North Side Territory: A Chicago Cubs Podcast
Episodes
The Cubs’ recruiting pitch to Roki Sasaki
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Believe the hype surrounding Roki Sasaki, the young Japanese pitcher who has been on the Cubs’ radar for years. Now that Sasaki will enter the posti...
The early buzz about the Cubs at the GM meetings
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the offseason picking up steam, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic check in from San Antonio and share what they’re hearing from...
What’s going on in the Cubs’ front office?
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the GM meetings underway in San Antonio, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney discuss their big story for The Athletic on the behind-the-scenes chan...
With the offseason about to pick up, who stays and who goes?
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Craig Counsell is adding a coach from his old Milwaukee staff as the Cubs try to get better on the margins. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The ...
Looking ahead to the GM meetings
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago Tribune reporter Meghan Montemurro joins Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic to preview the event that is a starting point for b...
All the Cubs angles to an epic World Series
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Yankees and Dodgers are taking over the baseball universe, showing that money matters, and reminding Cubs fans it wasn’t that long ago that thei...
Cubs news items: Nico Hoerner’s timeline, Craig Counsell’s staff and more
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s quiet at Wrigley Field, but the Cubs don’t stop in the offseason. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic discuss some of the newsy...
Cubs mailbag, Part 2: More trade scenarios, fixing the bullpen and should’ve just called it a rebuild
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic are back to answer more of your offseason questions. Garrett Crochet of the White Sox and a few not...
Cubs mailbag, Part 1: Would a Justin Steele extension make sense? Plus trade ideas, payroll expectations and more
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic open it up to the audience for an offseason mailbag. There were enough good questions to break it up...
Big changes coming to the St. Louis front office and the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cardinal Way has gotten a little stale. Chaim Bloom now represents the succession plan as Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozelia...
The Cubs’ offseason to-do list
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It all starts with Cody Bellinger’s move to either opt-in or become a free agent, a contract decision that at this point looks pretty straightforwar...
Takeaways from Jed Hoyer’s end-of-season press conference
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Where is the sense of urgency? After back-to-back 83-win seasons, the Cubs president of baseball operations tried to send an optimistic message, doubl...
Wrapping up another 83-win season: Cubs fans deserve better
30 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cubs fired David Ross, hired Craig Counsell and wound up with the exact same record as last year. The fans who flock to Wrigley Field every seaso...
Could Joe Maddon or David Ross wind up as next Reds manager?
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer joins the show to discuss why the Reds fired David Bell and how two ex-Cubs managers could fit into their...
Are the Cubs stuck? Or is there a way out of this mediocrity?
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are among the good players the Cubs identified as building blocks at Wrigley Field. But this overall group has...
“We should be trying to build 90-win teams here.”
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Without naming names, Cubs manager Craig Counsell essentially called out his entire organization. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic i...
Cubs mailbag: Is Jed Hoyer on the hot seat?
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the Cubs disappearing from the playoff picture, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic field questions from listeners on where the tea...
Craig Counsell left Milwaukee and the Brewers still dominated the division
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Brewers are rarely viewed as the preseason favorite or a cutting-edge franchise. Yet this small-market team keeps frustrating the Cubs and outperf...
This Cubs season feels over
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Who has something to prove down the stretch?
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Ath...
The unexplainable offensive drought at Wrigley Field
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Dodgers vs Cubs Series
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sahadev Sharma joins Clint Pasillas and Alanna Rizzo on Dodgers Territory to talk about the Cubs vs Dodgers upcoming series. Sahadev dives into the su...
How Anthony Rizzo became Mr. Cub 2.0
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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’...
Shota Imanaga leads the Cubs to their 18th no-hitter in franchise history
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 catc...
After all that work to stay in the race, the Cubs’ slim playoff chances take a big hit
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 b...
“Cubbie Occurrences” with Chicago Tribune columnist Paul Sullivan
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Athl...
The vibes around the Cubs after a wild comeback and a much-needed sweep
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Pete Crow-Armstrong is providing the energy this Cubs team needs
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Patr...
Cubs mailbag: Are the Cubs resigned to going after second-tier free agents? And have they learned their lesson in the bullpen?
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic respond to listener questions about how the Cubs will approach Juan Soto and the free-agent market t...
Javier Báez returns and Héctor Neris leaves as the Cubs go in a different direction
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The montage on the Wrigley Field video board was essentially the only highlight for Báez in his first game back since getting traded at the 2021 dead...
Deciphering the Cubs’ payroll and an early read on Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cubs executives have publicly acknowledged that the team will likely finish the year over the $237 million luxury-tax threshold. What does this mean i...
The Cubs’ playoff chances are going, going, almost gone
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cubs refuse to concede that it’s over — and there are still things to play for — but getting swept out of Cleveland damaged the team’s dim...
Whatever happened to the Cubs’ wave of young pitching talent?
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This isn’t their year. Maybe the Cubs can somehow defy the odds and sneak into the playoffs, but things simply haven’t lined up for this team. Pa...
The Names to Know as the Cubs Try to Fix Their Catching Situation
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cubs have made up some ground in the wild-card race, playing a better brand of baseball and giving themselves a chance to compete in meaningful Se...
White Sox preview with James Fegan: Will a new manager make things tougher for the Cubs this weekend?
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sahadev Sharma is joined by James Fegan from Sox Machine. News of Pedro Grifol's firing had just been announced and Fegan touches on how the team coul...
Listener Mailbag: Will Jed Hoyer spend big? Do the Cubs need a closer? Bellinger opting in or saying goodbye?
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Two easy ways to support the show: Leave us a nice rating/review here and SUBSCRIBE to NST on Youtube! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See p...
A look to the future with MLB.com's Jordan Bastian
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cubs continue to do just enough to tease fans and then let them down, but there are reasons to be hopeful for the future. Sahadev Sharma is joined...
Viewer’s guide to the last two months of the Cubs season
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What should fans be watching for in August and September? What does the team’s brass need to see before heading into a critical offseason? Sahadev S...
Wrapping up the trade deadline: Was this a missed opportunity for the Cubs?
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jed Hoyer’s front office wasn’t a traditional buyer or a pure seller at this year’s trade deadline. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney talk throu...
The Cubs get a much-needed boost with the Isaac Paredes trade
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jed Hoyer meant it when he said his front office would be opportunistic, dealing Christopher Morel and two pitching prospects to the Rays for an All-S...
Cubs mailbag: How are the pieces going to fit together?
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
t’s never a good sign when looking ahead to next year becomes a thing in July. But that’s where the Cubs are at right now, so Patrick Mooney of Th...
Let the sell-off at the trade deadline begin
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cubs left no doubt by coming out of the All-Star break and losing two must-have series against real playoff contenders. Sahadev Sharma and Patric...
The latest on the Cubs with Jesse Rogers
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After 100-plus games, the Cubs do not envision a scenario in which they become buyers at the trade deadline. But does that actually mean selling? Whic...
Chicago Cubs second-half preview: Good luck trying to figure out this team
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the All-Star break about to end, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic sit down to preview the second half of this up-and-down season...
What we’re hearing about the Chicago Cubs’ draft and the state of their farm system
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the draft over and the trade deadline approaching, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney zoom out to discuss how the Cubs landed on first-round pick ...
The Cubs suddenly find themselves in a different spot at the All-Star break
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A 5-2 road trip through Baltimore and St. Louis at least temporarily delayed any serious talks about a sell-off at the trade deadline. Sahadev Sharma...
What’s up with Willson Contreras and the Cardinals?
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cubs still have to go through four games against the Cardinals – including a doubleheader at Busch Stadium – before the All-Star break. How t...
Are the Chicago Cubs Back?
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Just when you think they’re out, they pull you back in. An impressive series win in Baltimore recalls the turnaround before last year’s trade dea...
Shota Imanaga is the lone Cubs All-Star in disappointing season
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Shota Imanaga is a joy to watch, as Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. The rest of the team? Not so much. In fact, Colten Brewer broke his hand while ...
Chicago Cubs mailbag: Where is the accountability?
03 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s time for more airing of grievances as this Cubs team appears to be going nowhere. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney respond to questions from ...
The Phillies are the super-team the Cubs could have been
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
People in Philadelphia love Kyle Schwarber. And Bryce Harper is still a must-see superstar. Imagine how that would have played at Wrigley Field. Mat...
July sell-off looming? Cubs show fire but drop another series
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Justin Steele screamed in the dugout in Saturday's win. But two hits and a catastrophic fourth inning led to another loss on Sunday. Sahadev Sharma an...
Listener Mailbag: The fans aren't happy and want to know who is to blame
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This Cubs season hasn't gone anywhere close to expectations. This episode Patrick and Sahadev take listener questions and unsurprisingly, the fans ar...
At halfway point, this Cubs season has to be considered a failure
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s still time to turn it around, but so far this team hasn’t inspired a lot of confidence. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney evaluate all ar...
For this Cubs team, it’s the same loss over and over
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are the Cubs coming out flat? Or is this just a poorly constructed roster? Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down the latest Worst Loss of The ...
Why Ryne Sandberg deserves a Wrigley Field statue
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ryne Sandberg will forever be a Cubs icon and a Hall of Famer. ---------What was the legend like behind the scenes? Before Sunday’s statue unveilin...
What makes Craig Counsell tick, and what Pete Alonso wants
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Will Sammon, a great reporter with The Athletic, joins Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney to explain what it was like to cover Counsell in Milwaukee an...
Cubs encounter GIANT loss
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Chicago Cubs imploded in their 7-6 lost against the Giants. Sahadev Sharma and Patirck Mooney put together interview sound from Jed Hoyer and Cra...
Before it’s too late, which prospects might help the Chicago Cubs this year?
17 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As the losing continues at Wrigley Field, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down the state of the farm system, identifying players who might be ...
Cubs Mailbag: Who’s on the hot seat? What’s the manager’s value? Which prospects are untouchable?
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney respond to questions from fans about whether Jed Hoyer’s front office should be feeling heat from the Ricketts fam...
Cubs Trade Deadline Preview
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Craig Counsell says it’s too early for this stuff, but his team’s lackluster performance has created a lot of questions. Sahadev Sharma and Patri...
The Cubs should be putting out a much better product
09 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At this point in their rebuilding cycle, the Cubs have not shown nearly enough progress. It feels like we’ve seen this movie before. The season loo...
The Shōta Imanaga experience
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Shotamania has probably been the best part of this Cubs season. But after two subpar starts, what should the level of concern be in Wrigleyville? Sah...
Cubs vs. Sox
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As the crosstown rivalry resumes, The Athletic’s Jon Greenberg joins the show to discuss the bromance between Cubs president Jed Hoyer and White Sox...
Sixty games in, the Cubs are adrift
03 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sixty games in, the Cubs are adrift.There is no positive spin to a team that has a losing record and a negative run differential at the beginning of J...
The Cubs Keep Finding Ways to Lose...
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cubs keep finding ways to lose.Two months into the season, the Cubs are playing an underwhelming brand of baseball in every phase of the game exce...
No-hitter alert (and no panic) in Milwaukee
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cubs did not waste Ben Brown’s seven no-hit innings against the Brewers, a performance that showed how their season can go to another level. In...
Craig Counsell returns to Milwaukee: “Cheer, boo, whatever, man.”
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cubs manager heard the jeers from Brewers fans and mostly laughed it off during this highly anticipated matchup. Counsell doesn’t really care wh...
Is it time for the Cubs to start panicking about their offense?
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a brutal month for Cubs hitters, and a boring brand of baseball for Cubs fans to watch. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down what...
The Kyle Hendricks decision
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most impactful pitchers in Cubs history has been moved to the bullpen. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain what it means and how the ...
New podcast home! Cubs offense outage, Imanaga roaring
20 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the debut episode with Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney. The two Chicago-based writers for The Athletic take you behind the scenes at Wrigley ...
Welcome to North Side Territory!
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Trailer for the new go-to spot for Chicago Cubs podcast coverage! Two easy ways to support the show: Leave us a nice rating/review here and SUBSCRIBE ...