The Rundown: RIP BIG, Chuck D Shares Banks Autograph, Cubs Roster Projection, Davis Ambushes Miz

Today marks 29 years since Christopher George Latore Wallace was murdered in a drive-by shooting while stopped at a red light at the intersection of Wilshire and South Fairfax in Los Angeles. His death came just over six months after Tupac Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas, and represented both the peak and the conclusion of the East Coast/West Coast hip-hop rivalry. It remains both prophetic and vexing that Notorious B.I.G.’s second studio album, Life After Death, was released a little over two weeks later.

That might seem like a marketing ploy had his debut album not been titled Ready to Die. I must admit that I was far more into Death Row Records and the West Coast sound in general, though I always enjoyed Biggie and have grown even fonder of his music over the last few decades. It’s kind of funny that I’d have sided with the LA scene given my deep and abiding affection for the Wu-Tang Clan, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re a teenager.

They say your lifelong tastes develop in your early teen years, and I can’t find any fault with that notion. I am still a huge Wu-Tang fan and have turned my son into one as well, so I’m pulling for them to earn induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It’s a loaded class, and you can help them by casting your fan vote; as of last check, they were just edging out Mariah Carey for eighth place.

Hip-hop acts have been getting more love from the Rock Hall in recent years, though they were first recognized all the way back in 2007. That’s when Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were inducted, followed by Run DMC two years later and the Beastie Boys in 2012. NWA (2016), A Tribe Called Quest (2024), OutKast, and Salt-N-Pepa (2025) are already in as well, so I’m really struggling to understand how the greatest rap group of all time is having to fight for their spot more than 30 years after their groundbreaking debut.

The first rap album I ever purchased with my own money was Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black, the fourth studio album by 2013 Rock Hall inductees Public Enemy. Though ripples from the iconic Fear of a Black Planet hadn’t reached my little corner of North Judson, IN when it was released in 1990, I became familiar with it when it was nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 33rd Grammy Awards in 1991. So I bought their next tape and wore it out.

I had to wait roughly 33 years to see Public Enemy live, but I was able to do so at Riot Fest in 2024. After taking in the Cubs game that afternoon, I headed down to Douglass Park to see Cypress Hill, The Offspring, and PE. I’m taking my son to see them with Guns N’ Roses this August in St. Louis, so that should be fun. To put a nice little bow on my rambling, I’ll share Chuck D’s tweet from early this morning.

The legendary frontman and activist is holding up an autographed picture of Ernie Banks with the inscription, “To Chuck, Aim High.”

⁦@Cubs⁩ pic.twitter.com/3vrVPhWlQP

— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 9, 2026

Instead of cheering for an encore at that upcoming show, I think I’ll just yell out, “Let’s play two!”

Roster predictions

Opening Day is just over two weeks away now, so we’re starting to get a little more clarity around what was already a pretty easy-to-project Cubs roster. Injuries to Tyler Austin, Jordan Wicks, and Porter Hodge have removed them all from consideration, then there’s the stuff with Craig Counsell berating Kevin Alcántara for poor baserunning. Given Counsell’s propensity for prioritizing veterans, it feels like Michael Conforto and Dylan Carlson will edge out the younger, more dynamic outfielder.

Part of that comes down to not wanting Alcantara to waste away on the bench, though keeping him in Iowa for his final option year isn’t exactly helping the team. Even though neither Conforto nor Carlson has done much over the last few seasons to indicate they’ll be big contributors, there’s a sense that they signed with the Cubs because they were given a strong indication that they’d be able to make the roster.

That’s particularly true for Conforto, who joined the team after the start of camp. Chas McCormick is kind of in the same boat, but he’s a cursed right-handed hitter (throws left) who’s always been a glove-first guy. The Cubs will have to make some 40-man moves to accommodate both players, but Austin going to the 60-day IL will clear a spot. Ben Cowles could very well be a casualty for the third time as well.

Barring injury, the rotation is set and won’t need to be tweaked until Justin Steele comes back at some point. Though he said he might not be ready to return until June, all indications point to mid-May. The bullpen is the only part of the roster, and the only real question at this point is whether Ben Brown or Javier Assad will break camp with the big club. Each has at least one option remaining, but Brown probably gets the edge because they may want to keep Assad stretched out at Triple-A.

As things currently stand, I am fully aligned with Jordan Bastian’s projected roster. There’s still plenty of time for things to shift, though, so we’ll keep an eye on it over the coming days.

Davis Hits Huge Homer

There was a time when we might have projected Brennen Davis to earn a trip to Chicago, but the oft-injured outfielder wasn’t able to stay on the field long enough to earn his shot. He’s now with the Mariners after spending last season in the Yankees organization, and he is having quite a spring so far. Davis leads the team with four Cactus League homers, the latest of which came against Jacob Misiorowski and the Brewers.

It was a towering blast that left the bat at nearly 116 mph and traveled 464 feet at a 30-degree launch angle. I really, really hope he can outrun the injury bug this season and beyond.

Brennen Davis nearly reached the pitch timer videoboard well beyond left-center field … His team-leading fourth in Cactus League play, and off Jacob Misiorowski.

Exit velo: 115.8 mph
Launch angle: 30°
Distance: 464 ft.
Hang time: 6.4 seconds pic.twitter.com/KwIhl9MVrS

— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) March 8, 2026

More News and Notes

• Yesterday’s WBC game between Canada and Panama featured current Cubs greats Jameson Taillon, Miguel Amaya, and Christian Bethancourt (minors deal), along with former Cubs great Owen Caissie.
• Taillon looked decent in the game, going 3.2 innings on 58 pitches and allowing one run on two hits. He appeared to be missing high a little too frequently, but maybe the book was that the Panamanian hitters would chase above the zone. He got three strikeouts with two walks and didn’t give up a homer.
• Tarik Skubal was so overwhelmed by the emotions of pitching for Team USA that he is working with Scott Boras and the Tigers to ensure he’s able to make another start in the tournament.
• Not that he should really care what the team thinks at this point, especially since Detroit didn’t even make the best lefty on the planet a long-term offer this offseason.
• Paul Skenes is on the bump tonight as the US faces 2-0 Mexico, which just run-ruled Brazil on Sunday by a 16-0 score in just six innings. Italy is also 2-0, so this is a big game when it comes to advancing.
• Skenes has been very open about his passion for serving his country, which he initially set out to do by enrolling in the Air Force Academy. He further detailed his journey and his mindset in a letter to young ballplayers published in the Players’ Tribune.
• Jonathon Long missed the WBC due to a bruised elbow that is expected to keep him out of action until this weekend, at which point he could compete for the final bench spot. I’d rather see him on the roster than Carlson as a short-side platoon option at first base and DH, but his lack of experience could cost him.
• Lucas Giolito has yet to find a home, making him the only remaining free agent from MLB Trade Rumors’ top 50 without a deal.

Trailer Time

What is the best in life? To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women. Or so it was for Conan the Barbarian, as brought to life by Arnold Schwarzenegger back in 1982. He reprised his titular role in Conan the Destroyer two years later, though that one fell short of the original’s cult status. The greatest action star of all time went on to success in politics, but he’s since found himself being pulled back to the movies due to Hollywood’s raging hard-on for reviving IP.

According to TheArnoldFans, Schwarzenegger shared news about three franchise sequels in the works. I find it hard to believe more than one will make it out of development hell, and I’ll put money on Dan Trachtenberg’s third and final Predator movie being that one, but this is fun to discuss either way.

“They did an additional Predator and the director has been doing a great job of that,” Schwarzenegger said. “Now, he wants me to be in the next Predator. We’ve talked about it. As a matter of fact, FOX studios has kind of rediscovered “Arnold”. They’ve come to me and said, ‘We want you to do Predator, we just got a script for you to do Commando 2’…

“They just hired a fantastic writer/director who did Tom Cruise’s last four movies. They just hired him (Christopher McQuarrie) to write and direct King Conan.”