Welcome to Overlooked But Not Undervalued, a series in which we plan to give readers a closer look at Chicago Cubs minor leaguers who don’t usually get much coverage on prospect sites. Each week we’ll fill you in with #NotAScout knowledge on players you’ve (probably) never thought twice about before but will (hopefully) come out as irrationally interested […]
Category: Articles
Baez at Nine: The Cubs’ Most Versatile Player
It’s been talked about at length through the offseason and into spring training, and the early part of the spring training schedule hasn’t done anything to cool it down. Javier Baez is playing the part of Ben Zobrist, circa 2008, on this Cubs team. We already knew he could bring out a golden glove at shortstop, […]
It’s Time to Make Peace With Sammy Sosa
From where I sit, as a 24-year-old lifelong fan of the Cubs, there is relatively little to complain about regarding the Ricketts family’s ownership of the team. After arriving in 2009, they hired one of the best minds in baseball (Theo Epstein), then stood back as he masterfully executed a plan to stockpile young talent and build a […]
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 […]
Kyle Schwarber vs. LHPs: A Path to Improvement?
In hindsight, it’s hard to believe Kyle Schwarber was on the bench for any portion of the 2015 postseason. As it is, all he did once in the lineup was bash his way to a 1.308 OPS, and casually become the Cubs’ all-time postseason home run leader by blasting five over the nine playoff games the Cubs […]
Munenori Kawasaki and the History of Racial Mascots
At the end of last week, Cubs fans experienced their first taste of the exuberance of Munenori Kawasaki. A Spring Training invitee, Kawasaki displayed his singing chops with a rendition of Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.” You know, that song from Armageddon. While his song choice was no doubt troubling in and of itself—“Mama […]
The Case for Heyward Over Fowler in Center
The Cubs’ re-signing of Dexter Fowler to a one-year deal in late February surprised many, as the 29-year-old outfielder had reportedly agreed to a three-year pact with the Orioles earlier the same week. With the O’s, Fowler would have likely been slotted into right field, considering the presence of multiple Gold Glove winner Adam Jones in […]
Cactus Catchup: These Ones Don’t Count
Beware the Ides of March (or at least a few days before). While modern day Arizona might bare only a faint resemblance to Caesar’s Rome, the Cubs dealt with a few minor setbacks this week. First, Albert Amora was pulled from drills on Wednesday after experiencing back spasms. The team, however, has ruled out any […]
Rethinking “The Sandberg Game”
At some point during every day of his life, Ryne Sandberg is asked by fans or the media about June 23, 1984. And invariably, the conversation goes something like this: RADIO GUY: Hey Ryno, remember that game where you hit the two homers off Bruce Sutter? SANDBERG: Yes. (Uncomfortably long awkward pause) RADIO GUY: That […]
Prospect Day: The Chicago Cubs’ Top 10 Prospects for 2016
Earlier today, the BP Prospect Team released the Cubs’ top 10 prospect list, and BP Wrigleyville’s Editor-in-Chief Rian Watt ranked the Cubs’ top talent under the age of 25. The full writeup can be found on the main site, but we thought you’d enjoy a short preview here. The State of the System: This is […]