Even with only two games it was a typically busy weekend for the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs ended up with a split of the two-game series with the Royals and finished May with a 14-14 record. More rumors surfaced on which players the front office could try to acquire to improve the big league roster. And speculation continued about the direction the Cubs could go in the draft.
The Cubs wrapped up the homestand with a 2-3 record and begin a nine-game, three-city road trip on Monday night in Miami with the first of three against the Marlins.
Here are all the headlines filled with the news, notes and rumors from the last three days …
Cubs Have Not Ruled Out Selecting LHP Brady Aiken in First Round of Draft
LHP Brady Aiken was reportedly at the top of the Cubs’ draft board a year ago. The Cubs were very high on the pitcher that was taken with the first pick by the Astros. Houston didn’t sign him, benefited from manipulating the rules and Aiken is eligible for this year’s draft.
Aiken is recovering from Tommy John surgery and is considered a high risk. But some team is going to take the gamble in the first round. Will it be the Cubs with the ninth overall pick?
ESPN Picks Up Two Cubs Games for Sunday Night Baseball
The Cubs announced late Thursday that the World Wide Leader picked up two of their upcoming games … Sunday, June 14 versus the Reds at Wrigley Field and Sunday, June 28 versus the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
The Cubs began a stretch of 43 games in 45 days on Friday leading up to the All-Star break. And the Cubs will announce start times for the games still labeled “TBD” at a later date.
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 05/29/15
It was a very good end of the week for the Cubs’ affiliates. Kyle Schwarber and Matt Szczur collected walk-off hits. And Szczur’s game winner was a three-run homer.
Jonathan Martinez and Daury Torrez delivered excellent outings for High-A Myrtle Beach.
The Daily CCO: Front Office Constantly Looking for Ways to Improve Cubs Roster
Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer met with scouts and player development staff to go over the players in the system as the front office looks for internal and external ways to improve the roster.
The Phillies recently had scouts watch the Cubs and as many as nine teams had scouts attend the Cubs-Diamondbacks series at Chase Field. The Tribune pointed to the Cubs having the pieces to pull off a major trade and reported the front office could make another run at Cole Hamels.
Kevin Encarnacion picked up his first hits of the season and Jason McLeod reiterated that Dan Vogelbach will not see any time in the outfield. Vogelbach is a first baseman.
Includes all of the news, links and This Day in Cubs History.
Cubs Draft Update: Latest Mock Drafts and Rumors
David Rawnsley and Kiley McDaniel posted their latest mock drafts. And to no surprise, one has the Cubs selecting a pitcher and one has the Cubs taking a position player.
The Cubs have been linked to more than a dozen players. Without a clear cut No. 1 pick at the top of the draft, it is unknown which way Jason McLeod is leaning with the Cubs’ first round pick.
Cubs Promote RHP Carl Edwards Jr. to Triple-A Iowa
Carl Edwards Jr. was bumped up a level and is one step closer to making his big league debut. Edwards was promoted to Triple-A Iowa on Friday. Edwards showed a lot of improvement in a short-time as a reliever for the first time.
One of the top pitching prospects in the organization, formally known as C.J. Edwards, is on the 40-man roster and could help the Major League team this season.
Cubs Royally Give Another Game Away – Royals 8, Cubs 4
Jake Arrieta surrendered three solo home runs and the Cubs were down early against the Royals. The Cubs did not quit and tied the game by the seventh inning.
Jorge Soler smacked a two-run homer and Addison Russell tied with a solo shot in the seventh against the Royals bullpen.
Pedro Strop had issues in the eighth, and one of the ugliest half innings of the season gave the Royals the opener on Friday afternoon.
Cubs Reportedly Interested in Veteran Lefty Oliver Perez
The front office is looking for ways to improve the bullpen. And according to the Sun-Times, the Cubs have talked to the Diamondbacks about veteran lefty reliever Oliver Perez. The report pointed to the Cubs carrying eight relievers if the Perez is acquired, four lefties and four right handers. A 13-man staff would not seem to have room for Edwin Jackson and would point to more changes to the roster.
Report: Cubs Targeting INF/OF Ben Zobrist
The Cubs tried to pry INF/OF Ben Zobrist from the Rays in the off-season. Tampa sent Zobrist to Oakland but Joe Maddon would still like a reunion with one of his former players. Zobrist would help lengthen a roster that is rather short, especially on the bench. But it is not going to be cheap for the Cubs to acquire him if Billy Beane decides to pull the plug on the A’s season and make him available.
The Daily CCO: The Bullpen and Defense and Other Cubs News
Joe Maddon provided an honest assessment on how his team stacked up against the Royals. There were a lot of positives out of Friday’s loss, but the Cubs have to pitch it and catch it better than they have in recent weeks … 11 errors in seven games will cost a team a lot of games.
Rafael Soriano fired Scott Boras and Dale Sveum talked to the beat writers in his first trip back to Wrigley.
An update on the PTBNL rule as it relates to the draft was reposted … includes the news, notes, links and This Day in Cubs History.
Player Acquisition Cost: RHP Tyler Clippard
In the first of a series of reports, Chris took a look at what it might cost for the Cubs to acquire RHP Tyler Clippard from the Oakland A’s. Clippard is just one of a handful of relievers the Cubs have already been connected to … and it’s only June 1.
Cubs-Royals Postponed, Rescheduled for Monday, Sept. 28
Saturday night’s game with the Royals was postponed due to the weather … and rescheduled for the end of September. The Cubs and Royals will actually play the last game of the regular season at Wrigley Field after Saturday’s rainout.
Oldest Living Cub, Lennie Merullo Passes Away at the Age of 98
Lennie Merullo, who played for the 1945 National League Champions, passed away Saturday at the age of 98. Merullo provided one of the highlights of the 2014 season when he sang the 7th inning stretch as part of the team’s celebration of Wrigley Field’s 100th Birthday.
Cubs Draft Update: Baseball America and MLB Pipeline Mock Drafts
The First-Year Player Draft is a week away and the Cubs pre-draft meetings began Sunday. Will the Cubs take a pitcher or a position player? Baseball America and MLB Pipeline linked the Cubs to two familiar names.
The Daily CCO: Arismendy Alcantara is Knocking on the Cubs Door
Arismendy Alcantara is producing at Triple-A Iowa and could give a boost to a struggling offense, that is if he can carry his success in the Pacific Coast League to the majors.
Rafael Soriano has a new agent, one with a very good working relationship with the Cubs. Starlin Castro is close to a rather big milestone and LHP Phil Coke signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays.
Includes all of the news, notes and links, plus This Day in Cubs History
Two More Homers for Cubs Prospect Kyle Schwarber
The top position prospect in the organization went yard two more times on Saturday night. Kyle Schwarber has 12 longballs on the season and is putting up numbers very close to the ones Kris Bryant made headlines for a year ago.
The Cubs are committed to Schwarber being a catcher and have not talked about moving him to the outfield. If Schwarber keeps hitting the way he has, it would seem a promotion to Iowa is in his near future.
Cubs Patience Leads to Walk-Off Win over the Royals – Cubs 2, Royals 1
It took 11 innings, but the Cubs figured out a way to beat the Royals. Tsuyoshi Wada was very good for 5 2/3 innings and the bullpen, with one exception, keep the Royals off the scoreboard.
David Ross delivered the game-winner, a bloop single in the 11th inning that plated Kris Bryant.
A rain-shortened weekend ended on a positive note and resulted in a happy flight to Miami.