NEWSLETTER
40 years ago today, two things arrived: (1) the McRib, and (2) Me. One is a relatively disgusting, sauced up, shaped bit of meat that you’re not really sure you want but keep trying anyway, and the other is a sandwich at McDonald’s. Boom. Self-roasted.
• When you hit a grand slam in the first inning, you’re probably thinking you’re about to win that game. But now twice in this postseason, a team has hit a first inning grand slam – Jordan Luplow for the Rays in the ALDS, Adam Duvall for the Braves last night – and still wound up losing. Last night, despite the early lead, the Braves had given it all up within just a few innings, and the Astros took the lead for good in the 5th. The win takes the World Series to 3-2 Braves, and sends it back to Houston on Tuesday night for Game 6.
• The highlights:
• Obviously the Braves never wanted this thing to go back to Houston, not only because obviously (if it doesn’t go back to Houston, that means they won the dang World Series) and also obviously (I wouldn’t trust facing the Astros in Houston), but also because it’s now two days and a trip for things to start to get into your head. “Are we actually gonna blow a 3-1 series lead in this thing? No, right? It’s just one game … we’ll be fine … it’s fine … we got this … don’t we?”
• The game turned in that decisive 5th inning, when typically-excellent Braves lefty A.J. Minter got wild. With the bases loaded, two outs, the Braves up one, and Martin Maldonado at the plate, Minter could not find the zone. Maldonado – who is hitting .114/.184/.114 this postseason and wasn’t that much better in the regular season – had no intention of swinging. He even scooted way up to the plate and wiggled around a fake bunt just to mess with Minter:
A run comes in on the bases loaded walk and we are tied 👀 pic.twitter.com/NCnr10lip3
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 1, 2021
• Clearly, Maldonado has superior psych out powers. Now look back up at the featured image for the post and imagine Maldonado is levitating that ball with his mind, trying to take it from the coach (who is helplessly trying to use his own force power to bring it back).
• As reliever Jerry Blevins puts it, yes, doing what Maldonado did really can mess with a pitcher:
It was no longer me vs the hitter. It became me vs me.
— Jerry Blevins (@jerryblevins) November 1, 2021
• Bonus Maldonado reminder: the very-briefly-former-Cub was acquired in the trade involving Mike Montgomery (who had himself been acquired in a trade involving Dan Vogelbach (and who closed out the 2016 World Series for the Cubs (people forget that)), and then was later traded for Tony Kemp, who was later traded for Alfonso Rivas. Maldonado appeared in just four games for the Cubs, but he’ll always be part of that chain, and it’ll always be the first thing that pops into my head when he comes up.
• Zack Grienke got a pinch-hit single last night, and it might have been one of our last chances to see history (unless the league goes with the double-hook rule, then MAYBE we see this again someday):
Zack Greinke is the first pitcher with a pinch-hit base hit in the playoffs since Jack Bentley, in 1923 WS G 1 and 4 (but he also hit a bit in career too, but was a pitcher!)
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) November 1, 2021
• This really happened last night:
That is to say, she had no idea that The Great Pitch Clock Discourse was a thing, or that it had become a hot topic again over the past couple weeks.
While I have your ear, though … the Pitch Clock is probably coming, and it's probably a good thing: https://t.co/44DyHCsHjF
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) November 1, 2021
• Great story from Rick Sutcliffe:
A new Cubs Weekly Podcast with Rick Sutcliffe is live!
– An epic prank war with a well-known actor
– What he told Theo Epstein in 2012
– Why Dusty Baker was his favorite teammate
– The first time he met Ron Santo@Wintrust | https://t.co/EyTjHTI9EV pic.twitter.com/CqgmVavmGn— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) October 29, 2021
• Jordan Bastian knocked this one out of the park:
Happy Halloween! pic.twitter.com/JcxloRbdIQ
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) October 31, 2021
• Did I already share this video of the legendary Pat Hughes? I might’ve, but just in case:
"When you think about Chicago and what a great sports city it is, one of the best in the world."
Pat Hughes on 26 years of Cubs baseball at the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony.https://t.co/1AnVIhDWG0 | @TonyAndracki23 pic.twitter.com/JFlvNJRcWc
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) October 29, 2021
• Albert Pujols, 41, is playing in the Dominican winter league for the first time in his career, which is a pretty cool story. And he walked it off in his first game … with a dribbler:
ALBERT PUJOLS WALK-OFF INFIELD SINGLE IN HIS FIRST CAREER LIDOM GAME pic.twitter.com/e5iqeKWRnO
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) October 31, 2021
• If you were thinking Pujols’ tour in the DWL means he’s hanging ’em up from MLB, he’s not ready to say that: “My time to retire hasn’t arrived yet,” said Pujols. “Why do I have to retire because someone tells me to? I’m going to do it on my terms and when I feel I can’t play anymore.” Pujols was a league average bat overall for the Dodgers after the Angels let him go (.254/.299/.460, 101 wRC+), which isn’t really all that bat when you’re doing a lot of pinch-hitting and part-time playing. But as a true bat-only guy who’ll turn 42 in January, and who hasn’t even come close to an above-average full offensive season since 2016(!), it’s hard to see any team giving him a meaningful shot next year outside of a publicity grab. No offense to Pujols, who was among the best ever when he was good. He just hasn’t been that in a very, very long time.
• Early Black Friday is now underway at Amazon if you want to start perusing. #ad
• Four of the best Cubs prospectors on Twitter have together launched a new site, and I will be checking it out eagerly, because there’s no way it’s not great stuff for those of us who are really into Cubs prospects:
We have Liftoff!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s Opening Day for North Side Bound! https://t.co/SONQyK5mGm @OutOfTheVines @NelliganJimmy @IvyFutures
— Todd ⚾️🐻🦌 (@CubsCentral08) November 1, 2021
• The most important thing is that Justin Fields looked really, really good. But that game still made me yell far too many obscenities in the household:
Justin Fields Has “It” … But The Supporting Cast? Not So Much: San Francisco 33, Chicago 22https://t.co/XJ9gBZupeu
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) October 31, 2021
• Adorable:
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