Today’s Reflections
Good morning, everyone. I hope you are recharging in preparation of the upcoming World Series.
I appreciate your reading.
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Trade/Free Agency Stories:
- Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): 5 Pitchers Who Could Address Cubs’ Shortfall of Pure Stuff This Winter. “In the age of ABS, you can’t nibble and dot your way to glory on the mound. The Cubs need much better raw stuff than they had in 2026. Let’s consider some potential sources thereof.”
- Elias Schuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): Will the Cubs Make Another Trade Push for Reid Detmers This Offseason? “A new report suggested that the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels almost had a deal done for Reid Detmers this trade deadline.”
- Michael Canter (Cubs Insider): The Rundown: Cubs Trade Speculation Escalates, Kwan Checks Several Boxes, Banner Heads to Orioles, Rays Win AL Pennant. “Harper doesn’t get the Cubs any closer to catching the Brewers than keeping Happ, Suzuki, or both will.”
- Doug Schwamb (Chicago Cubs On SI): 3 Young Cubs Players Who Could Land in a Trade This Offseason. “There are numerous guys that can be deemed trade bait, so let’s take a look at three players the Cubs can trade away this winter.”
Pitching Stories:
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Here’s why pitching is Cubs’ top priority this offseason. “Chicago’s front office may make a push to bring back at least one arm from that group, but the whole cast might very well hit free agency.”
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Cubs Expected to Retain Pitching Coaches, Which Should Not Surprise Anyone. “So unless you believe Hottovy was sneaking into players’ homes in the dead of night to place their arms at awkward angles, thus leading to issues when they threw the next day, it’s hard to blame him for the issues.”
- Jesse Rogers (ESPN.com): Biggest offseason questions for teams eliminated from MLB playoffs. “But what does that staff look like with Justin Steele and eventually Cade Horton returning from injury?”
Hitting Stories:
- Jason Ross (North Side Baseball): Cubs Don’t Need to React Harshly to Nico Hoerner’s Ugly 2026 Season. “The Cubs extended their homegrown second baseman ahead of the season for six years. Then, he seemingly struggled in 2026. Is this a sign of things to come? Or was bad luck to blame?”
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): The Rays Should Thank Pete Crow-Armstrong for Their World Series Trip and I’m Gonna Tell You Why. “So where does PCA come into this thing?”
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Cubs Mentioned as Fit if Guardians Look to Trade Steven Kwan. “Those who’ve wished fervently for the end of Happ’s Cubs tenure will surely love the idea of Kwan replacing him because it looks like a huge upgrade to them on paper.”
Minors/Fall League Stories:
- Jesse Borek (MLB.com): Cubs’ 2025 third-rounder Reid running with six-pitch arsenal in Fall League. “When the Cubs selected right-hander Dominick Reid in the third round of the 2025 Draft out of Abilene Christian, he was largely a two-pitch hurler.”
- Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports): Cubs Top Prospects Who Could Make an Impact in 2027. “Technically, a prospect could shoot up the ranks and debut every year, so this will focus on a few of their major league-ready players.”
Assorted Stories:
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Anthony Rizzo Tells the Tale of the Time He Lost His Glove Right Before a Game. “I enjoyed the heck out of this story from Anthony Rizzo on the podcast he does with David Ross.”
- Noah Wright (LastWordOnSports): Three Prime Rebound Free Agents That Should Be on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Radar. “Plenty of players will be coming off down years and heading into free agency this offseason, but the Pirates need to find the right ones to sign.”
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Rockies Plan to Build Their Roster “As If We’re Not Going to Have” Kris Bryant. “It’s obviously a reasonable approach by an organization, but it still bums me out to hear.”
- Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation): A Decade After 2016, the Goodwill Clock Has Run Out. “This has been one full DECADE of near-futility.”
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Juuuust In Case There Were Any Questions About Owners Having a Consensus on the Salary Cap. “We have to remember that the league’s desire for a salary cap – and a more centralized approach to revenue overall – is as much about franchise equity as anything else.”
Food For Thought:
Celso Salim is an exciting emerging talent in the blues-rock scene, making waves with his remarkable musicianship and electrifying performances. Known for his distinctive guitar style and outstanding slide guitar skills, Celso captivates audiences with exciting compositions and a soulful voice. Influenced by traditional blues and the iconic sound of the 1960s and ’70s, Celso began playing at age 6 and made his stage debut at 14, setting him on an unwavering path. Originally from Brasilia, Brazil, he moved to Los Angeles in 2014, where he swiftly became a highly sought-after guitarist in Southern California’s music scene, establishing himself as one of the region’s most respected artists.
Celso has shared the stage with blues greats Magic Slim, Larry McCray, and Jimmy Hall, and opened for legends such as B.B. King, Deep Purple and Joe Bonamassa. With six solo albums, he earned 3rd place at the 2019 International Blues Challenge and received 5 Independent Music Awards including one for best blues album. Recently, he has toured with Bull Y Los Bufalos and collaborated with guitarists Johnny Stachela and Artur Menezes. His album with Darryl Carriere, “About Time”, was named one of The Big Blues Chart’s Top 100 Albums of 2024. In Brazil, he has developed a robust solo career since 2001 and is also known for his acoustic duo with bassist Rodrigo Mantovani, in addition to collaborating with prominent Brazilian blues groups such as the Ari Borger Quartet and the Sergio Duarte Blues Band.
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