WEBVTT - How the Cubs are built for October after the trade deadline 0:00:06.400 --> 0:00:10.080 Welcome into Northside Territory. Foul Territory Networks Cubs Podcast. I'm 0:00:10.080 --> 0:00:12.760 Sahadev Sharma with my partner Patrick Moudie. We are your 0:00:12.840 --> 0:00:18.079 Cubs beat writers over at the Athletic Patrick. The Cubs 0:00:18.120 --> 0:00:20.920 have not lost a game since the trade deadline. That's 0:00:21.239 --> 0:00:25.880 five in a row and we are recording Saturday morning 0:00:25.920 --> 0:00:32.000 Friday night. Kevin Gossman was everything they need him to be. 0:00:32.520 --> 0:00:36.760 It definitely looked a little shaky to start. Walked the 0:00:36.760 --> 0:00:40.960 first guy that he faced, didn't walk another batter after that, 0:00:41.360 --> 0:00:44.360 I think it went walk two outs, then a hard 0:00:44.680 --> 0:00:47.440 single that kind of ricocheted off his leg, and you're like, 0:00:47.560 --> 0:00:51.879 uh oh, is this a Michael Siroca situation where he 0:00:52.000 --> 0:00:54.720 gets in a game and immediately leaves with an injury. 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:57.200 He shook that off, gave up an RBI double and 0:00:58.080 --> 0:01:01.240 retired nineteen to the next twenty one. Just utterly dominant 0:01:01.400 --> 0:01:05.679 and looks like you'll fit right into a rotation that's 0:01:05.800 --> 0:01:09.040 just been cruising along for a little while now. 0:01:10.720 --> 0:01:13.680 Yeah, I was just curious, what have been your observations 0:01:13.720 --> 0:01:16.280 of like these first couple of days after the deadline, 0:01:16.319 --> 0:01:19.480 bringing in some not just good players, but guys who 0:01:19.520 --> 0:01:21.640 have very good reputations and have a little bit of 0:01:21.680 --> 0:01:24.800 presence about them. I know they try to treat every 0:01:24.840 --> 0:01:29.360 single day the same. But observationally, have you noticed anything 0:01:29.520 --> 0:01:30.920 different here since the deadline? 0:01:31.360 --> 0:01:34.520 Yeah? I mean, honestly, what I've noticed the most is 0:01:34.520 --> 0:01:37.600 like these pitchers immediately bring up the defense. It's like 0:01:37.840 --> 0:01:40.560 that's the first thing they talk about. And Gossman, it's 0:01:40.600 --> 0:01:44.120 not like he came from someplace where they can't play defense. 0:01:44.200 --> 0:01:48.920 Like I'm pretty sure Toronto was arguably the best defense 0:01:49.000 --> 0:01:51.600 last year by some metrics. You know, I think Cubs 0:01:51.720 --> 0:01:53.840 people would say they were still the best last year, 0:01:53.880 --> 0:01:56.960 but this year it's not close. The Cubs are lapping 0:01:57.000 --> 0:02:01.840 the field and Toronto's still good defense. I think even 0:02:01.840 --> 0:02:04.680 in that one game series, one game that wrapped up 0:02:04.680 --> 0:02:09.320 that three game series from whatever June, we saw how 0:02:09.320 --> 0:02:15.239 good Toronto's defense is. But there's another level here. Gossman 0:02:15.320 --> 0:02:19.800 brought it up again last night. Clay Holmes has brought 0:02:19.800 --> 0:02:21.560 it up. But Clay Holmes it was going to be 0:02:21.960 --> 0:02:24.200 you know, I'm sure one of the early questions. We 0:02:24.240 --> 0:02:26.200 didn't get to ask Clay Holmes about it because he 0:02:26.320 --> 0:02:28.760 said it before anybody could ask him about it. He 0:02:28.840 --> 0:02:32.280 just talked about how obviously this defense is going to 0:02:32.320 --> 0:02:35.000 be great for him, and we've seen what they've done 0:02:35.120 --> 0:02:38.840 for David Peterson for whatever two months now or a 0:02:38.880 --> 0:02:41.760 month and a half or whatever it's been. So there's 0:02:41.800 --> 0:02:46.399 there's another there that's that's what's really been talked about, 0:02:46.440 --> 0:02:49.280 I feel like by these pitchers. But yes, there there 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:53.720 there's an excitement and there's a belief that special things 0:02:53.760 --> 0:02:55.720 can happen. I think with you when you have this 0:02:55.880 --> 0:02:58.280 much depth with your pitching, when you have this much talent, 0:02:58.520 --> 0:03:02.320 when you're getting guys that have experienced winning in Gossman 0:03:02.400 --> 0:03:04.840 and Clay Holmes, a guy that was pitching in the 0:03:04.880 --> 0:03:08.519 World Series last year, and Gossman, I think there's a 0:03:08.560 --> 0:03:13.200 certain level of excitement that you know, these are veterans. 0:03:13.240 --> 0:03:15.840 These aren't guys that haven't been there. So most of 0:03:15.880 --> 0:03:19.320 them aren't like over the moon about it in the 0:03:19.360 --> 0:03:21.440 sense that they know there's a lot of baseball to 0:03:21.440 --> 0:03:24.880 play and they can't make any assumptions, but there's certainly 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:28.000 an energy around the group, and I think you're seeing 0:03:28.000 --> 0:03:30.520 it in their play. They've been playing well in general. 0:03:30.560 --> 0:03:34.520 It's not like they were lackadaisical before the deadline, but 0:03:34.920 --> 0:03:38.520 they're playing really well and it just feels like, Yeah, 0:03:38.560 --> 0:03:41.640 this team's got something right now. 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:47.720 Well, I'm sure loves to make revealing his game one 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:52.200 playoff starter, who is closer is going to be for 0:03:52.560 --> 0:03:55.320 you know, the second and third playoff rounds. How has 0:03:56.600 --> 0:04:00.400 Craig's demeanor changed with all of these a bunch of 0:04:00.400 --> 0:04:03.680 more out getting toys for him to play with their. 0:04:03.920 --> 0:04:07.320 Yeah, it hasn't changed at all. He's not telling us anything. 0:04:09.200 --> 0:04:14.440 He is the same guy. Yeah, you know, we We've 0:04:14.440 --> 0:04:16.680 talked to him and Tommy how to be the pitching coach, 0:04:16.680 --> 0:04:23.240 and I feel like they're cautiously optimistic, you know, about 0:04:23.320 --> 0:04:27.320 the potential of what could be coming. You know. He 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:31.200 Counsel's very adamant about like certain guys are going, Like 0:04:31.560 --> 0:04:35.280 he knows Daniel Plancias will be pitching for this team soon. 0:04:36.320 --> 0:04:40.159 Ben Brown will pitch for this team again. Not soon, 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:43.680 but you know again, this team is going like going 0:04:43.720 --> 0:04:46.320 to have Ben Brown this year. Things like that, Hobie 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:50.400 Milner is coming back soon ish. Edward Cabrera has one 0:04:50.480 --> 0:04:56.000 more rehab start before they activate him. So there's a 0:04:56.040 --> 0:04:58.840 lot of pitching on the way and they just added 0:04:59.720 --> 0:05:04.520 for arms. Yeah, four arms, because now Braxton Garrett is 0:05:06.040 --> 0:05:11.039 on this roster as well. I think we'll see what 0:05:11.160 --> 0:05:15.120 Braxton Garrett. I don't think Garrett's around for the long haul. 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:17.599 I think this is they're in the middle. They're ending 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:21.400 seventeen straight as we record this. They got two more 0:05:21.520 --> 0:05:26.159 for seventeen in seventeen days, and they need to just 0:05:26.160 --> 0:05:30.559 get through. My guess is Clay Holmes is going tonight. 0:05:30.640 --> 0:05:32.920 Not my guess is Clay Holmes is going tonight. Clay 0:05:32.920 --> 0:05:35.839 Holmes is going tonight. He's probably not going to be 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:39.920 super stretched out. I think he did throw now blanking 0:05:39.960 --> 0:05:41.560 on the number of pitches he threw in his last 0:05:41.600 --> 0:05:44.200 reh rehab start. But they still need to be smart 0:05:44.200 --> 0:05:47.599 about it. So Garrett's there in the bullpen, Assad and 0:05:47.680 --> 0:05:50.400 Ray are still I think I have that right. And 0:05:50.520 --> 0:05:53.159 Sodd and Ray are still in the bullpen. Sod hasn't 0:05:53.160 --> 0:05:56.080 gotten sent down, right, No, No, he's still there. Assad's 0:05:56.080 --> 0:05:59.279 still there, raised there, so they have a length behind Homes. 0:06:00.480 --> 0:06:03.280 Counsel kind of said, like we got to change up, 0:06:03.360 --> 0:06:05.360 like how abused at the back of the bullpen right now, 0:06:05.360 --> 0:06:08.600 He's like, basically I think His point was there could 0:06:08.640 --> 0:06:10.960 have been two interpretations of that. We can try and 0:06:11.000 --> 0:06:15.160 get clarity in pregame today, but he's he's using Jacob 0:06:15.160 --> 0:06:18.240 web a ton and he needs to just like leave 0:06:18.320 --> 0:06:22.960 him be for a little bit. And Caleb theelbar. The 0:06:23.000 --> 0:06:26.480 strikeouts are still really high, and that's important. The walks 0:06:26.480 --> 0:06:30.240 aren't out of control, but the hard contact has just 0:06:30.279 --> 0:06:34.600 gotten to a point where it's like, is he like, 0:06:34.960 --> 0:06:39.120 can you trust him still in high leverage moments? Which 0:06:39.279 --> 0:06:42.479 may which says to me, like, Okay, Hoby Milner's coming 0:06:42.520 --> 0:06:44.880 back soon. He may be the number one lefty or 0:06:45.040 --> 0:06:49.200 number number two lefty after Allison. Does that happen? And 0:06:49.839 --> 0:06:53.599 Council was more leaning towards Milner more, But I do wonder, like, 0:06:53.760 --> 0:06:56.479 does Garrett get a shot at some point to show 0:06:56.520 --> 0:06:58.800 what he can do as a reliever Maybe that maybe 0:06:58.800 --> 0:07:01.440 it's too late in the season to start like thinking 0:07:01.480 --> 0:07:04.039 about that, right, Like he hasn't done anything in the 0:07:04.040 --> 0:07:07.080 big leagues really this year, so why give him this 0:07:07.279 --> 0:07:10.160 huge role? But he's got two months to maybe make 0:07:10.200 --> 0:07:13.560 a name for himself. But my guess is Hobe Milner 0:07:13.600 --> 0:07:15.760 has the I mean, not my guests. Like Council was 0:07:15.800 --> 0:07:19.480 pretty clear that Milner has the lead in that, but 0:07:19.480 --> 0:07:23.760 but Fielbar maybe seeing a different role going forward. It 0:07:23.840 --> 0:07:26.920 has like I love the strikeouts, but he can't give 0:07:26.960 --> 0:07:29.440 up as much hard contact as he's giving up right now. 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:34.840 Yeah, we do these, you know, roster projections in spring 0:07:34.920 --> 0:07:39.640 training and or during the offseason, like as moves are happening, 0:07:39.720 --> 0:07:42.280 and I think this particular moment in time, it is 0:07:43.000 --> 0:07:45.680 pretty impressive. I know there's kind of asterisks around a 0:07:45.680 --> 0:07:48.720 lot of these guys you wrote about Sadev who are 0:07:48.720 --> 0:07:52.680 coming off the injured list on in the near term, 0:07:53.200 --> 0:07:59.120 but this looks like, you know, a playoff caliber pool 0:07:59.240 --> 0:08:02.800 of pitch. There are going to be tough decisions. There 0:08:02.880 --> 0:08:05.720 is going to be competition down the stretch. There will 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:08.720 be guys kind of rising and falling based on what 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:12.440 the manager and coaches are seeing. 0:08:12.760 --> 0:08:13.800 And I think. 0:08:15.200 --> 0:08:17.720 Not guaranteeing the Cubs overtake the Brewers, but if you 0:08:17.800 --> 0:08:23.119 had any shot at overtaking the Brewers and advancing deep 0:08:23.640 --> 0:08:27.960 into October, you needed what happened at the trade deadline 0:08:28.000 --> 0:08:33.760 of getting that swing and miss reliever getting two legit starters. 0:08:33.840 --> 0:08:37.240 I thought it was interesting. Ken Rosenthal's one of his 0:08:37.400 --> 0:08:42.920 recent recent columns saying the Brewers identified like two guys 0:08:42.960 --> 0:08:45.360 on the market who they thought could start a playoff game, 0:08:45.480 --> 0:08:46.839 and they got one of them in May, and. 0:08:46.800 --> 0:08:48.200 The other was Kevin Gosman. 0:08:48.640 --> 0:08:53.480 Like there's a legit get frontline starter, you know, who 0:08:53.480 --> 0:08:56.199 pitched in last year's World Series. And so you take 0:08:56.240 --> 0:08:59.240 all this together, I guess we can go over some 0:08:59.360 --> 0:09:02.160 of the names. It seemed like a maybe Tommy was 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:03.719 just in a good mood because they got all these 0:09:03.760 --> 0:09:06.319 new pitchers and like they can see kind of the 0:09:06.360 --> 0:09:10.520 finish line here. But I mean, Ben Brown will pitch. 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:15.800 You know, even Justin Steele is actually doing stuff and 0:09:15.840 --> 0:09:22.200 making progress. Cabrera is kind of an intriguing one too. 0:09:22.320 --> 0:09:24.920 I think you really got to like the idea of 0:09:25.720 --> 0:09:28.200 him maybe being this two inning wild card out of 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:30.880 the bullpen, rather than you know, pinning your hopes on 0:09:30.960 --> 0:09:32.439 him being a game one playoff starter. 0:09:33.000 --> 0:09:37.920 Yeah, Cabrera was dominant in his most recent his most 0:09:37.960 --> 0:09:42.400 recent rehab outing. You know that that's great, obviously, can't 0:09:42.520 --> 0:09:45.880 you know project that into you know, the big leagues. 0:09:45.880 --> 0:09:48.480 That's a triple A. But eight strikeouts, no walks in 0:09:49.240 --> 0:09:52.440 four innings, I want to say one more start coming, 0:09:52.720 --> 0:09:55.360 they're obviously stretching him out. They're planning on putting him 0:09:55.360 --> 0:10:00.440 in the rotation. But what does that mean in October? 0:10:01.320 --> 0:10:04.880 You know, like you said, Gosman's a playoff starter. You 0:10:04.920 --> 0:10:06.840 have Matthew Boyd, you have showed him Managa, you have 0:10:06.880 --> 0:10:12.240 play homes. You know, I'm missing someone that that is important. 0:10:12.280 --> 0:10:15.760 I'm sure as I list off all those starters. So 0:10:16.360 --> 0:10:19.880 they have guys that they trust can go deep into 0:10:19.920 --> 0:10:23.680 games or give them innings, or maybe they just start 0:10:23.720 --> 0:10:26.800 doing like they can do two times through the order 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:29.720 for a certain starter and then bring Edward Cabrera in 0:10:29.760 --> 0:10:34.760 for three innings. He why not let him just like 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:37.800 kind of let loose for two or three innings in 0:10:37.880 --> 0:10:40.400 the playoffs, anything kind of goes. You could say that 0:10:40.440 --> 0:10:43.480 for almost anyone, I think, especially a guy with the 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:48.560 type of stuff as Cabrera. That's why I kind of 0:10:48.600 --> 0:10:51.200 wondered about Garrett, and I have talked to some people 0:10:51.240 --> 0:10:52.920 that are like, yeah, well, you know it could take 0:10:53.040 --> 0:10:56.800 up so why you know, you can't really rule it 0:10:56.840 --> 0:11:01.760 out with you know, Polentia will be back. We'll see there. 0:11:01.760 --> 0:11:04.280 They're gonna ease him back into a role because Council 0:11:04.400 --> 0:11:08.640 keeps mentioning how few innings he's pitched. The latest with 0:11:08.800 --> 0:11:14.520 Brown is I think he threw I'm gonna I want 0:11:14.520 --> 0:11:16.400 to make sure I'm right on this. I'm pretty sure 0:11:16.720 --> 0:11:19.320 he threw a bullpen Friday, and it was like a 0:11:20.480 --> 0:11:22.280 like I shouldn't say a bullpen. It was like a 0:11:22.320 --> 0:11:25.000 touch and feel I should say that it was either 0:11:25.040 --> 0:11:28.160 Friday or it's happening this weekend where it was just like, 0:11:28.240 --> 0:11:32.080 you know, very much like he's feeling abound. He's getting 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:36.280 that you know, idea of what, uh, what it feels 0:11:36.320 --> 0:11:40.040 like again, and they're just like they're progressing. Where before 0:11:40.200 --> 0:11:43.000 it was like he'd take us, try and take a step, 0:11:43.360 --> 0:11:45.160 and in the next day it'd be like, ah, that 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:48.280 doesn't feel great or I'm feeling something there. Now it's 0:11:48.320 --> 0:11:51.480 not that's not happening anymore. It's like they're going they're 0:11:51.480 --> 0:11:54.559 not rushing through this. He's not you know, full force. 0:11:54.640 --> 0:11:57.000 When I talked to Ben, he seems pretty optimistic and 0:11:57.280 --> 0:12:00.920 he was saying the below's there, but you know, he 0:12:01.000 --> 0:12:03.880 needs to start throwing spin. He needs to you know, 0:12:04.200 --> 0:12:06.840 go full force in a bullpen and start facing batters. 0:12:07.400 --> 0:12:10.920 But totally realistic that he's gonna you know, get up 0:12:10.960 --> 0:12:14.080 to one or two inning verse and we know how 0:12:14.120 --> 0:12:17.560 good he can be. With Steele. Depending on who you 0:12:17.600 --> 0:12:21.800 talk to, you get different things. Could he like I 0:12:22.080 --> 0:12:24.640 think ultimately what it is is they really want to 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:28.120 get him on a mound, whether it's you know, facing 0:12:28.160 --> 0:12:31.000 batters in game situations now. And I'm not saying the 0:12:31.000 --> 0:12:33.040 big leagues. I'm just saying they need to get that 0:12:33.160 --> 0:12:37.400 done a couple outings this season. Can he help this 0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:43.440 team at the big league level as a reliever. I 0:12:43.480 --> 0:12:47.600 don't think that's something that they're just like that they're 0:12:47.640 --> 0:12:50.520 gonna say, yes, absolutely, that is happening. They're not going 0:12:50.600 --> 0:12:52.920 to be as forcefble as like Ben Brown or Daniel 0:12:52.960 --> 0:12:56.440 Palencia or Cabrera or any of these guys. Ben Brown obviously, 0:12:57.080 --> 0:12:59.160 let's let's just compare him to Ben Brown. Ben Brown, 0:12:59.200 --> 0:13:01.760 they're very adamant, like he's pitching for this big league 0:13:01.760 --> 0:13:05.360 club this year. You're not getting the same emphatic response 0:13:05.440 --> 0:13:08.840 on Justin Steele. It's important for them for him to 0:13:08.920 --> 0:13:11.080 get on the mound and face the live bat like 0:13:11.120 --> 0:13:14.560 face batters and then get in game action that they 0:13:14.600 --> 0:13:18.640 really want that to happen. But I think with him, 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:22.240 it was this most recent bullpen, which could have been 0:13:23.000 --> 0:13:25.400 over the last couple of days, was like another twenty 0:13:25.440 --> 0:13:30.560 five ish bullpen session, and then like the hope was 0:13:30.600 --> 0:13:35.960 a more intense forty ish bullpen session. And then after 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:39.319 that it's like do you do an updown bullpen session? 0:13:39.440 --> 0:13:42.959 Do you do live BP? That's the next step one 0:13:43.000 --> 0:13:47.000 of those two, like either an updown or live BP updown. 0:13:48.400 --> 0:13:52.040 So we'll see where that goes how quickly they move him. 0:13:52.559 --> 0:13:55.000 Like I said, I think they could use a lefty 0:13:55.000 --> 0:13:58.160 out of the bullpen one more. To feel really good 0:13:58.160 --> 0:14:02.319 about things, and this is like these are like being nitpicky, 0:14:02.440 --> 0:14:04.200 I think to a certain extent, But when you're this 0:14:04.400 --> 0:14:06.959 good and when when you are trying to win a championship, 0:14:06.960 --> 0:14:09.360 it's exactly what you should be doing. Nitpicking the roster. 0:14:09.679 --> 0:14:12.520 It's kind of like the Tyrone Taylor addition. It's like, 0:14:12.600 --> 0:14:16.000 let's be let's be you know, like, what is What's 0:14:16.000 --> 0:14:17.959 something that we could use over the final two months. 0:14:19.040 --> 0:14:24.680 So I'm not as bullish on Justin Steele as I 0:14:24.720 --> 0:14:29.000 would be Ben Brown, but you can't rule it out 0:14:29.040 --> 0:14:31.320 that he comes back as a bullpen arm. It's just 0:14:31.680 --> 0:14:34.040 it's like maybe he gets a couple of innings in 0:14:34.080 --> 0:14:36.840 the big leagues. But does he get to a point 0:14:36.840 --> 0:14:39.600 where you're like, put him on the playoff roster he's 0:14:39.720 --> 0:14:43.720 ready to get out in the seventh inning against the 0:14:43.720 --> 0:14:49.320 Brewers or whatever. You know, it's just hard to to 0:14:49.440 --> 0:14:53.160 get to that point so quickly. You answered. 0:14:53.200 --> 0:14:58.480 The other piece of kind of roster fallout, is Ian 0:14:58.560 --> 0:15:01.920 Happs sort of in like a light platoon now not 0:15:02.400 --> 0:15:04.960 automatic every day or are they just kind of easing 0:15:05.000 --> 0:15:09.440 it towards that where he's not going to be just 0:15:09.480 --> 0:15:10.960 posting up in left field every day? 0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:18.320 Yeah, more the ladder, you know. I like, I don't 0:15:18.360 --> 0:15:22.440 think it's like a full on platoon just yet, but 0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:28.120 we're getting to that point. Patrick, I can't. I was 0:15:28.160 --> 0:15:31.080 just trying to look, but at my box score isn't updating. 0:15:32.800 --> 0:15:35.000 I don't think. I think he went over four with 0:15:35.080 --> 0:15:43.240 four strikeouts yesterday, Yes, and it was like looking swinging, 0:15:43.320 --> 0:15:47.680 looking swinging. From what I remember, it was two of 0:15:47.720 --> 0:15:50.880 each that bats just don't and this was from the 0:15:50.960 --> 0:15:53.560 left side. Like the whole point is like Tyrone Taylor, 0:15:54.080 --> 0:15:59.200 let him get some days off against stuff lefties, he'll 0:15:59.200 --> 0:16:01.480 be in there. Case against the left e's, I think 0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:05.760 he was on, so like he sat Monday and Tuesday 0:16:06.120 --> 0:16:09.920 and then played Wednesday against the lefty. I'm going off 0:16:09.960 --> 0:16:15.440 pure memory here. He just doesn't he doesn't look right 0:16:15.520 --> 0:16:18.560 at the plate. Now. I want to say this because 0:16:18.800 --> 0:16:23.080 we've watched a decade of E and half play, last 0:16:23.120 --> 0:16:28.520 five years, him playing pretty much every day. This happens. 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:32.000 He looks awful for a period of time, uh, and 0:16:32.040 --> 0:16:36.200 then just gets red hot and is almost carrying an offense. 0:16:36.400 --> 0:16:41.080 He can do that. He doesn't have a hit in August. 0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:46.240 It's only August eighth, but the bats don't look great. 0:16:46.680 --> 0:16:49.960 I think Tyrone Taylor is just should eat up his 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:53.200 at bats against the lefties. I think you should. You 0:16:53.280 --> 0:16:56.040 need to be more aggressive about that. This kind of 0:16:56.080 --> 0:16:59.440 feels like that Kevin al contrast start on whatever day 0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:01.800 that that was much day. I believe that Kevin el 0:17:01.880 --> 0:17:08.240 contrast start to me felt like Joe Madden pulling Jason 0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:13.680 Hamill against the Giants in twenty fifteen. Is my memory, right, 0:17:14.640 --> 0:17:17.320 That's what that felt like to me. It's like, okay, 0:17:17.359 --> 0:17:21.040 it's go time. You got plenty of time to try 0:17:21.040 --> 0:17:24.960 and figure it out. It's time, Like, okay, lefties, you're 0:17:25.119 --> 0:17:30.679 not getting as many play appearances. Does he sit overall 0:17:31.240 --> 0:17:33.800 is the next question. I don't think that's going to 0:17:33.840 --> 0:17:36.399 happen just yet because of what I said, Like you 0:17:36.440 --> 0:17:38.639 and I have seen this a thousand times. Council has 0:17:38.680 --> 0:17:41.840 already seen it in his time. He can look awful. Shoot, 0:17:41.880 --> 0:17:45.080 we saw it earlier this year with hap end with 0:17:45.320 --> 0:17:49.040 Dansby Swanson where it looks like these guys can aren't 0:17:49.040 --> 0:17:52.959 playable to like these guys are you know, red hot 0:17:53.040 --> 0:17:58.200 and huge parts of the offense. These things change in 0:17:59.160 --> 0:18:01.040 the council even said it a couple of days ago. 0:18:01.040 --> 0:18:02.800 I can't remember who he was talking about. It's like 0:18:03.280 --> 0:18:06.160 you can't really predict when it happens. It just kind 0:18:06.160 --> 0:18:08.960 of happens, like you know, you just all of a sudden, 0:18:08.960 --> 0:18:10.840 It's like all the work that they're putting in the 0:18:10.880 --> 0:18:13.840 work and then that work finally pays off. But it's 0:18:13.840 --> 0:18:16.560 like when does it happen? Because it's not like they 0:18:16.640 --> 0:18:19.520 just decided to be like okay, now all work and 0:18:19.680 --> 0:18:21.399 put in the work and try and get right. But 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:26.560 we know he inhaps working. It's like when will it click? Yeah? 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:28.800 I think didn't he say something like anyone who tells 0:18:28.840 --> 0:18:30.920 you that they're lying if they think they know when 0:18:30.960 --> 0:18:33.760 it's going to happen or as it's happening. I guess 0:18:34.760 --> 0:18:36.800 Matt Shaw is still just kind of out there but 0:18:36.960 --> 0:18:39.159 not making a ton of progress. So it's not like 0:18:39.320 --> 0:18:41.439 I mean, he's sort of running out of time to 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:45.320 get like locked back in and trusted and sort of 0:18:45.400 --> 0:18:48.879 forcing that issue to where he could be part of 0:18:48.920 --> 0:18:53.120 that outfield Max. Maybe I'm exaggerating that a bit, but 0:18:53.200 --> 0:18:55.080 there's not a ton of time, right, I mean. 0:18:55.359 --> 0:18:59.680 I mean, like, yeah, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but 0:18:59.720 --> 0:19:05.040 I'm not getting anything any sense that he's very close. Yeah, yeah, Like, 0:19:05.240 --> 0:19:07.360 so we're at a point. I think what we were 0:19:07.359 --> 0:19:11.520 told most recently was we're at a point where he's 0:19:11.560 --> 0:19:15.159 still not swinging all out MVP. He's not swinging one 0:19:15.200 --> 0:19:18.399 hundred percent, and we're at a point that when it 0:19:18.440 --> 0:19:20.760 gets to that and when he's ready to go out 0:19:20.800 --> 0:19:23.359 on a rehab assignment, it's going to be a longer 0:19:23.440 --> 0:19:26.200 rehab assignment. Like my guess is like this isn't in 0:19:26.760 --> 0:19:30.080 three games, Like it's a week, ten days of rehab 0:19:30.080 --> 0:19:34.000 assignment to get like your bearings and then you're back. 0:19:34.080 --> 0:19:38.840 So like I think we're looking at September as a 0:19:38.880 --> 0:19:42.840 point of when maybe he can be back helping this team, 0:19:43.240 --> 0:19:45.439 and then you're talking about like what's his role and 0:19:45.480 --> 0:19:47.800 how much can he help? Like Peedro Ramirez is awesome 0:19:47.920 --> 0:19:51.879 right now, Tyrone Taylor is having a great season, so 0:19:51.920 --> 0:19:55.199 you have a really nice bench. Michael Conforto's probably behind 0:19:55.240 --> 0:19:57.560 Pedro Ramirez on the back. I mean he is, because 0:19:57.560 --> 0:20:02.960 Peter Ramirez is getting pretty regular starts. Uh So it's it. 0:20:03.600 --> 0:20:06.119 I don't I don't rule him out as helping this 0:20:06.240 --> 0:20:09.920 team this season. But you're you're not off base by 0:20:09.960 --> 0:20:12.760 saying like we're running out of time here if he's 0:20:12.800 --> 0:20:15.880 not swinging a bat one hundred percent, like he's got 0:20:15.920 --> 0:20:17.720 to go out and like he's got to go swing 0:20:17.800 --> 0:20:21.600 the bat. You know, like, well, it's it's a little odd, 0:20:21.800 --> 0:20:25.600 like how long this is lasting because there's no structural damage. 0:20:25.600 --> 0:20:28.640 It sounds like, but you know, rists are weird and 0:20:28.640 --> 0:20:32.159 and I think it can I mean, isn't that what 0:20:32.280 --> 0:20:36.160 Roman Anthony's had like all season long? A wrist? Like yeah, 0:20:36.280 --> 0:20:38.719 and like these things and it is like there's probably 0:20:38.760 --> 0:20:41.320 there's there was someone else that I was reading about 0:20:41.359 --> 0:20:44.399 recently that's had a risk issue that it's fully healed. 0:20:44.440 --> 0:20:47.320 There's no problems, it's just lingering. The pain is there. 0:20:47.640 --> 0:20:49.480 There's so many bones in there, there's so many little 0:20:49.560 --> 0:20:52.320 things that go wrong. And I don't think this is 0:20:52.359 --> 0:20:54.920 like a huge concern long term, but it does sound 0:20:55.040 --> 0:20:58.960 like this season has kind of been a hiccup for him. 0:20:59.040 --> 0:21:04.760 But yeah, Matt Shaw, maybe maybe we That's why Tyrone 0:21:04.760 --> 0:21:07.920 Taylor's here. So it's not like this huge concern as 0:21:07.920 --> 0:21:11.440 far as the construction of the team. 0:21:11.920 --> 0:21:14.920 I think final thing put you on the spot. Does 0:21:14.960 --> 0:21:17.040 Pete crow Armstrong have your MVP vote? 0:21:19.200 --> 0:21:24.480 You know, like if the season ended today. So yes, 0:21:24.840 --> 0:21:26.960 you would be my pick if the season ended today. 0:21:27.400 --> 0:21:34.520 I was flabbergasted by the reaction after so Wednesday, both 0:21:34.560 --> 0:21:36.280 of them put on a show him and show Hey. 0:21:37.119 --> 0:21:39.520 Show Hey homered in like a ten pitch at bat 0:21:39.600 --> 0:21:43.080 to lead off the game. Pete so the first pitch 0:21:43.119 --> 0:21:46.159 Pete saw, next half inning sent it into the seats. 0:21:47.840 --> 0:21:50.879 Pete would double and homer again. Show Hey would single 0:21:50.920 --> 0:21:53.000 and homer to bring them like it was a seven 0:21:53.040 --> 0:21:55.440 to one Cubs lead, and show Hayes hit a homer 0:21:55.480 --> 0:21:57.800 to make it I think cut it to seven to six. 0:21:57.880 --> 0:22:00.840 It got a little tense there great game for both guys, 0:22:00.920 --> 0:22:06.720 really exciting, just a fun battle between two superstars. There 0:22:06.800 --> 0:22:11.320 is a lot of pushback among national media saying like, 0:22:12.040 --> 0:22:14.160 show hasn't pitched in like a month and a half. 0:22:14.520 --> 0:22:17.440 Maybe I'm exaggerating on how long it's been. Every single 0:22:17.480 --> 0:22:19.280 time they talk about, oh, he's gonna throw a bullpen, 0:22:19.320 --> 0:22:21.679 they push it back, who knows when this guy's going 0:22:21.760 --> 0:22:23.480 to get in a game. But they're saying, well, he's 0:22:23.480 --> 0:22:26.439 been a dominant you know, you could just say, like 0:22:26.560 --> 0:22:31.520 what he has already is a dominant relievers performance. Okay, 0:22:32.240 --> 0:22:37.320 Peak Armstrong doesn't pitch, Shoeyotani doesn't play defense. Shoey Atani 0:22:37.400 --> 0:22:39.800 is not as good of a base runner as is 0:22:39.880 --> 0:22:42.560 pek K Armstrong. There are all parts of a game. 0:22:43.240 --> 0:22:46.439 If Pek Armstrong puts up a ten more season and 0:22:46.640 --> 0:22:50.160 choey Otani gives you ten more innings or fifteen more 0:22:50.200 --> 0:22:53.480 innings this year, look if he gives if he starts 0:22:54.240 --> 0:22:58.040 all of September and gives them a ton of innings 0:22:58.080 --> 0:23:03.120 and is dominant, it may swing my boat and continues 0:23:03.119 --> 0:23:05.280 to hit like how he's hitting, but right now by 0:23:05.400 --> 0:23:08.840 way to runs great A plus, Peak Armstrong is better 0:23:09.000 --> 0:23:12.840 by war peak or Armstrong's better peak. Armstrong's arguably having 0:23:12.880 --> 0:23:16.200 one of the best defensive seasons ever. Like we're we're 0:23:16.240 --> 0:23:22.359 talking about like Willie May's Andrew Jones type center field defense, 0:23:23.840 --> 0:23:26.960 and he's just like he's the best player on a 0:23:27.000 --> 0:23:29.440 really good team. I guess you could say that about show. Hey, 0:23:29.440 --> 0:23:31.360 he's the best player on the best team in baseball, 0:23:31.680 --> 0:23:37.480 but it's I don't and I don't really subscribe to 0:23:37.520 --> 0:23:39.639 that stuff like it does like he could be on 0:23:39.680 --> 0:23:42.440 a bad team and if he's MVP, I'm gonna say 0:23:42.440 --> 0:23:47.119 he's MVP. But I just think like the like for 0:23:47.160 --> 0:23:49.720 some reason, there's his pushback on like there shouldn't be 0:23:49.720 --> 0:23:52.879 a debate like he does one guy does both and 0:23:53.000 --> 0:23:57.119 one guy is just a regular position player. I don't. 0:23:57.240 --> 0:24:00.200