Between Starts Prep, Cubs Roster Prep, New Beat Writer, and Other Bullets

I have had an extraordinarily wild 24 hours that featured The Wife out of town, three kiddos to manage and transport and feed and bathe and whatever, my back blowing up on me again, our ad providers letting some of those stupid mobile redirect ads slip through causing me to have to try to fix it, a basement flood averted at the last minute late on a Friday night when the sump pump died, and then a basement flood actualized on Saturday morning when the piping from the new sump pump busted. I am going to eat so much ice cream tonight …

  • I love these behind-the-scenes looks at the Cubs:
  • How about the comments there from Kyle Hendricks at the end (whose numbers back this up over the years): he wants to use the 200 innings of the regular season to make himself stronger, not break himself down. And if he uses those innings well, then he actually does feel stronger as the year goes on, rather than depleting himself. It’s easier said than done, but it’s probably something to keep in mind as you watch his seasons play out, where he now pretty consistently starts out seemingly a little slower, and then gets better and better as the season goes on. Maybe that’s just him playing a savvy long game and understanding his body.
  • Internal rosters must be set by Tuesday for the purposes of the Rule 5 Draft (i.e., if you want to protect an eligible prospect, he’s gotta go on the 40-man roster by Tuesday). MLB.com looked at the Top 30 organizational prospects for each club who are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this year. As you know, Justin Steele (ranked 8th right now) is the big name for the Cubs, but the others in MLB.com’s Top 30 are Trevor Clifton (17), Earling Moreno (25), and Jason Vosler (28). Clifton and Vosler are “maybes” right now, thanks to their proximity to the big leagues and potential. Moreno is still probably too far from the big leagues to realistically be plucked. Were the rankings re-done after the Arizona Fall League, I think you’d see Erick Leal on there, and he’s another guy the Cubs will seriously have to consider protecting.
  • Arizona Phil has your full list of eligible Cubs prospects here, but I don’t see anyone else realistically under consideration for being plucked at this time. There are definitely some compelling prospects, but mostly in the lower levels, and making that leap to the big leagues – even on a rebuilding club – is frequently too much to ask.
  • Right now, the Cubs’ 40-man roster stands at 39, so the Cubs will have to do some cleanup before Tuesday if they want to add multiple prospects. Other clubs will be in the same boat around baseball, so you might see minor trades happening in the next few days.
  • Joe Maddon, doing good:
  • The Orioles have their new GM, Mike Elias, who comes from the Astros. He is also part of the Cardinals’ front office tree:
  • Construction at Wrigley Field continues with a country’s worth of scaffolding:
  • The Cubs have a new beat writer at MLB.com, and although it was sad to see Carrie Muskat go, Jordan Bastian has long been one of my favorite non-Cubs MLB.com beat writers. So this is great news:
  • Get that clearance gear, baby. Take advantage of these holiday sales while you can:
  • Meanwhile, at Amazon, Black Friday Deals week includes knives, coffee makers, toys, cameras, and much more today.
  • 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

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

    The San Diego Padres (11-11), led by Fernando Tatis Jr., host Justin Turner and the Toronto Blue Jays (11-9) at 8:40 PM ET on Saturday.Find out how to watch the San Diego-Toronto matchup below.When is Padres vs. Blue Jays and...

    Nuggets vs. Lakers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: NBA Playoffs Game 1 – Saturday, April 20, 2024

    The Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers square off to tip off the opening round of the NBA Playoffs. The Nuggets are favored by 7 points in the matchup, which will be broadcast on ABC at 8:30 PM ET....

    Best NBA Prop Bets Today – Saturday, April 20, 2024

    Today's NBA playoff schedule has four quality competitions on the docket. Among those contests is the Phoenix Suns playing the Minnesota Timberwolves.One of the most fun ways to wager on the NBA is via NBA player prop bets. There are...

    Diamondbacks vs. Giants: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Arizona Diamondbacks (10-11), led by Ketel Marte, visit Michael Conforto and the San Francisco Giants (9-12) on Saturday at 4:05 PM ET.See how to watch the Arizona-San Francisco matchup below.When is Diamondbacks vs. Giants and when does it start?This...

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

    Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers (12-10) host Pete Alonso and the New York Mets (11-8) at 4:05 PM ET on Saturday.See how to watch the Los Angeles-New York matchup below.When is Dodgers vs. Mets and when does it...

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

    The St. Louis Cardinals (9-11), led by Brendan Donovan, host William Contreras and the Milwaukee Brewers (12-6) on Saturday at 2:15 PM ET.The article below will give you everything you need to know to watch St. Louis take on Milwaukee.When...

    How to Watch Cubs vs. Marlins: Live Stream or on TV

    Javier Assad will take the mound for the Chicago Cubs (12-7) when they host starter Jesus Luzardo and the Miami Marlins (4-16) on Saturday, with first pitch at 2:20 PM ET.If you're intending to watch this game, keep reading for...

    How to Watch Twins vs. Tigers: Live Stream or on TV

    The Minnesota Twins (6-12), with Bailey Ober on the mound, host the Detroit Tigers (11-9) who will start Reese Olson, at 2:10 PM ET on Saturday.The article below will provide you with everything you need to watch Minnesota play Detroit.When...

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

    The New York Yankees (14-6), with Nestor Cortes Jr. on the hill, host the Tampa Bay Rays (11-10) who will start Zach Eflin, at 1:05 PM ET on Saturday.Find out how to watch the New York-Tampa Bay matchup below.When is...

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

    Elly De La Cruz and the Cincinnati Reds (10-9) host Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels (9-11) at 6:40 PM ET on Saturday.See how to watch the Cincinnati-Los Angeles matchup below.When is Reds vs. Angels and when does it...

    more cubs news