Lou Piniella Warns Joe Maddon About Absurd Chicago Mood Swings and Other Bullets

lou_piniella_bewilderedOn Saturday night, I went to a tennis party. It was a bunch of people at a place to play tennis. With pizza. It was actually a lot of fun, though the volume of tennis you play at a tennis party, as compared to a regular tennis outing, is considerably higher. Thus, my shoulder is bothering me today, and that is why it popped into my head this morning.

I also thought you might enjoy chiding me about spending my Saturday night at a tennis party.

  • Former Chicago Cubs manager – and former Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager – Lou Piniella was on the Kap and Haugh show yesterday, discussing, among other things, Joe Maddon’s transition from Tampa Bay to Chicago. Among Piniella’s spot-on comments: “You win three or four games a row in Chicago and all of a sudden, you’re gonna win the division and win a World Series. You lose three or four or five in a row and the season’s over. The mood swings are huge.” You’re telling us, Lou. I suspect that polarity will be all the more acute this year, with the burden of “expectations” starting to creep into the fan base again. If the Cubs, for example, lose six or more of the first ten games, the questions about whether the offseason improvements were all flash will be out in force. It will be annoying, and completely ridiculous. If the Cubs, for example, win six or more of the first ten games, the World Series reservations will be booked six months in advance. It will be enjoyable, but completely ridiculous. It seems like, over the years, that no matter how much an incoming manager is warned about that mentality, he’s never quite prepared for it. With Maddon, though, he feels like a guy who will be able to adjust to it very quickly, and – eh hem – won’t let the pressure exceed the pleasure. It sounded like Piniella agreed.
  • A local profile on Cubs infielder Tommy La Stella, who sounds pretty excited to be getting in with the Cubs when he is. He says the Cubs haven’t yet discussed with him their plans for where he’ll be playing, which makes sense – given the composition of the roster, it’s hard to know exactly how that’s all going to shake out. It’s conceivable that Javier Baez needs more time at AAA, and La Stella winds up starting at second base for a while. It’s conceivable that, even if Baez heads down, Arismendy Alcantara plays second, and La Stella winds up starting at third base for a while. It’s conceivable that La Stella doesn’t wind up a starter anywhere, and instead becomes a utility man who starts regularly against righties. I also think, given his limited defensive track record (he’s pretty much exclusively a second baseman by trade), the Cubs probably want to see what he can do at other positions in Spring Training before deciding precisely what his role will be. I remain excited to have a guy like La Stella on the roster, wherever he ends up. My only regret is that he’s not more of a power hitter, thus limiting our opportunities to shout, “LA STELLLAAAAAAA” during games.
  • Remember the MLB Fan Cave? The hub of mostly social media activity in New York where fans watched every MLB game in a give season? Well, it’s kaput. The decision sounds less about any failings of the Fan Cave (I thought it did some good things, in terms of spreading interesting/fun content), and more about organizational changes going on at the highest levels of MLB as they rethink their promotional approach.
  • BN’er Dale Pettit (aka Spriggs) is out in Arizona, and he’s been scoping out the early arrivers at Cubs camp over the past couple weeks. Because of the way the new facilities are laid out, it’s a little more difficult to confirm for certain who is in camp (until the actual workouts begin and players are spread out to all corners of the facility), but Dale says the early-arrivers include Starlin Castro, Jon Lester, Edwin Jackson (looking fit and with a new haircut, Dale says), Miguel Montero, Brian Schlitter (Dale didn’t mention a haircut for Schlitter, but hopefully he didn’t dare), Jason Motte, Jacob Turner, Eric Jokisch, Mike Olt, Matt Szczur, and Travis Wood. There are many more, but those are the guys Dale could confirm for sure. Given yesterday’s discussion of the 5th starter competition, I think it’s interesting to see how many of those guys arrived early (and before you cast aspersions on anyone who hasn’t arrived early, remember that players coming from out of the country aren’t always able to arrive early for work visa reasons). Great stuff from Dale, and we say thanks!
  • Sahadev Sharma was on the Ivy Envy podcast to discuss all manner of interesting Cubs bits.
  • The Cubs, the Nationals, and MLB are involved in a trademark dispute with a startup that wants to use a “W” symbol that looks similar to trademarked Ws held by each of the Cubs and Nationals (Washington Post). Trademark holders tend to be overly assertive of their rights, but you should know that’s because they have to be, lest they lose their trademarks – part of retaining your trademarks is demonstrating that you do what’s necessary to protect them.
  • 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

    Cubs with a Flurry of Roster Moves Involving SIX Players

    We've been trying to piece this series of Cubs roster moves together all day, but we didn't have the full picture until now. There are a lot of moving parts - and we already have a dedicated article on the...

    Kyle Hendricks Departs the Rotation By Way of the Injured List

    The Chicago Cubs were in a rough spot with starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, whose performance this year has featured a worst-case-scenario mix of execution struggles, too many balls in play, and a sprinkling of bad luck. And since no one...

    REPORT: Cubs to DFA Garrett Cooper

    Garrett Cooper DFA — Earlier today, Tommy Birch caught word of Matt Mervis and Hayden Wesneski making their way up to Chicago, though no one has had the corresponding moves just yet. What we do know is that Wesneski would...

    Cubs Farm Report | April 23, 2024: Studs and Duds of the Week

    As I typed this, news broke that the Cubs were promoting Matt Mervis from Iowa to Chicago. So, we'll start this week's Studs and Duds on the Cubs farm with Mervis, who has been impressive this season. Plus, Kevin Alcántara...

    What Happened to Bears’ Arlington Move? Watch Out For Cards, New and Texans Unis, and Other Bears Bullets

    This afternoon's forecast in Chicago calls for afternoon rainstorms, which means I need to tweak my schedule to get my regularly scheduled walk in without getting soaked. Wish me luck! The Chicago Bears are reportedly set to announce lakefront stadium...

    Get ‘Em While They’re Down: Cubs vs Astros – Series Preview

    Cubs vs Astros — Splitting a four-gamer against the current, badly-struggling Miami Marlins is unquestionably a bad outcome, especially when one of those two losses was a win-in-hand that slipped away into the seats. But the typical, and maddeningly correct,...

    REPORT: Cubs Are Calling Up Matt Mervis and Hayden Wesneski

    I was literally in the middle of an article asking "What Are the Cubs Going to Do with Matt Mervis," when this news came across the wire. The Cubs first base picture is fully settled with the left-handed Michael Busch...

    South Side Horror Show (and Campfire Milkshakes), Alzolay and Evolving Relief Roles, and Other Cubs Bullets

    It's going to be a really good year for Horror movies. Late Night with the Devil was good (just saw it the other night). And I've got my eyes on Long Legs, Cuckoo, The First Omen, Immaculate, MaXXXine, In a...

    Two NL Central Pitchers Down: Miley and Montas

    A couple injuries to note among other NL Central contenders, as each of the Brewers and Reds have taken a hit to their rotation. The presumption for now is short-term on each, but I suppose we'll see. First, you have...

    Brewers Pitcher Jakob Junis Taken Off Field in an Ambulance After Being Struck by BP Ball

    A very scary scene in Pittsburgh, where Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jakob Junis, currently on the IL with a shoulder impingement, took a batting practice ball off the neck and went down. Junis was apparently on the ground for a long...

    Latest News

    2024 Zurich Classic Sleeper Picks: Target These Two Longshot Teams

    Zurich Classic Sleeper Picks - The Zurich Classic, a thrilling and unique team event on the PGA Tour, is set to take place at the picturesque TPC Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana. This Pete Dye design, renowned for its water hazards...

    Cubs with a Flurry of Roster Moves Involving SIX Players

    We've been trying to piece this series of Cubs roster moves together all day, but we didn't have the full picture until now. There are a lot of moving parts - and we already have a dedicated article on the...

    2024 Los Angeles Chargers Big Board: Potential First-Round Fits Including Wide Receiver & Tackle

    The 2024 NFL Draft is upon us, and the Los Angeles Chargers hold the coveted fifth overall pick. With a young, dynamic quarterback in Justin Herbert, the Chargers are poised to make a serious playoff run. But to take that...

    FanDuel Promo Code: $5 Bet on NBA Wins You $150 Including Bucks vs Pacers

    In the dynamic world of sports betting, the FanDuel promo code stands out as a great way to start on a premier platform for enthusiasts looking to elevate their NBA betting experience. With the NBA season in full swing, the...

    Paul George Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Mavericks – NBA Playoffs Game 2, Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, it'll be the Los Angeles Clippers versus the Dallas Mavericks, with Paul George needing four trifectas to beat his 3-pointer over/under.Paul George's Three-Pointer...

    James Harden Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Mavericks – NBA Playoffs Game 2, Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    On Tuesday at 10:00 PM ET, the Los Angeles Clippers play the Dallas Mavericks in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and James Harden's 3-pointer prop for this clash requires three trifectas.James Harden's Three-Pointer Prop Odds...

    Kyrie Irving Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Clippers – NBA Playoffs Game 2, Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, it'll be the Dallas Mavericks against the Los Angeles Clippers, with Kyrie Irving needing four treys to beat his 3-pointer prop.Kyrie Irving's Three-Pointer...

    Luka Doncic Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Clippers – NBA Playoffs Game 2, Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    Luka Doncic needs to make five 3-pointers to beat his prop when the Dallas Mavericks play the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday at 10:00 PM ET, in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs.Luka Doncic's Three-Pointer Prop...

    2024 NBA Draft: Which Big Names Have Already Declared?

    The 2024 NBA Draft is fast approaching! We're just about two months away from the NBA's premier offseason event. While we don't quite know the order of the teams selecting yet, we're starting to get commitments on who will be...

    When is the 2024 NFL Draft? Dates, Location, Mock Drafts, Pick Order

    It's finally here, folks! The event every football franchise and fan alike circles on their calendar. The 2024 NFL Draft! The air crackles with anticipation as franchises across the league gear up to reshape their destinies. Quarterback-hungry teams sit on...

    more cubs news