Wick’s Spring, Other Righty Relievers, Single Season Leaders, and Other Cubs Bullets

Mar 11, 2020

The Little Girl won an art contest at her school, and I could not be happier about how happy she is.

If you’re concerned about Rowan Wick’s rough go of it so far this spring, there are lots of considerations to keep in mind beyond the standard Spring Training caveats. For Wick, he continues to work on trying to create more depth to his cutter to make it move more like a slider – and in Arizona and Las Vegas, that can be a tough environment to get the spin right. But mostly, the damage has come on his fastball, which has been running arm-side on him too much (as a high-spin four-seamer guy, I reckon he gets much better results with “rise” than “run”). There’s time to keep working on that, and he and the bullpen group are on top of it.

“It's spring, right? Let them have it in spring and beat them up during the season."

On Rowan Wick’s spring focus, and why Cubs aren’t worked up about the early results: https://t.co/bzMUisBdqW via @MLB

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 11, 2020

As for whether there’s team-level concern about Wick, they certainly aren’t saying, though there is that whiff of a reminder that relievers naturally go through an up-and-down process. “I don’t put too much in stats here,” Cubs manager David Ross told Cubs.com. “All the metrics seem to say he’s fine. So, we’ll just continue to let him go about his process and understand that you do have to prove yourself each and every year, right? You get to make the team on some merits of what you did last year and pitch in big innings. But, especially in that bullpen role, guys continue to have to [back it up]. And he’s got a lot of good guys around him that he can pull from [their] experience that have been down in that bullpen and done it for a long time. So, I’m not worried about Rowan at all.”

As we’ve written before, Wick’s 2019 breakout was obviously solid in so many ways, but didn’t come without warts. No one is currently anticipating that he won’t make the big league bullpen on Opening Day, but I think it’s worth the general reminder at this stage in the spring that sometimes young relievers go through fits and spurts before they really establish themselves (you simply can’t count on it forever because of one good half-season). Wick does have a minor league option year remaining, for what it’s worth, if time at AAA becomes necessary.

Vague hinting at which of the many righty relievers competing for a job have separated themselves a bit? Jordan Bastian says that Dan Winkler and Ryan Tepera have come in for praise recently from both David Ross and Theo Epstein, and Epstein also separately mentioned Casey Sadler. The first two have minor league options available, though Sadler does not. All have had success in the big leagues before, and all were brought in as guys to get into the Pitch Lab and try to unlock a little more. From the innings I’ve watched, all three have looked like they clearly have legit big league stuff (for whatever that is worth in a tiny spring sample).

Nothing else for David Ross to say about COVID-19 at this moment (Cubs.com): “We’re just listening to the experts and the people in charge. MLB seems to have a good handle on this and is doing all the rigorous work it takes to figure out what’s important and how to best contain this thing and make sure, it’s for our safety, our players’ safety, everybody’s safety around Major League Baseball. We’re just following orders.”

Bad news out of minor league camp – tis the season – as Arizona Phil reports Cory Abbott is currently in the rehab throwing program with an unknown issue, and Chase Strumpf currently has his left arm in a cast. That’s two of the Cubs’ top ten-ish prospects out of commission at the start of minor league Spring Training. It happens. But it sucks. Hopefully recoveries are smooth and quick, though I wonder if it’s notable that Strumpf is only with South Bend at this point (usually guys are at their highest possible level right now – is Strumpf working with South Bend because the Cubs already know he’ll be opening the season in extended Spring Training?).

I sent out this tweet yesterday just to see if it could catch the eye of some of the decision-makers – not because I think it’ll force action in isolation, but because I think it’s helpful in the aggregate (alone with a thousand other inputs) to give fans an avenue to make contact:

Dear @Cubs, @WatchMarquee, @comcast, @Xfinity, @comcastcares –

Get a deal done for your customers. Do the right thing.

Sincerely,

Cubs fans.

(I wonder what would happen if this got shared a whole lot. Maybe nothing. Maybe something.)

— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) March 10, 2020

Feel free to continue circulating that one, as it seems to have caught on a bit. Opening Day is in 15 days.

A little history:

"It will be my pleasure to plug him in the ribs." "Was I surprised by the…trade? No. Was I pleased? No comment." "Dave didn't want to play for us" "Glad the bickering's over" No sugarcoating Spring Training 1981 when #Cubs traded Dave Kingman @BleacherNation pic.twitter.com/Vtsbx8ZZHl
— MBDChicago (@MBDChicago) March 11, 2020

Michael dropping stats for fun:

Cubs All-Time (1900-2019) Single-Season WAR Leaders (Pitchers)

1. Fergie Jenkins (1971): 9.6 WAR
2. Fergie Jenkins (1970): is 9.5
3. Fergie Jenkins (1969): 8.2
4. Mark Prior (2003): 7.8
5. Mordecai Brown (1909): 7.3

t-6th: Jake Arrieta (2015): 7.0
t-6th: Greg Maddux (1992): 7.0

— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) March 10, 2020

written by

What a road it's been - continues to be - for Cubs outfield prospect Brennen Davis. The former top prospect was on a rocket ship to Triple-A in 2021, and then mostly lost the last two years to various injuries....

Brett Taylor

Apr 24, 2024

Chicago Cubs

CRAAAAAP: Cody Bellinger to the Injured List (UPDATES)

So much for all those words of optimism and negative X-rays. After colliding with the outfield wall last night, Cody Bellinger fractured his rib (Update: It's actually TWO fractured right ribs) and will hit the injured list today. Chicago Cubs...

Michael Cerami

Apr 24, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs Lineup: What is it, June 2023?

CUBS LINEUP — The Chicago Cubs took Game 1 against the Houston Astros in convincing fashion last night. So tonight, they'll go for the quick series win against Spencer Arrighetti at Wrigley Field (it'd be a good idea to win...

Michael Cerami

Apr 24, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Bellinger Optimistic Post-Injury, Busch’s Defense, Almonte Stock Rising, Tauchman Slugging, and Other Cubs Bullets

Ed. Note: Since this article was published, a CT scan revealed a rib fracture for Cody Bellinger, who is now on the Injured List. You can find all the details of that news in our most recent article right here....

Michael Cerami

Apr 24, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Cubs Outfield Prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong Coming Up

With Cody Bellinger headed to the Injured List with a rib fracture, the Cubs are in need of another outfielder: center field prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong is coming back up to the big leagues for the second time. https://twitter.com/670TheScore/status/1783217891195625709 Crow-Armstrong, 22,...

Brett Taylor

Apr 24, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Is Mike Tauchman the Best Player in Baseball? An Exploration

Hey, we're just having some early-season fun. So allow me to present the 'Mike Tauchman Is Clearly Better Than' list. As of this moment, Mike Tauchman has ... ... a higher wRC+ (151) than Pete Alonso, Fernando Tatis Jr., and...

Brett Taylor

Apr 24, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Cubs Farm Report | April 24, 2024: Kevin Alcántara Cannot Miss Right Now

Name a player hotter than Kevin Alcántara right now. Go ahead, I'll wait. (He's already raking again today. Literally as I type this.) More on Alcántara's big day and the Smokies home run parade last night in today's Cubs Farm...

Patrick K. Flowers

Apr 24, 2024

Chicago Cubs

Oof: Blake Snell to the Injured List Just Three Horrible Starts into His Giants Career

Just three starts into his San Francisco Giants career, Blake Snell is heading to the injured list with a left-adductor strain. Oof. You hate to even say it — and who really knows if this was related — but early...

Michael Cerami

Apr 24, 2024

Picks

Dodgers vs. Nationals Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, April 25, 2024

The Los Angeles Dodgers (15-11) and Will Smith (four hits last time out) are favored (-199) on the moneyline for their matchup with the Washington Nationals (10-13) on Thursday at 4:05 PM ET on MLB Network.Los Angeles' Yoshinobu Yamamoto and...

Data Skrive

Apr 25, 2024

Chicago Cubs

The Milwaukee Brewers (15-8) are set to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (13-12) Thursday at 12:35 PM ET, airing on BSWI. The Brewers are listed as -128 favorites by sportsbooks, while the underdog Pirates have +107 odds for the contest.Freddy...

Data Skrive

Apr 25, 2024

Wick’s Spring, Other Righty Relievers, Single Season Leaders, and Other Cubs Bullets

Read More

more cubs news

Latest News

more cubs news

Most Popular

Most Popular

Latest News

Most Popular

Most Popular