I felt very strange because I didn’t feel any of the things movies and friends had told me I was supposed to be feeling. That is to say, I was about to get married, then just 24 years old, and I didn’t feel even the remotest sense of unease or trepidation. My feet were completely warm. Mostly I just wanted to make sure I delivered the jokes in my vows well. (Yes, there were jokes in my vows.)
And eleven years later, I still know today why I felt strange that day about how un-strange I actually felt: I knew I’d found the right partner. There was no doubt in my mind. There still isn’t.
Happy anniversary, dear.
John Lackey’s season numbers are still ugly, but is there anyone left who doesn’t trust that he’ll put in a competitive outing most times he takes the mound now? I don’t know if it was the way he was preserved in the first half, or if he was saving a little bit for the second half (or maybe it was the foot issue that put him on the DL before the All-Star break), but since the break, Lackey has made five starts, and put up a 3.42 ERA. The peripherals are still rather ugly, so maybe there’s some flukishness to it, but Lackey’s actually been getting solid results since mid-June.
I wasn’t there for the tone and all that, but don’t the responses seem to tell you everything you want to know? The pinky injury is significant, and causing Bryant problems. He’s able to play – he had three hits last night – but the impact is there. My hope that the power outage was a mere small sample fluke just went to about zero. Now my hope is that the impact of the injury starts fading in the coming weeks.
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Eric Longenhagen wrote about everyone’s favorite relief prospect (well, or second favorite, behind Dillon Maples), Dakota Mekkes, and he articulated very well my concerns about him sustaining his absurd level of success when he reaches AA and AAA, much less MLB. In short, because of his huge size, stride, and deception, lower-level hitters can’t do anything with this guy they see just once, don’t have deep scouting and preparation for, and haven’t experienced. The actual stuff is not necessarily overwhelming, and there are control issues. Generally, pitchers in that rare profile do not succeed as they face more experienced hitters. That said, it’s rare that a team drafts a relief-only prospect as high as the Cubs did, and pays him a reasonable bonus to sign. Mekkes is definitely more interesting than your typical High-A relief-only prospect, but this is definitely a case where we should not let the numbers dictate our perspective just yet.
Big sale at Amazon on an essential oil air diffuser, which I know, sounds like a weird thing, but I really like ours. It smells good, and maybe it’s all placebo effect, but I feel a little better when I walk through the mist. (OK, that’s probably entirely placebo effect.)
META: Some commenters have started to push the line too far again with respect to GIFs and pictures and gratuitous commentary. You are reminded that this is a safe-for-work site. Needless focus on bare, strategically covered, bouncing, etc., bosoms or butts or whatever are not acceptable in the comments. I ask other folks, when you see them, flag them. And for those of you who want to have a little late night fun to see what happens: don’t. It’s not worth it for me, and it’s not worth it for you.
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.
In the top of the seventh inning of today's 8-3 win over the Miami Marlins, Alexander Canario trotted out to left field in place of Ian Happ. At first, we thought (or maybe just hoped) that Craig Counsell was giving...
And just like that the Chicago Cubs are the first team in the NL Central to reach 12 wins! They're not technically in first place yet because the Brewers (11-6) have played fewer games, but we're talking about a matter...
With a lefty Marlins starter on the mound this afternoon, Nico Hoerner lead off today's game for the Chicago Cubs. And he did it in style, ripping a leadoff double to the left-center field wall, before coming into score a...
*The Cubs were rained out yesterday, but today? Today, we've got a Friday 1:20 start at Wrigley Field, and that means all is right in the world. Before you take a look at the Cubs lineup against Miami, check out...
Happy Friday! Well, for everyone except for the pilots who were supposed to be manning the Colorado Rockies flight last week but instead allowed a member of the Rockies coaching staff to hop in the pilot's seat for a fun...
Justin Steele, arguably the single most irreplaceable player on the Chicago Cubs 2024 roster, went down with a hamstring injury just 4.2 innings into his Opening Day start against the Rangers on March 28. In his place, the Cubs sixth...
If you do this job long enough, it's really wild to see the range of topics that can somehow become attached to sports. That is to say, I did not envision myself at some point writing about flight safety, cockpit...
The Iowa Cubs were rained out, but the rest of the farm was in action, and so was Kevin Alcántara, who picked up four hits and now has seven in his last three games as he breaks out of an...
Well, the rain stole one from us yesterday, which is a blessing and a curse. On the bright side, the bullpen gets an extra day of rest (on top of the day Hayden Wesneski bought them). But on the flip...
The Chicago Cubs are against theft. Of bases: https://twitter.com/codifybaseball/status/1781046629103231339 The Chicago Cubs this year have stolen just three bases, the fewest in all of baseball. Dansby Swanson has stolen two bases, Nick Madrigal has stolen one. That's it. I don't...
In the top of the seventh inning of today's 8-3 win over the Miami Marlins, Alexander Canario trotted out to left field in place of Ian Happ. At first, we thought (or maybe just hoped) that Craig Counsell was giving...
The Bulls and Heat go at it for the last spot in the NBA Playoffs. Let's get it. https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1781299357574213738 Game Info Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls – 6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Chicago Bulls Coby White...
A familiar last name will be in the Big Ten next season. Scottie Pippen's kid, Justin, has committed to the University of Michigan, according to Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports. The youngest son of the Chicago Bulls legend, Pippen started...
With a lefty Marlins starter on the mound this afternoon, Nico Hoerner lead off today's game for the Chicago Cubs. And he did it in style, ripping a leadoff double to the left-center field wall, before coming into score a...
And just like that the Chicago Cubs are the first team in the NL Central to reach 12 wins! They're not technically in first place yet because the Brewers (11-6) have played fewer games, but we're talking about a matter...
Following a two-homer game in a loss to the Yankees, Daulton Varsho leads the Toronto Blue Jays (10-9) into action as -112 favorites against the San Diego Padres (11-10). First pitch from PETCO Park at 9:40 PM ET on Friday,...
Jung Hoo Lee will look to extend his 10-game hitting streak when the San Francisco Giants (9-11) take on the Arizona Diamondbacks (9-11). The Diamondbacks are listed as -123 favorites on the moneyline for the contest, which starts at 10:15...
The New York Mets (10-8) will put their four-game win streak to the test when they visit the Los Angeles Dodgers (12-9) Friday at 10:10 PM ET on MLB Network. Bookmakers consider the Dodgers to be -201 favorites, while the...
The New Orleans Pelicans face the Sacramento Kings at 9:30 PM ET on Friday, in the NBA Play-In Tournament, and one of the 3-pointer over/unders available for this matchup requires only one make from Jonas Valančiūnas.Jonas Valančiūnas' Three-Pointer Prop Odds...
Brandon Ingram must make two 3-pointers to beat his prop when the New Orleans Pelicans meet the Sacramento Kings on Friday at 9:30 PM ET, in the NBA Play-In Tournament.Brandon Ingram's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the KingsBrandon Ingram's over/under for...
NEWSLETTER
