Chatwood and Montgomery Coming Out of the Pen Today, Paying Minor Leaguers, and Other Bullets

I can’t wait to see The Wife and kiddos again later this weekend. Miss them and all their shenanigans.

• The Cubs transactions page shows pitchers James Norwood, Duane Underwood, and Rowan Wick as optioned to AAA Iowa, which likely means they’ve been cut from big league camp (together with other guys who aren’t on the 40-man roster and thus don’t show in that particular section). I expect the full details will come soon. Ah, mid-typing this bullet, the full cuts come out. So, I’m gonna go write that, and then I’ll link it right here, and then I’ll return to these Bullets, and you’ll have no idea any of this happened because I can just edit this paragraph before I publish. Oops.
• Oh, also, I have been cut from Cubs camp. I head home later today.
• Interesting, but not unexpected, to see both Mike Montgomery and Tyler Chatwood scheduled to pitch today just four days after their last outing, which means each is now transitioning from stretching out to an expected bullpen role.
• To be sure, neither Montgomery nor Chatwood were expected to be in the rotation when the season opened, but (health permitting) it was nevertheless reasonable to stretch them out in the first half of the spring just in case the front five of the rotation suffered an injury. With that looking unlikely at this point (KNOCKS SO HARD ON WOOD IT SHATTERS LIKE PARTICLE BOARD), it’s time to get Montgomery and Chatwood ready to pitch out of the bullpen when the season opens. That means pitching later in the game, and also pitching on shorter rest.

• Why have you decided to hurt me like this:

Can you feel the CHICAGO HEAT?#MLBTheShow is coming in hot: https://t.co/Mu5uVHDrKl pic.twitter.com/nZdkzebwpy

— MLB The Show (@MLBTheShow) March 15, 2019

• Read. This. Now. And to MLB and the MLBPA, I think it’s great that you’re going to re-open discussions of CBA economic issues soon. If minor league compensation is not on the table, however, you’ve really failed the guys who need the most from you – and who have no voice:

A heartfelt thank you to the 30 minor league players, Major League players and their families who trusted me enough to share these experiences for @TheAthleticMLB.

An industry in desperate need of change. https://t.co/YEWBDn1XxL pic.twitter.com/0h95IYvqXw

— Emily Waldon (@EmilyCWaldon) March 15, 2019

• Given how potentially valuable minor league players are to the big league organizations under which they serve, and given that the superstar prospects cannot develop without a league of players to play with, you’d sure think teams would be more open to paying these guys a daggone minimum wage AT LEAST. Just do the right thing here.
• Speaking of those negotiations, this is exactly the kind of reaction the league was hoping to get to the planned payout from the Home Run Derby (a prize pool, including $1 million to the winner):

Kris Bryant love$ the new Home Run Derby format; the value of Cole Hamels; and a scouting report on Nico Hoerner: https://t.co/jY5tbny6ad

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) March 16, 2019

• Bonus appearance in there from Anthony Rizzo telling Bryant he wants to do the Derby every year.
• And one more on the rules changes, with the three-batter-minimum rule going into effect this year in the minor leagues before implementation next year in the big leagues:

A wrinkle to MLB’s new rules I hadn’t heard before today: The 3-batter minimum will be tested in the minor leagues this year. Since it doesn’t take effect until 2020, it can still be tweaked if unintended consequences emerge.

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) March 15, 2019

I got clarification from MLB on how the 3-batter rule will be deployed in the minors this season. If a pitcher faces one batter in an inning and records the third out, then he can be replaced to start the next inning. But if that same pitcher returns, he must face two batters.

— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) March 15, 2019

• In other words, the only way you can come out of a game is if you’ve faced at least three batters or it’s an inning break.
• Fanatics changed up their clearance today, and added free shipping.
• Bryce Harper, who just signed a historic 13-year contract, was plunked hard on the ankle in a Spring Training game, and every Phillies fan probably exploded in terror:

Ouch.

Bryce Harper exits today's game after being hit in his right ankle. pic.twitter.com/RIZHGluHQM

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) March 15, 2019

• That sure looked bad, but so far, the Phillies are indicating they aren’t worried about Opening Day. It would have been very Harper to get injured that way – he just seems to have really bad luck with stuff like that.
• This is real, and an actual name:

I have a new favorite player name. pic.twitter.com/5qZEW8phLo

— Section Formerly Known As Aisle 424 (@Aisle424) March 15, 2019

• If the Cubs do not acquire first baseman Gio Dingcong within six months, I’m going to wonder what this life was all about.
• Farewell to a very good slot corner, but perhaps it will at least net the Bears a draft pick:

Broncos to Sign Bryce Callahan … Which Puts the Bears in Line to Get a Compensatory Draft Pick in 2020 https://t.co/yu91bK4htL pic.twitter.com/4MeU7CLQa6

— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) March 16, 2019