And exhale. The Cubs have only pulled off a win streak of four or more games three times this season: a four game streak in mid-April, a five game streak at the beginning of June, and now a new four gamer coming out of the All-Star Break. In their first game in the Atlanta Braves’ […]
Author: Joe Reed
July 10, 2014 & The Cubs’ True Turn Toward Competitive Baseball
Let’s turn the clock back. Back before the Cubs were hte 2016 world champions. Back before their improbable 2015 run. Back to 2014. July 10, 2014, specifically. A day in which the 39-52, cellar-dwelling Chicago Cubs, riding a six-game losing streak took on the Cincinnati Reds. The July afternoon matinee at the Great American Ball […]
Game 72 Recap: Cubs 11, Marlins 1
The day we’d been eagerly anticipating for years finally arrived Thursday night in Miami: Mark Zagunis Day! Okay, maybe that’s an overstatement – but the consensus Cubs top-10 prospect made his major league debut in right field in the Cubs 11-1 victory over the Marlins tonight. Mark Zag, heralded for hion-basese skills throughout his minor […]
It’s Time To Talk About Victor Caratini
Almost exactly a year ago, on June 19, 2016, Cubs catching prospect Willson Contreras received a standing ovation in the first major league at bat of his career. Contreras, who made a dramatic leap onto the prospect radar with a monster 2015 season, had sustained his success in 2016 at Triple-A Iowa and suddenly was a […]
Szczur’s Reign Ends on the North Side
With Saturday night’s sudden DFA and the subsequent Monday trade of outfielder Matt Szczur, the Cubs bid farewell to one of the longest tenured members of the organization and a valuable piece of the 2016 World Series championship team. With multiple prior pinch hit successes and a reputation as a great teammate and all-around good […]
Justin Grimm’s Role in 2017
The name Justin Grimm evokes two distinct memories to me. The first was October 28, 2016, Game 3 of the World Series. With no score and the bases loaded with one out in the fifth inning, Justin Grimm was called upon to put out the fire. Quickly, Grimm coaxed Francisco Lindor to hit into an […]
The 25th Man: La Stella Or Szczur
With less than a week to go until the Cubs open up the 2017 season in St. Louis, the vast majority of the Opening Day 25-man roster has been pretty clearly solidified with just a few final exceptions. The most notable of those is the battle for the final bench spot. With Joe Maddon’s known […]
Cactus Catchup: What’s Happ-ening?!
As we move into the midst of Spring Training, Joe Maddon is beginning to lead the Cubs to a little more normalcy. Starting pitchers are beginning to get into a more typical rotation, and lineups are beginning to solidify. The Cubs split their four games from Friday to Monday, winning two tighter games against Colorado […]
Past Bullpen Compositions and What Maddon Is Looking For
With Cubs pitchers and catchers having reported to Arizona just last week, the honeymoon period of the Cubs’ World Series victory draws to a close and the competition for spots on the 2017 25-man roster begins. One of the more interesting battles figures to be between the Cubs’ bullpen arms, all jockeying to grab one […]
Key To Cubs’ 2017 Lies With Infield Depth
With an infield set to feature the reigning NL MVP, Kris Bryant, a Gold Glover and perennial All-Star, Anthony Rizzo, the World Series MVP, Ben Zobrist, and an up-and-coming young player who seems prime for a true breakout season, Addison Russell, the Chicago Cubs look extremely prepared to take on any other team in the […]