d technology plays a part. MLB just made the labor situation worse. Overreacting to the first weekend."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Chicago Cubs recapsChicago Cubs minor leaguesChicago Cubs essaysChicago Cubs game threadsWrigley Field renovationsFull archiveLibrary Bleed Cubbie Blue Community GuidelinesCurrent time in ChicagoBCB Specials & Site InfoWinter 2019 music threadsCubs StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Cubs newsYahoo Cubs team pageYahoo Cubs reportYahoo Cubs depth chartYahoo Cubs transactionsYahoo Cubs photosOdds Shop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub 鉁昅LB newsMLB Bullets is hip to the technologyNew Matt Moore Jersey ,24commentsToday’s players are the best they’ve ever been and technology plays a part. MLB just made the labor situation worse. Overreacting to the first weekend. CDTShareTweetShareShareMLB Bullets is hip to the technologyJeff Hanisch-USA TODAY SportsGood morning. Try to be nice to everyone. We’re all upset over the weekend.You know, there’s a lot of crappy news that I have to link to today and don’t worry, I’ll get to it. But let’s start out with this optimistic piece by Ben Lindbergh that demonstrates that we’re watching the greatest baseball players in the history of the game and it’s not really even up for debate. I mean, you can debate whether Adam Ottavino would strike out Babe Ruth every single time, but there’s little debate that Ruth never had to face a pitcher as good as Ottavino in his entire career. And there are many pitchers in the game today even better than Ottavino.Tom Verducci reports on how teams are using modern technology to make those players as good as they possibly can be. The game has changed a lot in just the past five years and is likely to change even more in the next five. Possibly as soon as this season, according to people quoted by Verducci, some teams are going to have the ability to have their hitters face pitchers through virtual reality. (And by the way, the article says that only the Dodgers spend more money on research and technology than the Cubs.)One of those great players of today is Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper and Katie Baker has a profile of Harper as the rare baseball “celebrity” in the game today. Turning to the less positive news. Jeff Passan has a piece that’s well worth your while on the state of the game today, including the economics, the precarious labor situation and the “existential dread” that MLB faces in the competition for the next generation of eyeballs. Marc Carig reports that MLB has been handing out a “championship belt” to the front office team that does the most to keep down the salaries of their arbitration-eligible players. (The Athletic sub. req.) At least one player said that he was ready to strike tomorrow. If you can’t read The Athletic article or you just want more information, Jesse Yomtov reports that the union issued a strong condemnation of this gloating.Passan tells one anecdote about Padres Eric Hosmer and Manny Machado lobbying owner Ron Fowler to bring shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. up to the majors on Opening Day. Fowler insists the dinner described by Passan never happened and that the decision on Tatis was made by him and his front office alone. It turns out that MLB doesn’t just treat their minor league athletes poorly. As this piece by Laura Wagner details, employees of MLB Advanced Media were treated like dirt as well. (To be clear, MLBAM and MLB are run as separate entities, sort of. MLBAM is jointly owned by MLB owners.)Jay Rigdon has some explanation as to why MLB is interested in purchasing the former Fox Sports Regional Sports Networks.Collin Kannenberg writes about the approach broadcasters take to integrating modern statistics into their telecasts.The Red Sox and shortstop Xander Bogaerts are finalizing a six-year http://www.rangersfanproshop.com/authentic-matt-moore-jersey , $120 million contract extension. This is on top of the $12 million that Bogaerts is scheduled to make this season.The Padres are talking with free agent pitcher Dallas Keuchel. I know you don’t want to hear this, but Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich tied an MLB record by homering in his first four games of the season.With the first weekend of the regular season under our belts, it’s time for our first butcher’s bill of the season. Brewers closer Corey Knebel will undergo Tommy John surgery and is out for all of 2019.Angels outfielder Justin Upton will miss eight-to-twelve weeks after ramming his toe into the outfield wall at Angels Stadium.And Rockies infielder (and former Cub) Daniel Murphy will head to the IL (still getting used to that) with a fractured finger. Mariners closer Hunter Strickland will miss “at least couple of months” with a lat strain. Unfortunately, there was another incident at Dodger Stadium as a man is on life-support with a fractured skull after an attack in the parking lot.I linked to this earlier when he was arrested, but former three-time All-Star John Wetteland has now been indicted on three charges of aggravated sexual assault on a child. The child in question was four when the assaults allegedly began.What good is the Opening Weekend of baseball if we don’t overreact? Dayn Perry has some “snap judgements” from the early games.Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale had a terrible first start and Jon Tayler evaluates whether there is real reason for concern over Sale.R.J. Anderson reacts to the early returns on some players who switched teams this winter.The Phillies are off to a good start with a sweep of the Braves. Devan Fink points out the strength of the depth of the Phillies lineup.Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo reminds Sun Min Kim of another secret player from baseball’s past . . .oh what the heck, I’ll spoil it for you. It’s Bobby Abreu, which is high praise indeed.Padres rookie pitcher Chris Paddack was strong in his MLB debut. . .Except he had what he thought was his first major league hit and his first major league RBI taken away when he was thrown out at first base by right fielder Gerardo Parra. Those 9-3 putouts are always embarrassing. Alden Gonzalez tells the story of Angels outfielder Mike Trout’s career though the backs of his baseball cards.Jack Todd has an update on the efforts to bring the Expos back to Montr茅al. They’re making progress. The Phillie Phanatic ambushed Alex Rodriguez in the ESPN booth last night.Bryce Harper wore Phillie Phanatic cleats on Opening Day, so the Phillie Phanatic responded by wearing shoes with Harper’s face on them.In case you weren’t watching yesterday’s game, you missed an embarrassing loss. You also missed Randy Rosario catching a Kyle Schwarber home run in his cap.Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier wore his Spring Training uniform for Sunday’s game by accident. Although he claimed he was trying to make it warmer. And finally, here’s one of the worst first pitches of all time as “Roxy the dinosaur” tried to throw the pitch and ended up just dropping the ball instead. And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — C.J. Cron’s second home run on a long day turned out to be the bigger one.Cron hit a three-run homer to break open the game in the fifth inning, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on Saturday night to earn a split of a doubleheader.In the opener, Cron homered in the eighth inning to tie it at 3-all, but Detroit’s John Hicks went deep in the ninth to put the Tigers back on top Bartolo Colon Jersey , and Detroit won 5-3.Article continues below ...Cron went 5-for-8 on the day. His homer in the opener was a towering drive to right-center field, while in the nightcap he hit a scorching line drive that just cleared the left-field fence.“Get a good pitch to hit, put a good swing on it, and whatever happens after that, I can’t control that,” Cron said. “It was nice to be able to find the seats.”Cron’s blast in the nightcap off rookie Gregory Soto put Minnesota up 7-3, giving Kohl Stewart a cushion. Stewart (1-1) allowed three runs in six innings to earn the third victory of his major league career.Marwin González also homered for the Twins in the second game, and Eddie Rosario had three hits and drove in a run.The Twins jumped on Soto (0-1), who made his major league debut after being called up from Double-A Erie as the Tigers’ 26th man. Soto was charged with seven runs on nine hits in four innings, departing after Cron’s homer.Lefty Nick Ramirez also made his big league debut Saturday for Detroit. He relieved Soto and allowed one run in four innings.“These kids get an opportunity like this and it’s a big moment, something you’ll never forget,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. “Those smiles when they came out of the ballgame, that means everything in the world.”Designated hitter Miguel Cabrera was tossed in the first inning of the nightcap after yelling to the home plate umpire from the dugout.EARLIER ACTIONIn the first game, Ronny Rodríguez hit a pair of solo homers for the Tigers before Hicks’ blast put them ahead for good.Cron homered off Joe Jimenez (2-1) Jon Niese Jersey , but Hicks followed by connecting on the first pitch from Trevor Hildenberger (2-2).Shane Greene pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his AL-leading 14th save.Spencer Turnbull allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings for Detroit. He departed after Jason Castro’s homer, which followed a successful challenge that backfired for Detroit. Castro took first base, appearing to be hit by a pitch from Turnbull. The Tigers challenged the call, and it was ruled the ball hit Castro’s bat. He returned to the batter’s box and launched his fifth homer of the season.Michael Pineda started the first game for Minnesota and allowed three runs in six-plus innings. He gave up both of Rodríguez’s homers and did not issue a walk for the second time in eight starts this season.“I’m happy because I tried to pitch a quality game, and this was a quality game,” Pineda said. “But at the end of the day, I’m not happy because we lost.”Gardenhire was ejected from the first game for arguing balls and strikes.The doubleheader was scheduled to make up a game that was postponed on April 12 because of blizzard-like conditions. Rain fell briefly during the opener. It was enough to send fans scurrying for cover, but the game was not delayed.ROSTER MOVESMinnesota placed Martín Pérez on the paternity list and recalled Stewart from Triple-A Rochester. The Twins added RHP Tyler Duffey as the 26th man. Both Stewart and Duffey were sent back to Rochester after the doubleheader.TRAINER’S ROOMTigers: Detroit reinstated LHP Blaine Hardy from the 10-day injured list. He had been on the IL since April 22 with a left forearm strain. To make room on the 25-man roster, the Tigers optioned RHP Eduardo Jiménez to Triple-A Toledo.Twins: González, who suffered a facial contusion Friday during a collision with Detroit first baseman Niko Goodrum, sat out the opener.UP NEXTTigers: LHP Daniel Norris (1-0, 3.47 ERA) will face the Twins for the second time this year when he starts Sunday’s series finale.Twins: LHP Pérez (5-0, 2.83) returns from the paternity list to start Sunday.