Jordan Mainzer

@Michael_Cerami with this current pitching staff, I really can't see a day where the team is going to be favored going in...maybe a home game with Ben Brown against another inexperienced pitcher with a 5+ era? most realistic thing to root for is good individual performances from flippable assets

Paul Skenes on Thursday, by the way.

@Brett_A_Taylor Not tonight. Wicks mop up duty

Surely the Cubs will win a game *accidentally* at some point, right?

@BleacherNation I guess it might be a funny coincidence when Dansby’s batting average matches his contract this late into the year

Enhanced Box Score: Pirates 2, Cubs 1 - May 25, 2026 bleachernation.com/cubs/2026/05/2…

@brendan_cubs It’s unbelievable how they got there but the win % itself is not…the Cubs teams over the past few years with this “core” barely missed the playoffs. The version of this team that was 90+ wins (not even a powerhouse) banked 1st half Tucker/PCA MVP level play.

Two 10-game winning streaks and now facing a 10-game losing streak tomorrow before June. This is unbelievable.

@cody__cubs It’s evening out to what it should be, this team is an 83-79 Jed special. Last year was the outlier.

The only saving grace with this team is they’re still above .500 despite the last nine games, which is actually incredible. The padding they did is about wasted.

@TheBlogfines “Don’t let a crisis go to waste.” - Jed Hoyer

So when you get games like Shota at home vs an Astros team that doesn't have Yordan, you'd really like the pitcher(s) to step up, be a stopper, and carry you to a win. The offense needs to do a lot more, but you also enter a game like this hoping 3 runs or whatever holds up.

The Cubs can't afford to frequently get shelled in the Imanaga, Brown games right now, especially while the offense is in this slump. This road trip shapes up quite poorly with the pitching situation unless the offense really turns it on. Today was a game they "needed."

@TheBlogfines Need to put him in the best position to succeed so he nets better prospects when he's traded to the White Sox on July 30th

Because he gets on base at a high rate. .355 on the season (16.6 BB%), .343 OBP. He brings a great skill there. What's not a great skill for him is consistently putting the bat on the baseball. At leadoff, he gets on base for you and then bats "after" the two lowest OBP guys.

@Michael_Cerami It's beyond predictable

Bases loaded, no outs. Strikeout. Infield popout. Check-swing groundout. It's beyond parody.

@Brett_A_Taylor Honestly wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to re-up farm system volume for a looming salary cap that will punish the big spenders who are also bad at developing holistically (Dodgers would be fine, Brewers would be fine, etc.)

"Here's what the Cubs can sell at the Trade Deadline," my column:

@TylerAki_ Cubs fan here envious of the Brewers’ ability to use the rules to their advantage and their manager’s ability to manufacture a fake fire under his team (the “Cubs haven’t heard of most of you” shtick). Michael Jordan made up fake feuds in his head and we lionize him.

If you wonder why I hate the Brewers, that’s why. Most unethical challenge ever

@Brett_A_Taylor not gonna matter much with the Cubs getting no-hit in what was supposed to be the most winnable game of the series. i was just thinking to myself it's about the time of year when the brewers take the division lead and never give it back.

Shota hasn't been missing by much, but he was consistently missing juuuuust enough in those putaway moments. Couldn't get the out-pitch to nick a corner or get a whiff.

"It belongs to the world now. I can let it go." Thanks to @anjimilemusic for speaking to me about 2 months of You're Free to Go (@4AD_Official) and his show this week at the @hideoutchicago! sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/816957791…

Along with an interview with the band, premiered the focus track from Primitive Man's self-titled debut LP out today via In The Red: "The Callous Man". RILY Ty Segall, Hoveriii, Thin Lizzy, Blue Cheer sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/816683452…

Bonus post today! Lucky me caught @cut_worms at @LincolnHall on Saturday to hear Max Clarke and his venerable band bring Transmitter (@jagjaguwar) to life sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/816413924…

Kicked off the @saltshedchicago fairgrounds season with Mac DeMarco and Mock Media (whose wild upcoming album Rat Bastard is out in July on Mac's label) sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/816408452…

Wrote about @mitskileaks' Nothing’s About to Happen to Me (@DeadOceans), which concerns how we can look to nature when we and others fail to nurture ourselves. sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/815965686…

"In SUNN O)))’s world, deep listening exercises are as worthy of thrown horns as are growling vocals and herculean drum thwacks." Words on their @subpop debut and show at @saltshedchicago (+ photos!) last month: sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/815775024…

ICYMI @whitedenimmusic has been on an absolute heater over the past few years, and their new album 13 (@bellaunion) might be their best yet. Spoke with James Petralli about the symbolism on the record, different singing styles, and living a quieter life. sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/815053584…

@BN_Bears The pundits will not like any of the Bears’ day 2 picks based on projected slot, so how much you like them depends on how much you trust Poles’ talent evaluation (taking Jones this early) and Ben Johnson (2 Swiss Army knife type picks in R3). Austin Booker has to step up.

THE PICK IS IN: LSU WR Zavion Thomas is the Bears' selection with pick No. 89! Thoughts?

Though he’s been involved in the production of most of his albums on Chicago blues label @alligator1971, Selwyn Birchwood had never fully self-produced a collection of songs until now. Spoke to him about Electric Funk Swampin' Blues sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/814509128…