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The Off Day After Opening Day React Post

In Commentary And Analysis by Rice Cube24 Comments

Because the Cubs play at Wrigley Field, which historically does not have a roof despite being in the Midwest where it can get a) cold and b) wet, this necessitates a scheduled off day right after the official Opening Day, in case they have to make up the home opener later. I guess if Friday had gotten weathered out, they …

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Dreamcast 58: Next Starts Somewhere

In by Rice Cube16 Comments

Okay kids, we’ve made it to Opening Day. I’m very tired, but this is done before first pitch and you can listen to RC, berselius, BVS, and AC talk about how much the Brewers suck and the Cubs will destroy them in the opening series. Topics include: You can check out the podcast page or just click on the embedded …

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Cubs Opening Day 2023 Preview

In Major League Baseball by Rice Cube18 Comments

Well, folks, after a month of generally entertaining (and brisk) Cactus League games, we have mere hours until first pitch on Opening Day at Wrigley Field. The Cubs will face off against the Milwaukee Brewers for a brief home opening series before they head on the road because schedules are wack, and while it is probably true that the Brewers …

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The Ever-Changing Rulebook

In Commentary And Analysis by Rice Cube45 Comments

I think the new rules are probably the biggest topic of the spring other than the inevitable injuries to players that shake up the plans for the entire season, and most of this has to do with the pitch clock. Of course there is also the World Baseball Classic, but as one game famously took like three hours to play …

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Hot Takes for the Off Day

In Facepalm by Rice Cube24 Comments

You know how they say that spring training doesn’t matter and also keep harping on the whole small sample size thing? Well, the sample and performance probably doesn’t matter much for the guys you know are going to be making the team, but for the ones who are on the bubble, more often than not you’d like them not to …

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Welcome to March

In Major League Baseball, News And Rumors by Rice Cube67 Comments

The Cubs are winless since their spring training opener, but since this is all practice, the scores don’t so much matter as the part where most everyone we care about stay healthy…ah nuts, but we’ll cover that later. Anyway, we are heading into March with less than a month to go until Opening Day when the games actually do matter, …

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Random Cubs Practice Game Thread Until Further Notice

In Game Threads by Rice Cube49 Comments

I would do one for every game, but that first game of spring training was special and the rest are just like whatever at this point as long as no one (else) gets hurt. It was just nice to have a “normal” spring training again after a pandemic (still going, technically), a lockout, and even with the World Baseball Classic …

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Your Very First Cubs Game Thread of 2023: Giants @ Cubs, Saturday 2/25 2:05 PM CT (UPDATED: With Lineups)

In Game Threads by Rice Cube41 Comments

Well, everyone, we’ve made it to the very first game of the Cubs (pre)season as your favorite squadron will host the Giants at Sloan Park on what I presume will be a lovely Saturday afternoon in Arizona, before it gets insufferably hot and the bulk of the attendees will get badly sunburned. Per the official Cubs schedule, the game will …

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What Springs to Mind?

In News And Rumors by Rice Cube17 Comments

In an effort to put stuff on this website semi-regularly and not be complete white noise, I’ve been racking my brain over the past several days trying to figure out a good topic, but it’s like AC says, they need to just start playing games already. As it turns out, we are not that far from the start of the …

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The Quest For Exceeding Expectations

In Commentary And Analysis by Rice Cube51 Comments

I was able to talk to the Gregs about prospects and the Cubs future on the last Dreamcast, and everything from the various projections (including FanGraphs playoff odds and ZiPS), to the way the Cubs themselves are speaking to the press and whatever this damn slogan is, confirms what we discussed, which is that the Cubs are likely nowhere close …