North Side Territory: A Chicago Cubs Podcast

It’s not a great marketing slogan for Wrigley Field, but Cubs manager Craig Counsell perfectly summed up the experience of watching this offense fail to deliver in clutch situations: “It makes you sit in discomfort.” With Cubs fans getting restless, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney open their notebooks to share information on why Counsell is mostly sticking with his guys, when the rotation sh...

After expectations soared with two separate 10-game winning streaks early in the season, the Cubs crashed in May, falling out of first place and erasing nearly all of their cushion with a 10-game losing streak. June represents a new opportunity with a softer stretch in the schedule and starting pitchers potentially getting healthy. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down the month ahead, with a particular ...

It’s a long season, but one-third of the way through a 162-game schedule is a good time to reassess, especially given the extremes of the club’s performance. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney give their takes, based on information from their travels, and conversations on the field and in the clubhouse. What’s the secret to the Brewers’ success? How will Craig Counsell adjust to the circu...

The 10-game losing streak is finally over. To put these wild swings of the season into context, listen to The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney, who share field-level insights and clubhouse observations from their reporting. How are the Cubs reacting to these ups and downs? At this point, when should the club be counting on Steele to return? (Because the latest update did not sound promising.) Plus, an explainer of...

An extreme downturn has made those two 10-game winning streaks feel like ancient history. Even if it’s not quite time to panic, it’s fair to wonder how good this team really is, and question how the club is going to get out of this rut. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney have some ideas, based on their reporting from inside the clubhouse. After reshuffling the lineup, benching veteran players and cal...

Once again, the Brewers showed they are a superior team, dominating a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field from start to finish. As the Cubs try to regroup, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain how they flipped from the hottest team in baseball to a club that looks completely discombobulated. Are the Brewers really that good? Shouldn’t Alex Bregman be better than this? And what do you want to see from C...

PCA looks like he needs a break. After his vulgar exchange with a White Sox fan on the South Side went viral, the Gold Glove center fielder has committed two glaring errors, physical mistakes that he believes comes from a place of being mentally distracted. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney share their reporting from inside the Wrigley Field clubhouse, explaining what’s gone wrong for the Cubs recently. P...

The PCA Show came to the South Side, which generated an electric atmosphere for the latest installment of the crosstown rivalry. In winning that three-game series, the White Sox showed off their young talent and exposed some areas of concern for the Cubs. Crow-Armstrong always plays with emotion, and the All-Star center fielder complimented the White Sox for the team they’re building, but the Cubs need to get their lineup goi...

Do the Cubs have enough top prospects in their farm system to make a blockbuster deal this summer? The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are back with another primer on the trade deadline, bringing you the names to know and explaining the concepts that guide Chicago’s front office. Does Kevin Alcántara have a future at Wrigley Field? Could Pedro Ramírez be a keeper? And are Matt Shaw and Mois&ea...

Ahead of another crosstown series on the South Side, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney empty their notebooks in Chicago. How has Brown evolved to the point where he might actually become that top-of-the-rotation starter the club previously envisioned? What do the Cubs see in the recently signed Hendriks, a former All-Star closer for the White Sox? And is this version of the White Sox for real? Get ready for a C...

Chicago’s front office does not expect to execute a major trade in May. But that process of scouting players, gathering information and reading the markets never really stops. And the Cubs have both a roster that can compete for a World Series title and a multitude of pitching injuries. For an overview of where things stand – and where this could be heading in the summer – The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and P...

Blockbuster trades do not typically happen at this point in the baseball calendar. Still, it is not too early to start asking about how the Cubs will approach the trade deadline this summer. The team has performed at such a high level – and endured so many pitching injuries already – that the trade deadline will be a dominant topic around Wrigley Field. For an early read on the market, potential targets and possible tra...

It has been an unbelievable stretch at the Friendly Confines, where the Cubs last lost a game on April 11 while simultaneously dealing with a multitude of pitching injuries. For perspective on this red-hot streak, as well as a preview of what’s to come, listen to Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney. The Athletic beat writers detail the Matthew Boyd situation and provide updates on swingman Ben Brown and Jaxon Wiggins, the organ...

It’s still early, but the Cubs have already overcome several challenging moments and demonstrated so many different ways that they can win. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are back to explain why this team is absolutely legit (and perhaps a little boring). It starts with up-the-middle defense – Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner and Pete Crow-Armstrong – that should never go into a slump. Plus, a ...

You have to start with pitching. More than a month into the season, the Cubs have weathered an alarming amount of injuries. How much more can they withstand? The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down the pitching plans, anticipating the next moves and potential trouble spots. Plus, how are the Cubs going to use Moisés Ballesteros at catcher? And who’s for real in the National League Central?
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After a 3-3 road trip through Dodger Stadium and San Diego that has to be considered a success, the Cubs are back at Wrigley Field this weekend and looking to continue their momentum. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney share some nuggets from their notebooks, beginning with another PCA resurgence on the West Coast. Plus, a comprehensive report on Steele’s diagnosis and a resetting of the timeline and the e...

While it’s too soon to label this a playoff preview, the Cubs got an up-close look at the two-time defending World Series champs. With the Dodgers ending the 10-game winning streak that showed a lot about the Cubs’ resourcefulness, it’s time to reset and assess what’s gone right and what’s gone wrong. One month into a new season, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney sound the alarm be...

Riding a nine-game winning streak, the Cubs will see how they measure up this weekend against the two-time defending World Series champs. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down how the Cubs are playing through adversity, what to watch for against the Dodgers and why the club believes this high level of performance is sustainable. Listen all season long for behind-the-scenes information from Wrigley Field ...

Right now, the Cubs are rolling, but everyone in baseball is still ultimately chasing the Dodgers. Why did Counsell bring up the two-way superstar and a perceived unfair advantage for the two-time defending World Series champs? For the story behind the story, listen to The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney. Plus, several important updates on a pitching staff that has come together and handled the early-season adver...