Major League Baseball has fined Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong $5,000 for “comments made to a fan” at Sunday’s Cubs-White Sox game, according to industry sources.
Crow-Armstrong has the right to appeal, but that determination had not yet been made.
Crow-Armstrong responded to a female spectator who began to boo him and yell, “You suck” when he was just feet away after just missing a potential highlight reel catch. Crow-Armstrong responded with a profane response; he apologized for his choice of words before Monday’s game here.
“I’m just bummed out about the word choice and that a bunch of little kids probably find their way to social media and see that as well,’’ he said.
Doing triple-time
Some context on Sunday’s walkoff home run allowed by Cubs reliever Ryan Rolison to Edgar Quero in the 10th inning of the team’s 9-8 loss to the White Sox. Rolison was pitching for the third straight day, appearing in all three games against the White Sox. It was the first time this season Cubs manager Craig Counsell had used any reliever on three successive days.
Rolison had pitched on back-to-back days only once previously this season. Last season, his first in the big leagues, Rolison went back-to-back five times in 31 appearances for the Rockies. He had not pitched in three straight games at any time in his professional career.
Counsell has turned to Rolison this season in more high-leverage situations, a new role for the left-handed reliever, because of the injuries that had decimated the Cubs pen. Last season with the Rockies, Rolison did not enter once in a game in which the Rockies were ahead. The team went 2-29 in games in which he pitched.
This season, the Cubs are 8-3 when Rolison has pitched. He has been credited with wins in three games, the first time when the Cubs scored six runs in the last three innings for a 6-4 win over the Dodgers in L.A April 24, then wins in back-to-back games against the Reds in Wrigley Field.
Rolison pitched a third of an inning in Friday night’s 10-5 Cubs win, giving up a home run to Miguel Vargas. He threw 10 pitches. The next night, an 8-3 loss to the Sox, Rolison pitched a scoreless eighth, throwing a dozen pitches. After the game, he said, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy asked him if he could go the next day if needed.
“So I stayed late and got a lot of recovery in, and told him I’d tell them how I felt at the throwing program, and I felt good enough to give them an inning or whatever they needed. I was ready to take the ball and help the team win.
“… I don’t think the [three consecutive days] had any effect on my stuff. My velocity was good for the two pitches I threw, and I had conviction on the [home run] pitch. [Quero] put a good swing on it.’’
Rolison got his chance when left-handed reliever Caleb Thielbar, who won two games and saved two others while picking up for injured closer Daniel Palencia, also went down with an injury, a left hamstring strain.
The 39-year-old Thielbar, who had missed 23 games, was activated Tuesday. To make room for him on the roster, the Cubs designated left-handed reliever Ty Blach for assignment.
‘Juuusssst a bit outside’
According to Umpire Scorecards, the 12 challenged ball-strike calls on ABS Sunday at Rate Field tied the single-season high in MLB this season, and so did the 9 overturned calls. The plate umpire was Chris Segal.
Beauty in the eye of the beholder
Score one for the Milwaukee Brewers’ social media team. After the Brewers’ 9-3 win here Monday night, they posted a photo of the Brew Crew doing their victory lap, with the caption: “This win is dedicated to the beautiful city of Green Bay.’’
A segment of the Wrigley crowd Monday night had aimed a disparaging chant at Green Bay, imitating the one chant that achieved consensus over the weekend at Rate Field.
