https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/167/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/could-nick-madrigal-yet-turn-out-to-be-part-of-the-cubs-core-r198/Earlier this month, we discussed the concept of the current “core” of the Chicago Cubs. The results, alas, were inconclusive. The discussion did feature the notion of locks within the group, including Ian Happ, Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, and Justin Steele. It also dealt heavily with players o...198Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:22:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/a-trade-a-day-how-the-cubs-could-buy-big-for-2024-in-2023-r197/  One year ago, the San Diego Padres beat the rest of the market and hauled in Juan Soto from the sinking ship of the post-2019 Washington Nationals. Soto was in the midst of an off year, but it was broadly understood that he was still one of the game's three or four most brilliant young hi...197Wed, 19 Jul 2023 12:24:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/a-trade-a-day-is-there-a-faster-track-iteration-of-the-pca-trade-to-be-made-r196/Already, we've heard that the Dodgers have interest in Marcus Stroman. That makes sense. Despite their very impressive depth and seeming ability to turn fifth-rounders into mid-rotation guys at will, the Dodgers always seem to be wrestling with the injury bear, and they're losing that fight this...196Tue, 18 Jul 2023 12:28:01 +0000https://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 +0000