Top 25 North Side Baseball Most-Viewed Articles of 2023: Part 1 (21-25)

Our first year of North Side Baseball in this format has been a lot of fun, and a huge learning experience. Hopefully you have enjoyed the journey of the season and offseason as much as we have. On fun way to look back at the year-that-was is to review our 25 most-viewed articles.

Image courtesy of David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

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Before we begin this series, we need to acknowledge that the current version of North Side Baseball began in early April, so it’s more like the Top 25 articles of the final eight-and-a-half months of 2023. However, it is fun to look back at the 2023 Cubs season through this lens. What were the popular topics at various themes throughout the season? There were certainly good times to go along with some frustrating or disappointing moments.

#25 Nico Hoerner Needs to Bat Sixth for a While
by Matt Trueblood
June 9

David Ross’s lineup had been struggling for over a month, and Matt thought it was time for a change. Nico Hoerner had been written into the leadoff spot to that point, but he was struggling at the plate overall. The suggestion was to put Ian Happ into the top spot in the lineup and move Hoerner down. He also had suggestions for lineups against lefties and righties.

#24 Sizing up the Cubs Offseason Needs and Top Priorities Part 2
by FullCountTommy
Oct 4

FullCount’s second “Needs and Priorities” article looked at two key Cubs’ needs this offseason and provided several names for the team to consider. About ten weeks later, a few of the players are no longer available, but more are still available and could be considered.

#23 We’re at a Critical Moment for Cody Bellinger
by Matt Trueblood
May 14

The Cubs signed Cody Bellinger to a one-year, make good contract. He was fantastic in April, but he struggled for two weeks in early May. Was it just a two-week slump, or was it more of the same? More of what he had been doing the three previous years with the Dodgers? With rumors this offseason circulating that Bellinger could be looking at a contract approaching $200 million, we can agree that he turned it around pretty well.

#22 Let’s Not Let the Prospect of Bringing Back Cody Bellinger Lose Its Sizzle
by Matt Trueblood
Dec 14

The Cubs lost out on Shohei Ohtani. They were outbid by the Yankees for Juan Soto. Tyler Glasnow was traded to the Dodgers instead of the Cubs. And Yoshinobu Yamamoto decided to take his talents to the Dodgers. As Matt wrote, bringing back Bellinger may “feel like a lateral move at the worst time–at least narratively.” While the Cubs would still need to bring in more players, “If they do end up reupping with their best player from the season just past, though, they'll have done something bigger than they did by bringing him in the first time, and we shouldn't lose sight of that fact.”

#21 This Sucks but Dansby Swanson has been Terrible in the Clutch All Season
by Matt Trueblood
Sept 18

The article’s title really tells the story. Simply put, Dansby Swanson’s production was not good. His Win Probability Added (WPA) was a negative. His overall offensive production was fine. He clearly exemplified the leadership skills that have made him a popular teammate. His defense is elite and he won another Gold Glove Award. But if we’re looking for areas of improvement in 2024, “clutch hitting” is one for Swanson.

Check back tomorrow for the next five articles on our list.