All throughout the melodic mayhem that was game five of the NLDS between the Dodgers and the Nationals on Thursday evening, there was a strange part of me that wanted this to happen. I didn’t care how the Dodgers did it, and obviously, neither did Dave Roberts. I just wanted the Cubs to face the […]
Author: Cat Garcia
Second City October: Keeping an Eye on the Cubs ‘Pen
This piece, written by BP Wrigleyville’s Cat Garcia, forms part of our in-house coverage of the Cubs in the playoffs, “Second City October”. The outcome has been decided. The Cubs won’t enjoy vengeful rematch with the Mets this weekend at Wrigley Field. Instead, they’ll be facing the San Francisco Giants. The wave of apprehension that blanketed the Cubs fanbase […]
Willson Contreras: Solid Major-League Catcher
It’s been just over three months since Cubs catching prodigy Willson Contreras made his MLB debut at Wrigley Field. Though he wouldn’t register a plate appearance in that particular game, two days later Contreras would come up to the dish for the first time and, in true Cubs rookie fashion, hit a first-pitch, two-run home […]
It’s Past Time To Talk About Jason Heyward
In the beginning, the defense goes “It’s just April. It’s chilly. He’ll pick up when the weather warms up.” In June, it becomes “It’s still early in the season. He’s adjusting.” But when the season approaches the 152 games played mark, as it did on the North Side this past Wednesday evening, the sentiment becomes […]
Hammel Doesn’t Need to Start in October, and Shouldn’t
We all have questions about Jason Hammel. Why is he giving up so many home runs? How did he get so into Pearl Jam? What is the real story behind his first and second half splits? There are a bounty of questions surrounding the lanky Cubs right hander, but most importantly right now, at the […]
Rizzo vs. Bryant for MVP and Comparing Apples to Oranges
They’re best friends. They’re baseball superstars. They have a satirical souvenir company named after them. They are one of baseball’s best and favorite tandems. And they are currently up against each other in the NL MVP race. They are Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant. Though it was just over a year ago, it’s hard to remember […]
Jorge Soler and the Virtue of Patience
With the birth of statistics in baseball giving us a more accurate gauge of player talent, the eye test (note: this is not the same as scouting, which is still vitally important) has become a thing of the past, a relic for which we only use to pique our interest before looking to statistics to provide […]
Jake Arrieta in 2016 Is Just Being Human
Everyone admits it. 2015 on the North side of Chicago was special, in a way 2016 won’t ever be able to match. After a first half in which the Cubs saw their future suddenly become their reality on the field each night, they simultaneously experienced the emergence of their new ace, Jake Arrieta. In 2015, […]
In Moment of Need, Montgomery Shines
Things look a little different now than they might have earlier, with John Lackey out. There’s no more Adam Warren to fall back on, Trevor Cahill has been used for extended outings quite a lot of late, and Travis Wood has been beat up a bit after shouldering an extensive workload. If you don’t think too […]
John Lackey Proving Offseason Doubt Wrong
This past December, when word officially broke that the Chicago Cubs would be signing former St. Louis Cardinals starter John Lackey to a 2-year deal, the Cubs corner of the baseball world was met with a mixture of intense emotions. Some folks simply weren’t fond of Lackey, be it on the field or off the field. […]