MLB.com had a great post after Thursday’s opening day games. The post was titled, Are you serious? 10 Opening Day Overreactions. Well, I wanted to get in on that list, but had to wait until day two for what some might call my “overreaction.”
Here it is… ready? “The Cubs are going to regret the day they signed Brandon Morrow to a two year 21 million dollar contract to be their closer.” As a life long Cubs fan, I hope I turn out to be terribly wrong, but the performance tonight in the 17th inning was reminiscent of Carl Edwards Jr. in the 2017 playoffs. I come to this thing that some might call, an “overreaction” because the new Cubs closer came in with men on first and second, two outs and threw two pitches. Game lost. Morrow didn’t give up a run (it was charged to Eddie Butler, who after tonight’s performance, should get 21 million dollars). Morrow didn’t get a loss (that honor also went to Butler). What Morrow did, was start the regular season exactly how he pitched in spring training.
Of his five games in Arizona this spring, Morrow threw four innings, gave up five hits and four runs, three of them earned, giving him a 6.75 ERA. After his spring performance, it shouldn’t be a surprise Morrow gave up a game-losing single on his second pitch of the season to a career .256 utility player who at six-feet tall weighs a mighty 150 pounds.
Overreaction? I’m sure all Cubs fans hope so. And here’s a ray of hope for Cubs fans, Morrow had a 6.55 ERA last spring for the Dodgers before his amazing 2017 regular season. Yes, there is sometimes hope at the end of the rainbow.