A Harper-Cubs Rumor (UPDATE), the New Righty, Another Sunday Night Game, and Other Bullets

The new gym I go to has a really nice shower situation, so I’ve started showering immediately after workouts there, which is not something I’d ever done before in my life. It’s fantastic. But it also introduced the possibility that I might accidentally grab some of The Wife’s clothes when packing up my change of clothes for the gym (I grabbed straight from the clean laundry pile), and then, as I’m putting on my Khalil Mack shirsey … a black bra goes flying out from inside the shirt onto the floor in front of the other gents in the gym. Ah. Um. Whoops.

  • There is a rumor out there from a good dude, Evan Altman at Cubs Insider, that a lot of you are already talking about, and I don’t want to ignore. But I also want to make sure I frame in a fair, cautious way. It’s something of a friend of a friend situation – purportedly a personal assistant in the Brewers org heard that the Cubs had met with Bryce Harper yesterday – and I don’t think any of us can say with 100% confidence that it’s legit.
  • Even if some version of it is legit – perhaps a quick phone call with agent Scott Boras – you have to keep in mind that there was always the possibility that when it was time to accept an offer, Boras and Harper would check back in with the Cubs just to make sure they were out. Indeed, that *was* a rumor earlier this offseason. Moreover, the latest round of Harper reporting had four teams in – Phillies, White Sox, Nationals, Padres – and then at least one other team hanging out at the periphery. As we speculated, it would make plenty of sense if that peripheral team was the Cubs, just wanting to keep in touch in case they had been able to put together a salary-dumping move. That does not mean the Cubs are seriously involved at this point in any case, and, as much as it pains me to say, I really don’t believe that they are.
  • If the meeting happened, it actually makes more sense that it was just designed to apply a little more pressure to the serious suitors – I mean, if the Brewers know the meeting happened, then other teams surely know, too.
  • UPDATE: It wasn’t between the Cubs and Harper, if anything happened at all:
  • (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

  • A small but meaningful potential bonus on new Cubs reliever Tony Barnette: he might have minor league options remaining. Well, that’s not quite right – he does have minor league options remaining, but it’s only a “might” that the Cubs can actually use them. As a guy who spent so many years in Japan, Barnette has the ability to negotiate certain special terms into his contract, which could include the right to decline an optional assignment to the minors. To be sure, if Barnette is healthy, his recent track record suggests the Cubs will want him in the bullpen regardless, but with the club clearly taking a “volume” approach to filling out the pen to open the year, having the flexibility to keep as many guys as possible in the organization would be a nice bonus.
  • Also, I already like the new guy:
  • We will absolutely be giving this more attention in the coming days, because the story is freaking incredible, but for now, I just want to pass along the comeback of former (and now current!) Cubs prospect Luke Hagerty:
  • The Cubs have been selected by ESPN for another Sunday Night Baseball game, this time on May 19 against the Nationals, which means the Cubs will have three straight Sunday Night Baseball games in May. The first two are fine as far as travel goes, but that third one, the new one on May 19, is kind of a bother – the Cubs will have that late game Sunday night in Washington, then have to travel back home for a night game the following day, which happens in the middle of a 16-game stretch with no off-days. Not horrible (like the end-of-season schedule). But not ideal. On the bright side, more national exposure!
  • In total, the Cubs are currently scheduled for five Sunday Night Baseball games, including the Little League Classic on August 18. Only the Yankees and Red Sox are currently slated for as many appearances as the Cubs.
  • Not too shabby:
  • https://twitter.com/cubprospects/status/1091414053367529473

  • Load ’em up, roll ’em out, SPRING TRAINING:
  • https://twitter.com/cubs/status/1091436130979868672?s=21

  • A double old friend alert:
  • There’s likely still quite a bit to come out on this story, but it reads very ugly for the Dodgers organization (which, you’ll remember, is has already been under investigation for potentially shady Latin America practices) and current Phillies manager Gabe Kapler:
  • Apparently this is just an exhibition game, but still, HOLY CRAP:
  • Nomo is 50 years old, and last appeared in MLB 11 years ago. Bonus: did you see how the right fielder caught that ball?
  • The Nats have banned backpacks from their park, which is chapping a lot of fans who otherwise had come straight from work:
  • https://twitter.com/Nationals/status/1091431885312610304

  • Bears items of note:
  • 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

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

    Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

    Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

    I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

    WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

    The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

    Wrigley Field is Gonna Be Lit This Year (As in New Colored Lights!)

    Last year, the Cubs started using their new LED outfield lights to do a little dancing display during 'Go Cubs Go,' lighting along with the song and throwing in a W. It was very fun and I liked it. This...

    Why Craig Counsell Wanted Miles Mastrobuoni on the Cubs’ Bench

    I don't know why Miles Mastrobuoni bugs some folks, but it's probably heavily-weighted toward his small-sample, bad-batted-ball-luck start last year, and that time he didn't dive while playing in right field. It can be hard to shake initial impressions, I...

    Kinda Sounds Like Craig Counsell May Have a Set Top Three in the Batting Order

    New Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has said, generally, his batting order philosophy is the very simplistic (and very correct): just get your best hitters the most at bats. Sure, there's some play in that to set up good match-ups,...

    Latest News

    Los Angeles Chargers Offseason Preview: 2024 Free Agents and Team Needs

    The Los Angeles Chargers enter the offseason with a new era dawning. After a disappointing season, they landed a marquee hire in Jim Harbaugh, fresh off his national championship win with Michigan. Hailed as the top coaching prospect, Harbaugh brings a...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    Rangers vs. Cubs Probable Starting Pitchers – March 28

    The Texas Rangers (0-0) begin their 2024 season with a home game against the Chicago Cubs (0-0) on Thursday, with first pitch at 7:35 PM ET.The Rangers will give the nod to Nathan Eovaldi versus the Cubs and Justin Steele.Rangers...

    Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Boston Celtics versus the Atlanta Hawks is a game to catch on a Thursday NBA slate that includes two thrilling contests.Interested in NBA player prop bets for today's games? This article includes NBA player props for every matchup, so...

    UNC vs Alabama Predictions and Odds: March Madness Best Bets

    We have a great matchup in the Sweet 16 between (1) North Carolina and (4) Alabama. Let's break down the odds, ATS records, and more for UNC vs Alabama as March Madness continues. Read More: Today's schedule and upset picks...

    Seattle Seahawks Offseason Preview: 2024 Free Agents and Team Needs

    The Seattle Seahawks turn the page on a historic era as they enter the 2024 season without Pete Carroll at the helm for the first time since 2010. Carroll's impact on the franchise is undeniable, crafting a period of sustained...

    Who Is In The Sweet 16? Updated Bracket, Odds to Win, and More

    It has been a great March Madness so far and we have more great matchups in the Sweet 16. Check out what teams are in the Sweet 16, odds, and more as the college basketball season rolls on. Latest March...

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Today’s March Madness Schedule: Updated Bracket, TV Channels for Every Game

    The Sweet 16 is here as March Madness brings us some great matchups tonight! Check out today's March Madness schedule along with game times, TV channels, and more as the college basketball season's biggest games continue. The Sweet 16 Begins...

    2024 MLB Mock Draft: Opening Day Mock Draft Projections

    Happy Opening Day! As the new baseball season begins, and hope is present among most fanbases, why not take a look at a new 2024 MLB Mock Draft? Various mock drafts meticulously analyze potential picks, emphasizing the abundance of talent...

    more cubs news