MLB News and Views from Toronto's #1 Cubs Fan
Fan favorite OF Albert Almora Jr. delivered the game-winning blow in the Northsiders' 8-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday evening in Chicago. Cubs SP Cole Hamels had a rough outing against the front-running Phillies, allowing three runs on nine hits in just 4.0 IP with two BBs and six SO. INF Anthony Rizzo…
Continue reading ➞ Albert Almora Jr. Hits First Career Grand Slam in Win over Phillies
Cubs manager Joe Maddon reverted to form against an old enemy in the Cubs' series finale against the Washington Nationals on Sunday, calling upon RP Steve Cishek to hold the line for seven outs to secure a one-run victory, in a similar bid to former Northsider Wade Davis's seven-out save to nail down the Cubs'…
Continue reading ➞ Cishek Channels Davis in 7-Out Save Versus Nats
The Chicago Cubs hosted the St. Louis Cardinals for their first series of the 2019 season this weekend. The Cubs entered the series with a record of 16-12, looking for a possible sweep in order to take over sole possession of first place from their arch-rival Redbirds, and the team delivered in magnificent fashion. Sunday's…
Continue reading ➞ Get Out the Brooms – Cubs Sweep Rivalry Weekend
The Chicago Cubs met the Arizona Diamondbacks for the rubber match of their three-game weekend series on Sunday afternoon in Arizona. The Cubs took an early lead on long balls by INF Kris Bryant (3) and C Willson Contreras (7) behind SP José Quintana, who was efficient in the early going but was ultimately lifted…
Continue reading ➞ Tyler Chatwood Takes Control to Give Cubs a Win in Extra Innings
The Chicago Cubs secured a series win to close out their homestand with a 7-6 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night. Cubs SP Cole Hamels exited the game after allowing three earned runs on three hits in 5.1 IP with 7 SO, issuing an uncharacteristic six BB. With two outs in the…
Lefty RP Tim Collins was added to the Cubs' active roster on April 10th following SP Jon Lester's placement on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring sustained during the home opener versus the Pirates. Collins was a non-roster invitee to the Minnesota Twins' spring training camp and was signed to a minor-league…
If you follow social justice-minded national baseball writers on social media, you might occasionally run across the opinion that MLB's international free agent signing process is "gross" and takes advantage of youth. However, it seems that most of the research about the history of baseball in Latin America and its current impact there is being…
The Toronto Blue Jays split their opening four-game series against the Detroit Tigers. Although the results weren't exactly weren't the best against another expected bottom-dweller in the American League, the Jays' starting rotation, which I had expected to be questionable based on past history and inexperience, has gotten off to a great start: Marcus Stroman…
Continue reading ➞ Blue Jays Rotation Off to an Impressive Start – but Will It Hold?
While there have been encouraging starts from major-league regulars like C Willson Contreras, INF Kris Bryant and SP Tyler Chatwood in Cactus League play, two of the most notable spring performances have come from Cubs prospects Allen Webster and Nico Hoerner. SP Allen Webster is a non-roster invitee to the Cubs camp in Arizona. So…
Continue reading ➞ Allen Webster and Nico Hoerner Are Lighting Up Cubs Spring Training
RP Lee Smith, a member of the Chicago Cubs from 1980-1987, was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Today's Game Committee (one of four Eras Committees formerly known as the Veterans Committee) at the MLB Winter Meetings on Sunday. The Today's Game and other Eras Committees consider former MLB players "no longer…