https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/164/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/is-tom-ricketts-lying-or-are-cubs-about-to-spend-big-r620/This week, as the Chicago Cubs began full-squad spring training work, owner Tom Ricketts met the media and made some controversial remarks about the team's payroll. Let's take a closer look. In a brief scrum with reporters (an annual rite of spring for most of the league's owners), Tom Ricke...620Wed, 21 Feb 2024 22:56:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/christopher-morel-third-base-defense-spring-training-options/As the Chicago Cubs undertake the project of trying to turn one of their best hitters into a credible defender at a key position of need, the big question will be how high a bar he needs to clear. That question has a few wrinkles to it, so let's examine them. Minor-league outfield signings s...618Wed, 21 Feb 2024 12:52:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/2024-chicago-cubs-x-factors-what-impact-can-cade-horton-have-in-2024-r598/When the Cubs selected Cade Horton seventh overall in 2022, many fans were concerned the Cubs had drafted a flash in the pan from the College World Series and someone who would eventually end up in the bullpen. Now, though, he sure looks like a member of the starting rotation. Could that come so...598Tue, 20 Feb 2024 12:19:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/spring-training-position-battles-rotation-assad-wesneski-wicks-smyly/After some offseason shuffling in the rotation, the Chicago Cubs are set to have a fierce and lengthy spring training battle for the fifth starter job.   As things currently stand, there are four Cubs who are locked into their places in the rotation following their 2023 seasons: ...614Mon, 19 Feb 2024 12:12:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/you-have-to-stop-talking-about-a-winter-deadline-for-hot-stove-movement-r616/The 2023-24 MLB offseason has been frustrating, if you've chosen to let it be so. It's been the kind of crisis that can spur major change, if you're the kind of person who embraces dangerous change on a whim. Taking a clearer view, though, it's really just been another episode of Greedy Billiona...616Sun, 18 Feb 2024 15:42:34 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/while-mlbs-embrace-of-fanatics-is-bad-these-new-uniforms-might-be-good-r615/It's the talk of spring camps throughout MLB. Fans hate the new official jerseys being made for MLB by Fanatics, despite the imprimatur of Nike. The players, if possible, hate them even more. What if both groups are just plain wrong? I have to lead with a confession, here: I have never bough...615Sun, 18 Feb 2024 12:28:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/cubs-can-win-nl-central-2024-season/In a weak NL Central, with a roster flush with talent and more on the way from the minors, the Cubs have serious expectations heading into the 2024 season. The last time the Cubs won the division was in 2020, or the shortened, 60-game pandemic season. Before then, it was in 2017, the year th...613Sat, 17 Feb 2024 15:08:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/2024-chicago-cubs-spring-training-position-battles-the-bullpen-r612/Today, we continue our series examining some of the positions for which spring training could be decisive for the 2024 Cubs. To do so, let's turn our attention to the relief corps. Quietly, the Cubs have locked in over half their bullpen for 2024, assuming health and a reasonable amount of p...612Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:10:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/spring-training-preview-position-battles-third-base-madrigal-wisdom-shaw/With spring training underway, it's time to dig into the questions that will burn throughout the Cubs' time in Arizona. Today, we have the first in a series of pieces about the position battles that will unfold during camp. The Cubs began last season with Patrick Wisdom as their starting thi...606Thu, 15 Feb 2024 12:56:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/how-playing-with-playing-time-changes-the-2024-chicago-cubs-projections-r607/The projections on the 2024 Chicago Cubs are out. But are they more negotiable than we tend to think? It seems like projection season always leaves fans of the Chicago Cubs in varying states of dismay. Even in past winters wherein the team has been far more active or seems to feature more up...607Wed, 14 Feb 2024 14:15:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/jameson-taillon-2024-rotation-left-handed-batters-platoon-splits-pitch-mix/The Cubs' $68-million starter had a rough time last year, and if the team wants him to bounce back to his previous overall level, something might need to change.  In retrospect, Jameson Taillon’s first season in a Chicago Cubs uniform almost went exactly as expected. His 4.84 ERA is a pretty...604Wed, 14 Feb 2024 12:17:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/jordan-wicks-is-a-grown-up-now-and-he-needs-a-more-mature-pitch-mix-r599/With spring training on the horizon, many Cubs pitchers and catchers are already congregating in Arizona. One hurler, in particular, should be hard at work already, because he needs to make a few changes in order to have a successful 2024. We'll have a full preview of the battle for the fift...599Tue, 13 Feb 2024 12:14:01 +0000