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The Consistent Cubs, Offensive Outburst, Maples Teases Us Again, and Other Bullets

Brett Taylor Brett Taylor
May 02, 2019
Chicago Cubs

It’s going to be a big month from a META perspective. I suspect. I think. I hope. You’ll see. Maybe. Probably. That’s a teaser.

  • The T-Mobile Park, where the Mariners play, is a little more than 2000 miles from Wrigley Field. You wouldn’t know it by the conclusion of yesterday’s blowout Cubs win (sound on):

  • Speaking of that there dude closing out the win, Dillon Maples struck out the side in extremely embarrassing (for them) fashion:

  • Edwin Encarnacion was absolutely done on strike one, knowing he had zero chance of picking up the slider:

  • This is what we talk about (AGAIN AND AGAIN) when it comes to Maples. The slider is so uniquely incredible that if he could pair it with his 96/97 mph fastball *thrown for strikes,* he would be unhittable. But as we saw in Arizona, sometimes, he’s cruising, and then boom, the control is just completely gone. Sometimes it’s gone for the rest of that appearance, sometimes it’s gone for a couple weeks. Like Carl Edwards Jr., Maples just has extremely polar ability – the best version of him is a top 10 reliever in the game, without exaggeration; the worst version of him is absolutely unusable. Unfortunately, he still has yet to show that he can be that first guy often enough (forget reliably enough, how about just often enough?) to really trust as a late-inning, big-league reliever. I’m not sure what’s going to happen when the trio of rehabbing relievers returns – Maples is one of only two relievers in the pen right now (Kyle Ryan) with options left – but I do know that he’s must-watch TV every time he takes the mound.
  • How about this for the Incredibly Consistent Cubs:

  • To be sure, that doesn’t mean this team is like those teams or anything of the sort, but it does underscore how widely divergent the “story” can be from the results (sometimes for good reason!). Right now, that 16-12 looks pretty meh in 2017, fine in 2018, and pretty great here in 2019.
  • So, you say, what about 2016? Ah, well, come on. You remember that the Cubs had an OBSCENE start to that season, which they may never match. But how about this bit of fun:

    • (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)

  • Super genius Cubs fan has possible interest in an MLB front office future? WHAT IS, GET HIM ON THE PHONE, THEO:

  • FINALLY. Please stay:

  • I hope the Cubs don’t … Release him:

  • Just kidding. Or am I:

  • Oh Michael. Nicely done:

  • Also, Javy ain’t worried about it:

    • https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw8aVzLgYzK/

  • Many mascot shenanigans are lame, even when judged by “for the kids” standards. But, man, when mascot stuff lands, I *really* like it:

  • Fancy vacuums, fancy art supplies, fancy bedding, and fancy toothbrushes are your Deals of the Day at Amazon today.
  • Why, yes I would like to remember this, thank you very much:

    • Read More

    written by

    Brett Taylor

    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.

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