By Steve Rhodes
Just like the Cubs’ major league team, The Cub Factor has been on a bit of a hiatus the last couple of weeks. Unlike the Cubs’ major league team, we’re back. The Cubs, on the other hand, won’t return until 2018 at best.
The Week In Review: The Cubs lost three of four in Pittsburgh, won two of three in Philadelphia and opened a three-game set in Miami on Monday night with a win. Winning, of course, is counter to the plan, which is to change the Cubs culture of losing.
The Week In Preview: Two more against the Marlins before the Pirates come in for three over the weekend. Also, the selloff is about to begin, so the Cubs will get considerably worse in order to get better.
Wrigley Is 100 Celebration: This week the Cubs pretend for the 100th time that they are interested in signing Jeff Samardzija to a long-term deal.
What Abraham Lincoln Would Say: “Core Four and seven years from now . . . ”
Mad Merch: On Sunday, the first 5,000 children to the park will get a Mr. Potato Head keychain. Because children have to have somewhere to keep their car keys.
Note: This is not a joke. To wit: 
Prospects Are Suspects: Through Sunday, Javy Baez had gone 0-for-his-last-19, with eight strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Sullivan on Soler: “Signed to a nine-year, $30 million deal on June 30, 2012 and given a spot on 40-man roster, the Cuban outfielder has played in only seven games at Double-A Tennessee this season because of a right hamstring injury after missing action with a fractured left tibia in 2013.”
That’s half of your Core Four right there.
That’s Ricky! “I don’t know if [Olt’s’] strikeouts have historically been where they’re at, they probably are,” Renteria said.
Well maybe you should know that!
According to Jesse Rogers: “At 35 percent, his strikeout ratio actually is higher than it ever was in the minors, including last season, when he had vision problems. It was 30 percent then; from 2010-12 it was right around 24 percent, so it has gone up a considerable amount.”
Laughable Headline Of The Week: Marlins’ Patience Sets A Good Example For Cubs.
First, the Marlins have won two World Series championships in their 21 years of existence. Second, they did so by buying bushels of free agents. Third, having failed in their last attempt to repeat the formula, they changed course immediately and now sit one game over .500 and one game back in the NL East. So, pretty much the opposite of the Cubs.
Trade Bait “Don’t believe all the trade rumors out there regarding Cubs starting pitching,” Gordon Wittenmyer reports. “Contrary to one national report, sources say the Cubs are not making all of their starting pitchers except Travis Wood available.”
So Wood is available too? I mean, who would be untouchable?
the spin or isn’t judging the speed or trajectory.”
Ameritrade Stock Pick of the Week: Trade Rumors are beginning what is expected to be a 45-day ascent.
Jumbotron Preview: 5,700 square-feet of the name TRUMP.
Kubs Kalender: Wait ’til next year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020.
Over/Under: Number of Cubs starting pitchers traded before July 31: 2.5.
Beachwood Sabermetrics: A complex algorithm performed by The Cub Factor staff using all historical data made available by Major League Baseball has determined that next year’s Core Four will be different than this year’s Core Four.
The Cub Factor: Unlike Alfonso Soriano Starlin Castro, you can catch ’em all!
The White Sox Report: Know the enemy.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on June 17, 2014