I probably fall somewhere in the middle on the Cynical Scale when it comes to “Team X is interested in Play A” rumors, knowing that there is typically a minimal measure of truth to them, but also that there is almost always an agenda behind (1) the rumor getting out and (2) how the rumor is framed by the originating source.
For that reason, I try to walk myself – and you – through a report in a way that contemplates a number of layers, without simply buying or dismissing it whole cloth.
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From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
Today, we stand 80 days away from the Cubs’ Opening Day game March 26 against the Nationals at Wrigley Field. That’s 11 and a half weeks, which is plenty of time for the Cubs to sign or trade for new players, and I am reasonably certain they will add one or more such players, even […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
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. A good day for center fielders, several sad passings, and other stories. Today in baseball […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
On the first day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meAn Anthony Rizzo retirement for the ages, On the second day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meA $2 scorecard On the third day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meThree Schwarbombs in the first All-Star Game Home Run Swing-Off On the fourth day of […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 3 reads
This Cubs offseason has stunk — no doubt about it — but the Bears are sustaining me. It’s been half a decade since our football team sniffed the playoffs … and a lot longer since we actually thought they had a shot at doing anything with their opportunity. So as I sit here today, bummed and annoyed by the all too familiar lack of aggression from the Cubs front office, I am perked back up by Caleb Williams chasing franchise history at Soldier Field this afternoon and continuing that momentum in...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 1 month ago
| 6 reads
1960s era Cubs shortstop Don Kessinger is instantly recognizable in this photo. The Facebook page where I found it helpfully identified the other three people in the photo. The Cubs are obviously playing the Phillies. No. 6 is Cookie Rojas, later a Cubs coach. The other Phillies player is Don Money, and the umpire is […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
Well, it looks like Alex Bregman or bust now. It’s easy to be discouraged by the lack of progress on the team-building front. These are not good times. I remember when the ballboy (actually clubhouse attendant Francisco “Chico” Herrera) played left field for the Dodgers. The Cubs might want to field Fabian De Hoyos. He’s […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 3 reads
On the first day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meAn Anthony Rizzo retirement for the ages, On the second day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meA $2 scorecard On the third day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meThree Schwarbombs in the first All-Star Game Home Run Swing-Off On the fourth day of […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 2 reads
BCB reader Clark Addison sent me this photo just because he thought it was funny, showing umpire Bruce Froemming in the middle of expectorating. He didn’t expect me to want to sleuth it, but… come on now, you know me pretty well by now. I had to do it. So what do we know about […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
The Magic 8-Ball really don’t think that Nolan Arenado is going to be traded to the Cubs. I don’t give them good odds of landing Bo Bichette, either. Slightly better odds of Alex Bregman manning the Chicago third sack. I half-suspect the Cubs are done adding. Anyone they add is likely to be wearing a […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 3 reads
On the first day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meAn Anthony Rizzo retirement for the ages, On the second day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meA $2 scorecard On the third day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meThree Schwarbombs in the first All-Star Game Home Run Swing-Off On the fourth day of […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
Let’s just say that Daniel Descalso was no one’s favorite Cub. He was signed after the Cubs traded Tommy La Stella to the Angels for a minor leaguer who never pitched in a single game in the Cubs organization, much less in the majors. Then TLS went on to have a monster first half in […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 3 reads
In some years, I post an article toward the end of the year revisiting my bold predictions for the Cubs for that season. Why didn’t I do that in 2025? Well… here are my five bold predictions for the year just completed. I got close on one of these, at least. The Cubs did win […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 0 reads
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. RIP Bill Veeck*, and other stories. Today in baseball history: Cubs Birthdays: Ray Jacobs, Nick Dumovich, […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
On the first day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meAn Anthony Rizzo retirement for the ages, On the second day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meA $2 scorecard On the third day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meThree Schwarbombs in the first All-Star Game Home Run Swing-Off On the fourth day of […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 2 reads
News item: So, okay, the guy who could have really helped the Cubs rotation isn’t available anymore. And here’s the money for Tatsuya Imai: Yes, the Cubs could easily have afforded that. Maybe it wasn’t totally about money — remember, Imai had said at one point that he wanted to challenge himself by NOT signing […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
On the first day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meAn Anthony Rizzo retirement for the ages, On the second day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meA $2 scorecardAnd an Anthony Rizzo retirement for the ages On the third day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meThree Schwarbombs in the first All-Star Game Home […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 2 reads
MLB Rumors: Kirby Yates and the Anaheim Angels have agreed to terms on a one year, $5 million deal, while fellow righty reliever Hunter Harvey and the Chicago Cubs have agreed to terms on a one year, $6 million deal, with $1.5 million in incentives, per reports. In addition — and potentially related to the […]
From Lone Star Ball
| about 1 month ago
| 3 reads
I touched on this appearance briefly in yesterday’s post in this series, about Victor Caratini. Ian Happ’s lone pitching appearance in the major leagues came in a game where Joe Maddon used three position players to finish up after the Cubs were hopelessly behind. Happ threw the top of the ninth inning July 20, 2018 […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 1 read
With 2025 coming to a close, a lot of folks and production houses are doing the “best plays of 2025” thing, which I certainly do enjoy. Remembering stuff is fun.
I particularly appreciated, however, that Marquee also put out a top ten funny moments of the year from the 2025 Chicago Cubs season:
The Top 10 funny moments of the 2025 @Cubs season 😆 pic.twitter.com/iVqXmrawkt — Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) December 30, 2025
Not that this is the kind of list about whi...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 1 month ago
| 2 reads
At year’s end, it’s a good time to reflect and remember those who passed away throughout the year. In the baseball world in general: Hall of Famer Dave Parker and notables Rich Dauer, Mike Greenwell and Chet Lemon, and, of course, Hall of Fame Frick Award winner Bob Uecker. There were also 17 members of […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 2 reads
The kids have another week left of their break for the holidays, and I am definitely not counting those days down like it’s a posting window for a Japanese star …
I appreciated reading an actual human translation of Tatsuya Imai’s comments about the posting process, which we discussed yesterday , and which concludes this Friday, January 2 at the latest. The automated translations weren’t TOO far off (close enough to get the right sense of where things stand), but this is better:
...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 1 month ago
| 4 reads
At the rate we’re going, we’ll be down to one or two articles next issue. I doubt that’d be unusual — but I’ll have to put in a full day to find them. The click-baitery and hired bushwah have gotten SO bad. Sad times. There’s a site that does nothing but make up bad trade […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 0 reads
Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the grooviest gathering of night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. It’s good to see you back. We hope you had a wonderful holiday break. Please come on in out of the cold. We can check your coat for you. Don’t lose that ticket. There are […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 0 reads
On the first day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meAn Anthony Rizzo retirement for the ages, On the second day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meA $2 scorecardAnd an Anthony Rizzo retirement for the ages On the third day of CubsmasMy true love gave to meThree Schwarbombs in the first All-Star Game Home […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 1 month ago
| 0 reads