Joe Maddon was ejected from Wednesday’s game in the sixth inning for arguing balls and strikes with homeplate umpire D.J. Reyburn. Maddon was tossed for the second time this season after arguing with Reyburn from the dugout.
After he was thrown out, Maddon emerged from the dugout and was extremely animated. Maddon politely told Reyburn he didn’t agree with the two different strike zones and pointed out that he was not being fair to his young players … of course with a little more colorful language.
Maddon explained what happened to the beat writers after the game. And he still sounded upset about his players not being treated the same as the veterans on the other team.
“I had enough. I had enough. I had enough. It was the whole game. It was egregiously bad. I mean, you cannot permit that to happen. We’re trying to ascend. And we’re not going to take that from anybody, anywhere, at any time.
“We play a veteran club with some veteran battery and you got guys that barely have a month in the big leagues,” Maddon said. “I’m not going to take it. Our guys deserve equal treatment. And I’m not going to take it. And I’ll further add, I thought all of our guys [Kris] Bryant, [Jorge] Soler, [Addison] Russell handled the moment extremely well. I’m really proud of the fact that they didn’t turn on an umpire. They didn’t say anything disrespectful. They didn’t act like a bunch of babies. They didn’t do any of that. And I thought that was spectacular also.”
“Not going to put up with anything. I’m not, OK? We’re trying to get something done here. And I’m not going to permit our guys to get shortchanged based on the fact that they haven’t been here a long time.”
Joe Maddon’s comments after the game are going to further lighten his bank account. But it is really refreshing to see a Cubs manager act and say the things he did Wednesday night to protect his players.
Albert Almora Jr.
The Smokies swept a doubleheader from Pensacola on Wednesday and the recently activated Albert Almora Jr. collected two hits in the first game.
Double-A Tennessee activated Almora Wednesday from the 7-day DL. Almora went 2-for-3 in his first game back. Almora did not play in the second game of the twin bill.
Albert Almora Jr. is 21-for-67 in 17 games this season with three doubles, five walks and five strikeouts (.313/.347/.358) with a .705 OPS.
Dallas Beeler
Dallas Beeler made his third rehab start for Iowa on Wednesday night and it was a rough night for the right-hander. Beeler was touched up for five runs, all earned, on nine hits with two walks and no strikeouts in four innings on 82 pitches.
In three rehab starts, Dallas Beeler is 0-2 with a 9.53 ERA and a 2.21 WHIP (16 hits, nine walks and six strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings).
Blake Parker
A day after being designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for LHP James Russell, the Cubs released RHP Blake Parker.
The Cubs selected Parker in the 16th round of the 2006 draft and he made his big league debut on May 17, 2012. Parker posted a 2-3 record in 74 appearances over parts of three seasons with the Cubs with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.
In nine seasons in the Cubs minor league system, Parker was 14-18 on 295 relief appearances with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. This year for Triple-A Iowa before he landed on the DL, Parker appeared in three games and allowed one run on one hit with three walks in 3 1/3 innings.
• Blake Parker’s Page on Baseball-Reference
News, Notes and Rumors
• According to Jesse Rogers, the reason for the Cubs swapping OF Matt Szczur and OF Junior Lake came down to playing time for Lake. Szczur fits the Cubs needs right now. The Cubs are not scheduled to face a lefty starter anytime soon. The Cubs would like for Lake to receive regular playing time with Iowa.
• There are four teams believed to be in the mix to sign C Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The Diamondbacks, who have been linked heavily to Welington Castillo, is seen as the favorite to sign Salty. The Red Sox and Rays both value defensive catchers too much for the offense-only Saltalamacchia. According to Ken Rosenthal, even with the pending hip surgery for C Devin Mesoraco, the Reds are not in on Saltalamacchia. The Reds are going to try to delay Mesoraco’s surgery for as long as the front office thinks they are in the Central Division race. According to Nick Cafardo, Saltalamacchia could sign with a team as soon as Thursday … the Mariners, Orioles, Royals and Diamondbacks are the four teams that have shown the most interest. And according to Roch Kubatko, the Orioles are not the team he is signing with, Salty appears Arizona bound.
• Kris Bryant enjoys hitting behind Anthony Rizzo and learning from his teammate.
• Joe Maddon said Wednesday that Anthony Rizzo “gives you one of the top five best at bats in all of baseball.” Maddon thinks that Rizzo also is one of the few players in the big leagues with “a legitimate two-strike approach.”
• And Maddon believes the Cubs can play with the Cardinals. Maddon thinks his team needs “more experience, a little bit more salt and pepper, a little oregano.”
• Jon Lester came up big for seven innings in Cubs’ statement win over the Cardinals according to the Sun-Times. And Lester thinks the Cubs will give the Cardinals a run for their money according to Comcast SportsNet.
• Starlin Castro deked Anthony Rizzo with the fake throw to first base. The Cubs are having fun right now and its translating to a lot of improvement under Joe Maddon.
• Theo Epstein has a winning game plan according to a report from the Philadelphia Daily News.
• Joe Maddon gave his support to Javier Baez and Marty Pevey for being ejected from Tuesday’s game after a reversed call took a home run away from Baez. Justin Grimm told the Sun-Times that he didn’t hear Baez say anything to the ump. Maddon said he understand why Baez and Pevey were ejected. The second base umpire reportedly overturned the home run call.
• RHP Neil Ramirez threw off a mound for the first time since landing on the DL at the Cubs facility on Wednesday.
Minor News and Roster Moves
• The Cubs made several moves in the system Wednesday. Albert Almora Jr. was activated from the 7-day DL. But the biggest move was likely the promotion of LHP Gerardo Concepcion from High-A Myrtle Beach to Double-A Tennessee. The lefty made his Smokies’ debut on Wednesday and pitched two-thirds of an inning. Concepcion did not allow any runs or hits and retired both batters he faced (nine pitches, five strikes). And he stranded both runners he inherited to close out the fifth inning.
• RHP Zach Cates was sent to High-A Myrtle Beach from Double-A Tennessee to make room in the Smokies’ pen for Concepcion. Cates was acquired in the Anthony Rizzo deal with San Diego.
• RHP Juan Carlos Paniagua was activated from the 7-day DL and catcher Alberto Mineo was placed on the DL by High-A Myrtle Beach.
And last, but not least, in honor of Maddon’s post-game comments … a little ditty from 31 years ago, click and enjoy.
This Day In Cubstory
2011 – Todd Wellemeyer voluntarily retired from the Cubs
2010 – Starlin Castro made his Major League debut and became the first player in the majors born in the 1990’s. Castro hit a home run in his first at bat off Homer Bailey in the Cubs 14-7 victory over the Reds. The 20-year old Castro became the first player to drive in six runs (six RBI) in his first game in the majors. Castro tripled with the bases loaded and hit a three-run homer to right field. Castro was 2-for-5 with a home run, a triple and six RBI in his Major League debut after being called up from Double-A Tennessee.
2009 – Pirates sent Anderson Machado to the Cubs
2008 – In a 9-0 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park, Jon Lieber joined Phil Norton (2000) as the second pitcher in franchise history to allowed four home runs in the same inning. Joey Votto, Adam Dunn, Paul Bako and Jerry Hairston Jr. (two former Cubs) all went deep in the second inning.
2005 – Cubs signed free agent Darren Oliver
1992 – Mets selected Chico Walker off waivers from the Cubs
1980 – Indians purchased Miguel Dilone from the Cubs
1959 – Cubs purchased Steve Ridzik from the Indians
1949 – Cubs selected Hank Edwards off waivers from the Indians
1942 – John Flavin, born
1932 – Dodgers purchased Danny Taylor from the Cubs
1918 – Al Epperly, born
1912 – Cubs purchased Red Downs from the Dodgers
1906 – Cubs selected Jack Harper off waivers from the Reds
1899 – Eddie Pick, born
1863 – Sam Shaw, born