The Rundown: Canter’s Back, Cubs Are Deceptively Hot, Schwarbs Is Good, Trade Rumors in Full Swing
I’m back, and leave it to the baseball gods to have my return coincide with a rainout. Thanks to Evan for taking the reins while I finished the development of Jivewired TV. I am hopeful Apple launches it today on Apple TV boxes worldwide. Of note, some content you may like that we are providing to our viewers:
- Interviews with Harry Caray, Greg Maddux, Joe Pepitone, and Ron Santo.
- 15 episodes of Beer Geeks for you craft beer lovers.
To access, just type Jivewired into the search bar of your Apple TV and download the free app. And tell your friends! Best of all, you can listen to Cubs games on the radio while you watch Ed Randall interview Harry Caray or see how Sam Adams makes their Utopias beer!
As I mentioned, the Cubs were postponed last night due to rain and a limited power outage, but since the Brewers lost, the Northsiders inched into first place in the NL Central by .005 points. A makeup day-night doubleheader is scheduled for today so the two teams can hopefully get the entire series in.
Cubs News & Notes
Despite Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, the Cubs have won 14 of their last 20 games while hardly hitting on all cylinders.
Kyle Schwarber has become quite the left fielder, yes?
I ran on @kschwarb12 and all I got was this lousy t-shirt. pic.twitter.com/K6drFiHIVv
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 18, 2018
Javier Baez is feeling better a day after he was hit on the left elbow by a pitch. Baez took a Jack Flaherty fastball to the elbow in the 3rd inning of Sunday night’s 5-0 loss at St. Louis. Baez leads the Cubs with 14 homers and he should play today.
Baez, catcher Willson Contreras, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and third baseman Kris Bryant are all second at their respective positions in the latest All-Star balloting. Addison Russell is third among NL shortstops.
The Cubs have four of 25 must-see minor league players in Tennessee
How About That!
Nationals OF Juan Soto broke the space-time continuum yesterday.
The Nationals have acquired Royals closer Kelvin Herrera, and they didn’t have to give up a whole lot to get him.
The Astros’ 12th straight win came courtesy of walk-off two-run double by Alex Bregman against the Rays last night. The Astros lead the Mariners by two games in the AL West. Houston has won all of those games against sub-.500 teams and plays 24 more consecutive games against similarly bad teams.
The Phillies blew a two-run lead in the ninth and saw St. Louis take the lead in the 10th on Tommy Pham‘s homer before rallying for the win on a walk-off, two-run double by Aaron Altherr with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning. Heartbreaking for Deadbirds fans, I’m sure.
The Yankees have a number of prospects in the minor leagues that are major league ready, but no available roster spots. Brian Cashman retooled that organization incredibly quickly.
Bleacher reports looks at potential destinations for Mets’ ace Noah Syndergaard, which includes the Brewers.
Mondays Top Three Stars
- Bartolo Colon – Big Sexy became the winningest Dominican-born pitcher born in major league history as visiting Texas handed Kansas City its seventh straight loss. It was the 244th career win for the 45-year-old Colon (4-4), breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Juan Marichal. Colon also tallied his 2,503rd career strikeout.
- Giancarlo Stanton – In the makeup game from May 16, the Yankees OF recorded 4 hits (4-for-5, two RBIs), his third game this season with four hits and seventh of his career.
- Trevor Williams – The Pirates starter allowed just a single hit and two walks while striking out 7 Brewers batters in Pittsburgh’s 1-0 defeat of Milwaukee.
Hot Takes & Syrup
- Trevor Bauer has a unique way of getting hitters out. He pitches right down the middle of the plate and lets his pitches move on their own. It’s called tunneling.
- The Boston Red Sox are among the clubs to contact the Orioles about Manny Machado, but president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski concluded the teams likely do not match up on a trade at this time.
- The Yankees are interested in Machado as well and have the prospect depth to possibly pull off a shocking intra-division deal.
- The Yankees may be dangling Justus Sheffield and Clint Frazier in an attempt to acquire Blake Snell from the Rays.
- Drafting Demographics: Of the 1,214 players selected in the 2018 Rule 4 draft, 54 percent were pitchers. Specifically, they were right handed pitchers, who accounted for 41 percent of all players drafted.
They Said It
- “I think they had a little rougher start than we did, but, yeah, both teams have been on the upswing the last few weeks. I just hope we can continue that upward trajectory. I feel like we’ve had some good stretches but also we haven’t really been able to catch the wave and really play well for a couple weeks in a row where you feel it’s crisp — good starting pitching, good defense, good offense. It would be great to start that now.” – Jed Hoyer
- “I really try to refrain from that because I think there’s a trap in [identifying must-win series’]. If you set it up that way and it doesn’t go well, you think it’s doom and gloom and it’s not going to happen. I just can’t subscribe to that theory. I much prefer that they think tonight is the most important game of the year and then when this one is over, tomorrow night’s game is the most important game of the year.” – Joe Maddon
- “They have not heard that from me — ‘This is a great big series, let’s go, you’ve got to pick up your game. From a sports psychology perspective, that’s probably the worst thing you can do, and I agree with that.” – Joe Maddon
Tuesday Walk Up Song
Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles. It worked for MTV, it works for me, too. Good to be back.