MLB - NEWS & NOTES

One more thing, today was the first time that 4 division leaders have played in the same town. Cubs started their series with the Nationals and the White Sox are finishing their series with the Ref Sox.

 

Pirates pitching is terrible. Starters and Bullpen. They trade Walker for Neise, the Mets worst starter. I never did understand that trade. Walker was tied for the HR lead and Neise is not dependable every game. Not a good trade for the Pirates. Walker has been leading all 2nd basemen in HRs for the last few years. So you trade him for a 3rd or 4th starter? And some of the new bullpen pitchers are not very good. So yes, the Bucs have more holes than they did the last few years. And I don't see it improving........

 

Cubs taking it to the Nationals. Today Scherzer goes for the Nat's... sounds like a great game.

 

maddon can't save the cubs if the bats go cold in a playoff series...

 

Cubs keep it rolling. They beat the Scherzer and the Nats, 8-6.

 

Up until the last 2 weeks, the only "regular" who was hitting for average was Fowler. They take walks, they can play small ball - they've done a suicide squeeze and safety squeeze in the same inning, they've stolen home. The first 2 weeks of the season most of the lineup was hitting under .200 and they still averaged over 5 runs a game.

 

I know the Cubs will slump at some point, but this isn't a team reliant on the home run. Maddon also recognizes days when runs are at a premium (not today), he's willing to pull his starter after 5 because the Cubs had a great scoring chance.

 

mary - april is not October. How many good teams suddenly go cold in a playoff series? Happens all the time. Didn't they get swept at home last year in the playoffs?

 

Bartolo Colon belts his 1st career HR...

[video]https://youtu.be/2i_ph0XiMmQ[/video]

 

Chris Sale is 7-0...

 

Chicago baseball must be fun right now.

The Cubs are 24-6.

 

Cubs refused to let Harper beat them and walked him 12 times and hit him once over the 4 game series. Result - 4 game sweep of the second time best team in the NL.

 

Not saying May is October, but this team is more cold weather proof than last year's. Zobrist has been a huge part of that. He is significantly better than expected. But not hitting is not hitting and the fact is the Cubs were not hitting the first half of April and still averaging 5 runs a game. They know they just need to get on base.

Yes the Cubs were swept by the Mets. As a result Theo went out and got Heyward (hello defense that has won us 3 games already), Zobrist (had a streak of 31 plate appearances without a swing and miss), plus Bryant and Russell have dropped their strike out rates to more manageable levels.

I'm not crowning them by any means. They still have to win in October. I'm just trying to explain why they are better equipped to wi this October vs last.

 

Pirates News: They were talking about possibly calling up Glasnow on June 10. To save money and hold him for another year. So they won't call him up till then. A week or two ago they were saying they wouldn't call him up until he learns how to throw a change up. So who knows what's going on with him?

Edit: They also gave some stats on the Cubs record at 24-6. There were only 2 other teams to start the season off that well. I think both were way back when? And both won the World Series........

 

In 1984 the Tigers started off at 35-5... and went on to win the World Series.

Too me 24-6 is just as impressive.

 

Tigers might be 1 of of the 2 teams Will........I forget....Probably so I would imagine.....

 

Over the last five games, Bryce Harper has six at-bats and 15 walks; he?s hit one homer since April 24.
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Why, i ask.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cub...s-hitters-keep-robbing-hector-rondon-of-saves

Funniest thing I've read regarding baseball. Cubs hitters have "playing a game called $%&# the closer". Late innings, Lester, Ross, and Rizzo have been going up and down the dugout and encouraging the team to add on runs so that it is no longer a save situation!

 

Because Dusty Baket had Ryan Zimmerman bat behind Harper. I doubt the Cubs would have walked him so many times if Murphy was batting behind Harper. Not with the way he tore up the Cubs in the post season last year.

 

Strasburg signs 7-year, $175 million extension

WASHINGTON -- Right-hander Stephen Strasburg will be with the Nationals for the long term, agreeing to a seven-year deal that according to a source is worth $175 million. The team announced the extension on Tuesday. A news conference, which can be seen on MLB.com and nationals.com, will be held at 2:15 p.m. ET.

"Ensuring that Stephen will remain a part of our organization for years to come is a proud moment for our entire family," managing principal owner Ted Lerner said. "We are very fond of Stephen and his entire family, and we've thought very highly of them since he became such an integral part of our organization almost seven years ago. We're honored that he feels the same way about the Washington Nationals, and very happy to keep him pitching in the nation's capital."
News of the deal broke while Strasburg was on the mound at Nationals Park on Monday night. He pitched seven-plus innings, taking a no-decision in a 5-4 walk-off victory against the Tigers, and he declined to talk about the contract after the game.

"I'm just focusing on this game and stuff like that," Strasburg said. "All that stuff is going to work itself out eventually. I'm really excited for the way the guys played behind me tonight, picked me up in the end."

A source told MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi that Strasburg can opt out of the deal after the third or fourth year, which would allow Strasburg to become a free agent at age 31 or 32.