Mitch Widmeier

Yet again, the biggest question mark on the Chicago Cubs is the bullpen. The Cubs acquired Drew Pomeranz and selected his contract. Pomeranz hasn’t pitched in the bigs since 2021. What can he bring to the bullpen? What do we make of the slow start from Dansby Swanson and the ascending Pete Crow-Armstrong? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View full article

How will the Cubs weather the loss of Justin Steele? Justin Steele’s season-ending injury will have quite the domino effect on the rotation. Who could the Cubs target as a trade option? Pete Crow-Armstrong didn’t take Chicago up on a recent extension offer but Cubs fans shouldn’t be worried. The bullpen continues to be a roller coaster ride. Who do we trust the most? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View full article

Ryan Pressly has struggled so far this season, and while it's still early on, some of the numbers suggest it may not be too early to have some concerns about the veteran reliever. Image courtesy of Masterpress/GettyImages Chicago made a pair of deals with Houston in the offseason. One landed the Cubs Kyle Tucker, who has been sensational so far this season. The other saw the Cubs scoop up Ryan Pressly, and he was quickly anointed as the closer in Chicago. The Cubs rode a roller coaster every time Hector Neris toed the rubber last season in an attempt to close out a game. It wasn't a fun roller coaster ride either, but instead, the kind that gives you whiplash and makes you nauseous. Chicago never figured out how to hammer down the final inning of a close game, even after releasing Neris. It was one of the key reasons the team failed to make the playoffs. This offseason, the team addressed the issue by brining over Pressly. So far, at least, the results haven't been very reassuring. Pressly struggled for large portions of the 2024 season, when he saw his strikeout percentage dip for a third year in a row while his walk percentage climbed to its highest mark since 2020. Put a cherry on top with Pressly having the second-highest barrel percentage of his career, and you get a guy who looked more like a middle-reliever than a lockdown closer. Many wanted to chalk those struggles up to a change in role following his demotion to a set-up man; some guys are just better when the pressure of the ninth inning is on their shoulders. Well, Pressly is back as a closer in Chicago and... the numbers are pretty unsightly. According to Baseball Savant, Pressly is in the 10th percentile in chase rate, ninth percentile in whiff rate and third percentile in strikeout rate. To sum it up: Batters aren't chasing, they aren't whiffing and they aren't striking out with Pressly on the bump. In a day and age where there are flamethrowers slamming the door in the ninth inning like Emmanuel Clase, Edwin Diaz, Jhoan Duran, Ryan Helsley, Mason Miller and countless others, that's not Pressly's strength anymore. Being able to light up a radar gun isn't the only way to record outs late in a game, though. The problem is what Pressly has in his bag of tricks isn't working as an alternative. The slider in particular has been a problem. When looking at location the last few seasons via Baseball Savant, Pressly has been a maestro at painting corners with his slider. This year, and yes the sample size is small, the slider has been put on a platter and delivered across the middle of the plate far more often. What's worrisome is that the slider isn't some tertiary option for Pressly in his arsenal. Instead, it's one of his primary, go-to pitches—he throws it 29% of the time, second only to his fastball. It'd be one thing if this was popping up once in a while early on in the season, and if you're a glass half-full person, maybe you're inclined to believe it'll just take a bit for Pressly to ramp up. But the issue hasn't been in a couple of outings—it's been in almost every outing that Pressly has struggled. In seven appearances this year, Pressly hasn't had one clean sheet. He's allowed at least one hit in six of seven outings, and in the one he didn't allow a hit, he walked the bases loaded. In seven innings in 2025, Pressly has two strikeouts and six walks. That's just not sustainable for any closer, and certainly not for a team in the Cubs who are desperately trying to get back to the postseason. Manager Craig Counsell spoke reassuringly about Pressly at the end of March and during the series in Arizona where Pressly was bailed out by a heads up play by shortstop Dansby Swanson to clinch a win for the Cubs. "Things aren’t always going to go your way in baseball. Pressly’s been doing this for a long time — he’s had a lot of success in this league, so I’m not too worried about his stuff." It's true that it would be too early to pull the plug now. Plus, who would the Cubs even pivot to? Porter Hodge? What can't be ignored though is that there are clear signs early on that would indicate things aren't going well for Pressly, and it's likely they wont drastically improve anytime soon. If you're worried about the closer spot in Chicago for the umpteenth year in a row, it's justified. View full article

How 'about those first-place Cubs? After Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got an extension done with Toronto, Kyle Tucker is the premier name for next offseason set to hit free agency. Can the Cubs get something done before that? How concerned should Cubs fans be with Ryan Pressly’s numbers so far? Is the production offensively from the catchers going to keep up? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View full article

The Cubs are back to .500, but their fortunes this year will hinge (at least in some significant part) on the performance of their young hitters. So far, there are yellow flags around their most pivotal one—but there remains cause for hope. Image courtesy of © Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images Chicago ambushed Athletics pitching on Monday night to the tune of 18 runs, and then posted another 7 tallies in Tuesday's victory. Everyone got involved in the act. Reserve catcher Carson Kelly decided it was as good a night as any to hit for the cycle. Dansby Swanson looks revived at the plate, and Kyle Tucker now has homers in four straight games. Elsewhere in the lineup, though, there are real struggles happening. Pete Crow-Armstrong hasn't popped yet at the plate but, the numbers suggest it's only a matter of time. It's a small sample size of eight games and 34 plate appearances so far for Crow-Armstrong, but the dazzling young Cub has a dreadful slash line of .161/.235/.226. Nobody will sound the alarms after such a short time, but those ugly numbers may raise eyebrows for some. They shouldn't. Taking a deeper look into the numbers tells the real story. According to Baseball Savant, Crow-Armstrong is in the 76th percentile in exit velocity and the 75th percentile in bat speed. Meanwhile, with strikeouts being one source of major concern for some within his profile, he's only slightly on the wrong side of average in whiff and strikeout rates. Again, the sample size is small, but the athletic young hitter is smacking the ball around with a fluid swing and hitting into some bad luck early on. That should change. Crow-Armstrong didn't enter this season with huge expectations from the Cubs, to be the torch-bearer for the lineup or some sort of savior. In an ideal world, his bat will improve over time and profile nearer the top of the batting order. That hope is to be exercised over time, though, with Chicago having plenty of patience for its young center fielder. He doesn't need to be an offensive star in 2025. He just has to hang in there. That's because most of Crow-Armstrong's value doesn't come from his bat, anyway. Going right back to Baseball Savant, he's in the 98th percentile in Fielding Run Value and the 96th percentile in Sprint Speed. There's no need to embellish it. This is one of the fastest players in the game. As for the glove? The arm? Crow-Armstrong is in the 95th percentile in Range, and 91st in Arm Value. That was on full display on Saturday in the desert, when he launched a frozen rope to third to nail Josh Naylor before he reached the bag. He threw out another runner (at the plate, this time) Sunday, and that play also required a subtle but very impressive job of charging hard and releasing the ball quickly on a single. The defense, the arm, the speed. It all allows patience to be practiced while Crow-Armstrong gets more comfortable at the dish. There will be struggles; even the best go through the wringer. The early returns in 2025, though, speak to a guy connecting well and hitting it right where the defense is more than anything else. Crow-Armstrong recognizes the situation, and spoke about it back in late March when asked about becoming a leadoff hitter somewhere down the road. “Ultimately that’s where I want to end up,” Crow-Armstrong said. “But that’s [Ian Happ]’s job, and he does it exceptionally well. I don’t actively want to lead off. I want to keep doing what works, and I thought last year, switching Ian into the leadoff hole that second half changed things around for everybody.” Let's keep in mind that the sophomore is only 23 years old. Most young players are pressing in some form or fashion to prove their worth. His farsighted mindset aligns with how the Cubs are handling it. For now, he's perfectly fine letting other areas of his game do the talking. “I think I’ll get to the point in my career where the offense is expected of me,” Crow-Armstrong said. “But until that’s a real thing, the goal is playing Gold Glove defense every day. It’s not about the Gold Glove at the end of the year. If I get there, I get there." Crow-Armstrong is in a great spot. He's not a young player who relies on his bat and his bat only. Those players can get fidgety early on if there are struggles at the plate. The Cubs' young dynamo, however, knows his glove and his speed are just as valuable for this Cubs team this year. If the bat comes along as expected, great. The numbers suggest it's possible, at least. View full article

After a rough start, the Cubs are back to .500. But are there long-term concerns about the bullpen again? Chicago’s bullpen had a meltdown Sunday against Arizona. Is it time to panic? What do the numbers say about the season so far for Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Shaw? The Cubs have a little less than a year to sell Kyle Tucker on Chicago and the franchise. Can they do it? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View full article

The Cubs opened the season with two losses in Japan, now it's time to prepare for the return to stateside. Chicago lost both games against the Dodgers in the Tokyo series. What are the takeaways from the starts made by Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele? What about Ben Brown’s relief appearance? What tweaks could be made to the lineup? A look ahead to the series against the Diamondbacks coming up next week! Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View full article

Pete Crow-Armstrong is having an incredible spring. How should fans control their expectations? Craig Counsell had an interesting comment about prospect Cade Horton and his timeline. What are the thoughts on the Tokyo series and what bat outside of Kyle Tucker is the most critical this season? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View full article

Matt Trueblood and Mitch Widmeier record while Matt's in Arizona for spring training. Kyle Tucker was the big offseason acquisition for Chicago. How much pressure will his bat take off the rest of the lineup? Will Shota Imanaga be able to back up his incredible rookie season? Where does the Cubs outfield rank across the league? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View full article

Slammin' Sammy was the epitome of swagger and self-assuredness on the diamond. Now, he has a chance to encourage the same attitude from a new generation of Cubs. Image courtesy of © MICHAEL MADRID via Imagn Content Services, LLC Expectations are high in Chicago this year. After acquiring Kyle Tucker via trade and adding around the edges to shore up their depth, the Cubs are in prime position to compete for a division title. To further boost the vibes, Cubs legend Sammy Sosa is back with the franchise and has been around the team at Spring Training. This version of the Cubs, one that is expected to compete and get back to the playoffs for the first time since the shortened COVID season, can benefit from Sosa's energy and cockiness. When Pete Crow-Armstrong was called up last season, he immediately provided a spark in the clubhouse. Crow-Armstrong wasn't even in the everyday lineup right away, but his energy and his swagger pumped life into the team and the fanbase. Shota Imanaga did the same on the mound, taking the ball every fifth day and providing great cinema with his antics—along with plenty of dominating performances. Sosa was always a showman when he donned the Cubs uniform, but more than that, his confidence was infectious. Sosa wasn't for everyone. His cockiness rubbed some the wrong way. He's exactly what this Cubs team needs. Chicago is a big-market team, regardless of ownership spending like a small-market one. It needs the confidence and the mindset that it is the best team in the division, even with ownership protecting its own pockets. Sosa's presence in Arizona during Spring Training is helping with that. “Guys light up when they talk to him, because he’s an icon when it comes to hitting,” Cubs hitting coach Dustin Kelly said. “It’s just fun for guys to be around it, and obviously, he has a presence and an aura about him that breeds confidence." That sense of confidence is one that needs to be brought back on the North Side. Cubs utility player Vidal Bruján was seen talking to Sosa extensively on Tuesday before Chicago's spring tilt. Sosa was holding a bat and demonstrating something for Bruján to take note of. How did Bruján respond? He launched a home run that afternoon and did Sosa's famous hop. "Honestly that’s going to help so many ballplayers,” Bruján said. “It’s a good option to have close... We have a lot of respect for him, which is important.” So what, exactly, did Sosa tell Bruján? “I said, ‘Stay back, use the back leg and keep your head there,’” Sosa noted. “And we say, ‘Bring the swagger.’ And then he hit that. He listened to me and he got it done.” Bring the swagger, indeed. Bruján commented afterward that he did indeed do the hop that Sosa made so famous as a thank-you for the tips. Look around at the best teams in baseball. Los Angeles plays with an abundant amount of confidence. So do both New York teams. San Diego has plenty of players on its roster who play with moxie and cockiness. It's not necessarily essential to carry yourself that way, as a team. But for the last few years, the Cubs have felt like a dud—a big-market team with no edge or faith that it can truly compete with the best. The results have borne that out. Sosa isn't some savior for the Cubs. He can't step into the box for the guys on the roster. They won't be dramatically better because he's at spring training. However, his energy (and just showing a belief in the players when talking to them) can have a huge ripple effect, and plant a seed in the mind that sprouts into a greater confidence on the diamond. Kelly, Chicago's hitting coach, mentioned just that. “That’s what some of our guys have already taken away—just how confident he was at the plate with his mentality and what he was thinking up there.” Confidence is contagious, and while it may be far-fetched to expect the Cubs to compete for a World Series this year, the playoffs should be the goal. Drawing the line in the sand and turning things around isn't going to be a one-year ordeal. It will take time. What Sosa is providing is the jumper cable to start the car. Don't be fooled either. Sosa isn't viewing this as work. “I feel like I’m playing again,” Sosa said. “But it’s good. All the players are happy for me to be here. I have to contribute here. I believe that the opportunity is here. I’m enjoying it. I’m enjoying it right now.” Sosa has arrived back with the organization at a perfect time. View full article

Welcome to the first episode of the brand-new North Side Baseball Podcast! Spring training is underway and optimism is swirling around Chicago’s chances to claim the division in 2025. Mitch Widmeier and Jason Ross talk about Cubs prospects to keep tabs on this spring, how Matt Shaw’s game win translate, who the No. 5 starter in the rotation will be and whether or not the Cubs are serious contenders. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View full article

Reports on Tuesday indicated the Cubs have agreed to a deal with veteran Justin Turner. While the signing gives Chicago depth at the infield corners, and Turner can still rake, it's hard to ignore how the offseason has unrivaled. The Cubs have seemingly whiffed on bigger names like Alex Bregman, Roki Sasaki, and Tanner Scott, only to land with less exciting options. View full video