Around the League: Tigers Shortstop, Pitcher Elbows, a Little Fun, and More

mlb logoInfo, fun, and salient bits from the last few days of baseballing …

  • The Tigers’ shortstop issues are back in the fore after they let Alex Gonzalez go. Christina Kahrl wonders what they’re going to do the rest of the way, and spends a healthy portion of her piece discussing the possibility of Darwin Barney.
  • Bryce Harper was recently benched for failing to run out a grounder (after missing time with a quad injury, mind you) by his manager, Matt Williams, who very publicly wrist-slapped his young star for a lack of hustle. That’s a silly story in its own right, but one Nationals writer has implied that Harper missed time with his quad injury so that he could actually miss facing Jose Fernandez with a nine-game hitting streak on the line (Hardball Talk). It’s a pretty incendiary accusation, but nothing likely comes of it. Just another interesting wrinkle to the Bryce Harper story. I find him fun to follow, for all kinds of reasons.
  • Another Around the League, and another torn UCL. This one belongs to Yankees starter Ivan Nova, whose ulnar collateral ligament is only partially torn, and there’s no official word on what’s next. Tommy John pretty much always follows a tear of the UCL, so the Yankees may be down another starter.
  • Speaking of being down a starter, Chris Sale hit the DL with a strained flexor muscle strain, which is right down there in the forearm/elbow area, but an MRI showed no ligament damage. Everyone’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop because of Sale’s unique delivery (and what appears to be extremely high arm stress), but he’s dealt successfully with these kind of minor arm issues in the past.
  • I assume you’ve seen the Carlos Gomez/Gerrit Cole bench-clearing brawl incident, kicked off by Gomez doing what Gomez does (enjoying his hit) and Cole perhaps suggesting that Gomez shouldn’t have done that. I don’t approve of Gomez turning a verbal altercation into a physical one, and I also think he was a dope for pimping a triple that would have been an easy inside-the-park home run if he’d run out of the box, but I also think we gotta tone down the anti-celebration rhetoric. Guys can have a little fun out there.
  • Grant Brisbee spotlights and discusses the worst swing of the year so far (which, given the hit-and-run context, might also be one of the best):
  • Eno Sarris writes a fantastic piece on the aging curve of various pitcher skills. Much like we’re seeing with various hitting skills, in today’s environment, there are no longer those late-20s peaks – only gradual, and then pronounced, declines.
  • Astros manager Bo Porter was pretty pissed off when Jed Lowrie bunted against them with a seven-run lead in the first inning to beat the shift (bunting to be the shift discussion involving Anthony Rizzo earlier today). But, as Lowrie points out, it’s pretty insane to, on the one hand, believe the game is close enough that it’s worth shifting on a guy, but then throw at him because he dared to try and bunt to beat that very shift.
  • Astros prospect Delino DeShields, Jr. was hit in the face by a pitch, which caused a fair bit of damage, though he’s staying positive about it. Ever wonder what a fastball to the face does? Well, suffice it to say: he doesn’t have the ball tucked inside his cheek, despite appearances to the contrary.
  • I just … it’s … it’s so beautiful and glorious. Please keep playing, and please stay in the National League, Bartolo Colon:
  • 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

    The First Chicago Cubs Lineup of the Year is Here!

    *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...

    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...

    Latest News

    Rome Odunze Has a Visit With the Bears Coming Soon

    If you aren't already familiar with Rome Odunze's name or game, your time will come. The University of Washington wide receiver is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. At this point of the year, I've officially...

    Matt Eberflus Opens a Window to the Chicago Bears Draft Plans

    NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...

    Braves vs. Phillies: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Ronald Acuna Jr. and the Atlanta Braves take on Kyle Schwarber and the Philadelphia Phillies in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 3:05 PM ET.The article below will provide you with everything you need to watch Atlanta...

    Jonas Valančiūnas Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Bucks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    On Thursday at 8:00 PM ET, the New Orleans Pelicans play the Milwaukee Bucks, and Jonas Valančiūnas' 3-pointer prop for this clash requires just one trey.Jonas Valančiūnas' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the BucksJonas Valanciunas' over/under for three-pointers in this game:...

    Top 25 College Basketball Picks and Best Bets: March 28

    The Illinois Fighting Illini and the Iowa State Cyclones hit the court in one of four games on the college basketball slate on Thursday that include a ranked team.How to Bet on Top 25 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Top 25 Games for...

    What Does a Chicago Bears NFL Draft Trade Down Look Like?

    You'd think we'd be well-versed in trade-back options after months of wondering what kind of haul it would take for the Bears to move off taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. But trading...

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

    The Arizona Diamondbacks look to start their season with a win as home favorites (-226) in a season-opening matchup with the Colorado Rockies. First pitch is on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET on ARID, live from Chase Field.Arizona's Zac Gallen...

    Mariners vs. Red Sox Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Seattle Mariners look to start their season with a win as home favorites (-155) in a season-opening matchup with the Boston Red Sox. First pitch is on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET on NESN, live from T-Mobile Park.Luis Castillo...

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

    The Cleveland Guardians begin their season as -156 favorites in a road tilt against the Oakland Athletics on Thursday at 10:07 PM ET, live on NBCS-CA.Cleveland's Shane Bieber gets the start, and he'll go against Oakland's Alex Wood.Guardians vs. Athletics...

    Damian Lillard Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    Will Damian Lillard make four 3-pointers when the Milwaukee Bucks face the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday at 8:00 PM ET? If so, he'll beat his prop for the game.Damian Lillard's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the PelicansDamian Lillard's over/under for...

    more cubs news