CandidCubs

Some great insights here, as the Brewers have at times felt like the Class of the central with the Pitching/defense. This might be the weakest offensive group they have had, but the bullpen is just as good. The Cubs being in this race is absolutely a success.

Thank you for reading! I had a lot of fun writing this one.

The Cubs are back in a postseason position as of this writing. What can we expect this week, though? Image courtesy of © David Banks-USA TODAY Sports Have you ever gone on a “Stay-cation?” This was my kiddos' last weekend before school, so we took some time to enjoy the city. I have spent most of my professional life in Chicago. I highly recommend seeing Science Storms and The Blue Paradox at the Museum of Science and Industry. If it isn’t abundantly clear, the Cubs are in the middle of a playoff push, with each game having importance as they sit behind the Brewers in the standings. Like Michael Scott, I am not superstitious, but a little stitious. I’m trying to jumpstart the universal juju and going for a format change. Buckle up, kids, this isn’t your Grandma’s three up, three down. Record 64-59 3 GB in NLC Holds 3rd Wild Card Spot by one game The Cubs were the lucky recipients of a two-off-day week. With a 3-2 record this week, the Cubs maintained their position behind the Brewers while grabbing that final Wild Card spot. The week has an inflection point of Christopher Morel’s dramatic 9th inning go-ahead home run to steal away a game from the White Sox. Without that win, this week would have felt a bit like a missed opportunity, given the records of their opponents. Weekly Positive Starting pitching stabilized a bit as that continues to be a concern. This week, the Cubs were the beneficiaries of quality starts from Jameson Taillon, Javier Assad, Justin Steele, and Kyle Hendricks. Marcus Stroman was supposed to return for his start on Wednesday but is struggling with a Rib cartilage issue. Javier Assad has filled in amicably, delivering 2 QS in his place. The question will be how the Cubs cover these innings as the season ticks on. David Ross has tapped Drew Smyly to return to the rotation. As a staff, the Cubs are 19th in baseball at a 4.98 ERA since August 1st. Milwaukee, by comparison, is 3rd. Week Ahead Cubs at Tigers Game 1 - Assad vs Faedo, 5:40 PM CT Game 2 - Smyly vs. Olson, 5:40 PM CT Game 3 - Taillon vs Skubal, 12:10 PM CT The Tigers are a solid club that is trying to turn a corner back into contention. They had an exciting system that saw the likes of Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, and many others get promoted and added to the squad in the last three years. Unfortunately, old friend and major signing Javier Baez has not been the piece they thought he would be. Ironically, his K-rate has dropped since moving to Detroit at the expense of any production: What to Watch Miguel Cabrera. “Miggy” is a sure first-ballot Hall-of-Famer that has done nothing but hit since his debut in 2003. On broadcasts, Boog Sciambi mentioned that he is excited to catch up with Cabrera, as he called his first career hit a walk-off home run. Also, if you are not listening to “The Compound” with Ian Happ, Zack Short, and Dakota Mekkes, you need to start. This podcast, produced by JomBoy Media, gives an extremely humanizing view of how players perceive events and how they manage the grind of 162. I will be rooting silently for ZS59, aka Short-tani. I say Parce, you say... Cubs at Pirates Game 1 - TBD vs Steele Game 2 - TBD vs Hendricks Game 3 - TBD vs Asad Game 4 - TBD vs Smyly What to Watch The Cubs are currently 6-0 vs. the Pirates this season, having a team OPS of .867 in those games. They are averaging eight runs per game in this match-up. I would look to see Cody Bellinger to have a big series with that tantalizing porch in right field that Kyle Schwarber has just not bothered hitting. Pittsburgh’s pitching has struggled, dropping them out of the Central race. They have a team ERA of 5.16 since the All-Star break. Playoff Chase Opponent Commentary The Brewers are annoying. There. I feel better. Their lineup doesn’t have anyone that jumps off the page as traditional baseball numbers go, but they win ball games. Their pedestrian offense is 14th in the sport with a .308 OBP and .427 OPS. Their defense is EXCELLENT. They are second in baseball with 48 DRS, with the Cubs 3rd with 33. I don’t generally believe managers can win ball games, but Brewers' manager Craig Counsell seldom makes wrong decisions. I think my frustration is an odd version of jealousy. The Brewers play the Twins and the Padres at home. This is significantly different competition than the Cubs will face. The Reds need pitching. BAD. As exciting as their young core of position players are, they cannot afford to have an off night at the plate. Hunter Green returned yesterday to give up five home runs. I suspect he had some rust to get off, and that ballpark/weather doesn’t help much. The NL Wild Card is closer than I recalled. There are six teams within 3.5 games for the three slots. Given the nature of the opponents, I would like to see the Cubs have a strong week. However, I have some concerns about the length the rotation will be able to give, with two starts for Smyly and Assad this week. The offense has continued to carry the team this week. Their 2-13 with RISP vs. the White Sox almost ended that series in disaster, but the grinding at-bats made a comeback with a 7-16 set this weekend. What do you think the Cubs' record will be this week? View full article

Never turn off a baseball game. Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports That is one of the toughest rules for me to follow as a Dad of two rambunctious 4 and 6-year-olds. However, my undying love for this team and this sport draws me back. At times, I have been rewarded. July 31st, 2016. Travis Wood. Jon Lester. A magical win in a magical season. At times, I have increased the pain of a loss—1/162nd of my season's potential pain extended by the ever-longing hope of something amazing. Last night I was rewarded. I was frustrated. The White Sox have underachieved all season, with the starting pitching being dismantled at the deadline. This is the dangerous “easy” section of a schedule, where opponents' losses increase the expectations of dominance. Javier Assad did his job with a quality start but seemed to have no support from the bats. I turned the game off on my TV in the 7th and walked to bed. These little hissy fits of frustration usually last a commercial break. I got to my bed and barraged my wife with a lament of underachievement that I had let ruin my night. She patiently listened as my Cubs therapist. I had made peace and popped the game back on my phone in time for the top of the 8th. Bases loaded. Michael Fulmer. What a horrible situation to inherit! Nails. Three strikeouts in a performance that cements him into the circle of trust. I check the lineup eagerly and lose a bit of the adrenaline seeing Tucker Barnhart leading off. False. Pinch Hitter. Nick Madrigal vs Aaron Bummer. Ground ball hitter versus ground ball pitcher. Wonderful. BASKET. BALL. An 0-2 pitch with a swing more appropriate for Olympia Fields this weekend leaves the yard. A home run in 13 other ballparks is still a home run. That’s when the internal bartering and matchup game starts: a constant game of pleading with your psyche on who needs to do what, etc. This is a torturous game of “What If” Cubbie blue bloods are very good at. After a clean ninth from recently re-inserted to the rotation Drew Smyly, hope grew in my heart. Bellinger. Swanson. Morel. My heart begins to race. I feel like Zach Galifinakas playing blackjack in “The Hangover,” meticulously running scenario and scenario to find a way to win. Santos cut through the order, looking dominant in his 3rd organization audition. 100 mph sinkers and darting sliders. This felt like a Herculean task. Belli double. Swanson walk. Christopher Morel, 3 for his last 36, swung at the first two pitches he saw. I dejectedly concluded during his batter time out that it wasn’t going to matter where the next pitch was, as his scuffles would push him to swing. So many fake rallies tonight. So much frustration. I pontificated on how long this loss would sting. Crack. Capturing the innocence and exuberance of my joy, Morel rounds the bases like a little leaguer who has never excelled at this level. “God is good. Cubbies win!” Well said, Chris. Never turn off a game. View full article

Cade Horton This is a controversial pick with moving PCA out of the top spot. HOWEVER, he has 94 strikeouts in 69 innings and has made it look easy. His plus fastball and breaking stuff feel Major League Bullpen ready today. The Cubs clearly believe in his potential, as he has sky-rocketed to Double A. These advance college picks felt aggressive by the organization, but really fit into the apparent current window. This is also the first pick in the draft of the "Carter Hawkins Era." Pete Crow-Armstrong Highlight catches. Game-changing speed. Solid bat. I want him to get a cup of coffee in September to see how the bat plays vs MLB pitching, specifically lefties. He is a ML Gold Glove defender now. I am worried about swing and miss. Matt ShawKevin AlcantaraJordan WicksBen BrownOwen CaissieMiguel AmayaJackson FerrisMoises BallesterosMatt Mervis I am not low on Matt Mervis. I, however, do not want to go into 2024 with him in the reins. Makes a Bellinger/Alonso pursuit interesting. James TriantosDaniel PalenciaAlexander CanarioJefferson RojasCristian HernandezBrennan DavisJosh RiveraJaxon WigginsWill Sanders

Thanks for reading! I think it is natural to get annoyed by losses to the Mets. 1969 still bugs me and I wasn't even born yet.

As the Cubs start a new week, games are becoming more important. Who is stepping up? Who's struggling? We've got some good. We've got some bad. We take them both and there we have 3 up... 3 down. Image courtesy of David Banks-USA TODAY Sports Has anyone ever told you that you are their “Cub” person? More broadly defined, have you been told you are the person people come to to talk about the Cubs? Most of my life, I have faithfully served as many offices’ “Cub Guy,” fielding questions and anecdotes during the good times and the bad. Since 2016, I have felt I can take on the role as “Cub Therapist;” repeatedly diagnosing issues for folks about flawed teams, front office strategies, or non-extension decisions. Generally, I LOVE being that guy. I have realized being that guy can be challenging at times when they lose, but engaging when the Cubs are good. It is in the good moments, you get to experience the many versions of Cub fandom that I have lost touch with years ago as I exchanged any notion of the ability to be a fair-weather sports fan with six quarts of Cubbie-blue blood. I find in these moments, my fandom is rejuvenated, as sharing my passion is how I feel alive. You’re Still here? Unlike Ferris Bueller, I am asking you not to go home just yet. Let’s have our first “Playoff Edition.” Record: 61-57 3.5 GB in the Central 1 GB in the Wild Card A weekly record of 3-3 feels disappointing, but completely acceptable for a road stretch. I think people would feel better about this week if the “2 out of 3’ series was vs the Met’s, as it is more reasonable to have lost games to another Playoff team on the road. It is important to point out this past week’s off-day on Thursday was the team’s first in 16 days. In that longer snap shot, the Cubs are 13-6 dating back to July 25th. The Week Ahead 2 games vs White Sox Touki Touissant vs Kyle Hendricks, 7:05 pm CT Mike Clevinger vs “Probable”, 7:05 pm CT 3 games vs Royals Assad vs TBD, 1:20 pm CT Steele vs TBD, 1:20 pm CT Taillon vs TBD, 1:20 pm CT Cub’s Playoff Friend’s Schedules: Brewers: 3 at Dodgers, 3 at Rangers Reds: 2 vs Guardians, 3 vs Blue Jays Marlins: 3 vs Astros, 3 at Dodgers It is hard not to look at this week and see a very solid opportunity. The Cubs still control their Central destiny with four games left with the Reds, and six games left with the Brewers. However, the Cubs have particularly light opponents this week compared to their foes. In addition, these games are at home. So who is helping us out and who is in need of a better week? 3 Up 1) Javier Assad Cubs starting pitching has carried this team a chunk of this season, recording 30 Quality Starts from Marcus Stroman and Justin Steele, combined. With Drew Smyly getting pushed to the pen, I have been looking to see Caleb Kilian, Hayden Wesneski, and Assad get the opportunities to bridge to Ross’ “Circle of Trust” guys. I watched a guy on Apple TV take the ball and make a compelling case to stick in the rotation. Look at this final line: Assad going seven innings on Friday put the Cubs in great position for the rest of the weekend. The bullpen has been leaned on in heavily the last few weeks. His metrics do not leap off the page, beyond his ability to limit hard contact. His Cutter usage was at 24%, which puts him in line with his 2023 pitching profile: That pitch in particular, paired with his slider, has been extremely valuable, almost as valuable as 2) Cody Bellinger I will stop putting Cody Bellinger on my list when he stops being so ridiculous. After winning NL Player of the Month honors in July, along with the Lighting Card in MLB the Show 23, he has shown no sign of slowing down in August. If it wasn’t for a brief IL stint, and ludicrous numbers from Ronald Acuna, we could very well be talking about MVP honors. Instead, we will likely settle for NL Comeback Player of the Year. In August, he is hitting .422 with a 1.158 OPS, three home runs, 13 RBI, and five stolen bases. He is as electric as it comes. Well, except for: 3) Adbert Alzolay as the Closer. I feel a lot of Cub fans would admit they have been pulling for Adbert Alzolay since his debut in 2019. There was a lot of pressure for him to stick in the rotation given the Cubs history of not developing rotation arms. Health and pitch mix just did not help his case. After shifting to the pen in 2022, I wondered what he could be. In this closing roll, he has blossomed. He plays with so much passion and has the composure thus far to keep this role. How is he doing it? Pairing a fastball with 13.5 inches of drop and a slider with 1.9 inches of horizontal shift. 3 Down Alright, we have to do this side too, I suppose. 1) Cubs Rotation In August, the Cubs have two quality starts. That is just not going to get it done. The offense has come to play and won the Cubs a lot of games. The team needs to find a way to shore up its starting rotation. There has been some good five-plus inning performances mixed in there as well. If the Cubs are going to compete in October, they need Steele, Taillon, Stroman, and Hendricks to be at their best. I believe in this group, just like I believe in 2) Dansby Swanson It hurts to my very core to have Swanson on this list, but it was hard to ignore his tough week. After an emotional series against the Braves at Wrigley, Dansby struggled for a majority of the road trip. In fact, in the month of August, he has hit .205 with just nine hits. The good news is, five of those were some pretty timely home runs. When he isn’t hitting, he is very busy leading the league in DRS at shortstop. At least he is not... 3) Drew Smyly I do not want to kick a guy while he is down. Smyly gave the Cubs great starts when they were not getting them from Taillon. It is, in fact, quite lucky for the Cubs to have Smyly look even close to the guy he was given the shoulder concerns. However, it was time to have him removed from the starting role. Tommy Hottovy and company will hopefully get him right in the bullpen to help this team down the stretch. Who were your 3 Up and 3 Down this week? Are you excited for the conclusion of the Crosstown Series (HOIST THE CUP…)? Until next week, Go Cubs, Go! View full article

Since the trades of 2021, I wondered what it would feel like to play meaningful baseball games again in August/September. Even further, I had wondered if the feeling would come back. What is the feeling? Image courtesy of © David Banks-USA TODAY Sports If you are reading this blog, before 2016, magic was tied to every playoff run, as they were as rare as gemstones. Each moment magnified while sitting on the edge of our seats. 2016 replaced scapegoats and real goats with rain delays and parades. I took the years after for granted, as they felt expected, not special. It wasn’t until they were taken away again that I began to yearn for the feeling again. The feeling is back. Obsessive scoreboard watching. Stress during games. Inappropriate elation when my kids are sleeping. It has all returned, and it feels good. Here is where we stand with 50 games to go. Record 58-54 1.5 GB in the NLC CURRENTLY HOLDING THE FINAL WILD-CARD SPOT The Cubs went 5-2 this week on their home stand vs the Reds and the Braves. Given the strength of schedule this week, I had hoped to tread water minimally, but they exceeded my expectations. The Week Ahead Three games at the Mets Drew Smyly vs. Kodai Senga; 6:10 CT Jameson Taillon vs Carlos Carrasco; 6:10 CT Kyle Hendricks vs. David Peterson; 6:10 CT Three games at the Blue Jays TBD vs. Bassit at 6:07 CT Justin Steele vs. Ryu at 2:07 CT Drew Smyly vs Kikuchi at 12:37 CT This week isn’t nearly as hard as it was thought at the beginning of the season. Due to some underperforming, the Mets were stripped down a bit at the deadline, making their rotation a little less formidable. In addition, the Cubs are dodging Kevin Gausman and Alex Manoah in Toronto. After this six-game road trip, the Cubs come back home to a light set. 3 Up The Offense If you like baseball offense, this was the week for you! Heading into the series with the Reds, I was curious how things would turn out. The Reds play with a youthful energy that matches their roster. They are fast and filled with budding stars. Their Achille’s heel has been pitching. The Cubs exploited this staff after Monday to the tune of 41 runs in 3 games. On Tuesday/Wednesday, the 36 runs scored were the most ever in a two-game span since 1897. The TEAM hit .302 for the week with .375 OBP, .595 SLG, .970 OPS, 23 2B, 16 HRs, and 54 RBI. The most impressive thing to me was in 242 ABs; they only grounded into four double plays. There were a lot of stars, but I enjoyed… Dansby Swanson I admit Swanson was low on my list based on the SS availability this offseason. However, this has been a home run signing. First of all, the defense. Swanson is tied for first with 13 OAA from shortstop. This week, Swanson hit .280 with a .357 OBP, .960 SLG, 5 HR, and 11 RBI. Also, his Twitter handle is absolute magic: LieutenantDans7. That is almost as good as the… Outfield defense Ian Happ earned his first Gold Glove in 2022 and seems determined to retain his throne. Per Sports Info Solutions, Happ and Seiya Suzuki led their respective positions in July for DRS. 3 Down Seiya Suzuki I loved this guy's bat. Suzuki has shown stretches since he signed. He can be a middle-of-the-order potential. However, in Suzuki’s last 30 games, he hits an abysmal .224 with only 19 hits. Since the team turned on David Ross’ playoff zone, Suzuki finds himself on the bench. If it weren’t for Marcus Stroman’s hip, Suzuki would find himself next to… Drew Smyly Another start, another stinker. The good news is he got 16 runs of support. The bad news was the three home runs and no cheapies. This leads us to my concern with Starting Pitching Depth I thought the Cubs would look at some LHP at the trade deadline, but I ended up being wrong. With Smyly spiraling and Stroman on the IL, the Cubs will need to find innings from their system. Given the bullpen usage on Saturday, Caleb Killian was called up for innings today. I expect the Cubs to use Hayden Wesneski, Caleb Killian, and Javier Assad to cover innings. Hopefully, BleacherNation is right about Killian’s new sinker usage leading to more success this time around. What were your highlights from the week? Go, Cubs, Go! View full article

We will give you three guesses to the question: Who was the Chicago Cubs Hitter of the Month in July? Think you can guess? July has been a fun month for the Chicago Cubs, with the heavy cloud of a will they/won’t they deadline more intriguing than Jim and Pam. Or Ross and Rachel for another Generation. Or Sam and Diane? Lucy and Dezi? You get the point. Among that noise emerged a team with 15-10 record and a return to .500. The pitching has been solid most of the year, the offense emerged to its expectations to align with the run prevention strategy intended for this group. In July, the Cubs collectively had a .791 OPS, putting them eighth in the majors for the month. This was carried very much by a third best .348 OBP, as slugging has not been a strong suit. So who carried the load. Number 1 is so obvious. The question left is if he is the NL Player of the Month. OK, there really wasn't any question. The bigger question here just might be who finished second and third and can share just a little of the credit for the Cubs turnaround too. Honorable Mention #2 - Yan Gomes .306/.350/.528 (.878) 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR 16 RBI Gomes has been a steady, veteran presence both behind the dish and at the plate. His season OBP and SLG would be his best since his 2021 Championship run with the Nationals. Per Baseball Savant, he has dominated fastballs and offspeed pitches, using count leverage and catching acumen to pick his spots and do damage. He has an impressive .313 batting average and .522 slugging percentage. The Cubs value his intangibles, and he has rewarded them with a career season with the bat. Honorable Mention #1 - Patrick Wisdom .194/.333/.613 (.946) 1 2B, 4 HR 8 RBI Be patient with my logic here. Old school stat-heads would look at that batting average and laugh me out of the room calling him the second-best hitter in July. After an absolutely putrid June, the Cubs used match-ups to right the ship on one of their best sluggers. Since the All-Star break, Wisdom has five strikeouts to six walks. Interestingly, he has struggled the most vs Fastballs, with Sinkers and Cutters providing most of his pop. I will expect the Cubs to use him in Sinker/Cutter featured starters. Hitter of the Month - Trey Mancini Just Kidding Hitter of the Month - Cody Bellinger .400/.432/.690 (1.122) 5 2B, 8 HR 24 RBI Bellinger’s back must hurt from carrying this team back into contention. The Cubs had an obvious need in center field this offseason and took a flyer on Bellinger returning to a partial version of the 2019 MVP. He might be fully back to form, and becoming a necessary part of the 2023 offseason plans for Jed Hoyer and this front office. Bellinger’s high contact rate and impressive 16% K-rate is slightly lower than his 2019 MVP season. In addition, his slug rate vs breaking and offspeed pitches have returned to his 2019 version. This version of Bellinger transforms this Cubs offense and changes the expectations for this year. Who would you put as your top hitters of July? View full article

It was a wild week for the Cubs. Let's dig into the three "up" and three "down" narratives of the week. Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports First of all, I don’t think there is a more obvious way to say that I am a dad than in my article titles. Shout out to the early 2000s for providing a beautiful Justin Timberlake-tied pun. I love when my love of Justin Timberlake can be married to my love of the Cubs in order to provide a chuckle. I have been a bit tired the last few days, as I have been having a hard time getting to sleep after all the Cubs winning. Based on how this week went, I knew there would be much pressure on my general Cub-joyment. Luckily for my psyche, the Cubs BROUGHT IT. I want to take one moment to acknowledge the pain there would have been if the Cardinals and the White Sox had solidified a decision to sell pieces at the deadline. *Deep Breath* Let’s see how things went this week: Record: 53-52 4 GB in the NLC 3,5 GB of the Wild Card 5-1 This Week Week Ahead Four vs Cincinnati: Abbott vs. Stroman Lively vs. Steele Williamson vs. Smyly Weaver vs. Taillon Three vs. Atlanta: TBD vs. Hendricks TBD vs. Stroman TBD vs. Steele This is a big week vs. playoff teams on your turf. You have to, at minimum, win the week. In the Reds series, the Cubs line up pretty well on the rotation side with Marcus Stroman, Justin Steele, Drew Smyly (maybe?), and Jameson Taillon. The Reds feature two young lefties which likely means more Trey Mancini and less Mike Tauchman. Hopefully, some reinforcements will come this week. 3 Up… Mike Tauchman: If you are a Cub fan who spends the majority of your time off the internet or under rocks, you might have missed this electrifying catch to save a win on Friday night. He had a rather pedestrian series vs. the White Sox but really stuck it to the Red Birds. He had a .538 average, 1 HR, and 3 RBIs. He has been steady at the top of the order with his .364 OBP, 113 WRC+, which is what… This is what Jameson Taillon was supposed to be when he signed his four yr, $68 million deal in December. Unfortunately, the start of his Cub career has not been stellar. I have seen the Cub Twitterverse (or X-verse, I am not sure what Elon wants from me this week) all over this front office for this move. However, we may be seeing some ROI. In July, Taillon is sporting a 2.67 ERA with three wins, 2 QS, 24 SO, and 8 BBs in 30.1 IP. His performance has shifted the Cubs back into… Buying. A lot of time in the last few weeks has been attached to this term, that has varying definitions. Adding at the fringes of an imperfect roster can be buying. Adding controllable talent while at the beginning of a competitive window can be buying. Not selling off assets on your roster on expiring deals can technically be buying. Regardless of how you define buying, the Cubs are now buyers, with interest reported in the likes of David Bednar, Aaron Bummer, and Brent Suter. I will happily take interesting baseball in August over… 3 Down… Selling. I am going full Michael Scott. My downs are my ups. I personally am happy he will be sticking around, but we have to talk about… Marcus Stroman and his last few starts. Stroman is unique and needs a combination of mechanics and charisma to manifest his best version. He is not a big strikeout guy, and his sinker need to be sankin’ to Dansby and Nico. Unfortunately, he has cooled off this July, sporting a 7.99 ERA with 1 Quality Starts in 5 starts. His walk rate has climbed with 13 free passes in 23 IP. I am not hitting the panic button yet, as he has 15 QS, which is third in baseball. A quality start is well-defined, unlike… Unwritten Rules. I really tried not to address this, but I am still laughing/confused about it. Miles Mikolas derailed a baseball game on Thursday this week by intentionally throwing at Ian Happ twice after Ian hit Willson Contreras in the head with his backswing. Contreras and Happ are known to be friends off the field. Happ even hugged Contreras as he was removed from the game to receive treatment to stop the bleeding. Unlike Chip Caray, I understood why Mikolas was ejected. What I am still trying to understand is why he threw at Happ in the first place. Look, I know the Cardinals have only had a losing record twice in the last 25 years (2007, 1999), but they do not get to enforce their own set of rules. Thank god the Cubs dugout thought this was hilarious, as they were focused on winning ball games. The trade deadline is my favorite week on baseball Twitter. I have every prominent national news member on alert, with all my favorite local guys in there for good measure. I would like to get an idea of what direction the Cub front office feels the franchise is heading with these moves. Are we on the cusp of the next “window?” Is Jed done building the farm and confident of the development process in place? I know I will be here waiting to find out. View full article

It has been an emotional roller coaster for the boys in blue this week (at least for me). Ultimately, there is that retained sliver of hope that the Cubs will not sell for the third straight year. I have been doing a lot of self-reflecting over the last week on whether the frustration I have felt towards the Cubs has been born out of my hopes or if there is a better team sleeping beneath the random noise and promises of Pythagorean W/L dreams. Image courtesy of © David Banks-USA TODAY Sports That is too existential for my taste, regardless of how great and reflective the Barbie Movie was. Let’s set the scene for the week heading into the trade deadline… Record 48-51 6.5 GB in the NLC 5.5 GB of the Wild Card (Honestly, I didn’t expect the Wild Card to be that close) 5-2 This Week, Three Game Winning Streak Week Ahead 2 Games at White Sox 4 Games at Cardinals Another week, more non–playoff teams. Given the history between the teams, I cannot call this an “easy” week. The Sox should have Michael Kopech and Lance Lynn in this set, with the Cubs countering with Kyle Hendricks and Marcus Stroman. Justin Steele likely gets game one in St. Louis. The real question is, who will start on Friday? Drew Smyly came in after the Michael Fulmer opener and didn’t bring much comfort to that strategy. Saturday will likely be Jameson Taillon, followed by Hendricks. I am all aboard a two-start week or The Professor. 3 Up Belli This feels too easy. Cody Bellinger has been on fire. In July, he is hitting .452 with 7 HRs. He had 13 hits this week alone, and an NL Player of the Week Award is likely. The Cubs have needed that “star” production in the middle of the lineup. If he wasn’t a Boras client, the calls for the in-season extension talks would be warranted. If he gets dealt, it better be a haul that can help out… The “Cubs Core” If the Cubs sneak into the playoffs this year, it will be on the performance of the core: Nico Hoerner, Seiya Suzuki, and Ian Happ. These are the three bats (beyond Dansby Swanson) that the Cubs have put a lot of time/resources/money into. Jed Hoyer has staked his job on their production as he promises the Ricketts a winner. Sahadev Sharma at The Athletic wrote an excellent piece discussing this point this week. As he joked on “On to Waveland” (The Athletic’s Cub Podcast), he hoped the piece would get them going. It worked. For now, these guys are returning and keeping meaningful games so I can continue to enjoy… Pat Hughes Pat is part of a Chicago area summer at Montrose Beach and beers in the bleachers. He is like a family member I have never met, sharing his gift with me and describing the game and team I love so much. From the Benjamin Moore Uniform descriptions to years of culinary anecdotes in the late ‘90s and early 2000s to pass the time as the team didn’t bring the excitement. If you are reading this blog, you are likely aware Pat Hughes was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by FINALLY winning the Frick Award. His section thanking Cub fans brought waterworks to my eyes. 3 Down Drew Smyly Cubs Twitter has not always taken kindly to my support for Michael Fulmer. That means that particular corner must realize what kind of place Smyly is in if Fulmer was his opener. Smyly has looked off since mid-Jun e. Smyly won his start at Pittsburgh on 6/19 but has sported a 7.96 ERA in his six starts. It may be time to think of some Iowa options. This leads me to First Base First base has been a black hole for the Cubs all season. Mervis was allowed (one he should get again soon) to take the job and didn’t run with it as many hoped. He clearly has AAA figured out. Bellinger is too valuable defensively to stick over there. This was a real failure of the Hoyer battle plan, which is around... Roster design David Ross is not to blame for lineups. I get frustrated with lineups and missing names, but this team has bench issues. Three catchers seem like a lot. This leaves very few options for extra hitters in crunch time. In addition, one could argue most, or none of these players could play 1st base. If the team tries to compete, using the roster better after some trades would help substantially. What were your highs and lows this week? Will they put themselves in a position to stand pat? View full article