“See you and me have a better time than most can dream of. Have it better than the best, so can we pull on through whatever tears at us, whatever holds us down.” – Dave Mattews, The Best of What’s Around
I’ve said it before, but I see Hayden Wesneski as a future ace. It’s not because he threw an immaculate inning yesterday either, which is a pretty cool feat. Nope, Wesneski did something that I haven’t seen a lot of since Jake Arrieta was in his heyday. He beat the Pirates despite having a horseshit lineup behind him. It’s so Cubs to win games even when it looks like they’re trying to lose.
Hayden Wesneski, Immaculate Inning. 😇 pic.twitter.com/XJ3nnTDZXb
Here’s where things get a little uncomfortable, though. The Cubs have so many good pitchers, I wouldn’t mind it if Jed Hoyer trades Kyle Hendricks this winter. I know I can be a little controversial at times, or so I’m told, but I want to see a young, hungry, fireballing rotation. It used to be fun to compare Hendricks to Greg Maddux, but The Professor is not of the same mold as the 355-game winner. Not that anyone really is. Comparing soft tossers to Maddux is a maddening exercise because no pitcher in the history of the game had his combination of precision and chill. Hendricks compares more favorably to former Dodger Chad Billingsley.
Putting Wesneski in a rotation with Justin Steele, Marcus Stroman, Keegan Thompson, and one of Caleb Kilian, Ben Brown, DJ Herz, Jordan Wicks, or Cade Horton relegates Hendricks to Alec Mills status, and frankly, he deserves better. I’d rather Hendricks take the bump every fifth day for a contending team such as the Padres or — just throwing this out there — the Orioles. In fact, Hendricks is exactly the type of veteran presence Baltimore needs.
The Orioles are a bullpen-rich team that needs two top starters. Hendricks isn’t a number one, but he’d make a better Day 2 starter than Jordan Lyles. Besides, Grayson Rodriguez is the future ace there. Brandon Hyde is familiar with Hendricks from his days with the Cubs, and the veteran starter is cheap enough that he’d be in Baltimore’s financial wheelhouse if Hoyer is looking to make a deal.
None of this is meant to diminish Hendricks’ career. In fact, I’d rather see him go elsewhere than stay in Chicago as a swingman. His Game 6 win in the 2016 NLCS was the finest pitching performance of that postseason and Joe Maddon should have let him earn the win in Game 7 of the World Series. Based on the trajectory of this team, I’m ready to move on. It just makes a whole lot of sense for the player and the ballclub.
On September 22, 1987, Dickie Noles was traded for himself. Seventeen days after that, Noles was granted free agency and never pitched for the Cubs agai. His Major League career ended where it began with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1990.
Today's #RandomTigeroftheDay is RHP Dickie Noles. Why? Noles was essentially traded for himself. #Tigers acquired the 30 yo Noles from #Cubs in Sep '87 for PTBNL. Noles saved a key game in Toronto. After the season, the PTBNL back to the Cubs was…Noles! Heavy drinker. pic.twitter.com/MkbDuQSTgs
“Ah, maybe you’ve been through this before, but it’s my first time, so please ignore the next few lines ’cause they’re directed at you. I can’t always be waiting, waiting on you.” – Jack Johnson, Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
The makeshift lineups that David Ross is using are making double-digit strikeouts the norm. Seven of yesterday’s starters were hitting .240 or less. Nelson Velázquez struck out twice in three trips and his batting average fell to .193.
Why not quit your job, catch the next home run that Aaron Judge hits, and then settle into a cozy life of retirement? When Judge hits Nos. 61 and 62, those baseballs could fetch as much as $20 million apiece ($). The Yankee slugger just missed tying Roger Maris last night.
For similar reasons, some Yankees’ ticket prices have ballooned to $4,000 or more on the secondary market. I will not provide a link to those usury sites, you’re smart enough to investigate for yourself.
Nobody wants to give up the record tater to Judge, least of all the Red Sox, but he still leads in all Triple Crown categories after a three-walk night against Boston.
One of Judge and Shohei Ohtani will miss out on winning the AL MVP. Here are the 10 best seasons by non-winners in league history.
Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley is the fastest pitcher alive.
A 31-year-old career minor league catcher in the Rays system was one of the driving forces behind unionizing minor league players.
Lars Nootbaar will never make the Top Three. He’s a Cardinal with a name that sounds like something out of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, and that’s just too much for me. “So shines a good deed in a weary world.”
Only Bill Veeck could successfully promote failure. What a showman.
Today In 1949: Eliminated from the American League pennant race, Bill Veeck and the Cleveland Indians hold a mock funeral to bury their ‘48 World Series flag in CF! #MLB #Baseball #Guardians #History pic.twitter.com/VMjcPu6pOw
— Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile) September 23, 2022
After the premiere of a Jeff Garlin-less The Goldbergs, here’s a look back at other series that killed off main characters after behind-the-scenes scandals. Word of caution: the link is a slideshow, but at least it’s one without annoying advertisements.
It’s been a minute since I’ve featured the Grateful Dead in this space.
All the Latest Cubs News, Rumors, and Exclusive Offers!
Don't Miss Any of the Latest Cubs News, Rumors, and Exclusive Offers!
Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (9/22/22): Cubs 3, Pirates 2 - Fly the W(esneski) - Cubs Insider https://t.co/ycwZ1AHJLK
Looking forward to bringing a championship celebration like this to Chicago soon. https://t.co/dtA4GZT5MT
Cubs Insider is an unofficial Cubs website. It is not affiliated with or sponsored by Major League Baseball or the Chicago Cubs.
Cubs Insider is supported in part by affiliate advertising programs and links. If you buy something through these links you won’t pay a penny more, but you will help us keep the lights on. And for that we thank you!