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- Doug Schwamb (Cubs Insider): The Chicago Cubs Need to Focus A Lot More on Their Farm System. “The Cubs’ farm system needs drastic improvements to make a deep playoff run filled with sustained success.”
- Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Cubs insider leaves little doubt about the odds of a reunion with Shota Imanaga. “It seems like the end of the road in Chicago for the left-hander.”
- Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): 5 MLB playoff stars the Cubs must target this offseason to finally end their October misery. “A reminder that the Cubs will never spend as much money as the Dodgers do, and may never be as good at running baseball operations as the Brewers are.”
- Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): 3 Yankees the Cubs could poach if Rays sweep forces New York into an offseason reset. “Another ring-less campaign for Aaron Boone and the Bronx Bombers.”
- Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Next Year, Expect Fewer Calls to Go Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Way—Or At Least More to Be Overturned. “Few batters benefitted more from the implementation of ABS in 2026 than the man who enjoyed the biggest offensive breakout in the league. Next year, though, Pete Crow-Armstrong will get a slap in the face from regression, via robot.”
- Jordan Bastain (MLB.com): Suzuki reflects on the good times — and a few ‘what ifs’ — from 5 years with Cubs. “The first time Seiya Suzuki headed into Sloan Park in Arizona for batting practice, he had a captive audience.”
- Sam Caulder (North Side Baseball): Pedro Ramírez’s Rollercoaster Rookie Season With Cubs Was An Overarching Success. “Pedro Ramírez wasn’t always consistent, but his first major-league campaign with the Cubs offered plenty of reasons to believe in his long-term outlook.”
- Justin Binkowski (Chicago Cubs On SI): 3 Potential Fits for Sonny Gray After Confirming He’s Pitching in 2027. “He’s coming off a tremendous 2026 season.”
- Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Cubs would face even more pressure to dethrone Brewers thanks to MLB’s latest CBA proposal. “This one actually doesn’t look that bad.”
- Steve Silverman (ClutchPoints): Ex-Cubs star Anthony Rizzo revealed what led to his retirement decision. “Former Cubs star Anthony Rizzo reveals why he made his decision to retire from baseball after the 2024 season.”
- Ben Strauss (ESPN): Inside a Wrigleyville rooftop owner’s fight with the Cubs. “”I was worried it would affect ticket sales,” Dunican said in his Irish brogue, while he pointed at the screen. He later added: “People are still coming.” But Dunican now has more pressing concerns than the screens.“
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
Food For Thought:
Sista Monica Parker (born Monica C. Parker, April 27, 1956 – October 9, 2014) was an American electric blues, blues rock, gospel and soul singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her influences included Al Green, Aretha Franklin, the Staple Singers, Jackie Wilson, and Sam Cooke. She wrote most of her material, and released eleven albums in her lifetime. Parker shared the stage with a number of musicians over her performing lifetime including B.B. King, India Arie, Gladys Knight, Etta James, Koko Taylor, Susan Tedeschi, Elvin Bishop, Mavis Staples and the Staple Singers, the Neville Brothers, and John Lee Hooker.
After college, Parker joined the United States Marine Corps and after three years of service rose the rank of sergeant. Once her military service between 1977 and 1980 ended, Parker set up a staffing company, initially based in Chicago, aimed at electrical engineering professions. After moving the business to Silicon Valley she acquired clients which included Apple Inc., Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems and Yahoo!. Encouraged by her then neighbor MC Hammer, Parker started a singing career in 1992 performing regularly at Emi’s Bar & Grille in Santa Cruz, California. By 1995 she released her debut album, Get Out of My Way, on her own independent record label, Mo Muscle Records. Her track “Windy City Burner” was played on the radio and it helped promote her initial touring around the US, Canada and parts of Europe. Her follow-up album, Sista Monica was released in 1997.
Gimme That Old Time Religion (2001) was her first gospel release, which was followed by Live in Europe the same year.[1] The latter was recorded in Peer, Belgium. It was her performances in the late 1990s in Europe that gained her the nickname, “the Blues Lioness.” In 2002 she performed at the Monterey Bay Blues Festival, but late that year was diagnosed as suffering from the rare ailment of synovial sarcoma. She was initially given three months to live. Bouts of chemotherapy, radiation and therapy ensued before she returned to the recording studio and issued Love, Soul & Spirit, Vol. 1 in 2004.
In 2005, Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down included cover versions of Willie Nelson‘s “Funny How Time Slips Away” and Sam Cooke‘s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Sweet Inspirations was issued in 2008 when Parker was again the disc’s producer. Living in the Danger Zone (2011) saw Parker include Kelley Hunt in a vocal and piano duet. Her festival and other event appearances included the San Francisco Blues Festival (1995 and 1997), Monterey Jazz Festival (1998), Notodden Blues Festival (1999), Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival (2004), and Blue Bear Live II (2007).
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
