WEBVTT - Cubs & Yankees checkups 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:01.200 If A J. 0:00:01.360 --> 0:00:04.240 Perzinski is saying you're an MVP at the age twenty three, well, 0:00:04.800 --> 0:00:13.800 working at Wrigley Field, you must be doing something extraordinary. 0:00:13.960 --> 0:00:16.520 All right. We want to welcome in Paton Youlways appreciate 0:00:16.600 --> 0:00:18.680 him being on the show. Of course, he's the senior 0:00:18.680 --> 0:00:21.720 writer for The Athletic covering the Chicago Cubs, a contributor 0:00:21.720 --> 0:00:25.840 on Foul Territory TV and North Side Territory. Patrick, Great 0:00:25.880 --> 0:00:29.080 to see you. Let's start with the conversation surrounding PCA. 0:00:29.320 --> 0:00:31.880 In one convo, I hear they're going to extend him. 0:00:31.920 --> 0:00:34.280 In another convo, I hear that they might trade him. 0:00:34.360 --> 0:00:37.240 What's going on with him? 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:41.479 Oh, they're definitely not trading him. But you know, our 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:44.800 kind of rule of thumb at the Athletic now is 0:00:44.880 --> 0:00:48.920 just you cannot overwrite Pete crow Armstrong. It seems like 0:00:49.800 --> 0:00:53.440 every time he steps to the plate something might happen. 0:00:54.480 --> 0:00:56.480 You crazy, crazy. 0:00:58.560 --> 0:01:02.280 In center field and just causing havoc on the basis 0:01:02.320 --> 0:01:07.119 So I don't those extension talks have not been totally 0:01:07.880 --> 0:01:10.520 extinguished or the Cubs have not shut the door on that. 0:01:10.640 --> 0:01:12.679 There's a lot of time for that to happen. But 0:01:12.760 --> 0:01:14.080 he is certainly playing. 0:01:15.440 --> 0:01:19.520 At an MVP level where he might might be his 0:01:19.600 --> 0:01:21.959 best interest to wait, you. 0:01:22.000 --> 0:01:24.040 Have any idea if this was a knee jerk reaction 0:01:24.240 --> 0:01:27.000 to his start of the season, Because last year all 0:01:27.040 --> 0:01:31.120 we heard about PCA was great defense man. He's barely 0:01:31.160 --> 0:01:33.600 even in the big leagues unless Craig Counsel, the eight 0:01:33.640 --> 0:01:37.880 million dollar manager, approved him to be in the big leagues. 0:01:37.920 --> 0:01:42.440 The ORG didn't really seem like they were too high 0:01:42.520 --> 0:01:44.720 on him or they expected more. I'm not sure what 0:01:44.800 --> 0:01:47.560 it was, but now does this feel like a two 0:01:47.640 --> 0:01:48.880 month knee jerk reaction. 0:01:51.200 --> 0:01:51.280 No. 0:01:51.520 --> 0:01:54.680 I think he just because he's such a great athlete, 0:01:55.080 --> 0:01:56.800 as Jed Hoyer said the other day, that. 0:01:57.120 --> 0:01:59.720 He's able to do special things. 0:01:59.680 --> 0:02:02.840 And I do you think Counsel was big for helping 0:02:02.920 --> 0:02:05.760 his development of telling him when he came up, like, look, 0:02:07.120 --> 0:02:09.880 just play defense, you know, make a difference on the 0:02:09.880 --> 0:02:10.600 basis so you. 0:02:10.520 --> 0:02:12.480 Don't worry about your hitting. 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:15.520 But behind the scenes, the Cubs hitting group did a 0:02:15.520 --> 0:02:19.160 great job of, you know, getting his stance and his 0:02:19.280 --> 0:02:22.120 swing into a place where he can do damage. I 0:02:22.120 --> 0:02:24.919 think part of it is just the game teaching him 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:26.519 how to slow. 0:02:26.240 --> 0:02:31.480 It down, channel some of his wild energy. 0:02:31.680 --> 0:02:33.160 And you know, I do think the Cubs have a 0:02:33.200 --> 0:02:38.520 good group of like steady veteran players who are those 0:02:38.560 --> 0:02:42.600 baseball Jim rats and helped him develop a routine. But look, 0:02:42.639 --> 0:02:46.000 I mean in the middle of April he was barely hitting. 0:02:46.240 --> 0:02:50.760 I mean, no one saw this coming this fast, and 0:02:50.800 --> 0:02:55.880 that's why people can stop talking about him. 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:58.080 Are you ready for this? Are you ready, Patrick, for 0:02:58.120 --> 0:03:01.200 what I'm about to say right now? Peter Armstrong is 0:03:01.240 --> 0:03:04.080 by MVP of the National League for what he's done 0:03:04.160 --> 0:03:07.600 offensively and defensively. So you should record that and show 0:03:07.600 --> 0:03:09.520 all your little Cub friends that I said something good 0:03:09.560 --> 0:03:13.560 about the Cubs. Okay, you've always been this homer and apologist. 0:03:13.840 --> 0:03:16.680 We all get it, no doubt, there's no doubt, no doubt. 0:03:16.720 --> 0:03:18.640 But no, I'm serious, Like, he has been incredible. I 0:03:18.680 --> 0:03:21.840 know it's been a month, but if he continues this, 0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:23.000 he's at least in. 0:03:22.960 --> 0:03:24.320 The conversation for sure. 0:03:24.520 --> 0:03:27.040 I mean with his defense, his stolen bases, his hitting, 0:03:27.200 --> 0:03:28.960 and the thing is, he gets big hits. He's aren't 0:03:29.000 --> 0:03:31.480 like down nine to two and he hits a stolen homer. 0:03:31.520 --> 0:03:33.760 I mean he's sitting grand slams, He's sitting these home 0:03:33.800 --> 0:03:36.360 runs that are that are huge. So I don't know 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:37.960 what else there is to say. And if I was him, 0:03:38.000 --> 0:03:40.640 I would not sign an extension. I would wait till 0:03:40.680 --> 0:03:42.200 the end of the year and then be like, look, guys, 0:03:42.280 --> 0:03:44.880 here's my whole year's work. This is only going to 0:03:44.960 --> 0:03:47.880 get better. This is the baseline. Now come to me 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:49.840 Rickett's family, which they won't, but that's fine. 0:03:51.680 --> 0:03:55.200 Well, he's definitely not, you know, putting up garbage time numbers. 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:58.600 He's definitely not like just a long for the ride, 0:03:59.800 --> 0:04:02.280 you know. It's you got to remember, this is someone 0:04:02.320 --> 0:04:05.600 who started playing for Team USA on like their twelve 0:04:05.600 --> 0:04:09.120 and underteam you went to Harvard, Westlake could have gone 0:04:09.160 --> 0:04:12.720 to Vanderbilt first round pick without even having like a 0:04:12.760 --> 0:04:17.440 true senior year in twenty twenty, so like this was 0:04:17.480 --> 0:04:21.840 always in there. I think he's had a ton of confidence. 0:04:21.880 --> 0:04:24.360 That's what has become clear in talking to people who've 0:04:24.360 --> 0:04:27.159 worked with him over the years. But he's also like 0:04:27.400 --> 0:04:33.160 very self aware. He loves just kind of the day 0:04:33.200 --> 0:04:37.240 to day, you know craft aspect to that, working on 0:04:37.320 --> 0:04:41.920 his craft, learning more about the game, and so that 0:04:42.320 --> 0:04:46.039 very well, maybe what happens of them ultimately kind of 0:04:46.080 --> 0:04:48.479 punting on this, but you know why I've written about 0:04:48.480 --> 0:04:53.039 the extension stuff is that you know, they talked at 0:04:53.120 --> 0:04:56.680 length right around the Tokyo series is where it came 0:04:56.720 --> 0:04:59.160 to a head and they decided to you know, kind 0:04:59.200 --> 0:05:03.920 of table thing. But it leaked out a couple weeks later. 0:05:04.040 --> 0:05:07.720 But there was no sense of like this was a 0:05:07.800 --> 0:05:11.680 take it or leave it offer. I think it's become 0:05:11.720 --> 0:05:14.440 clear that Jed Hoyer, though he's in the last year 0:05:14.440 --> 0:05:18.680 of his contract, has the authority and interest to think 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:24.599 well beyond just the end of this season. Pete says 0:05:25.520 --> 0:05:27.680 he loves it here, wants to be in Chicago for 0:05:27.720 --> 0:05:30.360 a long time. His dad grew up in the suburbs 0:05:30.360 --> 0:05:33.400 of Chicago. I mean, Pete is someone who grew up 0:05:33.400 --> 0:05:37.320 in a house that had the Anthony Rizzo framed Sports 0:05:37.360 --> 0:05:41.680 Illustrated cover celebrating the twenty sixteen World Series. And this 0:05:41.839 --> 0:05:46.720 front office to Eric, yeah that work, that work, kid, 0:05:48.680 --> 0:05:51.839 you know, So like this front office wants to build 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:56.400 around him, so like, I don't know, it's it could 0:05:56.440 --> 0:05:58.240 still happen. I think that's kind of the point of 0:05:58.400 --> 0:06:02.400 this conversation here of like, you know, our listeners, our readers, 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:06.560 like shouldn't be totally blindsided if something does pop up, 0:06:06.560 --> 0:06:09.719 because there's a lot of you know, mutual interest here 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:12.479 at the same time. Yeah, like if you're an MVP. 0:06:13.360 --> 0:06:15.880 If aj Perzinsky is saying you're an MVP at the 0:06:15.920 --> 0:06:19.039 age twenty three, well, working at Wrigley Field, you must 0:06:19.040 --> 0:06:22.640 be doing something extraordinary. 0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:25.279 Either that hold on or I've lost my bloody mind. 0:06:25.320 --> 0:06:27.440 I don't know what's one it is I'm poisoning. 0:06:27.480 --> 0:06:29.000 I'm not sure about one of the others. 0:06:29.400 --> 0:06:32.680 Yeah, or he was taken over by aliens Patrick anytime, Yes, 0:06:33.240 --> 0:06:35.760 anything positive about the Cubs. He has had an out 0:06:35.800 --> 0:06:38.159 of body experience. How do you go though, from that 0:06:38.279 --> 0:06:41.000 kid that overslept on the first day of instructional league 0:06:41.040 --> 0:06:43.960 to a kid that perhaps gets an extension and is 0:06:44.000 --> 0:06:46.880 a huge piece of the puzzle for what the Cubs 0:06:46.920 --> 0:06:49.479 want to do doing forward. I would imagine maturity, but 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:52.679 it seems like something else has a switch has flipped 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:54.159 for him. It appears. 0:06:55.279 --> 0:06:55.520 Yeah. 0:06:55.560 --> 0:06:59.000 I think it's someone who has great raw talent that 0:06:59.080 --> 0:07:01.640 is able to do things on a baseball field that 0:07:01.839 --> 0:07:08.679 most people cannot. And it's also someone who is very 0:07:09.800 --> 0:07:17.120 self aware, extremely articulate, can really break down the game 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:23.480 and understand personalities and like, you know, he has inside 0:07:23.680 --> 0:07:28.480 jokes with like Saya Suzuki. And then he's also you know, 0:07:29.000 --> 0:07:31.320 kind of bouncing around the clubhouse talking to everyone like 0:07:31.360 --> 0:07:36.800 he's not withdrawn, he's eager to learn. And you know 0:07:37.320 --> 0:07:41.440 Aj knows this, like the Cubs, you know, historically are 0:07:41.480 --> 0:07:45.679 in a market that kind of you know, over hype 0:07:46.000 --> 0:07:49.720 prospects maybe jumps to conclusions, but there is a support 0:07:50.080 --> 0:07:55.760 system here of the eight million dollar manager that Eric mentioned, 0:07:56.040 --> 0:07:59.239 who had a really nice reputation for developing young talent 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:04.520 in Milwaukee at Sky's, like Dansby Swanson, Nico Horner, Ian 0:08:04.560 --> 0:08:09.080 Happ who were in his ear encouraging him when his 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:12.440 numbers were terrible offensively at the start of the year 0:08:12.480 --> 0:08:14.040 and saying like, stick with the process. 0:08:14.080 --> 0:08:14.760 It's a long year. 0:08:14.800 --> 0:08:18.640 We all know how Wrigly can play in April, like, 0:08:18.720 --> 0:08:20.720 just keep doing your thing, things are going to turn. 0:08:21.240 --> 0:08:22.880 And that is what's happened. 0:08:22.880 --> 0:08:24.880 It's just like the degree to which has happened is 0:08:25.200 --> 0:08:26.160 still kind of stunning. 0:08:28.680 --> 0:08:33.199 Krats, My pupp was picky, not anymore with spot and 0:08:33.280 --> 0:08:37.760 Tango unkibble and it is about forty percent less expensive 0:08:37.880 --> 0:08:40.640 than frozen food, so we're saving in the wallet and 0:08:40.679 --> 0:08:42.120 we're making our puffs happier. 0:08:43.160 --> 0:08:45.600 Let's go apples to apples. I'm not cheap, but I 0:08:45.679 --> 0:08:48.360 don't want to waste my money on something that's good 0:08:48.360 --> 0:08:50.720 for my dog. This is perfect. 0:08:51.760 --> 0:08:55.640 Yeah, they are very excited. Both Bella krats is pup 0:08:55.760 --> 0:08:59.720 and Penelope my little pup four Spot and Tango you 0:08:59.720 --> 0:09:02.080 can get at You're pupp excited too, and there's no 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:05.120 more guessing how much to feed your dog either. Spot 0:09:05.160 --> 0:09:09.360 and Tango creates a custom plan based on your dog's age, weight, breed, 0:09:09.440 --> 0:09:12.480 and activity level. It's a nice little survey, so upgrade 0:09:12.520 --> 0:09:14.719 your pets bowl with spot En Tango Unkibble for a 0:09:14.760 --> 0:09:17.120 limited time. Go to spotan tango dot com slash foul 0:09:17.240 --> 0:09:19.640 use code foul to get fifty percent off your first order. 0:09:19.880 --> 0:09:24.040 That's spotent tango dot com slash foul code foul for 0:09:24.200 --> 0:09:26.959 fifty percent off your first order. Spotent tango dot com 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:28.040 slash foul code foul. 0:09:28.960 --> 0:09:30.120 Patrick, I need a number. 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:31.560 What's it gonna take? 0:09:32.400 --> 0:09:32.640 Where? 0:09:32.760 --> 0:09:35.640 I mean obviously any extension Cubs fans are gonna be like, wow, 0:09:35.679 --> 0:09:38.720 the Rickets are actually spending money. Like, we're good with that. 0:09:38.800 --> 0:09:40.920 Whatever the number is, But what's. 0:09:40.679 --> 0:09:43.720 It gonna take what's it gonna take today, because tomorrow 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:47.280 he might hit another big hit and that number just 0:09:47.360 --> 0:09:48.120 keeps going up. 0:09:50.280 --> 0:09:52.840 Well, I think, you know, before the start of the season, 0:09:53.800 --> 0:09:57.840 I think Corman Carroll's deal, which was put together by CIA, 0:09:58.000 --> 0:10:01.240 the same agency that represents Pete, that would have been 0:10:03.400 --> 0:10:05.920 not even a high end but probably unrealistic, like not 0:10:06.000 --> 0:10:11.000 even worth talking about. But now that might be a 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:16.679 little outdated, and so clearly it's a nine figure commitment. 0:10:17.320 --> 0:10:21.200 It would be from Pete's side, I'm sure they would 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:26.120 want to limit their those club option years, those free 0:10:26.120 --> 0:10:28.960 agent years. You want to preserve flexibility for that. But 0:10:29.240 --> 0:10:32.960 I think part of it, too is his floor is 0:10:33.040 --> 0:10:36.120 really high, like even like a worst case scenario for 0:10:36.200 --> 0:10:39.320 pie Crow Armstrong, it's probably being a ten year big 0:10:39.400 --> 0:10:45.200 leaguer and you know, maybe it's bouncing around on shorter 0:10:45.360 --> 0:10:49.600 term deals but collecting nice money as a gold glove 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:53.360 center fielder who brings great speed and has you know, 0:10:53.720 --> 0:10:57.839 you know, charisma and you know, good connections throughout the game. 0:10:57.880 --> 0:11:02.000 But you know, his ceiling is kind of unlimited at 0:11:02.000 --> 0:11:06.920 this point. And that's that's kind of the the not 0:11:07.000 --> 0:11:10.080 even friction here. But that's just the forces at play 0:11:10.120 --> 0:11:13.320 of why it hasn't happened. I think it's clear that 0:11:15.200 --> 0:11:18.360 how it unfolded around the start of the season. It 0:11:18.400 --> 0:11:21.400 was not you know, an Anthony Rizzo situation a couple 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:22.599 of years ago where he made it clear like I 0:11:22.640 --> 0:11:23.640 don't want to continue this. 0:11:23.640 --> 0:11:25.439 Discussion at all, don't bother. 0:11:26.520 --> 0:11:29.480 This was more of a okay, each side understands where 0:11:29.480 --> 0:11:32.240 the others coming from. There wasn't enough common ground at 0:11:32.240 --> 0:11:37.960 that moment. Both sides are getting a lot more information, 0:11:38.320 --> 0:11:40.200 and I do think if you look back at that 0:11:40.320 --> 0:11:44.120 last great era of Cubs baseball, there was a frustration 0:11:46.120 --> 0:11:48.120 or a they kind of paid the price for not 0:11:48.200 --> 0:11:50.080 extending some of those guys. That's why they all kind 0:11:50.080 --> 0:11:53.400 of came up together, came to the end at that 0:11:53.520 --> 0:11:55.240 twenty twenty one trade deadline. 0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:56.720 They got Rizzo done early. 0:11:57.120 --> 0:12:00.160 They got Kyle Hendrickstone on the pitching side, how he 0:12:00.240 --> 0:12:03.040 might have gotten done if not for the pandemic. But 0:12:04.400 --> 0:12:08.080 at the ownership level within the front office, ideally they 0:12:08.080 --> 0:12:11.480 would like to not see one of those cliffs again 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:13.679 and to have guys to build around and to have 0:12:13.760 --> 0:12:16.800 waves of talent coming in after Pete. 0:12:17.960 --> 0:12:20.559 Patrick, who's more important to this offense, sayas Azuki or 0:12:20.600 --> 0:12:23.120 Kyle Tucker. Saya Azuki is having a heck of view, 0:12:23.120 --> 0:12:25.120 he leads the league in RBI is right, and then 0:12:25.200 --> 0:12:28.120 Kyle Tucker's come in and obviously changed the lineup completely. 0:12:28.440 --> 0:12:30.920 But who's more important, Saya Azuki or Kyle Tucker. 0:12:33.160 --> 0:12:34.200 I still think it's Tucker. 0:12:34.400 --> 0:12:37.800 I mean Saya acknowledge this the other day that you 0:12:37.840 --> 0:12:40.600 know through his interpreter that he's learned a lot from 0:12:40.679 --> 0:12:45.360 watching Kyle Tucker, seeing how he makes adjustments, seeing how 0:12:45.440 --> 0:12:52.280 Kyle Tucker is very steady, even Keel. I think hitting 0:12:53.000 --> 0:12:55.960 in the middle of this lineup, in between you know Tucker, 0:12:56.000 --> 0:12:58.880 you have Ian Happ setting the table, you have Pek 0:12:59.080 --> 0:13:01.080 Armstrong a bush behind you. 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:02.840 It just kind of opens things up. 0:13:02.840 --> 0:13:06.119 And I think say has learned to be more aggressive. 0:13:06.480 --> 0:13:09.559 Part of that was just through experience, but Tucker is 0:13:09.600 --> 0:13:14.000 a great example. There are times where Sayah was a 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:20.280 little too passive that like his physical abilities, the kind 0:13:20.320 --> 0:13:22.520 of bat at ball data, it all just like didn't 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:25.160 add up, like there should should have been more in there. 0:13:25.200 --> 0:13:28.280 And I think that's what you're seeing, And to me, 0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:31.040 Kyle Tucker is a big, big part of that. 0:13:32.760 --> 0:13:37.240 Patrick do you think that the Cubs would pay both 0:13:37.559 --> 0:13:39.680 PCA and Kyle Tucker. 0:13:42.360 --> 0:13:43.240 Uh, probably not. 0:13:43.760 --> 0:13:46.480 And I don't even know, Like I just I think 0:13:47.600 --> 0:13:51.760 Kyle Tucker, we have no evidence to suggest that, Like 0:13:52.280 --> 0:13:55.959 the Cubs are going to do that sort of deal 0:13:56.040 --> 0:13:59.959 between Vladimir Guerrero and Juan Soto to make it come. 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:03.360 It meant, you know, a decade plus, they've never done 0:14:03.360 --> 0:14:06.320 that before. I think, what you know, Pete, you know, 0:14:06.720 --> 0:14:10.440 what would make sense for Pete is not unreasonable in 0:14:10.559 --> 0:14:15.360 kind of the grand scheme of baseball economics. 0:14:15.440 --> 0:14:17.559 Plus there's a lot of time. 0:14:17.640 --> 0:14:20.040 I think Pete's under club control through twenty thirty, so 0:14:20.200 --> 0:14:22.600 like you could make the prediction, and you have a lot. 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:23.800 Of chances to get that right. 0:14:25.240 --> 0:14:30.920 I think with Tucker, you know, it's certainly a possibility, 0:14:30.960 --> 0:14:33.480 it's just not the Cubs just have not That's not 0:14:33.560 --> 0:14:36.440 their business plan thus far. And maybe Kyle Tucker is 0:14:36.440 --> 0:14:40.160 the ultimate exception. Maybe this year goes so well, Maybe 0:14:40.160 --> 0:14:43.880 there are other forces out there that his free agency 0:14:43.880 --> 0:14:47.800 doesn't quite go the way we expect, But right now 0:14:47.840 --> 0:14:53.240 I would certainly expect a Pete extension to be more 0:14:53.400 --> 0:14:55.160 likely than a Kyle Tucker extension. 0:14:55.200 --> 0:14:59.480 No, doubt, right, Patrick, Is this is this the Craig 0:14:59.560 --> 0:15:04.000 Council contract coming to fruition the way the last five series, 0:15:04.080 --> 0:15:11.080 this bullpen without Porter hadje without two big time starting 0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:14.880 rotation pieces that alleviate some of the stress on the bullpen. 0:15:15.520 --> 0:15:18.680 Is this the contract? This is what they paid Craig 0:15:18.800 --> 0:15:20.960 Council to do because they kept watching it year in and 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:22.080 year out in Milwaukee. 0:15:24.000 --> 0:15:24.880 Yeah, no doubt. 0:15:24.880 --> 0:15:27.280 And I think that's part of why you look at 0:15:27.440 --> 0:15:31.440 sort of the Cubs payroll over the years, and you know, 0:15:31.480 --> 0:15:35.760 some of the frustrations of like why why can't the 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:37.560 Cubs do this when they you know, when they spend 0:15:37.600 --> 0:15:40.400 more than Milwaukee in it. It's a lot more complicated 0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:42.200 than that, but that was a big reason of why 0:15:42.240 --> 0:15:46.360 they went out and made the very uncomfortable decision to 0:15:46.400 --> 0:15:49.560 fire David Ross, who, did you know, a very good 0:15:49.600 --> 0:15:53.720 job under the circumstances, who was building towards this. 0:15:54.600 --> 0:15:54.720 Uh. 0:15:56.080 --> 0:15:59.320 But yeah, counsel, is this, as you know, Eric, kind 0:15:59.320 --> 0:16:02.400 of an extension another front office. Part of the checks 0:16:02.400 --> 0:16:08.320 and balances with an organization council is certainly that force 0:16:08.720 --> 0:16:12.360 of asking questions, of wondering, is there a different way 0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:16.080 to do this? Of trusting in young talent, whether it's P. 0:16:16.240 --> 0:16:19.360 Krow Armstrong or whether it's some of these guys. They 0:16:19.560 --> 0:16:24.080 essentially got off the scrap heap, like the Cubs have 0:16:24.640 --> 0:16:28.000 built up this pitching infrastructure over the years, and I 0:16:28.000 --> 0:16:33.320 definitely think Counsel's sense of calm, his kind of common 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:39.240 sense approach, all of those things are coming together here. 0:16:39.320 --> 0:16:43.200 I think people just thought there might have been it 0:16:43.240 --> 0:16:45.840 would have shown up a little sooner, maybe last year. 0:16:45.960 --> 0:16:49.480 I mean, eighty three wins under David Ross and Craig Counsel. 0:16:49.560 --> 0:16:51.320 But this is what the Cubs have been building for 0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:55.480 of getting a Kyle Tucker, seeing p. Crow Armstrong emerge, 0:16:55.520 --> 0:16:58.880 and then just figuring out the pitching on a day 0:16:58.920 --> 0:16:59.640 to day basis. 0:16:59.640 --> 0:17:02.400 That does seem to be a strength of Greig Counsel. 0:17:04.160 --> 0:17:05.480 It's one they're a big market team. 0:17:05.480 --> 0:17:07.679 Go spend some money, okay, and don't give me so 0:17:07.880 --> 0:17:09.560 Let's let's not act like we're a mid market team. 0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:10.080 We're the Cubs. 0:17:10.119 --> 0:17:12.600 Okay, go spend money. Have you have the McDonald's across 0:17:12.600 --> 0:17:13.760 the street that make some billion dollars? 0:17:13.800 --> 0:17:16.320 You have the hotel? Okay, let's stop with that. Okay. 0:17:16.560 --> 0:17:18.199 I didn't get to even mention that, but let's go 0:17:18.200 --> 0:17:20.720 out and spend the money you need to spend. Now, Poalencia, 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:21.479 is he the closer? 0:17:22.560 --> 0:17:24.160 You're right? Yeah, no, no doubt. 0:17:24.280 --> 0:17:29.280 Is Polencia the closer going forward? I know Porter hodges 0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:33.000 out and uh there's been struggles with other guys, but 0:17:33.119 --> 0:17:34.480 is he going to be the closer? You think of 0:17:34.520 --> 0:17:36.360 the future, not only this year, but going forward. 0:17:38.800 --> 0:17:42.840 I think council being counseled, they'll still they could still 0:17:42.840 --> 0:17:46.480 do some matching up, like if there are certain you know, 0:17:46.520 --> 0:17:49.240 to use the manager speak, like certain pockets of the 0:17:49.280 --> 0:17:52.639 lineup that they want to feature a different picture. I 0:17:52.640 --> 0:17:58.439 could see that. But Polentcia, no doubt, has shown a 0:17:58.480 --> 0:18:02.640 lot here of just he's got that you know, crazy 0:18:02.720 --> 0:18:06.720 high end velocity that this bullpen had been kind of lacking. 0:18:06.840 --> 0:18:08.120 It's the swing and this stuff. 0:18:08.280 --> 0:18:12.720 He's really grown up and needed time to become comfortable 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:17.679 at this level. You're seeing that. I do think you 0:18:17.720 --> 0:18:21.439 guys know it's different. You know those last three outs, 0:18:21.440 --> 0:18:23.960 and thus far he's passed the test. I mean, granted 0:18:25.040 --> 0:18:26.639 it might have been the worst. You know, he might 0:18:26.640 --> 0:18:29.280 have been facing the worst team of all time. In 0:18:29.640 --> 0:18:34.879 the twenty twenty five Colorado Rockies, but no doubt a 0:18:34.920 --> 0:18:40.960 guy that they trust has earned the opportunity. And this 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:44.840 is the council effect that Eric talked about, pumping confidence 0:18:45.600 --> 0:18:50.280 into these young pitchers, not overreacting, and also managing with 0:18:50.400 --> 0:18:53.360 the long season in mind. Like he's not a guy 0:18:53.400 --> 0:18:57.719 that's has a history of wearing out relievers. He tries 0:18:57.760 --> 0:19:01.760 to find spots to rest guys really kind of use 0:19:01.840 --> 0:19:04.480 it as one kind of cohesive unit. 0:19:04.600 --> 0:19:07.240 So I would certainly see like Plancy is one of those. 0:19:07.280 --> 0:19:10.679 As counsel would say, you need good surprises for like 0:19:10.720 --> 0:19:13.040 good seasons to happen, and he is certainly one of those. 0:19:13.560 --> 0:19:16.159 Yeah, maybe no surprise to anybody. Patrick. The Cubs with 0:19:16.200 --> 0:19:18.399 the lead in the division, a three game lead, eight 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:20.119 and two in their last ten. They take on the 0:19:20.160 --> 0:19:23.919 Cincinnati Reds beginning tomorrow. Patrick, we appreciate you taking the 0:19:23.960 --> 0:19:25.680 time to be with us, and obviously you can catch 0:19:25.680 --> 0:19:30.040 Patrick on North Side Territory. Speaking of which, check out 0:19:30.119 --> 0:19:34.000 North Side Territory with Patrick and sahadiv Sharma whenever wherever 0:19:34.040 --> 0:19:36.119 you get your podcasts and on YouTube. We will be 0:19:36.200 --> 0:19:40.800 right back with Pinstripe Territories. Derek Lewandowski next. 0:19:42.040 --> 0:19:45.640 Podfather and I are from Jersey, so we're used to, oh, 0:19:45.680 --> 0:19:49.760 I got a guy, but sometimes that just means when 0:19:49.760 --> 0:19:52.600 I'm looking for a car, I go to car Gurus. 0:19:52.880 --> 0:19:54.919 Yeah, And I think, honestly, the best part about this 0:19:55.280 --> 0:19:58.120 communication which we love here in Jersey where we're from, 0:19:58.119 --> 0:20:00.320 and this is a place where you can get a car. 0:20:00.400 --> 0:20:02.840 The price drops all the time, and they let you know. 0:20:02.960 --> 0:20:04.840 They let you know when your car is ready and 0:20:04.880 --> 0:20:07.560 when you can get it. The communication part is the 0:20:07.560 --> 0:20:08.040 best thing for. 0:20:08.119 --> 0:20:11.920 Me, Scott agreed in depth vehicle Reviews. Car Grews will 0:20:11.920 --> 0:20:14.439 connect you with trusted dealerships when you're ready, insuring and 0:20:14.480 --> 0:20:19.119 transparent and hassle free buying process. With over four million listings, 0:20:19.480 --> 0:20:22.520 they have more car listings than any other major online 0:20:22.560 --> 0:20:25.520 automotive marketplace in the US. So you can find the 0:20:25.560 --> 0:20:27.879 best deal, buy or sell your next car today with 0:20:28.000 --> 0:20:31.000 car Gurus at car gurus dot com. Go to car 0:20:31.080 --> 0:20:33.879 grews dot com to make sure your big deal is 0:20:33.920 --> 0:20:39.320 the best deal that's c r g r us dot com, 0:20:39.400 --> 0:20:41.320 car gurus dot com. 0:20:41.600 --> 0:20:44.800 All right, we welcome our friend Derek Lewandowski to the show. 0:20:44.880 --> 0:20:49.000 Of course, the host of Pinstripe Territory Yankees podcaster. He's 0:20:49.040 --> 0:20:52.080 been doing it a ton of time, sixty seven thousand 0:20:52.119 --> 0:20:54.760 on YouTube. Derek, what is up, my friend? How are you? 0:20:55.640 --> 0:20:58.800 Oh? I'm just looking forward to this fun weekend rematch 0:20:58.840 --> 0:20:59.680 we got going on. 0:21:00.840 --> 0:21:02.399 Shall you and I make a little bit of a 0:21:02.480 --> 0:21:03.360 bet on that. 0:21:04.119 --> 0:21:07.040 Let's do it, Let's go. I'm ready, all right, all right. 0:21:06.960 --> 0:21:09.080 I'm gonna say, just straight up, just straight up, for 0:21:09.200 --> 0:21:12.320 series win. If the Yankees win, I donate to a 0:21:12.520 --> 0:21:15.240 charity of your choice fifty bucks. If the Dodgers win, 0:21:15.400 --> 0:21:18.200 you donate fifty bucks to my charity. Is that fair? 0:21:19.440 --> 0:21:19.879 Let's do it. 0:21:20.359 --> 0:21:22.320 Let's do it. Let's do it for the pops, all right. 0:21:22.440 --> 0:21:24.320 I've been the first to say I don't think we're 0:21:24.359 --> 0:21:27.280 talking about the Yankees enough, Derek. This is a team 0:21:27.280 --> 0:21:29.480 that has a seven game leading the division, the largest 0:21:29.480 --> 0:21:31.639 division lead. Aj S piss because he can't hear us, 0:21:31.720 --> 0:21:35.960 or we can't hear him. Probably Yankees. We always give 0:21:36.040 --> 0:21:39.479 Cashman grief. Let's give him some praise. What's making them 0:21:39.480 --> 0:21:41.600 feel good? And kind of running away with things? 0:21:42.320 --> 0:21:45.600 You know, Plan B has turned out to be an 0:21:45.640 --> 0:21:48.760 a plus. I mean, the plan was to sign Juan 0:21:48.880 --> 0:21:51.359 Soto and to probably do something similar like they did 0:21:51.440 --> 0:21:54.600 last year with Judge and Center, Soto and Wright. They 0:21:55.000 --> 0:21:58.040 you know, spent that money elsewhere. Obviously, Paul Goldschmith sitting 0:21:58.040 --> 0:22:00.560 in about three fifties on pace for I believe about 0:22:00.560 --> 0:22:03.200 two hundred hits. Max Freed is pitching like a Cy 0:22:03.320 --> 0:22:07.520 Young Award winner, and I mean Bellinger has really turned 0:22:07.560 --> 0:22:11.760