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It’s Time for the Chicago Cubs to Sell High on Jeff Samardzija Trade

April 30, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

Chicago Cubs right-hander Jeff Samardzija is almost assuredly out the door. The only real question facing general manager Jed Hoyer is whether moving Samardzija now—or waiting until the non-waiver trade deadline—is in the Cubs’ best interest.  To be sure, it's not an easy decision to make. On one hand, Hoyer has been quite successful in recent seasons trading starting pitchers at the deadline for impact prospects. On the other hand, Samardzija's situation is a unique one.  All things considered, though, the time to move Samardzija is now—and there is more than one reason for that.   Center Stage and the MLBPA Samardzija is standing by himself on the ...

5 Things We Learned About the Cubs Through the First 4 Weeks of 2014

April 29, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

As the Chicago Cubs celebrated the 100th birthday of Wrigley Field on Wednesday, Cubs fans around the country will rejoice in the fact that they have...well, something to rejoice. Although the team hasn't won a World Series since they began playing at Wrigley Field in 1916, fans of the team are optimistic that a championship may very well be on its way to Chicago's North Side in the near future. Unfortunately, that time is expected to be a few years away still. The team finds itself in last place in the National League Central, already 10 games behind the first-place Brewers only ...

Stock Up, Stock Down for Chicago Cubs’ Top-10 Prospects Entering May

April 28, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs went 3-4 last week, splitting a four-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks at home before dropping two of three contests to the Milwaukee Brewers on the road. That earned them the No. 29 spot on this week's MLB power rankings. As we make our way through what will likely be another long year on the North Side, more and more attention will be paid to a farm system that was ranked No. 4 in all of baseball by Baseball America entering the season. What follows is a look at the team's current top-10 prospects and how they performed at the minor ...

Chicago Cubs Biggest Winners and Losers of April

April 27, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

This season was expected to be a very solid step in the right direction for the Chicago Cubs. However, this season hasn't given much reason for optimism yet on the North Side. There have been several players, including many in the bullpen, that have disappointed so far. That being said, there have been just as many players who have gotten off to good starts.  It's been only a month and plenty of storylines could change as the season wears on, but as of right now, here are the four players that fall on opposite ends of the spectrum.Begin Slideshow

Let’s Not Forget the Federals as Wrigley Rings in 100

April 23, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

As any baseball fan, Chicagoan, or news junkie knows, today is the 100th anniversary of the first baseball game played at venerable Wrigley Field. And although the Chicago Cubs plan an elaborate ceremony to mark this momentous event before today’s game against their age-old rival Arizona Diamondbacks—whose home state was barely into its Terrible Twos when “Play ball!” first echoed through Wrigley—we should keep in mind that this is not fully a Cubs moment. April 23, 1914, at Wrigley Field—then known as Weeghman Park, after its builder and Chicago Federals owner, Charles Weeghman—marked Opening Day for the Chicago Federals of the upstart ...

Wrigley Field at 100: Help Wanted for Cursed Cubs

April 23, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

Forget the rally caps and break out the party hats. Wrigley Field celebrated its 100th birthday on Wednesday. Ernie Banks was there. What's a Friendly Confines celebration without Mr. Cub? So was Dutchie Caray. How can you sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" without Harry's widow? Steve Bartman? How cool would it have been to officially reunite the team with the unfairly vilified fan of the 2003 playoffs? "No, he is not going to appear at the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field," Frank Murtha, Bartman's lawyer/friend/spokesman, said of the man who touched off a Chicago firestorm by touching a potentially catchable foul ...

Stock Up, Stock Down for Chicago Cubs’ Top 10 Prospects for Week 3

April 21, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs went 1-4 last week, as they were swept by the New York Yankees before dropping two of three to the Cincinnati Reds. That puts them at No. 29 in this week's MLB power rankings. As we make our way through what will likely be another long year on the North Side, more and more attention will be paid to a farm system that was ranked No. 4 in all of baseball by Baseball America entering the season. What follows is a look at the team's current top 10 prospects and how they performed at the minor league level over the past ...

5 Chicago Cubs Minor Leaguers Who Will See Time in the Majors This Season

April 20, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs are already off to a really slow start, starting the season 5-11. It's been clear that the team lacks any real exciting playmakers—outside of maybe Starlin Castro and a surprising Emilio Bonifacio. That could change at some point this season, as there are a few minor leaguers that are close to being ready to join the Cubs in Chicago. Depending on the position and minor league performance, there are players within the organization who could make an impact in the major leagues this season. A lot of players' fates will be decided by their performance over the next ...

Chicago Cubs’ Biggest Early Season Surprises and Disappointments

April 11, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

At the beginning of every Major League Baseball season, hope springs eternal. That is, of course, until the first couple weeks of games are played. Once that grace period is up—a period that has been all too short for Cubs fans in recent years—it's interesting to take a less emotionally charged look at the team. After all, many players on teams will fall short of lofty expectations while others will put on performances that nobody saw coming.  It's only three series into the year, but players on opposite ends of that spectrum have emerged—or descended—for the Cubs. Since it's only been about ...

Stock Up, Stock Down for Chicago Cubs’ Top 10 Prospects for Week 1

April 7, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs are likely headed for another long season at the major league level, as they enter their third year of rebuilding under Theo Epstein and Co. While the organization's major league product has been a poor one over the past few years, the team has quickly built up one of the best farm systems in all of baseball. In fact, Baseball America ranked it as the league's No. 4 system for 2014. What follows is a look at the team's current top-10 prospects and how they performed at the minor league level over the past week. This series will be updated weekly, ...

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