Cubs, Cubs, Cubs
They're everywhere. They're printing Jake Arrieta no-hitter-themed t-shirts-- a first as far as I know. ESPN.com's full-time Cubs beat reporter, Jesse Rogers (that position exists?), has a story posted about how the Cubs are preparing for more no-hitters this year. Their top three pitchers could pitch a no-hitter "any night," according to pitching coach Chris Bosio. They even have a no-hitter protocol. Saturday wasn't "any night" for one of those three as John Lackey gave up six runs in five and two-thirds innings, seeing his ERA balloon to 4.97. Put your money on Arrieta.
Manager Joe Maddon is baseball's new bad boy, challenging with righteous indignation Busch Stadium's essentially-logical prohibition against t-shirts with the word "sucks" on it. What he doesn't seem to understand is that the rule is in place by the Cardinals at their ballpark to protect against t-shirts aimed at the rival Cubs. How else, after all, would you describe a franchise that hasn't won a World Series in 108 years? And t-shirt manufacturers know this.
Today's ESPN site has no less than ten Cubs stories posted. One subject is Maddon's charity-focused t-shirts. (The guy wears more clothing depicting his own image than anybody I've ever heard of-- and he recently stripped away the Cubs' dress code. Is he so obsessed with his appearance because his counterpart in St. Louis is a matinee idol?) Other story subjects are Javier Baez's new "maturity," John Lackey's thumping at the hands of the Reds, Arrieta, the Cubs' epic run at baseball's single-season record for no-hitters (so far they lead the Majors with one), four more stories about Arrieta and one about his catcher, and one about Kyle Schwarber's Charlie Brown-like existence watching the team chase the pennant while he hobbles around on crutches. (Fear not about Schwarber, Small Bears. Adam Wainwright returned from a torn ACL after only four months last year, and, if there's one thing Schwarber knows, it's conditioning.)
It's only April 24th. How much more can the Cubs possibly give us?
posted by CM @ 8:23 AM
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