Cubby-Blue

Cubs should make cup-o-coffee baseball cards like this for Alcantara.

Not that Arismendy Alcantara won't be up for more than a cup of coffee, because even if he goes back down after the All-Star break, he'll be back up again.
Just too good.
But if I were the Cubs I'd make cup of coffee cards for Alcantara, Beeler, Hendricks, Bryant, Baez, Soler, Wada...anybody I thought might come up.
Like about 30,000 of each. 
And just have them printed and waiting in storage for the day these guys come up, and give 'em out at the park.
First 10,000 to the first 3 games.
That'd be a nice souvenir.
On the back would be a place for you to write in what they did that day.
Like yesterday you would have gotten the card above for Alcantara, and on the back you could have filled in, "2 for 5 with a double, single and 2 runs scored".
I cannot even write in words how exciting he's been.
What a jolt of energy and overall positive excitement.

Not so good with Edwin Jackson, but whatever.
I almost did Theo and Brian Cashman having a conversation that went like so:
THEO: Hi Brian.
BRIAN: Theo.
THEO: Heard you might need some pitching.
BRIAN: Duh.
THEO: What about Jackson?
BRIAN: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
THEO: Okay, Bonifacio has a great arm. I think he pitched in highschool.
BRIAN: YOU'RE KILLIN' ME DUDE.
THEO: What about McCann and the foot?
BRIAN: Yeah, we're always looking for catching help.
THEO: Barney's mighty good with the glove...

Like I said, whatever.
But the Cubs have been really fun to watch lately.
Those back to back wins - the 5-4 9th inning comeback vs the Braves on Friday, and the 6-4 12th inning comeback against the Reds on Thursday - those might be the best back to back games the Cubs have played since 2008.
And Alcantara's footprints are all over them.
Ruggiano and Colghan have been kind of on fire too.

Today's a 1:20 start with Travis Wood on the mound.
Wrigley's been nutty lately and Travis could use a little less with the wind.
Last game before the AS break, gots to watch.
Go Cubs.

Good day for the Cubs: Alcantara, Hendricks, A Win, Rizzo, & Dooftops

Man, do I like this feeling.
So many good things all happening on the same day.
Watch this old spot and tell me you didn't feel like this yesterday:

 

First, Kyle Hendricks.
Rough beginning to his first pro start, but then he settled down and damn that's some promise right there.
I just heard Peter Gammons on the radio talking about Chris Sale and then he suddenly veered into Cub territory and sang some praises about young Kyle. 
The Cubs finally get approval on their ballpark improvement plan, and while I refuse to read anything about it because I'M SO SICK OF THE WHOLE THING, it sounds good for the team.
Then, I got an email from Commissioner Bud Selig congratulating me.
Personally.
Apparently, it was my 1,421 votes that landed Anthony Rizzo on the All-Star team.
Then Anthony called and invited me to a BBQ at his place this weekend.
Seriously, I tried to give you some credit but he'd have none of it.
So that was pretty cool, but the most jaw dropping, awesome and fabulous thing that happened was the game played by Arismendy Alcantara.
I work so, you know... I can't watch. But reading a box that says 4 for 5 with a triple, double, 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs?
That's what made me think of: "I HAVE A BROTHER?!!!"
So he's gonna stay for a bit longer since it's just about the All-Star break and they don't need to have all the starting pitching.
Or maybe it's just time for Alcantara.
I'd much rather think that.
And for the first time in a really really long time I'm thinking man, if I get the chance I am totally gonna go to Wrigley and catch this kid baseball player.
Because the other thing was the Cubs won.
They beat the Reds and busted a 6-game losing streak all in a really really cool way - battling and scratching and biting and... winning. 

Go Cubs.

ps: Aroldis Chapman is an asshole. 

Tweet #VoteRizzo right now!

It counts as an All-Star vote for Rizzo if you tweet #VoteRizzo until 3 today.
So DO IT!

Cubs' Anthony Rizzo's 20th homer of 2014 was "towering".

DID YOU SEE THAT THING?
Anthony Rizzo's 20th homer in the top of the 3rd vs. Alfredo Simon and the Cincinnati Reds should have had NASA logos on it.
Len said, "A TOWERING HOME RUN".
So... maybe watertowering.
Whatever, that's what I drew.
Rizzo is tied (with Troy Tulowitski) for 2nd in the National League of Major League Baseball for home runs.
Just one little homer behind freaky monster-homer-hitting Giancarlo Stanton's 21.
OUR Anthony Rizzo.
The guy we were all "Well? I don't know, maaaaybe..." about last year.
Man, how much do you like him now?
GET ON YOUR COMPUTER AND VOTE THE GUY IN!
Also notable in this game: Arismendy Alcantara played 2nd, and while not so good at the plate he made some cool plays at 2nd (esp the long throw to nail Santiago at 3rd base in the 2nd inning).
But Dallas Beeler gave up 4 runs and, worse, walked 4.
Reds 4 Cubs 1.
And there's a losing streak going on that needs to stop, because damn it was fun when they were winning some so probably it won't now that I'm asking for it.
So... 1 more up in Cincinnati, then the 11-more-wins-than-the-Cubs Braves come to town.
Ouch.

How Morneau will beat Rizzo in All-Star voting.

Cheap shot, I know.
I think Illinois isn't far behind with their own medical marijuana law passage.
Anyway, big news is Arismendy Alcantara's been called up to take the place of Darwin Barney, who's wife is about to have a baby.
So maybe we'll get an unexpected surprise and he'll actually play.
Gotta run, lots going on.

 

 

Arismendy Alcantara

Cub Fan tries for musky. Fails. Again. (watercolor)

This one time my brother played the lotto and didn't win.
He said, "I NEVER win the lotto."
I don't know why, but every time I think about it I crack up.
So we spent a week up at a cabin just outside Minocqua, Wisconsin and no I didn't catch the musky.
There were lots of walleye and bass, though, so the fishing was actually pretty good.
On the way back I stopped for gas in some little town, checked my email.
My buddy Pete Dever from NY (Mets fan) sent one that just said, "Samardzija. Sorry for your loss."
That was the first I heard of the trade.
Had to put the little lock thingy down on the gas pump and use both hands on the phone for a bit.
Jake Hammel too.
Well, of COURSE that was gonna happen but still I was pretty shocked.
Jason Hammel too.
And we get Addison Russel, Billy McKinney and Dan Straily.
Awesome all the way around.
Samardzija had his first A's start and was magnificent, he'll be a star in Oakland.
(And watch Hammel be the guy with the most important win in the playoffs later...)

Super cool, after being absolutey out of touch for a week, to sit down and watch Jake Arietta baffle some Nats. Did you see Harper's second strike out?
"He swung over the top of that one," said Jim Deshaies.
By about a foot.
Too bad the Cubs lost, but it was a pretty good game.
Also...Starlin Castro is an all-star, and you gotta go vote for Anthony Rizzo.
He's worthy.

Okay, here are some random shots from sunrise to sunset at the lake...