North Side Territory: A Chicago Cubs Podcast

Just when you think they’re out, they pull you back in. An impressive series win in Baltimore recalls the turnaround before last year’s trade deadline, when the Cubs shifted from likely sellers to actual buyers. There are reasons to believe that this team can play at a much higher level and finish strong. But Cody Bellinger remains an important X-factor. Please leave this podcast page a rating and...

Shota Imanaga is a joy to watch, as Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.  The rest of the team? Not so much. In fact, Colten Brewer broke his hand while punching a Wrigley Field dugout wall in frustration. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney try to make sense of it all before a tough road trip ahead of the All-Star break.  The Cubs need to rack up wins before the trade-deadline plans are finalized. Ple...

It’s time for more airing of grievances as this Cubs team appears to be going nowhere.  Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney respond to questions from fans, trying to explain Craig Counsell’s role in all of this, the perception of Jed Hoyer’s job security, different paths to follow at the trade deadline and the moves that would demonstrate this big-market franchise is serious about winning the World...

People in Philadelphia love Kyle Schwarber. And Bryce Harper is still a must-see superstar.  Imagine how that would have played at Wrigley Field.  Matt Gelb, who expertly covers the Phillies for The Athletic, joins Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney to preview the upcoming series against a Cubs team that simply has not shown enough progress in its rebuild. Please leave this podcast page a rating an...

Justin Steele screamed in the dugout in Saturday's win. But two hits and a catastrophic fourth inning led to another loss on Sunday. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney talk about the Brewers continuing to pull away in the division, Steele's fire not igniting a hot stretch and Jed Hoyer admitting that he has to be realistic and possibly sell come the trade deadline. Please leave this podcast page a...

This Cubs season hasn't gone anywhere close to expectations.  This episode Patrick and Sahadev take listener questions and unsurprisingly, the fans aren't happy.  Topics range from whether they're selling or still buying at the deadline, was David Ross a scapegoat, who is to blame for the offense's struggles and more. Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover...

There’s still time to turn it around, but so far this team hasn’t inspired a lot of confidence.  Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney evaluate all areas of the roster and wonder what the Cubs are really thinking right now.  It’s setting up some difficult questions for players, management, and ownership because the Cubs don’t have many answers. Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so tha...

Are the Cubs coming out flat? Or is this just a poorly constructed roster?  Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down the latest Worst Loss of The Season, which embodied so many of the issues surrounding the team.  Justin Steele’s brilliance is going to waste, and the pattern of losing one-run games is getting old.  Hear what the mood is like within the clubhouse right now. Please leave this po...

Ryne Sandberg will forever be a Cubs icon and a Hall of Famer.  ---------What was the legend like behind the scenes? Before Sunday’s statue unveiling ceremony, Barry Rozner joins Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney to discuss Sandberg’s relentless pursuit of greatness and off-the-field persona. Rozner, a longtime Daily Herald columnist and fixture on the Chicago media scene, also explains the evolut...

Will Sammon, a great reporter with The Athletic, joins Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney to explain what it was like to cover Counsell in Milwaukee and why he’s not that surprised the Brewers are still in first place.  With the Mets coming to Wrigley Field this weekend, Sammon explains New York’s evolving approach to the trade deadline. Alonso would be a great fit in Chicago — if the Mets actually...

The Chicago Cubs imploded in their 7-6 lost against the Giants.  Sahadev Sharma and Patirck Mooney put together interview sound from Jed Hoyer and Craig Counsell to help explain the current situation of the Cubs.  Between Hector Neris' blown save in the 9th, to the team not producing enough runs, the Chicago Cubs are feeling the summer heat.  Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so t...

As the losing continues at Wrigley Field, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down the state of the farm system, identifying players who might be able to help revive a struggling offense or reinforce the bullpen at some point.  Maybe there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory. Two easy ways...

Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney respond to questions from fans about whether Jed Hoyer’s front office should be feeling heat from the Ricketts family ownership group. They also get into how much Craig Counsell has added to this disappointing team, and identify the players whose names will keep popping up between now and the trade deadline. Drop a nice rating for this podcast with a question in y...

Craig Counsell says it’s too early for this stuff, but his team’s lackluster performance has created a lot of questions.  Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney trace how the Cubs got to this point, and explain the mindset in Jed Hoyer’s front office. It’s not too soon to start thinking about adding a slugger such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and seeing what he could do at Wrigley Field. Please leave this...

At this point in their rebuilding cycle, the Cubs have not shown nearly enough progress. It feels like we’ve seen this movie before.  The season looks like another slog with the team wasting good pitching, waiting for the offense to click, and hoping for any kind of spark.  Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down how changing the manager — while keeping a lot of the roster intact — has expose...

Shotamania has probably been the best part of this Cubs season. But after two subpar starts, what should the level of concern be in Wrigleyville?  Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney take an in-depth look at the scouting process in Japan and why clubhouse fit matters.  It’s also time to reset after the Cubs clawed back for two wins over a historically bad White Sox team, and begin thinking about the...

As the crosstown rivalry resumes, The Athletic’s Jon Greenberg joins the show to discuss the bromance between Cubs president Jed Hoyer and White Sox GM Chris Getz, who are friends and neighbors in suburban Chicago.  Greenberg, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney also reminisce about some of their favorite Cubs-Sox moments and try to predict who will go viral this time. Please leave this podcast page...

Sixty games in, the Cubs are adrift. There is no positive spin to a team that has a losing record and a negative run differential at the beginning of June. This has gone on long enough that the pressure is ratcheting up on the Cubs. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney discuss the lack of star power in the lineup, a manager who hasn’t made that much of a difference yet, and how the momentum starts to...

The Cubs keep finding ways to lose. Two months into the season, the Cubs are playing an underwhelming brand of baseball in every phase of the game except for starting pitching. Is this just a rough stretch in the middle of a long year? Or is it a sign of much deeper trouble for this team? Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney analyze Craig Counsell’s impact (or lack thereof) and what the return of Pet...

The Cubs did not waste Ben Brown’s seven no-hit innings against the Brewers, a performance that showed how their season can go to another level.  In the meantime, team president Jed Hoyer is telling everyone to stay patient and not overreact to what has essentially been the worst offense in the majors for about a month. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney describe the scene in Milwaukee and Craig Co...

The Cubs manager heard the jeers from Brewers fans and mostly laughed it off during this highly anticipated matchup. Counsell doesn’t really care what people think, and he has bigger problems to deal with right now.  The Brewers just keep rolling while the Cubs have reached a low point. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain how the Cubs are handling the situation. Please leave this podcast pag...

It’s been a brutal month for Cubs hitters, and a boring brand of baseball for Cubs fans to watch.  Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down what’s going on at Wrigley Field, and where the team goes from here.  At a certain point, the reasons for these struggles begin to sound like excuses. And the frustrations can’t be contained forever. Plus, a preview of the looming series with the rival Car...

One of the most impactful pitchers in Cubs history has been moved to the bullpen. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain what it means and how the Cubs plan to deploy the last player standing from the 2016 World Series team.  That takes us to the Craig Counsell method and why the manager has instant credibility in the clubhouse.  Plus what’s going on with the offense? And is there anyone in the...

It’s the debut episode with Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney. The two Chicago-based writers for The Athletic take you behind the scenes at Wrigley Field to explain what’s going on with the offense. And why it’s so awkward for the team to watch Kyle Hendricks struggle. And how Shota Imanaga is becoming the kind of star who can change this season’s trajectory. Please leave this podcast page a ratin...

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