The Good Things on the Pitching Side, Caratini the Back-Up, Remaining Free Agents, and Other Bullets
Forgive me for now doing something I almost never do. I’m not sure I’ve ever done this particular thing, actually. Thanks to my fight back from Arizona landing at about 2 am, I knew there was just no way I was going to be able to get up at a reasonable time, visit with my family as much as I desperately want to, and then also do the Bullets. So my health and wellness options were to skip the Bullets entirely for Sunday, or to do what I am instead doing: scheduling them the night before.
Hopefully nothing below is too terribly dated by the time you’re reading this (about eight hours after I click ‘schedule’), but if it is, now you know …
- Everything remains so-far-so-good on Yu Darvish’s ramp up for the season, which is also serving dually as a modest rehab of sorts (he did have elbow surgery in September after missing most of last season, you see). To that end, this is good to have confirmed:
There will not be an innings cap this season for Yu Darvish (40 IP in MLB in '18), but Cubs PC Tommy Hottovy said there will be a lot of communication. Will look for spots to give an extra day of rest, tweak between-star schedule to save bullets, etc;
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 16, 2019
- More from Bastian, as this is a really good discussion about something we fans often take for granted about guys asked to do this:
"It's definitely a tough role."
Montgomery, Chatwood balancing life as rotation depth and relief arms: https://t.co/HAzU6YlsJA via @MLB
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 17, 2019
- Joe Maddon remains confident in Victor Caratini as the Cubs’ primary back-up catcher, though he already felt that way last year:
Cubs’ Joe Maddon on relying on Victor Caratini as a backup catcher pic.twitter.com/t2A2rYjX1X
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) March 16, 2019
- Cool, good, fine … just make sure to start him regularly and not grind Willson Contreras into a pulp.
- Since they did not include the good Cubs angry bear face, there is only one answer here, and I’m sorry to say you know which rival it is:
Let's hear it ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/xq4CDSk0zp
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 16, 2019
- Carlos Gonzalez finally found a deal with the outfield-needy Indians:
Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez does indeed have a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians, sources tell ESPN. It will pay him $2 million if he makes the major league roster, which, with the Indians’ current outfield, is very likely.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 16, 2019
- Generally, position players seem not to be as impacted by these very late signings that cost them much of Spring Training, so, in that regard, he’ll probably be fine. With CarGo, the issue is much more likely to be his sub-100 wRC+ the last two years, his age (33), and his persistently ugly splits outside Coors Field (.251/.307/.420 for his otherwise very productive career).
- Other unsigned players:
With opening day less than two weeks away, teams have enormous leverage on players. Thus, a player of Carlos Gonzalez’s pedigree signing a minor league deal (as @jfortunabb first reported). Still unsigned: Keuchel, Kimbrel, Gio, Span, E. Jackson, Gattis, Bautista, plenty more.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 16, 2019
- I laughed:
— Kazuto Yamazaki (@Kazuto_Yamazaki) March 16, 2019
- Just something to share:
I always stop to enjoy a whacky flapping inflatable tube guy when I see one. That sounds like a joke, but I’m serious. He is (1) always having fun, and (2) does not care what anyone thinks. Aspirational ridiculousness is a good dream to chase, IMO. pic.twitter.com/5CfUsbSyJX
— Brett Taylor (@Brett_A_Taylor) March 16, 2019
- The Fanatics new set of clearance (and free shipping) is underway, just FYI.
- Where players now want to play:
Eddie Jackson’s Pitch and Chicago’s Culture Change Helped Sell Ha Ha Clinton-Dix on Joining the Bears https://t.co/vitYOAlMov pic.twitter.com/Q7VMY2JmRR
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) March 16, 2019
