The Rickwood Game, Hoerner’s Slump, Brewers TJS, This Year’s All-Star Caps, and Other Cubs Bullets

Nico Hoerner
Nico Hoerner

The heat wave continues to constrain the things we can do with the kids. This time of year, I generally just like to be outside with them for long stretches, doing whatever. But 95 in the sun is not really something I think I should subject them – or me! – to for very long. Go away.

  • The Cardinals and Giants played yesterday at Rickwood Field, the oldest professional ballpark in the United States, in a game designed as a tribute to the Negro Leagues and their players, but that also turned into a celebration of Willie Mays’ life. The highlights:
  • If you missed Reggie Jackson’s comments at the park about the vile racism he experienced, you really must take them in. Hard to hear, but extremely necessary. He did not play that long ago.
  • A statistical note on Nico Hoerner, who is in a pretty deep slump: .189/.263/.222/45 wRC+ going back to May 13. Why did I choose May 13? Well, for one thing, that’s simply where the deep slump seems to have started when you observe the statistical dips. But for a much, much more notable thing, that’s the day he hurt his hamstring against the Braves, didn’t go on the Injured List, and returned 8 days later. Just a coincidence? Maybe. The sample isn’t enormous (99 PAs). Then again, he’s hitting just .182/.206/.212/18 wRC+ since a pitch fractured his hand … which also somehow did not result in an IL stint. I know IL decisions are not always clean and simple and obvious, and I also know that statistical flukes happen. I also, also know that Hoerner’s value isn’t just in his bat. But it’s pretty hard for me to look at these numbers and how they line up with the injuries and not think, hmm, maybe some short respites on the IL wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world.
  • This could all just wind up statistical noise. We’ve seen it before. Heck, maybe a part of me is hoping that, by calling attention to the slump, the universe will respond by saying, “Eff you, Bert, look at what Nico is doing now.” I’ll take it!
  • Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser, one of the organization’s best pitching prospects, who’d looked like a breakout candidate this year with the big league team, is going to have elbow surgery:
  • We’ve seen guys try to rehab and keep going with a partial ligament issue, and although it can buy you some years, it does seem like it’s just stalling the inevitable. And if you’re a young talent like Gasser, it probably does make sense to get it done earlier, before you get into your arbitration years, and an ill-timed Tommy John surgery can fundamentally change your career earnings simply because of the timing.
  • Sticking with the Brewers, since they played yesterday and the Cubs did not, two highlights to share. One of the completely LOL variety, and one simply the way they lost:
  • Cubs All-Star caps just dropped:
  • Post by @bleachernation
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  • This guy. Man. He just says it all honestly, and I freaking love it:
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

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