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Cubs Lose Kyuji Fujikawa to Tommy John Surgery, out for Season

May 29, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs got the news they had been dreading. Kyuji Fujikawa, the team's offseason prize, has a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow and will require Tommy John elbow reconstruction, according to MLB.com. Fujikawa was injured on a pitch to Joey Votto. He told the Japan Times that he felt an immediate pain with his first pitch and was lifted after just one batter. He was immediately scheduled for an MRI and placed on the DL even before the results, an indication that manual testing by the medical staff had given them a very good idea what the MRI ...

Stock Up, Stock Down for Chicago Cubs’ Top 10 Prospects for Week 8

May 27, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

After a solid 13-12 stretch pulled them out of the NL Central cellar two weeks ago, the Cubs scuffled again this past week with a 1-5 record. They now trail the Brewers by half a game for fourth place and are 19-30 overall.While it was a poor week in Chicago, it was another positive one across the minor league ranks—especially at Low-A Kane County, where last year's top pick, Albert Almora, made his 2013 debut after battling a broke hamate bone this spring.Here is an updated look at how the team's top prospects, including Almora, performed in the past week ...

Chicago Cubs 2013 MLB Draft: Projecting Their Top 5 1st-Round Targets

May 24, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

Last November I posted a slideshow with a self-explanatory title, “Cubs’ Top 5 Draft Targets in the 2013 MLB Draft.”  All five draft targets were collegiate starting pitchers. Not much has changed since then regarding what position the Cubs need to target with their first-round selection, No. 2 overall.  However, while the forthcoming updated list is still compiled entirely of pitchers, the players they should consider have somewhat changed. Still included in the list are Mark Appel (the projected No. 1 overall pick), Ryne Stanek and Sean Manaea.  New to the list are Jonathan Gray and Marco Gonzales. Legitimately, the ...

2013 MLB Draft: Pitchers the Cubs Should Target in the 2013 MLB Draft

May 21, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

The 2013 MLB Draft is rapidly approaching as only 16 days remain until the draft kicks off on June 6 in MLB Network's Studio 42 in Secaucus, New Jersey.The Chicago Cubs hold the second pick in the 2013 draft, following the Houston Astros. Pitching is always a concern, and the Cubs will have no shortage of pitching choices in 2013.Here is a look at three pitchers the Cubs should target in the 2013 draft.Begin Slideshow

Stock Up, Stock Down for Chicago Cubs’ Top 10 Prospects for Week 7

May 20, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs have gone 13-12 since opening the season 5-13, and while contention is unlikely this season, it is at least nice to see a competitive club on the field.Even with the big league team playing better, the focus remains on the its future, as they eye a return to the postseason within the next couple years.When the return to legitimate contention hinges heavily on how their top prospects progress, and there is as much attention on the Cubs' minor league system as any in baseball.So here is an updated look at how the team's top prospects performed in ...

Grading the Chicago Cubs After the 1st Quarter of the Season

May 17, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

So far in 2013, the Chicago Cubs have been the epitome of a “head-scratcher.”  There are times when you watch them play, look at their record and think to yourself, “Yep, that’s about right.” Then, there are other times that you watch them play, look at their record and think, “What? They cannot be that bad, can they?” (BaseballReference.com’s Pythagorean W-L formula shows the Cubs record should be 19-21 rather than their actual 17-23.) It also seems like in each individual game, a different facet of baseball is what influences the outcome; hitting, fielding, starting pitching, relief pitching, etc. Almost ...

Things We Learned About the Cubs Through the First Quarter of the Season

May 14, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

Can you believe it, baseball fans?  A quarter of the 2013 MLB season is already in the books and the Cubs are, well, the Cubs.  Standing seven games below .500 and 8.5 games behind the Cardinals, the boys in blue have struggled (as expected). There have not been many surprises, though we have learned some things about the team, such as the abilities of newcomers and young players.Here, we will look at some things we have learned.Begin Slideshow

Stock Up, Stock Down for Chicago Cubs’ Top 10 Prospects for Week 6

May 13, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

It was a rare successful week for the big league club, as the Chicago Cubs went 4-2 and recorded a series win against the Washington Nationals, while also recording victories against the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals.That pulled them to 15-22 on the season, putting them just a game away from passing the sliding Milwaukee Brewers and climbing out of the cellar.Looking at the big picture, however, the rebuild continues, and with that, here is our weekly look at how the team's top 10 prospects performed over the past week. Top prospects according to Baseball America.*No. 2 prospect Albert Almora and ...

Chicago Cubs Reach Agreement with Anthony Rizzo on 7-Year Extension

May 13, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is one of the fastest-rising stars in MLB. From his World Baseball Classic heroics with the Italian national team to his booming power as a member of the Cubs, he seems to have it all.UPDATE: Monday, May 13 at 3:16 p.m. ET by Tom Kinslow The Cubs confirmed today that Rizzo has signed an extension that will keep him in Chicago for the next seven years.   ---End of update--- According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Cubs have made sure the 23-year-old Rizzo stays in Chicago for the remainder of the decade.  Rosenthal breaks ...

Is 2013 Going as Hoped for Theo Epstein and the Cubs’ Rebuild?

May 10, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

Coming off a 101-loss season in 2012, the second year of the Chicago Cubs' rebuilding effort was expected to be an equally trying one for the North Siders, and they are off to a 13-21 start.At this point, the win-loss record is not the best gauge of success for the Cubs, as they are not expected to be in a legitimate position to contend until the 2015 season at the earliest.With those low expectations at the big league level, it is not always clear if things are going according to plan for the rebuild.So here is an overview of the ...

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