WEBVTT - Crosstown takeaways: What we learned from epic Cubs-White Sox series 0:00:05.880 --> 0:00:09.480 Welcome into Northside Territory. Foul Territory Networks Cubs podcast. I'm 0:00:09.480 --> 0:00:12.719 Sahadev Sharma with my partner Patrick Mooney. We are your 0:00:12.840 --> 0:00:17.520 Cubs beat writers over at the Athletic and Patrick, that 0:00:17.840 --> 0:00:22.920 was a fun three game set at Wrigley Field against 0:00:22.960 --> 0:00:25.959 the White Sox. It has been it has been a 0:00:26.000 --> 0:00:29.560 long time since it felt like that. And and I'll say, 0:00:29.680 --> 0:00:33.159 like in the first game, we have already we recorded 0:00:33.280 --> 0:00:36.720 after the first game, didn't we We already had an episode. Yes, Okay, Uh, 0:00:37.440 --> 0:00:41.120 obviously that first game was insanely fun, just back and forth. 0:00:43.000 --> 0:00:47.239 I don't think I've felt that type of tension at 0:00:47.240 --> 0:00:51.599 Wrigley in a while. As far as the White Sox series, Uh, 0:00:52.880 --> 0:00:55.640 you know, I think sometimes we're like, should we even 0:00:55.720 --> 0:01:00.440 like write about this stuff? Like it just doesn't matter anymore. 0:01:00.640 --> 0:01:04.360 It like one of these teams always stinks whenever they play. 0:01:06.240 --> 0:01:10.360 And I was kind of taken aback. I don't think 0:01:10.400 --> 0:01:12.520 I said this last episode. I was kind of taken 0:01:12.560 --> 0:01:16.399 aback by how intense the White Sox fans were at 0:01:16.400 --> 0:01:23.479 Wrigley Field, the White Sox chance, the number of fans, 0:01:23.600 --> 0:01:27.759 how they were so into it. And there's you can 0:01:27.880 --> 0:01:30.000 argue that the Cubs are the better team right now. 0:01:30.040 --> 0:01:32.240 Sure they have the better record, they probably have the 0:01:32.360 --> 0:01:34.720 I mean they have I would assume they still have 0:01:34.800 --> 0:01:38.080 the better World Series odds. Even though the White Sox 0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:42.280 are in the AL and leading their division, everything they're 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:46.200 they're definitely nationally considered a better team. But this, like, 0:01:46.480 --> 0:01:50.200 these are two good teams. The White Sox feel like 0:01:50.200 --> 0:01:56.120 they're obviously on the rise, and it was like the 0:01:56.160 --> 0:02:00.640 intensity of it all just hasn't been there, not since 0:02:00.720 --> 0:02:02.720 I've been covering these teams. I mean, the last like 0:02:02.920 --> 0:02:05.640 twenty twenty doesn't count obviously because there were no fans 0:02:05.800 --> 0:02:10.280 in the stands, and I really don't think that was 0:02:10.320 --> 0:02:12.640 a great Cubs team, even though they made the playoffs. 0:02:14.040 --> 0:02:17.200 And then I think you go back to two thousand 0:02:17.200 --> 0:02:20.840 and eight, was the last time they both made the playoffs. 0:02:21.560 --> 0:02:27.120 I wasn't covering the team back then, Yeah, so I 0:02:27.160 --> 0:02:29.520 don't know how it felt like. I remember being a 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:33.400 fan in going to those games. My brother and I 0:02:33.440 --> 0:02:36.800 would go to a lot of Cubs Socks games, so 0:02:36.880 --> 0:02:39.040 I remember like the intensity of that, but I just 0:02:39.120 --> 0:02:42.320 like this felt different. It definitely did feel like there 0:02:42.400 --> 0:02:45.160 was more going on in the stands, and I'm not 0:02:45.200 --> 0:02:47.760 just talking about fights. I'm talking about like just the 0:02:47.800 --> 0:02:49.200 intensity of it all. 0:02:51.320 --> 0:02:56.799 Yeah, this one definitely surpassed the hype. You're right, there 0:02:56.800 --> 0:03:00.560 are times what have you been to these crosstowns and 0:03:00.680 --> 0:03:05.200 just are like, is a game story even worth it? 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:11.640 And these three games that really, you know, more than delivered. 0:03:14.240 --> 0:03:18.440 I think great Council as usual put it very concisely 0:03:18.520 --> 0:03:21.720 and on point of like, look, the White Sox are 0:03:21.760 --> 0:03:24.600 better team. That's why this is more fun. And you 0:03:24.600 --> 0:03:28.360 know the Cubs have you know, done their part in 0:03:28.440 --> 0:03:33.280 building a really interesting, you know, complete team that can 0:03:33.320 --> 0:03:36.800 withstand the loss of a goal gloves shortstop in Dansby 0:03:36.840 --> 0:03:40.040 Swanson and just like an onslaught of pitching injuries and. 0:03:40.000 --> 0:03:40.440 So'll be there. 0:03:40.440 --> 0:03:43.960 There's also felt later than normal. I didn't look it 0:03:44.040 --> 0:03:46.080 up to see when like the latest regular season was, 0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:50.160 but just like anecdotally, this is definitely kind of deeper 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:53.440 in the season than I think we're we're we're used to. 0:03:54.320 --> 0:03:58.560 And I was definitely impressed with the White Socks. That 0:03:58.640 --> 0:04:02.320 don't watch them a ton. There's a lot of, gotta 0:04:02.320 --> 0:04:06.840 be honest, unfamiliar names there, but you know, they definitely 0:04:09.760 --> 0:04:14.520 have some some nice talent. We both know Will Venable 0:04:15.160 --> 0:04:19.200 a little bit, like not surprised that he was very 0:04:19.839 --> 0:04:26.880 thoughtful and respected within that clubhouse, and just the energy 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:30.880 was just impossible, even during rain delay. Yeah, like a 0:04:30.960 --> 0:04:34.320 ninety minute rain delay. I think it started nine to 0:04:34.440 --> 0:04:39.920 forty seven on Tuesday night, and apparently, you know, breaking 0:04:40.000 --> 0:04:42.920 news tarps off is still a thing. You know, I'm 0:04:42.960 --> 0:04:48.800 surprised that like a Saint Louis thing traveled to Wrigley Field. 0:04:48.880 --> 0:04:51.960 But it was just it was hilarious because at that point, 0:04:52.080 --> 0:04:54.000 you know, a lot of my stuff was done. It 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.760 was just kind of plugging in two or three details. 0:04:56.800 --> 0:04:59.039 I was able to kind of enjoy it. And it 0:04:59.080 --> 0:05:02.800 was pretty hot Monday, and uh, you know, Tuesday night 0:05:02.839 --> 0:05:05.479 it kind of cooled things off a bit. And towards 0:05:05.480 --> 0:05:07.039 the beginning the rain day, I saw like four or 0:05:07.040 --> 0:05:12.200 five like young shirtless dudes like run towards the kind 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:14.840 of where the cubs on deck circle is and they 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:20.400 got shoot away immediately by two or three security staffers ushers, 0:05:20.960 --> 0:05:24.720 and all of a sudden, it was just like dozens, 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:28.560 if not hundreds of people down there, and the rain 0:05:28.600 --> 0:05:31.679 delay mix was on point. I feel like ABBA's dancing 0:05:31.760 --> 0:05:34.200 Queen was the one that really jumped out to me. 0:05:34.400 --> 0:05:38.760 But it was just like, you know, place was absolutely packed, 0:05:39.200 --> 0:05:41.599 and then a lot of people scattered towards the concourses 0:05:41.640 --> 0:05:45.720 and you know there's fans just there. They were enjoying themselves, 0:05:45.880 --> 0:05:50.200 and I thought that was just Obviously the fight in 0:05:50.240 --> 0:05:53.279 the bleachers went viral, but it also just seemed like 0:05:53.880 --> 0:05:57.880 a ton of people just enjoying two really good baseball teams. 0:05:57.920 --> 0:06:00.600 And you know, the idea of them eating in the 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:04.440 World Series is not a total eye roll anymore. I 0:06:04.480 --> 0:06:07.400 still don't think it's going to happen, but it was 0:06:07.440 --> 0:06:10.320 at least like fun to think about the possibility. 0:06:11.360 --> 0:06:15.560 Yeah, the tarps off stuff, that's not for you and me, Patrick, 0:06:15.640 --> 0:06:16.840 that is for the. 0:06:17.040 --> 0:06:21.000 Yeah, I got old, I might get it same that 0:06:21.120 --> 0:06:23.000 is still going. Like I feel like a fan like 0:06:23.040 --> 0:06:24.240 that would have passed by now. 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:26.840 But yeah, no, my son went to a game in 0:06:26.880 --> 0:06:31.120 Colorado a week or two ago and was very excited 0:06:31.120 --> 0:06:34.040 to go and run enjoying the tarps off. You know, 0:06:34.120 --> 0:06:39.000 so I think this is like teenager to twenties. Those 0:06:39.000 --> 0:06:42.680 are the people that will enjoy it the most, So 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:45.000 you know, let them have their fun. It is not. 0:06:45.160 --> 0:06:47.520 It is certainly not for me. I'm just like, yeah, 0:06:47.560 --> 0:06:54.919 that's no thanks, this seems ridiculous, but have fun, enjoy yourselves. Yeah, 0:06:55.040 --> 0:06:57.960 like I comes White Sox World Series. I'm not buying 0:06:57.960 --> 0:06:59.840 in on that, but it's not You're right, it's not 0:06:59.880 --> 0:07:04.839 like something completely ridiculous. I don't think the White Sox 0:07:04.920 --> 0:07:09.360 have the pitching to get there. I do think, you know, hey, 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:12.520 good job by Eric Fetty, good job by Jose Orkidi 0:07:12.640 --> 0:07:16.480 shutting down the Cubs offense for quite a bit. Both 0:07:16.520 --> 0:07:20.920 of them did a good job doing that. But also 0:07:21.080 --> 0:07:23.720 like it, like it's not panic time for the Cubs 0:07:23.720 --> 0:07:26.280 offense or anything like that, Like these moments happened. The 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:29.400 Cubs should have hit those guys. They didn't. You have 0:07:29.560 --> 0:07:32.040 games like that. Over the course of one sixty two 0:07:32.200 --> 0:07:34.720 they won two of three, So you know, as far 0:07:34.720 --> 0:07:37.800 as Cubs fans are concerned, they can take solace in that. 0:07:37.920 --> 0:07:41.080 But just overall, like so much more fun to cover 0:07:41.120 --> 0:07:44.440 that when the fans are into it, So much more 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:48.760 fun when the teams are good. I did not expect 0:07:48.800 --> 0:07:52.000 the White Sox to get this good this quickly after 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:54.760 how bad they were just two years ago. Records second 0:07:55.000 --> 0:08:00.840 record settingly bad. Murakami's signing just like a very obvious 0:08:00.880 --> 0:08:03.520 signing for them, Like he's gonna play every day for 0:08:03.560 --> 0:08:05.440 this guy, it's a deal right now, Like once it 0:08:05.600 --> 0:08:09.960 got to that price, it like very obvious signed for Yeah, 0:08:10.360 --> 0:08:13.559 and he's that's a miss by all the other teams. 0:08:13.560 --> 0:08:15.320 I mean, he would fit on the Cubs right now, 0:08:15.360 --> 0:08:19.120 Like why why couldn't he be there? DH, Like he'd 0:08:19.120 --> 0:08:21.360 be he'd be a great DH for them, you know, 0:08:21.480 --> 0:08:23.960 so like he would fit on any team. He'd be 0:08:24.000 --> 0:08:26.600 good for any team right now. Any team would would 0:08:26.640 --> 0:08:31.560 like to have basically a Kyle schwarberresque player. That that 0:08:31.600 --> 0:08:37.320 home run he hit Tuesday Tuesday, just like flicked it 0:08:37.440 --> 0:08:41.400 four hundred and forty feet off the oppo field scoreboard. 0:08:41.559 --> 0:08:44.240 I have not seen that before, Like I'm seeing guys 0:08:44.320 --> 0:08:47.959 hit the scoreboard but opposite field. That That was crazy, 0:08:49.040 --> 0:08:52.400 just just insane. All right, Let's take a break and 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:57.160 talk about a player on the Cubs that, you know, 0:08:57.559 --> 0:09:00.600 may not be getting as many headlines as PCAU. It 0:09:00.640 --> 0:09:03.800 is certainly a huge part of everything that works for 0:09:03.880 --> 0:09:04.480 this offense. 0:09:06.960 --> 0:09:08.920 Hey, for those of you that are on your phones 0:09:09.040 --> 0:09:11.000 very often, or even if you don't use it much. 0:09:11.800 --> 0:09:13.760 You should check out your wireless bill and make sure 0:09:13.760 --> 0:09:16.840 that it is treating you well. In summertime, you're feeling 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:20.040 good right, AJ But are you spending too much on 0:09:20.080 --> 0:09:22.439 your wireless bill? And should mintmobile get involved? 0:09:23.120 --> 0:09:23.240 Now? 0:09:23.280 --> 0:09:25.240 Some of them has two college aged kids got They 0:09:25.280 --> 0:09:27.880 are always on their phone, whether it's they're checking their snap, 0:09:27.960 --> 0:09:31.640 they're checking their DMS, they're checking their Twitter. I need 0:09:31.679 --> 0:09:34.720 fifteen dollars a month because I need unlimited quality coverage 0:09:34.720 --> 0:09:35.960 that mintmobile provides. 0:09:36.040 --> 0:09:38.640 They get that new wireless plan for just fifteen bucks 0:09:38.640 --> 0:09:41.439 a month. Go to mintmobile dot com slash territory. That's 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:44.560 mintmobile dot com slash territory. Cut your wireless bill to 0:09:44.600 --> 0:09:47.480 fifteen dollars a month at mintmobile dot com slash territory. 0:09:47.600 --> 0:09:48.000 That's it. 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:50.640 No catch upfront payment of forty five dollars for three months, 0:09:50.720 --> 0:09:52.600 ninety dollars for six months, or one hundred and eighty 0:09:52.600 --> 0:09:55.080 dollars for twelve month. Plan required fifteen dollars per month, 0:09:55.080 --> 0:09:58.079 equivalent taxes and fees extra initial plan term only greater 0:09:58.120 --> 0:10:00.160 than fifty gigabytes may slow when network is b He 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:03.760 includes up to twenty gigabyte hotspot capable device required availability, 0:10:03.760 --> 0:10:07.240 speed and coverage varies. Sement Mobile dot Com. 0:10:07.280 --> 0:10:10.840 Patrick will Venable probably took a decent amount of heat 0:10:11.280 --> 0:10:15.760 on That was Monday night. Uh when he pitched to 0:10:16.160 --> 0:10:21.360 PCA to start the tenth inning three and I get 0:10:21.400 --> 0:10:24.040 it like that, that's a good debate. I don't think 0:10:24.080 --> 0:10:26.720 it was as obvious as some people were making it 0:10:26.760 --> 0:10:29.599 out to be. Look, Uh, he had a lefty on 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:31.560 the mound. I think he was short in the bullpen. 0:10:32.240 --> 0:10:37.440 Uh he did what he did, and uh, PCA is 0:10:37.480 --> 0:10:40.800 just so good against lefties. Now that that you know, 0:10:41.160 --> 0:10:43.760 it's like a no win decision. And the reason it's 0:10:43.760 --> 0:10:47.480 a no win decision is because the guy on deck, uh, 0:10:47.640 --> 0:10:52.600 Saya Suzuki is very dangerous. He'd homered earlier in that game. 0:10:53.080 --> 0:10:58.160 He's going to crush lefties as well. You can't just like, 0:10:58.360 --> 0:11:01.839 I get it. I'm not saying I disagree with people 0:11:01.880 --> 0:11:05.480 saying that you walk PCA. Maybe you do. Like this 0:11:05.520 --> 0:11:09.640 is right now the MVP leader, I think, and one 0:11:09.640 --> 0:11:11.959 of the most dangerous hitters in the game. So maybe 0:11:12.160 --> 0:11:14.600 just it's like a little from column A, a little from 0:11:14.600 --> 0:11:17.440 columb because that run doesn't matter. So I get I 0:11:17.440 --> 0:11:22.080 get the argument. But man, Saya Suzuki is having one 0:11:22.160 --> 0:11:25.920 hell of a season, really upgraded the defense and right field. 0:11:27.920 --> 0:11:30.680 I mean, he's he's a better defender than Kyle Tucker was. 0:11:30.720 --> 0:11:33.800 He's probably like I, you know, I wonder how much 0:11:34.640 --> 0:11:36.760 he was watching Kyle Tucker last year and saying I 0:11:36.760 --> 0:11:39.640 can do that, I'm better than that, and then went 0:11:39.720 --> 0:11:43.120 and showed it, you know, and like went and you know, 0:11:43.240 --> 0:11:46.560 put in the work. Whatever he's done, like all those 0:11:46.679 --> 0:11:48.960 dropped fly balls that you know may have dinged his 0:11:49.040 --> 0:11:51.679 confidence and certainly ding to our confidence in his ability 0:11:51.679 --> 0:11:54.800 to play right field, He's put that in the past. 0:11:54.960 --> 0:11:57.719 And and you know that's not even talking about how 0:11:57.800 --> 0:12:02.079 dangerous he is at the plate, no doubt. 0:12:02.160 --> 0:12:06.280 I think the second guessing eventable, which continued into Tuesday's 0:12:06.360 --> 0:12:11.000 pregame meeting session, was certainly a sign of how far 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:13.839 this rivalry has come, or I guess, maybe the state 0:12:13.880 --> 0:12:17.280 of it at this particular moment. And it says a 0:12:17.320 --> 0:12:19.880 lot about Saya. Who's who's going to be the number 0:12:19.880 --> 0:12:24.800 one hitter on the free agent market this winter or 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:28.400 this November, I should say, or whatever. The window is 0:12:28.400 --> 0:12:31.760 a pre lockout, but uh, you know, something of you 0:12:32.240 --> 0:12:35.040 been working on be writing in at some point, but 0:12:35.080 --> 0:12:36.920 the idea has just been kind of in the back 0:12:36.960 --> 0:12:39.400 of my head. It's like, all right, we're approaching the 0:12:39.480 --> 0:12:44.360 end of August and Saya has really become the player 0:12:45.360 --> 0:12:48.120 the Cubs hoped, and he's he's been good, you know, 0:12:48.160 --> 0:12:51.520 throughout his time in Chicago, but just like this, it 0:12:51.600 --> 0:12:53.600 just feels like he's been building towards this when you 0:12:53.640 --> 0:12:58.559 look at his performance in last year's playoffs, which I 0:12:58.600 --> 0:13:02.640 think is something that other hitters recognize. You know, his 0:13:02.720 --> 0:13:06.120 teammates watch him in batting practice, the way he works, 0:13:06.200 --> 0:13:09.760 and they're kind of in awe of his abilities. Like 0:13:09.800 --> 0:13:11.920 even the guys at the highest level of the sport 0:13:12.440 --> 0:13:14.160 kind of take a step back, like whoa like this, 0:13:14.800 --> 0:13:19.160 this dude, you know has it and you know, how 0:13:19.160 --> 0:13:20.440 are the Cubs going to replace him? 0:13:21.280 --> 0:13:21.840 We don't know. 0:13:22.080 --> 0:13:28.200 I wouldn't immediately write him off that he's gone. I 0:13:28.240 --> 0:13:30.520 think that's how good he's performed. I think that's how 0:13:30.559 --> 0:13:35.760 hard it is to replace that kind of right handed power, 0:13:35.760 --> 0:13:38.360 which is a rare commodity in today's game. And also 0:13:38.400 --> 0:13:41.200 both sides have put a lot of work into this 0:13:41.280 --> 0:13:47.760 relationship and say it's very comfortable here. He enjoys Chicago. 0:13:49.760 --> 0:13:53.480 Through some trial and error, the Cubs and Suzuki's camp 0:13:53.559 --> 0:13:57.440 have found, you know, a good kind of working group 0:13:59.240 --> 0:14:05.040 for him, and so you know, and it's not just 0:14:05.080 --> 0:14:07.200 say it either. I mean Bregman sort of made this 0:14:07.400 --> 0:14:12.840 point Tuesday Night of Music. I feel like this is 0:14:12.880 --> 0:14:16.040 how this offense was constructed. This is how it's supposed 0:14:16.120 --> 0:14:20.480 to work. That it's long, it's deep. You got different 0:14:20.520 --> 0:14:25.600 ways to win. You can play situationally, you have slug, 0:14:27.200 --> 0:14:31.680 you have nice balance. I mean that was Sayak sort 0:14:31.680 --> 0:14:36.040 of breaking up Pete and Michael bush uh and then 0:14:36.160 --> 0:14:41.160 having Bregman perform more like the clutch performer. You know 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:43.200 he's been I know Creik Counsel doesn't like the idea 0:14:43.240 --> 0:14:47.520 of clutch, but you know, Bregman has been a really 0:14:47.520 --> 0:14:52.800 good postseason performer. You're kind of starting, uh to see it. Ah, 0:14:53.640 --> 0:14:57.560 but yees say is really you know, if not for Pete, 0:14:58.240 --> 0:15:00.360 I think we'd be talking a lot more about as 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:02.280 the one who's carried this offense. 0:15:03.560 --> 0:15:08.120 Yeah, I mean this offense is I mean, it's really 0:15:08.800 --> 0:15:11.800 balanced very nicely. I mean I'm looking at some numbers 0:15:11.840 --> 0:15:16.760 here and there, top five in ISO, their top their 0:15:16.880 --> 0:15:20.480 seventh in home runs, but they're like, you know, shouting 0:15:20.520 --> 0:15:23.560 distance from fourth because the White Sox have three more 0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:27.640 home runs than them and their fourth they they also 0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:30.800 hit for average, their top but ten in batting average, 0:15:31.040 --> 0:15:33.640 so they like you have guys like Nico Horner who 0:15:33.720 --> 0:15:36.960 just who's been great in the second half and is 0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:39.800 hitting for average. Bragman is one of the best players 0:15:39.800 --> 0:15:42.880 in baseball right now as far as the second half goes. 0:15:43.520 --> 0:15:46.720 And say Suzuki has been great all season long. It's 0:15:46.760 --> 0:15:49.400 he's twenty, He's tied for twentieth. Then way to runs 0:15:49.400 --> 0:15:53.000 create a plus, so tied with Freddie Freeman, Alec Burlson, 0:15:53.360 --> 0:15:56.480 Miguel or Miguel Vargas is just behind him. But you know, 0:15:56.520 --> 0:15:59.200 Burlson is probably like one of the someone that you 0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:02.920 look at as like super underrated player, similar to Sayah 0:16:02.960 --> 0:16:05.440 in that sense. And then Freddie Freeman, obviously we know 0:16:05.480 --> 0:16:10.040 how important he is to the Dodgers, So I mean 0:16:10.200 --> 0:16:15.240 just really he's consistently been one of the best better 0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:19.880 hitters in baseball. You touched on it about like the 0:16:19.960 --> 0:16:24.480 free agency, Uh it is, We've we've heard this for 0:16:24.520 --> 0:16:27.440 about a year now, like how hard it is to 0:16:27.600 --> 0:16:31.880 get right handed hitting. There's just not a lot available. 0:16:33.040 --> 0:16:36.960 You look at the free agent list, you know, teams 0:16:37.000 --> 0:16:39.960 are are spending on their own players. A lot, I 0:16:40.000 --> 0:16:43.440 think is what we're seeing right now, and free agency 0:16:43.840 --> 0:16:47.360 is is hard to it's hard to win free agency 0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:49.720 because there just aren't that many good players anymore in 0:16:49.760 --> 0:16:54.200 free agency. Maybe that's why the Cubs pounced on Bregman, 0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:59.880 because you look at this class and and it's you know, 0:17:00.200 --> 0:17:04.200 as far as position players, it's like it's Saya, it's 0:17:04.280 --> 0:17:09.080 Randy or Rosarina, and then maybe like Ian Hap And 0:17:09.119 --> 0:17:12.280 I know Cubs fans probably are like, what, like, yeah, 0:17:12.280 --> 0:17:16.440 he's probably a top ten free agent this this winter. 0:17:18.280 --> 0:17:22.720 So there's just like, do I think the Cubs are 0:17:22.720 --> 0:17:25.600 going to bring back Saya? I think it all depends 0:17:25.640 --> 0:17:28.959 on what the market holds. Like, if he's being offered 0:17:29.040 --> 0:17:34.359 like a five year, huge money, that's going to be hard. 0:17:35.040 --> 0:17:38.960 You mentioned comforter, like being comfortable in Chicago. That took 0:17:39.040 --> 0:17:42.000 a little while, but they figured out how to get 0:17:42.119 --> 0:17:45.200 him comfortable in Chicago. And I think the first year 0:17:45.280 --> 0:17:48.399 wasn't perfect, but it wasn't like they expected it to be. 0:17:48.520 --> 0:17:50.359 I think both sides kind of new, like, hey, this 0:17:50.520 --> 0:17:52.479 is going to take some time for everyone to adapt 0:17:52.520 --> 0:17:55.560 and get comfortable. He did, and I think the Cubs 0:17:55.560 --> 0:17:57.800 worked really hard to figure out how to do that 0:17:58.000 --> 0:18:01.320 and they learned a lot. And he's comfortable in Chicago. 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:04.440 I think that's really important. Does that How much does 0:18:04.480 --> 0:18:07.720 that factor? Right? I think it matters, and I think 0:18:07.720 --> 0:18:11.200 it matters to say it. So what type of deal 0:18:11.480 --> 0:18:14.000 would make sense? What type of deal could they come to? 0:18:15.000 --> 0:18:16.920 I won't. I won't rule it out. Like you said, 0:18:16.960 --> 0:18:22.120 I think there's it's a I think it's a it's 0:18:22.160 --> 0:18:24.320 just gonna be hard for them to come together because 0:18:24.320 --> 0:18:27.479 there's going to be teams just really pounding down now 0:18:27.560 --> 0:18:30.400 that door because it's so hard to get that type 0:18:30.400 --> 0:18:35.520 of talent. But if it, you know, it'd be it'll 0:18:35.560 --> 0:18:38.919 be interesting, just because how much of a factor is 0:18:38.920 --> 0:18:41.800 the fact that he knows he loves Chicago. He's really 0:18:41.840 --> 0:18:45.560 comfortable here. They have gone out of their way to 0:18:45.560 --> 0:18:47.800 make him comfortable and they like him. It's a it's 0:18:47.800 --> 0:18:51.840 a fit, it's a you know, it's a it's arguably 0:18:51.880 --> 0:18:54.440 the best one two punch in baseball. Like they they 0:18:54.520 --> 0:18:57.200 work together really well. Pete and him worked together really 0:18:57.200 --> 0:19:00.439 well at the top of that lineup, and you're what 0:19:00.480 --> 0:19:02.199 you were talking about with the depth of the lineup, 0:19:02.240 --> 0:19:04.600 like he he kind of completes it. Like you don't 0:19:04.680 --> 0:19:07.439 want to like it's a step back next year if 0:19:07.480 --> 0:19:12.000 you don't have him out there. In theory, it's a 0:19:12.040 --> 0:19:14.840 step back. They have a lot of talent and depth 0:19:14.960 --> 0:19:18.359 on offense if if guys are healthy, but you just 0:19:18.600 --> 0:19:20.720 like you'd like some certainty. You don't want to lose 0:19:20.760 --> 0:19:24.120 that power. He's their best power hitter, Like I shouldn't 0:19:24.359 --> 0:19:29.159 say that Pete's their best power hitter, but he's he's 0:19:29.640 --> 0:19:32.479 he's a big part of this offense and losing him 0:19:32.520 --> 0:19:35.080 would be tough. They don't need to think about that 0:19:35.160 --> 0:19:38.560 right now. They got twoish months left. We'll see how 0:19:38.600 --> 0:19:42.159 deep they go in the playoffs. And you know, we 0:19:42.200 --> 0:19:44.800 saw what he did last year in October. If he 0:19:45.040 --> 0:19:49.040 repeats that, then like then you got this both sides 0:19:49.119 --> 0:19:51.280 argument again. It's like, well, he's gonna get paid big time, 0:19:51.359 --> 0:19:55.600 but clearly he's really important to the Cubs. Yeah. 0:19:55.640 --> 0:19:58.560 I was just gonna make that point in in kind 0:19:58.560 --> 0:20:02.040 of another direction of not to his value on the 0:20:02.040 --> 0:20:04.720 open market, but you know, big October, if the Cubs 0:20:05.119 --> 0:20:08.960 win multiple playoff rounds have a bunch of games at 0:20:09.000 --> 0:20:13.000 Wrigley Field in October. If they fall just short of 0:20:13.080 --> 0:20:17.199 winning the World Series, like that is another sort of 0:20:17.520 --> 0:20:19.600 factor that we just don't know at this point of 0:20:19.640 --> 0:20:22.440 like how they would respond to that. Sometimes that leads 0:20:22.440 --> 0:20:27.639 to a little more urgency, a little more stretching of 0:20:28.040 --> 0:20:32.480 the budget. But you know, the lockout is another unknown 0:20:32.560 --> 0:20:34.760 as well, how that all plays out. But I think 0:20:34.840 --> 0:20:39.000 it just you know, in kind of looking into this, 0:20:39.040 --> 0:20:43.480 I think we can say safely that you know, maybe 0:20:43.480 --> 0:20:49.520 you shouldn't expect him back, You certainly shouldn't rule it out, 0:20:50.160 --> 0:20:52.800 and that both sides have a pretty thorough understanding of 0:20:52.840 --> 0:20:57.080 like what has worked here and how that you know, 0:20:57.240 --> 0:21:01.199 could be difficult to replicate elsewhere. 0:21:00.760 --> 0:21:04.040 At least immediately. Yeah, absolutely, all right, let's take a 0:21:04.119 --> 0:21:09.200 quick break and talk about give the listeners some updates 0:21:09.240 --> 0:21:12.320 on pictures, help and who could be coming back from 0:21:12.359 --> 0:21:12.720 the il. 0:21:14.280 --> 0:21:17.479 Sea Geek is the official ticket marketplace for Major League Baseball, 0:21:17.480 --> 0:21:19.439 and anytime you want to go to a game, you 0:21:19.440 --> 0:21:21.159 should go to sea Geek. I used to call the 0:21:21.200 --> 0:21:23.119 director of team Travel, I used to call the traveling 0:21:23.160 --> 0:21:25.880 Secretary whatever they want to be called KP to try 0:21:25.880 --> 0:21:28.080 to get a seat. But on Sea Geek, I can 0:21:28.240 --> 0:21:30.199 pick my own seat, and I can pick where I 0:21:30.280 --> 0:21:32.320 want to sit instead of being told where to sit. 0:21:33.400 --> 0:21:36.560 Yeah, it's a great option. And summer is coming to 0:21:36.600 --> 0:21:40.800 an end here soon. I'm going out and finding all 0:21:40.960 --> 0:21:44.320 the day games possible, all the warm weather cities so 0:21:44.440 --> 0:21:46.680 I could stay in this tank top. I can watch 0:21:46.800 --> 0:21:51.000 very competitive baseball as the calendar turns into fall. I 0:21:51.040 --> 0:21:53.640 want to make sure that I get the most out 0:21:53.640 --> 0:21:56.840 of this tank top and warm weather and Sea Geek 0:21:56.880 --> 0:21:58.240 is where I would go and get my seats. 0:21:58.440 --> 0:22:01.160 You can use code Territory ten for ten percent off 0:22:01.200 --> 0:22:04.000 your next set of MLB tickets at Siki. That's ten 0:22:04.080 --> 0:22:07.680 percent off MLB tickets with promo code Territory ten. Make 0:22:07.680 --> 0:22:09.920 sure you click the link in the description to download 0:22:09.920 --> 0:22:12.080 the app and have the code automatically added to your 0:22:12.119 --> 0:22:13.639 account so you can use it later. 0:22:15.600 --> 0:22:20.600 Patrick Daniel Palencio will be back when you're in Seattle. 0:22:21.119 --> 0:22:23.639 They'll make a move. I'm curious to see what that 0:22:23.680 --> 0:22:27.840 move is. Do they send a sad down again or 0:22:28.000 --> 0:22:32.160 did they dfa one of those veterans. I don't think 0:22:32.160 --> 0:22:35.760 it's an easy decision. I'm sure fans think it's easy, 0:22:36.000 --> 0:22:39.919 but they rarely value depth. Well, we don't need to 0:22:39.920 --> 0:22:43.280 get into that and speculate too much there. But Plentcy 0:22:43.359 --> 0:22:47.200 is back. He was a mess about a week ago. 0:22:48.720 --> 0:22:51.040 I think he walked three guys, hit a guy in 0:22:51.119 --> 0:22:56.520 a double a rehab stint. They saw that, like they 0:22:56.520 --> 0:23:00.520 all knew, like mechanics. It's mechanics with him. It always 0:23:00.680 --> 0:23:03.600 is when he's not right, when the command isn't there, 0:23:03.720 --> 0:23:09.320 it's mechanics. His front side was off and they had 0:23:09.400 --> 0:23:13.080 people out there watching him, and they quickly addressed it. 0:23:13.080 --> 0:23:17.000 It's about locking it in and having some consistency. Something 0:23:17.040 --> 0:23:19.000 I was told was it's been a while since he 0:23:19.040 --> 0:23:21.679 hasn't pitched this long, since he hasn't pitched in games 0:23:21.720 --> 0:23:25.159 for like two months. That isn't something that he does 0:23:25.280 --> 0:23:27.439 very often, Like he hasn't had that happen in the 0:23:27.440 --> 0:23:29.920 middle of the season, like he has dealt with injuries 0:23:29.920 --> 0:23:34.119 in the past, but this was it had been a 0:23:34.119 --> 0:23:37.240 while and like he needed to He really needs to 0:23:37.280 --> 0:23:39.920 lock in the mechanics. I'm not saying he's it's locked 0:23:39.920 --> 0:23:43.520 in imperfect, but it looked much better the next two outings. 0:23:43.520 --> 0:23:44.919 I think it was a one two three inning the 0:23:44.960 --> 0:23:48.600 next outing. Then I think he phased four batters and 0:23:48.680 --> 0:23:51.880