The next big summer holiday, July 4th, is right around the corner. Now is the time to make your baseball watching plans, while tickets are still available. Of course you could do the TV thing again this year, or you could make this the year you pack up the entourage and take in a minor league game.
Kane County is just one of many teams holding some sort of special promotion on the Fourth. For a $38 fans get rooftop access to the game as well as all the food they can eat. The menu includes the usual (hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken) as well my personal favorite – a cookie and brownie tray.
Keep in mind that we are in the promotion season. If you haven’t seen this current Kane County roster in action, you may want to hurry. I strongly suspect a few of them could be moved up the organizational ladder soon. On the other hand, some of the 2013 draft class could arrive in Kane County before too much longer as well. All the more reason to make your plans early.
Tennessee – Friday – The Smokies opened the weekend with an 8-7 loss at Chattanooga. Saturday – Saturday saw another loss, this one 11-8. Sunday – Yesterday proved no better. Tennessee fell 5-2.
Daytona – Friday – The bats were quiet on Friday as Daytona lost 3-1. Saturday – The Cubs bounced back with a 2-1 win on Saturday. Sunday – And they closed out the weekend by pulling away late for a 6-1 win.
Boise – Friday – The Hawks kicked off the weekend with a 4-1 win in Spokane. Saturday – Saturday brought a double header. Game One was a Boise loss, 3-2. And Game Two was much the same, a 4-3 loss. Sunday – The weekend ended with another loss, this one 8-6.
Arizona – Friday – This game ended in a 6-4 Cubs win. Saturday – The Cubs gave up some late runs in this 7-5 loss. Sunday – The AZL Cubs had Sunday off.
Performances of Note
[Iowa] Logan Watkins played very well in the doubleheader. His 2 for 3 Game One included a double and his 6th home run. His 2 for 4 Game Two included a double and his 7th home run.
[Tennessee] Ronald Torreyes tripled in back to back games over this weekend. Last year he struggled in the first half of the season and then exploded in the second. Well, we are in the second half of the season and his explosion is certainly off to a good start.
[Tennessee] Second baseman / shortstop Arismendy Alcantara is up to 10 home runs now. Not bad for a guy whose previous career high was 7.
[Tennessee] A potential reliever for the 2014 Cubs, Zach Rosscup again struck out the side on Friday. He now has 44 K in just 28.2 innings of work.
[Daytona] All three Daytona games included some good pitching, and in all three we saw the pattern of a starter pitching roughly 6 innings and a reliever pitching roughly 3. Ben Wells, Zach Cates, and Kyler Burke were the starters while Larry Suarez, Yao-Lin Wang, and Austin Reed handled the relief duties.
[Daytona] Javier Baez both homered and stole a base this weekend. He is up to 16 of the one and 8 of the other.
[Kane County] Add Carlos Escobar to the list of Cubs’ catching prospects emerging into the spotlight. Escobar has been splitting time behind the plate, but he has produced his share of offense during his games. Over his last ten games (stretching back into late May) he is hitting .333/.385/.556.
[Kane County] Albert Almora hit his second home run on Saturday.
[Kane County] Through his first 15 games Reggie Golden has been playing quite well. His OPS is a healthy .808, and while the K% is higher than I’d like to see it, it is important to remember that he is facing real pitching for nearly the first time in two years after losing all but a few games last season to a leg injury. A higher K% is understandable in that context.
[Kane County] Michael Heesch pitched 6 scoreless inning on Saturday, striking out 6 in the process.
[Boise] Jacob Hannemann has arrived in Boise and already has his first double and his first home run. For now, those are his only two hits.
[Boise] Shawon Dunston, on the other hand, has hit safely in all 8 games he has played. His 1.021 OPS is the highlight of his line, but the 3 BB and 4 K look pretty good too.
[Boise] And then we have Kevin Encarnacion. This switch hitter has an OPS of 1.200 through 12 games thanks to 7 walks, 2 home runs, and 3 doubles over that span. He also has 3 steals.
[Boise] Another 2013 draftee, Cael Brockmeyer, is also in Boise. He has only been in two games so far, but the collegiate catcher already has two hits, including a double.
[Arizona] Alexander Santana struck out 4 in 4.2 innings of work in his start on Saturday.
[Arizona] In just his second game Kevin Brown picked up his first professional triple. He also has a stolen base on his resume.
[Arizona] Also playing well in the desert is switch hitting third baseman Mark Malave. In two games his three hits include both a double and a triple.
Other News
Remember Casey Coleman? As a full time reliever this year Coleman has done quite well, and he’s gotten better as the season progresses. I don’t think we should imagine him as the Cubs’ future closer … but is he any more unlikely than Kevin Gregg? Look for Coleman to get another shot in the majors, this time as part of the bullpen, by year’s end.
Matt Szczur may have solved Double A pitching. His season line of .297/.368/.391 isn’t bad, but it is his June line that stands out. In 85 trips to the plate Szczur is hitting .342/.425/.434 with 9 walks against 12 strike outs. Should he be promoted to Triple A soon we could potentially pencil in his name as a fourth outfielder in Chicago in the second half of next season.
You almost never see a team talk as openly about trying to trade a player as the St. Louis Cardinals did this offseason with third baseman Nolan Arenado. Even less frequent is, after all that open talk, a trade doesn't materialize. Discussed as though it were the organization's top priority for the offseason, the Cardinals were unable to trade Arenado, coming off back-to-back down years, ahead of his age-34 season....
Significant injury news for the New York Mets and their parchment-thin rotation: https://bsky.app/profile/jonheyman.bsky.social/post/3lifk3t6qq22i The Frankie Montas injury is notable as it's a rotation hit to an NL contender, sure, but it's even more notable when it's an NL contender that opted to construct its rotation on moves like the Montas addition. His was a surprisingly ample signing in the first place, at two years and $34 million, with an opt-out...
If you haven't yet seen these Marquee segments they've been doing one-on-one with various Cubs players, digging in on some of the fundamentals, you should check them out. They are fantastic. I have really enjoyed the personal touch, and also just getting a little look behind the scenes on how these accomplished pros are thinking about the nitty gritty of the game. Here are four that I saw, and took...
MLB NEWS — I know I can't be the only one (outside of California) who's just so depressed at the trajectory of Mike Trout's career. Not only has he competed in ONLY three playoff games throughout his 14-year tenure (...and those games were played 11 years ago), but he's also been completely derailed by injuries. In fact, Mike Trout has played in more than 100 games just once since 2019...
The reunion that never was. Rob Zastryzny, the Cubs' second round pick in 2013, was an up-down part of the big league team from 2016 to 2018, and had returned this offseason on a waiver claim. Earlier this year, though, the Cubs DFA'd Zastryzny to open a 40-man spot, he cleared waivers, and then he opted for free agency. My hope from there was that Zastryzny, 32, might sign a...
A few injury updates for the Chicago Cubs ... Although he was expected to start hitting again this weekend after the oblique injury, Matt Shaw and the Cubs pushed things back: Matt Shaw says he's "pretty much cleared for everything, just maybe at a lower level, 70 percent" after feeling some left oblique tightness Monday.He was going to start hitting and throwing yesterday but Cubs pushed that back to tomorrow...
This morning, FanGraphs released their 2025 Top 100 Prospect Rankings, complete with ETAs, future value rankings, individual write-ups, and nifty distribution graphs of estimated probably future values (that's actually my favorite part). And while not much of this is necessarily news, as they released the Cubs organizational rankings earlier in the offseason, it's still a good heat check as we head into the season. But in case you forgot about...
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I have shoveled twice already today, and I hope that's enough. Let's start with something to warm your heart on this otherwise chilly day: Mark Grace and Shawon Dunston surprise Ryno at spring training 💙 pic.twitter.com/ZorxVTVvfE— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) February 15, 2025 This could be one of those subtle improvements as you go into a second year with a manager (not just with Seiya Suzuki, but communication with all...
After giving ourselves a week to digest and dissect Super Bowl LIX, our attention can fully turn to the rest of the NFL offseason. And when it comes to the Chicago Bears, there will be an obvious focus on the 2025 NFL Draft. Yes, I understand that free agency comes first. We'll certainly tackle everything that comes our way on that front. But with that being said, champions are built...
It's Day 43 of the Chicago Bears offseason. The wildly successful Four Nations tournament replacing the NHL's all-star game should provide the folks at the NBA and MLB to do something similar with their midseason showcase games in the future. But I still do not have an idea of how the NFL can fix the Pro Bowl. Maybe there is no fix. After all, not every problem has a solution....
We're under two weeks away from the NFL Combine, so that means draft talk is about to heat up in a big way. The Tennessee Titans own the first overall pick in this year's draft, but how they will utilize it? Will they take one of the top quarterbacks on the board despite this class not being quite as highly thought of as last year's? Would they opt for one...
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The 2025 NFL Draft is 68 days away. As of right now, the Chicago Bears have eight picks — including four in the top 75. How this team goes about using its picks remains to be determined. And while what happens in free agency will go a long way toward determining how the Bears move on NFL Draft Weekend, it is never too early to look at what league insiders, analysts,...
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It's Day 41 of the Chicago Bears offseason. I began watching Taylor Tomlinson's stand-up comedy routines around this time in 2023 at the suggestion of a friend who thought I could use a laugh. The suggestion came at a time when I was dealing with depression and anxiety. I wasn't eating or sleeping. I was straight up having a bad time in life. But that Netflix special made me laugh...
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The Myles Garrett Sweepstakes will be one of the NFL offseason's biggest stories and a fascinating follow, to be sure. And it will be far more interesting if the Chicago Bears finagle their way into the action. Over at ESPN, Bill Barnwell offers up Myles Garrett trade fits and unearths, which teams make sense as partners who could do business and cut a deal for the Cleveland Browns star pass...
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The Chicago Bulls have three days to scarf down junk food and not stretch a single muscle in their body. The race to the bottom starts on Thursday! To be clear, the Bulls' chances of finishing with Top-5 lottery odds are extremely slim. Washington, New Orleans, Utah, Charlotte, and Toronto have all but locked up that area of the draft board. However, the sixth and seventh spots remain up for...
I remember sitting in my parent's basement in 2011 when Blake Griffin watched a Kia roll onto the hardwood in Los Angeles. The suspense was perfectly built to both his and the broadcast's credit. Ominous music blared through Staples Center speakers as Griffin watched the car move into position with a motivated stare. Baron Davis popped his head out of the sunroof to let us know we were moments away....
Matas Buzelis struggled to leave his mark on the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Taking the floor after fellow rookie Stephon Castle, the Chicago Bulls' forward didn't play it safe. Buzelis lined up underneath the rim and attempted to bounce the ball through his leg and into his same hand for the flush. While he got close, Buzelis ultimately failed to complete the dunk in the allotted 1 minute and...
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Over the years as I consider the Blackhawks' top prospects and we converse about various rankings that come out, I like to occasionally consolidate lists that come out for the sake of comparing. Different analysts and writers have varying opinions of how they view the Blackhawks pipeline. At this stage in the Blackhawks' rebuild, this feels like an even more important time to consider how folks view the overall depth...
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Only 12 times in the history of the OHL (OMJHL) has a player scored 70 goals in the season. Among the names to reach that number: Wayne Gretzky, John Tavares, Doug Gilmour and Eric Lindros. With his league-leading 56th goal on Sunday afternoon, Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis in on pace to join that remarkable list. I spoke with Lardis recently about his journey this season, one in which he has...
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The United States blew the doors off of Finland last night in the 4 Nations Face-Off, scoring six unanswered goals -- four of which came in the third period. Brady and Matthew Tkachuk led the way with two goals each; Matthew was named the game's No. 1 star. For Blackhawks fans, Teuvo Teräväinen was minus-one and skated only 10:34. His line with Erik Haula and Joel Armia didn't get on...
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You almost never see a team talk as openly about trying to trade a player as the St. Louis Cardinals did this offseason with third baseman Nolan Arenado. Even less frequent is, after all that open talk, a trade doesn't...
Significant injury news for the New York Mets and their parchment-thin rotation: https://bsky.app/profile/jonheyman.bsky.social/post/3lifk3t6qq22i The Frankie Montas injury is notable as it's a rotation hit to an NL contender, sure, but it's even more notable when it's an NL contender that...
If you haven't yet seen these Marquee segments they've been doing one-on-one with various Cubs players, digging in on some of the fundamentals, you should check them out. They are fantastic. I have really enjoyed the personal touch, and also...
MLB NEWS — I know I can't be the only one (outside of California) who's just so depressed at the trajectory of Mike Trout's career. Not only has he competed in ONLY three playoff games throughout his 14-year tenure (...and...
The reunion that never was. Rob Zastryzny, the Cubs' second round pick in 2013, was an up-down part of the big league team from 2016 to 2018, and had returned this offseason on a waiver claim. Earlier this year, though,...
A few injury updates for the Chicago Cubs ... Although he was expected to start hitting again this weekend after the oblique injury, Matt Shaw and the Cubs pushed things back: Matt Shaw says he's "pretty much cleared for everything,...
This morning, FanGraphs released their 2025 Top 100 Prospect Rankings, complete with ETAs, future value rankings, individual write-ups, and nifty distribution graphs of estimated probably future values (that's actually my favorite part). And while not much of this is necessarily...
Saw a thing this weekend about a new half-marathon record, and the thing about these kinds of records that just blows me away is how I could not even come REMOTELY CLOSE to running a SINGLE mile at the pace...
The Cubs were hard at work today in Mesa, Arizona, and it featured Shōta Imanaga pitching live batting practice to a range of hitters. For the most part, Imanaga did what you expect pitchers to do at this point in...
I have shoveled twice already today, and I hope that's enough. Let's start with something to warm your heart on this otherwise chilly day: Mark Grace and Shawon Dunston surprise Ryno at spring training 💙 pic.twitter.com/ZorxVTVvfE— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee)...
Significant injury news for the New York Mets and their parchment-thin rotation: https://bsky.app/profile/jonheyman.bsky.social/post/3lifk3t6qq22i The Frankie Montas injury is notable as it's a rotation hit to an NL contender, sure, but it's even more notable when it's an NL contender that...
If you haven't yet seen these Marquee segments they've been doing one-on-one with various Cubs players, digging in on some of the fundamentals, you should check them out. They are fantastic. I have really enjoyed the personal touch, and also...
The stage is set for a classic ACC showdown tonight as the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils travel to Charlottesville to face the Virginia Cavaliers. This Duke at Virginia matchup always delivers fireworks, and with both teams hungry for a...
The Jackson State Tigers (13-11) will try to continue a five-game win streak when they host the Alcorn State Braves (7-16) on February 22, 2025 at Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center.Jackson State vs. Alcorn State NCAA Game InfoDate:...
The North Texas Eagles (19-7) aim to extend a three-game winning streak when they visit the East Carolina Pirates (14-12) on February 22, 2025 at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.East Carolina vs. North Texas NCAA Game InfoDate: Saturday, February 22,...
The Liberty Lady Flames (18-6) will attempt to build on a three-game win streak when they visit the Florida International Panthers (10-14) on February 22, 2025 at Ocean Bank Convocation Center.Florida International vs. Liberty NCAA Game InfoDate: Saturday, February 22,...
The Brown Bears (10-13) will look to turn around a four-game losing streak when they host the Harvard Crimson (19-3) on February 22, 2025 at Paul Bailey Pizzitola Sports Center.Brown vs. Harvard NCAA Game InfoDate: Saturday, February 22, 2025Time: 2:00...
SoCon action on Saturday will see the the East Tennessee State Buccaneers (15-11) host the Chattanooga Mocs (12-12) at J. Madison Brooks Gymnasium, tipping off at 2:00 PM ET.East Tennessee State vs. Chattanooga NCAA Game InfoDate: Saturday, February 22, 2025Time:...
The UNC Greensboro Spartans (19-6) will attempt to extend a 14-game home winning streak when they take on the Western Carolina Catamounts (12-14) on February 22, 2025 at Michael B. Fleming Gymnasium.UNC Greensboro vs. Western Carolina NCAA Game InfoDate: Saturday,...
CAA play on Friday will see the the Hampton Pirates (6-18) host the Charleston (SC) Cougars (17-6) at Hampton Convocation Center, tipping off at 7:00 PM ET.Hampton vs. Charleston (SC) NCAA Game InfoDate: Friday, February 21, 2025Time: 7:00 PM ETWhere:...