presume he was sending this one out for mom. And I'll also presume that the knee is indeed feeling good. Home run number nine on the season for Christopher Morel: https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1789713524052087082

    Rome Odunze Missed Saturday’s Bears Rookie Minicamp Practice

    I was rounding up this morning's set of Bears Bullets when I saw this note from the Chicago Tribune's Dan Wiederer on rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze sitting out Saturday's practice with hamstring tightness and I knew I had to...

    Cubs Roster Move: Kyle Hendricks Activated to Start Today

    No surprises here, as the decision to start Kyle Hendricks this afternoon against the Pirates was made yesterday, but the news has officially hit the wire, and here it is. Kyle Hendricks Activated Kyle Hendricks is returning from his short...

    more cubs news