NEWSLETTER
Got the big kids talking about ‘Star Wars’ last night, so I got to dig into complex genealogies and layered relationships and what-have-you of the nerdiest possible order for like an hour. That rocked.
• He’s gotta stay healthy and we’ll see how things look once the league is away of his new pitch mix, but it was impossible not to see brief flashes of a stud in Jason Adam last year:
Jason Adam struck out 21 of the 58 batters he faced in 2020, and allowed just one hit between Sep 5 and Sep 24. A great find by the front office.
Here are the seven swinging strikes he got this year with 2900+ RPM curveballs. pic.twitter.com/ohJEE4oj4y
— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) November 12, 2020
• On a pure stuff and execution basis, I’m not sure there was a more impressive reliever on the Cubs than Jason Adam, outside of Craig Kimbrel. You are reminded that, while Adam was a minor league signing and a reclamation type, his background was that of a top young arm that was ravaged by injuries and surgeries. He always had the stuff and the spin and the velocity of an intriguing guy, he just had to be healthy. Well, he not only stayed healthy for the short 2020 season, he basically improved on everything else. He’s still pre-arb despite being 29, so he’ll be back next year in the Cubs bullpen, and although you cannot COUNT on him staying healthy and just as effective (it was only 13 appearances!), it is simply factual that he has top tier back-end stuff.
• I mention all that not only because of Bryan’s video and Adam’s potential importance to the Cubs bullpen next year, but instead because this offseason will provide even more opportunities for the Cubs to find more guys like him. Really, on the whole, the Cubs kicked ass with their low-cost reclamation relief signings last year, with all of Adam, Jeremy Jeffress, Dan Winkler, and Ryan Tepera all getting results. The Cubs missed on Casey Sadler and Rex Brothers, but going four for six in the low-cost reclamation pool? You’re just hoping to hit in ONE of six.
• A big part of that success, by the way, was having the innings available to actually give these guys a look. If the Cubs are gonna nail another one or two next year, they’ll have to offer that same opportunity. I trust this pitching infrastructure to identify, rework, and deploy these kinds of pitchers well. I’m pretty excited that the market is going to once again be flush, and I’ll once again be watching these types of signings closely. If you aren’t constantly pumping out high-end relief prospects, then you need to constantly pump up reclamation success stories, because they will fade in and out.
• In a Sun-Times write-up about Rick Renteria’s ouster from the White Sox and near Manager of the Year win, this quote stands out when you consider who replaced him:
“I don’t expect that he will [manage again],” a baseball source close to Renteria said. “The trend in baseball is clearly away from experienced guys.
“It’s what is going on all over. Rick is too old-school, number one, and I’m not sure he wants to get himself in a situation where he has to battle. Maybe in the front office, but at this point in his career I don’t know why he would want to do anything on the field.”
• The quote is not wrong – that’s been the trend for nearly a decade now – but it’s ironic, to be sure. Renteria was replaced in Chicago twice by extremely experienced managers, and the second time it was by a really old, really old school type. It’s clear that Renteria still has value to offer, and maybe even as a manager, but his friend is probably right that the next managerial gig is probably never coming.
• This is not a story unique to the Cardinals organization – a long-time scout moving on as things change – but it’s a good read for what that life was like, and how the world evolves:
He pitched to Stan Musial, signed Tom Pagnozzi, scouted Albert Pujols, 'sat' on Rick Ankiel, and before the pandemic traveled to see Masyn Winn.
Part of #stlcards fabric, Mike Roberts is the thread that ties eras.
As scouting changes, his legacy won't.https://t.co/MVlWyvj8fr
— Derrick S. Goold (@dgoold) November 15, 2020
• Crosstown talk from Jim Thome:
The Crosstown Classic is always intense.
Jim Thome reflected on the rivalry on @OffTheMound! pic.twitter.com/nbzh0SxRcW
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) November 14, 2020
• I can still feel the grass:
Absolute balls out diving catch in right field, where I’d been put precisely because there was a belief that I couldn’t make plays like that.
I peaked at 8. https://t.co/2GhHuuFAae
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) November 15, 2020
• Heads up to a huge promo all day today at DraftKings – new folks, you might as well take advantage:
Bet Up to $100 Risk-Free All Day Sunday at DraftKings Sportsbook! You're welcome: https://t.co/hDuhLS3igP
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) November 15, 2020
• Thanks for considering these promos and offers. They are a big part of the revenue picture here at BN, especially through a challenging year, so I really appreciate you either checking them out, or at least just silently ignoring them.
