https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/page/92/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/cubs-latest-bullpen-reinforcement-gavin-hollowell-but-with-new-crazy-angles-r1706/Chicago optioned Jordan Wicks to Triple-A Iowa after a rough weekend for the lefty long man. They'll replace him with a hard-throwing righty heavy on funk.   At the tail end of last season, the Cubs claimed Gavin Hollowell on waivers and got him onto the big-league mound for a game. The...1706Tue, 22 Apr 2025 23:13:40 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/for-dansby-swanson-strikeouts-are-piling-up-whats-going-on-r1704/The shape of the barrel feels a lot less important if you don't put any of the bat on the ball. An anecdote: I swung a torpedo bat for the first time on Monday. For some reason, one of my JV players acquired one at the earliest possible moment. I found that it was easier to find the barrel,...1704Tue, 22 Apr 2025 16:16:17 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/this-is-the-seiya-suzuki-weve-all-been-waiting-for-r1703/And that 'all' probably includes the man himself. There is a sizable, well-meaning contingent of Cubdom who would have you believe that Seiya Suzuki has been secretly elite, for a while now. Some of them are in the pockets of Big Wind At Wrigley—which is to say, they (rightly) took note of t...1703Tue, 22 Apr 2025 11:29:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/ian-happs-defense-might-just-be-better-than-ever-r1699/And it's not like he was a liability before. Ian Happ has won three consecutive Gold Glove awards. Somehow.  For the last handful of years, there's been a perception of the Chicago Cubs' left fielder that doesn't necessarily link up with reality. Those of us who watch the Cubs with regu...1699Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:32:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/amid-a-strong-start-cubs-continued-struggles-in-bullpen-stand-out-as-trouble-r1697/The Cubs bullpen is going to be better this year. Right? If you don’t think too hard, the early season bullpen blow-ups between this year and last start to blend together a bit. There was one in Arizona this year. There was one in Arizona last year, too. There was one in San Diego both this...1697Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:18:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/week-in-review-perhaps-cubs-are-the-danger-r1696/Down, but never out.  The biggest question around the 2025 Cubs so far is the kind you like to find yourself asking, come late April: Is this team really as good as they appear to be? An ongoing narrative is the North Siders' arduous April schedule. With the month that has lasted a year fina...1696Mon, 21 Apr 2025 11:33:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/a-matt-shaw-sonnet-r1698/Yes, I considered calling this a Shawnet. Look, this is just a bit of silliness for a Monday morning. But I figure we might as well have some fun, while we're all here. I woke up with a rather humdrum line of poetry in my head and decided to humdrum it all the way out into a full poem. Here...1698Mon, 21 Apr 2025 11:11:36 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/justin-steeles-injury-is-an-anomaly-for-the-2020s-era-cubs-r1695/The Cubs have avoided worst case scenario-type injuries for a while. Now, it’s time to find out what they’re made of.  In case you were in a week long slumber, you likely know by now that Justin Steele will miss the rest of the season after undergoing elbow surgery. While not officially the...1695Sun, 20 Apr 2025 11:51:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/its-time-for-more-michael-busch-against-left-handed-pitching-r1683/If you've got a legitimate starter at a position, shouldn't he get an unfettered opportunity?  The Chicago Cubs have a full-time first baseman on their roster. It's inarguable. Are there better ones? Sure. But the Cubs know what it looks like to not have one. Michael Busch is one. That's why...1683Fri, 18 Apr 2025 11:49:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/the-cubs-keep-winning-amid-a-truly-ferocious-schedule-that-wont-let-up-for-another-week-r1691/It's been better than we thought, but it isn't about to get any easier.   As of this writing, the Chicago Cubs are 12-9. They sit atop the National League Central, a game in front of the Milwaukee Brewers (10-9) and game-and-a-half ahead of the 9-9 Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinal...1691Thu, 17 Apr 2025 22:27:44 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/the-paradox-of-kyle-tuckers-approach-and-outcomes-on-offspeed-stuff-r1688/The Chicago Cubs have been disciplined in the box. More so than most teams. But Kyle Tucker's been the best of 'em. Given that it's been so long a while since the Chicago Cubs have had a hitter like Kyle Tucker, there really aren't enough superlatives to deploy in discussing his start to the...1688Thu, 17 Apr 2025 16:18:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/why-no-pete-crow-armstrong-extension-is-imminent-yet-more-details-on-what-it-would-look-like-r1687/The Cubs and their young center fielder have discussed a long-term deal, but so far, the gap between them is significant. In this particular case, however, there's plenty of reason for hope that common ground will eventually materialize. Over the weekend, MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand repor...1687Wed, 16 Apr 2025 23:09:01 +0000