Le Journal

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths. “Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire. HRod had a couple of good years, and other stories. Today in baseball history: 1887 – A baseball reporters association is organized. It pledges to work to standardize scoring practices, especially in the gray area of stolen bases. (2) 1902 – Harry Pulliam is elected president of the National League. (2) 1903 – During the post-season City Series in Chicago, Cubs veteran Jack Taylor is chided for losing three games to the White Stockings and Cubs president Jim Hart is convinced that gambling was involved. Taylor is traded to the St. Louis Cardinals with rookie C Larry McLean for pitcher Mike O’Neill and a righthander who was 9-13 in his first season, Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown. (2) 1913 – The Cubs fire Johnny Evers as manager, but expect him to continue as a player. He declines. (2) 1930 – The Rules Committee of baseball issues a greatly revised code, reducing the number of rules by combining many. Not only is the sacrifice rule abolished but also the rule awarding a home run when the ball bounces into the stands. “Bounce homers” will now be doubles. This had already been in effect in the American League but not the National League. (2) 1949 – By a 7-1 vote, the American League rejects a proposal to bring back the legal spitball. The rules committee also alters the strike zone to the space between the armpits and the top of the knees. The new rule eliminates the batter’s shoulders being within the strike zone. (1,2) 1950 – The owners vote to drop the bonus and high school rule which was designed to prevent the wealthier clubs from buying up all of the available talent. The rule required that all “bonus players” had to stay on the major league roster after one season in the minors. (1,2) 1997 – The Cubs obtain OF Henry Rodriguez* from the Expos in exchange for P Miguel Batista. (2) 1999 – The Cubs obtain P Ismael Valdes (9-14) and 2B Eric Young from the Dodgers for pitchers Terry Adams and Chad Ricketts, and a player to be named. Despite missing 40 games, Young swiped 51 bases in 1999. (2) 2019 – Major League Baseball and the Players Association agree to amend the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program to include testing for opioids. The purpose is not to punish players caught, but to offer them treatment in order to prevent another tragedy like that which cost the life of P Tyler Skaggs last summer. In addition, cannabis will no longer be tested for, reflecting the fact the substance is now legal in Canada and in a growing number of jurisdictions in the United States, and does not have performance-enhancing effects. (2) Cubs Birthdays: Tom Daly, Bob Carpenter. Today in History: 1408 – Order of the Dragon: The Order of the Dragon was first created on December 12, 1408 by Emperor Sigismund, then King of Hungary, and his wife Queen Barbara of Celje following the battle for possession of Bosnia. 1901 – Guglielmo Marconi sends the first transatlantic radio signal, from Poldhu in Cornwall to Newfoundland, Canada. 1957 – Willem J Kolff and his team at Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic removed the heart from a dog and replaced it with a pneumatic pump which kept the dog alive for 90 minutes, proving the viability of the artificial heart. 1965 – Bears halfback Gale Sayers ties the NFL record for most touchdowns in a game with six in a 61–20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Wrigley Field. Common sources: (1) — Today in Baseball History. (2) — Baseball Reference. (3) — Society for American Baseball Research. (4) — Baseball Hall of Fame. (5) — This Day in Chicago Cubs history. (6) — Wikipedia. (7) — The British Museum (8) — For world history. *pictured. Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable…

Larry Biittner in 1978 | Thinking about another off-season series to do, I came upon this idea. Position player pitching has become fairly common in modern baseball, so much so that MLB has codified when a position player is allowed to pitch. Now, a position player can only pitch if one or more of these criteria is met: • Game is in extra innings • Team trailing by at least eight runs at any point • Team winning by at least 10 runs in ninth inning Most of the time, even before 2023 when these rules were put in place, those criteria were generally in place. Position players would pitch in blowouts to save the bullpen. In this series I am going to limit it to Cubs position players pitching in the divisional play era (post-1969). Before that, this sort of thing wasn’t really much thought of by most managers. There was always a starter who could eat up an inning or two in a blowout. But as bullpens began to get more specialized in the 1970s, managers thought they could help save arms by doing this. And it’s this circumstance that led to Larry Biittner coming in to pitch for the Cubs in the first game of a doubleheader against the Montreal Expos on July 4, 1977. It was a blistering hot day at Wrigley Field, with the game-time temp reported as 90 degrees (and the Tribune reported the high that day was 96). The Cubs had already gone through three pitchers by the eighth and were trailing 11-2 with one out and two runners on when manager Herman Franks decided he’d save the bullpen for the second game by having outfielder Larry Biittner — who did not start that game — come to the mound. I have been looking for video of this for ages. Finally found it, as part of a This Week In Baseball show from July 12, 1977. And so, here you go! [VIDEO] Your browser does not support the video tag. Yes, that really happened — plate umpire Terry Tata, then in just his fifth year as a MLB umpire, actually issued warnings to both benches after one of Biittner’s offerings went over Del Unser’s head. Even back then, when pitchers did sometimes throw purpose pitches like that — that pitch wasn’t that, it was just an outfielder making a toss that got away. Larry Parrish, Andre Dawson and Ellis Valentine all homered off Biittner, but he also struck out three Expos. The Cubs lost the game 19-3. And saving the pen didn’t help in the nightcap, because the Cubs lost that one 7-6 despite homers in the ninth by Bobby Murcer and George Mitterwald. One thing that video clip doesn’t show, unfortunately, was a bit of humor by WGN, who inserted a graphic that read LARRY BIITTNER, PIITCHING during his outing.

The Seattle Seahawks looked like two completely different teams within the same game against the Atlanta Falcons. The first half brought back all the recent concerns on offense, producing only six points and little rhythm. But after halftime, the defense elevated its level even further and the offense finally found its most consistent stretch in weeks. While the six-point first half remains a major red flag — especially against stronger opponents who won’t let you climb back into games — credit is due to Klint Kubiak and Sam Darnold for the second-half adjustments. All data used in this article was taken from PFF. The Bad The only consistency in Seattle’s offensive line is inconsistency Seattle’s offensive line is young and full of potential. Names like Charles Cross, Abe Lucas and Grey Zabel form what should be a solid long-term unit. Yet the group regularly fails to operate as one — lacking cohesion, timing, and communication. Even though the sack numbers look acceptable, this line could be doing far more. Seahawks OL unable to win with the double-teams.— (@alexcastrofilho.bsky.social) 2025-12-11T02:46:14.371Z One example: the double-team. It’s supposed to give the OL a numbers advantage, but Seattle constantly mistimes these combos. After the initial contact, one blocker must climb to the second level based on the play design and defensive alignment. That’s not happening. Olu Oluwatimi — who didn’t capitalize on his opportunity as the temporary starter — was late off the snap and lacked the explosion to compensate. His double-team with Zabel fails because while the guard correctly climbs to block #17, the center can’t handle #93 alone. Ken Walker receives the ball with a defender already in the backfield. On the opposite side, things aren’t much cleaner. Abe Lucas and Anthony Bradford attempt a double-team with zero synchronization. Lucas moves to pick up LB #0, which is correct, but Bradford abandons the block to stare at the opposite side of the formation and ultimately blocks no one. To make matters worse, Nick Kallerup can’t seal the edge, leaving Walker nowhere to go. (Side note: RB coach Kennedy Polamalu will step away from the team for the rest of the season. It’ll be interesting to see the impact on the run game.) Even though Jalen Sundell wasn't spectacular, when he's healthy he should be able to beat Olu Oluwatimi for the starting position.— (@alexcastrofilho.bsky.social) 2025-12-11T02:47:35.381Z Oluwatimi actually has leverage against #93 on one snap, but again fails to generate the explosion needed to sustain it. On the right side, Lucas wastes too much time on #17, allowing #55 to crash untouched into the backfield. With no push to the left side, Walker is forced to cut back — directly into two unblocked defenders. Seahawks OL late to block the blitzer.— (@alexcastrofilho.bsky.social) 2025-12-11T02:49:50.899Z Then comes the blitz. Atlanta sends #55, and while Zabel appears to check the linebacker pre-snap, he decides to help Charles Cross when the LT loses inside leverage. By the time Zabel redirects, it’s too late. Walker whiffs in pass protection and Darnold needs run to escape. Total confusion on the left side of the line.— (@alexcastrofilho.bsky.social) 2025-12-11T02:52:05.257Z On another breakdown, Cross follows #17 inside even though a blitzer is coming off the edge. Zabel sees #55 coming free and tries to salvage the play. As #17 executes a stunt, Cross passes him off to Oluwatimi — but neither ends up blocking anyone, leading to an easy sack. Sam Darnold’s concerning first half The Seahawks’ offense hasn’t looked the same in recent weeks, and Darnold is a major part of that decline. Turnovers, missed throws (uncharacteristic compared to earlier in the season), and poor decisions under pressure continue to appear. Let’s start with accuracy. AJ Barner great route but Sam Darnold miss him— (@alexcastrofilho.bsky.social) 2025-12-11T02:53:46.657Z Seattle comes out in a jumbo package near the goal line, with…

In Today’s Links: looks like it’s happening: the ‘Hawks are gonna face Phillip Rivers on Sunday; the Seattle Seahawks path to the NFC West crown, injury updates, injured players returning to practice, more on John Schneider’s flowers, Rashid Shaheed receives flowers of his own, our squad’s depth, and much more! Prepare for Sunday, dive into the links, do the knowledge. Thanks for being here. #np You got time and I got money by Smerz Seahawks News Are the Colts really gonna do this? – Seaside Joe‘If old man Rivers gets in the game it’s going to be over.’ The Seahawks’ paths to an NFC West title and No. 1 seed – Seattle SportsThe race for the NFC West crown is also shaping up to be a race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Seahawks Notebook: Coach leaves team; 2 players designated to return – Seattle SportsThe Seattle Seahawks have a change on their coaching staff. Seahawks Preparing To Face Philip Rivers, ‘One Of The Best Competitors In The History Of The NFL’ – Seahawks.comPhilip Rivers came out of retirement to sign with the Colts this week, and the Seahawks are expecting they’ll see the 44-year-old quarterback on Sunday. Seahawks Defense ‘Looking Forward’ To Facing ‘League’s Best’ Running Back vs. Colts – Seahawks.comSeattle will face another tough running back for the second week in a row when they face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Seahawks’ John Schneider rediscovered his NFL draft touch – The Seattle TimesJohn Schneider’s deft performance in the NFL draft has the Seahawks in position to win lots of playoff games in the coming years, writes columnist… Seahawks’ Rashid Shaheed named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week | Notebook – The Seattle TimesThe Seahawks’ special teams have lived up to their name this season, and they picked up another honor as Rashid Shaheed was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Yes, Seahawks expect a Disney movie against them Sunday: Philip Rivers playing – The News TribuneUchenna Nwosu has played with Philip Rivers. When they were on the Chargers together, Nwosu was at the beginning of his NFL career while Rivers was ending his. Seahawks getting much-needed offensive reinforcements off IR – si.comThe Seahawks designated two key players to return to practice on Wednesday. With Julian Love Working Way Back, Ty Okada Playing ‘Incredible Football’ For Seahawks – Emerald City SpectrumEntering the final month of the season, the Seahawks hope to have a fully healthy Julian Love rolling into the playoffs. But the stellar play from his replacement over the past two months has created quite the luxury for the team as the Pro Bowler eases back into action. The argument for Seahawks GM John Schneider winning NFL Executive of the Year – Seahawks Draft BlogThe online scoffing when the Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Raiders was enormous. The internet cool kids didn’t like it. ‘What are they thinking?’ Africans in the NFL – Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Odafe Owen make big plays in crucial wins – ESPN.comWide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba picked up two more touchdowns in another superb performance for the Seattle Seahawks in week 14, while Odafe Oweh continues to make his trade from the Baltimore Ravens appear to be a steal for the Los Angeles Chargers. 488: All Eyes Will Be on the Seahawks Game Versus the Colts – Sea Hawkers PodcastThe Seahawks face an unexpected challenge heading into this week’s matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. The surprise return of Philip Rivers caught all of us off guard and now it seems to make sense that they’ll immediately inject him into the lineup. We take a look at how this veteran quarterback’s return could impact the game. But does it change who the primary focus should be on this Colts offense? Looking back at the win over the Falcons, there was one area that was shocking to see when it came to how the team operated against Atlanta’s defense. NFC West News Does anyone still care about the Arizona Cardinals 2025 season? – Revenge of the BirdsThe Arizona Cardinals are bad, do…

The Seattle Seahawks’ injury luck appears to be continuing with the release of the first injury report for their Week 15 game against the Indianapolis Colts. While the list appears quite long, with 15 players making it, only tight end Elijah Arroyo did not participate in Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury, which has left him “day to day,” according to Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald. A third of the list, including star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and edge rusher Demarcus Lawrence, were limited for rest. The Seahawks look poised to get back starting center Jalen Sundell and backup tight end Eric Saubert, both of whom were designated for return to practice on Wednesday. Both were limited participants, with Sundell rehabbing a knee injury that has kept him out of the last four games, while Saubert is working through a calf injury that’s kept him out of the last six contests. After returning to the lineup last week, safety Julian Love was limited while he works through the hamstring issue that has kept him sidelined for much of the 2025 season. Safety Ty Okada was limited and appears to now be dealing with a shoulder injury in addition to his oblique injury that he’s been playing through since Week 12. Here is the full report: Game designations will come out on Friday as the Seahawks prepare to play host to the injury-riddled Colts. On the Colts’ side, Riley Leonard was a full practice participant, although Indy may still yet start the 44-year-old Philip Rivers at quarterback.