Rice Cube

Image courtesy of © David Richard-Imagn Images As we await the return of Justin Steele and weather the losses of Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton to the injured list, I considered the grief of being a Cubs fan through this early part of 2026, and recalled the infamous "Five Stages of Grief" in trying to process my feelings. Known as the Kubler-Ross model for its original author, the five stages are well-known—but also widely criticized for oversimplifying the process of grief. Similarly, most Cubs fans criticizing Jed Hoyer for spackling together a bullpen are trivializing the complexities that go into a competent relief unit. But since we have our theme today, let's run through these stages of relief (which might be more concentrated on our feelings about losing Cade Horton for the year, but that's another story for another day). Denial This offseason, the Cubs spent a significant amount of money on some relievers with upside. They let Brad Keller go, but we were all fairly excited about the prospect of decent arms like Phil Maton or intriguing arms that could still have magic in them: Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, and Hunter Harvey. Along with the returning arms, this was supposed to be a superior relief corps, one that could be versatile and lock down games regularly. Instead, three of the aforementioned relievers have suffered extreme meltdowns leading to losses, and even Milner has coughed up a few runs, while striking out nobody to this point. The Cubs can't be that bad at scouting pitching, can they? Didn't they build a Pitch Lab or something? We can't be THAT cursed! Anger Why did the Cubs just scrape the barrel again or try to do their magic scouting, instead of just throwing all the money at guys like Devin Williams or Edwin Díaz? Never mind that they still have a perfectly capable Caleb Thielbar and a Daniel Palencia still going off the high of winning the World Baseball Classic with Team Venezuela, or that Colin Rea got yet another three-inning save. If only the Rickettses weren't always so cheap, and Hoyer would actually just throw money at the most volatile personnel in all of sports! Bargaining Look, I know these guys are good and all, and maybe it's just the early season cold weather (it really does suck to play baseball in the Midwest in April, I should know, I used to coach high school baseball here in Chicago), but all I'm really asking is that they don't walk people and throw pitches that don't get pummeled over the wall at inopportune times. Is that really too much to ask? I'd even live with the walks, if they'd stop giving up the homers! Or be ok with the homers, if they stopped clogging the bases with walks first! Depression Even with an exciting debut in Riley Martin, knowing that most of these guys can't be optioned and aren't going to just be randomly released just yet is annoying—and even if they did cut bait with somebody, the Cubs can't trade for anybody interesting for a couple months anyway, so we're kind of screwed there. Acceptance Then again, we're less than 10% into the season, and this team is too good to not figure it out, and that includes the bullpen full of guys who have decent track records, coaches who have found ways to bring the most out of their pitchers, and competent catchers who can guide their battery mates through trouble. We can't get rid of these guys yet, anyway, so we might as well hope that they do figure it out. When they do, along with a resurgence in the offense and a typically elite defense, Cubs baseball will be fun to watch again. You'll see! View full article

Image courtesy of © Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images As of this writing, the Chicago Cubs have played 13 spring training games so far, including one exhibition against Team Italy in their tune up for the World Baseball Classic. We knew from the beginning of the year that Marquee Sports Network, whose main function is to show Cubs games and content, will not show most of the spring training games. That Tribune article is behind a paywall, so here's a Sports Illustrated proxy that tells us which 11 games we expect to see on Marquee itself, whereas the rest you might have to hunt down an opponent's feed with a VPN because of the Chicago-area blackout. What's even more galling is that of the broadcasts those of us who even have Marquee have seen, at least two of them have been just carrying the opposing team's feed. I suppose there are contract details we aren't privy to for on-air talent such as Boog Sciambi, Elise Menaker, and Taylor MacGregor. Plus, it isn't like the Cubs and Marquee are the only ones not showing every single spring game, as there have been a handful where neither team has a feed and we're just left to the literal devices of fans in attendance, or the social media intern if the team(s) could even bother to bring them along. For the remainder of the Cactus League slate before we get back to Wrigley for Opening Day, we can expect only six more Marquee broadcasts, and I just ran through the schedule and I see the following: Friday, March 6 - @ Padres, via SDPA, MLB Network, and free game broadcast on MLB.tv Sunday, March 8 - vs Giants at Sloan, OMG it's actually on Marquee and also MLB Network Friday, March 13 - @ White Sox, via CHSN Sunday, March 15 - vs Dodgers at Sloan, via SNLA and Marquee Monday, March 16 - @ Guardians, via CLEG (I assume that's Cleveland's network) Friday, March 20 - split squad @ Athletics, via Marquee and NBC Sports CA (they're not showing the split squad game at Sloan, which is frustrating) Saturday, March 21 - @ Mariners, via Marquee and the Mariners network Sunday, March 22 - vs Brewers at Sloan, via Brewers, Marquee, and ESPN+ At least the first exhibition against the Yankees on Monday, March 23, will be broadcast on the radio, but then we get nothing until Opening Day. Noting that most of the remaining Marquee broadcasts are actually away games, I'd expect Marquee to be paying the rental fee just to carry the other team's broadcast. The fact that the Cubs chose not to also pay for the three opponent broadcasts (bolded above) as well suggests some behind-the-scenes drama, which was alluded to by Crane Kenney's comments in the Tribune article. If you checke on the Dodgers broadcast schedule, you'll note that every game is on their channel, and though other big market clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox have scaled back their broadcast dates, they still seem to be showing way more than the Cubs are, and the Yankees even have a streaming app for most of the games that aren't on YES. There are, again, most likely contract stipulations for any "extra" work done outside the regular season, but the Yankees streaming app (known as Gotham Sports App, which combines content from YES and MSG) shows at least one alternative that Marquee could employ, especially since they have their own direct streaming app now (which ironically shows a splash screen of spring training content, and I'm just like, "what content?"). It also isn't like the Cubs situation is unique with a team-owned network, as Atlanta and Detroit have both announced new launches of multimedia platforms beginning this season. With the Cubs, at least Marquee is established. Now, they just have to use it properly to bring us the content we fans demand and deserve. Whether it's just paying a fee to use their opponent's feed, or just putting a static camera that either is set up in the batter's eye and focuses on home plate, or is set up from the press box and shows you the entire field, some content is better than no content. We can even see that the Cubs have such a camera set up as they were able to show Dansby Swanson's home run against Team Italy at Sloan! If Marquee really is having issues (financial or otherwise), this needs to become a priority in whatever restructure takes place. One hopes that as the Cubs navigate the new era of cord-cutting and further establish their in-market app while figuring out carriage issues, they find the resources to make this happen so we don't complain about this same issue next spring, particularly when the Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire and we'll be locked out of spring training anyway. Among other things Cubs roster-wise and spring training, we also lamented the lack of coverage by Marquee on the latest Dreamcast episode. View full article

Image courtesy of © Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images 'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the 'Ville, We pondered how the Cubs' roster be filled Between trades, signings, and Japanese postings And last minute visits the Cubs might be hosting. Last month, the Mariners re-signed Josh Naylor, Jays got Cease and Rogers (Tyler, not Taylor). O's got Big Pete and made quite a few trades And even some signings by the Tampa Bay Rays! The Yankees gave one-year deals to some folks Because Hal Steinbrenner cried he was broke. White Sox Murakami, Royals trying again! Detroit got Kenley, and Kyle Finnegan! The Mets got Semien and traded away Nimmo, Atlanta signed relievers for another go. The Twins for some reason signed up Josh Bell... And the Marlins brought in old friend Chris Morel! Phillies re-signed Schwarber and brought in Brad Keller, Cards traded bulk to Boston on their way to the cellar. The NL West signed up pitching in spades... Even the Pirates made a bunch of cool trades! Which brings us to the Cubs, who've been mostly quiet... Though some bullpen signings occurred, can't deny it. Still plenty of room under the luxury tax, They definitely should spend, and those are the facts. Up at Gallagher Way, the lights shining bright As the front office worked far into the night Jed Hoyer and crew consider both old and new-ish Working on Christmas Eve? It's OK, 'cause Jed's Jewish. If they look into Japan, would they sign Imai? Or perhaps they'll add Okamoto to the fray? What of Framber, or even Zac Gallen? Or will they do trades (Gore? Joe Ryan?) No one knows what's up with Bo Bichette or Bregman As Scott Boras spews his dad jokes and bad puns The Cubs know they need more pitching and bats But they can't just pull a name out of a hat. Might not be Tucker, and probably not Belli, But hopefully someone who can hit dingers aplenty. Alex Bregman still seems to be the best play, Then maybe trade Matt Shaw for a new ace. The lineup is solid if they can replace Kyle's bat, The rotation needs at least one more stud, stat. The bullpen, as always, cost-effective but great? The bench needs a utility guy, then they'd be in good shape. Now Porter! Now Maton! Now Milner! Now Webb! On, Danny! On, Ben Brown! On Colin, and Caleb! Get Craig those out-getters, manage that contact, Maximize the funk and miss the fat of the bat.= With months to go until Cactus League play, The plan the Cubs laid out hasn't much changed. Get that star bat (most likely third base), Shore up the bullpen, and get that new ace. Jed has some decisions with CBA looming He might get taxed, but salaries are expiring. Here's to some sweet additions to this great core Postseason bound next season, and here's to much more! View full article

Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Here we are at the beginning of July, just after Independence Day. As you know, the MLB trade deadline is the evening of July 31, and other than an insane and surprising Rafael Devers trade (which probably wouldn't have involved the Cubs but is fun to think about), nothing really has happened beyond a few waiver claims and minor trades. I've spoken at length, including on our hobby podcast, about how even the Cubs' earliest trades would have happened around this time (i.e., the Jeff Samardzija trade right as fireworks were going off a decade ago), and conventional wisdom suggests that any trade now, a month before the deadline, would require a premium to be surrendered. But there is another reason that I think is more impactful to most of the teams in MLB right now not named the Colorado Rockies, and that is the standings. Just past the halfway mark and with a week to go until the All-Star break (not to mention Sunday's MLB Draft), aside from the bottom three or four teams in either league, most teams are within seven games of the final playoff spot. Even the beleaguered Braves, who have suffered plenty of injuries and poor performances for what should have been a contender this season, are within 8.5 games. They would have to leapfrog six teams to get into that final spot, but there are over 70 games remaining for everyone and a few weeks until they have to make the "buy or sell" decision. In the unusually mediocre American League, even though the Tigers and Astros have comfortable leads in their divisions and Toronto is taking advantage of a Yankees slump to move ahead, the Wild Card spots are there for the taking, so we are likely stuck in a waiting game until the days before the deadline, particularly with many organizations focusing their resources on the draft in the meantime. Another consideration is the direction of a few clubs who would clearly be selling in the pre-expanded postseason era. Other than the Rockies, who should probably fire everyone (including their owner) and start over, most of the other teams have potential in the near future and might not want to do a full tear down, which limits the types of trades that could be available unless an aggressive team (maybe the Cubs?) pulls the trigger on a massive overpay. The general feeling I have in the modern baseball atmosphere is that trades where only one team clearly "wins" are no more. For the most part, you see both teams get exactly what they want for their overall vision going forward, similar to the recent Michael Busch or Kyle Tucker trades the Cubs were involved in. Certainly, unlike the amusing Twitter GM trades, you are unlikely to see a "steal" trade where one side offers their scraps and unwanted players for another team's superstar(s), because force trade is not enabled in the real world, barring a particularly gullible ownership group. The Orioles might well elect not to jeopardize a young, controlled core with that much potential to either add or subtract right now, despite being barely ahead of the bottom of the barrel. Ditto a team like the Washington Nationals, who have shown some spark but are battling through their own growing pains right now. I surmise that things could change rapidly in the games surrounding the All-Star break, as we see which teams give off indicators one way or the other, and then we can start dreaming on plucking some talent away from the Royals or the Twins, or grab the best available power bat from the Diamondbacks. Until then, it is no surprise that we are in an extreme holding pattern, and teams at the top will just have to keep grinding while awaiting their opportunity to strike. View full article

Image courtesy of © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images It's been an age since I've been able to write for the website with all the life issues and work-related busy stuff I've had to deal with. Still, of course, I was listening to Cubs games and watching when I could, very pleased that they're continuing to do well despite a .500 June "swoon" of sorts. The other day, Shota Imanaga gave up a few solo home runs (including some basket shots), and had a pretty funny bit in his postgame interview (about 25 minutes into this video, if it doesn't jump to it): The interview also had a bit about his t-shirts, where he's apparently found a fun clothing line that highlights some of the great bands of yore, yet he knows not the songs. But the particular line about the basket being heaven or hell definitely channels "Hotel California," so please enjoy this attempt at parody inspired by Imanaga and sung through his eyes while he watches pop-ups decide where they want to go, depending on the wind... On the mound here at Wrigley, cool wind in my hair Warming up to my catcher next to a pantsless bear Up above on the scoreboard, the flags blow out to right Then the wind changed and the flags went limp, it was that kind of night First batter steps to the plate, pops it up toward the well And I was thinking to myself, "This could be heaven or this could be hell" Then I looked at the fielder, he was following the wall The fans and players held their breath, where would this ball fall? Welcome to the Wrigley Field experience Where will the wind blow (where will the wind blow?) Heck, nobody knows Pitchers are scared of the Wrigley Field experience Will it be an out (will it be an out) Or will it fly on out? This one bounced off the basket, dropped in for a hit Going to have to buckle down here for the inning to end Keep the ball in the ballyard, come to a set The pitch is delivered, bat and ball met And here's another pop-up, fielder runs on a line The wind continues to blow, but launch angle's 69 The basket right now looks so far away Baseball sails in the middle of the sky, will Happ have a play? Welcome to the Wrigley Field experience Where will the wind blow (where will the wind blow?) Heck, nobody knows Popping it up at the Wrigley Field experience Each play a surprise (Each play a surprise) Out or RBIs? This one's short of the basket, just a sacrifice fly Next time perhaps hit it on the ground, instead of in the sky And the flags on the scoreboard, now they fly west to east The righty batter pokes it opposite field; will this pain never cease? Last thing I remember, the crowd rose to a roar That can't get out, can it? Launch angle's forty-four! Relax, said the fielder, as he raced back to receive But with the wind blowing into the night, will the baseball leave? View full article

The (rest of the) season starts on Thursday, and the Cubs need to take care of everything in their control to minimize the silly randomness that is baseball and life. Image courtesy of © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images As I watched the final Cubs spring training exhibition of 2025—with very little stress and plenty of fun moments—I pondered the philosophies behind being a baseball fan in the first place. Against the backdrop of the NCAA basketball tournaments and its single-elimination chaos, the inherent randomness of individual baseball games (even stretches of games!) is an appropriate analogy. Sometimes, the better team just won't pull out the victory. Looking back at the spring preparations, the Cactus League games, and the contests in Japan, there were plenty of positives to be excited for, along with issues that could be cleaned up. I really liked the title Thomas Domol chose for his recent article, stating that only the Cubs can keep the Cubs out of the postseason. While that is true to a large extent, there is a reason why the mantra goes "You Can't Predict Baseball". There's no telling which amazing and stupid things can happen on a baseball field on any given play. I recalled some sayings, which I will paraphrase, about what you can control. First, consider the wisdom of the Buddhists, who believe that suffering stems from a focus beyond one's self, and therefore, beyond one's circle of control. Then, remember Viktor Frankl. "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing," Frankl famously said, "the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." In other words: what is within your control is your reaction to external circumstances, rather than the circumstances themselves. Going back to Japan, we saw a few strike calls and (even a home run call) not go the Cubs' way. Even in this final exhibition game against Atlanta, the sun prevented what should have been an easy flyout and Ben Brown got tagged for a two-run shot, instead of just a solo home run. In Japan, Justin Steele could have shaken off the bad call by the umpire to get the out on the next pitch, but instead, he served up a home run to increase the Cubs' deficit. In Mesa, Brown gave up the bomb, but still had a fantastic final tune-up before he goes into the season as the fifth starter. This isn't a perfect metaphor, but what I expect will happen is that, while the Cubs won't always be able to make the perfect pitch or play to get themselves out of a jam, they will not sulk about a bad play or pitch. If they're as mature and well-managed as they advertise themselves to be, they'll just move on to the next pitch to give themselves a chance to win. Despite the poor results in the standings in Japan, the Cubs did put themselves in many positions to score and mount a comeback, which is something I hope happens consistently throughout the season. That is just on the field, though! In the grand scheme of things, I've seen plenty of complaints that the Cubs only got Kyle Tucker for this one season; that Cam Smith is already making the Astros roster; and that the Rickettses are cheap, among many of the other usual Cubs fan tropes. As fans, we simply cannot control how Cubs ownership spends, or how the front office conducts transactions. What we do know is that Tucker is a Cub for 2025—part of a team that is projected to win the division—and that is something we can build on to promote a positive attitude. So I say we forget those two losses in Japan. They happened, they count, and there's nothing anyone can do about it now. We forget about any Tucker or Pete Crow-Armstrong extension talk, because they are already on the team for 2025. The singular focus is how many wins they can rack up between now and October, so if they take care of business and stay healthy and prepared, this can be a magical season that we will look back on fondly. What I have heard from the sound bites and postgames suggests that the players and coaching staff have the right attitudes to succeed. Now, they just have to prove their mettle on the field. In conclusion, may the Cubs players remember to stretch and condition well between games, with plenty of video study and the appropriate drills. May the training and medical staff keep our favorite (and most productive) players on the field as long as possible. And here's to positive vibes at and outside of Wrigley Field, as the Cubs work their way back to the postseason and beyond. I did have to talk my friend off the ledge a bit in the latest Dreamcast, if you wish to take a listen below. Now we just wait for actual baseball to begin anew, with our spirits high, knowing that chaos lurks. Here's to a great 2025! View full article

There have been complaints about MLB international series being too disruptive or unusual, in a way that affects play in games that matter. What solutions can we come up with to reduce these objections? Image courtesy of © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images The Tokyo Series is in the books, with the Cubs doing their best to be competitive but ultimately unable to overcome the reigning World Series champions—who appeared to be favored by the crowd in Japan, despite these technically being Cubs home games. It's still only two games, with 160 remaining once they're back in the U.S., but I do like that everyone seemed to have a great time, Matt Shaw got his first taste of being a major-leaguer, and nobody got maimed in the field. In my travels around the Cubs blogosphere, it seems that the common complaints are that: The games are on at a time that is not very conducive to our sleep and work or school schedules; These games are "fake" because they require faster preparation due to the scheduling, which makes it more difficult to get as ready as you might for a more "regular" Opening Day in multiple ways: hitters not having their timing completely tuned in, pitchers not being completely stretched out, and so on. To the first point, I would say that these games aren't for us Americans (or Canadians, or other North/South Americans), but for the local fans who are being directly served by seeing Major League Baseball in their backyards. I would say that the games aren't "fake" because they would be managed differently than later in the season, since (in many instances) managers in today's game would want to slow-roll their pitchers, anyway—to start the season slowly and pace them so they can survive the marathon of 162 games. That said, it is true that the week of travel, exhibitions, and actual games before returning to readjust to U.S. time zones and trying to maintain the state of readiness while awaiting the "true" Opening Day is objectively disruptive, and perhaps something can be done to level the playing field. We already discussed the importance of routine for baseball players, and if we assume that MLB can find economically viable locales, then perhaps there are solutions we can consider to level the playing field so it's not just two teams getting their bodies pressed through the wringer for a global exhibition series, whether or not the games matter in the standings. Everyone Takes a Field Trip Taking into account that the Cubs have lost two home games (although they'll be repaid the lost revenue from those contests) and that they and the Dodgers are going to be the only two teams to get disrupted this season, it does seem a tad unfair that the rest of the league doesn't have to deal with this quirk in the schedule. So the primary proposal here is that all 30 teams (or 32, when they finally expand in a decade or so) participate in MLB Global. I think the 162-game schedule can accommodate every pairing to do a home-and-home series in a non-US/Canada locale, such that each team only loses one home date, and they can plug the remainder of their annual matchups into the rest of the schedule. I guess if they prefer to do all games in a series as the primary home team, you can do a couple of two-game series throughout the year, which leads us to... When Can We Fit It In? Because we aren't doing phrasing anymore, the other challenge is making sure the travel and adjustment periods are built into the schedule—which is also disruptive to club revenue streams, in a way, since you basically have to shut down play for a few days surrounding the global series. Since we already established above that everyone shuts down at the same time, that isn't really a consideration. You just have to find a way to not start the season too early or end it too late, when more extreme fall/winter weather would affect play and player comfort. A Modest Proposal Since everyone thinks spring training goes on a bit too long anyway, it makes some sense to keep the global series at its regularly scheduled days in mid-March. If full squads have already reported by Valentine's Day, after most players have already been doing their offseason work for at least a month or so, that gives you a full month to prepare rosters for that first group of 31 players (as the Dodgers and Cubs did this year_ and then another week to trim down to the final group of 26. It's like September call-ups, but in March. I think that might be agreeable, although Arizona- and Florida-based businesses would have to prepare differently to try to max out their intake from the new schedule. So I'd keep a two-game series at this same spot in the year. The final two-game series would need to fit elsewhere in the schedule that does not impact preparations for postseason-bound teams. For that, I have a set of ideas that could affect the All-Star Game... Track One: Global Series 2 Adjacent to the All-Star Break In this proposal, the clubs take approximately 10-14 days off, and the All-Star Game happens just after the globetrotting and games. Unlike in the spring, teams can't play a set of exhibitions against teams in the host countries, but they should be able to accommodate the day of travel, some adjustment time, the two games, and then travel home. The idea behind this is that the players would then slide into the traditional All-Star break, where they hold the Home Run Derby just a day later, then the All-Star Game itself after that, when everyone's had a chance to readjust to being back in the States. There are usually two or three days after that to further recover before the regular season resumes. Track Two: All-Star Game Becomes Like the Pro Bowl In this case, the midsummer All-Star Break is ceded to MLB Global, where you get the same time off (with maybe one or two adjustment days to buffer it) but now the All-Star Game is at the end of the season. Based on what I understand of the Pro Bowl in the NFL, they schedule the game in the bye week between the conference championships and the Super Bowl, and only players who aren't playing in the Super Bowl are playing their version of the All-Star Game. In this scenario, MLB would have to adjust the earlier playoff rounds, up to the League Championship Series, a bit earlier to accommodate this new All-Star break, which you assume would also have the Home Run Derby, Futures Game, and so forth. Fans can vote for full-season All-Stars at the end of the regular season, giving the league at least two weeks to tabulate all the votes before assigning All-Stars and alternates. The new All-Star break also gives a buffer of at least three or four days for the two World Series participants to rest and reset their rotations. I feel like this could work. Besides, tons of players already beg out of participating in the All-Star Game, can't play because they pitched on Sunday, and so on, so I don't think this will matter too much in the long run. If spring training technically ends early anyway (no matter where they're sticking the All-Star break), the season can start earlier, they can figure out how to start as many series as possible in domes to reduce rainouts, and start the postseason early enough to make sure the World Series doesn't leak into Thanksgiving. I have other thoughts about adjusting the postseason, but I'll save that for another day. I recognize that there are multiple hurdles to making any of this happen, but I also think my proposal is way more practical than eating the young. As the modern world becomes more connected, this is the logical next step in globalizing the MLB brand. Since we have a few days to kill until the Cubs resume Cactus League play, I'd love to hear your thoughts. View full article

I was reminded from a side conversation that baseballs are a mostly manual manufacturing process. There is some automation in the making of the pill in the middle, and the twirling of the layers of string and yarn and stuff, but the 108 stitches are done by hand and it looks tedious. Anyway, just an excuse to share this very cathartic video.