A Positive Sac Bunting Signal and Other Bullets

Apr 17, 2014

It’s an off-day today, but I’m going to take in a game anyway: the Kane County Cougars are playing the Dayton Dragons this evening, so I figure I’ll make the drive down to check them out. Pitching prospect Daury Torrez is scheduled to start, and I can’t wait to see him. It’s a good sign for the Cubs’ pitching prospect depth that a guy like Torrez seems to get lost in the hype shuffle.

My heart has been warmed: when discussing that ill-timed, ill-advised sacrifice bunt last night in the fifth inning by Welington Castillo with runners on first and second and nobody out, Ricky Renteria says that was not a call from the bench. “We wanted him to swing the bat,” Renteria told ESPN. Yes, yes, a million times yes. As I’ve written, the sacrifice bunt almost never makes sense, and the Cubs have been leaning on it way too heavily in the early going. I’m very happy to hear that, at least in that situation, it wasn’t the manager pushing for the bunt. (At the same time, hitters tend not to do those things on their own unless there’s a bit of a cultural approval of sac bunts. Let this be the start of guys not doing that on their own anymore. Sac bunts are the devil.)

I noted in last night’s EBS that the Cubs had a rough nightcap with runners in scoring position, but it was actually a doubleheader-long thing: the Cubs were 0-13 with runners in scoring position on the day. That dropped the team’s BA with RISP to just .195 on the year. (Can you believe there are still six teams worse than that, though? Including the Red Sox at .192.)

A profile on Ricky Renteria, and thoughts on his job satisfaction so far (spoiler alert: he’s still satisfied, even if he doesn’t like the losing).

Ben Lindbergh looks into the pace of baseball games in recent years, and notes that, yup, things are slowing down – pitchers and hitters are taking more time between pitches year after year, and the length of games is increasing. He dives into the data to search for reasons and meaning (relievers take way longer than starters, by the way), and one thing jumped out: you aren’t imagining things – Edwin Jackson really is one of the slowest-working starters in baseball right now. The fact that he always seems to have guys on base probably doesn’t help.

Alfonso Soriano is a cool dude, and I hope he comes back into the Cubs’ family somehow when his playing days are over.

Cubs infield prospect Arismendy Alcantara had a sufficiently big day yesterday that it earned him a spotlight piece on MiLB.com, and raised his season line to .289/.306/.467. The 22-year-old has been playing some shortstop in Javier Baez’s absence, and would be discussed so much more by Cubs fans if not for the existence of The Big Four. A 22-year-old shortstop at AAA with the kind of season he had last year? He’s legit. If Baez winds up at second base, and Starlin Castro stays at short, however, the Cubs will have to work to figure out how to get him in the mix. (Also Christian Villanueva, Mike Olt, Kris Bryant …. )

Former Cubs pitcher Casey Coleman has caught on with the Royals.

In case you were worried about Albert Almora, who turned 20 yesterday, and has sat out a couple games after that nosebleed that wouldn’t stop:

Caught up with the B-Day boy @albertalmora for today's pregame show. He's 100% fine and pumped to get back in the lineup tomorrow. #Cubs
— Robbie Aaron (@RobbieAaron) April 16, 2014

written by

Brett Taylor

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

Chicago Cubs

Cade Horton Continues to Improve at Triple-A Iowa, and His Latest Start Was His Best

I'd forgotten that, in addition to the talent and experience difference in jumping from Double-A competition to Triple-A competition, there are a couple logistical changes for players. First, there is the automated balls and strikes system (fully automated half the...

Brett Taylor

May 23, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Kyle Hendricks Takes His Bullpen Demotion Like an Absolute Champ

Is there a more model Major Leaguer or better example-setter than Kyle Hendricks? I really don't think so. Two days ago, the Cubs bounced the veteran right-hander from their starting rotation. It was a true demotion, as his general ineffectiveness...

Michael Cerami

May 23, 2024

Chicago Cubs

At Least Porter Hodge’s Debut Was Incredible

There's not a whole lot you're gonna want to take away from last night's loss to the Atlanta Braves, outside of the first six innings from Justin Steele, which were actually pretty good (just pretend in your mind that he...

Brett Taylor

May 23, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Enhanced Box Score: Braves 9, Cubs 2 – May 22, 2024

If you didn't actually watch this game, you might be worried about Justin Steele. After all, how can anyone have been anything other than "really bad" with five earned runs to their name? Well, I'm here to tell you he...

Michael Cerami

May 22, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs vs Braves (6:40 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

CUBS LINEUP — The Chicago Cubs won their opener against the Braves last night, which means they have a chance at a series win as soon as tonight! And if they manage to win this game, they'll also guarantee themselves...

Michael Cerami

May 22, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Adbert Alzolay Went for a Second Opinion on His Forearm Injury (UPDATE)

[ankin_law] From a very happy post about the Chicago Cubs' bullpen to a more unhappy one. Adbert Alzolay, placed on the Injured List about 10 days ago because of a forearm issue, is now getting a second opinion from a...

Brett Taylor

May 22, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Cubs Farm Report | May 22, 2024: Trio of Home Runs Not Enough for Iowa on Tuesday

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a monster blast, and Matt Mervis and David Bote also added home runs on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough as Iowa fell to Indianapolis. That and more in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm Report | May...

Patrick K. Flowers

May 22, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Jed Hoyer on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Demotion-But-Not-Really-A-Demotion

Pete Crow-Armstrong, who homered immediately upon being optioned back to Triple-A Iowa, is already putting together another good game as we speak. It would not be a surprise if he continues to hit very well at Iowa, given that he...

Brett Taylor

May 22, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Updated Top-50 Rankings Feature Three Cubs Prospects

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel updated his top-50 prospect list to account for early season performances and scouting, as well as graduations. For the Chicago Cubs, that means Pete Crow-Armstrong is off the list (graduation), Jordan Wicks is off the list (McDaniel...

Brett Taylor

May 22, 2024

Chicago Cubs

MLBits: Hader’s Unprecedented Usage Rules Over the Years, Cruz’s Laser Show, Walk-Offs, More

After the Milwaukee Brewers won an arbitration hearing against Josh Hader in 2019, the reliever decided to protect himself until a team decided to give him a long-term commitment with unprecedented self-imposed usage rules. That and more in today's MLB...

Patrick K. Flowers

May 22, 2024

Picks

Tigers vs. Blue Jays Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, May 23, 2024

The Detroit Tigers (23-26) and Toronto Blue Jays (22-26) meet Thursday at Comerica Park, with first pitch at 6:40 PM ET on BSDET. The Tigers are -111 moneyline favorites for the contest, however, the Blue Jays are favored against the...

Data Skrive

May 23, 2024

Picks

Orioles vs. White Sox Probable Starting Pitchers – May 23

The Chicago White Sox (15-35) begin a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles (29-18) on Thursday at Guaranteed Rate Field. First pitch is at 7:40 PM.This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the Orioles will send Grayson Rodriguez (4-1) to...

Data Skrive

May 23, 2024

NBA

Milwaukee Bucks Mock Draft: Deer Snag 2 Promising Role Players, Starting with a Massive Center

In the 2024 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks are in a prime position to strengthen their roster and build for the future with two solid picks at their disposal. This Milwaukee Bucks Mock draft focuses on adding the best player...

Connor Allen

May 23, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Cade Horton Continues to Improve at Triple-A Iowa, and His Latest Start Was His Best

Brett Taylor

May 23, 2024

Chicago Bulls

Cavaliers Fire Head Coach JB Bickerstaff

Initial reports stated the Cavs would review JB Bickerstaff's performance after the second-round series loss to the Celtics, and it appears that process has concluded. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported this morning that the Cavaliers are parting ways with head coach...

Matt Rooney

May 23, 2024

Picks

Tigers vs. Blue Jays Probable Starting Pitchers – May 23

The Detroit Tigers (23-26) and the Toronto Blue Jays (22-26) square off at Comerica Park on Thursday at 6:40 PM ET, starting a four-game series.This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the Tigers will send Jack Flaherty (1-3) to the...

Data Skrive

May 23, 2024

Betting

What is a Same Game Parlay? A Look at the Popular Bet Type

It has taken sports betting by storm in recent years thanks to sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel. We are talking about the same game parlay. Let's break down what the bet type is, how it works, and more as you...

Sam Russell

May 23, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Kyle Hendricks Takes His Bullpen Demotion Like an Absolute Champ

Michael Cerami

May 23, 2024

Picks

Best NBA Prop Bets Today – May 23, 2024

Today's NBA playoff schedule has just one game -- the Indiana Pacers taking on the Boston Celtics.If you're interested in NBA prop bets for today's games, we're here to help. Below you'll find NBA player props for each and every...

Data Skrive

May 23, 2024

Betting

Props, Odds, and More for Celtics vs Pacers Game 2 Tonight

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals in the NBA tips off tonight as the Indiana Pacers will look to bounce back from their Game 1 loss against the Boston Celtics and even up the series on the road. The...

Matt Rooney

May 23, 2024

A Positive Sac Bunting Signal and Other Bullets

Read More

more cubs news

Latest News

more cubs news

Most Popular

Most Popular

Latest News

Most Popular

Most Popular