https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/130/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/cody-bellinger-is-finishing-just-strong-enough-to-make-opting-out-possible-after-all-r1110/The Cubs' right fielder is on a torrid September run, and while it's been fueled by some friendly weather and park factors, it just might take him out to free agency again. So far in September, Cody Bellinger is hitting .304/.396/.587, with four home runs. Those bombs came on hot nights at W...1110Sun, 15 Sep 2024 11:35:09 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/the-cubs-revolving-door-of-bad-first-baseman-post-anthony-rizzo-r1108/Anthony Rizzo returned to Wrigley Field for the first time since his 2021 trade and received a well-earned ovation for his contributions to the Cubs. The production he provided is not in question. How successful were the Cubs in trying to replace it? The answer may not surprise you, but the...1108Sat, 14 Sep 2024 15:10:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/are-narratives-surrounding-the-2024-cubs-accurate-r1109/Cub fans are an intelligent lot, though the online narratives often take on a life of their own. Some of these ideas are easily debunked or proven correct. Let's review a few of these and see how accurate Cub fans can be. 1. The Cubs Offense is Not Clutch Enough Here are the Cubs' total...1109Sat, 14 Sep 2024 11:55:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/the-chances-of-something-really-good-coming-of-this-season-for-cubs-are-75-r1106/Missed opportunities have seen the last few grains slide through the Cubs' playoff hourglass over the last three series. Now, they're forced into a corner of desperate hoping and nervous scoreboard watching. As of Thursday morning, the Cubs have a 3.8% chance of reaching the playoffs, accord...1106Thu, 12 Sep 2024 11:42:47 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/what-kind-of-pitcher-jordan-wicks-first-was-then-became-and-is-now-becoming-r1105/The Cubs' young southpaw has had a frustrating, injury-marred season, but between stints on the shelf, we've been able to glimpse an evolution--some of it purely aimed at thriving, and some aimed at surviving. In what was supposed to be his first full MLB season, Jordan Wicks will barely scr...1105Wed, 11 Sep 2024 16:23:05 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/seiya-suzuki-is-patching-his-strike-zone-to-become-a-more-dependable-hitter-r1104/The two late hits he delivered Tuesday night were excellent examples of a subtle but important approach change by the Cubs' designated hitter, enacted coming into this year but only accelerated late in its run. Everything about Seiya Suzuki's approach is geared toward getting pitches on the...1104Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:28:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/pete-crow-armstrongs-sizzle-quotient-continues-to-soar-r1098/Though he hasn't quite pulled into the station, Pete Crow-Armstrong is arriving on schedule. Find yourself at Wrigley for just about any game in 2024 and you're likely to witness fans walking out of shops like Sports World, Wrigleyville Sports, and others, donning the number 52 on the back of th...1098Tue, 10 Sep 2024 23:06:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/ian-happ-has-let-one-part-of-his-game-revert-to-its-former-self-and-its-working-r1103/The Cubs' left fielder is a switch-hitter who's constantly evolving, and his latest change from the right side of the dish is into a version of himself we've certainly seen before. He's gone through many iterations and adjustments over his near-decade with the Cubs, and for Ian Happ, almost...1103Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:13:36 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/why-i-wont-use-war-or-warp-in-baseball-articles-ever-again-r1102/Sometimes, you sit down to rededicate yourself to something, and you realize it was probably better letting it slip away, after all. Someone pointed out to me, a few weeks ago, that I use wins above replacement (WAR) and its cousin, WARP, less often than most writers with whom they typically...1102Tue, 10 Sep 2024 11:33:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/trade-nico-hoerner-waivers-dfa-patrick-wisdom-mike-tauchman-nick-madrigal/This season fell by the wayside, as the Cubs proved not to have the depth of quality in the top or middle sections of their roster to keep pace with other NL playoff contenders. To fix that for 2025, a fairly staggering roster overhaul is necessary. There will be money to spend this winter,...1101Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:01:30 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/anthony-rizzos-return-to-departure-from-wrigley-provide-somber-reminder-not-much-has-changed-r1099/For the first time since the “Great Chicago Fire Sale of 2021”, Anthony Rizzo was in a dugout in Wrigley Field this weekend. Not much has changed since the last time he was here. Remember when the Cubs were good? Like, not just “a few games above .500” good, but really, genuinely good? Good...1099Mon, 09 Sep 2024 11:56:14 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/cubs-week-in-review-flirtation-with-postseason-appearance-met-with-sobering-reality-r1100/With as good as the Cubs have been since the start of August, and they've been great, the other teams they're chasing in this break-neck race for the playoffs are better. Some of my fellow colleagues here at North Side Baseball had previously pointed out that winning games by scoring football-li...1100Sun, 08 Sep 2024 23:23:00 +0000