The Rundown Lite: Busch Earns POW Nod, Nats Restructuring Baseball Ops with More Former Cubs, One Spoon of Chocolate

So, Monday started out with a huge bummer before getting really cool. Soon after having a new washing machine installed, we discovered that rain the previous night had flooded our basement. We were able to get a remediation team out in a hurry and it looks like everything is going to be okay, plus we’ve got a new sump pump to prevent a similar mishap in the future.

On the even brighter side, my son and I drove up to Chicago to see Wu-Tang Clan and Run The Jewels at the United Center. It had been more than 20 years since my last visit to the UC, so I was very pleasantly surprised by all the new development near the arena. We stayed at a brand new Hampton Inn just across the interstate on Damen, maybe a 10-15 walk away. It helped that it was only around 75 yesterday.

We had VIP tickets that allowed us early entry and a pre-concert lounge area, where I met another big Cubs fan. She was wearing a blue shirt with the Wu-Tang logo that said “Wrigley Field,” which prompted me to introduce myself. We bumped into one another after the show as well. To me, one of the coolest things about shows like this is that the crowds are filled with folks of a certain age, making the vibe super friendly and chill.

My son had an awesome time as well, and he drove us most of the way home this morning. I’ll pay for the late night and quick turnaround later, but it’s all good for now.

Busch earns accolades

While getting an All-Star nod would have been better, Michael Busch was named the NL Player of the Week on Monday. He batted .465 with a 1.789 OPS and four homers, three of which came on the Fourth of July against the Cardinals. Busch continues to pace all first basemen with a 166 wRC+ that also happens to be 16 points higher than anyone else on his own team.

Making his production even more impressive is that he’s done it in just 318 plate appearances, around 60-80 fewer than Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, or Kyle Tucker. There’s an argument to be made that some of his success is due to protecting him against lefty pitchers, which is true to an extent. Busch is slashing just .191/.269/.362 with a 79 wRC+ against southpaws, well below average and a far cry from what he’s done against righties.

We’re only talking about 52 plate appearances so far, though, and Craig Counsell is going to have to start giving him more opportunities to prove himself rather than going with an auto-platoon. Unless, that is, the Cubs pick up a right-handed hitter who can place first base from time to time.

Nats blowing things up

The Washington Nationals shook up their organization on Sunday, firing president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez. The Nats apparently love former Cubs, having employed Jim Riggleman and Dusty Baker prior to Martinez, and no amount of failure can keep them from going back to that same well. On Monday, they named Miguel Cairo interim manager and moved Henry Blanco to bench coach.

Hank White developed a much stronger cult following than Cairo, who had two stints on the North Side over the course of his 17-year MLB career. Cairo played for nine different teams in that time, collecting 41 homers with a .675 OPS as a versatile defender. He also collected playoff experience with both the Cardinals and Reds, and even made it to the World Series with the Phillies in 2009.

While I doubt much comes of this, I like being able to ride the “Remember that guy?” train whenever possible.

Trailer Time

I had heard about RZA’s new movie, One Spoon of Chocolate, but hadn’t seen anything about it until they played the trailer during last night’s show. Looks pretty fun, and the official description below offers some very obvious Easter eggs related to the director’s past life. RZA spent time in Ohio before forming the Wu; one of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s nicknames was Ason Unique; ODB has a brother named Ramsey (and both were/are RZA’s cousins).

One Spoon Of Chocolate isn’t your average revenge thriller—it’s a bloody, unapologetic gut punch packed with purpose. Shameik Moore leads as Unique, a military vet who returns home after being falsely accused and imprisoned for assault. He heads to Ohio, hoping to find some peace and reconnect with his last surviving relative, Ramsey (RJ Cyler). But this town is hiding some dark, twisted secrets. A racist sheriff and his brutal crew have been preying on young Black men, and when Unique becomes their next target, he doesn’t just fight back—he unleashes hell, armed with a sword and a whole lot of fury.