New T- shirt appropriate for weather
For the Sun- Times
Manager Joe Maddon had another reason Saturday to promote his new ‘‘ Embrace the Suck’’ T- shirt: the weather.
The Cubs’ game Saturday against the Brewers was postponed because of inclement weather about two hours before the scheduled first pitch. It was the second consecutive day the weather was a factor. The game Friday featured a 1- hour, 59- minute delay and harsh weather.
‘‘ Nothing you can do about it,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘ That’s why we’re here — to embrace the suck. You could cry about it. You could complain, ‘ Oh, the weather’s been bad. It’s unfortunate.’ That’s what it is. You’ve got to deal with it, and you move forward.”
At least the teams weren’t subjected to another day of poor playing conditions and a delay.
‘‘[ Friday] was just a tougher day for both sides,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘ Having the start, the stop, the intensity of the weather, how cold. It’s just not real baseball weather by any means. It wasn’t. However, both teams have to endure it. It happens occasionally, but you can’t complain about it.”
The scheduled starters Saturday — the Brewers’ Chase Anderson and the Cubs’ Jake Arrieta — are expected to pitch Sunday. And the makeup game is scheduled for 1: 20 p. m. Thursday, July 6.
Sparing the ’ pen
The rainout wasn’t terrible news for the Cubs’ bullpen, but Maddon said the relief corps wasn’t in bad shape. He said only Mike Montgomery and Brian Duensing likely wouldn’t have been available Saturday.
Maddon said he has to watch how much he uses Montgomery, who has been valuable in both long and short relief. Montgomery threw two innings Friday after getting only two outs Wednesday against the Reds. Before that, he had pitched 10⅔ innings in four May outings.
‘‘ I’m very concerned about overusing [ Montgomery], and that’s a daily conversation with him and with [ bullpen coach Lester Strode and pitching coach Chris Bosio],’’ Maddon said. ‘‘ He looks good out there to me. I don’t think we’ve pressed him or pushed him too hard to this point.’’
The Cubs also were expected to bring back reliever Dylan Floro and return reliever Pierce Johnson to Class AAA Iowa. Maddon didn’t discuss that move specifically, but he said any transactions planned for Saturday likely would happen Sunday.
Bobblehead news
The first 10,000 fans were going to receive ‘‘ The Final Out’’ bobbleheads, featuring third baseman Kris Bryant and first baseman Anthony Rizzo. That promotion also has been shifted to July 6, which means the fans who were lined up outside Wrigley Field around 9 a. m. will have to wait a few more weeks for the giveaway.
Maddon said he feels indifferent about bobbleheads.
‘‘ I like having them on my shelf whenever they present one of all the boys,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘ I’ve done that for years. But I guess when you achieve bobbleheaddom, it’s kind of a big moment in anybody’s life.’’
Maddon had a playful suggestion for those who were waiting outside Wrigley.
‘‘ To stand in lines, I don’t quite understand that,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘ Just go to eBay or Amazon.’’
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