The Games Begin

It has been a busy past five days for the Cubs, starting the Cactus League season playing six games in five days, going 4-2. Not that spring training W/L records matter, they don’t. It’s also been a busy time for me, announcing three of those games, putting together this week’s CubTalks With Tim Sheridan episode #2 and attending a huge Cubs fan wedding reception!

It was really great to see Kris Bryant hit a two-run HR in his first spring at-bat! There have been a bunch of articles all over the internet about what is motivating KB coming into this season… I really don’t care what his motivation is, just stay away from injury, have fun and let that natural beauty of a swing flow!

Nice to see Yu Darvish yesterday have his first competitive pitch in over 9 months! His velocity looked good and he appears to be determined and focused.

It’s hard to gauge individual players just yet, as the Cubs starters aren’t playing many innings.

One thing I’ve noticed at Cubs camp this spring is a focus and determination from all the players here at the Sloan facility. I’m sure none of the players liked how last season ended and are wanting to erase that memory.

My new favorite Cubs name is Johnny Field! He’s a NR Invitee who plays outfield and made a couple nice sliding/diving catches in RF yesterday. Johnny Field just sounds like a great baseball name.

Spring training has it’s crazy quirks, like teams changing all 9 players at the same time during a game. Yesterday, 53 players entered the game, yowza, talk about keeping this Public Address Announcer on his toes! Every player should get announced and in the proper position, which isn’t always easy when the avalanche of inevitable changes happen.

This early 2019 start to spring training has a different vibe. Still a fun vibe, but not quite the same as when we get into the school spring break weeks and the temperature warms, bikinis come out and shirts come off.

On Sunday afternoon I went to a wedding reception at the Beer Research Institute in Mesa. Hey, I’m always willing to put in the study time to obtain a higher degree, especially at such a scholarly institution! Bruce the groom was wearing Cubs socks, a Cub tie, Cub tie tack, in other words, the usual wedding attire for a die-hard Cubs fan. Emily the bride told me, he would have been decked out in complete Cubs gear from head to toe, if she had let him.

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Back to Sloan Park tomorrow for the Cubs vs the Athletics, game time 1:05 pm.

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