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Why Jeff Samardzija Has the Stuff to Be a Top Flight No. 1 for the Chicago Cubs

September 13, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Stephen Strasburg wasn't the only major league starting pitcher who was shut down for the season last weekend (Sept. 8-9). The Chicago Cubs took the ball from Jeff Samardzija after his start on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and called it a season for the 27-year-old right-hander. He went out on an excellent note, pitching the first complete game of his career and holding the Bucs to two earned runs and four hits. After pitching exclusively as a reliever last year, Samardzija made 28 starts and pitched 174.2 innings for the Cubs this season. That increased workload is the reason for his ...

3 Ways Matt Garza’s Shutdown Impacts the Chicago Cubs’ Offseason Plans

August 23, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Whatever plans the Chicago Cubs may have for pitcher Matt Garza during the 2012 season keep changing.Team president Theo Epstein surely hoped he would be able to trade Garza at midseason—presumably to a playoff contender—in exchange for a load of prospects that would help build depth in the club's minor league organization. Instead, Garza was diagnosed with a triceps injury shortly before the July 31 trade deadline, killing whatever interest other teams may have had in him. No one was going to take a chance on Garza without seeing him throw first. That became an even smarter decision when Garza's injury ...

Why Starlin Castro Signing Long-Term Cubs Deal Would Be Big Mistake

August 18, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs and shortstop Starlin Castro are reportedly thinking about committing to a long-term relationship.CSN Chicago's David Kaplan was the first to report that the Cubs and Castro are negotiating a six- to seven-year contract. That would buy out Castro's four seasons of arbitration eligibility as well as his first three years of free agency.(Castro qualifies as a "Super Two" player, meaning that he's earned a fourth year of arbitration over the usual three. As MLB Trade Rumors explains, a player with two years and 134 days of service time in the major leagues earns such status. This is why ...

5 Reasons the Chicago Cubs Can Be the Baltimore Orioles of 2013

August 10, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

The Baltimore Orioles have been one of the major surprises of the 2012 MLB season. Predicted by most every presumed expert and pundit to finish last in the AL East, the O's are 5.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the division as of Aug. 10. A mid- to late-season collapse has been expected for the Orioles, yet just when it appears that they might be out of the race, they rebound to stay competitive.The Chicago Cubs will very likely finish last in the NL Central division next season, especially because the Houston Astros are moving to ...

Chicago Cubs Rumors: Are Suitors Motivated to Pull off Alfonso Soriano Deal?

August 3, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

The last great obstacle to Theo Epstein's rebuilding project with the Chicago Cubs is Alfonso Soriano's cinder block of a contract.Soriano has two years left on his deal, each worth $18 million. Combined with what he's set to be paid for the remainder of this season—reportedly $8 million—that leaves $44 million for another team to take on if they want to make a trade for the Cubs left fielder. Depending on the metaphor that best suits your taste, the remaining two years on that deal are like two cinder blocks on Epstein's feet, dragging him and the Cubs' future down with ...

Why the Chicago Cubs Salvaged a Huge Deadline Opportunity to Build Bright Future

August 1, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

The trade deadline was minutes away from becoming a blown opportunity for the Chicago Cubs, team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer.The Cubs had two huge trade chips in starting pitchers Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza, top arms that would yield a wave of minor league prospects—especially pitching prospects—that the team needed to rebuild its organization. To not trade one or either of them would have been a huge disappointment. Epstein stared that disappointment right in the face as the minutes ticked down to the 3:00 p.m. CT trade deadline.Dempster had already killed what would have been a good ...

Cubs Try to Mask Pain with Superhero Costumes While Leaving St. Louis

July 23, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Whether it's through comic books or movies, many people embrace superheroes as a means of escape from the tedium and misfortune of their regular lives. The Chicago Cubs are apparently no different.After suffering a 7-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, several Cubs players—and manager Dale Sveum—donned superhero garb for the team's trip to Pittsburgh. Fortunately for us, several of the beat reporters covering the Cubs were on hand with cameras as these garishly costumed figures left the visitors clubhouse. Who were these masked men? Personally, I can't identify most of the players who suited up after the game. ...

Chicago Cubs: Why a Full Rebuild Can’t Work on the North Side

July 19, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs could look like a completely different team over the next two weeks.Team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer attempt to trade off several of their veteran players and continue the full-on rebuild that's been going on at Wrigley Field since the new regime took over. While talking to reporters on Thursday, Epstein explained what he felt the Cubs needed in exchange for trading top pitchers Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza. Second baseman Darwin Barney, catcher Geovany Soto and outfielder Alfonso Soriano have also been mentioned in various trade rumors recently. "As a whole, not specifically regarding these ...

Hey, Travis Wood: There’s Something Wrong with Your Cap, Sir

June 26, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Trading reliever Sean Marshall to the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Travis Wood was not among Theo Epstein's most popular moves since taking over the front office of the Chicago Cubs.While Marshall has continued to be one of the best setup relievers in baseball (and also took over the closer's role for a brief time) for the Reds, Wood has struggled. Going into Monday night, he had a 1-3 record and 4.14 ERA with 19 walks in 41.1 innings.But Wood appears to be turning himself around. In his past five starts, he's allowed three runs or fewer. In three of those ...

NL Worst of the Night: Carlos Marmol Melts Down Again as Cubs Lose, 8-0

June 7, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum surely hoped his miseries with reliever Carlos Marmol would come to an end once Marmol was removed from the closer role. As is typically done with a former closer who needs to get himself right, Sveum has been pitching Marmol in low-leverage situations where he might be able to work out the issues in his game and essentially rehabilitate himself. The Cubs faced just such a situation Wednesday night, down 5-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers in the eighth inning. No lead to protect, no key outs to deliver, no stress on every pitch. It was seemingly the ...

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