Cubs’ Bryant seems like a keeper
The owner made a beeline through the Cubs’ clubhouse looking for his rookie third baseman.
“Hey, take it easy,” Tom Ricketts told Kris Bryant, trying not to laugh. “That thing costs a lot of money.” “Gotcha,” Bryant smiled. “That thing” is a brandnew, 4,000- square- foot Jumbotron atop the bleachers and the ivy- covered outfield wall in left, an expensive piece of furniture in Wrigley Field’s $ 500 million makeover.
In the eighth inning Wednesday night, with Chicago trailing Washington by a run, Bryant patiently turned an 0- 2 count against reliever Aaron Barrett into 3- 2. Then he turned around a waist- high changeup and launched it 463 feet — or 477, depending on the estimate — into the night sky.
“We thought it was over the board,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon recalled. “Kind of got everyone stirring.”
That it hit the upper face of the video board while Bryant’s mug was prominently displayed made it a perfect tableau for the 23- year- old fast becoming the face of the franchise.
Bryant is hitting .275 with 31 RBIs in 38 games.
Uribe reacts: Juan Uribe, who won a World Series ring with the Giants in 2010, then bolted for the Dodgers in the offseason, said goodbye to L. A. fans after being traded to Atlanta.
“I had some great times here, four- plus years here, and I want to thank God for the chance I had with the Dodgers and now the opportunity I’m going to get with the Braves,” Uribe said through a translator. “I’m happy to still be playing baseball. Anytime anybody wants you, it’s a good thing.”
The Dodgers dealt Uribe in a six- player trade that initially was blocked. Los Angeles also sent right- handed pitcher Chris Withrow to the Braves for infielder Alberto Callaspo, left- handers Eric Stults and Ian Thomas, and minorleague right- hander Juan Jaime.
Uribe, 36, was batting .247 with one home run and six RBI in 29 games. He became expendable after losing his starting job to Justin Turner and rookie Alex Guerrero.
Briefly: Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre met with Commissioner Rob Manfred in New York to ask for three to four regular season games a season in Montreal beginning next year. ... The Angels placed outfielder Collin Cowgill ( sprained right wrist) on the 15- day disabled list, retroactive to Tuesday. L. A. also designated outfielder Marc Krauss for assignment and selected the contract of outfielder Alfredo Marte from Triple- A Salt Lake.. ... Cleveland placed right- handed reliever Scott Atchison ( sprained left ankle) on the 15- day DL and infielder Carlos Santana on the paternity list. The Indians selected the contract of outfielder Jerry Sands and recalled right- hander Austin Adams. ... Struggling designated hitter David Ortiz was out of the Boston lineup for Thursday’s series opener at Texas, following a five- game stretch in which he had only one hit in 20 at- bats. ... Because of flu- like symptoms, Robinson Cano wasn’t in Seattle’s lineup for the first time this season.