WEBVTT - Cubs mailbag: Your questions ahead of the trade deadline 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:07.280 Welcome into Northside Territory fil Territory Network's Cubs podcast. I'm 0:00:07.280 --> 0:00:10.080 Saaev Sharma with my partner Patrick Mooney. We are your 0:00:10.160 --> 0:00:14.239 Cubs beat writers over at the Athletic. Patrick, it is 0:00:14.400 --> 0:00:19.439 time for a mailbag episode. We always love these. You 0:00:19.480 --> 0:00:22.520 guys come with plenty of questions and it is trade 0:00:22.560 --> 0:00:26.840 deadline season, so we know you are very curious. We 0:00:27.200 --> 0:00:31.720 talked a lot about trade targets last episode. There was 0:00:31.760 --> 0:00:34.680 a question about that, so if you want to know 0:00:34.720 --> 0:00:38.199 who the like, your question was answered last episode. If 0:00:38.240 --> 0:00:41.760 you missed that, we went over that and really dove 0:00:41.840 --> 0:00:46.319 into the potential sellers. I think the question was who 0:00:46.320 --> 0:00:49.840 should they be reading, rooting against and who are the targets. 0:00:49.880 --> 0:00:54.320 Well we basically did that last episode, so please please 0:00:54.400 --> 0:00:57.960 check it out. But here's the first question, and it 0:00:58.040 --> 0:01:00.360 is from our guy, Tyler Dirshel who's he's. 0:01:00.200 --> 0:01:01.960 Been absent for a little while. Patrick. 0:01:02.000 --> 0:01:05.119 He's missed a couple of he has been on his 0:01:05.120 --> 0:01:09.039 honeymoon and he wasn't he wasn't messaging us. He was 0:01:09.360 --> 0:01:11.520 concerned about his new wife and not us. 0:01:11.720 --> 0:01:12.120 I don't know. 0:01:12.160 --> 0:01:16.840 I'm a little hurt, a little confused, but he's back 0:01:17.800 --> 0:01:24.360 he couldn't. He's yeah, uh, he asked, Well, the threat 0:01:24.360 --> 0:01:27.080 of a potential lockout in the offseason play a role 0:01:27.240 --> 0:01:30.760 in the aggressiveness at the deadline, considering the potential loss 0:01:30.800 --> 0:01:36.240 of control time if a season isn't played. I think 0:01:36.440 --> 0:01:39.640 teams are still trying to figure that out. They still 0:01:39.680 --> 0:01:45.440 don't know, They're still thinking through how that works. And 0:01:45.600 --> 0:01:51.559 I think it's about will prices be altered? I think 0:01:51.760 --> 0:01:55.640 is probably what what teams are wondering, and they have 0:01:55.760 --> 0:01:58.880 to kind of go over their own calculus, and I think, 0:01:59.720 --> 0:02:02.720 really it's going to be different for every team, so 0:02:02.760 --> 0:02:06.160 it could be it. Yeah, I mean that it's possible. 0:02:07.720 --> 0:02:12.200 I'm not sure we'll fully know the impact of it 0:02:12.240 --> 0:02:14.640 all until we see it all unfold. 0:02:17.240 --> 0:02:21.080 Yeah, Jed Hoyer has acknowledged this of like, yes, it 0:02:21.200 --> 0:02:24.400 is a factor, but no, we're not quite certain how 0:02:24.440 --> 0:02:27.639 it's going to play out, and that all thirty clubs 0:02:27.639 --> 0:02:29.919 are aware of it, and all thirty clubs are putting 0:02:29.919 --> 0:02:31.960 different weights upon that. 0:02:32.400 --> 0:02:33.120 I think. 0:02:34.760 --> 0:02:38.720 I'm looking at that keyword aggressiveness that Tyler mentioned, and 0:02:38.760 --> 0:02:42.320 I think that is kind of a broader conversation, a 0:02:42.440 --> 0:02:48.320 longer term development of just how many clubs are leaning 0:02:48.360 --> 0:02:56.160 heavily on the models this generation of executives. There are 0:02:56.160 --> 0:03:01.120 a few notable exceptions, but mostly they are and aly driven. 0:03:01.280 --> 0:03:08.840 They are the sort of descendants of Moneyball that, yes, 0:03:08.919 --> 0:03:15.000 you have a J Preller, Dave Dombrowski, but other than that, 0:03:15.120 --> 0:03:19.440 there aren't too many guys that look at it as 0:03:19.520 --> 0:03:21.960 if not now when the way theo Epstein did when 0:03:21.960 --> 0:03:24.120 you traded for rold As Chapman. It's a lot of 0:03:24.280 --> 0:03:32.080 sort of you know, weighing the probabilities looking at the 0:03:32.120 --> 0:03:35.320 future projections on your computer screen rather than saying, like, 0:03:35.360 --> 0:03:37.360 we want to win a World Series this year, like 0:03:37.440 --> 0:03:39.520 the window is always supposed to be open, or at 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:42.840 least that's sort of the hope of you know, winning 0:03:44.280 --> 0:03:47.320 or being projected to win around eighty five games every year, 0:03:47.440 --> 0:03:52.680 hoping you overperform and then sort of salvaging it when 0:03:53.120 --> 0:03:57.080 things go sideways. But yeah, I'm with you side. I 0:03:57.080 --> 0:03:59.320 think that'll be part of the debrief after the deadline 0:03:59.360 --> 0:04:03.320 of like, okay, what did this CBA uncertainty mean? And 0:04:03.400 --> 0:04:07.680 we won't know until maybe well after August third. 0:04:08.360 --> 0:04:14.080 Yeah, well, it's looming over the sport in more ways 0:04:14.120 --> 0:04:16.640 than one. Right, it's more than just the trade deadline move. 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:19.720 We've been talking about this for over a like for 0:04:19.880 --> 0:04:23.479 a year already, and it's you know, it's just kind 0:04:23.520 --> 0:04:29.039 of this frustrating aspect that feels inevitable that you know 0:04:29.400 --> 0:04:31.200 we're gonna have to go through. We'll see how long 0:04:31.200 --> 0:04:34.400 it impacts the game and how long we're without baseball, 0:04:34.440 --> 0:04:39.359 if at all. From strand thirty four, which of the 0:04:39.400 --> 0:04:43.159 Cubs hitting prospects would you consider to be untouchable for trades? 0:04:43.720 --> 0:04:47.000 Also with Nico, Dansby and Bragman locking up the infield, 0:04:47.160 --> 0:04:51.920 isn't Shaw someone who should be available. I don't think 0:04:51.920 --> 0:04:57.400 anyone's untouchable. I'd also say that I wouldn't you know, 0:04:57.480 --> 0:05:02.920 I wouldn't include someone like Jefferson Rojas. I'll say that 0:05:02.960 --> 0:05:09.440 I think it's Jefferson Rojas, Josiah Hartshorn, and probably Owen 0:05:09.520 --> 0:05:14.080 Airs just because catchers are so valuable. Catching prospects are 0:05:14.120 --> 0:05:17.680 so valuable. And maybe you wouldn't throw Ethan Conrad in 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:20.080 there just because his value we don't really know where 0:05:20.120 --> 0:05:21.720 it is, so you don't want to give him away. 0:05:22.320 --> 0:05:25.280 Those are the types of guys you wouldn't include in 0:05:26.200 --> 0:05:33.159 a in a rental deal. But for the right under 0:05:33.160 --> 0:05:37.240 control player. I think any of those guys could be available, 0:05:37.800 --> 0:05:41.640 Rojas and Hartshorn, it would be like a really big deal. 0:05:41.720 --> 0:05:45.279 I think you'd have to be talking about someone that 0:05:45.360 --> 0:05:50.120 you have for multiple years. That is, you know, if 0:05:50.160 --> 0:05:53.279 it's not like I don't know if the Cubs payof 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:56.040 for someone like Mason Miller, if he becomes available, if 0:05:56.040 --> 0:05:59.240 it's not like that type of no doubt reliever, then 0:05:59.279 --> 0:06:02.840 it's like a really good starter, a guy that could 0:06:02.839 --> 0:06:05.080 be a one or two. There's not very many ones. 0:06:05.120 --> 0:06:08.679 A two for you, but a one for the Cups. 0:06:08.680 --> 0:06:13.480 I guess he'd be fronting the Cup's rotation. I just 0:06:13.600 --> 0:06:17.200 but nobody's unavailable. You can touch on that and maybe 0:06:17.200 --> 0:06:19.120 talk a little bit about Shaw as well. 0:06:19.200 --> 0:06:19.599 Patrick. 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:26.640 Yeah, Shaw's hurt. You know, this wrist, brain has lingered. 0:06:28.360 --> 0:06:30.320 You know, I think he's gonna start or try to 0:06:31.600 --> 0:06:35.320 ramp up some activities again here soon. Off the top 0:06:35.320 --> 0:06:38.520 of my head, I honestly can't remember it, because there 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:40.919 was like kind of multiple steps before he'd be back 0:06:41.080 --> 0:06:48.880 on a major league field. You're not quite sure how 0:06:48.920 --> 0:06:53.320 that impacts his availability at the deadline, just that injury question, 0:06:54.040 --> 0:07:01.880 but otherwise, yes, Shaw should be available. But again, that 0:07:02.000 --> 0:07:04.880 was a guy who was sort of almost untouchable last 0:07:04.960 --> 0:07:09.320 year just because of how they projected him as a 0:07:09.360 --> 0:07:12.520 third basement of the future. So now as an outfield 0:07:12.520 --> 0:07:16.880 he's still valuable. I think he's still be like your 0:07:16.920 --> 0:07:20.760 everyday right fielder next year, or left fielder for that matter. 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:25.520 But I think it's kind of the Shaw and Pedro ramires, 0:07:25.600 --> 0:07:28.440 like I don't know if both of them should still 0:07:28.480 --> 0:07:31.600 be here after the August third deadline. I think you 0:07:31.680 --> 0:07:37.560 have to you have to kind of create some pitching. 0:07:38.120 --> 0:07:40.880 You have to, you know, go out and get that, 0:07:41.240 --> 0:07:46.200 and you know, maybe maybe it winds up being James 0:07:46.240 --> 0:07:48.920 Trianto's who gets moved. You know, he's a triple A guy, 0:07:49.600 --> 0:07:55.440 very young, plays a lot of those positions. You have 0:07:55.560 --> 0:07:59.480 some some versatility, so maybe in the end you know 0:07:59.560 --> 0:08:02.320 where the are, what the options are they going that way. 0:08:02.320 --> 0:08:06.400 But definitely, like we don't think the Tigers are going 0:08:06.440 --> 0:08:08.600 to trade Schooble or think that the Cubs are going 0:08:08.600 --> 0:08:11.920 to like give you go all out to get him, 0:08:11.920 --> 0:08:15.040 but you Shaw is a piece that kind of gets 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:17.560 you in the conversation for almost any player who's gonna 0:08:17.560 --> 0:08:18.040 be out there. 0:08:18.480 --> 0:08:22.480 Yeah, I mean honestly, like Peter Ramirez has really shown 0:08:22.520 --> 0:08:25.320 me a lot, Like he's a good defend, a nice player. Yeah, 0:08:25.360 --> 0:08:29.600 he's a quality player. But Shaw's good when he's healthy 0:08:29.640 --> 0:08:32.199 and he's out there, he's a he's a quality player too, 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:35.720 and he's he's shown me a lot just by his willingness, 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:39.760 uh to play anywhere and his versatility. Like he's good. 0:08:40.120 --> 0:08:43.199 He quickly has gotten good at different positions. Got to 0:08:43.200 --> 0:08:47.080 give him credit for that. But in the right move, Yeah, 0:08:47.120 --> 0:08:49.599 I think anyone's available, like those every name that we 0:08:49.720 --> 0:08:53.640 mentioned here, Like, yeah, outside of the everyday players, you're 0:08:53.679 --> 0:08:57.120 not you're you know, you should be willing to move 0:08:57.160 --> 0:08:59.880 these guys. They have so much position player talent. Got 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:02.360 add more pitching. All right, let's take a quick break 0:09:02.360 --> 0:09:04.360 and then we'll take more questions. 0:09:05.200 --> 0:09:07.040 Todd father, are you hitting some games this summer? 0:09:07.080 --> 0:09:09.160 What's the deal? Of course? 0:09:09.240 --> 0:09:12.040 And it's real simple, Scottie Braun. You know how it is. 0:09:12.080 --> 0:09:14.080 You go to seat Geek and you can find any 0:09:14.200 --> 0:09:16.679 deal you want in any section you want, even if 0:09:16.679 --> 0:09:19.120 the game sold out. Go to seat Geek and you'll 0:09:19.120 --> 0:09:22.600 find something that you love, affordable for your family, that 0:09:22.679 --> 0:09:26.600 you can enjoy anywhere anytime at any ballpark and stadium 0:09:26.640 --> 0:09:29.560 you want enjoy it. It's the best opportunity to go 0:09:29.600 --> 0:09:31.480 see a beautiful game of baseball. 0:09:31.600 --> 0:09:34.240 And that's the thing that you can be so last minute. 0:09:34.400 --> 0:09:37.680 Sea Geek is the official ticket marketplace of Major League Baseball. 0:09:37.679 --> 0:09:40.120 They have you covered for all of your baseball ticket 0:09:40.160 --> 0:09:43.680 needs the entire summer. They also have over seventy thousand 0:09:43.760 --> 0:09:47.480 events on sea Geek that includes concerts, festivals, all kinds 0:09:47.480 --> 0:09:51.080 of sporting events. So go check it out right now, FTFAM. 0:09:51.200 --> 0:09:53.760 The code is Territory ten for ten percent off your 0:09:53.760 --> 0:09:56.120 next set of MLB tickets at sea Geek. That's ten 0:09:56.160 --> 0:09:59.080 percent off with promo code Territory one zero. Make sure 0:09:59.120 --> 0:10:00.840 you click the link in the dis scription to download 0:10:00.880 --> 0:10:03.439 the app, and then the code automatically is added to 0:10:03.480 --> 0:10:04.800 your account so you can use it later. 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:09.240 Okay, let's see what this next question is. It is 0:10:09.320 --> 0:10:14.720 from towing clone Cone. Uh no clue what that is, 0:10:14.800 --> 0:10:17.240 but hopefully it's not something deeply offensive. 0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:21.760 If it is, you're getting canceled. 0:10:23.840 --> 0:10:27.880 Yeah, exactly, great, All right, let me let me clean 0:10:27.960 --> 0:10:29.480 that up so we can see it a little bit better. 0:10:29.480 --> 0:10:30.080 There, there we go. 0:10:30.320 --> 0:10:33.360 Where do you think Jed's head head is at on 0:10:33.440 --> 0:10:36.839 this team's ceiling. They're going to buy, But how big 0:10:36.920 --> 0:10:43.679 of a splash are they after? Yeah, I think it's interesting. 0:10:44.440 --> 0:10:48.240 It is interesting to think about where how they look 0:10:48.280 --> 0:10:52.040 at this team as far as ceiling and it's I 0:10:52.080 --> 0:10:57.480 don't think it's singularly about are you in first place 0:10:58.240 --> 0:11:01.199 and and do you have the buye I think that's 0:11:01.280 --> 0:11:06.000 hugely important. I think that does change the calculus at 0:11:06.040 --> 0:11:10.920 the deadline, But as far as the ceiling of the team, 0:11:11.440 --> 0:11:16.000 I don't think it is fully determinive of how they 0:11:16.000 --> 0:11:19.680 feel about that. I think, simply put, I think he 0:11:21.080 --> 0:11:24.760 the month long offensive struggle did put a little question 0:11:24.800 --> 0:11:28.840 in his head, but he loves this team's offense. They 0:11:28.880 --> 0:11:35.120 have an elite defense, They trust their coaching staff. They 0:11:35.120 --> 0:11:37.560 have just been waylaid by injuries on the pitching staff, 0:11:37.559 --> 0:11:40.600 and that is their focus. How aggressive, how big of 0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:44.040 a splash? I mean, we've talked about that. I think 0:11:44.520 --> 0:11:51.720 you know Scooble probably not someone that's around for more. 0:11:52.600 --> 0:11:55.520 I think they'd love to get some offseason shopping done. Essentially, 0:11:55.800 --> 0:11:57.280 it would be the simplest way to put it. 0:11:58.440 --> 0:11:59.160 What's the cost? 0:11:59.240 --> 0:12:01.760 How much are they willing to give up. They do 0:12:01.880 --> 0:12:04.960 have some big time prospects that could move the needle, 0:12:05.480 --> 0:12:08.959 like we mentioned Shaw, Pedro, Ramirez could be available in 0:12:09.000 --> 0:12:12.400 the right deal. Like so yeah, like they're going to 0:12:12.440 --> 0:12:15.680 buy You're right, and I think we're going to find 0:12:15.720 --> 0:12:17.680 out how big of I think it's less about like 0:12:17.760 --> 0:12:20.120 how big of a splash are they after and more 0:12:20.559 --> 0:12:22.520 how big of a splash can they pull off? 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:29.240 Yeah, And I mean if they get like, you know, 0:12:31.200 --> 0:12:34.679 two eighth inning relievers, like maybe they're not the biggest. 0:12:34.920 --> 0:12:37.720 Obviously Mason Miller would be a huge splash. We don't 0:12:37.720 --> 0:12:41.040 know if Podgers are actually gonna sell much less where 0:12:41.080 --> 0:12:43.880 the Cubs would put together that sort of package, but 0:12:44.000 --> 0:12:46.680 like that could have a huge implac That's maybe not 0:12:46.720 --> 0:12:50.760 a splash in terms of the names going across the 0:12:50.760 --> 0:12:53.920 bottom of your TV screen. But I think just this 0:12:54.080 --> 0:13:00.520 interesting character because he doesn't sort of walk around name 0:13:00.640 --> 0:13:04.520 dropping like four red Sox and twenty sixteen Cubs all 0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:06.600 the time, like he's been he knows what it looks like, 0:13:06.679 --> 0:13:11.520 he's been around, you know, some of the biggest names, 0:13:11.559 --> 0:13:15.400 biggest moments in baseball history. But he is constantly focused 0:13:15.440 --> 0:13:21.840 on the future and weighing all these various probabilities and 0:13:22.200 --> 0:13:26.880 really clinging to his idea of value. And so I'd 0:13:26.880 --> 0:13:28.120 asked him, I was like, you know what it looks like? 0:13:28.160 --> 0:13:30.280 What are you seeing now? Like is it kind of 0:13:30.280 --> 0:13:32.920 passing the eye test? And you know, he said this 0:13:33.000 --> 0:13:37.200 position player group can win multiple rounds in October, like 0:13:37.240 --> 0:13:39.960 that is lining up, And I do think that impacts 0:13:40.200 --> 0:13:42.600 how he looks at I know, catching the Brewers is 0:13:42.600 --> 0:13:48.319 going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible. The odds 0:13:48.320 --> 0:13:50.679 say one thing, but I think you can watch this team. 0:13:51.720 --> 0:13:56.120 I know they have a really dynamic group of position players. 0:13:56.160 --> 0:14:01.839 Like when Dansby Swanson's hitting nine but putting up a 0:14:01.920 --> 0:14:05.000 year where he might get like twenty plus homers and 0:14:05.440 --> 0:14:09.960 eighty something RBI's Like that is what a deep, versatile 0:14:10.000 --> 0:14:16.080 lineup looks like. And so yeah, like it's on Jed 0:14:16.160 --> 0:14:18.679 and Carter here, like that's just I think we can 0:14:18.800 --> 0:14:22.200 understand their market forces and that there are future considerations. 0:14:22.200 --> 0:14:24.040 You can't ignore all of that, but it. 0:14:24.000 --> 0:14:25.280 Is on them. 0:14:25.400 --> 0:14:28.800 This theo Epstein said it on the Level Reunion podcast 0:14:28.800 --> 0:14:31.320 with end the resident David Ross, Like the clubhouse looks 0:14:31.440 --> 0:14:34.040 up to the front office, like you have one job, 0:14:34.600 --> 0:14:37.560 get us what we need. And you know this is 0:14:38.200 --> 0:14:40.720 this is their time to shine. Like they are on 0:14:40.800 --> 0:14:43.840 the clock. They have to go get it done, whether 0:14:43.920 --> 0:14:47.000 or not it's the biggest splash. They just have to 0:14:47.040 --> 0:14:47.480 be right. 0:14:48.200 --> 0:14:51.760 Yeah, I'll never forget. I believe it was twenty seventeen 0:14:51.800 --> 0:14:55.680 when the Astros, the year the Astros won this World Series, 0:14:56.560 --> 0:14:59.800 Dallas Kichel was kind of like called out the front 0:14:59.800 --> 0:15:02.840 off when they didn't make a big splash because the 0:15:02.840 --> 0:15:06.400 deadline passed and that was when the waiver wired deadline 0:15:06.440 --> 0:15:09.200 still existed. And then they ended up getting Justin Verlander. 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:11.960 I think that completely changed the tenor of that group, 0:15:12.560 --> 0:15:15.720 and he was obviously a stud for them and a 0:15:15.800 --> 0:15:21.000 key piece in them winning their first World Series. It 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:24.120 does matter, I think it does. You know, you show 0:15:24.160 --> 0:15:27.560 belief in a team, and Theo's talked about that a lot. 0:15:27.800 --> 0:15:31.120 I'm not Jed doesn't talk about that aspect a lot, 0:15:31.120 --> 0:15:33.520 but I remember THEO talking about a lot, like the team. 0:15:34.080 --> 0:15:36.880 We have to show the team, you know that we 0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:39.200 believe in them. This is our way of doing that. 0:15:40.440 --> 0:15:40.800 All right. 0:15:41.440 --> 0:15:44.720 Next one is from Jason Heldman. Pitching will rightfully get 0:15:44.760 --> 0:15:47.280 all the attention, but could a bench bat or two 0:15:47.520 --> 0:15:50.000 make sense. Seems a veteran could make more sense than 0:15:50.000 --> 0:15:52.840 having guys like Ramirez or al Contra waste away with 0:15:52.960 --> 0:15:55.400 few at bats per week. This was sent like a 0:15:55.480 --> 0:15:58.480 week ago, a little less than a week ago. Ramirez 0:15:58.480 --> 0:16:01.720 has played a ton lately. Al Contra is getting playing 0:16:01.720 --> 0:16:06.120 time against lefties. Look, I al Contra is not going 0:16:06.200 --> 0:16:09.000 to be here once Shaw is healthy, if you know, 0:16:09.160 --> 0:16:15.480 assuming Shaw gets healthy. I unless they have bad reports 0:16:15.080 --> 0:16:20.080 on Shaw and they're feeling more pessimistic and decide they 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:24.480 need a right handed bat. Even then, I'm just not sure. 0:16:24.600 --> 0:16:29.080 Like Confordo has been great. What was it that the 0:16:29.120 --> 0:16:33.240 stat we were given last night? Patrick four pinch hit 0:16:33.280 --> 0:16:39.760 home runs is a ties a record for the Cubs, believe. 0:16:39.480 --> 0:16:42.520 Tied with Glenn Allen Hill in nineteen ninety nine for 0:16:42.560 --> 0:16:45.840 the most by a Cub in franchise history since at 0:16:45.920 --> 0:16:51.440 least nineteen oh one. The Cubs media relation departments research. 0:16:51.400 --> 0:16:56.680 So like, you have a good catching duo, you have 0:16:57.680 --> 0:17:01.120 Moises by Asterius waiting in the miners to get hot. 0:17:02.440 --> 0:17:06.400 They I do not think they're going to spend much 0:17:06.480 --> 0:17:10.920 time looking at like. I won't completely rule it out 0:17:11.119 --> 0:17:15.280 just because of the Shaw situation, but I'd be very 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:19.480 surprised that their bench has been great this year and 0:17:19.600 --> 0:17:21.320 Ramirez has been playing a ton And like I. 0:17:21.240 --> 0:17:23.240 Said earlier, I think it was this episode. Like I 0:17:23.280 --> 0:17:25.040 said earlier, like he's impressed me. 0:17:27.200 --> 0:17:32.760 Yeah, I guess something beyond Shaw's lingering issue. I guess 0:17:32.760 --> 0:17:35.960 something could pop up in the next whatever ten days 0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:40.080 ish that makes you rethink that. But no, they have 0:17:40.119 --> 0:17:44.800 their group. And the interesting part too, is how much 0:17:44.800 --> 0:17:49.480 built in flexibility they have, like how this roster was constructed. 0:17:49.600 --> 0:17:52.679 It's a way that you can just focus entirely on 0:17:52.720 --> 0:17:53.560 the pitching staff. 0:17:53.960 --> 0:17:59.879 Yeah, all right, and here's the last question from Rob Ericsson. 0:18:00.400 --> 0:18:03.960 Have there been any talk for extension talk for hap 0:18:04.160 --> 0:18:05.119 end or Suzuki? 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:06.640 They're both pending free agents. 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:10.800 Obviously, losing your corner outfielders for such a good offense, 0:18:12.280 --> 0:18:15.359 it's hard to replace. It's not easy to replace. I 0:18:15.440 --> 0:18:20.560 have not heard anything about extension talks. In fact, I'd 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:26.359 be a little surprised by extension talks. I could be 0:18:26.440 --> 0:18:29.719 way off on that, but let's let's make this are 0:18:31.119 --> 0:18:42.160 our Daily Dingers segment, presented by Fan Duel. All Right, Patrick, 0:18:42.160 --> 0:18:46.120 what have you heard about about Saya s Azuki? Ian 0:18:46.200 --> 0:18:48.920 halp or I guess, says Azuki in particular. 0:18:50.359 --> 0:18:52.720 I'll start with have just in that, you know, I'm 0:18:52.720 --> 0:18:57.440 not asking Ian half this every day. I guess theoretically 0:18:57.480 --> 0:19:00.119 something could have changed, But after that wave of extensions 0:19:01.640 --> 0:19:06.120 around opening Day, HAP acknowledge that, you know, there had 0:19:06.160 --> 0:19:12.159 not been any meaningful dialogue in that regard, and I 0:19:12.359 --> 0:19:16.000 just kind of got the sense that the Cubs are 0:19:16.040 --> 0:19:20.480 just going to let that one play out. Part of 0:19:20.480 --> 0:19:22.399 why I asked was because the APP did sign a 0:19:22.440 --> 0:19:28.159 surprise extension after the start of sorry whichever season that was, 0:19:28.200 --> 0:19:30.000 but it was one of those like leading up to 0:19:30.040 --> 0:19:31.800 opening Day. It was kind of like, yeah, we're just 0:19:31.800 --> 0:19:33.520 gonna put that on the back burner, and that's you know, 0:19:33.680 --> 0:19:38.359 it kind of popped probably about week to ten days 0:19:38.440 --> 0:19:40.560 after the start of that season, that might have been 0:19:40.560 --> 0:19:43.000 twenty two to twenty three something like that. 0:19:43.920 --> 0:19:44.120 Round. 0:19:44.160 --> 0:19:46.439 Then yeah, I can't Yeah, I mean that sort of 0:19:46.520 --> 0:19:49.600 window when the Cubs were kind of building it back up. 0:19:50.840 --> 0:19:55.480 Still think making him a qualifying offer probably makes sense. 0:19:56.280 --> 0:19:58.240 The Cubs try and get a draft pick there, and 0:19:59.080 --> 0:20:02.440 you san At Suzuki is another one. You know, I 0:20:02.640 --> 0:20:06.600 haven't heard anything, haven't really pushed I think it's interesting. Well, 0:20:06.680 --> 0:20:10.560 we have heard or what hasn't like totally gone away 0:20:10.640 --> 0:20:13.200 with this idea of what if the Cubs are forced 0:20:14.000 --> 0:20:19.200 to trade from there every day lineup to get pitching help, 0:20:19.200 --> 0:20:21.320 like if they're boxing to a corner. I still have 0:20:21.359 --> 0:20:24.960 a hard time seeing that happening. But the idea was 0:20:25.040 --> 0:20:28.400 Saya was, yes, he has no trade clause. It would 0:20:28.400 --> 0:20:31.520 be really sort of awkward and difficult to broach that 0:20:31.600 --> 0:20:35.199 subject and actually follow through on that. But if you're 0:20:36.119 --> 0:20:41.359 in Sye's camp, you would probably be okay with that, 0:20:43.040 --> 0:20:44.840 just because it would get you out from under that 0:20:44.960 --> 0:20:48.600 possibility of a qualifying offer, the draft pick compensation, compensation 0:20:48.760 --> 0:20:53.399 that can hinder a players market as a free agent. 0:20:53.440 --> 0:20:55.400 But I don't know a lot of that sounds kind 0:20:55.400 --> 0:20:58.840 of like theoretical or abstract, like he is so good 0:20:59.520 --> 0:21:03.320 in the middle of this lineup threading a needle that way. 0:21:04.520 --> 0:21:06.119 I have a tough time wrapping my brain around. 0:21:06.160 --> 0:21:08.359 How about you, Yeah, that's that's what I was going 0:21:08.440 --> 0:21:08.680 to say. 0:21:08.680 --> 0:21:10.480 It sounds like one of those things where it's like 0:21:10.520 --> 0:21:13.720 a lot of things have to go right and like perfectly, 0:21:13.960 --> 0:21:16.879 like you have to have the pitching deal in place, 0:21:17.119 --> 0:21:20.320 and our one hundred percent sure this is going to happen. 0:21:20.840 --> 0:21:25.600 Approach him, He has to approve Shaw. I think Shaw 0:21:25.640 --> 0:21:29.399 being healthy helps allow this to happen because then you 0:21:29.480 --> 0:21:32.760 put him in right field like kind of a platoon 0:21:32.880 --> 0:21:39.800 with Michael Confordo type thing. Probably, Uh, yeah, it's it's 0:21:40.280 --> 0:21:42.000 I feel like it's a long shot, but you're right. 0:21:42.200 --> 0:21:46.199 It's something that we haven't heard like completely go away. 0:21:46.359 --> 0:21:51.200 So we don't want to say it's impossible, but yeah 0:21:51.520 --> 0:21:55.800 it we heard it, and it's just not but not recently. 0:21:55.880 --> 0:21:56.359 I haven't. 0:21:56.400 --> 0:22:00.960 At least maybe you've heard more things recently, but I 0:22:01.160 --> 0:22:04.639 just I'd be very surprised by it. Northside Territory is 0:22:04.640 --> 0:22:07.639 brought to you by FanDuel Baseball Fans. 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Like he's, uh, 0:23:42.200 --> 0:23:45.040 he's having like a season that's nearly as good as 0:23:45.160 --> 0:23:49.679 last year. He's got his highest walk rate, his second 0:23:49.720 --> 0:23:54.359 highest isolated power behind last year. Uh, he's on pace 0:23:54.400 --> 0:23:58.479 for like twenty five homers. You know, just I think 0:23:58.520 --> 0:24:00.159 it'd be a long shot. I think it is, and 0:24:00.200 --> 0:24:02.600 I think it would be counter productive. 0:24:03.760 --> 0:24:04.160 A hundred. 0:24:04.440 --> 0:24:07.040 I mean this part of the reason his name had 0:24:07.200 --> 0:24:09.520 popped up the Cubs got a couple of hits on 0:24:09.600 --> 0:24:13.639 him last offseason was it's finding an impactful right handed 0:24:13.720 --> 0:24:20.440 hitter is just really difficult. The teams that would want 0:24:20.480 --> 0:24:23.840 Saya right now are theoretically or potentially the teams that 0:24:23.840 --> 0:24:26.560 are gonna be trying to beat the Cubs in October. 0:24:27.480 --> 0:24:27.600 Uh. 0:24:28.400 --> 0:24:33.959