It’s the first themed road trip for the Cubs, who leave for Los Angeles and San Diego after Thursday afternoon’s game.
This trip will borrow from the movie “Anchorman,” starring Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy.
“It’s the Ron Burgundy/Brick Tamland, and I also wanted to include Tommy La Stella, tribute road trip, where 60 percent of the time, it works every time, sponsored by Sex Panther Cologne trip,” said Cubs manager Joe Maddon, who cooks up these trips from time to time.
Expect some garish 1970s get-ups.
La Stella, who currently is playing at Class AAA Iowa, reminds Maddon of Tamland, the weatherman played by Steve Carell in the movie.
“I just see (La Stella) kind of like Brick,” Maddon said. “It’s almost like two interchangeable guys. I see Brick, I see Tommy. I see Tommy, I see Brick. Put some glasses on Tommy like that, dress him up, some sideburns, have him scream a little bit, I got Brick.”
The Cubs will dress in their outfits in the clubhouse after Thursday’s game and wear them on the plane ride to L.A. They’ll put them on again for the ride home from San Diego after next Wednesday’s game.
Home sweet home:
Wrigley Field has been very good to Jon Lester.
The left-handed ace tossed a complete-game victory Tuesday over the San Francisco Giants.
According to Elias, Lester is 12-0 with a 1.55 ERA at home since last May 27, making him the fourth pitcher in Cubs history to go 12-0 or better during a 16-start span at Wrigley Field but the first to do so with an ERA under 2.00. The other pitchers are Bill Lee (1935-36), Jon Lieber (2001-02) and Lon Warneke (1932-33).
“I always feel good when Jonny pitches,” Joe Maddon said Wednesday. “I guess, obviously, he feels pretty good about pitching here.
“I think from the beginning of the season, Jonny’s pretty much been on top of his game. He’s had a couple hiccups. They all do. Whenever he got on that roll last year, Cy Young worthy, to where he’s at right now, you’ve seen nothing but consistency out of him. I had no clue on that (statistical information) until I saw it on the board yesterday.”
Lester pitched his 15th career complete game. He needed 99 pitches, walking none and striking out 10. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Lester became the first pitcher this season to pitch a complete game without going to three balls on any batter.
Lester is the first Cubs pitcher with a complete game under 100 pitches since Carlos Zambrano, Sept. 25, 2009 at San Francisco (98 pitches).
Next step for Anderson:
Left-hander Brett Anderson threw a bullpen session Tuesday at Wrigley Field. On Wednesday, he packed his equipment bag for a trip to the Cubs facility in Arizona, where he will continue rehabbing from his lower-back strain. Anderson has been on the disabled list since May 7.