NEWSLETTER
The Chris Cornell cover of GnR’s ‘Patience’ is kinda everywhere right now, and dang it’s so good. Makes me sad.
• The Cy Young awards are announced tonight, with Yu Darvish up against Trevor Bauer and Jacob deGrom. I think Darvish has a really good chance at winning a close one over Bauer – it *should* be close – but it sounds like he’s thinking he finishes third:
明日はサイ・ヤング賞の発表があるんですが、獲れるか獲れないかの雰囲気の中、結局3位って気がしてる。。
— ダルビッシュ有(Yu Darvish) (@faridyu) November 11, 2020
• We’re gonna get some Cubs prospects playing winter ball, including Miguel Amaya and Trent Giambrone in Puerto Rico:
— Los Criollos de Caguas (@CriollosCaguas) November 10, 2020
• A reminder that the winter leagues in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela *are* the competitive, highest-level professional leagues in those countries. They are *not* developmental leagues for MLB players and prospects. So, if you’re gonna be added to a team and if you’re gonna get playing time, you have to earn it. The experience can be enormously beneficial, though, and I can’t wait to see if Amaya earns playing time, even at 21, after an otherwise very limited season in 2020. Hopefully more prospects will get time in the other leagues, too, starting later this month.
• Interesting signing here, not so much that the Cubs old Director of Baseball Operations (Scott Harris, now the GM of the Giants) would want to snag a former Cubs prospect, but instead because it took a big league deal to do it:
OFFICIAL: #SFGiants have agreed to terms on a Major League contract with infielder Jason Vosler. The 27-year-old last played for the San Diego Padres’ AAA affiliate in El Paso in 2019. With today’s addition, the 40-man roster is now at 38 players.
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) November 11, 2020
• Back when they had a roster decision on him, the Cubs sent Vosler to the Padres for Rowan Wick, a guy on whom the Cubs preferred to use a 40-man roster spot. I doubt the Cubs have any complaints on how that played out. Vosler went on to hit about 13% better than league average at AAA in 2019 for the Padres – that’s about what we thought he could be – but was not ultimately added to their 40-man or called up during the 2020 season. Thus, he hit minor league free agency last week at age 27, and the Giants immediately pounced. There isn’t a *huge* difference between signing Vosler now to a big league deal and instead signing him to a minor league deal and then later adding him to the 40-man roster, but it’ll mean slightly more compensation for Vosler right out of the gate next year (even if he’s optioned to the minors to start the season). Good for him, and clearly, the Giants believe he can at least be a bench guy as soon as next year.
• John Baker’s farewell to the Cubs and the Cubs community:
Chicago ❤️⚾️❤️ pic.twitter.com/twKUO8jPiT
— John Baker (@manbearwolf) November 10, 2020
• Chargers, toys, Harry Potter, and much more are your Deals of the Day at Amazon. #ad
• This White Sox thing, man, it’s just such a downer for that organization after so much uplift from 2020:
The @suntimes_sports cover, featuring Tony La Russa and Jerry Reinsdorf, who are driving the #WhiteSox into a disastrous scenario, by @SLGreenberg – https://t.co/mFieeivDJ0 pic.twitter.com/aL501mYX4V
— Sun-Times Sports (@suntimes_sports) November 11, 2020
• Man that’s a beautiful knuckleball:
2020 PitchingNinja Award:
Pitch of the Year by a Position Player. 🏆Erik Kratz. Knuckleball. 🦋 pic.twitter.com/3nPmqEaTgQ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) November 11, 2020
• Can we get some knuckleballers back in the game in 2021? You want entertainment, a knuckleball starter is entertaining every time. Heck, the league should say, if you start a knuckleballer and let him throw at least 80 pitches, you get a free run. Boom. Entertainment.
• This is very nice, if you haven’t seen it yet:
Have You Ever Seen a 75 Year Old Hit a Home Run?https://t.co/BaZPAQ8Rnv
— Baseball is Fun (@flippingbats) November 10, 2020
• People had a lot of fun with this:
Miguel Montero hit a grand slam https://t.co/t8qcmXT1VW
— PeloTom (@TeeOhhSee) November 10, 2020
"Do you believe in miracles?!" https://t.co/oZfYJBnmfo
— ND1n93 (@nd1n93) November 11, 2020
Papi with the bases loaded. https://t.co/9OzyE5f32b
— AJ ⚾️ (@NCSox) November 11, 2020
"..who we thought they were." #DaBears https://t.co/HW3JAE56HQ
— Craig M (@macmode85) November 10, 2020
Bryon Russell Couldn't Guard Him https://t.co/501G3VGIhO
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) November 10, 2020
Falcons were winning patriots won. https://t.co/Uy54NRmeuN
— Kyle (@Ky1eLong) November 10, 2020
• Honoring Veterans today:
We salute all of the men and women who have bravely served our country.
This #VeteransDay, learn about some of the Cubs who answered the call to serve their nation. pic.twitter.com/4A6S1wtthp
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) November 11, 2020
