Sunday, August 2, 2015

The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

So, I've beaten the acquisition of Dan Haren into the ground in my last two posts.  It's time to properly give due to the second acquisition the Cubs made in the waning minutes of the MLB trade deadline:  Tommy Hunter.

I put this one off because, unlike Haren, I didn't have a single card of this bullpen piece,  However, yesterday I made a quick pit stop at the LCS to hunt down this 2013 Topps Heritage to represent the fire-baller in my CATRC:



Unlike the last reliever the Cubs added to the roster. Tommy actually made it into a game for the Northsiders before being sent away, making his debut last night in Milwaukee.  Not that I thought he'd get the Ben Rowen treatment; but, the irrational side of me gets annoyed when the Cubs do that to a guy - see Varvaro, Anthony and Bard, Daniel as other recent examples.

Anyway, Hunter impressed in his first Cub appearance.  Summoned to bail Jason Motte out of a jam with one out in the ninth of a 4-1 game, Hunter lit up the radar gun with 99mph speed and excellent control.  Though he allowed an inherited runner to score (on a ground out), he got the job done and earned the save.

One more note on his Cubs debut:  apparently, blue shoe are tough to come by on short notice:



Speedy and thrifty, Tim "the Toolman" Taylor would be proud!

Meanwhile, the cost to add Hunter to the roster wasn't particularly steep; but the name going the other way should be familiar:



As frustrating a player as has ever been seen on the Northside.  Junior Lake has the athleticism and look of a MLB player, but has yet to capitalize on his flashes of brilliance.  He has the tools and makeup, so here's hoping he figures it out in Baltimore.

Junior has never looked as good on the field as he does here on this 2014 Allen & Ginter card.

A product of the Hendry regime, Lake looks like another in the toolsy mold of Corey Patterson and Felix Pie; who, coincidentally, were also booted off the Baltimore.  Interesante.

In the end, I will always hear his name in my head in the voice of Sean Connery:



I can't help it; the Indiana Jones franchise is near and dear to my heart - I even like the fourth one!

Back to baseball, while I've got your attention, the Cubs made a couple of roster moves today as well, DFA'ing Yoervis Medina and Taylor Teagarden to make room for Clayton Richard and Dan Haren:



A couple of spare parts who likely won't be missed much.  They may very well clear waivers and be stashed back in AAA; but, just in case, I'll say my goodbyes to them right now - before I forget.

I mean, I did kind of forget that they were on the roster, after all.  Teagarden had become the third-string catcher on the call-up of Kyle Freakin' Schwarber and Medina is a reliever who can't be trusted in close games.  Both = easily replaceable.

Amusingly, while both were added to the roster today, Haren is essentially the replacement for Richard.  Clayton is needed today to make a spot start since Dan already pitched on Thursday; however, this is likely his last appearance in a Cubs uniform.  Make it count Clayton!

Thus concludes the roster ramifications of the 2015 MLB non-waiver trading deadline.  As the first one in which the Cubs were buyers since 2009, it was certainly an eventful one.

Of course, trades can still be made through waivers and rumor has it the Cubs are seeking to add Chase Utley at some point; so, stay tuned into what's going on, things might yet be intriguing!




1 comment:

  1. The Phillies can keep Chase Utley, unless we get Chase Utley circa 2009.

    ReplyDelete