By Steve Rhodes

Sometimes you don’t know how something will feel until it happens.
I didn’t expect to feel much about Matt Garza getting traded except more bitterness at the Cubs plight amidst Theo’s Plan, which I could agree with if it didn’t come with an insistence that building an organization from the ground up was mutually exclusive with building a team at the major-league level, especially given the dirty little secret of the Ricketts family running a tightwad, greedy ship that has resulted in reduced payrolls for the league’s most profitable team.
But, even amidst questions about the 25-year-old Mike Olt and his ex-Rangers compadres, the Garza trade feels like it finally unlocked the door to the Cubs’ future.
Surely Junior Lake’s concurrent spark and even seeing the hustle (if ill-advised) of Cole freakin’ Gillespie last night have something to do with it too, but this finally is starting to look like it was supposed to look a year ago.

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Posted on July 23, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

Answering your burning questions.
Dear Cub Factor: Will a new Jumbotron help the Cubs win?
No more than a new Jumbo Dog with Jumbo Coke and Jumbo Fries. It may generate Jumbo Dollars but those will go right into the Jumbo Pockets of the Ricketts’ family, who are Jumbo Jagoffs.
Dear Cub Factor: Why so sour? Isn’t the farm system loaded with talent now?
Not as much talent as the St. Louis Cardinals’ farm system – and they didn’t have to put a century of utter futility to do build it. It’s not as if other teams aren’t also drafting hot prospects – or that the Cubs haven’t played this game before.

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Posted on July 15, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

The Cub Factor Alert System has just issued a 24-hour severe Cubbie Occurence Warning: It’s raining out and Matt Garza could slip and twist an ankle, or bump a funny bone, or break an arm, so can we just put him to sleep until he’s traded?
If you see Garza in your area, do not approach. He’s a Cub and therefore dangerous to himself and those around him. Call the authorities and let them take him down with a tranquilizer gun.
And if you see Jed or Theo, tell them to not get cute. Trying to drive a bidding war is not advisable given the likelihood that Garza will sneeze and break a rib. Trade him before I get to the end of this column or you’ll be sorry.

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Posted on July 8, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

Every second that Matt Garza remains a Cub is a bad second for Cubs fans.
Not only is he at his highest value, but he is a Cub, which means that every second is perilously fraught with danger.
Matt Garza is a ticking injury bomb. Cubs executives need to ensconse him in velvet and keep him in a temperature-controlled man cave until a trade is signed and sealed. Don’t let him drive, don’t let him near kitchen knives, don’t let him mow his lawn or take a hot tub. Maybe put him to sleep for a few days.
Because otherwise, we all know what’s coming . . .

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Posted on July 1, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

“Sweeney Finding His Groove As Everyday Player” says just about all there is to say about the current state of the Cubs.
First, he’s Ryan Sweeney.
Second, he’s only getting playing time because David DeJesus got hurt.
Third, he’s only on the Cubs because the Red Sox didn’t add him to their 40-man roster coming out of spring training.

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Posted on June 24, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

The Brewers are having an even worse season than the Cubs – well, half a game worse at this point – but they’re having a lot more fun.
For example, our very own Marty Gangler points out that this Sunday is Polish Guy Bobblehead Day.
The Cubs, on the other hand, will celebrate Edwin Jackson Bobblehead Day on Saturday.
And in July, the Brewers will host Zubazpalooza
The Cubs will have The PrivateBank Tote Bag Night.
Here are some promotions we’d prefer to see instead:

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Posted on June 17, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

Here’s how pathetic the Cubs have become: They are campaigning to get David DeJesus into the All-Star Game.
No disrespect toward DeJesus intended – he’s a fine player. But his greatest attribute – his on-base percentage – is lingering at .335. That’s hardly All-Star material, especially considering the rest of his lukewarm stats.
Travis Wood, with is 2.65 ERA, is the only Cub even worthy of consideration. He’s been better than Jeff Samardzija, and only one of them is likely to be chosen by National League manager Bruce Bochy.

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Posted on June 10, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

“When Albert Almora was made the sixth pick in last year’s First-Year Player Draft, it was significant, because the high school outfielder would always have the additional tag of being Theo Epstein’s first selection since taking over as the Cubs’ president of baseball operations,” Carrie Muskat writes at Cubs.com.
“The emphasis since Epstein arrived in October 2011 was to build a foundation for sustained success. The focus, he said, would be on developing homegrown talent and to find impact players through the Draft and international signings.
“On Thursday, the stakes are even higher for Epstein and the Cubs, who have the second pick overall in the Draft.”
While most of the draft focus is on pitchers Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray, and third basemen Kris Bryant and Colin Moran, we here at The Cub Factor have our own ideas about who the Cubs should draft. On our board:

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Posted on June 3, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

“Dale Sveum calls it ‘mind-boggling’ and ‘strange,'” the Sun-Times reported this week.
“‘Just certain things you can’t explain,’ the Cubs manager said of his team’s persistent inability to turn excellent pitching into victories this season.
“Peppered with questions about so-called clutch hitting, about lineup shuffling, about rethinking his lefty-righty platoon patterns, Sveum engaged the media brainstorming efforts before Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.”
Um, it doesn’t take a genius, Dale. Your team sucks – just as designed. It isn’t built to win. Didn’t you get the memo?

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Posted on May 28, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

The Cubs went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position on Sunday, leading commentators to muse that if only they hit a little better in those situations, they’d be a winning team.
And if my grandmother had balls she’d be my grandfather, as the old saying goes.
Just like how the Cubs would have a winning record if the bullpen hadn’t blown so many games early in the season. We’re so close!
Beg to differ. See, that’s what bad teams do. They don’t hit with runners on, they blow games late, they hit but don’t pitch, or pitch but don’t hit . . . they might be good in one phase of the game, but playoff teams are good in at least two if not more phases of the game.
It’s not that the Cubs are close to being a contender because of the way they lose games; it’s that the way they lose games are indicative of a team that isn’t close to being a contender.

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Posted on May 20, 2013