Today’s Reflections
Hello, everyone.
Just letting you know I came across two new articles about the outfield positioning experiment. The first one is a good, thorough article with a lot of interesting info, and it also led me to the following item: The author of the second article noticed something weird happening on the field, asked questions and even went onto the field after the game and tested it. Cool article, and probably has the best way to approach this change for now.
I appreciate your reading.
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
The Change MLB is Considering That Would (potentially) Damage Baseball, Part 2:
- Ian Miller (Outkick.com): Major League Baseball is experimenting with new rules this fall to fundamentally change the sport. “Batting average on fly balls has dropped 35 points since 2019 as teams use data to place fielders with increasing precision.”
- Eric Longenhagen (Fangraphs): Major League Baseball Piloting Experimental Outfield Positioning Rules in Arizona Fall League. “But across 18 innings of baseball, I’m digging this.”
Free Agency/Trades/Arbitration Stories:
- Chris Pownall (DaWindyCity): Early prediction: Cubs could make massive $93 million offseason roster shakeup. “The Chicago Cubs have a chance to do something this winter that Jed Hoyer hasn’t always had the flexibility to do: change a substantial portion of the roster.”
- Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Cubs’ second chance at Freddy Peralta looks more intriguing after Rays’ ALCS breakthrough. “Chicago needs big arms and that’s what Peralta looked like on Tuesday night.”
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Maybe Tarik Skubal to the Cubs Isn’t ENTIRELY Out of the Question? “The Cubs SHOULD be involved on Skubal, given how obviously he fits their needs. I could argue there’s no single team in baseball more improved by adding Skubal than the Cubs.”
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Cubs Look Like Tarik Skubal Fit on Paper, Other Than How Much Paper He’ll Command. “As with many other free agents at the top of nearly every Cubs fan’s wish list, Tarik Skubal is going to draw a lot of attention over the next several months.”
- Elias Schuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): A Cubs Run at Tarik Skubal Shouldn’t Be Ruled Out This Offseason. “With the starting rotation in flux, the Chicago Cubs could still look to target one of the best names in baseball.”
- Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): 5 Impending Free Agents Cubs Fans Should Watch Closely During Championship Series. “The Cubs have been left with their noses pressed to the window during the League Championship Series round for nine straight seasons. There’s plenty to see there, at least, for a team that knows a big shopping spree lies ahead.”
- Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation): The Top 7 Cubs Free Agents to Target for 2027. “Go nuts, Tom and Jed. If you don’t, we’ll just be in the same position (or worse) again next year.”
- Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Cubs predicted to trade away Matt Shaw to land Mariners’ All-Star starter. “This trade prediction for the Cubs is a bold one, but it makes a lot of sense.”
- Alexander Rosquez (LastWordOnSports): Matt Shaw Trade Could Help Cubs’ Rotation, But Would Be Costly. “A Matt Shaw trade is still a scenario, not a reported negotiation.”
- Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation): The Top 17 Cubs Trade Targets for 2027. “Although the 2027 Chicago Cubs will this offseason, it is absolutely not time to let off the gas.”
- Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Padres, Cubs could find themselves going head-to-head in free agency after playoffs showdown. “These National League foes could square off in the pitching market this offseason.”
- Aldo Soto (SportsMockery): Chicago Cubs Brace for Arbitration Avalanche Heading Into 2027. “Let’s go over the list of players and pinpoint the easy choices, a few fringe guys, and the handful of player who will not return next season.”
Pitching Stories:
- Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): The Cubs Have Most of the Pieces of a Good 2027 Bullpen On Hand. “There’s so much the Cubs have to accomplish this offseason that it’s tempting to think they’re starting from scratch, outside their key, high-dollar position players. They do have the bones of a better bullpen on the roster, though.”
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Our Expectations for Pitcher Command Are Probably Too High. “We think of these things as in competition with each other, but a lot of times, analytics merely confirms what a player’s gut was telling him anyway!”
- Jason Ross (North Side Baseball): Shota Imanaga’s 2026 in Review: A Successful (Final) Season in Chicago. “Shota Imanaga played under the qualifying offer in 2026. What should we make of an up-and-down season for the lefty?”
Hitting Stories:
- Ryan O’Rourke (Cubbies Crib): Pete Crow-Armstrong draws impressive comparison from Andrew McCutchen that Cubs fans will love. “PCA’s fellow MVP had a lot of love to share.”
- Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Matt Shaw, Pedro Ramírez and the Cubs’ Shaky 2027 Outfield Plans. “The Cubs will have to fill at least one of their corner outfield spots from within next season. They have two young, controllable players with prospect pedigree in position to take the job, but it’s not clear that either can handle it.”
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Which of These 3 Paths Will Cubs Take to Address Vacant Corner OF Spots? “The Cubs have repeatedly borne witness to that as they continue to trail the Brewers year after year in spite of a much deeper pool of resources.”
- Randy Holt (North Side Baseball): Dansby Swanson Is Still A Streaky Hitter, But Those Streaks Are Cold More Often Than Not. “Dansby Swanson just endured the worst offensive season of his Cubs tenure. Is this the new normal for the once-star shortstop?”
Thorough Catcher Analysis:
- Randy Holt (North Side Baseball): Did Miguel Amaya Do Enough in 2026 to Be Cubs’ Main Catcher in 2027? “Miguel Amaya was above-average at the plate for a second straight year and roughly average behind the plate. Did he do enough in 2026 to get a shot at the No. 1 gig next spring?”
- Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): The Cubs Need to Find the Next Carson Kelly, But This Winter, That Player Doesn’t Exist. “From the moment the Cubs agreed to signed Carson Kelly in December 2024, it was fairly clear that they’d found the perfect fit. Now, Kelly is an impending free agent, but re-upping with him isn’t the right move. They need this winter’s Carson Kelly. Good luck with that.”
Assorted Stories:
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Signed Prints of JJ Weinberg’s ‘Field of Dreams’ Cubs Championship Painting Available. “Artist and Cubs fan J.J. Weinberg put himself on the map for Cubs fans when he gifted his father, Jerry, his original painting of the Cubs celebrating their 2016 World Series win.”
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): These players stood out in Cubs’ farm system in ‘26. “Let’s run through some of the developments in the Cubs’ farm system from this last season.”
Special Hitting Analysis articles:
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Why the Ideal Bat Path is the Ideal Bat Path. “I really loved this visualization of a good bat path from Eric Kozak, the Hitting Coordinator at Driveline.”
(The following article was linked in the one above. I don’t believe I caught it at the time, so I’m linking it separately just in case.)
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman Are Doing Some Impressive (and Impressively Similar) Things. “I was blown away by the similarities at various points in the two guys’ swings.”
Food For Thought:
Born and raised in Mississippi, Eddie Cotton Jr. is a modern torchbearer of the blues, blending soulful vocals, masterful guitar work, and deep-rooted tradition. His passion for music was sparked in the church, where his father was a preacher, and it was there that he honed his signature style—one that seamlessly fuses gospel influences with the raw energy of the blues. Cotton’s journey into the blues world was shaped by the legends who came before him, including B.B. King, Albert King, and Buddy Guy. His breakout moment came in 2015 when he won the prestigious International Blues Challenge, cementing his place among contemporary blues greats.
Cotton delivers a sound that is both fresh and timeless, filled with electrifying guitar riffs, heartfelt storytelling, and a groove that keeps audiences coming back for more. Whether performing on festival stages or in intimate venues, his music resonates with both seasoned blues lovers and new listeners alike. Eddie Cotton Jr. isn’t just playing the blues—he’s living it, breathing new life into a genre that remains as powerful as ever.
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.
