Travis Wood is a Dirtbag (Which is a Good Thing) and Other Bullets

travis wood cubs

I’m not sure if I should be rooting for Alex Rodriguez to continue his success because LOL-Yankees, or if I should be rooting against it because forget-A-Rod. He’s currently hitting .286/.394/.571.

  • Travis Wood is a dirtbag, in the best possible sense, according to Joe Maddon (Cubs.com). Given his athleticism, hustle, and overall baseball ability (especially relative to other pitchers), it sounds like a fit to me. Most importantly, Wood was a dominant pitcher last night, hitting his spots, and working very well with catcher Miguel Montero.
  • If you found yourself noticing an uptick in velocity for Wood, too, you were right: his fastball averaged nearly 92mph, which was his highest single-game mark since April of last year. It trailed off into the high-80s from there, so we’ll see if this is just something that happens for Wood in April, or if he’s figured out a way to keep it in the low-90s. If he has? And if the command is there like it was last night? He will dominate teams all season long. I’m not saying I think that will happen, but I’m just saying: a lefty with excellent command of five pitches (four-seamer, cutter, change, slider, curve) and sitting at 92mph? That’s a guy who will dominate hitters, just as he did last night. (Odds are, however, that the velocity will slide back to the 90mph range, and the command won’t always be *that* spot-on. Still – through two starts, Wood is looking like a very good 4/5, which is all the Cubs need him to be, especially when you consider the extra value he provides on defense, on the bases, and with the bat.)
  • The belief that the Cubs’ 2013 draft board went 1. Mark Appel 2. Kris Bryant has been pervasive for almost two years now, but Jason McLeod tells Phil Rogers that isn’t true – by the time draft night rolled around, the Cubs wanted Bryant.
  • Jorge Soler with Gold Glove and mini-Hawk potential? (CSN)
  • When Neil Ramirez had to leave the game last night – more on that in a bit – Joe Maddon had to call to the bullpen for a reliever without actually calling on the phone. So he did this:
  • https://twitter.com/matty_lite1/status/588533617468420096

  • Tommy La Stella (side/rib cage) is eligible to come off of the disabled list on April 24, and he hopes that’s the day he’ll be ready to go (Tribune). That’s a week away, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens to the roster by then, with Kris Bryant on the way and Chris Denorfia back at some point from his hamstring injury.
  • I made some jokes on Twitter last night about Mr. Woodchuck (‘Full House,’ FTW) during Travis Wood’s stellar start, which prompted ghibby to joke about a “Rally Beaver,” which prompted me to suggest that the Rally Beaver should be the official, non-mascot rally animal of the Cubs. The original pictured animal was apparently not actually a beaver, so I found another. What do you think? You in for the Rally Beaver? Actually kind of terrifying:
  • I’ve put together my initial lineup for tonight’s DraftKings contest, which was tricky because there are so few games tonight. Here’s where I’m at right now:
  • brett initial lineup april 16

  • I don’t love having both Chris Archer and Jose Bautista in the lineup as a couple of my big money players (since they face each other), so I’m going to have to make sure to check lineups when they come out to see if there are any fringe starters I can pick up to do some last minute tinkering. If you want to play, too, you can sign up here. The contest starts at 6:05pm CT.
  • If you missed the Minor League Daily this morning.
  • 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

    Enhanced Box Score: Braves 2, Cubs 0 – May 13, 2024

    Well that ninth inning rally started off great, with Cody Bellinger and Christopher Morel reaching, the latter on 12-pitch walk (the longest PA of his career). And then POOF. In just two pitches, the Cubs made three outs and the...

    Craig Counsell Was Just Thrown Out from the Dugout … by the First Base Umpire

    Well you don't see that very often. Craig Counsell was just thrown out of the game from inside the Cubs dugout *by the FIRST BASE umpire* after a check-swing appeal. Here's what happened. In the bottom of the fourth inning,...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Braves (6:20 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Atlanta Braves are one of, if not the toughest opponent the Cubs will face this season. But Seiya Suzuki is back, Cody Bellinger is back, and Shota Imanaga is on the mound. This Cubs team is...

    Cubs Roster Move: Alzolay to the IL, Cuas Returns (UPDATE)

    It felt like this situation with Adbert Alzolay could not go on much longer, and it has now resolved itself with an Injured List move. Today, the Cubs placed Alzolay on the 15-day IL with a right forearm strain. Jose...

    MLB Has a New Streaming Home For Its ‘Sunday Leadoff’ Games

    Fans can now watch MLB games via Roku. Do with that what you will. The "MLB Sunday Leadoff" games will begin this weekend. The first game, featuring the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, starts at 12:05 p.m. CT,...

    Let’s See How They Measure Up in Atlanta: Cubs vs Braves Series Preview

    Cubs vs Braves — Six of the Cubs next ten games come against the Atlanta Braves, and the first three are on the road starting tonight. And while the Cubs did recently get Seiya Suzuki, Cody Bellinger, and Justin Steele...

    MLB Pipeline Added Two MORE Cubs to Their Top-100

    Over the weekend, MLB Pipeline updated their top-100 MLB Prospect Rankings, with eight new players making the list after graduations and other considerations. And TWO of those players, Moises Ballesteros and Jefferson Rojas, are Chicago Cubs prospects. All together, that...

    For the Second Time in a Few Days, Birthday Boy Nico Hoerner Saved the Game

    A happy 27th birthday to Chicago Cubs second baseman, and fill-in shortstop, Nico Hoerner. He is currently hitting a career-best .275/.364/.399/122 wRC+, and walking more often (9.7%) than he's striking out (9.1%). He has been absolutely scorching over the past...

    MLBits: Padres Best the Dodgers, Skenes Debut Reactions, Guardians New Threads, More

    The Dodgers have a comfortable lead in the NL West, but the Padres are proving to themselves that they can make this a two-horse race. Plus, reactions from Paul Skenes' major league debut and more in today's MLB Notes. Padres...

    David Peralta Has Opted Out of His Minor League Deal with the Cubs

    The Chicago Cubs have had veteran outfielder David Peralta around as emergency depth going back to Spring Training, when he was working his way back from offseason arm surgery. But he might now be heading off to join another organization....

    Latest News

    How to Watch Dodgers vs. Giants: Live Stream or on TV

    On Tuesday, Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers (27-15) face Thairo Estrada and the San Francisco Giants (19-23), with first pitch scheduled for 9:45 PM ET at Oracle Park.The article below will give you everything you need to watch...

    Cardinals vs. Angels: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Brendan Donovan and the St. Louis Cardinals (16-24) visit Taylor Ward and the Los Angeles Angels (15-26) on Tuesday, with first pitch at 9:38 PM ET.See how to watch the St. Louis-Los Angeles matchup below.When is Cardinals vs. Angels and...

    Diamondbacks vs. Reds: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    In a series opener on Tuesday, Ketel Marte and the Arizona Diamondbacks (19-22) take on Elly De La Cruz and the Cincinnati Reds (17-23), with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.If you're trying to watch this...

    How to Watch Mariners vs. Royals: Live Stream or on TV

    On Tuesday, Josh Rojas and the Seattle Mariners (22-19) begin a series against Bobby Witt Jr. and the Kansas City Royals (25-17) at T-Mobile Park, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET.Keep reading to find out how to watch...

    Padres vs. Rockies: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Dylan Cease will take the ball for the San Diego Padres (22-21) when they host starter Cal Quantrill and the Colorado Rockies (12-28) on Tuesday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the San...

    Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees Series May 14-16: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    A three-game series featuring the Minnesota Twins and the visiting New York Yankees will begin on Tuesday, May 14 at 7:40 PM ET.Twins vs. Yankees Series Info Yankees @ Twins Time: Tuesday, May 14 at 7:40 PM ET Twins Starting...

    Rangers vs. Guardians: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    On Tuesday, Jack Leiter will start for the Texas Rangers (22-20) against Ben Lively and the Cleveland Guardians (25-16), with first pitch scheduled for 8:05 PM ET at Globe Life Field.Keep reading to find out all the details on how...

    How to Watch Astros vs. Athletics: Live Stream or on TV

    On Tuesday at 8:10 PM ET, Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros (15-25) play Brent Rooker and the Oakland Athletics (19-23) at Minute Maid Park.The article below will provide you with everything you need to know to watch Houston take...

    Craig Counsell Was Just Thrown Out from the Dugout … by the First Base Umpire

    Well you don't see that very often. Craig Counsell was just thrown out of the game from inside the Cubs dugout *by the FIRST BASE umpire* after a check-swing appeal. Here's what happened. In the bottom of the fourth inning,...

    Red Sox vs. Rays: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    In a series opener on Tuesday, Jarren Duran and the Boston Red Sox (21-19) play Isaac Paredes and the Tampa Bay Rays (20-21), with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 PM ET at Fenway Park.Find out how to watch the Boston-Tampa...

    more cubs news