I’m starting off this week’s Around the Horn with great concern for the future of the Bryzzo Souvenir Company. Are they filing for bankruptcy? We know offensive production is down this year for the Cubbies, but asking fans to spend $699 (http://wgntv.com/2017/08/16/kris-bryant-and-anthony-rizzo-signing-699-autographs-saturday/) to get your autographs is highway robbery. I saw this autograph signing come-up on my Facebook feed and thought my son, Charlie, would like to go to it, since those are his favorite players, but not at that price! I then thought it must be for charity at that price, I was right, the Bryzzo Souvenir Charity fund. Greed is good.
Moving on, please tell me scouts have watched Miguel Gonzalez’s last two outings against the Astros and Dodgers where over 14 innings he’s allowed 2 earned runs, 8ks, and had a WHIP of 1.0. In case you didn’t hear, he’s available for some prospects.
I’d like to give a shout out to Ian Kinsler for saying what every fan and most of baseball knows, Angel Hernandez sucks! “It has to do with changing the game. He’s changing the game. He needs to find another job, he really does,” Kinsler told the Detroit Free Press. “I’m just saying it’s pretty obvious that he needs to stop ruining baseball games.” And, “Candidly, leave the game. No one wants you behind the plate anymore. No one in this game wants you behind the plate any more, none of the players.” Ian, please don’t sugar coat it, tell everyone how you really feel, come on!
More news leaked this week that both Rick Renteria and Dale Sveum received World Series rings from the Cubs adding to an insane list of individuals that received one. It’s also proof of how ridiculously rich of a franchise the Cubs are that they can pass out rings valued at $70k like lollipops. Rumor has it they are going to exhume the body of Ron Santo and Harry Caray and slide a ring onto their cold dead hand.
Gonzalez is still on the White Sox, anyone?
Finally, the when the Cubs hit their rebuild the big marketing machine and the press started in on the Core 4, the four players the Cubs would build around; Kris Bryant, Javy Baez, Albert Almora, and Jorge Soler, who is no longer with the Cubs. I’ve been waiting for the White Sox to get the ball rolling on this and then I realized, they have too many “can’t miss prospects” to just have a Core 4, so I’ve put together the Hateful Eight! It seems fitting with the bitterness, anger, and pessimistic attitude that most Sox fans are viewed as having from Cubs’ fans. I like to call it reality compared to the cupcakes and rainbow approach Cubs’ fan take, but to each their own.
Anyway, I present to you the Hateful Eight!
- Yoan Moncada
- Reynaldo Lopez
- Lucas Giolito
- Michael Kopech
- Zack Collins
- Luis Robert
- Eloy Jimenez
- Dylan Cease
It’s difficult stopping at eight with Blake Rutherford, Carson Fulmer and the hot start of Jake Burger, but I will.
Until next week, may the snark be with you.
Major League A*Holes 