Cubs March Madness: From NCAA Courts to Tokyo's Bright Lights

Cubs March Madness

From NCAA Courts to Tokyo's Bright Lights

Hey Cubs Superfans! It's that exciting time of year when the buzz of March Madness is the only thing that curbs my impatience and anticipation of the baseball season. With this article, I’m connecting the dots between our beloved Cubs and their NCAA tournament roots, looking forward to our groundbreaking series in Tokyo, and marveling at a spring training that’s showcased our team's impressive depth.

Ready to dive into the stories making waves in my Cubs world? Let’s play ball

March Madness: Cubs Edition

Check out a few of our Cubs back in their college days, representing some of the schools that made it to the Sweet Sixteen!

• Tennessee Volunteer Yan Gomes:

• The Volunteers look good as they advance to the Sweet 16. I had a hard time believing that Yan Gomes’s journey to the Cubs ran through Knoxville. As a side note, I do have Tennessee inoverdue the National Championship losing to Arizona in my bracket.

• Click on Yan’s photo and check out a cool Diamond Vols Spotlight from 2006 about our starting Catcher.

• Michael Busch from University of North Carolina :

  • As UNC makes its mark in the tournament, newly acquired Michael Busch spent his collegiate days in Chapel Hill.

  • UNC will face Arizona in the Sweet Sixteen later this week

    

    Michael Busch in 2018 at UNC

• Chicago’s Duke Blue Devil - Matt Mervis:

  • ACC baseball has been churning out MLB players for years. Matt Mervis had the unfortunate situation of entering the MLB draft in 2020. He went undrafted out of Duke to the Cubs due to their only being 5 rounds that year.

  • I bet he’s been one of the Cameron Crazies back in his college years watching Coach K and the Blue Devils on the hard court.

    

    Duke’s Matt Mervis

Tokyo 2025: Cubs and Dodgers Set the Stage Globally

According to USA Today, an exciting development has emerged: the Cubs and Dodgers are slated to open the 2025 season in Tokyo.

The decision to return to Tokyo will allow Seiya Suzuki and Shoto Imanaga to play in this home country again against Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Otani.

I don’t have fond memories of the Cubs in 2000, opening against the Mets in Tokyo, followed by a challenging stretch against the Cardinals and Reds to open the 2000 season. We only won 65 games that year.

If the Cubs are going to Tokyo again in 2025 then Wrigley Field is a LONG overdue for an All-Star Game because that was 1989.

Roster Rhythms: Shuffling the Deck

• Farewell to Edwards and Smith: In the spirit of baseball, where every spring is a new chapter, we bid adieu to Carl Edwards Jr. and Dom Smith. They both opted out of their Minor League deals to find roles in the majors. I wish them the best in their future endeavors.

• Welcome Aboard, Garrett Cooper: Against the backdrop of departures, Garrett Cooper’s ascent from a minor league deal to the major league roster is not something I had on my Spring Training Bingo Card. I expect him to platoon with Michael Busch and face lefties.

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• Keep an eye on this with Garrett Cooper. In his career, he has hit .455 when he has a 3-1 count. Remember this, we may talk about it later!

The Closer

And just like that, we're shifting from buzzer-beaters to the crack of bats with Opening Day on the horizon. From the NCAA March Madness to early AM game from Tokyo 2025, and the latest transactions. Ready to see our Cubs bring their A-game, both at home and across the globe?

Your Turn at Bat:

Alright, Cubs crew, we’re throwing this one over to you: Got a favorite NCAA-to-Cubs story that's caught your eye? And how about that Tokyo opener – any wild predictions or hopes? Drop your thoughts on our socials or wherever you like to chat Cubs. If you like what you are reading, please consider sharing this newsletter with your Cubs friends. It’s the Best New Cubs Newsletter of 2024… according to me.

Let’s keep the good times and baseball banter rolling as we head into what’s looking like a foundation building 2024 season.