My daughter has 32 stuffed animals on her bed. If I were to take 5 of them and throw them in the trash when she wasn’t looking, she’d never notice. She plays with the same two all the time (a cat and a bunny), while the rest simply take up space and no doubt feel […]
Category: Articles
Game 78 Recap: Mets 4 CUbs 3
In any MLB season, a team should count on losing a dozen or so games in which they clearly outplayed their opponents. It’s just the way baseball works. It’s a game of thin margins of victory and wide error bars. The Cubs are much better than the Mets, and they played somewhat better than the […]
Landing a Lefty: Why The Cubs Should Settle for Good, Not Great
With the trade deadline just one month away, it’s time for teams to begin assessing where they’re at, where they’re going, and what their immediate needs are. For the Cubs, there are no dire concerns heading towards the All-Star Break, but there is a small issue beneath the surface that should be quickly addressed before […]
Series Preview: Cubs vs. Mets, June 30-July 3
Extremely soused Don Draper voice: “Step right up and greet the Mets…” When asked about the upcoming four-game set against the Mets in Queens, Kyle Hendricks said, “We’ve got a little chip on our shoulders.” Well, the Cubs might enter the series with a chip on their shoulder due to last year’s NLCS sweep to […]
Game 77 Recap: Cubs 9 Reds 2
Monday’s game between century-old rivals featured something that had never been done before, done by someone who doesn’t quite seem real, as Kris Bryant collected five extra-base hits, including three home runs and two doubles. His performance was one of the greatest in history, as he broke the Cubs’ record for total bases in a game, became […]
Almora, Contreras Helping Save Cubs as Depth Gains in Importance
Dexter Fowler CF Ben Zobrist 2B Anthony Rizzo 1B Kyle Schwarber LF Jorge Soler RF Miguel Montero C Tommy La Stella 3B If you didn’t know any better, you might think that that was a lineup run out by Joe Maddon on a getaway day in 2016. Of course, you do know better (and probably […]
Game 76 Recap: Cubs 7 Reds 2
In the course of human history, there are times when ordinary people are thrust into harrowing situations that are too daunting to have previously comprehended. But when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, do we rise to meet these challenges? Do we shrink in the face of incalculable adversity? Heroes are made in these moments, and […]
Skill, Not Luck: Jon Lester Edition
The Cubs’ starting pitching staff has collectively assembled a season to this point that rivals that of any other staff in baseball, if not surpasses them. And what makes this even more interesting is the fact that they are doing this in part on the backs of a couple of pitchers who are outperforming their […]
Game 75 Recap: Cubs 11 Reds 8
Top Play (WPA): Bachelorette frontrunner Reigning Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant is five home runs away from his 2015 total of 26, following an impressive three-dinger night in Cincinnati. His first—a solo shot in the third—put the Cubs up 3-2 (+.119). His second, however, was the game’s lynchpin: with Jake Arrieta and Jason Heyward on […]
Series Preview: Cubs vs. Reds, June 27-29
By their nature, series previews are all about looking ahead, written in anticipation of the three or four games that are to come and an attempt at making sense of what they might bring. However, the past week of Cubs baseball has been the source of such great angst that it might be difficult to […]