Chicago Cubs' Maddon excited about Namath visit
It was hard to tell who was more thrilled: Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon because pro football legend Joe Namath was at Wrigley Field or Namath for being at Wrigley for the first time.
"Is there anything cooler?" Maddon asked. "I got to know Joe several years ago when I went to spring training with the Rays. My initial meeting of the camp, I asked Chico Fernandez, our video coordinator, 'You have one job this entire camp, and that's to make sure we get to meet Joe Namath this spring.' "
A camera crew from MLB Productions was in tow with Namath, who received a No. 12 Cubs jersey from Maddon. Namath made the number famous during his days as quarterback of the New York Jets. Namath led the American Football League's Jets to a Super Bowl III upset over the NFL's Baltimore Colts.
A college star at Alabama, Namath also had offers to play baseball, including from the Cubs, but he chose college. He finally got to Wrigley Field on Wednesday.
"We've done stuff for his charity, organization, foundation," Maddon said. "He's done the same for ours. Part of that today is the fact that somebody won this package to come to Wrigley today, and he wanted to attend with the people.
"The fact that he was offered a pretty decent contract by the Cubs back in the early '60s … obviously went in another direction and has never stepped foot in Wrigley Field until today.
"So there's a lot of cool little sidebars to the whole thing."
Namath threw out a ceremonial first pitch, to Maddon. Both Maddon and Namath are from Pennsylvania, Maddon from Hazleton and Namath from Beaver Falls.
Russell takes his swings:
Joe Maddon said the news appears good on shortstop Addison Russell, who injured his left middle finger while swinging the bat during Sunday's game at New York.
Russell took some swings with the bat Wednesday afternoon, as the Cubs were debating whether to put him on the disabled list and call up David Bote from Class AAA Iowa.
"He's feeling, actually, pretty good," Maddon said. "We'll evaluate after he plays catch. We'll try to figure out tomorrow or the next day. So it really is one thing at a time, but he felt better than he thought he was going to feel."
• Also, reliever Carl Edwards Jr., on the DL with right-shoulder inflammation, is reported pain free and beginning a strengthening program. Edwards went on the DL May 30.
That's a wrap:
The amateur draft wrapped up Wednesday, and the Cubs made 42 picks over 40 rounds, including compensatory picks.
In the final two rounds, the Cubs selected a pair of local products, drafting catcher Pierson Gibis from Wauconda High School in the 39th round and infielder Itamar Steiner from Niles North High School in the 40th.
In the 12th round, the Cubs drafted right-handed pitcher Cam Sanders out of Louisiana State. Sanders is the son of former major-league pitcher Scott Sanders, who pitched in the majors from 1993-1999, including 67 games with the Cubs in 1999.
Overall, the Cubs selected 18 pitchers (14 right-handed and four left-handed), three catchers, 11 outfielders and 10 infielders. Additionally, the Cubs selected 29 college players and 13 high school players.