Top 25 Most-Viewed North Side Baseball Articles of 2024 (Part 5: 1-5)

Welcome back, and Happy New Years, everyone! Over the last week, we've looked at the 25 most viewed articles from North Side Baseball in 2024, and today, we're finally concluding the series with the top five. Offseason banter again rules the day, with Cody Bellinger-related topics appearing twice yet again. However, the number one spot is a bit of a stunner, and the discourse surrounding that topic is sure to continue in earnest for the next half-decade.

If you missed any of the previous installments, you can find them here:

Top 21-25 Articles
Top 16-20 Articles
Top 11-15 Articles
Top 6-10 Articles

On we go to the Top 5.

#5: It’s Come Down to This: Cody Bellinger vs. Matt Chapman
Matt Ostrowski
January 29 

Spoiler alert: it's going to be a Matt-centric list today, though Matt O. breaks up Trueblood's reign of terror in the top ten by claiming the fifth spot. Last offseason, the Cubs were eerily quiet outside of a trade for Michael Busch and the signing of Shota Imanaga, and they very clearly needed to replace the loss of Bellinger in the lineup. With just he and Matt Chapman left standing among the big-name free agents, Matt broke down how both sluggers fit with the Cubs. He advocated that the team lean towards Chapman, which looks like the right call (by a long shot) in hindsight.

#4: The Cubs Will Absolutely, Unequivocally Re-Spend the Money They Saved on Cody Bellinger 
Matthew Trueblood
December 18 

About one year later, the Cubs got out from under the contract they ended up giving to Bellinger in what amounted to a salary dump with the Yankees. A large section of the fanbase was upset with the return (30-year-old reliever Cody Poteet) in the trade, and thus Matt came to reassure them that the Cubs would certainly use the money they saved to continue upgrading the roster. That hasn't happened quite yet, but it will any day now... right?

#3: No, Michael Busch Can’t, Won’t, and Shouldn’t Move to Third Base - Or Second, Either 
Matthew Trueblood
December 15

Just before the team traded Bellinger, fans were trying to optimize the lineup in such a way that he, Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki, and Michael Busch could all coexist. Busch, who established himself as a quality defensive first baseman in 2024, clearly benefits the Cubs most when he plays at the cold corner, and Trueblood established as much in this piece. Of course, with Bellinger (and Matt Mervis) now gone, Busch has no immediate threats to his playing time.

#2: Cubs Pick Up a Bizarre Nick Madrigal-Miles Mastrobuoni-Patrick Wisdom Megazord in 2024 MLB Rule 5 Draft 
Matthew Trueblood
December 11

The Cubs aren't usually the most active team in the world when it comes to the Rule 5 Draft, but they did select Gage Workman from the Tigers this year. Matt broke down his fit with the roster, as well as the unholy combination of traits that turn him into something of an amalgam of all the utility players the Cubs have had in recent years. Hopefully, he'll have more success with the Cubs than they guys he'll be replacing.

#1: The Dansby Swanson Contract Looks Like Both a Mistake and an Error
Matthew Trueblood
May 28

And here we arrive, at the #1 spot on our list. The most popular article from 2024 was Matt's condemnation of the Dansby Swanson contract, which looked especially porous at the time of his writing. Swanson recovered afterwards to post a 4.0 WAR season, but he hasn't quite lived up the lofty expectations of a $177 million deal. 2025 will be a crucial year for the shortstop and team, as they're set to be favorites in the division for the first time since Swanson came aboard.

And that's it, folks! Thanks for joining us on this trip down memory lane? What was your favorite article from 2024? What topics do you want to see covered in 2025? Let us know!