Cubs pitchers and catchers are fully underway in Mesa, starting their bullpen progressions, and building up toward initial game action in March.
With media restrictions this year because of the pandemic, I suspect our visuals are going to be limited for a while. But the Cubs sent some out today, and my dopamine receptors will so take it:
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1362483811909472256
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https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1362450447080955905
David Ross is understandably stoked to have Jake Arrieta in the house:
Rossy is happy to have Jake Arrieta back in the @Cubs rotation. pic.twitter.com/SjSt575oqu
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) February 18, 2021
Adbert Alzolay getting in some time with Arrieta? Yes, you love to see that:
This screenshot says 1000 words, and all of them are awesome. pic.twitter.com/HC2xuuU0N3
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) February 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/adbert29/status/1362528367623294977
The extremely diverse pitch mix is actually a pretty strong overlap for those two: two-seamer, four-seamer, changeup, curveball, slider. It’s what Arrieta has long thrown, and it’s what Alzolay was throwing as of last year. So for the two of them to get time together is potentially particularly useful, and obviously it’s a small part of why you target a guy like Arrieta in free agency in the first place. Maybe he’s gonna add a cutter layer onto Alzolay’s slider … (Stray note, if you missed it: Alzolay will indeed have an additional option year this season.)
We got(?) to see Yu Darvish in his new duds today, and here’s Jon Lester in his:
Photo from the Nationals: Jon Lester and Yan Gomes at the end of this morning's bullpen session. pic.twitter.com/yxD9PMGb0G
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) February 18, 2021
At least it’s from behind and kinda at a distance? Doesn’t seem quite as final yet for that reason. Yup, I’m a weirdo.
Another look at Darvish, as well as Victor Caratini, in their new gear:
https://twitter.com/Padres/status/1362564865500590082
Good reminder here from an old friend:
I would be concerned if someone cared about velocity in the first bullpen of spring
— dan haren (@ithrow88) February 18, 2021
Sometimes, when guys show up with HUGE velocity from the jump in Spring Training, it’s worth commenting on as a curiosity (because it could mean offseason gains and more to come; or it could mean a guy is simply particularly far along in his build-up progression, which could be a good or a tricky thing). But, yeah, being worried about velo in the first bullpen? That’d be a chuckle situation.
Spring Training throwback:
.@fergieajenkins @cubs at #SpringTraining. Jenkins won 20+ 6 straight yrs for #Cubs 1967-72; & was the NL Cy Young Award winner in '71 after leading NL w 24 wins & @MLB w 30 CGs! His @sabr bio https://t.co/BZrx2d8r2s pic.twitter.com/NgE4Dt391z
— SABR BioProject (@SABRbioproject) February 18, 2021