NEWSLETTER
It was so nice to be back at Wrigley Field. Just nice. Watching the game in person, involuntarily jolting and screaming when something happens, striking up random conversations with the people around you in the bleachers … it all just felt so nice. Not really another way to describe it. I’m sure it helped that the Cubs won, but there was just a lot of positivity out there in the bleachers, a welcomed thing after generally feeling so isolated – especially from large groups of people – for so long.
• How about Ryan Tepera yesterday? Even from the center field bleachers I could tell he was nasty as heck because the Nationals’ batters looked completely helpless. Out of his 11 pitches, just 2 were balls, just 1 was a foul, and all the rest were either swinging strikes or called strikes. Tough to dominate much more than that. The cutter is still his pitch, but he threw two changeups that just had guys mystified. He only rarely busts that one out, but it was interesting. Over the last month, he’s allowed runs in an appearance just twice, his ERA is 1.32, and his K/BB numbers are just nuts (32.0% and 2.0%, respectively). Tepera is pitching as well as anyone in the bullpen right now, and that’s saying a lot! That’s why he gets MVP votes.
• Just nasty, nasty stuff yesterday:
• The guy Tepera relieved, Justin Steele, left yesterday’s outing after 1.1 innings and at an inning change … but he was going to keep on pitching. He ran the bases after hitting for himself (bunted into a forceout), and then was pulled with a tight hamstring. You just don’t want to see anything derail – or even modestly change – Steele’s trajectory this year, and I’ll admit to feeling a little saucy that Steele was out there running at all. He’s an athlete, they practice shit, etc., etc., but relief pitchers just don’t have this as part of their game expectations. And, so, when you’re actually out there in a game, being asked to book it on a single (and then stop hard at second base), and then book it again on another single (and then stop hard at third base) – all in moments that really matter – it’s just a different animal.
• The other in-game injury concern was with Joc Pederson, who kept trying to stretch himself out in his final at bat, with David Ross and the trainer coming out to check on him. They determined it was just a side cramp at the time (NBC). Hopefully Pederson and Steele both wake up today feeling normal (though I think you can expect Steele to be down for tonight anyway).
• With his two-homer game – and the hot streak that preceded it – Ian Happ is finally back to being where he belongs on the results side of the ledger: an above-average overall bat (104 wRC+). Happ’s year has been a really weird one, with him hitting the ball really well (without results) early on, the strikeouts then exploding and the contact quality weakening, and then the collision after he had a couple good games, and now he’s back and hitting again. Honestly I’m not sure any of it means anything, because it’s such a small, weird sample. What seems to matter most is that, so far in his career, Happ has always hit. Always. It hasn’t always been peak performance from him – last year was really what you want to see – but he’s always gotten above-average results.
• It’s really quite cruel that Craig Kimbrel does this to guys, and he should probably consider an apology cake:
Craig Kimbrel, 98mph Fastball (called strike) and 87mph Knuckle Curve (swinging K), Individual Pitches + Overlay.
Why you might swing at a Knuckle Curve in the dirt. pic.twitter.com/mNhSlFyyqh
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 21, 2021
• David Ross nailing the swing-3-0-against-a-position-player BS stuff (NBC): “When I bring in a position player to pitch, I’m conceding that the game is over and I would like to go home as fast as possible and turn the page. Having my position player take, or be upset if the other team swings 3-0 is not something I want to get caught up in. I’m already mad we’re getting our butt kicked from one side.”
• Just a well-deserved love-fest here for Nico Hoerner at Marquee.
• You know how the Cubs sent Cameron Maybin to the Mets, primarily as an assist to him since he wasn’t getting a look with the Cubs, and the Mets had developed a serious positional need? I didn’t realize it was SO serious that Maybin immediately slotted in as the number three hitter for the Mets (0-4, 3Ks). The other two starting outfielders for that game were rookies Khalil Lee and Johneshwy Fargas. Suffice to say, the Mets are almost unbelievably banged up right now, and this list doesn’t even include Pete Alonso, who is day-to-day with a wrist issue:
Mets on the injured list
Taijuan Walker
Kevin Pillar
Michael Conforto
Jeff McNeil
J.D. Davis
Luis Guillorme
Carlos Carrasco
Noah Syndergaard
Seth Lugo
Jacob deGrom
Dellin Betances
Albert Almora
José Martínez
Brandon Nimmo— Michael Mayer (@mikemayer22) May 19, 2021
• Bryan wasn’t able to do a Five Stars prospects post this morning, but he did have a special mention he texted me that he wanted to make sure folks saw, so here it is: “DJ Herz, the lefty pitcher we talked about after his last start, had the next step in his breakout season: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K (a leadoff triple providing the only damage). Herz was otherwise fantastic, operating with all three of his pitches at a high level: fastball with plus life, changeup that was falling off the table and a solid 2-to-7 knuckle-curve. This, like with Cam Sanders on Opening Day, was the type of start to make you re-consider a prospect’s ceiling. Herz is raw, and the fastball command won’t always be there, but he’s one we can really dream on. And as you know, we haven’t had a ton of those arms.”
What’s so impressive to me is how much has been accomplished in his development since getting drafted. Muscle added, curveball grip changed, changeup added to arsenal. Great sign. https://t.co/qH4Q7x1QVf
— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) May 21, 2021
• Sanders and Herz are among the reminders that, because we lost last year, some guys are just going to open your eyes so much more quickly – and more widely! – than you would otherwise expect within the first month of a season. That’s probably going to be especially apparent early on with the pitchers, who may have had a smoother developmental go over the past 18 months, compared to position players.
• And since we’re loving on prospects, this made me very happy to see, because I’m a big believer in this bat long-term:
Yohendrick Pinango with a blast and an incredible batflip pic.twitter.com/dQkjkXLrjw
— Ivy Futures (@IvyFutures) May 20, 2021
• Fanatics has put together gift boxes (variety packs of team-related stuff), and I reckon the timing is designed to tie in to Father’s Day. So if you’re looking for an idea there, check this out.
• Good lord this cup snake at South Bend:
It just continues, my oh my!
🍺 🐍 pic.twitter.com/7eQUM9atvW— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) May 21, 2021
