CubsPS+ - A North Side Numbers Game

All we asked for before the season was to play meaningful baseball after the trade deadline, and here the Cubs are. It’s all about the sense of urgency - fans feel it in ways they haven’t in years game by game, David Ross is showing more of it in his lineup decisions and Jed Hoyer is showing more of it in his roster construction. It’s winning time and this week I talk about that increasing sense o...

This week, I talk about the Cubs decision to be buyers and what that means for this season and beyond. I get into the trades made themselves, talk about the last week of Cubs baseball and how the Cubs are looking for the post-season. With Jeimer Candelario once again a Cub, it’s a 53-game sprint to the post season – what are their chances? What does their run differential mean? Let’s discuss.

This is a busy episode. I open with my tribute to the legendary Pat Hughes, then talk about how the Cubs have been playing lately and what that means for the trade deadline. After walking through what I think the Cubs should do and might do at the deadline, I close out with a brief bit on what I saw on a trip to Myrtle Beach last weekend to see the Pelicans. There’s a lot to do and the Cardinals s...

Welcome in to Episode 45 – the Billy Jurges episode of this podcast. This is the 2nd time Billy Jurges has been a part of these episodes – in Episode 11 “October 6: The Ghosts (and Goats) of Baseball Past” I talked about Billy Jurges missed the 1932 season (and World Series) after being shot by a Chicago showgirl – which may have played into both Babe Ruth’s famed Called Shot and been part of the...

I joined the Son Ranto show Thursday night to discuss the Cubs first half performance and the outlook going forward as they head toward the trade deadline. I was on for the first 2 segments and participated the most in the first segment. The Cubs are just beyond the mid-point in the 2023 Season. Do they have what it takes to make the playoffs? The Son Rant Show welcomes the best baseball brains in...

Welcome to (appropriately) to Episode 44 - the Anthony Rizzo episode of this podcast. With the Cubs opening their last series before the break in the Bronx tonight, it seems the Cubs have just as many unanswered questions as they had heading into the season. In this episode, I talk about how the Cubs are competing, what matters in the last 20 games before the trade deadline and what options the Cu...

Coming off a bad loss where the Cubs played some inexplicably bad baseball, the Cubs are now no longer hot. They’ve lost 4 straight and still have a lot of questions heading into the last 10 games before the All Star break. This week, I talk about Thursday’s bad 3-1 loss to the Phillies, take a look at Jameson Taillon’s struggles and talk about whether it even makes sense for the Cubs to be seller...

Happy Ryne Sandberg Day to all who celebrate! Cubs are across the pond, having won 10 of 12, to face the last place Cardinals. Cubs need some bangers so they can mash the Cardinals in this series. Oh, massive missed pun opportunities with Mash Mervis in Des Moines. In this episode I talk about how the Cubs have flipped their season and take a deeper look at Christopher Morel, Cody Bellinger and so...

This week I’m joined by the voice of the Iowa Cubs, Alex Cohen. Alex and I talk about what seems to be a growing divide between AAA and the majors and how those players who live on the edges or the middle of it approach the game. Through that discussion we hit on a variety of Cubs and I-Cubs. Alex’s passion for the game shines in this one so enjoy!  You can find Alex on I-Cubs broadcasts (includin...

Fresh off getting swept by the Angels, the Cubs limp to beautiful Oracle Park to take on the Giants. Nobody seems to have any answers as to why this team is so much worse than it really should be right now - Is it the manager? The lineups? Or is a team full of proven vets just not getting it done? Let’s discuss.

Welcome in to Episode 39 – making this the Andrew Chafin episode, because – man, we sure could use him in the pen right now! With the Cubs licking their wounds after a losing home stand – a losing home stand in spite of winning series against both the Mets and Rays – the topic this week is missed opportunities. We all knew the Cubs had a tough schedule in the first half and would have some rough s...

This week I cover a few topics impacting the Cubs right now. The episode opens with my thoughts on the return of Kyle Hendricks and then I get into the slowly (maybe too slowly) changing face of the Cubs bullpen. After that, the big topic - why do Cub fans hate Miles Mastrobuoni so much? I break down Mastrobuoni’s numbers and make a comp to a memorable Cub from 2015-2017 who had a similar start to...

Welcome in to Episode 37! The #37 makes this the Travis Wood episode! The Cubs opened the weekend by designating Eric Hosmer for assignment, a move we’ve all been talking about for a few weeks. Nico Hoerner made his return in Philadelphia and the Cubs were a mixed bag over the weekend – winning a blowout Friday, getting blown out Saturday and wasting another fantastic outing from Justin Steele tod...

The Cubs are surprisingly among the league leaders in run differentials, yet sit on this off day with an 18-19 record. In this episode I dig into run differential and how it plays into playoff chances. Tied in with run differential is the baseball idea of “luck” (no, not black cats & dark magic), so I talk about baseball luck and how the Cubs can make their own. When a team plays a lot of clos...

The Cubs aren’t playing as well as they were the last time I sat down to have a conversation with y’all, so let this week’s episode be a nice distraction from all the concerns about what’s going on with the team on this road trip (1-5 heading into today’s finale against the Nationals). This week I was thrilled to talk baseball with Cubs baseball scientist Dr. Mike Sonne, a PhD with a lot of biomec...

The Cubs continue to play good ball and are now beginning a 10-game stretch against the Marlins and Nationals, hopefully they can continue to win series. This week I look back at what the Cubs have been doing over the last week and talk about the roster changes made in the last couple of days and what those might mean going forward. I get into some players who have already shown some performance e...

This week I’m thrilled to welcome back friend of the pod Greg Huss of Northside Bound and the Cubs on Deck Podcast. Greg is always a great listen and, as always, he brought great energy and deep knowledge of Cubs prospects.  We talk primarily about power - power bats and swing & miss power arms - that the Cubs have in the system ready for the big leagues and how those guys play into roster con...

It’s been a really good stretch for the Cubs - series wins at home against Seattle and Texas before going to LA and winning their first series there in nine seasons. Today, the Cubs go for the sweep against an Oakland team going nowhere fast. What’s driving the Cubs? Surprisingly, it’s the offense to a greater degree than we expected. In this episode, I talk about what’s going right for the Cubs,...

Thanks for bearing with me during a brief hiatus while our family moved. In this episode, I look at some interesting trends over the first 8 games of the season, including some interesting (and at times) detrimental roster construction choices and highlight some of the great early performances - I’m looking at you Stro & Steele! At the end, I talk through my prediction on the Cubs win totals t...

Welcome in to Episode 30! The Stro Show at Wrigley on Opening Day is just a week away and the Cubs still have a lot of roster decisions to make. Let’s pick up where we left ff last week and dig in on some of the questions yet to be answered before the season starts - but first, I highlight the end of the World Baseball Classic (I mean, seriously, Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout?!!??) and discuss some...

Who do you think should play third base? Who should the Cubs plug in RF until Seiya Suzuki returns? Who is the 5th starter going to be? This week, I walk through the options the Cubs have in some key positions and lay out my thoughts on how the Cubs will approach some of those decisions. Geek out with some talk about option years and the 40-man roster implications on this week’s podcast. I also ba...

Did you try watching the KBO during the COVID shutdown? Are you excited about the WBC? This is your episode. I’m thrilled to welcome avid international baseball following @InfieldFlyGrl to talk about baseball around the globe and the WBC. Baseball is fun - and the whole world knows it. All things World Baseball Classic: https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic International Baseball Streaming Gu...

Welcome in to Episode 27! Spring is here! Well, sort of…in some places. With the Cubs heading into game action this weekend, it’s time to start thinking about what the Cubs will be this season. Seiya and Morel are huge, Bellinger took Smyly deep to left center today and Willson Contreras is getting under Cub fans’ skin already. Today I hit all that, talk about Happ & Hoerner contract extension...

Let’s reflect on Dexter Fowler’s short, but really impactful time with the Cubs. He was a really valuable player offensively and defensively on both the 2015 and 2016 teams, probably no moment greater than his leadoff home run in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. This week, I talk about what Dexter did in Chicago and compare him to other short-term (3 seasons or less with the Cubs) additions the Cu...

I’m cross-posting this episode of the Son Ranto Show after joining the crew for a guest appearance this week. Son Ranto is one of my favorite Cubs podcasts and Danny Rockett was very generous to bring me on. It’s always a great time and this episode was no exception. This episode reflects on the retirement of Dexter Fowler and where he stands among Cubs leadoff hitters over the past few decades. I...