Drafting pitchers in first round typically hasn t paid off for Twins Ex-Twin became All-Star, more of a rarity than sluggers success. July 11, 2021 12:15am Text size Copy shortlink:
Kyle Gibson figures to pitch an inning for the American League in Tuesday s All-Star Game at Coors Field, vindication not only for the veteran righthander but also for members of the Twins scouting department: They were right about him.
Yet Gibson, drafted with the Twins first pick, 22nd overall, is also a timely and glaring reminder of how difficult it is to forecast the future of any amateur player, and particularly pitchers. Because while his rise to the top of his profession reflects well on those who scouted, drafted and signed him, it s also true that he s a rarity among Twins draftees.
May 9, 2021
Brandon Woodruff has quietly been one of the better pitchers in the National League since the start of the 2019 season. In 42 starts comprising 237 innings, the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander has 285 strikeouts to go with a 3.11 ERA and a 2.93 FIP. The last of those numbers is equal to Shane Bieber’s mark over the same period.
A big reason for Woodruff’s success is a repertoire adjustment he made midway through the 2018 season. As he explained in an article that ran here at FanGraphs last April, he began throwing both two- and four-seam fastballs. Neither is anything to write home about movement-wise, but paired together and sequenced well they’re a formidable combo. As Woodruff told me at the time, “It’s hard for the hitter to distinguish which one is going to be coming.”
Cubs longest streaks vs. rivals, Part 1 By JohnW53 on Feb 25, 2021, 4:51am CST +
If they win, it will be their
11th consecutive home victory over the Pirates.
That would be the Cubs second-longest streak of success against any visiting team since World War II!
...
On Sept. 11-14, 1944, the Cubs and Reds played a 5-game series in Chicago.
The Reds won the first day, 6-5 in 10 innings. After a rainout, Cincinnati won the opener of a doubleheader, 4-1. Those 2 losses made the Cubs 1-7-1 for the season when hosting the Reds.
They won Game 2, 3-2, only to lose the first game the following day, 3-2, in 13 innings.
Forgotten Cubs Opening Day starting pitchers since 1980
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Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images
Credit where credit is due I adapted this article idea from this MLB.com article, which lists one “forgotten” Opening Day starting pitcher for each MLB team. You can read that article to find out who that is for the Cubs, but I’m going to include him here as well.
Though it hasn’t been officially announced yet, Kyle Hendricks will almost certainly be the Cubs’ Opening Day starter for the second straight season. But what about others with less acclaim in Cubs history?