November 16, 2021: How Many Days?

As the weather begins to turn, I’m thinking about… baseball??? Maybe it was Moneyball that got me thinking about the game again; love that movie. Yeah, I love all sports, but baseball is still my favorite. It’s the sport that I played the most growing up; it is my first love. How many days until baseball starts again?

There have already been some moves from the Chicago teams; let’s start with the one that I care about. The Cubs have a new hitting coach!!! This has become like an annual thing with our Cubbies, as if the hitting coach is to blame for our hitting woes. Somebody has to take the fall for it, and if it ain’t the manager, next up are the pitching and hitting coaches. Who knows these guys anyways? Just like anything, when things are going well, they’ll get some credit; when things are going bad, they’ll get some of the blame. But honestly, how much impact does a hitting coach really have, one way or another? We talk about the impact of a manager… maybe plus or minus 10 games? Maybe that’s a bit high. So what are we talking about with hitting coaches? It all boils down to wins and losses, but these guys, the hitting coaches, who have the ear of the players (hopefully), can influence individual ABs throughout the season. Worst case scenario, the players don’t listen, or maybe they DO listen, and they end up being lead down a wrong track. Best case, a hitting coach can influence those high leverage ABs, with runners in scoring position, the whole timely hitting thing, or maybe change the trajectory of a hitter’s performance. Let’s see what this new guy, Greg Brown does; let’s see how long he lasts.

As far as the other side of town, the Sox have decided to buy their entire fanbase tickets to Weekend at Bernie’s II, by bringing Tony LaRussa back. Are there Sox fans really happy about this? It’s kind of mind boggling to me. I mean, OK, so the Sox made the playoffs, like everyone pretty much figured early on last year, with their roster and the division they were playing in. So, it was kind of on auto pilot most of the year. That’s fine, especially when LaRussa’s real value would come in the second season… right? Well, did you see that? I don’t follow the Sox as closely, obviously, but… I’m not seeing it. I didn’t understand the hire initially, and I sure as hell don’t understand why they’re extending this experiment, possibly contributing to waste a prime year in the window for the Sox. Good luck with that. The Sox did resign Kimbrel… to use him in the 8th again, or trade him? It shouldn’t matter which inning a guy pitches if he’s good, but obviously it did matter. To continue to use him in that role would be stupid IMO; guessing a trade will occur soon. Rodon’s option wasn’t picked up. They say they’ll maybe sign him anyways; that usually doesn’t happen though, does it? Rodon was about to not make the roster, then went on to have an unbelievable year, then went on to have some arm troubles. What to make of it all? The Sox, and other interested teams, will have to figure that out.

OK. Plenty more discussion to be had as free agents are signed. Thor went to Anaheim; Berrios signed a huge deal with Toronto. Some dude went to Detroit. Which of the Chicago teams will make a splash first? Which will make the biggest splash? Certainly the Sox roster is in much better shape; not as many needs, but definitely need to add. The Cubs??? Well, I’m still waiting to see the Cubs show some guys the money and get this team competitive again, and avoid a rebuild, that the GM and ownership swears isn’t happening. You’re on the clock Jed.