A Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005
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 […]
20 days 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 […]
20 days ago | 2 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 […]
21 days ago | 1 read
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 […]
21 days 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 […]
21 days 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 […]
22 days 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 […]
22 days ago | 2 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 […]
22 days ago | 0 reads
Good Morning. Other than Tatsuya Imai, it’s been a slow news day.
22 days 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, […]
22 days 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 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 […]
23 days ago | 1 read
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 […]
23 days ago | 1 read
Happy New Year to you from all of us at BCB. Here’s the full image from above: Here’s my wish for you to have a happy, healthy 2025, and also a wish for the Chicago Cubs to have a successful season and hopefully return to the postseason. If you are looking for a baseball alternative […]
23 days 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 […]
25 days ago | 0 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 […]
25 days ago | 0 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 […]
25 days ago | 1 read
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 […]
25 days 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 […]
25 days 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 […]
26 days ago | 0 reads
Cubs backup catcher Victor Caratini pitched four times for the team, twice each in 2018 and 2019. I’m doing these in chronological order, then alphabetically, so Caratini is the first of three (!) Cubs position players who pitched in an 18-5 loss to the Cardinals July 20, 2018. Jon Lester started this game and had […]
26 days ago | 0 reads
It is, I suppose, a testament to the 2025 Cubs season that all five of these games — plus one of the two “honorable mention” games — were in the season’s first half. That’s when the Cubs offense was cruising and they put together a division lead. Of course, you know about the struggles in […]
26 days ago | 0 reads
The Cubs haven’t made any major signings to date this offseason. This, you know. Not bringing you any new information here. Jed Hoyer and Co., however, have signed a flurry of new relief pitchers to the staff. As of the time of this post, one of those signings has not yet been officially announced by […]
26 days ago | 0 reads
Good morning. Most of our stories today come from state-approved media—i.e. MLB dot com—because it seems like most of the rest of the baseball media took the weekend off, as well as most of the front offices and free agents.
26 days 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. Happy birthday to Kevin Hart* and other former Cubs. You think you have tribbles? Today […]
26 days 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 […]
27 days ago | 1 read