The Cubs Came Back Quicker Than Tiger, Jackie Robinson Day, Darvish Start, and Other Bullets

It was a pretty surreal exercise playing the “where was I” game yesterday as Tiger Woods won his first major in over a decade. The last time Tiger was Tiger, the Cubs were dominating all comers in the 2008 season, and hadn’t yet been swept out of the NLDS for the second straight year. (CURSE YOU, MANNY RAMIREZ!) The Cubs’ comeback took much less time than Tiger’s.

It doesn’t feel like he was coming back for that long, but it really has been such a long time I was still a lawyer in my 20s. Bleacher Nation was just an idea for a site I’d wanted to do for a long time, but it wouldn’t exist for a few more months. I had no kids. I was only barely married. I had never heard of ‘Game of Thrones.’

What a comeback, and what a GIF opportunity.

When the Cubs bullpen has a walk-free inning. pic.twitter.com/4tHhc9j2Oh

— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) April 14, 2019

And the Bullets …

Yu Darvish is getting the ball for the Cubs tonight in Miami. You know the story with Darvish at this point: each start this year has offered you opportunities to be positive and dream on what could come next, but the final results have left you wanting much more. The Marlins suck, but they are still professional baseball players. You can’t just presume to go in and dominate them without effective execution of your pitches, and neither should you be discouraged by a mere “good” start in Miami. I would take it, man. I would so take it.

Today is Jackie Robinson Day around MLB, and you can’t give it too much attention any time, let alone today:

We are forever grateful for Jackie Robinson’s leadership and bravery. #Jackie42 pic.twitter.com/JGUglPIgl5

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 15, 2019

When the @Cubs drafted me in 1991, I knew it was a chance to reach the @MLB dream. I also began to understand how much I was an extension of what Jackie Robinson started. #MLB #Cubs @NBCSCubs https://t.co/rlsilNUugT

— Doug Glanville (@dougglanville) April 15, 2019

#JackieRobinsonDay
after a white New Orleans sportswriter complained about Jackie talking too much about race and racism. pic.twitter.com/0IpqWutJO4

— profloumoore (@loumoore12) April 15, 2018

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Today is Jackie Robinson Day around MLB, honoring a man to whom the sport – and really all of us – owe so much. (pic via #Cubs on Twitter)

A post shared by Bleacher Nation (@bleachernation) on Apr 15, 2019 at 7:54am PDT

Happy Jackie Robinson Day: #MLB redoubles its efforts to make change with only 7.7% African-Americans on opening day rosters on the centennial celebration of Robinson’s legacy. https://t.co/2yEQl3YJju

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 15, 2019

Today is Jackie Robinson Day across baseball.

Robinson was not just a great baseball player. He is the only student in @UCLA history to letter in four sports. pic.twitter.com/tmBtdD9Uzk

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 15, 2019

When Jackie Robinson took the field for @Dodgers on April 15, 1947, it was more than just the first step in righting a historical wrong; his @MLB debut was a crucial event in the American civil rights movement. @SABRGames story on his debut: https://t.co/1PNe4NVGpq #SABR pic.twitter.com/Fg5TAxO2md

— SABR (@sabr) April 15, 2019

A periodic check in on Ian Happ at Iowa. The sample is still only 43 plate appearances, but we’re approaching a point where there’s at least a little bit of signal in some of the peripherals. I don’t love the very modest .125 ISO and the enormous 30.2% K rate (for a semi-established big leaguer playing at AAA, you should see a very reduced strikeout rate; for now, I’ll presume it’s related to what he’s working on, since he’s not just down there to produce).

A fair question about the Wrigley Field concert situation:

The Cubs have fought the city tooth and nail for more night events and games, a battle that led to Wrigley Field hosting nine concerts last summer and a record 10 the year before.

This summer, only two are scheduled, both by the same band.

So what gives? https://t.co/wG7ZbvTDvN

— Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) April 4, 2019

The Cubs say it’s just a matter of who is touring, where the schedules align, etc., and there hasn’t been any change in interest – either by acts or by the Cubs – in having a solid slate of concerts at Wrigley, typically. It just hasn’t filled up this year in the same way it has in recent years. It could be a revenue hit, relative to years with a more robust slate.

Toys, robo vacuums, Dockers, and more are your Deals of the Day at Amazon. Also, Echo devices are on a spring sale.

And Fanatics has extra clearance running last night through today:

Heads UP: it's a clearance night at Fanatics, which means up to 65% off Cubs gear. Peruse right here and treatyoself: https://t.co/vnqaXsRT3N pic.twitter.com/t0GQy0t9Tw

— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) April 15, 2019