Welington Castillo Apologized and Other Bullets

welington castilloWell, I’m off. The early hour of these Bullets is commensurate with my early travels (indeed, I scheduled this post at 5am ET, having gotten up at 4am ET – some of you lunatics were probably still up). It’s going to be a long day, but a good one. I hope to see some of you at the ballpark today (right field bleachers, lower corner by the LED board, assuming I can find a seat), and then at the get-together after the game at Sheffield’s (corner of Sheffield and School, a few blocks South of Wrigley).

  • Catcher Welington Castillo was properly chastised – mostly by himself – after he failed to hustle after a passed ball in the 8th inning yesterday, which allowed a run to score. After the game, Castillo said he apologized to his teammates, and felt like he’d lost the game. It was a momentary lapse in focus, and he says it won’t happen again. Per the Tribune, Castillo added that he doesn’t believe that’s the kind of player he is.
  • Dale Sveum has said it before, but it’s worth reiterating that, despite some tinkering this week, Starlin Castro is his two-hole hitter. For now. “On our team right now, he’s a two-hole hitter,” Sveum said, per Cubs.com. “Obviously, he’s a hand-eye coordination guy who will put the ball in play and doesn’t walk much, so maybe he’s more apt to hit at the bottom or the order because he can hit into some double plays and things like that. For the team we have now, he’s the second hitter.” In other words, if Sveum had the kind of hitters he believes a quality lineup should have, Castro would be hitting lower in the order. Here’s hoping that, by the time Sveum does have those hitters, Castro will have, himself, bloomed into another one of them.
  • Matt Garza says he feels good after his first rehab start, and he’s already itching for start number two. “I was excited, pleased and can’t wait for another five days,” Garza said, per ESPN Chicago. “There were no aftereffects. Just more like normal soreness, which is awesome. Granted I didn’t complete my normal postgame routine but it went really good.” The plan is for Garza to pitch on Monday at AAA Iowa, then have at least one more rehab start before there’s a chance he’s activated.
  • Kyuji Fujikawa threw again yesterday in the pen, and Dale Sveum said it looked a lot better this time. Fujikawa might make his first rehab appearance at Iowa on Sunday.
  • Matt Garza on his stop-the-negativity tweets the other day.
  • Padres manager Bud Black professes his love for Wrigley Field as it is, including the small clubhouse and the foul smell of the tunnel to the dugout.
  • Next Wednesday’s game at Wrigley against the Cardinals is a “Pink Out” for breast cancer awareness. So, wear pink.
  • Julio Borbon tried to coax a hit-by-pitch yesterday, and, although the results were humorous, I was happy to see that he tried:
  • More humor: I’m not sure what the Sun-Times was going for with its latest piece, but it could simply have been the frustration we were all feeling about yesterday’s loss:
  • 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

    Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

    A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

    Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

    It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

    OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

    That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    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...

    Latest News

    Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    In their season opener on Friday, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks take on Nolan Jones and the Colorado Rockies, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.Keep reading to find out how to watch the Arizona-Colorado...

    Guardians vs. Athletics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Logan Allen will take the mound for the Cleveland Guardians when they square off against starter Ross Stripling and the Oakland Athletics in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Find out how to watch the...

    How to Watch Mariners vs. Red Sox: Live Stream or on TV

    In their season opener on Friday, Julio Rodriguez and the Seattle Mariners play Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at T-Mobile Park.Keep reading to see how to watch the Seattle-Boston matchup...

    How to Watch Padres vs. Giants: Live Stream or on TV

    Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres (2-1) host Jorge Soler and the San Francisco Giants (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.The article below will provide you with everything you need to know to watch...

    Dodgers vs. Cardinals: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The St. Louis Cardinals (0-1), led by Paul Goldschmidt, visit Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2-1) at 10:10 PM ET on Friday.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch Los Angeles play St. Louis...

    OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

    That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

    Astros vs. Yankees: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Houston Astros (0-1), with Cristian Javier on the mound, will host the New York Yankees (1-0), who will send out Carlos Rodon, at 8:10 PM ET on Friday.If you're trying to watch this game, keep reading for streaming and...

    Rays vs. Blue Jays: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0), led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., visit Yandy Diaz and the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.Find out how to watch the Tampa Bay-Toronto matchup below.When is Rays vs. Blue Jays and...

    Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

    It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

    Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

    A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

    more cubs news