Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong makes child's dream come true at lemonade stand
Not everyone who has Pete Crow-Armstrong's background would find a way to stay as grounded as the Chicago Cubs All-Star. He is the son of two actors and was selected in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft. Following initial concerns about his offense, the 23-year-old has blossomed into a National League MVP candidate in his second big-league season. Through all these blessings and triumphs, Crow-Armstrong has kept his fun-loving nature.
Whether it be his child-like enthusiasm or his decision to roll into spring training with blue stars in his bleached blonde hair (has since changed his hairstyle), this all-round talent stays true to himself. Crow-Armstrong has spoken openly about inspiring others to approach life in the same way. He put those strong words into firm action this week.
The excellent center fielder strolled over to a lemonade stand in Chicago, via Jomboy Media, and gave three boys an experience they will brag about for days on end. One will walk around with living proof of the lasting impact a ballplayer can have on a child. The young fans were trying to raise enough money so that one of them, who is already sporting short blonde hair, could get the signature blue-star haircut that Crow-Armstrong displayed in early 2025. The man they call PCA decided to help him out.
He supplied him with the money needed to obtain the unique style, shook the kids' hands, took a picture and signed an autograph. He left the young entrepreneurs in complete awe. Crow-Armstrong's gesture deserves endless praise, but one also should not overlook their reactions. These children were so grateful for the opportunity to meet one of their idols that they asked him to sign a paper towel that was lying around on the stand. It was pure baseball fandom and childhood innocence at its best.
A nearby adult, presumably a parent, perfectly summed up the heartwarming exchange. 'That's as good as it gets, guys.' Well done, Mr. Crow-Armstrong.
Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong is making a huge difference on and off the field
Considering the Sherman Oaks, California native has been exposed to two industries that many may describe as jaded, it is incredible to see him live with such passion and joy. It is clear his parents, one of whom played the mother in 1994's 'Little Big League,' imbued their son with a sense of self and infectious energy. He is now looking to do the same for the next generation.
Thriving with the Cubs will enable Pete Crow-Armstrong to resonate with even more people. He owns a 5.7 WAR, second only to New York Yankees great Aaron Judge, and is batting .270 with 26 home runs, 25 doubles, 28 stolen bases, a .555 slugging percentage and .860 OPS. The defensive wizard is also in line to collect his first Gold Glove award, recording 16 defensive runs saved and 16 outs above average, per FanGraphs.
The magnificent campaign is made more astounding by the fact that Crow-Armstrong has only a .305 on-base percentage. Obviously, the plate discipline could use some work, but his ability to post big numbers regardless accentuates his individuality even more. He follows his own path, and it is leading to glorious success.
And there are many behind him, eager to heed Crow-Armstrong's advice and live life to the fullest.
Related: MLB rumors: Cubs 'check in' with Royals amid trade deadline pitching search
Related: MLB rumors: Cubs linked to Eugenio Suarez consolation prize at trade deadline
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
Big Dumper's big year: Cal Raleigh's ‘staggering' season leads an offensive surge by MLB catchers
Seattle's Cal Raleigh — better known by the catchy nickname 'Big Dumper' — has lived up to the moniker, dropping baseball into the outfield seats all over the big leagues this season. Manager Dan Wilson has been in awe of his talents. 'That's what you get from Cal,' Wilson said. 'Night in, night out, blocking balls, calling the game, leading a pitching staff, throwing runners out — that's what Cal does and he does it very well.' Oh ... wait a second. Wilson obviously wasn't taking about Raleigh's prodigious power — he's talking about how the 28-year-old handles the most demanding defensive position on the baseball field: Catcher. Raleigh has smashed 42 homers this season, putting him on pace for 60, with a chance to catch Aaron Judge's American League record of 62. That would be fun to watch under any circumstance. The fact that the All-Star and Home Run Derby champion is also responsible for guiding the Mariners' pitching staff on most nights makes it even more impressive. Seattle is currently in the thick of the American League playoff race with a 60-53 record, and the Mariners are relying on Raleigh's bat and his brain to try and make the playoffs for just the third time since 2001. There's the mental side of the job — meetings, film study, calling pitches — but there's also the wear and tear of the physical side. The 2024 Gold Glove winner is also squatting, handling the run game, taking painful foul tips off all parts of his body, putting his 6-foot-2, 235-pound frame through the ringer four or five nights a week. All while hitting those homers. Catching is demanding and can wear on power hitters The fact that it took Raleigh a few years in the big leagues to emerge as a true superstar — this is his fourth full season with the Mariners — isn't surprising. The learning curve for young catchers can be severe and the defensive part of the job takes precedence. There's a long list of backstops who couldn't hit a lick yet carved out long MLB careers. Raleigh is a man of many talents and his power was always evident. He hit 27 homers in 2022, 30 in 2023 and 34 last season. Now he's on pace for 50 long balls and maybe more. There are only five other players in big league history who have hit at least 40 homers while primarily playing catcher: Salvador Perez, Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley and Mike Piazza (twice). Bench, Campanella and Piazza are Hall of Famers. It's evidence of a player at the top of his game — and one who has come through plenty of experience. 'I don't think I'm trying any harder or doing any more than I have in the past,' Raleigh said. 'Maybe a little more focused on the right things, and not constantly trying to tweak or change something that I have been in the past. So, I think that's been the biggest part to the success, and just trying to keep that consistent and steady.' Wilson was more direct, putting into perspective what Raleigh has accomplished through the first four months of the season. 'It's pretty staggering,' Wilson said. Raleigh's big numbers are part of an offensive surge for MLB catchers: Will Smith, Hunter Goodman, Logan O'Hoppe, Shea Langeliers, Alejandro Kirk, Salvador Perez and William Contreras are among roughly a dozen at the position who are more than holding their own at the plate. Veteran catcher Carson Kelly is on pace to have his best offensive season in the big leagues at 31, batting .272 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs for the Chicago Cubs. He's been in the big leagues for 10 years and said the balance between offense and defense is tough for young players. 'It's almost like you're drinking from a firehose with how much information you have,' Kelly said. 'And I think, as you see catchers, as the years go on, you get smarter. 'You get smarter in your routines. and you're able to focus on the little details,' he continued. 'When you get called up as a young guy, there's so much going on. And as the years go by and as the days go by, you get more comfortable. 'OK, I know this, I know that, how do I really funnel this down into a couple points?' 'I think that's, you know, when you see catchers kind of take off.' Some adjustments are helping catchers stay fresh One major factor for the increased offensive production for catchers could be the one-knee down defensive stance that's been adopted by nearly every MLB catcher over the past five years. The argument for the stance is its helpful for defensive reasons, including framing pitches on the corners. But there's also the added benefit that it's a little easier on the knees than squatting a couple hundred times per game. 'A hundred percent,' said Goodman, the Rockies primary catcher who is hitting .279 with 20 homers. 'You think about back in the day when everybody was squatting … being in a squat for that long can be can be hard on your legs. Getting on a knee gives your legs a little bit of rest for sure.' Statistical trends suggest he has a point. Catchers have accounted for 12.2% of all MLB homers this season, making a slow climb from 10% in 2018. Raleigh's been the best of the bunch and fans — along with his catching peers — are noticing. 'It just seems like on both sides of the ball, when he's behind the plate he's really focused on his pitchers and calling a good game and all the things that a catching position entails, and then when he comes up to the plate, he can do damage,' Kelly said.
San Francisco Chronicle
3 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Big Dumper's big year: Cal Raleigh's 'staggering' season leads an offensive surge by MLB catchers
Seattle's Cal Raleigh — better known by the catchy nickname 'Big Dumper' — has lived up to the moniker, dropping baseball into the outfield seats all over the big leagues this season. Manager Dan Wilson has been in awe of his talents. 'That's what you get from Cal," Wilson said. 'Night in, night out, blocking balls, calling the game, leading a pitching staff, throwing runners out — that's what Cal does and he does it very well.' Oh ... wait a second. Wilson obviously wasn't taking about Raleigh's prodigious power — he's talking about how the 28-year-old handles the most demanding defensive position on the baseball field: Catcher. Raleigh has smashed 42 homers this season, putting him on pace for 60, with a chance to catch Aaron Judge's American League record of 62. That would be fun to watch under any circumstance. The fact that the All-Star and Home Run Derby champion is also responsible for guiding the Mariners' pitching staff on most nights makes it even more impressive. Seattle is currently in the thick of the American League playoff race with a 60-53 record, and the Mariners are relying on Raleigh's bat and his brain to try and make the playoffs for just the third time since 2001. There's the mental side of the job — meetings, film study, calling pitches — but there's also the wear and tear of the physical side. The 2024 Gold Glove winner is also squatting, handling the run game, taking painful foul tips off all parts of his body, putting his 6-foot-2, 235-pound frame through the ringer four or five nights a week. All while hitting those homers. Catching is demanding and can wear on power hitters The fact that it took Raleigh a few years in the big leagues to emerge as a true superstar — this is his fourth full season with the Mariners — isn't surprising. The learning curve for young catchers can be severe and the defensive part of the job takes precedence. There's a long list of backstops who couldn't hit a lick yet carved out long MLB careers. Raleigh is a man of many talents and his power was always evident. He hit 27 homers in 2022, 30 in 2023 and 34 last season. Now he's on pace for 50 long balls and maybe more. There are only five other players in big league history who have hit at least 40 homers while primarily playing catcher: Salvador Perez, Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley and Mike Piazza (twice). Bench, Campanella and Piazza are Hall of Famers. It's evidence of a player at the top of his game — and one who has come through plenty of experience. 'I don't think I'm trying any harder or doing any more than I have in the past,' Raleigh said. 'Maybe a little more focused on the right things, and not constantly trying to tweak or change something that I have been in the past. So, I think that's been the biggest part to the success, and just trying to keep that consistent and steady.' Wilson was more direct, putting into perspective what Raleigh has accomplished through the first four months of the season. 'It's pretty staggering,' Wilson said. Raleigh's big numbers are part of an offensive surge for MLB catchers: Will Smith, Hunter Goodman, Logan O'Hoppe, Shea Langeliers, Alejandro Kirk, Salvador Perez and William Contreras are among roughly a dozen at the position who are more than holding their own at the plate. Veteran catcher Carson Kelly is on pace to have his best offensive season in the big leagues at 31, batting .272 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs for the Chicago Cubs. He's been in the big leagues for 10 years and said the balance between offense and defense is tough for young players. 'It's almost like you're drinking from a firehose with how much information you have,' Kelly said. 'And I think, as you see catchers, as the years go on, you get smarter. 'You get smarter in your routines. and you're able to focus on the little details,' he continued. 'When you get called up as a young guy, there's so much going on. And as the years go by and as the days go by, you get more comfortable. 'OK, I know this, I know that, how do I really funnel this down into a couple points?' "I think that's, you know, when you see catchers kind of take off.' Some adjustments are helping catchers stay fresh One major factor for the increased offensive production for catchers could be the one-knee down defensive stance that's been adopted by nearly every MLB catcher over the past five years. The argument for the stance is its helpful for defensive reasons, including framing pitches on the corners. But there's also the added benefit that it's a little easier on the knees than squatting a couple hundred times per game. 'A hundred percent," said Goodman, the Rockies primary catcher who is hitting .279 with 20 homers. 'You think about back in the day when everybody was squatting … being in a squat for that long can be can be hard on your legs. Getting on a knee gives your legs a little bit of rest for sure.' Statistical trends suggest he has a point. Catchers have accounted for 12.2% of all MLB homers this season, making a slow climb from 10% in 2018. Raleigh's been the best of the bunch and fans — along with his catching peers — are noticing. 'It just seems like on both sides of the ball, when he's behind the plate he's really focused on his pitchers and calling a good game and all the things that a catching position entails, and then when he comes up to the plate, he can do damage," Kelly said. ___
Chicago Tribune
3 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: All eyes on Kyle Tucker and Michael Soroka as Chicago Cubs open home series vs. Cincinnati Reds
The Chicago Cubs acquired Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros in December as the missing superstar in the lineup, and his strong start helped fuel expectations that a return to the World Series wasn't just a pipe dream. The Cubs acquired Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals last week at the trade deadline to help fill a void in the rotation and eventually contribute out of the bullpen. As they begin a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night at Wrigley Field, Tucker and Soroka will share the spotlight. Tucker's recent struggles have raised questions about whether he deserves to be one of the game's highest-paid players when he enters free agency after the season and whether Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts would give him the megadeal he'll likely be seeking. Tucker was a starting National League All-Star outfielder and enters Monday with a 4.3 WAR, eighth among all position players. His .871 OPS is highest on the Cubs and 12th in the majors. It's no stretch to suggest the Cubs wouldn't be competing for a division title without him in the lineup. 'Obviously you realize you must have your limits,' President Jed Hoyer said in early July. 'We'll keep all those things internal, but certainly I think Kyle is the kind of player you want to keep. I've said that all along.' Of course. But at what price? Tucker has since endured his first prolonged slump in Chicago. He's hitting .226 with one home run and nine RBIs in 27 games since June 29 with a .365 on-base percentage and a .666 OPS. On Sunday he shocked almost everyone at Wrigley by putting down a sacrifice bunt in the first inning of a 5-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles, his first sacrifice bunt as a Cub. Manager Craig Counsell said 'Tuck had planned that all day,' suggesting he approved of the plan. Suffice to say most modern sluggers don't give themselves up to advance a baserunner in the first inning. Some have pointed to Tucker's finger injury as a reason for the slump. He jammed his right ring finger on a slide against the Reds on June 1 but missed only a couple of starts. Counsell said Sunday the finger isn't a problem. When I asked whether Tucker perhaps is feeling some pressure in a walk year, as many free agents do, Counsell hedged. 'Look, I don't think we can do anything about that,' he said. 'Those are his realities. Every player kind of has their own realities and pressures they have on them. 'Kyle is going through a baseball season. He spoiled us in the month of April. His numbers are right on his career numbers right now, and coming off a bad streak, that's where you want it to be, actually.' Photos: Chicago Cubs walk off the Baltimore Orioles at Wrigley FieldTucker isn't the only Cubs hitter struggling of late, but he's the most important one in the lineup and needs a strong finish for the Cubs to go far. Ricketts told Tribune beat writer Meghan Montemurro that re-signing Tucker has been 'a theme of the summer for the fans here,' before changing the subject to the four trade-deadline acquisitions. If Ricketts believes Cubs fans are satisfied with the deadline acquisitions, he's deluded. It was the No. 1 topic for fans all weekend at Wrigley. Most blamed Ricketts for failing to put his money where Hoyer's mouth is, after Hoyer spent weeks talking about getting starting pitching. The $22.5 million the Cubs saved by trading Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees for a reliever who was later released did not get used for deadline moves, as Ricketts suggested it would be at the Cubs Convention. Neither was the money saved by not signing free agent Alex Bregman in spring training. Unfortunately for Ricketts, Cubs fans don't forget those kinds of things. Which brings us to Soroka, who makes his Cubs debut Monday against the Reds. He was the lone starter Hoyer acquired at the deadline, putting undue pressure on him to perform. Hoyer repeatedly told the media, podcasters and everyone who would listen that he was getting a starter, so fans were looking for a significant upgrade. Under Counsell, Soroka likely will be used for five or six innings if he pitches well and basically will serve as a placeholder until Jameson Taillon's return. Taillon will have at least one or two more rehab outings at Triple-A Iowa, Counsell said. Soroka is a combined 3-18 with a 4.81 ERA the last two seasons with the White Sox and Nationals, two horrible teams. No, he's not Joe Ryan or MacKenzie Gore or any other frontline starter Cubs fans were clamoring for at the deadline. But he doesn't have to be any of those pitchers to succeed. He just has to be a reasonable facsimile of the Soroka who made a splash as a rookie with the Atlanta Braves in 2019 before injuries sidelined him for two-plus years and turned him into a journeyman. Last year Soroka went 0-10 on the 121-loss White Sox team, the worst team in modern history, and was demoted to the minors for a brief stretch as he made the transition to the bullpen. 'It's obviously not the way you write it up, it's not the way you think things will happen,' Soroka said of his stint on the South Side. 'But having gone through those difficulties last year, personally and as a team, it's (provided) perspective moving forward. There are lots of ways to have success in this game, and it's about finding which way works for you.' Now he's expected to help the team on the other side of town get to the postseason. Soroka has pitched in big games for the Braves. He was an All-Star in 2019, and in his lone postseason start he allowed one run on two hits in seven innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. 'He's gone through this before,' Counsell said, 'so no worries about that.' Good to know, since Cubs fans aren't the worrying types. (Face palm emoji.) A crowd of 39,430 turned out Sunday for Greg Maddux 1988 Rain Delay Bobblehead day, which commemorated Maddux's tarp slide during the first scheduled night game at Wrigley on Aug. 8, 1988. It was a coveted bobblehead, despite not resembling Maddux, because of the famous episode and the fact he's a beloved ex-Cub and Hall of Famer. But the Cubs dropped the ball by not explaining the whole story on the Marquee Sports Network telecast. Thirteen fans jumped the walls at Wrigley that night during the rain delay and went sliding on the rain-covered tarp. A similar scene in the hit baseball movie 'Bull Durham' had made it a popular pastime in 1988, when security was more lax. Several fans were arrested for trespassing, and others were removed from the ballpark. But Maddux and three teammates — Jody Davis, Les Lancaster and Al Nipper — got off scot-free for their tarp-sliding antics, until general manager Jim Frey fined them each $500. 'You've got the league president here, you've got the commissioner here, you've got a full house where things are happening,' manager Don Zimmer said a couple days later. 'If it would've happened five days from now, it probably wouldn't have been a big thing. 'I think the whole thing is, if they were handcuffing people for doing it, and then four of my players go out there, what would prevent 100 (fans) from going out there? It could cause a hell of a problem, no doubt about it.' When the Cubs released Nipper the next spring, he claimed the tarp incident led to the decision and also was the reason behind trading Davis to the Braves a month after the incident and demoting Lancaster to the minors. 'Not at all,' Frey responded. 'Maddux was there. We're not getting rid of Maddux.' Of course, Maddux left as a free agent after the 1992 season and spent his prime with the Braves before returning in 2004. But 37 years after the tarp incident, the Cubs finally found a way to monetize it. Maybe they should rescind those fines and refund Maddux and his three former teammates with the revenues from Sunday's sellout.
