Cubs Among the Best, Morel Scorching Hot, Great Prospect Night, and Other Cubs Bullets

The Littlest Girl was very loudly up at 5:30 am this morning, and because I’m trying to help everyone else stay asleep so they can recover from their sicknesses, I tried to scurry her away from the other bedrooms. So I’m rather tired at the moment.

  • The Cubs, at 12-7, have only the fifth best record in the National League, but there is an argument to be made that they are much better than that. The team’s +48 run differential is best in the NL (by a lot), and second in baseball only to the 17-3 Rays. It’s too early to worry about stuff like this, but by Pythagorean record and BaseRuns, the Cubs have actually been unlucky to the tune of two games – their underlying performance suggests they should be 14-5.
  • Christopher Morel homered AGAIN at Iowa, this time on the first pitch of the game:
  • Morel’s numbers at Iowa so far this year are just bonkers: .373 .486 .831/227 wRC+, 6 homers in 16 games, 16.7% BB, 26.4% K, .458 ISO, .471 BABIP. There’s some flukiness in there, yes, but there’s also just the reality that he is obliterating the ball. Constantly. Not even 24 yet, I can’t help but wonder what we’d think of Morel as a prospect if he’d done this last year at Triple-A, without ever having appeared in MLB first. We’d be over the moon, wouldn’t we? He’d be a top five prospect in the system, right? (And it should actually be a CREDIT to his “prospect” status that he came straight up from Double-A at 22 and held his own in the big leagues!)
  • By the way, Morel is currently – literally – the best hitter in minor league baseball:
  • I’m not sure exactly what will need to happen for Morel to return to the big league team – aside from a major injury, obviously, but there’s no way I’m rooting for that – but it’s crazy that the Cubs right now have at least three guys (Morel, Matt Mervis, and Nelson Velazquez) at Iowa who REALLY seem like they need a big league challenge.
  • So, we should probably start talking about Brandon Birdsell pretty soon, because a guy making his pro debut at High-A is always a compliment, and then for him to be as dominant as he’s been so far? It’s really quite impressive. If he’d been a second or third rounder instead of a fifth rounder, I think we’d probably already be all over him:
  • Speaking of outstanding Cubs pitching prospect performances in the early going this year:
  • Brown, 23, still has only 46.0 innings total at Double-A, so I don’t know that the Cubs would be in a rush to bump him. Then again, he’s already on the 40-man, and his performance so far this year might leave the Cubs in a spot where they want to see him challenged by more disciplined hitters.
  • Outta nowhere for the sliding catch to end the game:
  • Alcántara hasn’t started hitting quite yet (not at all uncommon for younger guys in April in the Midwest), but he is still showing up routinely in highlights because he goes all out like this. Love this guy.
  • How about one more prospect thing? Miguel Amaya homered TWICE last night, and continues to rake:
  • Amaya, 24, is hitting .320/.455/.840/225 wRC+ in the early going. Basically, whatever you were hoping he’d show out of the gate at the plate this year after such a long layoff, he’s definitely showing it. I can’t speak to the work behind the plate, or whether he’s ready for Triple-A, but this is all a good step for a guy who’s missed so much time. This is Amaya’s final minor league option year, so basically the Cubs need him to get up to Triple-A at some point this year, and, ideally, have a lot of success. Because they’re going to need to know by the end of Spring Training whether he’s big league ready or not.
  • I don’t know if the Pirates are “for real” or not, but I do know that so far they have played the Reds (twice), the Rockies, the White Sox, the Cardinals (split the series), and the Astros (lost the series). Not exactly a telling set of series so far.
  • Both guys could be on here, actually:
  • Not sure why it would be worrying to get stomped by an awesome team:
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Hendricks Moves On, Phillies Front Office, Ballesteros Home Run Derby, More TV News, and Other Cubs Bullets

    Got a family reunion today with The Wife's family, so that should be a fun time. No big news drops mid-day today, please and thanks ... The Phillies dropped a major news reveal about their front office: https://twitter.com/Phillies/status/1854981208452759924 Although Dave...

    BREAKING: Roki Sasaki Will Be Posted

    Enormous news for the offseason ahead, as 23-year-old Japanese ace Roki Sasaki will be posted by his NPB team this offseason. Jeff Passan with the wee hours scoop: https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1855148106226061377 Roki Sasaki has been one of the best pitchers in the...

    If It Takes Forever: Mortality, the Chicago Cubs, and a Person Named Steve

    [caption id="attachment_18307" align="alignright" width="300"] And there was the time I was covered in paint.[/caption] I did a lot of stupid stuff in college. There was the time I had 19 drinks in a three-hour span on Spring Break (not proud...

    Cubs Roster Move: Herget Claimed By Rockies

    Talk about a Friday afternoon news dump! OK, actually, this is not a particularly significant piece of news, as the waiver of reliever Jimmy Herget (a guy who didn't actually pitch in the big leagues for the Cubs, and who...

    The Cubs Should Recreate the Ross-Lester Winter with Free Agents Travis D’Arnaud and Max Fried

    Back in December of 2014, the Chicago Cubs made one of the most consequential free agent signings in franchise history, inking free agent lefty Jon Lester to a six-year, $155 million deal. But they didn't stop there. While Lester would...

    Cubs Are Reportedly Already “Ruling Out” a Pursuit of Juan Soto or Corbin Burnes

    I am sharing this with you just in case anyone had illusions otherwise. This should not be regarded as surprising, in my view, but I understand that hope dies hard. From The Athletic: "The pressure on the Chicago Cubs’ front...

    Cubs Injury Updates: Jordan Wicks and Cade Horton

    Some injury updates on a couple young Chicago Cubs pitchers for whom the 2024 season was cut very short. First, Jordan Wicks has recovered from his recurrent oblique issue, which it turns out was not entirely to oblique. Via the...

    The Cubs’ Double-A Affiliate Has a Slightly New Name, Look

    In a move that's been underway for a little while now, the Chicago Cubs' Double-A affiliate in Tennessee are rebranding in conjunction with their move to a new stadium in downtown Knoxville: https://twitter.com/MiLB/status/1854556824764035210 https://twitter.com/smokiesbaseball/status/1854555876083876308 So, going forward, the Cubs' Double-A...

    Much Love to Kyle Hendricks, a Superior Pitcher and an Even Better Teammate

    Although he was known as much for his style of pitching as his level of success, it isn't the case that Kyle Hendricks was "good for a guy who doesn't throw hard." Kyle Hendricks was simply one of the best...

    Cardinals TV Kinda Saved, MLB’s Plans Kinda Not, HBP Cubs, and Other Cubs Bullets

    A house is just an opportunity to experience all the new and exotic ways that stuff can break ... Big news for the Cardinals, as they are one of the select clubs with which Diamond/Bally/FanDuel actually wants to continue a...

    Latest News

    Best NBA Prop Bets for Saturday, November 9, 2024

    The Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers square off for one of four exciting matchups on the NBA schedule today.Looking for NBA player prop bets for today's games? This article features NBA player props for every contest, so take a...

    Hendricks Moves On, Phillies Front Office, Ballesteros Home Run Derby, More TV News, and Other Cubs Bullets

    Got a family reunion today with The Wife's family, so that should be a fun time. No big news drops mid-day today, please and thanks ... The Phillies dropped a major news reveal about their front office: https://twitter.com/Phillies/status/1854981208452759924 Although Dave...

    BREAKING: Roki Sasaki Will Be Posted

    Enormous news for the offseason ahead, as 23-year-old Japanese ace Roki Sasaki will be posted by his NPB team this offseason. Jeff Passan with the wee hours scoop: https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1855148106226061377 Roki Sasaki has been one of the best pitchers in the...

    Revenge Game Alert? Yannick Ngakoue to Join the Patriots

    An old friend returns to Soldier Field on Sunday. Yannick Ngakoue has a new football home. And it happens to be this week's Chicago Bears opponent — the New England Patriots: https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1854996482640032203 Patriots claim Yannick Ngakoue off waivers NFL Network insider...

    Alabama at LSU Odds, Props, and More for Huge 2024 SEC Clash

    Alabama and LSU, two of college football's most storied programs, are set to clash once again in a highly anticipated SEC showdown. This historic rivalry has produced countless memorable moments, and the current Alabama at LSU odds indicate another matchup...

    One Very Fun Josh Giddey Stat … And One Very Ugly One

    To Josh Giddey's credit, he has found a way to impact the box score on a nightly basis to start his Chicago Bulls career. The guard is averaging 13.6 points, 7.0 assists, and 6.6 rebounds over his first nine games....

    Cubs Roster Move: Herget Claimed By Rockies

    Talk about a Friday afternoon news dump! OK, actually, this is not a particularly significant piece of news, as the waiver of reliever Jimmy Herget (a guy who didn't actually pitch in the big leagues for the Cubs, and who...

    Bears Bits: Empty Investments, Deep Ball Accuracy, More

    The Chicago Bears will host the New England Patriots at Soldier Field on Sunday, and they'll again be searching for success on the offensive side of the ball. That starts with their rookie quarterback and his receivers, a group that...

    New England Patriots Injury Report: Mayo Rules Out Two Key Defenders for Sunday

    The Patriots are set for a clash against the Bears at Soldier Field this Sunday, and they’ll be navigating several challenges on both sides of the ball. New England’s defense will be without safety Kyle Dugger and linebacker Christian Elliss,...

    WELP: The Bears Will Be Without *BOTH* Starting Tackles in Week 10

    Yuck! The Friday Chicago Bears injury report is out and the news isn't good for the offensive line. The Bears will be down both starting offensive tackles after declaring left tackle Braxton Jones and right tackle Darnell Wright for Sunday's...

    Bedard-Reichel? Maroon-Reichel! Roenick’s Ring, Prospect Updates, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    I know I'm one of the first people to preach patience and sample size, but I wanted to jump into it this morning with some thoughts about the Blackhawks putting Connor Bedard and Lukas Reichel together in Dallas. I know...

    more cubs news