https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/page/186/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/do-the-cubs-have-a-rookie-of-the-year-curse-r269/But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. – Matthew 19:30 Had social media been around in 1961 when former FCC chairman Newton Minow infamously described television as a “vast wasteland,” I can only imagine the adjectives he would’ve applied to Facebook. As a...269Thu, 17 Aug 2023 18:19:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/the-morel-compass-r273/Never turn off a baseball game. That is one of the toughest rules for me to follow as a Dad of two rambunctious 4 and 6-year-olds. However, my undying love for this team and this sport draws me back. At times, I have been rewarded. July 31st, 2016. Travis Wood. Jon Lester. A magical win...273Thu, 17 Aug 2023 14:19:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/christopher-morel-saves-the-present-and-raises-questions-for-the-future-r271/Being swept by the White Sox would have been a huge blow to the Cubs' playoff hopes, and to the fan base's morale. On Wednesday night, the North Siders needed a hero. They got one. At this stage of Christopher Morel's career, it's still hard to tell what kind of long-term role would best sui...271Thu, 17 Aug 2023 12:07:42 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/suddenly-javier-assad-is-a-mid-rotation-starter-r268/Don't let the glasses fool you. Lately, Javier Assad is pitching more like Super Man than like Clark Kent. The Chicago Cubs’ starting rotation has hit a rough patch. After a strong first half in which they had a 4.01 ERA (good for 10th-best in baseball, according to FanGraphs), the productio...268Wed, 16 Aug 2023 14:46:11 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/the-cubs-toughest-opponents-now-are-their-past-selves-and-the-calendar-r267/There wasn't any real harm in the Cubs' 5-3 loss Tuesday night against the White Sox. It was just one of those inevitable losses that happens, during a long season. Unfortunately, the Cubs can't necessarily afford the inevitable losses. When players, coaches, broadcasters, and fans spend Apr...267Wed, 16 Aug 2023 12:22:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/3-up-3-down-javier-assad-cody-bellinger-adbert-alzolay/As the Cubs start a new week, games are becoming more important. Who is stepping up? Who's struggling? We've got some good. We've got some bad. We take them both and there we have 3 up... 3 down.  Has anyone ever told you that you are their “Cub” person? More broadly defined, have you been t...266Tue, 15 Aug 2023 19:07:46 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/looking-ahead-whom-might-the-cubs-face-in-the-playoffs-r262/The Chicago Cubs are competitive into the second half of the season for the first time in years. If they keep this up, who might they face come October, and how could they match up with them? The Cubs are in good position in the push for a berth in the National League playoffs. They enter th...262Tue, 15 Aug 2023 16:14:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/why-cody-bellinger-not-christian-yelich-is-the-nl-comeback-player-of-the-year-r260/The Cubs are in the heat of a division (and Wild Card) race, and I’m here talking about the most important award in baseball: the Comeback Player of the Year award. This Cubs team has some pretty exciting talents on it: Justin Steele will all but certainly finish top ten in the Cy Young voti...260Tue, 15 Aug 2023 13:00:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/the-evolution-of-christopher-morel-and-the-clutch-moment-r263/In two telling plate appearances late in games this week, we saw what the Cubs' most compelling young hitter still needs to work on--and what he's already doing at an exceptional level. Christopher Morel stepped to the plate on Wednesday night with the game on the line. With runners on secon...263Mon, 14 Aug 2023 12:24:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/for-the-first-time-since-2016-the-cubs-can-handle-the-heat-of-elite-competition-r261/In Saturday's game between the Cubs and Blue Jays, there were 18 fastballs that topped 99 miles per hour, and 13 batted balls that topped 98 in exit velocity. Suddenly, the Cubs can win games like that. At the crest of the huge prospect wave that became the core of their World Series-winning...261Sun, 13 Aug 2023 12:21:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/a-look-back-at-the-1998-chicago-cubs-part-two-kerry-woods-debut-r252/After their hot 6-1 start against Florida and Montreal, the Cubs came back to earth as they started to play a much harder schedule. Even as the team struggled with a two-game split against the Mets, there was excitement around the Cubs as a rookie was called up.  Throughout spring and the fi...252Sat, 12 Aug 2023 12:44:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/how-can-the-cubs-shore-up-their-rotation-down-the-stretch-r258/Justin Steele. The rebirth of Jameson Taillon. The high-functioning ghost of Kyle Hendricks. And… what else? The Cubs’ rotation right now, heading down the stretch here in 2023 and in the heat of a playoff chase, is far from settled. Justin Steele has been a lockdown option atop the rotation...258Sat, 12 Aug 2023 12:20:02 +0000