https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/159/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/the-paradox-of-seiya-suzukis-batted-ball-data-and-how-to-think-about-it-r195/When the Cubs invested $85 million in Seiya Suzuki during the 2021-2022 offseason, it was seen as a smart gamble by most. Suzuki had the potential to develop into a middle-of-the-order presence for the Cubs, while also maintaining a high floor as a player thanks to a keen batting eye. Accor...195Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:14:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/a-trade-a-day-a-big-gamble-that-could-land-the-cubs-a-long-term-slugger-r194/This piece is in honor of longtime reader and Twitter compadre Matt White. When Daniel Burnham wrote, "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood," something deep inside one of Matt's forebears stirred at the very ambition of it. He's a good follow for denizens of Cubs Twitter,...194Mon, 17 Jul 2023 12:22:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/a-trade-a-day-would-tommy-pham-give-this-offense-enough-thump-r193/Over a long career, Tommy Pham has showed an extremely consistent ability to hit the ball hard, and he's demonstrated consistently excellent plate discipline. Everything else about his game--his defense, his ability to get the ball in the air where all that exit speed can do real damage, his hea...193Sun, 16 Jul 2023 12:20:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/a-trade-a-day-should-the-cubs-trade-cody-bellinger-to-the-twins-r191/Today's is the first in a series of pieces we'll do as the deadline approaches, featuring mock trades that could make sense for the Cubs under various circumstances. Check North Side Baseball daily for more, and jump into the discussion by leaving your opinion in the comments. With two home...191Sat, 15 Jul 2023 12:53:59 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/you-can-see-the-cubs-still-want-it-in-the-set-of-their-rotation-r190/Rather than one of the team's All-Star starters, Kyle Hendricks will take the ball first against the Red Sox this weekend. Marcus Stroman will follow him on Saturday, and Justin Steele will get a full cycle of rest between his one-inning All-Star appearance and his first start of the second half...190Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:24:22 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/three-internal-moves-the-cubs-need-to-make-before-the-trade-deadline-r188/Though the Cubs are 42-47 as they prepare to start the unofficial second half, their pitching staff is much stronger than that. The roster needs more offensive punch, and the players likely to be available over the next fortnight are not great solutions to what ails the lineup. Before looking ou...188Thu, 13 Jul 2023 12:25:09 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/no-85-wins-will-not-win-the-nl-central-r187/There’s no editor quite as good as 100 essayists spread out across a century, grasping at straws. “It’s not what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for certain that just ain’t so,” goes the famous aphorism from Mark Twain, the greatest American aphorist. Twain nev...187Wed, 12 Jul 2023 12:28:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/with-scrappy-series-win-cubs-earn-right-to-keep-fighting-r184/  When Marcus Stroman let the game get away from him in the sixth inning Thursday afternoon against the Brewers, you didn't have to squint to see the writing on the wall. There was, in that moment, a very good chance that the Cubs would tumble into the break, nearly 10 games out of the lead...184Mon, 10 Jul 2023 12:28:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/is-cody-bellingers-strong-first-half-sustainable-r180/The thinking went that, if the Cubs could turn Cody Bellinger back into an above-average offensive player, they would either deal him at the trade deadline for prospects, or he would be a key player for a playoff contender. If Bellinger was still the below-average offensive player that he was fo...180Sun, 09 Jul 2023 12:43:10 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/for-one-night-radical-simplicity-solved-jameson-taillons-lefty-problems-r178/  Entering Friday's game, left-handed batters were hitting .308/.395/.654 against Jameson Taillon in 2023. It goes without saying that having half the league rake against you at such a rate renders being an effective starting pitcher impossible. Taillon's gaudy ERA reflected a little bit of...178Sat, 08 Jul 2023 12:28:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/was-a-split-in-milwaukee-good-enough-to-keep-the-cubs-alive-r177/All the pieces and beats of the season matter. If the Cubs had come to Miller Park at 41-41, they wouldn't have needed to worry at all about a split of these four games. A split on the road is usually good enough, and splitting with a team ahead of you in the standings on the road is nearly alwa...177Fri, 07 Jul 2023 12:20:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/a-win-with-endless-implications-r173/First of all, Wednesday night was a reminder of how narrow a margin for error Justin Steele has, using his limited repertoire. The sixth inning, in particular, demonstrated his vulnerability. He nearly escaped that frame with the Cubs down just 2-1, but a slider that found the plate and was left...173Thu, 06 Jul 2023 12:35:39 +0000