https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/66/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/seiya-suzuki-and-the-enormous-pleasure-of-the-power-hitters-triple-r1732/If you're a baseball fan, you have at some point lamented that there aren't more triples in the big leagues. It might be the most universal opinion in the wide and varied community that is the baseball world. Triples are the most interesting play in baseball, and while the overall trend for the...1732Wed, 30 Apr 2025 14:25:17 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/for-chicago-cubs-third-base-defense-is-becoming-an-immediate-concern-r1729/  Ahead of the 2025 season, it wasn't a secret that third base represented an area of concern for the Chicago Cubs. A trade of Isaac Paredes, a failed pursuit of Alex Bregman, and a tossing of the keys to an untested rookie in Matt Shaw certainly had potential to compound into a dangerous s...1729Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:30:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/why-hitters-arent-whiffing-on-shota-imanagas-splitter-as-often-in-2025-r1728/It would be unfair—it would be downright wrong, actually—to suggest that Shota Imanaga's splitter has been worse thus far in 2025 than it was in 2024. Based on results (not just when it ends at-bats, but whether it goes for a strike or a ball on all the others), it's been worth 1.5 runs above av...1728Tue, 29 Apr 2025 19:57:10 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/the-chicago-cubs-new-blues-alternates-should-become-their-base-home-uniform-r1727/I understand that, for some, this will be anathema. Many Cubs fans regard the white, pinstriped home uniforms as essential pieces of the team's identity, and a tradition as deep (or at least as important) as the iconic uniforms worn by the Yankees, the Cardinals, the Dodgers and the Giants....1727Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:05:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/searching-for-value-in-nico-hoerners-contact-only-bat-r1723/I love a paradox.  There's something poetic about two things that don't necessarily work together (but also somehow do?). Lucky for me, I spend my time (outside of the classroom, anyway) covering baseball, a sport absolutely dripping with various contradictions. I explored as much fairly re...1723Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:20:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/jameson-taillon-and-the-inexplicably-improved-fastball-r1725/He's neither missing bats at a high level nor keeping the ball on the ground, but Jameson Taillon is finding ways to thrive. He gave up two home runs, worked only 4 1/3 frames and had a lone strikeout on March 28th against the Diamondbacks, but since then, he's made five more starts, and posted...1725Mon, 28 Apr 2025 17:28:41 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/week-in-review-cubs-create-distance-with-division-foes-r1722/Much more than laying the foundation for winning baseball in 2025, the Cubs have outplayed a slate of daunting opponents. Raised eyebrows at some questionable non-moves this winter have, by and large, given way to raised arms at the corner of Clark and Addison. It's a misnomer to call any part o...1722Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:14:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/the-2025-chicago-cubs-are-historically-good-on-the-base-paths-r1721/The Cubs have been a good baserunning team for quite a while now. Two seasons ago, they ranked eighth in baseball in FanGraphs’ baserunning runs above average metric (or BsR, for short). Last year, they were fifth. This past offseason, the Cubs hired Quintin Berry away from the Milwaukee Br...1721Sun, 27 Apr 2025 23:06:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/craig-counsells-lineups-are-doing-a-really-nice-job-covering-the-cubs-weaknesses-r1718/The Cubs are destroying left-handed pitching this season, even with three of their main hitters batting on the weak platoon side. After Friday’s victory over the Phillies, the team's OPS was .917 versus left-handers. When a right-hander toes the rubber, the OPS slips to .776. Both of these are h...1718Sun, 27 Apr 2025 11:56:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/is-michael-buschs-breakout-real-r1717/With Michael Busch’s torrid start to the season, it’s worth asking how much of what he is doing is real. There will be regression — his start is almost certainly not sustainable — but by how much will Busch regress? There are some important stats that suggest the Cubs might have a better first b...1717Sat, 26 Apr 2025 11:53:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/one-smaller-step-for-carson-kelly-one-giant-leap-for-carson-kellys-production-r1714/Somehow, if the season ended right now, Carson Kelly would be the best hitter in baseball for the year 2025. Somehow, as a catcher hitting the age when most catchers decline steeply in all facets, Kelly is swinging the bat 1.3 miles per hour faster than he did last year; his walk rate is roughly...1714Fri, 25 Apr 2025 11:36:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/chicago-cubs-bullpen-could-use-help-and-a-few-minnesota-twins-might-be-available-r1707/It’s been another worrisome start to the season for the Cubs' bullpen, and no lead feels safe. While it’s too early to swing a big deal, it’s worth keeping an eye on teams who could be targets to reinforce the relief corps. The Minnesota Twins could find themselves on the fringes of contention,...1707Thu, 24 Apr 2025 17:02:02 +0000