While the Cubs have done their best to help Pittsburgh out in their quest to reach the playoffs for the second year in a row, the Pirates haven’t done much to help themselves lately. The Cubs swept the previously first place Brewers, but at the same time, the Pirates got swept by the Cardinals. So now the Cardinals are surging …
Series Preview: Brewers (73-63) at Cubs (61-76)
The Brewers started the season scorchingly hot and had a 20-8 record on May 1. Since then they’ve gone 53-55, are currently riding a five game losing streak, and are now tied with the (ugh) Cardinals for the division lead. I think the Pirates end up taking the division by season’s end but that big lead the Brewers built early …
Series Preview: Tampa Bay Rays (55-59) at Javier Baez (2-1)
It’s hard to believe the Rays were ahead of the Cubs in the Race To The Top earlier this year. They take on the Javier Baez and the Baezettes in a weekend series in Wrigley that may or may not see a surge in ticket sales. Team Overviews (respective league ranks in parens) Rays wRC+: 105 (5th) UBR: 8.1 (2nd) …
Series Preview: Javier Baez (0-0) at Colorado Rockies (44-67)
The Cubs continue their western road trip with another key series in the Race to the….oh who cares, we’re just tuning in to see Baez, and Baez at Coors Field at that. Aisle424 wrote a great piece this morning on the callup and what it means for the fans and the process. Team Overviews Cubs wRC+: 88 (12th) UBR: 5.7 …
Series Preview: Chicago Cubs (45-62) at Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles (62-47)
It’s Vin Scully week! Even better, we’ll get another Vin Scully week next year, as he returns for his 66th season broadcasting Dodgers baseball. @CeeAngi did a great piece on Scully’s process and career last month, which is worth a read (or re-read). The Dodgers were in on a bunch of players at the deadline, but didn’t end up making …
Series Preview: Cubs (40-54) at Diamondbacks (40-56)
It’s nice to have a competent front office. Sure, the team is really bad, but I don’t ever really worry about the little things, like our GM so offending a draftee that his agent won’t even return the team’s calls on signing deadline day. I never thought that Jim Hendry was a terrible GM, but were he in charge right …
Series Preview: Nationals (41-36) at Cubs (32-44)
The Cubs close out this homestand with a four game set against the Nationals, including a scheduled doubleheader on Saturday and a day off on Sunday. The off-day is to accommodate the city’s Pride Parade, which brings a ton of people into the greater Lakeview area. No word on whether Wrigleyville residents are shocked to discover that this is happening. …
Series Preview: Reds (37-37) at Cubs (31-42)
They’re still playing baseball? I’m still coming down from last night’s World Cup game. How did the end of the game play out? h/t to GBTS, who I blatantly stole this from. The Cubs have shown signs of life since I last checked in, somehow pulling off a .500 road trip, going 10-4 against not-the-Pirates, while dropping 5 of 7 …
Series Preview: Chicago Cubs (25-35) at Pittsburgh Pirates (29-33)
The Cubs just finished a 5-1 homestand, which was nice to see and had people half-ironically pointing out that the team was only 5 or 6 games out in the Wild Card. But we all know what this version of the team is. I felt a lot better though upon seeing several members of the Houston Astros org patting themselves …
Series Preview – Marlins (32-28) at Cubs (23-34)
Here’s our active draft thread. Color me less than whelmed with the Cubs strategy so far. With their sweep of the Mets and the Rays ten game losing streak, the Cubs have lost their position at the top of the reverse standings. The Marlins meanwhile have been one of, if not *the* biggest surprises of the season so far even …