Early voting for the NL All-Star team was released prior to the finale of the three-game series in San Francisco on Wednesday and Rick Renteria was asked about which players should represent the Cubs in the Mid-Summer Classic. Renteria mentioned Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro and said he would lobby for Jeff Samardzija to be on the pitching staff.
If Jeff Samardzija is still with the team, arguments could be made that he should not only be the Cubs lone representative, but he should start the game. Samardzija is having an excellent season. In 75 innings this year, Jeff Samardzija has allowed 59 hits and walked 21 batters with 64 strikeouts (1.68 ERA, 1.07 WHIP). Samardzija is second in the league in ERA behind Adam Wainwright (1.67) and seventh in the league in WHIP among pitchers with at least 10 starts.
News and Notes
Wesley Wright is expected to rejoin the team in Milwaukee on Friday. Wright is on paternity leave to be with his wife for the birth of their daughter. Wright and his wife welcome a girl into the world on Tuesday.
According to a report from Carrie Muskat, Pedro Strop is getting close to starting a rehab assignment. Strop was placed on the 15-day DL on May 7 with a left groin strain.
Ryan Sweeney is running at 75-80 percent and has resumed hitting after he suffered a setback working at the Cubs’ facility in Mesa. Sweeney has been on the DL since May 3 with a right hamstring strain. Sweeney was hoping to miss three to four weeks when he was placed on the disabled list.
Current Cubs’ relievers are excited about the team possibly moving the bullpens to underneath the bleachers. Jesse Rogers spoke with Hector Rondon, Justin Grimm and James Russell about the new location, if the city will allow them to be moved there.
Minor News and Notes
Kris Bryant went 4-for-4 with a double and a home run on Wednesday night, the day after he walked four times in five plate appearances. Bryant is hitting .484/.600/1.000/1.600 over his last 10 games with four doubles, four home runs, nine walks and nine strikeouts. In 51 games this year, Bryant is hitting .349/.452/.667 with 14 doubles, 15 home runs and a 1.119 OPS.
Javier Baez’s hitting streak ended at 11 games in the first game of Iowa’s doubleheader on Wednesday night. Javier Baez picked it up in the second game, that was suspended due to PCL curfew rules, and went 2-for-3. Over his last 10 games, Baez is hitting .425/.429/.850 with eight doubles, one walk, 12 strikeouts, three home runs and a 1.279 OPS.
Arismendy Alcantara started the first game of Iowa’s doubleheader in Memphis in centerfield. Alcantara returned to second base for the second game. Alcantara hit his PCL leading seventh triple and is very quietly putting together a good season. Over his last 10 games, Alcantara is hitting .314/.368/.714 with one double, two triples and three home runs … with a 1.083 OPS. For this season (48 games), Alcantara has a .282/.321/.525 slash line with 14 doubles, seven triples, 10 stolen bases, five home runs and a .846 OPS.
C.J. Edwards tweeted late Wednesday night that Thursday is a big day for him. Edwards is having an MRI to make sure his shoulder is okay and he can get back on the diamond.
This Day In Cubstory
2013 – Dioner Navarro hit three home runs, two from the left side and one from the right in a 9-3 victory over the White Sox
2012 – Cubs released Nate Robertson
2003 – Cubs traded Derrin Ebert to the Diamondbacks for Chris Donnels
1970 – Cubs traded Ted Abernathy to the Cardinals for Phil Gagliano
1966 – Ron Santo homered in the 10th inning to beat the Braves 3-2 at Wrigley Field. Santo hit a three-run homer in the 12th inning the day before that gave the Cubs an 8-5 victory over the Braves.
1965 – Cubs acquire Harvey Kuenn, Bob Hendley and Ed Bailey from the Giants for Dick Bertell and Len Gabrielson
1962 – Buck O’Neil, previously a scout with the Cubs, becomes the first African American coach in Major League Baseball after accepting a job with the Cubs
1962 – Ernie Banks hit three home runs and a double in his first game back from being beaned on May 25 and Billy Williams, Bob Will and George Altman hit one each, but the Cubs lost to the Braves 11-9 in 10 innings at Wrigley Field
1939 – Cubs acquired Claude Passeau from the Phillies for Ray Harrell, Kirby Higbe, Joe Marty and $50,000
1931 – Cubs traded Earl Grace and cash to the Pirates for Rollie Hemsley
1930 – Game between the Cubs and Reds is postponed due to the sudden death of Cubs pitcher Hal Carlson
1911 – Riding the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Cubs completed their 191-mile journey from Columbus, Ohio to their game in Pittsburgh in three hours and thirty-five minutes. The trip, which sets a land-speed record, lasts 75 minutes longer that the time it took for the Cubs to beat the Pirates 4-1 at Forbes Field.
1908 – Cubs purchased Doc Marshall from the Cardinals
This Day in Baseball History
2002 – In an article for Sports Illustrated, former NL MVP Ken Caminiti claimed about 50 percent of the current players in Major League Baseball were using some form of steroids.
1922 – The Supreme Court ruled that organized baseball is a sport and not a business, which exempts Major League clubs from antitrust laws and interstate commerce rules.