It absolutely sucks that my son has a peanut allergy. No question about it. However, there is one small side benefit after he complete trick or treat: I made out like a bandit last night. Reese and Butterfinger and Snickers everywhere, and I * have to * take them. For safety.
The Cubs have yet to lose bench coach Ryan Flaherty to an open managerial gig, but they are indeed losing a coach off the staff:
From @PJ_Mooney and @sahadevsharma : Cubs coach Alex Smith is leaving to becom...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a light-hearted, Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths. “Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire. HAPPY HALLOWE’EN! Today in baseball history: The story of Hall-of-Famer Burleigh Grimes: “I used to […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
Episode 36 of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast is officially live!
In this week’s episode, Brett and I talk about the guy having the postseason Cade Horton was SUPPOSED to have. We talk about whether or not the Cubs are already World Series contenders. And we talk about the deal the Cubs would NOT make Shohei Ohtani (for reasons unknown and frustrating).
After the break, in our transaction corner, we focus our attention on Dylan Cease, who has blossomed into the first Cubs rumor of t...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
The players each year vote in a handful of awards for their peers in the Major League Baseball Players Association. No active Chicago Cubs were honored this time around, but I still wanted to share the results, which did include a couple former players with Cubs ties:
The MLBPAA honors the late Scott Sanderson and Don Baylor as recipients of the 2025 @MLBPA Curt Flood Award! An award presented by the Major League Baseball Players Association to honor former Players who, like Flood, showed...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
Finally, I think I’ve got one here that all of us can agree on. Nico Hoerner was one of the top players in the National League this year. He might have received an All-Star nod if he’d hit somewhat better in the first half. Overall his year was worth 6.1 bWAR, which ranked tied for […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
We cover the coverage like PCA covers center field. The Cubs have things to do. I’ve no doubt that the current scarcity of Cub coverage is only due to the ongoing finale to the season, a dramatic World Series between the mighty Dodgers and ineffable Blue Jays, who seek to cast a fog upon LA. […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
It’s Wednesday night here at BCB After Dark: the hippest after-party for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and sit with us for a while. We’re so glad you decided to stop by. The dress code is casual. We can check your coat for you. We still have […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
The annual Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in downtown Chicago will take place Jan. 16-18, 2026, and weekend passes will go on sale tomorrow, Oct. 30, on the Cubs website. Among Convention highlights will be a celebration of the 150 years of club history dating to its National League roots that began in […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
The World Series is tied two games apiece, and with Game Five tonight, we know that this thing is going back to Toronto for at least one game on Friday. So the season is going to end either Friday night or Saturday night, and immediately thereafter: the Major League Baseball offseason begins.
The first thing that happens at that moment? Every player eligible for free agency becomes a free agent.
For that reason, I figured it was a good time to remind folks of the many, many free agen...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
Okay, so most of you didn’t like my series on proposed extensions for young Cubs players. Yes, I probably went overboard on some of them. Mainly, I just wanted to open up the topics for discussion. Now, let me turn my attention for the rest of this week to three Cubs players who all have […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 0 reads
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a light-hearted, Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths. “Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire. Happy birthday to me! Today in baseball history: Cubs Birthdays: Mark Baldwin, Solly Hofman, Richie Barker, Arismendy […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest get-together for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re so glad to see you this evening. We always have a table available for you. There’s no cover charge. Let us know if you need anything. Bring your own beverage. BCB After […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. Okay, most of you didn’t like my series on contract extensions for young Cubs players. Truth be […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
Twice at The Athletic recently, the Chicago Cubs have been connected to Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai, whose NPB team, the Seibu Lions, are generally expected to post him for MLB teams this offseason. Jim Bowden mentioned the Cubs as a possible fit in his top-50 free agent rankings article, and Sahadev Sharma included Imai among the Cubs’ possible pursuits for this offseason.
Here’s what Sharma wrote :
“But perhaps the Cubs revisit some trade talks that stalled over the summer — Joe Ry...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 1 month ago
| 0 reads
Matt Shaw was the Cubs’ No. 1 pick in 2023 out of Maryland and raced through the system, making his MLB debut this past March in Tokyo. Unfortunately, Shaw didn’t hit well early in the season. He was batting .172/.294/.241 (10-for-58) in 18 games through April 14 when he was optioned to Triple-A Iowa for […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
Not only did I not make it the full double-length World Series game, but I woke up for the day when the game had only just ended three hours earlier!
Any 18-inning game is going to be, by default, a relatively crazy affair, full of close calls, great plays, and dramatic moments. I don’t want to claim that this one will forever be seen as an all-timer, but it certainly had a lot of the hallmarks.
Freddie Freeman sure loves hitting particularly dramatic walk-off homers i...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
We cover the coverage like PCA covers center field. Now in our eleventh season. Greetings. It’s true, this is the first episode of my eleventh season at the helm of this questionable enterprise, Cub Tracks that is. We generally steer clear of the mainstream but occasionally muddy the waters with our polluted stream of consciousness, […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
It’s World Series week here at BCB After Dark: the coolest club for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the cold. We’ve got the fireplace going here. There’s no cover charge. We can check your coat for you. There’s no cover charge. The hostess will seat […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 2 months ago
| 1 read
We are three weeks into the Arizona Fall League and since it’s a Monday off-day, it’s a good time to check in on the Mesa Solar Sox. The Solar Sox played six games this past week and won two of them and lost four of them. That gives them an overall record of 6-10 and […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 2 months ago
| 1 read
Over at The Athletic today , Jim Bowden ranks the top 50 MLB free agents, together with contract comps, predictions, and potential fits. I will offer my usual caveat: these types of articles can be interesting and informative in a broad sense – giving you a look at the landscape, overviews on players, very rough ideas on contract expectations, etc. You don’t want to take too much away from the specific Cubs mentions, for example, even if it’s interesting to see.
To that end, I will say th...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 2 months ago
| 1 read
Cody Bellinger was once a superstar; a Rookie of the Year-turned-MVP in his third season whose capabilities only seemed to be climbing higher and higher in LA. By the time he came to the Yankees last December in a one-for-one deal with the Cubs for Cody Poteet, he had endured a steep multi-season decline and […]
From Pinstripe Alley
| about 2 months ago
| 0 reads
It might be too early to consider a long-term contract for Cubs closer Daniel Palencia — and yes, I’m calling him “closer” because I have no doubt he’ll be back in that role in 2026. Palencia had a shoulder issue during the 2025 season, and might have come back sooner than most would have wanted. […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 2 months ago
| 1 read
The Chicago Bears (and Blackhawks) lost yesterday, and it was not pretty. I will need some comforting breakdowns from the BN crew over the next few days …
Another managerial opening is set to go down, with the Baltimore Orioles taking a top Cleveland Guardians lieutenant:
The Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a deal to hire Craig Albernaz as manager, sources tell ESPN. Albernaz, 42, was previously associate manager with Cleveland and was a widely sought-after candidate for open ma...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 2 months ago
| 1 read
Rabbit Maranville arrives in Chicago, and other stories. Happy birthday to Ralph Kiner* and other former Cubs. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a light-hearted, Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths. “Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 2 months ago
| 1 read
Here’s a photo of the popular Cubs first baseman Bill Buckner trying to break up a play in Pittsburgh: Getty Images’ caption says: PITTSBURGH, PA – CIRCA 1977: Phil Garner #3 of the Pittsburgh Pirates gets the put out at second base on Bill Buckner #22 of the Chicago Cubs during an Major League Baseball […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 2 months ago
| 2 reads