By Steve Rhodes
“Castro to Baez to Rizzo” actually trended on Twitter on Tuesday night.
Let me fix that: “Hendry Draft Picks Castro And Baez To Rizzo, Acquired For Hendry Draft Pick Cashner.”
And I hated Hendry.
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In other words, the cupboard wasn’t exactly bare when Theo got here, like he claims. But the bank account for player payroll was.
The Week In Review: The Cubs took three of four from the Rockies at home, then two of three from the Dodgers in LA before Tuesday night’s win in Javy Baez’s debut in Denver. Cubs fans getting their calculators out to see if it’s mathematically possible . . .
The Week In Preview: Two more at Coors Field, then three at home against the Rays, presumably including Baez’s debut at Wrigley Field. At week’s end, he’ll be 4-for-26 with 3 HRs and no walks.
Wrigley Is 100 Celebration: Baez will strike out 100 times between now and season’s end.
Mad Merch: Has Baez Bobblehead Day been scheduled yet?
Prospects Are Suspects: Alcantara and Baez went 1-for-11 at the top of the order Tuesday night, with five strikeouts and eight left on-base. Anthony Rizzo, batting third, went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.
Theo Epstein Condescension Meter: 10.
“Cubs executives made it clear Baez wouldn’t be promoted from Triple-A Iowa after the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline,” CSN reported Saturday.
“You have to factor in what the player might get out of a call-up versus what it means for the organization, as a whole, not being able to add a player in the winter, because of 40-man (roster) issues,” Theo said.
Two days later, Baez was called up.
That’s Ricky: “There’s no hurry.”
Two days later, Baez was called up.
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Also:
“[T]he whole [Neil Ramirez] scenario again raised the issue of Renteria’s handling of the pitching staff in his first year as a big-league manager. Several pitchers have grumbled about it, especially after Renteria said Saturday that the Cubs might use a Class AAA shuttle with other relievers, too, to alleviate workloads.
“One longtime evaluator, when asked how good Renteria is at managing a bullpen, said: ‘Great – as long as he has 15 guys in the pen.”’
And:
“Carlos Villanueva is usually the Cubs’ long man but on Saturday night, manager Rick Renteria called on the right-hander to face Drew Butera with two outs and a runner at third in the sixth inning of a tie game. It worked, as Butera popped up on the first pitch and the inning was over.
“But Villanueva didn’t stay in the game, which went 12 innings. The right-hander was lifted in the seventh for Brian Schlitter, who has been used in short relief. It was as if their roles were reversed. Renteria’s reasoning?”
Laughable Headline Of The Week: “Signs Of Recovery Are Gratifying To Cubs Players.”
As in the economic arena, 99 percent of Cubs fans aren’t seeing it yet.
Kubs Kulture: Current Cubs Enjoying The Present.
That’s nice, because nobody else is.
Billy Cub vs. Clark Cub:
Advantage: Billy.
The Junior Lake Show: Went 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in his debut.
Mustache Wisdom: “Cubs pitcher Carlos Villanueva gave Javier Baez the ‘talk’ shortly after he had arrived in the visitor’s clubhouse on Tuesday, the 21-year-old infielder’s first day in the big leagues.
“There are three pieces of advice, Villanueva said. No. 1, don’t be late. No. 2, don’t forget refreshments for the team bus. And, No. 3, don’t get noticed for the wrong reasons.”
Wishing Upon A Starlin: Average has dropped to .277.
Ameritrade Stock Pick of the Week: In a sudden reversal, Cookies look like a good bet.
Jumbotron Preview: 5,700 square-feet of not Mike Olt.
Kubs Kalender: Wait ’til next year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021.
Over/Under: Games until Kris Bryant is called up: +/- 12.
Beachwood Sabermetrics: A complex algorithm performed by The Cub Factor staff using all historical data made available by Major League Baseball has determined that Javy Baez is not yet in the Hall of Fame.
Hashtag Cubs
Chicago media who spent months jacking up expectations for Javy Baez now warn us to lower our expectations.
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) August 5, 2014
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The Cub Factor: Unlike Alfonso Soriano Starlin Castro, you can catch ’em all!
The White Sox Report: Yogi vs. Hawk.
The Beachwood Radio Sports Hour: Derrick Rose A Saboteur By Any Other Name.
Plus: Drinking The Bears’ Bourbon & Baseball’s Blockbusters.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on August 6, 2014