https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/page/29/?d=1News: Newsenhttps://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/the-10-best-chicago-cubs-rookie-seasons-since-1947-r7203/The initial field for the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year award is crowded. One of the entrants is Chicago Cubs catcher-designated hitter Moisés Ballesteros. The 22-year-old made his debut in 2025 but kept his rookie status, as he stayed below the thresholds of 130 at-bats and 45 days on...7203Wed, 25 Mar 2026 17:04:01 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/chicago-cubs-2026-position-analysis-first-base-r7194/The Chicago Cubs officially have one of the better first basemen in baseball, the first time they can say that since the departure of Anthony Rizzo back in 2021. Things seemed bleak at first base for some time; we saw Frank Schwindel and Patrick Wisdom for too long. Past-their-prime veterans Eri...7194Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:02:02 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/seiya-suzukis-injury-could-change-everything-for-the-cubs-r7193/Seiya Suzuki will start the season on the Cubs' Injured List, Craig Counsell announced. Chicago's veteran slugger is a key piece in their starting lineup, and his injury tips over a few dominoes. Suzuki spent the majority of 2025 as the Cubs' designated hitter, which could open up some availabil...7193Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:32:00 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/the-cubs-found-the-right-player-at-the-right-time-in-pete-crow-armstrong-r7189/The week ahead of Major League Baseball's Opening Day always carries a certain sanguine energy to it. The optimism that permeates throughout each fanbase at the outset, typically juxtaposed against the transition from winter into spring, is unique to baseball. Of course, a team can always add so...7189Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:58:02 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/episode-45-chicago-cubs-season-predictions-pete-crow-armstrong-extension-r7180/Opening Day is upon us in MLB! Let’s make some predictions for the Chicago Cubs season! Pete Crow-Armstrong has an extension in place. What does it mean for him and the Cubs? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313  L...7180Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:12:02 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/is-extending-pete-crow-armstrong-the-right-move-for-the-cubs-r7176/The Chicago Cubs and Pete Crow-Armstrong are both closing in on a long-term extension, per Jeff Passan and other reporters. Is locking down the 30-30 center fielder and Gold Glove honoree a smart move at this point in his career? We dive into everything from PCA's top metrics to the reason he's...7176Tue, 24 Mar 2026 21:20:00 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/chicago-cubs-2026-position-analysis-corner-outfield-r7172/This winter, the Cubs will face a wave of tough decisions about the future of their corner outfield spots. Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are each due to hit free agency, a year after the team watched Kyle Tucker depart via that very road. For now, though, those two are anchors in left and right fiel...7172Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:38:02 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/how-pete-crow-armstrong-optimized-his-swing-and-became-a-100-million-superstar-r7159/When you watch Pete Crow-Armstrong hit, 'optimized' isn't the first word that springs to mind. Because he swings at practically everything, the Cubs' young center fielder is forever displaying his warts. He often looks like a mess up there, because when we think about players who are exceptional...7159Tue, 24 Mar 2026 11:56:01 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/breaking-pete-crow-armstrong-cubs-agree-on-long-term-contract-r7151/The Cubs aren't letting their next core slip out the door the way the last one did. They've agreed to a long-term deal with star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. Jeff Passan of ESPN was first to report the news, on Twitter. More to c...7151Tue, 24 Mar 2026 03:03:49 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/cubs-week-in-review-opening-day-roster-set-season-on-the-horizon-r7150/The promise of Opening Day at Wrigley Field holds an air of romance that few other spring rituals can. The North Siders are back in Chicago, ready to do battle this Thursday with the Washington Nationals. As camp broke in Arizona, Craig Counsell's crew continued to set its Opening Day roster, wi...7150Mon, 23 Mar 2026 23:03:02 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/believing-hes-the-best-version-of-himself-ben-brown-lands-the-best-role-for-his-future-r7139/Ben Brown doesn't lack confidence. The tweaks he made this winter changed the righty's profile as a pitcher, and he firmly believes that he's tapped into the fullness of his potential for the first time. "This is the best I have ever http://been," Brown told 104.3 The Score's Bruce Levine e...7139Mon, 23 Mar 2026 18:11:38 +0000https://diamondcentric.net/news-rumors/north-side-baseball/why-the-cubs-should-sign-closer-daniel-palencia-to-a-contract-extension-r7132/Signing relievers to multi-year deals is not typically part of the Cubs' team-building plan. Even a modest two-year commitment to Phil Maton this winter was a relatively significant investment, by Jed Hoyer's standards; he prefers to cobble together a relief corps without using up a meaningful s...7132Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:16:52 +0000