When Mike Matheny was fired late this past Saturday evening, one of the first thoughts that ran through my mind was this: Now we know what the 2004 Cubs looked like to the rest of the league. Baseball is so much more fun when it’s the other teams dissolving into chaos. The only way this […]
Tag: Dexter Fowler
Quantifying the Cubs’ Quest to Control the Strike Zone
The ultimate match-up in baseball is the confrontation between the pitcher and the batter. And more than anywhere else, that battle is waged in and around the corners of the strike zone. Mindful of this, Cubs President Theo Epstein has preached that his team must “control the strike zone” in order to be successful ever […]
Dexter Fowler and Baseball as a Tool of Slavery
In October, Dexter Fowler made history as the first black Cub to play in the World Series. Concerning that fact, Fowler said it would not have been possible without Jackie Robinson, and it was something he would carry with himself. Over the weekend, he received backlash for his innocuous comments concerning the present administration’s travel […]
Jon Jay’s Significance to the 2017 Cubs
It probably says something about what the Chicago Cubs think of Jon Jay that they jumped to sign him before the month of November even came to a close. A signing that was likely the official signal toward the departure of Dexter Fowler, Jay could prove to be a significant contributor in a situation that figures […]
Dexter Fowler: Potential Offseason Target
Every time you’re near, every time I see your smile, Hear your hello, saying you can only stay a while. Hey, I know that it’s hard for you to say the things We both know are true. But tell me how come… I keep forgetting we’re not in love anymore. – Michael McDonald, “I Keep […]
Dexter Fowler, Near Close of Second Chicago Season, Remains Irreplaceable
You go, we go. That’s the phrase Cubs manager Joe Maddon famously applies to his leadoff hitter, center fielder Dexter Fowler. It means that when Fowler is going well, the Cubs are usually going well too. Of course, it’s very simplistic to whittle something as complex as a 25-man baseball team down to the success of one […]
Dexter Fowler Keeps Rolling Along
When this era of success at Wrigley Field comes to an end, and sportswriters are writing their farewell pieces and reminiscing about the memorable moments, there’s a good chance that player development and the pipeline of young talent that Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, Jason McLeod have built will be central to the overall storyline. And […]
Game 108 Recap: Cubs 7 Athletics 2
In the beginning of his career, a practically teenage Mike Tyson made a practice of dispensing with his opponents so quickly that the ringside luminaries could barely settle into their seats before the fight was already over. Tonight, it was a first inning lead-off home run, pair of singles, and a Jorge Soler three-run shot that ended […]
Dexter Fowler and the Cubs’ Perpetual Center Field Search
The vacancy at third base that lasted for three decades is now a part of Cubs lore. Ron Santo was a Hall of Fame player on a beloved Cubs team that fell just short, and he was traded away to the crosstown White Sox to finish off his career after the 1973 season. The search […]
Jorge Soler Might Have Worked Something Out
Jorge Soler ended his 2015 season, which was a mixed bag overall, on a pretty high note with an amazing October that helped carry the Cubs through the NLDS. But since? Things haven’t been so good. First, he became the odd man out in the four-man outfield. Then, when Kyle Schwarber went down with his […]