By Steve Rhodes
What up, Daytona?
How’s your speedway hanging?
Are those tons of Cubs prospects in your pocket or are you just happy to see us?
We turn our eyes to you because Chicago is a low-rate sports town that sells suckers on the minor leagues over and over and over and over like the global city it isn’t.
Plus, your beach is way better than ours.
The Week In Review: The Chicago Cubs were swept by the Diamondbacks over the weekend in their first series since the All-Star Game. They might not notch another win until 2015. The Daytona Cubs lost three of four to Ft. Myers but beat Jupiter and Palm Beach.
The Week In Preview: The Chicago Cubs kick off a 10-game homestand with the Padres and Cardinals each coming in for three-game sets, followed by four with the Rockies next week. The Iowa Cubs kick off a nine-game homestand, with four against New Orleans and five against Memphis, including doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday. The Tennessee Smokies host Mississippi for five games, then travel to Birmingham for another five. The Daytona Cubs have three more in Palm Beach before St. Lucie comes in for four.
Wrigley Is 100 Celebration: Dayton, Iowa and Tennesseee will field 100 players this season who may someday play at Wrigley. Or at least visit.
Prospects Are Suspects: Albert Almora just dropped out of Keith Law’s Top 50.
So Cub: Rizzo’s Awe-Inspiring Catch Backfires.
That’s Ricky: “High expectations have been placed on Edwin Jackson since he signed a four-year, $52 million contract with the Cubs in December 2012. On Friday, Jackson opened the second half with 5 1/3 innings against the Diamondbacks, and did not get a decision. After the game, Renteria complimented Jackson.
“I know he’s the guy we seem to pick on, and I thought he did a great job today,” Renteria said.
Earth to Ricky: He gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings, running his total to 16 runs in his last 15 innings. Stop picking on us.
Laughable Headline Of The Week: Edwin Jackson Nearly Registers Quality Start.
Honorable mention:Jackson Sees Signs Of Life, If Briefly.
Dear Chicago media: Stop picking on the guy!
Mad Merch: Daytona Cubs magnet schedules for the first 10,000 fans to Wrigley this week.
Billy Cub vs. Clark Cub: Cubs Sue Over Fake Mascot.
Advantage: Billy.
Kubs Kulture: “I’d like to hang out here,” said James Russell. “I like it here. This is all I know. I’m comfortable here.”
The Junior Lake Show: Soon appearing in Des Moines.
Mustache Wisdom: There’s always Lyft.
Wishing Upon A Starlin: “Friday, I saw only one pitch for a strike, and I made three outs by myself,” Castro said before the game. “And that’s the kind of thing that makes you an easy out. Now I know they’re trying to get me to get myself out by chasing those pitches. And it’s not going to happen anymore. I’m going to see more pitches and take my walks.”
Isn’t that the kind of attitude that got Dale Sveum fired?
Ameritrade Stock Pick of the Week: L‘s are trading at such high volumes that Welington Castillo has given up trying to complete his name this year.
Jumbotron Preview: 5,700 square-feet of the Core Fore and Future Five for the next six years.
Kubs Kalender: Wait ’til next year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021.
Over/Under: Games until Renteria acquires the familiar thousand-yard stare of every previous Cub manager: +/- 810. And it will be when he’s relieved of his duties just when the team approaches contention.
Beachwood Sabermetrics: A complex algorithm performed by The Cub Factor staff using all historical data made available by Major League Baseball has determined that you’re being grifted.
The Cub Factor: Unlike Alfonso Soriano Starlin Castro, you can catch ’em all!
The White Sox Report: Beyond The Cell.
Fantasy Fix: Just Like We Planned It.
Coffman: Baseball is meaningless on the South Side and hopeless on the North.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on July 21, 2014