Happy Halloween, More Scary Impressiveness from Willson Contreras and Other Bullets

otter pumpkinThe spookiest day of the year is here. Go find some ghosts and give them a hug.

Also, this.

  • If you’re growing increasingly fond of Cubs catching prospect Willson Contreras, you’re going to want to read this profile by John Arguello over at Scout. Lots of folks, including John, have know that Contreras had that talent in there for a long time, but as his frequent coach and manager Mark Johnson says in the article, it was always going to take time to get to a place where he could actualize that talent and turn it into on-field production. One thing I’ll add about Contreras’s marked offensive improvement this year – it’s not at all uncommon for catching prospects to take a little longer to break out with the bat, given the arduous process of learning and improving behind the plate. That likely goes double for a guy like Contreras, who was converted to catcher only three years ago, and is still only 23. He can still get a lot better. He has that upside.
  • Did you know that Contreras struck out fewer times in 2015 than he did in 2014? Oh, I guess that doesn’t sound like much. I should probably mention that he played 2015 at a higher level, and had 204(!) more plate appearances in 2015. Yes, now you’re impressed.
  • And if you missed the Prospect Notes yesterday with tons more on Contreras and other Cubs prospects, there you go.
  • Andrew Felper looks back at Jon Lester’s great first season with the Cubs, and I was particularly nodding-my-head-y when he got to the part about why folks don’t seem to appreciate how good Lester’s season was (primarily, I suspect, it was the historic season by some other starters in the NL, including his own teammate).
  • Dan Jennings has officially been dismissed as the GM of the Marlins, after taking one for the team and becoming the manager earlier this year. He’s being replaced as manager by Don Mattingly, and he’ll be replaced as GM by an internal shuffling of roles.
  • Mark Saxon explores Dave Martinez as a possible candidate for the Dodgers’ open managerial gig.
  • A really touching read on the head-injury risk in baseball and the long road of recovery – and this is not the angle you’re expecting. Please keep yourselves and your kids safe.
  • If you missed it earlier, the Mets routed their way back into the World Series, and Tom Ricketts thanked the fans.
  • 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

    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...

    Nico Hoerner is Back to Being Nico Hoerner

    On April 9, I took an early look at Nico Hoerner's apparently evolving approach at the plate, which featured a lot more patience and a lot more big hacks. Effectively, it seemed like he was trying for a little more...

    MLBits: Spencer Strider Speaks (His and Other Pitcher Arm Injuries), Shohei Ohtani’s Latest Milestone, More

    There's been much debate about pitcher arm injuries lately, much of it sparked by Spencer Strider's season-ending Tommy John surgery, and Strider spoke to the media for the first time since the injury on Friday. Spencer Strider on pitcher arm...

    Chicago Cubs Sign Lefty Pitching Prospect Mitchell Tyranski

    A new signing popped up on the Chicago Cubs' transaction log: lefty Mitchell Tyranski. Tyranski, 26, put up a 3.83 ERA over 42.1 innings at High-A last year in the Dodgers organization, striking out 47 and walking 21. Were you...

    The Cubs Have TWO of the Early Front-Runners for NL Rookie of the Year

    We already dove deep into Shota Imanaga's latest impressive start against the Marlins yesterday. And there's been no shortage of love for Michael Busch this season either. But I do want to take this time to illustrate just how good...

    My Expectations and Realistic Hope for the Cubs VERY Tough Upcoming Schedule

    Even though Sunday ended in a loss for the Chicago Cubs, we did get some good news in the form of positive injury updates. Ian Happ (hamstring) was available off the bench and could be good to go tomorrow, when...

    Aaron Boone Just Got Ejected Despite Saying Literally Nothing

    I know that sometimes there is a history between an umpire and a manager. I know that sometimes a manager can subtly get under the skin of an umpire without doing much that we can see or hear. And I...

    Cubs Farm Report | April 22, 2024: Weekend Wrap

    Let's get caught up on all of the action down on the farm in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm Report | April 22, 2024 Triple-A Iowa Cubs (13-8) The Cubs were swept in a doubleheader by the Louisville Bats...

    Looking at the Positives, Bellinger and Morel Streaking (in Opposite Directions), and Other Cubs Bullets

    What started as a small convo for the bullets ballooned into a deeper dive on Kyle Hendricks, what's going wrong, and where the Cubs go from here. So if you're looking for the Hendricks discussion, that was earlier today. Despite...

    Latest 2024 MLB Mock Draft Lands the Cubs a Top Prospect Out of Wake Forest

    Baseball America today released its updated (version 2.0) 2024 MLB mock draft. With more of the amateur season taking place, we are starting to see more of the top tier become firmly crystalized with eight names, none of whom are...

    Latest News

    76ers vs. Knicks Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets for NBA Playoffs Game 3 – Thursday, April 25, 2024

    The Philadelphia 76ers are 4-point favorites in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday, beginning at 7:30 PM ET on TNT. The Knicks lead the series...

    Magic vs. Cavaliers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets for NBA Playoffs Game 3 – Thursday, April 25, 2024

    The Orlando Magic are slight 1-point favorites heading into Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Amway Center on Thursday, tipping off at 7:00 PM ET on NBA. The Cavaliers lead the...

    Bucks vs. Pacers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: NBA Playoffs Game 2 – Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    The Indiana Pacers are slight 1-point underdogs in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on Tuesday, beginning at 8:30 PM ET on NBA. The Bucks are ahead 1-0 in...

    Timberwolves vs. Suns Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: NBA Playoffs Game 2 – Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    The Minnesota Timberwolves are slight 3-point favorites in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs against the Phoenix Suns at Target Center on Tuesday, starting at 7:30 PM ET on TNT. The Timberwolves hold a 1-0 series...

    Mavericks vs. Clippers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: NBA Playoffs Game 2 – Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    The Los Angeles Clippers bring a 0-1 series record into Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs. The Mavericks are favored by 2.5 points in the matchup, which airs on TNT at 10:00 PM ET. The point...

    How to Watch Cardinals vs. Diamondbacks: Live Stream or on TV

    Nolan Arenado and the St. Louis Cardinals (10-13) host Ketel Marte and the Arizona Diamondbacks (11-13) at 7:45 PM ET on Tuesday.See how to watch the St. Louis-Arizona matchup below.When is Cardinals vs. Diamondbacks and when does it start?This contest...

    Hurricanes vs. Islanders NHL Playoffs First Round Game 3 Prediction: Odds, Picks, Best Bets – Thursday, April 25, 2024

    The bookmakers pick the Carolina Hurricanes to top the New York Islanders in their clash on Thursday, April 25, with the visiting Hurricanes given moneyline odds of -155, and the Islanders at +130.Hurricanes vs. Islanders Favorite, Moneyline, TotalFavorite: Hurricanes (-155)Underdog:...

    Maple Leafs vs. Bruins NHL Playoffs First Round Game 3 Prediction: Live Odds, Stats, History and Picks – Wednesday, April 24, 2024

    The Toronto Maple Leafs play the Boston Bruins on Wednesday and are -115 on the moneyline, with the latter at -105.Maple Leafs vs. Bruins Favorite, Moneyline, TotalFavorite: Maple Leafs (-115)Underdog: Bruins (-105)Total: 5.5Best Maple Leafs vs. Bruins Promo Codes[lasso type="table"...

    Giants vs. Mets: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Logan Webb takes the mound for the San Francisco Giants (11-13) when they host starting pitcher Luis Severino and the New York Mets (12-10) at 9:45 PM ET on Tuesday.See how to watch the San Francisco-New York matchup below.When is...

    How to Watch Orioles vs. Angels: Live Stream or on TV

    Grayson Rodriguez will take the mound for the Baltimore Orioles (15-7) when they visit starting pitcher Griffin Canning and the Los Angeles Angels (9-14) on Tuesday, with first pitch at 9:38 PM ET.If you're planning on watching this game, keep...

    more cubs news