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Speaker 1: Welcome into North Side Territory Foul Territory Networks Cubs podcast.

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Speaker 1: I'm Hot Day Sharma with my co host Patrick Muni.

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Speaker 1: We are your Cubs beat writers over at the Athletic Patrick.

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Speaker 1: It is a mail bag episode. We got plenty of

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Speaker 1: questions here. Let's just kick it right off and get

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Speaker 1: right into the topic that We've got a couple of

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Speaker 1: questions on different ways of approaching this. I guess I

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Speaker 1: thought was the most straightforward and kind of something we've

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Speaker 1: been touching on for a while. Right Like my fear

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Speaker 1: Cubs win division with this club and Rickets keeps payroll

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Speaker 1: same or lower in future years discussed from Brad Lencer. I, Look,

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Speaker 1: this is the payroll. It's around two hundred and ten,

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Speaker 1: two hundred and fifteen. That's that's what the payroll is.

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Speaker 1: Are they willing to make exceptions, Yes, but it's for

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Speaker 1: shorter term deals for guys that are difference makers or

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Speaker 1: potential difference makers. It's the type of stuff where you

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Speaker 1: need approval from ownership to make a deal, right Like,

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Speaker 1: it's not like Jed had pre range to add thirty

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Speaker 1: million more to the to the payroll that you needed approval.

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Speaker 1: They can't add right now significant money. And when I

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Speaker 1: say significant money, I'm not saying twenty five to thirty million.

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Speaker 1: I think like under like five to ten million would

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Speaker 1: be stretching the budget right now.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean props to Brad and for you side

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Speaker 2: for making this our leadoff question. And I know our

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Speaker 2: editors always get frustrated, you know if we write like

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Speaker 2: eight paragraphs and then like put the news at the bottom,

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Speaker 2: like this is the question, right that's going to define.

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Speaker 3: This year in future years. I think there's.

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Speaker 2: So much going on in the world that I don't

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Speaker 2: know how it'd use the word fear with this, but

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Speaker 2: I would say we got to see what happens in

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Speaker 2: terms of like if this team goes out and performs

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Speaker 2: and like host multiple playoff rounds and like draws over

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Speaker 2: three million fans, they that stuff matters, right, Like the

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Speaker 2: cups do like put some of that, they say, all

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Speaker 2: the whatever you know back into the team, Like that

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Speaker 2: performance on the field does help the resources they get,

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Speaker 2: you know, to do stuff off the field, to bring

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Speaker 2: in players and things like that. I have no idea

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Speaker 2: what's gonna happen with like the you know what had

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Speaker 2: been the regional sports network model like there's a ton

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Speaker 2: of uncertainty with that. There's, as we've discussed before, labor

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Speaker 2: deal that's gonna expire after twenty twenty six, and they're

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Speaker 2: like macro things happening that are you know, going to

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Speaker 2: impact this stuff in a huge way.

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Speaker 3: I guess like.

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Speaker 2: Would also say, maybe this has already kind of happened, right,

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Speaker 2: Like the Cubs didn't go to the World Series a

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Speaker 2: couple of years ago, but the Diamondbacks did with what

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Speaker 2: eighty four wins in a lower payroll, So it does

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Speaker 2: seem like they've already kind of moving in this direction.

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Speaker 3: So I guess if you're a Cups.

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Speaker 2: Fan, you might as well enjoy a division winning season

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Speaker 2: because it's sort of happening no matter what. And I

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Speaker 2: think you've kind of heard this side, right, that's kind

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Speaker 2: of that is like Brad does hit on like a

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Speaker 2: fear though, right, Like within yeah, the organization of like,

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Speaker 2: well they get a little too good at some of

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Speaker 2: the Milwaukee Guardians stuff.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's a double edged sword, right if

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Speaker 1: if they're losing, Ricketts isn't going to go, say, go

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Speaker 1: spend more money he had like we he has no

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Speaker 1: interest in doing that. If they if they don't win

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Speaker 1: the division. He's not going to say that. He's always

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Speaker 1: said the solution isn't spending more money. He's been pretty

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Speaker 1: open about that. He's he's told us, you know, money

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Speaker 1: isn't how you build a winning team.

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Speaker 4: Uh.

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Speaker 1: I just disagree with the philosophy that that you're a

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Speaker 1: big market team, like that's your advantage, right like all

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Speaker 1: the other teams in the division.

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Speaker 4: You're in a weaker division.

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Speaker 1: So I think that actually works against the Cubs in

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Speaker 1: some sense because if they were in the NL East

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Speaker 1: or or NL West, either one of the NL divisions,

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Speaker 1: really like there's these powerhouse teams that just spend aggressively,

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Speaker 1: they'd be third in each division, right, maybe fourth in

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Speaker 1: in the West.

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Speaker 3: Uh.

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Speaker 1: They just did be fourth in the East too because

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Speaker 1: of the Phillies and the Braves spend more cheese. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: they'd be like it's just they'd be in a different category.

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Speaker 1: They're they're in the wrong division to really say like, oh,

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Speaker 1: we can't compete financially. But the whole point of being

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Speaker 1: a big market team is like the way the CBA

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Speaker 1: is built, it's to your advantage to spend more. You

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Speaker 1: really have to spend aggressively, because yes, it's great to

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Speaker 1: build through the through the draft and develop talent and

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Speaker 1: find and mind the international free agency and find the

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Speaker 1: right players, but you don't get those extra draft picks,

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Speaker 1: like the way the CBA is built, like, you don't

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Speaker 1: get these little perks that the small market teams do.

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Speaker 1: And they're in a division where they their competition all

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Speaker 1: get those perks and they don't. So how do you,

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Speaker 1: how do you what's your advantage? It's the CBA is

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Speaker 1: built for your advantage to be spend, spend big. And

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Speaker 1: it kind of works against them that they're in this

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Speaker 1: division because they it looks like they spend big because

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Speaker 1: they spend more than than their direct competition in the division.

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Speaker 4: And I think, like when he says.

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Speaker 1: Keep the payroll same or lower in future years, yes,

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Speaker 1: that is that is kind of the fear right now

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Speaker 1: that this is what happens. They're going to be hovering

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Speaker 1: around this number next year as well and and beyond,

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Speaker 1: like we'll see what the CBA brings. I don't know

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Speaker 1: what the c what the CBA changes. I don't think

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Speaker 1: it's going to lead to more spending for the Cubs.

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Speaker 1: I think Tom Ricketts likes where they're at. I don't think.

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Speaker 1: I think there are random players here and there they

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Speaker 1: will spend a little bit more for and then push

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Speaker 1: the you know, push to a higher level. But they're

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Speaker 1: you know, when when you do something like that, it

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Speaker 1: can't be an eight or ten year deal because now

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Speaker 1: you're talking about like you can't fill other spots on

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Speaker 1: the roster because of constraints, and eventually he's going to

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Speaker 1: want to get back down to two, ten or whatever

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Speaker 1: the number may be in future years. It won't be

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Speaker 1: like this, this outsized number where you're you know, using

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Speaker 1: your finances as a cudgel against against smaller market teams.

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Speaker 1: They like, we're going to like people get annoyed that

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Speaker 1: we bring this up. But they they're a major market team.

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Speaker 1: They're big market media team. They're not a big market

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Speaker 1: money team anymore.

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Speaker 4: They're just not.

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Speaker 3: Yeah. I think that's why we expect Kyle Tucker to.

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Speaker 2: Last one season with the Cubs and explore free agency

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Speaker 2: and likely sign a deal make a deal with another team.

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Speaker 2: I guess if you're looking for any sort of like,

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Speaker 2: I don't know, hope in this regard, it would be

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Speaker 2: what happened in twenty fifteen when that team kind of

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Speaker 2: like just caught fire and made it to the NLCS,

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Speaker 2: and that off season, you know, THEO and some Jed

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Speaker 2: and some people on the business side essentially combined two

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Speaker 2: off seasons into one.

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Speaker 3: And that they you know, accelerated the process.

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Speaker 2: And that was in part due to the team's performance

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Speaker 2: on the field, kind of the revenue that that came in.

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Speaker 2: The projections that were kind of updated with like, Wow,

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Speaker 2: this is like a pretty amazing core of talent that

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Speaker 2: has been assembled, so not out of the realm of possibility,

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Speaker 2: but I think everything he set tout of a spot on,

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Speaker 2: Like that's kind of the the expectations at this point.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, we'll see if things change, right, Like, we don't

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Speaker 1: want to set that in stone, but there's a positive can.

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Speaker 2: Always shin, right, Like I think we've learned that covering

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Speaker 2: this team for a long time of like you have

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Speaker 2: to remain open to like different possibilities or new stuff happening.

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Speaker 3: You never quite know.

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Speaker 2: But at this moment in March before they leave for Tokyo,

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Speaker 2: like that is kind of the landscape that they're dealing with,

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Speaker 2: as frustrating as that is for for Cubs fans.

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Speaker 4: So there's two questions here.

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Speaker 1: But I'm going to go with this question and we

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Speaker 1: can bring up the second part this first question, which

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Speaker 1: spring training results means something and which don't. Gauge Workman,

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Speaker 1: Vidal Bruhan Ben Calls are raking while Kyle Tucker and

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Speaker 1: Saya Suzuki are struggling. Does any of this mean anything?

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Speaker 1: That's from m J. Mcklewee uh, look at Kyle Tucker

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Speaker 1: and say Suzuki struggling doesn't mean anything to me. It

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Speaker 1: just doesn't. I don't care, Like, I just don't. Are

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Speaker 1: they healthy, are they getting their work in? Do they

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Speaker 1: feel good? Do they you know? Are they mentally prepared?

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Speaker 1: Are they physically prepared? I just don't care. What Workman

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Speaker 1: Bruhan Coyle's means is they're on the fringes of the

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Speaker 1: roster and they're fighting for spots. They're all on the

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Speaker 1: forty man. They need to perform. We don't know what

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Speaker 1: they can do. They need to perform to open some

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Speaker 1: eyes on the coaching staff, on you know, in the

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Speaker 1: front office. And sometimes it doesn't have to be pure results, right.

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Speaker 1: If let's just say gauge workmen. If Gauge Workmen was

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Speaker 1: hitting line drives after line drive and they were all

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Speaker 1: getting caught. We may not notice it as much, right,

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Speaker 1: we may see like a one to fifty batting average

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Speaker 1: and not care. A council would notice. Jed Hoyer would notice.

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Speaker 1: People would notice, and they'd take note of it. Right, Obviously,

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Speaker 1: it's much better that he's sending a few over the

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Speaker 1: fence and that he's he's having a good spring. You know,

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Speaker 1: That's how I look at spring. I try, I do.

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Speaker 1: I will say this. I do get like it. I

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Speaker 1: lose every year. I have to remind myself don't get

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Speaker 1: carried away with it, But then I do. I still do, Like,

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Speaker 1: how how do I not notice that Breuhan and Workman, that.

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Speaker 4: These guys are putting up good numbers?

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Speaker 1: But I'm not even paying attention to which pitcher they're

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Speaker 1: facing half the time. And that's bad, Like, you can't

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Speaker 1: you know, there's so much going on and guys, even

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Speaker 1: the veterans, are working on stuff.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, if I remember correctly, it was it last year.

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Speaker 2: I mean, Saya Suzuki was crushing the ball in Arizona

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Speaker 2: and everyone's like, oh, this could be a monster year.

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Speaker 2: And then he heard his oblique in spring training or

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Speaker 2: shortly after spring training, the years are sort of blending together.

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Speaker 3: But has done that before me.

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Speaker 2: They crushed it in all huge year and then has

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Speaker 2: has a setback, and you know, obviously he's a really

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Speaker 2: good major league hitter. His numbers at the end of

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Speaker 2: the year, you know, wind up, you know, in a

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Speaker 2: pretty good place. It's just like, you know, hard to

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Speaker 2: to get upset or worked up about any of this.

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Speaker 2: I will say, like the first grouping of players there,

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Speaker 2: like I don't know, if they totally flopped spring training

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Speaker 2: will probably a.

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Speaker 3: Pretty easy decision or an easier decision.

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Speaker 2: And also, like like you say, someone's always watching, so

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Speaker 2: whether it's the scouts that either behind home plate or

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Speaker 2: whether it's the people who'll be on the you know,

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Speaker 2: the second floor of the performance center there and you're

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Speaker 2: going through meetings reviewing their rosters like that stuff. Those

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Speaker 2: are data points that don't go away. So maybe in

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Speaker 2: April or May whenever the time is, and there will

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Speaker 2: be that reference point for a group of guys that

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Speaker 2: the Cubs did not have a ton of familiarity with

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Speaker 2: before the spring, and making a good impression certainly matters.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, And the other thing I bring up is when

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Speaker 1: it comes to pictures. The stuff matters, right, Like if

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Speaker 1: a guy is already throwing ninety seven ninety eight and

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Speaker 1: you know normally sits ninety six, that's eye opening. If

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Speaker 1: a guy has a new pitch and it's just nasty.

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Speaker 1: If a guy if a guy's pitches are just crisp

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Speaker 1: at this point and you're like, whoa, he's ready for

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Speaker 1: the season already. Those types of things people notice, you know,

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Speaker 1: like when a guy loses fifteen pounds and just looks like, Okay,

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Speaker 1: this guy's ready for the season. All those little things right,

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Speaker 1: there's it's less about results for some of these things.

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Speaker 1: And how do how do they look at the plate?

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Speaker 1: How do they look on the mound? Like what's how's

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Speaker 1: the ball coming out of their hand? Type stuff? You know,

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Speaker 1: the and we can measure all that now so well

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Speaker 1: that that you can see this stuff and it's like

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Speaker 1: you take it. Like like with Brad Keller, I got

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Speaker 1: texts about him like he looks great in bullpens.

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Speaker 4: We'll see how it looks on the mound. Now, he

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Speaker 4: looks great on the mound.

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Speaker 1: And then it's like, okay, if he likely makes the team,

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Speaker 1: which seems like it's leaning towards it. You know, then,

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Speaker 1: how does it look in the regular season? How deep

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Speaker 1: into the season does he keep this stuff? You know

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Speaker 1: that you keep piling on the questions. Nothing's decided. I

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Speaker 1: thought this was a good follow up to that. What

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Speaker 1: are the chances the Cubs work out of trade with

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Speaker 1: Detroit to keep Workman and make him optionable? That's from

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Speaker 1: Andrew Leonard.

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Speaker 4: I don't know the chances. I'm not sure if you've

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Speaker 4: heard anything.

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Speaker 1: I do think it's interesting because I do kind of

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Speaker 1: like I mean, he's a good defender and he's a

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Speaker 1: left handed guy, he's got His strikeouts are an issue,

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Speaker 1: at least from what I'm not looking at his numbers

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Speaker 1: right now, but from what I remember, that's that's the

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Speaker 1: hole in his game. So yeah, you prefer him to

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Speaker 1: be optionable. Yeah, yeah, the strikeouts are an issue. Yes,

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Speaker 1: that's that's what it is. So I don't know. I

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Speaker 1: don't know what the likelihood is.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I have it's a good question, Andrew. I have

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Speaker 3: not dug into that yet.

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Speaker 2: I do think it's interesting though, that the Detroit front

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Speaker 2: office is run by a lot of X Cubs, So

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Speaker 2: I don't know if that makes it easier or harder

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Speaker 2: to do a deal when you have Scott Harris and

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Speaker 2: Jeff Greenberg, you know who know Jed extremely well, they

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Speaker 2: know what he wants kind of would and Shane Ferrer

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Speaker 2: Shane Ferrell as well. I mean that you've got a

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Speaker 2: lot of X cubs over there. This is something that

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Speaker 2: you know, four years at the athletic you will be

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Speaker 2: digging into over the next couple of days of like

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Speaker 2: what what's realistic with workmen here? But I think we

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Speaker 2: both kind of get the sense that cubs obviously like

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Speaker 2: the player, That's why I took him in the rule five.

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Speaker 2: But I think he's he's made. It's about as good

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Speaker 2: as an impression as you probably could under.

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Speaker 3: Under the circumstances.

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Speaker 2: Like I don't think it'd be kind of unrealistic expect

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Speaker 2: him to like do more at this point, just like he's.

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Speaker 3: Firmly put himself on the radar.

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Speaker 2: He's impressed counsel with his defense, which, as we've discussed

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Speaker 2: Matt and he's got kind of a nice a nice

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Speaker 2: profile that suggests he could be useful down the line.

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Speaker 2: I don't know if he's like an everyday third basement

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Speaker 2: for a playoff contender, which is what the Cups fancy themselves,

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Speaker 2: so you know, and I'm not that familiar with Detroit's

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Speaker 2: farm system in terms of like what they need or

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Speaker 2: what would make sense for them, But obviously I would

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Speaker 2: think those sorts of conversations are happening, or at least

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Speaker 2: Jen and Scott Harris texting each other, you know, messing

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Speaker 2: with each other towards the X bring.

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Speaker 1: Where do you see Brown and Wicks by the end

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Speaker 1: of spring training rotation Bullpen or Iowa?

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Speaker 4: That's Strand thirty four. What do you think, Patrick?

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Speaker 3: I get what Strand?

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Speaker 2: Why Strand would lump those two together because they're sort

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Speaker 2: of young pictures, but like in my mind they're very different.

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Speaker 2: Of like Wix is going to be in the Iowa rotation,

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Speaker 2: I would be shocked, you know, if he's you know,

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Speaker 2: pitching in Tokyo or something like that, or even when

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Speaker 2: they come back and resume the regular season in Arizona.

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Speaker 2: Like Ben Brown was awesome when he was on the

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Speaker 2: mound and then got injured and hasn't pitched for a

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Speaker 2: long time, like Wicks had injuries, but was has not

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Speaker 2: flashed the same sort of stuff that Brown did. Now

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Speaker 2: Wis has a first round pedigree. He really quitted himself

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Speaker 2: well in twenty twenty three, Like has a bright future,

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Speaker 2: no doubt, and I think he's made a lot of

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Speaker 2: improvements in that regard. But in terms of like right

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Speaker 2: now stuff and impact, don't you see Ben Brown in

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Speaker 2: kind of a different bucket at this point?

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Speaker 1: Yeah, Like I would not see Wix coming out of

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Speaker 1: the bullpen. I think he's the type of guy that's like,

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Speaker 1: I think he's willing to do whatever is needed and

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Speaker 1: asked of him. But I think you don't open the

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Speaker 1: season with him in the bullpen. It's either rotation or

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Speaker 1: Iowa rotation. I think it's I agree with you, it's

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Speaker 1: just like it I feel like almost certain that he's

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Speaker 1: going to be opening the season unless there's other injuries

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Speaker 1: that are popping up, that he's opening the season in

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Speaker 1: the Iowa rotation.

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Speaker 4: I'll say this about Wicks.

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Speaker 1: I liked how he progressed over the course of the season.

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Speaker 1: I think the injuries taught him something he needs to

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Speaker 1: change the way he goes about business as far as

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Speaker 1: and this is not this is not a criticism of

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Speaker 1: him as how he it's something that all young players

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Speaker 1: need to learn. It's why why PCA kind of stood

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Speaker 1: out to me about like his work ethic and routine.

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Speaker 1: You need to develop a routine, you need to understand

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Speaker 1: what that means, and you need to stick to it.

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Speaker 1: It's something a lot of young players just don't understand,

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Speaker 1: and like you like, the time you spend working on

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Speaker 1: your body is really important, especially as a starter in

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Speaker 1: between those starts, is almost as important as you know,

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Speaker 1: the couple hours.

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Speaker 4: Around the mound during the game.

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Speaker 1: It's just it's so essential that you get the right

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Speaker 1: routine and you building your body properly. He came into

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Speaker 1: camp looking with a different bill. He looks like a

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Speaker 1: different guy. And there's a couple guys that look like that.

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Speaker 1: Even Tyne, who who is a hard worker, I feel like,

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Speaker 1: looks a little different to me. So these these guys,

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Speaker 1: sometimes it clicks. Sometimes you figure it out. Sometimes you realize, oh,

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Speaker 1: I need to do this, or you see you get

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Speaker 1: up to the major leagues, you're there for a year

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Speaker 1: and then your eyes are open. You're like, Oh, that's

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Speaker 1: what they're doing to be so good.

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Speaker 4: That's how they have longevity.

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Speaker 1: That's how they last for thirty starts, right, And I

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Speaker 1: think that's he's figured that part out and made some

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Speaker 1: changes to how he just goes about everything. It sounds like,

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Speaker 1: and that has to that has to help that you

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Speaker 1: hope that helps Brown.

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Speaker 4: I don't know where he's.

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Speaker 1: Going to be, to be honest, like, I think they

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Speaker 1: would like to keep him as a starter and stretch

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Speaker 1: him out, like if Colin Ray is going to open

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Speaker 1: the season as the starter, as a fifth starter, maybe

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Speaker 1: he starts in Iowa. But he's so talented, like he's

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Speaker 1: going to make a lot of starts with his team

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Speaker 1: and he's going to get a lot of innings. I think,

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Speaker 1: like in some role, I just don't I don't have

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Speaker 1: a good feel about how it ends up to start

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Speaker 1: the season that you know, we'll start asking those questions

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Speaker 1: over the next couple of days, I think, and maybe

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Speaker 1: you'll maybe you'll hear get some clarity in the coming

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Speaker 1: days with that.

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Speaker 4: But that's, you know, that's I think.

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Speaker 1: Just how we we see it right now. I do

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Speaker 1: think Brown's going to be really good. I like him

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Speaker 1: a lot, and he has the mental aspect of it.

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Speaker 1: I like listening to how he talks about the game,

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Speaker 1: how he sees the game. I think it helps him

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Speaker 1: kind of stay focused and go out there and dominate

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Speaker 1: James Trianto's question, how does Torianto's compare to Nico. It's

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Speaker 1: easy to see similarities, but once Nico is gone, is

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Speaker 1: it as simple as sliding Toronto's in or does he

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Speaker 1: not project as favorably? Listen to similar offensive profiles? Really

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Speaker 1: hard to just say that you're going to have the

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Speaker 1: type of success that Nico Horner has. Nick Horner's slightly

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Speaker 1: above average offensive player, not a ton of power, no strikeouts,

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Speaker 1: not a ton of walks, and you know, singles and

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Speaker 1: doubles with some speed on the bases and some stolen bases.

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Speaker 1: Those are all similar things. I'd say to Toronto's with

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Speaker 1: a little because he's younger and he's still figuring things out.

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Speaker 1: You know, you could maybe see some power projection there,

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Speaker 1: a little more power projection. But you're right, similar offensive profiles.

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Speaker 1: Where the comparison stop is on defense, Like Nico Horner

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Speaker 1: is an elite defensive second basement.

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Speaker 4: Not good.

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Speaker 1: He's an elite defensive second basement Toronto's. We don't know

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Speaker 1: where he plays. I have not heard great things about

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Speaker 1: his defense like I have heard from some people like

390
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Speaker 1: he could turn into a really good second basement. I

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Speaker 1: just I'm not sure about that, And I don't think

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Speaker 1: it's as simple as him sliding into second base.

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Speaker 4: If Nico is gone and what would be.

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Speaker 1: Two years or if he's traded or whatever, I wouldn't

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Speaker 1: and I wouldn't be shocked if Toronto's is traded at

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Speaker 1: the deadline or something like that.

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Speaker 3: I was just gonna say that.

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Speaker 2: I think Treanto's is kind of a name we've heard

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Speaker 2: in the off season or a name that sort of

400
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Speaker 2: circled as really interesting prospect. Not sure exactly how he

401
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Speaker 2: fits good upside, So maybe at the deadline that's a

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Speaker 2: piece that you're not like looking to trade or want

403
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Speaker 2: to trade, but it may be kind of the path

404
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Speaker 2: of least resistance. And I'm with you on the defensive side,

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Speaker 2: like Nico was a shortstop at Stanford, just a fantastic

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Speaker 2: athleticism up the middle. He proved that he can be

407
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Speaker 2: a very capable, high level major league shortstop. I think

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Speaker 2: Trianto's may have, to your point, a little more offensive upside.

409
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Speaker 2: I mean I remember thinking or hearing when they drafted him,

410
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Speaker 2: like this is a guy who sort of, like I guess,

411
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Speaker 2: reclassified so that he could graduate high school early.

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Speaker 3: He's going to go to UNC the Cubs made him

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Speaker 3: a good offer.

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Speaker 2: Like kin of a young guy who the Cubs saw

415
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Speaker 2: as like, this is what the best college hitters in

416
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Speaker 2: the draft looked like in high school.

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Speaker 3: That was kind of how they conceptualized it. And the

418
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Speaker 3: comps were.

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Speaker 2: You know, on a very very high end, and partially

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Speaker 2: because of where Trianto screw up in the Atlantic region

421
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Speaker 2: was like David Wright, you know, and David Wright was

422
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Speaker 2: a fantastic player in New York. Not saying Tramps is

423
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Speaker 2: gonna be that, but like the Cub's definitely like drafted

424
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Speaker 2: him because they thought he had a really high offensive

425
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Speaker 2: ceiling and we'll just kind of have to see where

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Speaker 2: that goes. I think Toronto's has done everything you could

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Speaker 2: have asked, right, Like, he's made very nice progress throughout

428
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Speaker 2: the system. He is still super young. He's barely scratched

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Speaker 2: the surface on this. Whereas Nico what it was on

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Speaker 2: his parents' couch, right and they called them up. Yeah, makers,

431
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Speaker 2: Like Nico was pretty pretty polished. He had that college experience.

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Speaker 2: He had a game that you know, they could kind

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Speaker 2: of plug and play with.

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Speaker 3: So we'll see good, good question.

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Speaker 2: I'm very curious to you kind of see where Treandas'

436
00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:30,000
Speaker 2: career goes okay.

437
00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:34,600
Speaker 1: Final question is from W Collins Uh, and this is

438
00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:37,000
Speaker 1: look at the names. I don't think matter as much here.

439
00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,400
Speaker 1: But let's say the front office roster is a guy

440
00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:42,040
Speaker 1: like Brad Keller and uses the option of say Eli Morgan.

441
00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:44,800
Speaker 1: Will the front office have short patients with him if

442
00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,080
Speaker 1: he doesn't perform? I think here's here's the question, right,

443
00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:51,800
Speaker 1: you have a bullpen and you have guys that aren't

444
00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:57,120
Speaker 1: optionable in the list, would be like Ryan Brazier, Tyson Miller,

445
00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,720
Speaker 1: you know it, Kegan Thompson if he makes a team,

446
00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,760
Speaker 1: Caleb Fielbar, you know. Think of those types of players, right,

447
00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,000
Speaker 1: how short is the leash?

448
00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:08,520
Speaker 4: Right?

449
00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:11,679
Speaker 1: And who who has the short leash? And how quickly

450
00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:12,320
Speaker 1: will they move?

451
00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:12,920
Speaker 4: Right?

452
00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:15,399
Speaker 1: I think this is the point of having depth. You

453
00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:17,960
Speaker 1: have to be aggressive at times, but you want to

454
00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:18,680
Speaker 1: keep that depth.

455
00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,360
Speaker 4: It's like this, You're like weighing the two.

456
00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:23,800
Speaker 1: Sides, right, Like, how do I decide which is more

457
00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:25,320
Speaker 1: important the depth or the results?

458
00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:25,600
Speaker 4: Right?

459
00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:29,000
Speaker 1: I think the results went out ninety nine percent of

460
00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:30,760
Speaker 1: the time, but you still want the depth.

461
00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:32,320
Speaker 4: How do you kind of see that? Patrick?

462
00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:34,720
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think a name not in this.

463
00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:37,720
Speaker 2: I think is interesting as Tyson Miller, who you know,

464
00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:41,040
Speaker 2: Megan mount Tomorrow had asked about him the other day

465
00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,320
Speaker 2: and wrote it up in the Chicago Tribune, and it

466
00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,200
Speaker 2: was kind of a you know, you know, I just

467
00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,000
Speaker 2: look at the eer like you look at Okay, who

468
00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:51,240
Speaker 2: is he facing? You know, how does the stuff look?

469
00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:57,439
Speaker 2: You know, whatever defensive plays behind for any for any pitcher,

470
00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:01,119
Speaker 2: And so you also weigh that, I Samller was really

471
00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:04,119
Speaker 2: really good last year, but he also had bounced around,

472
00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:08,760
Speaker 2: you know, several different organizations after being originally drafted by

473
00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,800
Speaker 2: the Cubs, and the Cups said all the time, you know,

474
00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:18,000
Speaker 2: reliever performances are very volatile. So I think, you know,

475
00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:24,439
Speaker 2: we know that Counsel and Jed are obsessed with like

476
00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:28,360
Speaker 2: depth and having options and keeping pictures fresh and kind

477
00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:29,760
Speaker 2: of moving those things along.

478
00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,920
Speaker 3: This is not quite was it.

479
00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,560
Speaker 2: Joe Maddens last year where like a couple of weeks

480
00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:40,320
Speaker 2: and they just totally like it.

481
00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:42,440
Speaker 3: Was almost like a hockey line change, like with their

482
00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,639
Speaker 3: bullpen you were at or something like that.

483
00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:48,080
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, and I felt like desperate. This I think

484
00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:52,520
Speaker 2: is gonna be a little different. But at a certain

485
00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:55,000
Speaker 2: point there is no doubt that you know, they're gonna

486
00:25:55,040 --> 00:26:01,400
Speaker 2: have to see see results. But I'm also thinking too

487
00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:03,280
Speaker 2: of you know you, I think you had written this before,

488
00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,080
Speaker 2: of like the idea sometimes as a manager you have

489
00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,880
Speaker 2: to know how to lose a game, and that council

490
00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:13,000
Speaker 2: you know, is maybe willing to, you know, make certain

491
00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:17,400
Speaker 2: concessions and not chase every single win, right like when

492
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:21,359
Speaker 2: you're down three or four and it's late against a

493
00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:23,679
Speaker 2: good team and their bullpen set up, like maybe you

494
00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:26,640
Speaker 2: think about the one twenty start the next day more

495
00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:29,399
Speaker 2: than trying to go all out, you know, in the

496
00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:33,880
Speaker 2: eighth and ninth innings. So it will be a fascinating

497
00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:38,480
Speaker 2: like push and pull with you know, their.

498
00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:41,359
Speaker 3: Idea of depth and also this pressure they got to

499
00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:41,880
Speaker 3: win this year.

500
00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,480
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, no, I I do think I think ultimately

501
00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:50,199
Speaker 1: there will be some aggression with these moves, right that

502
00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,720
Speaker 1: They're going to be very aware, And I agree, I

503
00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:55,960
Speaker 1: think Tyson Miller is a name to keep an eye on.

504
00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:00,520
Speaker 1: So volatile, right believers are just solid until he was

505
00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:04,040
Speaker 1: so dominant for the Cubs, but literally had been dfaid.

506
00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:06,760
Speaker 1: Uh that's why they got him, like you know it,

507
00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:09,520
Speaker 1: So who knows? Who knows how good these guys can be?

508
00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:13,480
Speaker 1: Options are so important right now, Like that's how you

509
00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:17,560
Speaker 1: survive in this league. It's it's it hurts and it helps,

510
00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,320
Speaker 1: right It hurts the player to have options because they

511
00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,080
Speaker 1: get sent to the miners and make less money and

512
00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:25,000
Speaker 1: live the minor league life. But they you know, but

513
00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:28,040
Speaker 1: you don't get dfaid, like you're you're first on the

514
00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:31,600
Speaker 1: cutting block, like you're you're going to like those names

515
00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:33,399
Speaker 1: that I mentioned are the names that we're gonna have

516
00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:35,600
Speaker 1: to keep an eye on if there if if Ryan

517
00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,880
Speaker 1: Brazier doesn't look good, if Tyson Miller doesn't look good

518
00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,119
Speaker 1: for the first month, like we're going to be talking

519
00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:41,919
Speaker 1: about them, do they have to make a move? Do

520
00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:43,760
Speaker 1: they have to get rid of one of these guys?

521
00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:47,359
Speaker 1: And and uh and and call up whoever is lighting

522
00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:48,640
Speaker 1: it up in Triple A at the time.

523
00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,400
Speaker 4: So it's it. You know, you don't love talking.

524
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:54,440
Speaker 1: About it and and like none of these guys want

525
00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,200
Speaker 1: to think about those things, but it's it's the reality

526
00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,000
Speaker 1: when you're living the life in the bullpen.

527
00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:01,639
Speaker 4: And these teams are just so aggressive with it.

528
00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:03,600
Speaker 1: Now that the teams that know what they're doing and

529
00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,399
Speaker 1: have some depth in the minors, and you know, the

530
00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:09,959
Speaker 1: Cubs have built some depth they actually have. For you know,

531
00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,840
Speaker 1: it's been the last couple of years. It's slowly percolating

532
00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:16,040
Speaker 1: up and we're starting to see those results. Porter Hodges won.

533
00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:20,120
Speaker 1: I think, you know, there's other guys. I'm curious about

534
00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:23,280
Speaker 1: Jack Neely and how how he you know, the fastball

535
00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:26,920
Speaker 1: isn't as a as deceptive I guess would be the word,

536
00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:29,840
Speaker 1: but he's got the velocity and he's got a slider.

537
00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:32,560
Speaker 1: Those are the types of guys, Daniel Palentia. Those are

538
00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:34,679
Speaker 1: the types of guys that like have stuff and like

539
00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:38,080
Speaker 1: something clicks and they figure it out and suddenly you're

540
00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,480
Speaker 1: talking about them as big parts of the bullpen in

541
00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:42,760
Speaker 1: the middle of June or something like that. Right, So

542
00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,520
Speaker 1: we'll see what happens. I think that's I like that

543
00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:48,680
Speaker 1: question in the sense like, yes, you're you're onto something.

544
00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,280
Speaker 1: They're they're going to be that. I don't know if

545
00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:55,000
Speaker 1: it's short patience as much as like being hyper aware

546
00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,160
Speaker 1: of like it's time to make a move. We've got

547
00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:00,720
Speaker 1: to be a little aggressive here type thing. Like you said,

548
00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:05,040
Speaker 1: it's playoffs or bust. It's a really important year. While

549
00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:07,720
Speaker 1: you balance like you'll take a loss early to win

550
00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:11,080
Speaker 1: two more later. I think there's also like you've got

551
00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:14,240
Speaker 1: to be aggressive with moves at times. All right, always

552
00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:17,320
Speaker 1: appreciate the questions. Mail bags are always fun. Thanks so

553
00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,560
Speaker 1: much for sending in your questions. Make sure to rate,

554
00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,280
Speaker 1: review and subscribe. Subscribe to the YouTube channel. Subscribe to

555
00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:26,280
Speaker 1: The Athletic, where Patrick and I are on top of

556
00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:29,680
Speaker 1: all things cubs. We appreciate all of you listening and reading.

557
00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:31,200
Speaker 1: Thanks for everything, guys, Take care