Montgomery Digs Utility Role, I Dig Teamwork, Schwarber Digs Catching, and Other Bullets

Mar 25, 2017

The Cubs – well, half of the Cubs – have headed to Las Vegas for their annual end-of-Spring weekend of a couple games in Sin City. That means there will be split squad days today and tomorrow. Four games in two days. Spring Training fevah!

I dug this way to express Mike Montgomery’s comments about being in the bullpen, and doing whatever the team needs him to do, as well as the lack of ego by the pitchers in the rotation about when they will start:

Team first. #ThatsCub

⚾️ https://t.co/xsnt2sDSgR ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/hJ1fwhGG7R

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 24, 2017

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As you know, Montgomery is going to make some starts this year, without question. But, for now, he’s been placed in the bullpen, with Brett Anderson joining the rotation. That makes Montgomery something of a Super Utility Pitcher (remember that?), a role that he’s happy to fill (Cubs.com): “I feel good about it. I’m here to get outs and it doesn’t matter when or where it is …. Either way, it’s a win-win for me …. Just to be a part of this team is good. To fill a unique role is something I take pride in. It’s something I’m excited about. I’ll just be the best reliever I can be.” That’s a guy you want on your team … closing out the World Series.

As I noted in the Miscellany last night, if you missed it, Kyle Schwarber caught four innings of a minor league game and felt basically normal. He wouldn’t speculate on how many starts he might make this year, as he knows he’s the third catcher. I still suspect starts will be extremely rare, but switching behind the plate here and there? On a Joe Maddon team? You’ve gotta assume that’s going to happen periodically.

I told you yesterday the gold Cubs gear for the first two games of the season would be out today, and boom:

BOOM: the Cubs gold championship gear is here! https://t.co/iHOVcCOHW6 pic.twitter.com/LJ2ckGcF76

— Brett Taylor (@BleacherNation) March 25, 2017

I feel like the shirt down there on the right is the most chest-puffing-est thing you could possibly wear. It’s all, “Yeah, that’s right, this is simply Cubs in gold. And you know what it means. Chump.”

And it's not just the jerseys and on-field caps, they've got shirseys, other caps, and t-shirts, too: https://t.co/WfvZ4Tw6UT pic.twitter.com/zudFQxgvfm
— Brett Taylor (@BleacherNation) March 25, 2017

Joe Maddon tells Jesse Rogers his first-pitcher-off-the-bench if he needs a hitter will be Jake Arrieta (because obviously). If it’s a bunt situation, though, look for Jon Lester to get the call (Cubs.com), because he’s an exceptional bunter (again, obviously).

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Addison Russell’s stiff back and Albert Almora’s stiff neck are not expected to be long-term issues (Sun-Times), as Almora might play this weekend, and Russell is expected to be available again early in the week. The good thing, as Gordon Wittenmyer reminds folks, is that with the disabled list down to just 10 days this year for a minimum stay, it’s much less painful to DL a guy if he’s a borderline case, since you now can get him back five days sooner.

Ben Zobrist has also been out with a stiff neck – lotta stiffness associated with the World Champion Chicago Cubs – but he could be back this weekend, as well.

Speaking of Zobrist, he may not look like a prototypical cleanup hitter (the Cubs have a lot of “not prototypical” situations going on, but it works), but he is the right fit there for this lineup. He talks with the Tribune about that role, about situational hitting, and about sliding up to the leadoff spot when Kyle Schwarber is out of the lineup.

Madonna is looking for her next fitness trainer, which may not sound like something I’d include here in the Bullets, but then, the Cubs have an in-house nominee:

Hey @Madonna, we have your trainer!
@CubsJoeMadd nominates #Cubs strength and conditioning coach Tim Buss. #MadonnaChallenge #DanceOn pic.twitter.com/G77yMKgJOm

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 24, 2017

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Lookin’ good:

Seats are in behind home plate! pic.twitter.com/cqGBKdLrQc

— Wrigley Aerials (@WrigleyAerials) March 24, 2017

Noah Syndergaard continues to beef publicly with … Mr. Met?

Luis has your TYL Bears Bullets here.

written by

Brett Taylor

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.

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