Even after the last few years, I’m still thankful for Cubs-related stuff. It brings communities together (like ours, which I love way more often than not), it is an excuse to have stupid fun with low stakes, and the highs are still really high. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family, and I am thankful you’re here.
Oh, and I’m also thankful for Michael, Luis, Bryan, Eli, Mario, and Patrick for making what we do here possible. You guys rock. Sorry the Bears play today, Lu, and that it’s probably for the best if they lose to the terrible Lions … and sorry about Justin Fields’ ribs … and sorry they are a dang circus …
Gonna be a quick-hitter set of Bullets today because I have some stuffing with which to go stuff myself.
• All the best to Wade Davis in retirement. This was one of the best, most stressful games I’ve ever watched:
Wishing all the best to Wade Davis in retirement!
Davis was an All-Star for the #Cubs in 2017 and converted a franchise-record 32 consecutive saves. pic.twitter.com/hteOjUT363
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) November 24, 2021
• That postseason run in 2017 – including that NLDS clincher over the Nationals – was just about the end of the line for Davis. He signed a huge deal thereafter with the Rockies, and although he was decent the first year, he was never able to produce again at the level he was with the Royals and then the Cubs.
• Nico Hoerner and the Cubs doing some good:
Having witnessed work of teammates like Heyward, Rizzo, Happ and others, Nico Hoerner has been seeking out his own ways to give back off the field with @CubsCharities as he embraces Chicago.
“It’s not just going to happen overnight." https://t.co/sGJAv4wOfo
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) November 24, 2021
• Aren’t the Cubs supposed to be poaching from the Dodgers, not the other way around:
Tom Myers, a longtime scout for the Cubs in Southern California, left the organization to join the Dodgers. Myers, who once managed Kyle Hendricks in the Cape Cod League, will be an area scout for the Dodgers with some cross-checking duties and crossover into player development.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) November 24, 2021
• Russell Dorsey on the Cubs’ offseason:
What will we see from the @Cubs this offseason?@Russ_Dorsey1 l @scottbraun l @Decker6 l @Joelsherman1 pic.twitter.com/ov34JD0VTJ
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) November 24, 2021
• Former Brewers hitting coach (and former Cubs assistant hitting coach before that) Andy Haines is staying in the NL Central:
It’s warranted to consider the performance of Brewers hitters when assessing Haines for the role, but another thing in the bigger picture: Derek Shelton wanted someone who can run hitting instruction programming in a wider sense, and Haines’ experience fits that.
— Jake Crouse (@JakeCrouseMLB) November 23, 2021
• The Pirates also have a deal in place to bring back first baseman Yoshi Tsutsugo for $4 million.
• Black Friday has started early at Amazon, and it’s just a ridiculous volume of stuff on sale. It’s gonna take me a minute to sort through the deals. Go take a look and start sorting. #ad
• Solve sign stealing using technology developed by magicians:
How can MLB solve baseball’s sign-stealing problem?
These two magicians (you read that correctly) may have created the answer.
"It's magic, right?"
✍️ @ZHBuchanan https://t.co/nASCHCMVeR
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) November 18, 2021
• You’ve probably heard about this tech before – the catcher wears a wristband with buttons that correspond to pitches and locations, and it sends a signal to a receiver in the pitcher’s cap that tells him what the pitch is.
• Happy Thanksgiving:
Let the games begin 🦃 pic.twitter.com/a8Hke1b8fw
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) November 25, 2021