At any given point, there are a number of teams going through rebuilding periods; in fact, it happens quite often. That’s simply how the game works: sometimes you’re rebuilding, sometimes you’re contending. But with their rebuilding phase currently in full effect, no team currently presents as stark a contrast to the rest of their division as the Cincinnati […]
Author: Cat Garcia
The Jake Arrieta Extension Talks, and Why Both Parties are Right
I’ll admit this: last Tuesday, upon seeing the cascade of tweets on my timeline regarding the Cubs and Jake Arrieta failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension, I scoffed a little bit. “How could the Cubs afford to be so cavalier about extending a talent like Arrieta?” Of course, this was an irrational, […]
Cactus Catchup: You Win Some, and You Lose Some You Should Have Won
Thankfully, the setbacks of a seven-game losing streak came to an end this weekend in Mesa. Though the Cubs racked up some losses in games that looked to be easy wins, we can take comfort in the expression “It’s just spring training.” Taking March box scores in stride is necessary, as Spring Training is all about trying things […]
Embrace the Target: The Cubs’ Bullpen Options Are Good in 2016, Pt. II
Early last week, I reviewed the Cubs’ late inning bullpen options, or at least those options as they appear during the trial period that is known as Spring Training. With the amount of depth and flexibility the Cubs have on their bullpen roster, this is a neverending discussion with a large range of possible outcomes. And […]
Boom or Bust? Evaluating Individual Upside and Downside, Pt. II
Earlier this week, my colleague Isaac Bennett dug deep into the rabbit-hole of the widely ranging PECOTA projection numbers for Cubs hitters. Fortunately, I was able to partner with Isaac on this PECOTA rabbit-hole adventure, so today, and without further ado, I bring to you the “what ifs” and the “maybes” of the Cubs’ starting pitching staff. […]
Embrace the Target: The Cubs’ Bullpen Options Are Good in 2016, Pt. I
Last week, I wrote about the wealth of bench options the Cubs have available to them in 2016. Happily, the team finds itself in exactly the same circumstances with respect to its bullpen, which is loaded with dozens of pitchers competing for just a few spots. Sure, the final composition of the ‘pen isn’t locked in […]
Spoiler Alert: The Cubs’ Bench Options in 2016 Are Good
Something that is so often overlooked when determining how solid a club is going into a new season is the strength of its bench. Though a bench may not be filled with the star-studded names you see on the backs of shirseys (or even, you know, jerseys) in the stands, the players it houses sometimes end up being the “dark […]
Cubs Convention 2016: The Promise of Resurgence and the Cult of Fandom
In the darkest depths of winter, once the excitement and distraction of the holidays has worn off, long after we’ve begun to forget the smell of ballpark franks, and when we (Chicagoans) remember mournfully the days when we’d mutter that “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity,” Fan Fests come along. Last month, over at […]
How Joe Maddon Has Added Hidden Value to the Cubs
“Particular managers may make it easier for teams to sign and retain players, while others make it harder.” — Baseball Between the Numbers, Baseball Prospectus Joe Maddon doesn’t step into the batter’s box every night and hit 450-foot rockets into the right-field bleachers. He doesn’t gun down runners at home plate. And he doesn’t get lost […]
Red Rivalry Renewed as Cubs, Cardinals Battle On
Growing into my baseball fandom, I learned early about the joy of rivalries. The most notable, of course, is the epitome of sports rivalries: that of the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Maybe that’s a bit of a bold statement that stems from naiveté; baseball is, after all, the only sport which I hang onto […]