North Side Territory

Though mathematically still alive for the playoffs, Fangraphs still gave this team a zero percent chance to make the playoffs after rough back-to-back losses over the weekend at Coors Field. The Cubs return home to Wrigley Field with so many big-picture questions about the organization’s direction. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic get into the clubhouse environment, gains in player development, why upgrading the rotation rotation will be a priority and whether Cody Bellinger will opt-in for next season in Chicago.Support NST! 

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review. Also submit any questions for possible use in a future mailbag episode.

Use promo code FOUL at Navage.com/FOUL to order a Navage starter pack and you’ll get a cleaning kit as a FREE gift with your order!

Despite their long-shot odds to make the postseason, the Cubs still have a lot to play for in September. 

Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic run through some of the players they’re following more closely as well as a few names they’re already hearing about as possible targets in free agency. 

The trajectory of this season only reinforces the idea that the Cubs have to be more aggressive this winter and build a team with more certainty and fewer unknowns.

Support NST! Please leave this podcast page a rating and review.

Use promo code FOUL at Navage.com/FOUL to order a Navage starter pack and you’ll get a cleaning kit as a FREE gift with your order!

Why do the Cubs look like a different team on the road? The offense came alive again at Dodger Stadium, where agent Scott Boras pointed out how unkind the Friendly Confines have been to hitters this season. It’s a topic of conversation for players, coaches and the front office, so it had to be addressed on North Side Territory. Sahadev Sharma discusses Patrick Mooney’s Boras interview with The Athletic, what Cody Bellinger is thinking, and whether this trend could impact free agents and roster construction in Wrigleyville.Support NST! 

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review.

FREE BREAKFAST FOR LIFE! Go to HelloFresh.com/FREEFT for one free breakfast item per box while subscription is active.

Sahadev Sharma joins Clint Pasillas and Alanna Rizzo on Dodgers Territory to talk about the Cubs vs Dodgers upcoming series. Sahadev dives into the surprising luck the team has on the road and the offense that needs to pick itself up as the team heads to Dodgers Stadium. One Cub in the spotlight is Cody Bellinger, being back at Dodgers Stadium again brings the group to reflect on he MVP he used to be. 

The story will quickly shift after Shota Imanaga’s brilliant performance in a combined no-hitter. The Yankees are coming to town, which means Rizzo’s first game back at Wrigley Field since getting traded at the 2021 deadline. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney both covered the entire breadth of Rizzo’s career in Chicago, which featured a full-scale rebuild, the end of a 108-year championship drought, and some entertaining back-and-forth with a character who enjoyed that part of the gig. A Friday 1:20 p.m. game at the Friendly Confines should be a great showcase for one of the most important figures in franchise history.

Support NST! 

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review. Go to Orgain.com/FOUL to receive 20% off your order. Real Nutrition for Real Life!

What a night at Wrigley Field, where the crowd booed Craig Counsell’s decision to pull his ace pitcher after seven no-hit innings. Imanaga, his catcher and the next reliever up didn’t even know they were on the verge of making history. And this actually started out as a bad day for the Cubs. For context, Sahadev Sharma checks in with Patrick Mooney from the postgame press box to discuss the scene, Imanaga’s seamless transition from Japan and what catching a combined no-hitter means to Miguel Amaya. You never know what might happen when you show up at the Friendly Confines. Support NST!

 Please leave this podcast page a rating and review.

FREE BREAKFAST FOR LIFE! Go to HelloFresh.com/FREEFT for one free breakfast item per box while subscription is active.

The Cubs returned to Wrigley Field on Labor Day with a sense of momentum and a chance to make September interesting. And then the one-two punch of a blown save and Justin Steele’s injury damaged their postseason odds. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney absorb all that news, putting it in the context of a season that was supposed to go into October. Plus more on Craig Counsell’s observational style and Pete Crow-Armstrong’s emergence as a real force.

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory.

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory.Use promo code FOUL at Navage.com/FOUL to order a Navage starter pack and you’ll get a cleaning kit as a FREE gift with your order!

Are the Cubs back because of a Taylor Swift candle or the Sully Bounce? The legendary newspaperman joins Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic to discuss Mike Royko’s influence on his career, what it’s really like to cover the Wrigleyville circus and how the beat has changed over the years. Sully also implores the Cubs to let Craig Counsell out of his “cage” and endorses A.J. Pierzynski as the next White Sox manager.

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory.

As September approaches, the Cubs are still staying in the playoff picture. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic try to make sense of the offensive explosion in Pittsburgh and this recent surge that has pushed the club above .500. There are also newsy items to discuss regarding Drew Smyly and Jorge López, two key pieces of a bullpen that will be tested down the stretch. Can the Cubs defy the odds and finish strong, the way Craig Counsell’s teams typically did in Milwaukee?

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory.

The rookie known as “PCA” is becoming a dynamic player, someone who can deliver a highlight-reel moment at any given time. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic discuss what this development means for the future and how the center fielder has combined style and substance. 

Miguel Amaya is another young player who has shown significant growth in the second half of a disappointing season. Should the Cubs trust that development or look for an upgrade at catcher? 

Plus an update on first-round pick Cam Smith, who's tearing it up in the minors.

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory.