https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/137/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/ian-happ-splits-heat-maps-raking-behind-in-count/Of the 218 hitters who saw at least 1,500 pitches last year, Ian Happ was just south of average in the percentage of pitches seen in pitcher-friendly counts (0-1, 0-2, 1-2, and 2-2), at 36.7 percent. He's a patient and intelligent hitter, and he worked hard to get ahead, knowing the benefits of...663Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:39:19 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/the-cubs-the-nature-of-pitching-depth-and-the-long-season-ahead-r661/We’ve all likely heard this news by now: Jameson Taillon’s back acted up on him just prior to his first scheduled spring training appearance, and as of this writing, he has still yet to throw a Cactus League inning. According to Bruce Levine, the veteran righthander’s back has responded well to...661Mon, 18 Mar 2024 15:39:52 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/seiya-suzuki-miguel-amaya-jordan-wicks-javier-bardem-christopher-walken/Welcome back to Volume II of the Monday Morning North Sider. If you missed last week’s edition, feel free to check it out for some introductions, Cubs chatter, and general administrative notes. Today, let’s just get right into the swing of things.  The Cubs are up to 15-8 in Cactus L...660Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:35:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/5-cubs-players-you-should-target-in-2024-fantasy-baseball-drafts-r655/Have there been times when rostering too many Cubs has hurt me? Yes. Do I regret those times, though? Uh.. also yes. Like I said, I want to win. With that in mind, I’ve decided to take a look at some different types of leagues and isolate one Cubs player in each whom I feel is undervalued for th...655Sun, 17 Mar 2024 21:37:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/what-if-patrick-wisdom-swung-josh-gibsons-bat-r659/Let me throw a couple of facts at you. At first, these will seem odd, disparate, and silly, but I promise to build a convincing connection between them. Josh Gibson, one of the best handful of players in baseball history, used a bat that was 41 inches long. That's a good five or six inch...659Sun, 17 Mar 2024 11:23:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/chicago-cubs-bench-nick-madrigal-matt-mervis-alexander-canario/Currently, the Cubs have already locked in several offensive players for the 26-man roster, including Yan Gomes, Miguel Amaya, Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Christopher Morel, Dansby Swanson, Cody Bellinger, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, and Mike Tauchman. Given MLB roster restrictions, the Cubs a...658Sat, 16 Mar 2024 14:17:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/jordan-montgomery-free-agent-spending-luxury-tax-payroll/The competitive balance tax structure specified in baseball's collective bargaining agreement is unique in major American pro sports. Other leagues on MLB's level use a salary cap. This is most notable in football, with NFL free agency starting several days ago. First off, can we talk about how...657Sat, 16 Mar 2024 11:23:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/podcast-this-is-not-a-rebuild-were-back-r656/  After an accidental hiatus of a few weeks, the gang is back together and TINAR rides again. We spent our return episode discussing myriad Chicago Cubs topics, including: -The return of Cody Bellinger, and the subsequent demotion of Pete Crow-Armstrong -Christopher Morel's work at t...656Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:37:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/second-base-preview-nico-hoerner-madrigal-morel-shaw-projections/Strength and stability up the middle are the Cubs' greatest points of pride entering 2024. For at least another few years, they want Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner working the double-play pivot, and they expect big value from each. The Starter: Nico Hoerner 2023 Stats: 7.1% BB%, 12.1% K%...653Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:21:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/miguel-amaya-vs-yan-gomes-projections-defensive-skills/From day one of the offseason, the general consensus was that the Cubs would probably just run it back with the same duo that was behind the dish for most of the 2023 season: the proven veteran Yan Gomes, and the previously untested rookie Miguel Amaya. It makes total sense. They had a solid, if...650Thu, 14 Mar 2024 11:08:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/christopher-morel-third-base-fielding-percentage-global-rates/At this point in the timeline, it appears that Christopher Morel will be the Chicago Cubs Opening Day starter at third base. The previously nomadic defender should have a permanent spot, at least from the jump. It’s a logical way for things to play out, given a couple of factors.  The most...651Wed, 13 Mar 2024 16:31:04 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/2024-chicago-cubs-positional-preview-shortstop-r649/When I volunteered to write the positional preview for shortstop this year, I had great intentions to focus writing on one of my favorite current Chicago Cubs: Dansby Swanson. With a team that is struggling for clarity on the corners of the diamond, it is comforting to know how solid up th...649Wed, 13 Mar 2024 11:09:02 +0000