When Theo Epstein took over operations for the Chicago Cubs in 2011, one of his goals was to add young talent. Whether through the draft, free agency, or trades, the Cubs needed to get younger, get better, and add needed depth. The Cubs ended up using all avenues to make their team better. Though it […]
Category: Articles
Cactus Catchup: World Baseball Classic Action and Mike Matheny On T-Shirts
It’s been an interesting two days around camp for the Cubs. I guess that is to say, as interesting as Spring Training can be for a club just coming off a World Series win that still has most of that same curse-breaking core intact. Cubs camp got its first novelty matchup of the spring this […]
Getting to Know Thomas Hatch
Imagine having to follow in the footsteps of Kyle Schwarber, Javier Baez, and Kris Bryant. Try being drafted by a team where an top-tier talent in Albert Almora Jr. is still considered a possibility as opposed to a definite. That sounds like one tough world—a world where the expectations for the person entering it are very […]
I Don’t Believe in the Cubs’ Starting Pitching Depth
There weren’t many things that the Cubs needed to address this offseason: figure out how to replace Dexter Fowler in center field and at leadoff, sort out the back end of the bullpen, pick a fifth starter, find playing time for a surfeit of position players, and shore up pitching depth. A relatively short list, […]
Javier Baez vs. the World (of Projections)
If the 2016 postseason was Javier Baez’s introduction to a national stage, then the 2017 season figures to be the Year of Javy. With his glove and his instincts, as well as his overwhelming power, allowing him to ascend to that point last fall, we’re likely to get our largest look yet at Javy Baez […]
A Recent History of Defending Champs
In case you missed it, the Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series. While few Cubs fans have tired of seeing Kris Bryant throw to Anthony Rizzo to break the drought, the start of the 2017 season draws ever closer, and soon the Cubs will have to get on with the business of defending their […]
Behind Every Successful Baseball Promotion Is A Woman
Through Ladies’ Days and Girls’ Nights, baseball has long tried to appeal to women, achieving varying degrees of success. For many of these promotions, it is men who have pieced them together, often resulting in backlash as current female fans feel patronized or ignored. Though baseball has had a tough job marketing to women, it […]
Chris Bosio’s Eddie Butler Blueprint
Ever since the Chicago Cubs traded for Jake Arrieta and turned him into the bearded wonder that throws no-hitters and wins the Cy Young award, fans have been looking for the next project pitcher to blossom under pitching coach Chris Bosio. One of the latest is former Colorado Rockie Eddie Butler. After he was designated […]
Cactus Catchup: The Rotation Returns and Baez Departs
The World Baseball Classic began on Monday, which means that a few players will be absent from Cubs camp going forwards, most notably Javier Baez. The versatile infielder will suit up for Puerto Rico in the tournament as part of perhaps the most exciting double-play partnership of the competition with Cleveland’s star shortstop Francisco Lindor. […]
How The Cubs Kickstarted Advanced Statistics
The year was 1938, 25 years before the popularization of “nerd”, the place was Wrigley Field, three stories and six hours away from his mom’s basement, and the man was Coleman Griffith, father of sports psychology. Long before there was BAM or WAR1 or DRA, there was Coleman Griffith, a camera, 154 daily reports, and […]