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Cubs historical sleuthing: Ernie Banks video edition

Credit where it’s due, I found the video below at this MLB.com article. This is nine minutes’ worth of various highlights from Ernie Banks’ career [VIDEO]. Your browser does not support the video tag. For this sleuthing exercise, we are concerned only with the first 14 seconds of the video. which shows Ernie hitting a […]

From Bleed Cubbie Blue | 9 days ago | 0 reads

Chicago Cubs news and notes — Hoerner, PCA, Ricketts

Eli Morgan is a Royal. Or an Omaha Storm Chaser, on a minor-league deal, according to sources. David Robertson has retired. *means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments. Food For Thought: Please […]

From Bleed Cubbie Blue | 9 days ago | 1 read

Giants sign Luis Arráez to play second base

The San Francisco Giants made no secret about their desire to acquire a second baseman this offseason. They were never really in on free agent Bo Bichette, it seemed. There was a little smoke with Nico Hoerner, but it never seemed likely that the Chicago Cubs would deal him. They surprisingly made a run at […]

From McCovey Chronicles | 9 days ago | 3 reads

50 Years on: Could Nets honor the ABA and Dr. J at Lottery?

The Nets won the ABA’s final game. Then they were forced to sell the best player in the world just to survive. Yeah, that qualifies as a justification for a curse. The Nets and Nuggets were the last two teams to play an ABA game: May 13, 1976. It’s the 50-year anniversary for the final […]

From NetsDaily | 9 days ago | 2 reads

Cubs historical sleuthing: Ryne Sandberg/Pete Rose edition

You might not think this photo has enough evidence or clues to figure out the date and situation. After all the sleuthing photos I’ve posted here, though… you should not doubt me. This photo is another from BCB reader Joe Coney. What do we know about this photo at first glance? Pete Rose is playing […]

From Bleed Cubbie Blue | 10 days ago | 1 read

Cubs position player pitchers: Patrick Wisdom

Patrick Wisdom had an interesting four years (plus two at-bats in the 2020 pandemic season) as a Cub. He hit 28 home runs in just 106 games and 338 at-bats in 2021, setting a franchise rookie record. In a nine-game stretch not long after being called up from Triple-A Iowa, he hit .379/.438/1.138 (11-for-29) with […]

From Bleed Cubbie Blue | 11 days ago | 4 reads

Eli Morgan Signs a Minor League Deal with the Royals, Closing the Book on a Particularly Rough Trade

The acquisition target made sense on paper. Eli Morgan was a guy who’d had lots of success as a big league reliever. The Cubs had some big needs in that area. He was cheap. He still had an option year left. And he was coming off a year with an injury that may well have kept the acquisition price down. I didn’t love what that acquisition price ultimately wound up being – outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario, who was looking like a breakout player with more to come – but I understood the trad...

From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession | 11 days ago | 0 reads

Minor Trades Around Baseball, Cubs 40-Man, Early Extensions, and Other Cubs Bullets

The kids wound up getting the entire week off of school because of the massive dump of snow combined with the sub-zero temps. A little bonus winter break for them. We have reached the part of the offseason where the edge-of-40-man-roster moves have started happening. I’m talking about trades, specifically, and the same kinds of ones we see at the a rostering deadline in the fall. Things are getting crowded on the 40-man, teams are contemplating who has options left and who doesn’t, waiv...

From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession | 11 days ago | 2 reads

Chicago Cubs history unpacked, January 30

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a 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 Brailyn Marquez*, Grover Cleveland Alexander threatens to retire, and other stories. Today […]

From Bleed Cubbie Blue | 11 days ago | 3 reads

Royals sign reliever Eli Morgan to minor league deal

The Royals announced they have signed 29-year-old right-hander Eli Morgan to a minor league deal. Morgan was excellent in 2024, posting a 1.93 ERA in 32 games with Cleveland in 2024, but appeared in just seven games with the Cubs due to an elbow injury. Morgan was originally an eighth-round pick by Cleveland out of […]

From Royals Review | 11 days ago | 1 read

BN Cubs Podcast Ep. 47: Evaluating the Entire Cubs Rotation (and Depth) with Zac Gallen in Mind

Episode 47 of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast is officially live! In this week’s episode, Brett and I go through the entire crop of Cubs starting pitchers, from Cade Horton to the depth arms, to really dive into the potential risks and rewards in 2026 specifically. And, more specifically, we do that all while wondering if there’s actually room for another free agent like Zac Gallen. Spoiler alert: I think there is. Some time stamps for your convenience: 05:55 – Cade Horton...

From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession | 11 days ago | 1 read

Chicago Cubs Trending Down in the Newest Farm System Rankings

It’s been enough of a theme around here this offseason that, by the time farm system rankings were due to start rolling out, I would hope most of you already know that the Chicago Cubs are not going to fare especially well. There’s a lot of young talent on the big league roster, and the Cubs have used prospects well in trade, but the natural thinning that has accompanied the trades and promotions tended toward a reduction in overall talent down on the farm. Combine that with relatively po...

From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession | 11 days ago | 4 reads

Anthony Rizzo Reportedly Set to Join NBC as an MLB Studio Analyst

Anthony Rizzo took a little time to settle in as the clubhouse leader of the Chicago Cubs of yore, with an outwardly quiet demeanor that belied the charismatic, funny guy who was lurking in there. But once we got to see it, you got the sense that Rizzo was an enjoyable guy to be around in the baseball environment. And, having done a little mic time over the years in a media hit here and there, Rizzo is apparently ready to take that skill set to a wider audience: NBC is set to hire fo...

From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession | 12 days ago | 0 reads

Cubs position player pitchers: Matt Mervis

Remember when everyone was excited about Matt “Mash” Mervis making the major leagues? In 2022, he had batted .309/.379/.605 with 36 home runs at three levels of the Cubs system, and got off to a good start at Triple-A Iowa in 2023. When both Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini were found somewhat wanting at first […]

From Bleed Cubbie Blue | 12 days ago | 0 reads

2026 Chicago Cubs player profiles: Matt Shaw

Fifth in the series. Today we look at the Cubs’ newly-anointed utility man. Matt Shaw is a controversial figure in Cubdom right now. Not for his political beliefs (at this time), but because the signing of Alex Bregman necessarily leads to a change of position for the young man, and because it looks a bit like […]

From Bleed Cubbie Blue | 12 days ago | 4 reads

Cubs May Still Be in the Market for Another Outfielder

We’ve spent a lot of the last week discussing, describing, and unpacking the state of the Chicago Cubs’ outfield depth. Recently, the Cubs claimed a speed and defense guy for depth in Justin Dean , and signed two bounce-back types in Chas McCormick and Dylan Carlson . Add them together with Kevin Alcantara, and you have a reasonably decent mix of guys to compete for the 4th outfielder job in Spring Training, plus a good chance at keeping a few of them around at Iowa as depth for the year ahead...

From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession | 12 days ago | 0 reads

WBC and Pitcher Durability, the Velocity Game, Pitcher Rankings, and Other Cubs Bullets

Michael Cerami, Published Children’s Author. He wrote a kids Cubs book! So freaking cool. If you missed the particulars, see here . And you can get your copy at  Amazon   or  Barnes & Noble  or  Bookshop.org . Very proud of you, Michael. People probably don’t realize how much work goes into a book like that, and how hard it is to get from conception to publishing. It’s a lot, and you deserve some celebration (including a TV hit last night !). If you were curious about the World Baseball...

From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession | 12 days ago | 0 reads

Reassessing the Brewers’ backup catcher situation

We’re here to talk about the one thing on everybody’s minds: who is going to be the Milwaukee Brewers’ backup catcher when the 2026 season starts? There was a bit of news on this front on Tuesday, when the Brewers — after rumors swirled for some time — signed the Chicago Cubs’ 2025 backup, Reese […]

From Brew Crew Ball | 12 days ago | 1 read

Chicago Cubs news and notes — Carlson, Gallen, Happ

There are a few more signing rumors out there, but we’ll wait for confirmation. The Dylan Carlson deal is done. More pitching and infield help (Gabe Klobosits, Karson Simas) may be on the way. We, um, await developments. *means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on […]

From Bleed Cubbie Blue | 12 days ago | 1 read

Cubs BCB After Dark: Which outfielder should get an extension?

It’s Wednesday night here at BCB After Dark: the most happening hangout for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re so glad you decided to stop by. Come in out of the cold. We can check your coat for you. We’ve got a fire going and the show will start soon. […]

From Bleed Cubbie Blue | 12 days ago | 2 reads

Brewers sign catcher Reese McGuire to minor league deal

Just a day after I wrote about the Brewers notably inviting two catchers to spring training, they’ve tacked on another catcher to that group. Veteran catcher Reese McGuire, who spent last season with the Cubs, has agreed to a minor league deal with Milwaukee with an invite to major league spring training, per Curt Hogg. […]

From Brew Crew Ball | 12 days ago | 1 read

Folks, Cubs Pitchers and Catchers Report to Spring Training in Just Two Weeks

The nature of the offseason in the last five, ten years is such that so much of it bleeds into January that the advent of Spring Training feels a little less like this desperately-long-anticipated, far-off event, and more like the next phase of the offseason. Here we are, on the doorstep of February, and the Chicago Cubs are still popping up in fairly significant free agent rumors ( Zac Gallen today, for example ). That is not to say we don’t eagerly greet the arrival of Spring Training a...

From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession | 12 days ago | 0 reads

Must-Watch: Jed Hoyer Does an Hour with David Kaplan and Gordon Wittenmyer

Cubs President Jed Hoyer is not someone we hear from as much as we’d like. Sure, he’s around at CubsCon and will occasionally do shorter media interviews on the radio or at the Winter Meetings or a new player press conference, etc. But rarely does he sit down for an hour like he just did with David Kaplan and Gordon Wittenmyer on The Cubs REKAP Podcast . So I was very excited to see Kap reel him in again. You can find the full video at the bottom of this post, but I’m going to drop a few ...

From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession | 12 days ago | 2 reads