Today’s update is mostly going to be about the videos below, but there is one thing to discuss up front. Joe Maddon says, via Carrie Muskat, that while he’s decided on Jon Lester for Opening Night, he hasn’t yet decided on David Ross catching Lester in that game.
Although we know that Lester and Ross have worked well together in the recent past, we also know that Miguel Montero is also an excellent receiver, and probably supplies quite a bit more offensive potential against righties (pending his injury, the Cubs figure to face righty Adam Wainwright on Opening Night). Lester, himself, has said he’s comfortable throwing to catchers other than Ross, so it’s not like he’s campaigning for a personal catcher.
It’s good to know that Maddon is still considering his options back there, and, ultimately, it’ll be a matter of balancing the upside for Lester of pairing him with Ross, with the upside of having Montero’s lefty bat in the lineup. It might be a question for a little while until all involved find a rhythm. (Also, something something Welington Castillo is still here, too, something something.)
And now lots of enjoyable moving pictures (I have to plug Vine Line, in particular, because they’ve been sending out some fantastic BP videos – give them a follow):
Did someone request Jorge Soler footage? #Cubs pic.twitter.com/PlLMRFrZo3
— CubsVineLine (@cubsvineline) March 3, 2015
One more with Bryant. #Cubs pic.twitter.com/uwrKJCGGH8
— CubsVineLine (@cubsvineline) March 3, 2015
Let's do one more of Baez. That first one cleared the berm in left. #Cubs pic.twitter.com/SyYDEfaYmE
— CubsVineLine (@cubsvineline) March 3, 2015
Kyle Schwarber in the box. #Cubs pic.twitter.com/6LhHaJ2ZuV
— CubsVineLine (@cubsvineline) March 3, 2015
Albert Almora in the cage. #Cubs pic.twitter.com/zGIhHloEy1
— CubsVineLine (@cubsvineline) March 3, 2015
A sea of blue. #LetsGo pic.twitter.com/IYKvleOMAk
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 3, 2015
Gains and games. #SpringTraining pic.twitter.com/grystPzCPU
— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) March 3, 2015
(That’d be Anthony Rizzo.)
File this as something you'll never see in a game (Bryant) https://t.co/WzzhFNAQgm
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) March 3, 2015
Mike Olt goes yard in BP https://t.co/vU2gxvi2Q6
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) March 3, 2015