I recall AC or some other jabroni did this once upon a time but I can’t find it. Anyway, let’s do the news bits first. The Challenges in Oakland and Tampa Bay As has been said numerous times by the oft-reviled commissioner of baseball, MLB expansion to 32 teams is inevitable, but first they have to resolve the situations with …
Probably Too Early Pre-Convention Cubs Lineup Construction
One reason this is probably too early is because of the overall feeling that the Cubs are done tinkering with the position players after they reportedly agreed to a deal with Eric Hosmer (yay) and won’t be in the running for Carlos Correa anymore since he signed with the Twins (dying laughing) and will likely just look for ways to …
Eat at Arby’s: Or Just a Quick Look at the Cubs Arbitration Guys
This Friday is the Cubs Convention, and also happens to be the deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to submit their salary figures for 2023 (other key dates remain but this is probably the biggest one coming up). The gist is that if they can’t come to a compromise, the team submits one number, the player submits another, and then …
The Calm Before the Storm
I haven’t written anything since last year (technically true), but there hasn’t been much going on regarding the Cubs anyway aside from a few anticipated DFAs to allow the reported signings to become official. In the meanwhile, like many of us who are bored out of their minds, I’ve been reading the slow drips of news that have come out …
Cubs New Year’s Resolutions for 2023 and Beyond
Well, well, here we are at the end of 2022, and it’s been fun to hang out with all you jabronis here at Obstructed View, very much appreciate you letting me rant on a semi-regular basis about the Cubs and baseball. The Cubs, of course, have done what they could and/or wanted to since they missed out on a bunch …
Diving Into the Bargain Bin
The Cubs have probably finished building their roster via free agency for the most part, and we covered the biggest signing plus the basic plan for 2023 in our last podcast. Based on the official signings and Cots Contracts, the Cubs still have about $20MM to spend (if they choose to) before they hit the first luxury tax threshold, but …
The Cubs Night Before Christmas 2022
‘Twas the night before Christmas, including Chicago Barely anyone stirring because it’s so cold The Cubs had signed Dansby and young Bellinger With hopes for a new ring for the baby bears The plan was to load up on pitchers and D To ensure the opponents scored fewer than three As many batters put on other teams’ caps What’s to …
Dreamcast 55: How the Cubs Saved Christmas
Hey everyone, happy holidays! The Cubs pulled off a last minute present just in time even if it wasn’t our first choice in signing Dansby Swanson. Among the various fun topics from AC’s various very good questions include: Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and share us with your friends. Thanks for listening, and hope you get plenty …
Rhymes With Schmollusion
The Athletic (I think it was Evan Drellich) published a piece today about owners complaining that Steve Cohen is a rich bastard, and for those of us blocked by the paywall, this was the snippet that was being floated around: It actually is kind of hilarious when we basically know that there are something like 20 owners (including the bottom …
Welcome to the Cubs, Dansby Swanson
Yeah this is pretty officially official now: And also out on the Wrigley Field marquee: While the Cubs couldn’t swoop in and sign Carlos Correa too because Steve Cohen is a rich crazy bastard, this roster has a chance to be more respectable than the last one we were led to believe would also be respectable (spoiler: it was not, …