Over an hour of rain delay didn’t dampen the day at all for the Cubs, who scored so prodigiously that the Mariners turned to using second baseman Luis Sardinas in the eighth inning. And, to his credit, Sardinas got through the inning unscathed. The Cubs pushed through the Mariners bullpen by driving Hisashi Iwakuma from […]
Tag: Jason Heyward
Grounded: A Close Look at Jason Heyward’s Disappointing 2016 at the Plate
My first exposure to Jason Heyward came, as it did for many Cubs fans, in the first at-bat of his career—a home run off of then-Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano. At the time, I remember being rather disappointed with the event itself (Zambrano’s final line for that game: 1 1/3 innings pitched, six hits, and eight earned […]
It’s Almost Mid-June, and Heyward’s Struggles Are Still Not Concerning
As we are slowly but surely reaching the 100-games-left-in-the-season mark of the 2016 season, it’s a bit surprising to see that Jason Heyward’s slash line is sitting at a dismal .226/.323/.313. He’s only hit three home runs on the season so far, and is striking out at a 20 percent clip—something Heyward hasn’t done since […]
Backups to the Backups: The Cubs’ Angels in the (Iowa) Outfield
When Jason Heyward crashed into the wall in San Francisco, the mid-section of his body contorting like a cartoon accordion, baseball fans everywhere held their breath. It didn’t look good for the Cubs’ slick-fielding right fielder, but after a long wait the next afternoon the results finally came in—no breaks, no tears, no strains, nothing […]
Game 45 Recap: Cubs 9 Cardinals 8
In a divisional rivalry that has been rife with intrigue, particularly since last fall, the last game of this week’s series was bound not to go out with a whimper. This afternoon’s dogfight between the Cubs and Cardinals looked a lot more like what we might expect between these two teams later in the season. Not […]
Tales of a Baserunning Ballclub: Cubs Running Wild
Late in Sunday’s 13-inning affair, overshadowed by Javy Baez’s walk-off fireworks, the Nationals’ defense succeeded in throwing out Jason Heyward at home plate. Michael Taylor corralled the ball perfectly on one hop in right-center field and fired a throw to the cutoff man; the cutoff man, Danny Espinosa, flung the ball to catcher Wilson Ramos, […]
April is Jason Heyward’s Cruelest Month
It’s natural to categorize, sort, and label the things around us. In some ways, it’s our biggest defense mechanism against the world. We like to know what to expect, how something should work, or what someone’s going to do. It’s frustrating and jarring sometimes, when things and people don’t fit our category, label, or expectation. […]
Heyward Flashing Sixth Tool in Early Going in Chicago
Marketers know the trick about hype is that a little goes a long way. Too much hype becomes a vehicle for disappointment. Jason Heyward, the highest paid Cub in history playing on the most eagerly anticipated team of 2016, is sitting securely in the excessive hype danger zone. And, unfortunately for him, it feels like […]
The Case for Heyward Over Fowler in Center
The Cubs’ re-signing of Dexter Fowler to a one-year deal in late February surprised many, as the 29-year-old outfielder had reportedly agreed to a three-year pact with the Orioles earlier the same week. With the O’s, Fowler would have likely been slotted into right field, considering the presence of multiple Gold Glove winner Adam Jones in […]
After Fowler’s Return, Making Time for Jorge Soler
Perhaps my inclination to root for the underdog, the outsider, is a large part of why I’m a Cubs fan in the first place. It probably also explains why, after working through the stages of processing Thursday’s Cubs roster moves (disbelief, confusion, surprise, joy), one of the first things I thought about was what this […]