Another Playoff Day for the Cubs and Other Bullets

starlin castro smileThe Wife and The Little Boy perfectly encapsulated what it is to be a parent this morning in this brief exchange:

As The Wife turns on the blender to make a smoothie, The Little Boy shouts: “TOO LOUD! I CAN’T HEAR THE SHOW!”

Wife: “I’m sorry, but I have needs, too.”

Boy: “YOU DON’T HAVE NEEDS!”

  • If you missed the NLDS preview this morning, check it out here. The Cubs-Cardinals match-up is the teams’ first in the playoffs since the playoffs were a thing. Man, this is gonna be good.
  • Joe Maddon once again points out that the Cubs aren’t feeling any pressure right now (Cubs.com).
  • Kyle Hendricks gets the start tomorrow for the Cubs, and Joe Maddon says that it’ll probably be Jason Hammel in Game Four unless he’s used before that out of the bullpen (ESPN). In that case, I’m assuming that the Cubs would go with a bullpen game for that day … which really doesn’t concern me all that much.
  • Although no major changes are anticipated, Commissioner Rob Manfred does see the logic in one possible playoff change: re-seeding after the Wild Card Game (ESPN). In other words, in a year like this, where the Wild Card winner has far more wins than either of the other two non-top division winners, the Wild Card winner would not be forced to play the top seed simply because it was a Wild Card team rather than a division winner. Of course, if that were actually the case this year, I’m not actually sure I’d rather see the Cubs playing the Dodgers or the Mets right now.
  • Luis was in Pittsburgh for the Wild Card Game, and he extensively documented his experience in a really enjoyable read right here.
  • A great read from Matt Trueblood on how Chris Coghlan might not match up very well with the pitchers the Cubs will see in this series.
  • Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos gives the edge to the Cubs in the NLDS, which is almost certainly some kind of reverse mind trick.
  • The big news last evening if you missed it: the Cubs have reportedly signed Eddy Julio Martinez. I’ll have more on that today.
  • Talented artist:
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Chicago Cubs Lineup: Ian Happ Back in, PCA Sits

    CUBS LINEUP — The Chicago Cubs are back at Wrigley Field tonight against the Pirates, facing a 22-year-old fireballer who threw six strong innings against them last weekend, Jared Jones. Here's a look at the Cubs lineup for the rematch...

    MLBits: Red-Hot Rockies, Sticky Stuff Suspension, Salvy’s Patience Paying Off, More

    The longest active winning streak in baseball belongs to ... the Rockies. More on the red-hot Rox and more in today's MLB Notes. The Red-Hot Rockies? A little over a week ago, the Rockies were 8-28. Since then, they've won...

    The Cubs Are Coming Home to Face the Pirates

    Cubs vs Pirates — There's going to be a little deja vu here for the next week, as the Cubs play seven straight games against the Pirates and Braves after just wrapping up six games against ... the Pirates and...

    Cubs Farm Report | May 16, 2024: Brennan Davis Goes Yard in Iowa Loss

    Brennan Davis' fifth home run of the season was not enough for the Iowa Cubs on Wednesday as they fell to the Syracuse Mets in a rain-shortened affair. That and more in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm Report |...

    Javier Assad is the Definition of Pitchability

    Like his rotation-mate Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad has reached the point where, after every single start, you want to say the same thing: wow, that was awesome, this guy is good. It gets a little stale, in an extremely desirable...

    Joe Buck is Returning to the Booth to Call a Cubs-Cardinals Game

    I know that Joe Buck is a polarizing broadcaster. Some people love him. Some people hate him. I also know that he seems to have gone through phases in his career where there were stretches I thought he was mutably...

    Pete Crow-Armstrong Put on a Show, and Continues to Make a Strong Case for Continued Playing Time

    Pete Crow-Armstrong put on a show last night, which I mean in the most literal sense. It was more like a performance than a baseball game. Bases-loaded HBP while showing bunt? OK, sure. Running easily to first on a dropped...

    Northwestern Returns to Wrigley Field TWICE This Fall

    Northwestern will be making a return to Wrigley Field not just once this season, but twice! Due to the construction of their brand new football stadium, the Cats will be playing five of their seven home games at its temporary...

    Impressive Fill-In Guys, Bullpen Health, Roberts, Javy, and Other Cubs Bullets

    The Cubs come back home from the Pittsburgh-Atlanta road trip having split it 3-3, and I gotta say, that's a pretty solid outcome when (1) you're facing Jones and Skenes, (2) you're playing three in Atlanta where they'd lost just...

    Brennen Davis Homered Again, Back-to-Back with B.J. Murray Jr. (Whom We Should Discuss)

    Just about as soon as I could talk about how Brennen Davis had homered for the third time in four games, he homered AGAIN, making it four times in five games. And this time, just for fun, B.J. Murray Jr....

    Latest News

    Minnesota Vikings Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    Under the helm of third-year coach Kevin O'Connell, the Minnesota Vikings embark on a new chapter. The departure of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who led the team for six years, marks a significant transition. During Cousins' tenure, the Vikings attained...

    Chicago Cubs Lineup: Ian Happ Back in, PCA Sits

    CUBS LINEUP — The Chicago Cubs are back at Wrigley Field tonight against the Pirates, facing a 22-year-old fireballer who threw six strong innings against them last weekend, Jared Jones. Here's a look at the Cubs lineup for the rematch...

    Miami Dolphins Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    The top-ranked offense in the NFL from last season is back, led by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Additionally, they've bolstered their roster during the offseason by adding talent such as Odell Beckham Jr.,...

    Indianapolis Colts Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    The Indianapolis Colts enter the 2024 season with their eyes set on the playoffs. With a healthy Anthony Richardson at quarterback and a bolstered receiving core, optimism hangs heavy over Lucas Oil Stadium. Let's delve into their 2024 NFL schedule...

    NFL Schedule-makers Gifted Caleb Williams and the Bears a Soft Landing

    If Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears get off to a good start this season, someone at Halas Hall should send a gift basket of Italian beef, tavern-style pizza, hot dogs, sport pepper Malört, and other Chicago delicacies to the...

    Houston Texans Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    The Houston Texans were the surprise team of the season last year thanks to the emergence of rookies C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. and an excellent job by rookie head coach and offensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and Bobby Slowik....

    New England Patriots Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    The New England Patriots are coming off their worst season in over three decades and have officially turned the page on the Belichick-Brady era by hiring Jerod Mayo as their new head coach. They’ve also hit the reset button at...

    My Favorite 2024 NFL Schedule Release Videos

    Schedule release day in the NFL is one of my favorite non-game days of the year. NFL social media teams work hard to create entertaining videos revealing their teams' schedules for the upcoming season. Here are my favorite 2024 NFL...

    San Francisco 49ers Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    Brock Purdy led the San Francisco 49ers to an NFC Championship and their second Super Bowl appearance in the last five years in 2023. Will they pick up where they left off and continue to dominate the NFC this season?...

    Ope! The Bears Also Announced Their 2024 Preseason Schedule

    ESPN's Monday Night Football team will call the first game of the Caleb Williams Era when the Chicago Bears play the Houston Texans in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. This will mark the first time the Hall of...

    more cubs news