#jp-crawford

#jp-crawford

"If I see a new sweeper grip, I almost always pick the ball up and throw it that next day. I can't get it, but I'm relentless. I'll get it one of these days. I'll get it. Or I'll get something else."

Javier Assad was punched in the mouth right away last night, allowing nine earned runs on 11 hits, which showcased the Cubs' pitching struggles.

Teams that look strong on paper can often perform much less impressively if even one or two key players are removed from the mix, and even the very best teams can look vulnerable with a long enough string of tough-luck injuries.

Allan Castro made waves in the series finale against Columbus, hitting two home runs, including a grand slam, which lifted the WooSox to a win with six RBIs.

"He's 0-for-30. Simple as that. You can say there's a lot of line drives in there, but you get to a place of playing every day for a week and not having any results, and it wears on you. It wears on you mentally as much as anything."

The right-hander reported some discomfort on his left side on Thursday, and a subsequent MRI revealed inflammation. Miller received a PRP shot and will be fully re-evaluated in about a week, though he could begin playing catch in a few days.