https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/155/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/this-week-in-cubs-baseball-the-more-things-change-the-more-they-stay-the-same-r749/The Cubs finished the week with a winning record. That's the good news. The bad news is that the bullpen continues to let them down. A change in reliever roles may have already occurred, but more changes will be necessary if the team is to right the ship going forward. In a week somewhat marred...749Mon, 22 Apr 2024 00:10:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/jameson-taillons-encouraging-return-and-outsized-importance-to-the-2024-cubs-r746/After being sidelined by a back injury to start the season, Jameson Taillon delivered a strong debut against the Marlins on Friday. With Justin Steele injured, the Cubs are going to need many more performances like it from the right-hander.   Jameson Taillon was the Chicago Cubs’ bigges...746Sun, 21 Apr 2024 15:15:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/where-did-the-cubs-plate-discipline-go-r745/The Cubs had a relatively successful west coast road trip but their plate discipline spiraled. What happened? The early reputation of the 2024 Chicago Cubs centered heavily around their plate discipline. It was covered here on multiple occasions in the early going, highlighted by growth from...745Sat, 20 Apr 2024 11:45:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/fangraphs-national-league-projections-chicago-cubs-milwaukee-brewers-st-louis-cardinals/The Chicago Cubs have been banged-up during the first few weeks of the season, but Craig Counsell is still getting them to produce at an elite rate. They're currently in second place, but where do projections believe they will finish at the end of the year? The Cubs are currently in second p...744Fri, 19 Apr 2024 14:11:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/destination-the-show-episode-33-r743/Draft tandem Jeremy Nygaard and JD Cameron team up for a podcast to discuss prospects on their way to the big leagues and the MLB draft, produced by Theo Tollefson. In episode 33 of Destination: The Show, Jeremy and Jamie sit down with Twins Vice President of Amateur Scouting, Sean Johnson....743Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:20:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/jordan-wicks-changed-his-fastball-but-is-it-better-r742/Fastball usage is down only slightly across Major League Baseball so far this year compared to last. According to Statcast’s pitch type data, through Saturday’s games, 31.6 percent of pitches so far this year have been fastballs. Last year, that number was 32.3 percent.  For the Chicago Cubs...742Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:06:27 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/adbert-alzolay-and-hopefully-eventually-a-better-way-to-measure-relievers-rest-r741/We talk too much about relievers' talent and skill sets, which we have a hard time pinning down, anyway. We talk too little, by contrast, about relievers' usage, and the fact that their rest (or lack thereof) drives much of the performance we see.   Although they had a winning road trip...741Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:54:36 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/the-ongoing-evolution-of-ian-happ-r740/How is a switch-hitting left fielder like a two-time Oscar winner? There’s an episode of The Office where various members of the office staff discuss whether Hilary Swank is hot or not. The discussion spirals into a debate which results in a seemingly endless stalemate. This is where I find...740Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:55:25 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/kyle-hendricks-cant-be-on-the-active-roster-right-now-r739/Nothing ends pretty. As long as it stays pretty, it doesn't end. As long as it doesn't end, it stays at least partly pretty. Everything is all the way ugly for Kyle Hendricks right now. If this isn't the very end, it's pretty close, and Hendricks has to be shelved for a while. I'm not tellin...739Wed, 17 Apr 2024 04:35:12 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/when-should-we-expect-to-see-justin-steele-again-r737/As the Chicago Cubs get ready to welcome one veteran starter back from the injured list, they face some interesting questions about their rotation. Hopefully, we're not far at all from seeing another key hurler, and even more difficult dilemmas. Justin Steele went down with a hamstring strai...737Tue, 16 Apr 2024 16:45:58 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/keegan-thompson-took-advantage-of-a-league-wide-approach-flaw-monday-night-r736/In an exciting comeback win Monday night, the Chicago Cubs did just about everything right. They still required some good luck along the way, but at the end of the game, they sewed up the victory with savvy work by a veteran catcher and a pitcher on the brink. As we discussed over the weeken...736Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:03:49 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/how-long-will-cubs-be-without-seiya-suzuki-and-how-do-they-fill-his-spot-r735/Halfway through a successful but fragile-feeling April, the Chicago Cubs have to weather a major shakeup in their lineup. Their star right fielder (and perhaps their best overall hitter) will be gone for a while. It felt ominous, early Monday morning, when Jesse Rogers reported that the Cubs...735Mon, 15 Apr 2024 22:18:27 +0000