https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/page/136/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/the-cubs-have-a-catching-problem-but-spending-their-way-out-of-it-might-be-a-mistake-r1040/Miguel Amaya has been much improved at the plate recently, but the front office rightfully should not be fooled. The catcher position has been a black hole this season. Everyone but Jed Hoyer could see the risk in Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya. To what lengths should the Cubs go to address the posi...1040Tue, 13 Aug 2024 14:16:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/shota-imanagas-evolving-arsenal-r1039/Monday night was the latest tough lesson in a long learning process, but The Philosopher has been making important changes all season. When the Chicago Cubs signed Shota Imanaga to a four-year, $53-million dollar contract in January, they certainly had high expectations. In fact, this contra...1039Tue, 13 Aug 2024 11:48:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/kyle-hendricks-and-the-cubs-are-in-an-awkward-position-right-now-r1038/The Cubs' longest-tenured player last pitched on Aug. 5, and is not one of the team's probable starters this week in Cleveland. It's hard to forecast what's next for him, in a complex pitching picture for the resurgent Cubs.   There was enough of a Kyle Hendricks rebound, last month, to...1038Mon, 12 Aug 2024 22:12:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/cubs-magic-number-is-28-but-they-dont-get-to-count-other-teams-losses-r1036/Since breaking out of a prolonged offensive fugue on the Fourth of July, the Cubs are 20-12. They have an easier schedule than most over the balance of the season. Can they really climb out of the hole they dug over the first three months of the season? When the old heads say that games in A...1036Mon, 12 Aug 2024 13:15:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/better-allocation-better-alignment-better-outcomes-for-cubs-r1037/Unsurprisingly, it's beneficial to slot the players with the least defensive responsibility highest in your batting order. There's meant to be some division of labor in baseball. Sure, you want the two-way stars, and you want dynamic players who help score or prevent runs in multiple ways, b...1037Mon, 12 Aug 2024 11:29:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/week-in-review-the-cubs-stack-wins-and-find-consistency-in-eye-opening-week-r1035/Due to what sometimes feels like oppressive negativity in sports journalism, and just because of who I am, I ardently try to keep a positive outlook. After the Cubs bagged an impressive series win over the Minnesota Twins this past week, I DM'd one of my fellow Cubby buddies, "This is the team w...1035Mon, 12 Aug 2024 00:10:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/they-got-away-with-it-saturday-night-but-cubs-need-a-better-replay-challenge-process-r1034/It's a pretty simple one, too: stop relying so damn much on the video room. In the bottom of the ninth inning of the Cubs' 3-1 win Saturday night, things got off to a chaotic start. Two different fans jumped from the stands onto the playing field during the break between the top and bottom o...1034Sun, 11 Aug 2024 13:04:36 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/cubs-minor-league-relievers-nick-hull-mitchell-tyranski-sam-mcwilliams/Minor league relievers don't get enough press but often become vital pieces in the MLB bullpen down the road. Here are the Cubs' best minor-league relievers of July. Honorable Mention LHP Angel Hernandez - Myrtle Beach Pelicans - 4 G, 0.73 ERA, 0.730 WHIP, 12 ⅓ IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 20 K Her...1032Fri, 09 Aug 2024 23:17:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/porter-hodge-is-establishing-why-hes-the-best-reliever-in-the-cubs-bullpen-r1031/Porter Hodge has been a pleasant addition to the Cubs' bullpen. Let's dive into the numbers. When someone asks who the best reliever in the Cubs bullpen is, you may think of a few names. Perhaps the first to come to mind is Tyson Miller, a great find by the front office after he was designat...1031Fri, 09 Aug 2024 14:11:36 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/dansby-swanson-and-nico-hoerner-are-a-dynamic-infield-duo-leaders-for-cubs-r1030/Every successful team needs a middle infield to keep opposing offenses off the base pads and off the scoreboard.  What’s better than winning? Winning in style, and that’s what, along with intangible leadership, Cubs’ Middle infielders Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson provide. Every time...1030Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:12:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/with-some-simple-fixes-cubs-have-found-something-great-in-jorge-l%C3%B3pez-r1029/A hurler who came up to the big leagues with Craig Counsell is back under his aegis, and it's working like a charm--thanks to greater comfort and a couple of obvious tweaks. In a rubber match against one of his former teams Wednesday afternoon, Jorge López had the latest of several great out...1029Thu, 08 Aug 2024 13:41:13 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/nico-hoerner-can-catalyze-cubs-lineup-if-he-gets-back-to-being-who-he-is-r1028/The sturdily built second baseman has spent too much of this season trying to evolve into some next-level version of himself, with more power. That's not happening, and he needs to let it go. At his best, Nico Hoerner is an old-fashioned sparkplug. He can hit .300, with plenty of walks to pu...1028Thu, 08 Aug 2024 11:07:01 +0000