Turning Corners

For the first time since 1945, the Chicago Cubs will play in the World Series beginning Tuesday, October 25th at 7:08 pm CST.

We Need to Talk About Andrew Miller’s Slider

Most of us know that Andrew Miller’s slider is excellent; but let’s illustrate just how unhittable the postseason’s best reliever’s best pitch is.

Meet Willson Contreras: The Cubs’ Latest Can’t-Miss Callup

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Chicago Cubs are dipping again into their war chest of top-shelf prospects, welcoming white-hot catcher Willson Contreras to the show. The move will (most likely) be made possible by designating veteran Tim Federowicz for assignment. Given Miguel Montero’s defensive struggles lately and David Ross’s age, it seems like the perfect […]

Compact Swing, Contact Hitting: How Javier Baez is Steadily Figuring it Out

Javier Baez has been the second-worst kept secret in the Chicago Cubs development system over the past couple years. In that time, he’s struggled with intermittent flashes of brilliance. When he hits, he hits. His giant, loopy swing and bat speed make every fly look like it should hit the streets outside a park, and […]

By The Numbers: Which Teams Blow the Most Leads When and How Often in 2016

Blown leads are the bane of every baseball fan’s existence; it’s a gut punch to watch your team fall from a winning position, regardless of record. That being said, some teams this season have been way better at holding leads than others. In the interest of observing every team from as level a field as […]

Shark’s Selection: How Jeff Samardzija is Producing for the Giants

Let’s talk about Jeff Samardzija. As a lifelong Cubs fan, I’m all too familiar with him, both highs and lows. He was the ordained ace for a lot of Chicago’s bad seasons, until he turned down a 5-year contract in the neighborhood of $85 million and ended up on the South Side by way of […]

Yasiel’s Yield: Looking at Yasiel Puig’s Early-Season Struggles

I really like Yasiel Puig. I always have. Let’s get that clear (I have a bobblehead on my desk), because picking apart a player’s rough year always seems a bit mean. He’s fun to watch, and he has all the potential in the world. That being said, he underachieved a bit last year (but he […]

New Contact: Kris Bryant’s New Swing and How It Impacts His Hitting

It’s not surprising that Kris Bryant was unhappy with his league-leading strikeout rate last year. It might not even be surprising to find out that he wasn’t satisfied with his breakout rookie campaign, in which he batted .275 with 26 home runs and an on-base percentage of .369, amassing a rookie WAR of 6.5. Hunger […]

Do Not Walk: Looking at Clayton Kershaw’s 2016 Start

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had a rough go over the last few games. Going into Sunday’s game against the lowly Padres (heavily favored, with an excessive -300 line per ESPN), they were on a six-game skid that included Clayton Kershaw’s only loss of the season so far. Most baseball statheads know that Wins and […]

North Side, South Side: Comparing the Hot Starts of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs

It’s been awhile since baseball was a winning sport all across Chicago. The Chicago White Sox won the city a title back in ‘05, but they haven’t made much noise since beyond a couple seasons around the 90-win mark. The Chicago Cubs have had three or four “next year is this year” teases in the […]

Double Drivel

Those who can't play, write. But I decided to write anyway.

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