https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/?d=1News: Newsenhttps://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/cubs-farm-system-updates-breaking-down-north-side-baseballs-new-top-20-prospect-list-r8889/As the ivy on the brick walls at Wrigley grows stronger and greener and prospects have had a chance to separate themselves over a month of play, we here at North Side Baseball have finished up our first round of 2026 prospect voting and have seen a significant shakeup in the Chicago Cubs' top 20...8889Fri, 15 May 2026 11:50:02 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/pete-crow-armstrong-and-the-perils-of-bat-speed-r8875/Let's start here: Bat speed is good. All else equal, you'd rather swing faster, rather than slower. All else is often not equal, of course, but bat speed gives you a greater margin for error, just as foot speed or arm strength do. The faster you can move the barrel through the zone, the later yo...8875Thu, 14 May 2026 22:01:04 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/cubs-minor-league-report-farm-system-drops-all-four-as-alc%C3%A1ntara-mcgwire-stand-out-r8867/Chicago Cubs Transactions No Roster Moves Alcántara's Solo Shot The Lone Run In Iowa's Loss At Nashville The Iowa Cubs fell 4-1 at Nashville. The Cubs' only run came on a solo home run from cleanup hitter Kevin Alcántara in the top of the second inning, his 14th of the season...8867Thu, 14 May 2026 15:32:02 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/ben-browns-most-important-adjustment-isnt-either-of-his-new-pitches-r8859/Ben Brown will start for the Cubs Thursday evening at one of the more successful attractions on The Battery, a suburban entertainment district in the northwest suburbs of Atlanta. It's his second turn in the starting rotation since the team lost left-hander Matthew Boyd to a torn meniscus in his...8859Thu, 14 May 2026 14:01:49 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/the-real-reason-ben-brown-is-succeeding-in-2026-r8860/Ben Brown's 2026 numbers are night and day from what we saw last season. He has gone from being one of the hardest hit hurlers in baseball to sporting a sub-2 ERA and keeping hitters off balance. What's his key to newfound productivity this season? We dive into it all in this video. View the f...8860Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/michael-confortos-hot-start-is-a-tale-of-staving-off-regression-r8850/It's difficult to overstate the value that Michael Conforto has brought to the Chicago Cubs early in 2026. A minor-league signing coming off a brutal season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the original perception of Conforto's role was, at best, as temporary depth while Seiya Suzuki worked his way...8850Thu, 14 May 2026 11:53:02 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/chicago-cubs-minor-league-report-may-12-david-bracho-fires-immaculate-inning-for-pelicans-r8834/Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - May 12 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers): Sounds lead, 1-0 Season Record: 18–21 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Columbus Clingstones (Atlanta Braves): Smokies lead, 1-0 Season Record...8834Wed, 13 May 2026 19:06:01 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/cubs-add-liam-hendriks-to-bullpen-mix-on-milb-deal-r8831/According to Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic, the Chicago Cubs are signing Liam Hendriks to a minor-league deal. Hendricks, now 37, has been a free agent since the Minnesota Twins granted his release. The righty pitcher's velocity was down to 93.4 miles per hour; it peaked in 2022 at 97. For...8831Wed, 13 May 2026 18:37:01 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/whats-next-for-cubs-starting-rotation-r8819/The Chicago Cubs rotation continues to be plagued by injuries. Could a trade to add be in store sooner rather than later? What should we make of Ben Brown starting? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313  Listen on S...8819Wed, 13 May 2026 12:36:18 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/the-cubs-need-michael-conforto-and-moises-ballesteros-in-the-lineup-right-now-which-is-a-problem-r8814/The numbers are a bit deceiving. The Cubs entered their series in Smyrna, Georgia Tuesday night with the third-most runs per game in the league so far this season, but that doesn't feel like an accurate depiction of the quality of their lineup. They've benefited, within one quarter of the campai...8814Wed, 13 May 2026 11:52:32 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/alex-bregman-is-taking-the-brunt-of-a-barrage-of-breaking-balls-r8794/In every start he's had against right-handed opposing pitchers this year, Alex Bregman has slotted in between two left-handed hitters, or between one lefty and one switch-hitter. In theory, that should punish whichever manager is trying to outguess Craig Counsell that day for any effort to get a...8794Tue, 12 May 2026 17:09:03 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/as-late-bloomers-go-colin-rea-is-an-all-timer-r8782/If Colin Rea pitches six innings Tuesday night in the northwest suburbs of Atlanta, he'll reach 650 for his career. That's not exactly a significant milestone, in the historical context of the big leagues. It's remarkable, however, because Rea is less than two months shy of his 36th birthday, an...8782Tue, 12 May 2026 14:07:01 +0000