Brock Beauchamp

Well, those two innings were uninspiring.

Back then, real men just powered themselves with True Grit™

My job is pretty awesome but after a long enough time, even the best job becomes "a job".

Thank you for starting this thread. I totally forgot baseball resumed today. I've been living in blissful ignorance of the world for the past 72 hours.

And as someone who works on baseball horsefeathers literally every day there are games, I have to say that closing my laptop for four days and reading a book has been a welcome change of pace.

Weird hill to die on but you do you.

Five steps forward, two steps back? Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports Let’s get right to it: This week, we witnessed the dream-like potential of what the Cubs could be. In the same seven-day span that led us into the All-Star Break, we witnessed that old habits die hard. I hate absolutes, but one stiflingly diabolical road trip was supposed to give the Cubs, its followers, and baseball fans a true answer on whether we must wait until next year. Here’s how it went down… This past Tuesday, the Cubs kicked off their final road trip of the first half as Brandon Hyde, the Cubs’ former first base coach, welcomed his former club to Camden Yards for a three-game set in the sweltering summer heat of Baltimore. The Cubbies’ greatest strength, starting pitching, was on display in Game 1 of the series, with the increasingly consistent Jameson Taillon toeing the rubber against Dean Kremer of the O’s. Taillon was in complete control from the start, going six strong innings in which he struck out seven, allowed one walk, and only two earned runs. The Cubs used the year's most impressive offensive performance to help the cause, scoring in all but two innings. Final Score: 9-2 Cubs Game two of the series pits All-Starr versus All-Star with the Cubs’ charismatic ace, Shota Imanaga, going head-to-head with a familiar foe in Corbin Burnes. On this day, Shota Imanaga’s Cubs got the best of Burnes’ Orioles. After a scoreless first inning, the Cubbies jumped out in front in the top of the second on the strength of a solo homer from Christopher Morel and an RBI single from the surging Nico Hoerner. They’d add two more later in the game, one in the fifth and one in the ninth, as the Cubs prevailed in the hotly anticipated battle of the aces, taking the game and the series. Final Score: 4-0 Cubs With a chance to sweep one of the best teams in the American League, the Cubs handed the ball to former All-Star Justin Steele, opposite Baltimore’s veteran righty Albert Suarez. Steele is quietly becoming the most clutch pitcher in the game and spun the most shimmering gem Cubs’ fans could ask for at the most critical juncture of the squad’s season thus far. The offense, powered by Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch, gave their starter plenty of run support throughout, but Steele stole the show. As part of a stretch that’s made him one of the most clutch pitchers in the game, Steele hurled seven innings of 3-hit baseball. The recently impressive bullpen shut things down late, giving the Cubs the series sweep. Final score: 8-0 Cubs Riding the wave of a head-turning performance in Baltimore, which saw the Cubs’ deliver efficiently their best baseball of the season, it was off to Saint Louis for a four-game tilt. Kyle Hendricks has been one of the team’s biggest question marks throughout the 2024 season; injuries to Jordan Wicks and Ben Brown thrust him out of the bullpen and back into the starter’s role. In an unexpected twist, Hendricks delighted his teammates and Cubs fans with a six-shutout inning performance. Calls for Cubs to DFA Hendricks have been deafening, and for good reason, but his resolve in this game was inspiring. It drew sighs of relief from a weary fanbase and pushed the Cubbies’ win streak to five, matching a season high. Final score: 5-1 Cubs As hopes began to rise on the North Side of Chicago, the Cubs were dealt a sobering reality check. In Game One of a day-night doubleheader, Hayden Wesneski proved why not only is he a liability as a starting pitcher, he’s probably not much of a starter at all. Sputtering through four innings, the right-hander was hit around more than a tether ball. In allowing nine runs in the Cardinals’ half of the first inning, Wesneski almost single-handedly extinguished the Cubs’ change of fortune manifested in the previous five contests. The Cardinals feasted on virtually every pitch thrown across the plate, racking up thirteen hits in total laughter. Final Score: 11-3 Cardinals The Cubs found little reprieve in game two of the doubleheader. Marking Javier Assad’s long-awaited return from the injured list, the Cubs haunted its whole organization with a one-run collapse of a loss in a winnable game. The Cubs answered a sloppy first inning with four runs in the second, including a two-run blast from catcher Miguel Amaya. The Cubs took the lead into the bottom of the eighth inning, where a banged-up though often maligned bullpen proved why it’s often maligned in giving up easy hits and allowing for Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado to deliver vital and decisive blows to the Cubs and their chances of winning this crucial series. Final Score: 5-4 Cardinals. Book-ending a steady, if not a satisfying, week of work, Jameson Taillon was tasked with washing out the foul taste left by the Cards’ doubleheader sweep from the day prior. Though he wasn’t breathtaking, Taillon was resilient, allowing his team to slam their way to a series split. From sources both familiar and unlikely, the Cubbies tallied six home runs: one from Ian Happ, one from Tomas Nido, and then two bombs from both Christopher Morel and Pete Crow-Armstrong. With flashing the lumber AND the leather, Crow-Armstrong easily enjoyed his best game in a Cubs’ uniform. His defensive hustle in center field and a suddenly hot bat provided a softer landing to the series finale. Final score: 8-3 Cubs That’s a wrap on the season’s first half, and the Cubs’ eyebrow-raising 5-2 week puts them in the clubhouse with a 47-51 record. If you’re a genuinely eagle-eyed follower, that is about where the team was this time last year. With that in mind, and the rumors of Toronto Blue Jays’ catcher Danny Jansen being dealt to the Cubs growing by the day, it appears that Jed Hoyer seems set on sneaking the Cubs into that final Wild Card spot. Though numerous quality ball clubs are ahead of them, the Cubs are only 4.5 games back of the final Wild Card for the 2024 playoffs. This week, they proved, if nothing else, that the Chicago Cubs can hang with baseball’s finest and maybe do even more. View full article

It really depends on Jansen. If he's open to an extension and avoiding free agency, it makes a lot of sense. If not, then it really depends on what the Cubs do in the next few days.

It’s a very logical move to make.

As the Cubs still sit on the fence of buying or selling at the trade deadline, it appears they're exploring what players they might pursue if they decide to buy. Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, one of those targets is Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen. Should the Cubs decide to buy, this makes all the sense in the world. Jansen is a free agent at year's end, makes only $5 million this year, and is currently sporting a triple slash line of .223/.319/.397, good for a 103 OPS+. That's well above league average for the catching position. On the other hand, the Cubs have the worst catching corps in baseball and it's not close. They rank 30th in baseball with a -1.4 fWAR on the season, with their backstops hitting for an abysmal 39 wRC+. The two teams above them are the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins, truly company you do not want to keep in the year of 2024. View full rumor

Of course, please comment on blog posts!

Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported on the Philadelphia Phillies releasing outfielder Whit Merrifield after a terrible start to the season. This leaves the Phillies with a new hole (if you can call it that on the stacked Phillies roster) to patch by the trade deadline: right-handed outfielder. While it was previously reported the Phillies were looking exclusively for center field help, Gelb reported they are now open to corner outfielders and are not averse to taking on longer contracts, even if it means they increase their already franchise-record payroll. While Ian Happ is a switch hitter, it's unlikely he fits the Phillies needs, as he's much better against right-handed pitching than he is left-handed. The Cubs also have Seiya Suzuki rostered for the next few years; he is paid $21 million this season and is under contract for $19 million in 2025 and 2026. Suzuki's defense has been... questionable... but that hasn't prevented Philadelphia from acquiring players in the past. View full rumor

Welcome to NSBB!

Beat. The. Cardinals.

Honest question: what the hell is happening in this series?

Testing trying a new thing.

Dare I even say it? Can the Cubs _______ the Orioles?

The Cubs blew out the Orioles yesterday, I can comfortably say I did not see that coming. Well done. Should be a great pitching matchup tonight.

In his recent trade rumors roundup, Bob Nightengale briefly mentions the Cubs. According to Nightengale, the Cubs are telling potential suitors that they are undecided on whether they will sell at the deadline, which means the Cubs won't move on the market early. With several players under long-term deals, it might be difficult to be aggressive sellers at the deadline but should the Cubs decide to sell, Cody Bellinger and Jameson Taillon should be appealing to many contending teams. View full rumor