Hall of Fame Announcement Coming, Grichuk Beefs, Baby Baez, and Other Bullets

The Little Girl is doing the Girl Scout cookie thing, which is very convenient, because I now don’t have to seek out someone else to buy from. But it is also quite dangerous, because that dang order form just sits there, with so many cookies looking delicious … and all I have to do is change a 2 to a 3 and a 5 to a 6 … or add a 1 in front of a 2 … and then you get the boxes, and it’s like, yeah, I ordered too many, but I’m not gonna waste them, so …

(If you want to get Girl Scout cookies but don’t have someone local to buy from (support your local troop if you do!), you can order from The Little Girl’s online page here.)

  • The Hall of Fame results will be announced this evening, and here’s where things stand as far as we can tell from public ballots:
  • You tend to see guys like Edgar Martinez – not supported by “traditional” voters – fall when the actual results come out, because those voters tend to be less likely to release their ballots publicly (which is frankly embarrassing). Also embarrassing: Andruw Jones might fall off the ballot because of the stupid backlog of worthy candidates that has built up while voters moralize about the Steroid Era. Your stance has led to plausibly-Hall-of-Fame-worthy players like Kenny Lofton, Jim Edmonds, and now maybe Jones to fall off the ballot right off the bat. Worse, the same voters punish those players because their numbers don’t hold up against the very guys who are being held out as juicers!
  • Speaking of which:
  • The implications here make for a very not-so-good-look for the Cardinals’ organization and manager:
  • To be sure, that could just be Grichuk frustrated by being part of a rotation because of the Cardinals quality outfield depth last year. But even so, you’d had to see a guy like Ian Happ or Albert Almora thinking this about their playing time with the Cubs – the last thing you want is a young player out there feeling like he’s GOTTA GET A HIT that day just to keep playing. Baseball doesn’t work that way, and that’s a quick recipe for a slump.
  • Cubs relief prospect Corey Black had Tommy John surgery last year, but he’s working his way back, and just hit a big milestone:
  • With a continued recovery, Black could be pitching competitively somewhere in the minor leagues by at least midseason. Now 26, Black’s stuff has always been big-league-caliber, especially in a relief role. It’d be great if he got into a position to be a depth reliever by the second half, though historically, it could take a year of competitive pitching for him to get back to full velocity and command.
  • A little Javy Baez is on the way:
  • https://www.instagram.com/p/BeVaDSTFW1b/?hl=en&taken-by=javy23baez

  • A reminder about how little minor leaguers make.
  • If you missed the latest on the Cubs and Yu Darvish last night, catch up here. But after that, anything yet? Anthony:
  • 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

    Now We Know Why Ian Happ Was Removed Mid-game

    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...

    Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 8, Marlins 3 – April 19, 2024

    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...

    Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson with Back-to-Back Slick Defensive Plays

    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...

    Pre-Gamin’: Marlins at Cubs – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *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...

    MLBits: The White Sox Might be the Worst Team Ever, What Games I’m Watching this Weekend, More

    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...

    Can I Interest You in a Positive Injury-Update on Justin Steele?

    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...

    FAA Reportedly Investigating How a Passenger on Colorado Rockies Team Flight Was Seen Accessing the Cockpit

    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...

    Cubs Farm Report | April 19, 2024: Kevin Alcántara is Heating Up!

    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...

    It’s Not Kyle Hendricks Last Chance (But…), Ben Brown, Jameson Taillon, and Other Cubs Bullets

    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 Not Stealing Bases So Far This Year

    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...

    Latest News

    Reds vs. Angels Probable Starting Pitchers – April 20

    The Cincinnati Reds (10-9) host the Los Angeles Angels (9-11) for a home game at Great American Ball Park on Saturday. First pitch is at 6:40 PM ET.The probable starters are Graham Ashcraft (2-1) for the Reds and Patrick Sandoval...

    Braves vs. Rangers Probable Starting Pitchers – April 20

    After winning their past five games, the Atlanta Braves (13-5) host the Texas Rangers (11-10) at Truist Park on Saturday at 7:20 PM ET.The probable pitchers are Charlie Morton (1-0) for the Braves and Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) for the Rangers.Braves...

    Orioles vs. Royals Probable Starting Pitchers – April 20

    The Kansas City Royals (13-7) and the Baltimore Orioles (12-7) square off at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday at 7:10 PM ET.The probable starters are Corbin Burnes (2-0) for the Orioles and Cole Ragans (0-1) for the Royals.Orioles vs. Royals Pitcher...

    Playoffs Begin, Locker Clean Out, Summer Thoughts, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin today. It's the most exciting time of year for 16 cities in the NHL because every one of them -- yes, even the Islanders and Capitals -- have a chance to win it all....

    Guardians vs. Athletics Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Saturday, April 20, 2024

    The Cleveland Guardians (14-6) are set to take on the Oakland Athletics (8-12) Saturday at 6:10 PM ET, airing on NBCS-CA. The Guardians are listed as -170 favorites by oddsmakers, while the underdog Athletics have +141 odds for the contest.Cleveland's...

    Phillies vs. White Sox Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Saturday, April 20, 2024

    Following a two-homer game last time out, Alec Bohm leads the Philadelphia Phillies (12-8) into action as -320 favorites against the Chicago White Sox (3-16). First pitch from Citizens Bank Park at 6:05 PM ET on Saturday, live on NBCS-PH.Zack...

    Phillies vs. White Sox Probable Starting Pitchers – April 20

    The Philadelphia Phillies (12-8) look to add to a four-game winning streak as they host the Chicago White Sox (3-16) at 6:05 PM ET on Saturday.The probable starters are Zack Wheeler (0-3) for the Phillies and Mike Soroka (0-2) for...

    Guardians vs. Athletics Probable Starting Pitchers – April 20

    The Oakland Athletics (8-12) visit the Cleveland Guardians (14-6) for a road game in Cleveland on Saturday. The contest begins at 6:10 PM ET.The probable pitchers are Logan Allen (2-0) for the Guardians and Alex Wood (0-1) for the Athletics.Guardians...

    FanDuel Promo Code for $150 Bonus, NBA Playoff Odds, and More for Saturday

    It's that time of the year again – playoff season in the NBA kicks off TODAY, promising months filled with relentless excitement! New users are in for a treat with an amazing FanDuel promo code offer. By signing up today,...

    Knicks vs. 76ers: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    In Game 1 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks will go up against the Philadelphia 76ers.In their last time out, the Knicks won on Sunday 120-119 against the Bulls in overtime. The 76ers' last...

    more cubs news