MLBits: Yankees Scandal in the Making? Verlander Throwing, Best Baseball States in the Country, More

I actually had a fun, little exchange with Ian Happ on Twitter today, regarding (birthday boy) Billy Williams and the fact that he’s the only Cubs lefty to hit 40 homers in a single season, that I had planned on using as a fun little intro … but it seems quite tone deaf at the moment, considering MLB’s path towards self-destruction.

Here’s some other stuff going around the league …

•   This is the tweet that spurred the conversation with Happ, by the way, which I still offer as a trivia question to you (answer at the bottom of this post):

•   On Friday, a New York judge ruled that a letter sent by MLB to the Yankees regarding the findings of a 2017 investigation into the team must be unsealed/released publicly by June 19th. The Yankees, meanwhile, are scrambling to find ways to redact the letter greatly or even file an emergency appeal. “There is no justification for public disclosure of the letter,” Jonathan Schiller, a lawyer representing the Yankees, said in a statement to The Athletic. Many are speculating on what, exactly, the letter will contain, though it’s at least in some connection to the sign stealing scandals that washed across baseball over the past couple years, and some attendant lawsuits thereafter.

•   And remember, as Drelich points out, “Prior to Manfred’s discipline of the Astros and the Red Sox in 2020 for electronic sign stealing, he publicly disciplined the Yankees and the Red Sox in 2017, fining both.”

•   Color me intrigued, but not excited. Don’t get me wrong, I’d like to know about every single instance of cheating – particularly as Anthony Rizzo has assured Cubs fans that the Cubs were not illegally stealing signs during this era – but baseball needs another image problem like I need another hole in the head.

•   For what it’s worth, Andy Martino doesn’t seem particularly concerned (on behalf of the Yankees), but we’ll see:

•   Here’s a crazy baseball story I’d never heard of: By June of 1990, the Oakland Athletics managed to snag FOUR first round picks in the upcoming MLB Draft (Nos. 14, 26, 34, and 36 overall), in part by letting several key free agents walk. And they used those four picks on four pitchers, including one of the most hyped prospects of the time, Todd Van Poppel, who would’ve gone 1st overall, if teams thought they could pry him away from his commitment – it wound up taking a record-setting $1.2M deal (and some intervention from an up-and-coming agent … named Scott Boras) to get it done, but the A’s did it. They had their four aces.

•   And … they pretty much all busted. Four years after the draft, Van Poppel was the only member of the four aces in the major leagues, a status earned only by his contract, not his merit. And six years after the draft, he was released. I’m not sure this is where the phrase started, but it is a good reminder: TINSTAAPP. (Google it).

•   One interesting little Cubs-related anecdote from that story? Van Poppel’s big league career wasn’t a rousing success, but he did have a few cherished memories. Among them: “And once, during a rain delay in Chicago, he made his way to the top of the scoreboard in center field. From there, he looked down to marvel at a view that few ever get to see, Wrigley Field, still beautiful, even when shrouded in gray.” Kinda love that. Check out the full story, for a lot more behind-the-scenes goodness:

•   One of the lone bright spots of a delayed season – for a small handful of teams – is the ability to get key players healthy without missing any percent of the season. The Yankees are enjoying this benefit with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, whom we’ve discussed, and the Astros, it seems, are happy with the progress Justin Verlander has made.

https://twitter.com/BaseballBros/status/1272572739229016069?s=20

•   Verlander was dealing with a few issues, including a lat strain and groin surgery, but is clearly up and pitching on a mound. With no deal in place and at least a 3-4 week spring training likely in the works before any 2020 season begins, the Astros may have upgraded from Verlander for 50% of their season to Verlander for 100% of their season. That is hugely important, even if the total number of games he can impact remains the same (it’s all relative).

•   Have you ever wondered where most MLB players come from (i.e which states within the U.S.)? Well, MLB has you covered. They collected the total number of players from each state – as well as the total WAR accumulated – and ranked them. Unsurprisingly, the states with huge populations (California, New York) rank first and second, though it’s worth noting that California is WAY ahead with 2,311 players (11,519.2 WAR) of New York (1,216 players, 5,893.7 WAR). Illinois does well, ranking 6th overall in WAR (one of only five states with more than 1,000 big league players from within their borders), behind California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas.

•   Here’s a reminder that timing is everything.

•   And here is the answer to our trivia question:

•   Yep. This means we all just watched Kyle Schwarber place himself behind only Billy Williams on the all-time Cubs left-handed, single-season home run leaderboard. Pretty cool.

written by

Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

more cubs news

Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

Latest News

Suns vs. Thunder Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The game starts at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The matchup's point total is...

Brewers vs. Mets Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

The New York Mets (0-0) host the Milwaukee Brewers (0-0) in an Opening Day contest at 1:40 PM ET on Friday.The Brewers will call on Freddy Peralta against the Mets and Jose Quintana.Brewers vs. Mets Pitcher Matchup and Game InfoWhen:...

Cavaliers vs. 76ers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) are 8-point underdogs against the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday, March 29, 2024. The game starts at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup's point total is set at 212.5.Our computer predictions...

Heat vs. Trail Blazers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) will attempt to end an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena as heavy, 14-point underdogs. The contest airs at 8:00 PM ET on...

Rockets vs. Jazz Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Utah Jazz (29-44) will try to end a seven-game losing streak when they host the Houston Rockets (37-35) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Vivint Smart Home Arena as 7.5-point underdogs. The contest airs at 9:30 PM ET on...

Bulls vs. Nets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Chicago Bulls (35-38) hit the court against the Brooklyn Nets (28-45) as 5.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under set at 214.5 points.Before you place an informed wager...

Suns vs. Thunder Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The matchup begins at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The point total is set...

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22) are 6.5-point underdogs when they host the Denver Nuggets (51-22) in a battle between the top two teams in the Western at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The...

Knicks vs. Spurs Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The New York Knicks (44-28) will try to continue a three-game win streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center as big, 10-point favorites. The game airs at 8:00 PM ET...

Kings vs. Mavericks Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Dallas Mavericks (43-29) will look to Luka Doncic (first in the league scoring 33.9 points per game) when they try to beat De'Aaron Fox (eighth in the NBA with 26.5 PPG) and the Sacramento Kings (42-30) on Friday, March...

more cubs news