1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:01,600 Speaker 1: To me, it just got, like I said, kind of 2 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: sort of hit me of like oh wow, Like okay, 3 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: this guy is a true difference maker at the major 4 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 1: league level and let's see what happens over the next 5 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: several years. 6 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 2: Welcome into Northside Territory, Foul Territory Networks Cubs Podcast. I'm 7 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 2: Sahadev Sharma with my partner Patrick Mooney. Were your Cubs 8 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:26,760 Speaker 2: beat writers over at the Athletic and the red hot 9 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 2: Cubs had a really rough loss on Monday night? That 10 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 2: was that was more like the Cubs, I guess, you 11 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 2: know of May and June bullpen struggling after a brilliant starting, 12 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 2: starting pitching performance. You know, I don't I'm not going 13 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 2: to take too much away from Jorge Lopez's one bad 14 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 2: outing with the Cubs so far. If you want to 15 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 2: freak out about this possibly being lingering issues from him 16 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 2: being hurt, You're more than welcome to. But you know, 17 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 2: there were a couple of bloops there regally feel Homer. 18 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 2: You know, that type of stuff happens, And I think 19 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 2: the bigger concern right now would be justin steel. Patrick, 20 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 2: you scratched from Tuesday's start, you know the I mean 21 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 2: leave it to the Cubs to have all these positive 22 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 2: vibes come into town and then and then they lose 23 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 2: that first one of the homestand in heartbreaking fashion, and 24 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 2: then announce that their ace is scratched the next night. 25 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: Oh man, it was just like and I I don't know, 26 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 1: I just as you know side of when you cover 27 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: a team for a while, like you know, you just 28 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: have this like sense or instincts. I was like, all right, 29 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: if they were red hot on the road trip there, 30 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: they're gonna lose eventually, right, And I just had this 31 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: sense of like, all right, I'm back on coverage tonight. 32 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: You get a much needed break after traveling, is like 33 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: something like this is gonna happen. And the one two 34 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: punch of the blown save and the postgame news dump 35 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: was really disorienting, you know, because it was all about 36 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: vibes and how great the offense was. That was kind 37 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: of the pregame talk and how the Cups have you know, 38 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,359 Speaker 1: solved a lot of things over the course of the 39 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: year and they've earned the right to have fun in September, 40 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: and I guess it said the scene in the Wrigley 41 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: Field interview room. Council was asked you know, a question 42 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 1: about does it feel what does it feel like to 43 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: have a missed opportunity here in early September, and he 44 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: said feels like a loss, and Council was seemed to 45 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: be a little chapped, which he normally isn't as we 46 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 1: know by this point, and then just as an aside, 47 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: he said, oh, and Kyle Hendricks will be starting tomorrow night. 48 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 1: Justin Steele's been scratched. He has elbow sort of. And 49 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: then we're all so like start to like, you know, 50 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,399 Speaker 1: you're writing it down when you're kind of getting the update, 51 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: and then you know, none of us had the presence 52 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: of mine or the time to like really like have 53 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 1: it fully register. And by the time I looked up, 54 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: but Council was already standing up and walking away from 55 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: the microphone. I'm not whining or complaining. It was just 56 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: like so shocking because before the game, Council was asked 57 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: about Kyle Hendricks and it was Kyle Hendricks is available 58 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: out of the bullpen tonight and then we'll see where 59 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: it goes. You were on that road trip last week, 60 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: and there were no indications right about Adjustin Steele injury 61 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: concern on the horizon. 62 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 2: No I was. I was more watching Tye on he 63 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: threw a bullpen Saturday, which which to me was like, okay, 64 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 2: so Jordan Wicks is definitely starting on Sunday. There was 65 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 2: a mention of like, you know, he could use an 66 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 2: extra day. I'm not sure how much this was talked 67 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 2: about in the press box, but on teev he they 68 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 2: kept showing Tyne getting one like a heat thing on 69 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 2: his back. Clearly his back had been bugging him, but 70 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 2: not I mean, he's heilt through seven shutout innings. This 71 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 2: is something that has popped up throughout Tyane's career. I 72 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 2: don't think that's concerning. This elbow thing has happened with 73 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,919 Speaker 2: steel before. He's never missed significant time. I think he 74 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 2: had an eyel stint. Was that last year or this 75 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 2: year didn't Wasn't there something arm or something? 76 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, things that when we don't have any 77 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: information sound alarming when you're talking about a great pitcher 78 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: and elbow, four arm stuff like that. And you know, 79 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: I think by the time we get there Tuesday to 80 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: really field, they'll have at least some more information. But 81 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: I'm kind of in the mode where like it comes 82 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: about so many injuries this year and the timelines have 83 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: been vague, and I get that's kind of the nature 84 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: of what they do. There's not a lot of time 85 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: left on the calendar, obviously, and it just felt like 86 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: that blown save and the Steel News just severely damaged 87 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 1: what was already a very slim possibility of making the 88 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: playoffs this year. 89 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yes, I mean it dampens the positivity that 90 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 2: was surrounding the team, right, yes, right, like you barely 91 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 2: could enjoy what they'd just done and the fans could 92 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 2: barely enjoy it at Wrigley, and that that lead was 93 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 2: lost quickly. I think it was a matter of like 94 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 2: eight pitches that Lopez through where where it went from 95 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 2: three nothing to four to three. Yeah, no, it's it's 96 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 2: a I mean, here's something that I think fans need 97 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 2: to recognize as well. All the ones that are saying 98 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 2: they should have gotten rid of Kyle Hendrix, who'd be 99 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 2: starting right now if it were in Kyle Hendrix, they 100 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 2: don't have anybody at Triple A that could have made 101 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 2: this start. So this is why you keep someone like 102 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 2: Kyle Hendricks around even when he's struggling, because starting pitching 103 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,840 Speaker 2: depth is like gold in Major League Baseball. You can't 104 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 2: just get rid of guys, especially at this time of year. 105 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 2: You don't know when injuries are going to pop up. 106 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 2: They're really lucky that Jordan Wicks is healthy right now. Frankly, 107 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 2: like that's that's probably the best thing that's happened right now. 108 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 2: Wicks is healthy and able to give them innings because 109 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 2: that they'd be in a big bind right now if 110 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 2: it weren't for Kyle Hendrick still being on this team. 111 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 2: In Jordan Wicks getting healthy, so you know, things can change, 112 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 2: you know, right back into their favor. If they can 113 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 2: beat Paul's schemes, it would be a tall task right now. 114 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 2: This is why when everyone is saying, well, these these 115 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:01,479 Speaker 2: wins don't matter, because these teams still well. Jerry Jones 116 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 2: and Paul Skeen's and Mitch Keller are tough pitchers, and 117 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 2: they beat them last week and now that they put 118 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 2: up three against Jerry Jones is it was was a 119 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 2: nice job. Now they got to do it again against 120 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: Paul Skeen, So like this is it's not going to 121 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 2: be an easy task. We knew they dug themselves such 122 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 2: a big hole in May and June that just because 123 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 2: they had a hot Uh, hot road trip doesn't mean 124 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 2: anything was guaranteed. They gotta they got to figure out 125 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 2: ways to win these games. Uh. The Yankees this weekend, Uh, 126 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 2: I think Nester Cortes, Garrett Cole uh and one other. Uh, 127 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 2: I'm not sure who the other. I think it's like 128 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 2: Will something. I'm blanking on the name. So the pitching, 129 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 2: you know, Nester Cortes isn't having the best season, so 130 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 2: basically be a tougher series as far as pitching goes 131 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 2: with the Pirate than than the Yankees. But you know, 132 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 2: you still have to face one Soda and Aaron Judge. 133 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 2: So uh, but we'll see what the pitching looks like, 134 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 2: what the Cubs pitching looks like. I'm very curious to 135 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 2: hear the explanation on the details on Steel. Uh yeah, 136 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 2: I don't know like it. This podcast could have been 137 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 2: sounded very differently, right if they hold on to that lead, 138 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 2: even like steel news is big, But the way they 139 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 2: performed over the weekend, I know, like everyone wants to 140 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 2: point out the competition, but when you like they they 141 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 2: weren't beating bad teams before, so like they were doing 142 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 2: their job and really looking good or for you know, 143 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 2: a long stretch there. We'll see if they bounce back 144 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 2: against schemes, it's going to be a tough, tough evening 145 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 2: for them. 146 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 1: Was to me just underscore is what we've talked about 147 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: for a while now, how they gave themselves no margin 148 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:51,839 Speaker 1: for error, right, And it's like it takes so much 149 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 1: time to just like almost get back to even a 150 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: little over five hundred, to like pull within a few 151 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: games of playoff spot. But when you do that, it 152 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: can also just like vanish, maybe not a vanished, but 153 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: you can just go away so quickly like that, whether 154 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:18,079 Speaker 1: it's the momentum, the playoff odds creeping up, pulling within 155 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: a couple of teams, passing a couple of teams, like 156 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: you have to keep your foot on the accelerator the 157 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 1: entire time, all the way through Game one sixty two 158 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: to give yourself a chance. If you're in the Cubs 159 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: position here and as we're talking Tuesday morning here three 160 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 1: and a half games behind the Braves, but it's really 161 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: more like four and a half, right, because they lost 162 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: the season series, lost the season series against the Mets 163 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: for only half a game behind the Braves. So you know, 164 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:59,440 Speaker 1: the Cubs are still mathematically alive. I think they've certainly 165 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 1: like passed the eye test more recently. And I'm not 166 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: getting too hung up on oh, they only beat you know, 167 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,199 Speaker 1: bad teams like one, That's what you have to do. 168 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: I think this has been a pretty mediocre year across baseball, right, 169 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: I mean there's been stuff like that, like those one 170 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: hundred win behemoth teams aren't quite out there, and so 171 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: I don't know, is there anything you're taking away from 172 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: that road trip to Hotev of like, you know, is 173 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: the offense closer to what Jed Hoyer described as, you know, 174 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: six most runs in baseball last year? Are you seeing 175 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: good signs out of the bullpen? Do you think Counsel 176 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:49,199 Speaker 1: has maybe started to trust really trusts, you know, some 177 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,079 Speaker 1: of his coaches. What was your when you left DC? 178 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 1: What before what was kind of a disastrous late Monday night, 179 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:00,439 Speaker 1: late Labor day night, what was your What were your 180 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:02,199 Speaker 1: takeaways from that road trip? 181 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean the offense clearly has turned a corner. 182 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:10,439 Speaker 2: They I mean it's just, you know, the simplest way 183 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 2: to put it is it's deeper, right, like Amaya's hitting, 184 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 2: Bethancourt is hitting, and then PCA looks like a different player. 185 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 2: I think Pca is a menace on the bass pats. 186 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 2: He causes havoc every single time he gets on the bases. 187 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 2: Dansby Swanson, you know, for all the criticism he took, 188 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 2: like he's he's really turned it around and he's pushing for, 189 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 2: you know, to be almost as valuable as he was 190 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 2: last year. Overall, he's an elite defender obviously, and and 191 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:45,199 Speaker 2: his offense now is has been huge. Uh yeah, I 192 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 2: mean the offense looks different. I dug into some of it, 193 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 2: and some of it is like, Okay, they needed to 194 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:55,200 Speaker 2: do this for a while. They're crushing fastballs, right they 195 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 2: they hadn't been doing that. They needed to do that. 196 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,719 Speaker 2: There's some there's some of it that's just like I 197 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 2: think it's really about like this is the randomness of baseball. 198 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 2: I think they had sixty six two out RBI in 199 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 2: August and that was like wow, Like that was like 200 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 2: I can't remember the exact number, like six or eight 201 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 2: fewer than they had in May and June combined. Now, 202 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 2: like yeah, like that's they didn't just figure out how 203 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 2: to hit with two outs, right, Like some of this 204 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 2: is just like balls are falling, They're like teams are 205 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 2: making mistakes and they're capitalizing on them. I mean, it 206 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 2: even happened last night, Monday night, right like that, the 207 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 2: two runs they scored to make it three nothingca beat 208 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 2: out a ball that should have been a routine double 209 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 2: playball right beat out at second that never happens. And 210 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 2: then and it's two outs and and Ian half triples 211 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:52,560 Speaker 2: two runs in like that, Like that type of stuff 212 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 2: just wasn't happening for the Cubs before. And that's not 213 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 2: that's not like just luck. It's the randomness of base 214 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 2: ball sometimes, like sometimes things fall and sometimes it happens 215 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,319 Speaker 2: in clusters. Now, I don't know if that's sustainable or 216 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 2: if like they just need to hit. Ultimately, what I 217 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 2: came away from when I started digging into the numbers 218 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:14,319 Speaker 2: of the offense is like they're not going to put 219 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 2: up the same numbers that they did in August. They 220 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 2: they're just not. But they need to have they need 221 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 2: to play. They need to pitch like they did yesterday. 222 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 2: The starting pitching needs to pitch like that, and then 223 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 2: they need to be an above average offense. But basically, 224 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 2: if the if they can, you know they can't, it's 225 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 2: gonna be really hard to replicate August. I think they 226 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 2: would have been on pace for like nine hundred and 227 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 2: fifty runs if that's if that's how they that's the 228 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:41,200 Speaker 2: pace they put up in August, so that that's not 229 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 2: gonna happen. Okay, to just be an above average offense 230 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:47,200 Speaker 2: and continue pitching like they have and they have a 231 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:51,319 Speaker 2: shot to have a good September. You know that that's 232 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 2: it's well, what's the likelihood that they catch the teams 233 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 2: ahead of them? Not not great, but just put up. 234 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 2: You just got to do what you gotta do, right. 235 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 2: You got to try and win as man for sure. Yeah. 236 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 2: Congestion from sinuses, allergies or a cold can be all consuming. 237 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 3: That includes snoring for me. But Scottie, I've found some 238 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 3: relief from Navage nasal care. You've got to try this. 239 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 3: Navage makes breathing easy easier. My Navage unit is a 240 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 3: game changer for clearing my congestion fast. 241 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. Cratz navag uses that smooth saline flow and nasal 242 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 2: suction to clear those nasal passages. 243 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 3: It works for me, Scotty. 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That's promo code 255 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 4: fel at navage dot com slash foul. 256 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: One of things that really kind of smack me in 257 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 1: the face here was just in part reading your coverage 258 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: and also just taking a little bit of a step 259 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: back last week of like what PCA might not have whatever, 260 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 1: like a thousand ops for his career or whatever he's 261 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: doing now, and like Miguel Amaya might not hit like 262 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: you know, whatever Aaron Judge or wants. So how he's 263 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 1: at crazy numbers, we all realize they're gonna right, Like 264 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 1: if those guys are like legit every day two way players. 265 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 1: It's kind of a mind blowing development. I think we 266 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 1: operate at a time when prospects are just so overhyped 267 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: and like we've heard about these guys for so long. 268 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 1: Like I remember talking to Miguel Maya might have been 269 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: twenty eighteen in South Bend before he was going to 270 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 1: the Futures game and then you know, with the COVID 271 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: shutdown and other things, you know, I hadn't seen him 272 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: for a while, and I was very impressed. Like he 273 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: came up to me years later, shook my hand and said, hey, Patrick, 274 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: how you doing. Like I was kind of blown away 275 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: that clearly there's something there. He's an intelligent guy and 276 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 1: he's well liked. He he does seem to care and 277 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: puts in the work. But that doesn't mean you're a dude, right, 278 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 1: Like maybe you're more of a career backup. But like 279 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: if you were starting, if we were starting expansion team tomorrow, 280 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: like what would the two hardest things be defined? It 281 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: might be a legit two way center fielder and an 282 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: every day catcher, you know. I mean, like Dansby might 283 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: is having you know, a decent year, you know, but 284 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 1: even he was having a good year, he might be 285 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: what like the sixteenth seventeenth bet chort stop at baseball. 286 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: I'm just exaggerating here, but it's probably easier to find 287 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 1: like a premium shortstop than those two positions. And if 288 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:11,400 Speaker 1: like PCA can do stuff like this for the next 289 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: several years, and if a Maya is someone that the 290 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 1: coaches and the pitchers trust and he can hit just 291 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: enough like that, that changes the calculus for me. Like 292 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 1: that's like, okay, you have those two guys as anchors. 293 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: That makes a really interesting sort of base to move 294 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 1: from this offseason. 295 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 2: Oh absolutely, you know, I don't want to hide them 296 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 2: too much because, like you said, repeating August over the 297 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 2: span of one hundred and sixty two games just isn't happening. 298 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 2: But especially with PCA, he's opened eyes and he just 299 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 2: looks like a different player. Overall, I think a lot 300 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:54,120 Speaker 2: of credit should go to the hitting group, the hitting coaches. 301 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,680 Speaker 2: They stuck with them, they worked with hard with them, 302 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 2: and you're seeing rail development at the major league level. 303 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 2: That's something that we've talked about a lot over the 304 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 2: years with this organization and something that they want to 305 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 2: see and that Craig Council emphasizes. I think there were 306 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 2: a lot of There was a lot of heat on 307 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 2: the hitting coaches right when they slumped May and June, 308 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 2: when this team slumped through May and June. And clearly 309 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 2: they're having an impact, especially on young players. You could 310 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 2: say they're having an impact on multiple on some veterans too, 311 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,879 Speaker 2: the work that's been put in with Dansby. You know, 312 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 2: Michael Bush has had a great year. He's a young player, 313 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 2: but these guys have gotten better as the year has 314 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:40,880 Speaker 2: gone on. I think that that's on the players mostly, 315 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 2: but the like, especially with the young guys, the coaches 316 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 2: get some credit there. Yeah, I agree with what you 317 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 2: said about Amaya being like he is well liked, and 318 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,400 Speaker 2: I think that goes a long way. I think there's 319 00:18:54,400 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 2: another aspect here about prospects that we need to consider that. 320 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 2: You know, we've talked about a little bit, but not 321 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 2: a ton. You know, Triple A to the majors is 322 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 2: just such a huge jump. And part of the reason 323 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 2: for that is because the lower miners has been gutted, 324 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 2: right Like, we don't have short season baseball. When you 325 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:19,479 Speaker 2: draft twenty players or whatever, that means you're getting rid 326 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:23,719 Speaker 2: of twenty players too, right like, and they just like 327 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 2: Triple A. I was talking to someone about this. They're like, 328 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 2: think about it and think about the competition. They're like, 329 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 2: we really have to analyze, like what type of competition 330 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 2: are these guys facing. And I was like, yeah, some 331 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 2: of them are just like four A quality hitters, right, 332 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 2: And they're like not even that they're like two and 333 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 2: a half A because they're getting pushed to higher level. 334 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 4: Yeah. 335 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 2: I feel like, so you have someone like Daniel Palentzia 336 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:53,359 Speaker 2: who is clearly a borderline major leaguer, right, like an 337 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,399 Speaker 2: up and down guy who goes to Triple A and 338 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:57,919 Speaker 2: just dominates, and you're like, you have to give this 339 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 2: guy a chance, and then he comes up and he struggles, right, 340 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:05,920 Speaker 2: So it's easy to say, like, I mean, you see 341 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 2: like rehab performances and guys are just crushing the ball, 342 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 2: you know, and it's it's there's there's a pretty big 343 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,640 Speaker 2: gap here right now, and it takes a little while 344 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 2: to adjust to the big leagues. I mean, Jackson Holidays 345 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 2: the number one prospect and he took it took him 346 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 2: his second stint before he found his you know, really 347 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 2: got going as a big leaguer. It's just it happens 348 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 2: over and over again watching James Wood with Washington. You know, 349 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 2: it's not like they're still excited about him, but he's 350 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 2: not consistently tearing the cover off the ball. Dylan Cruz 351 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 2: had some grade at bats, and then he he looked 352 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 2: flummoxed out there a couple of times too. So you know, 353 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:53,919 Speaker 2: it just doesn't it's not the way. It doesn't feel 354 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 2: like it did in twenty fifteen when kids were coming 355 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 2: up and just hit the ground run. For there's a 356 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 2: bigger gap here and it's going to be a tougher process, 357 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 2: which is, you know, when everyone's calling for minor leaguers 358 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 2: to come up on September first and supplement the roster. 359 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 2: First of all, where's the playing time? Who's are you 360 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 2: sitting Ian Happ for Owen Casey orre you sitting say 361 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 2: a Suzuki? Is Michael Bush not playing anymore? Like? What 362 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:26,160 Speaker 2: are you doing to get these guys at bats? That 363 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,400 Speaker 2: that's one thing, and the other thing is you can't 364 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,239 Speaker 2: just assume that they're going to hit when they come up. 365 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm just on PCA's Baseball Reference page here. He 366 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 1: made his major league debut on September eleventh last year, 367 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 1: and it's kind of just amazing how much he's grown. 368 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,719 Speaker 1: And we've talked about this before, just how understandably like 369 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,359 Speaker 1: jumpy he was and how hard he was trying to 370 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: like make things happen. 371 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 2: Just looked. 372 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:00,200 Speaker 1: Really rushed in center field on a basis and then 373 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:02,440 Speaker 1: just overmatched at the plate. And we realized it was 374 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: a small sample size. But you know, when the Cubs 375 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:10,240 Speaker 1: were spiraling earlier this year, I think we're kind of 376 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 1: looking around like, well, where's where's that bounce? Where's that 377 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: like push that adrenaline from within? Like where's that young 378 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 1: talent like you? Everyone says you have this great farm system, 379 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 1: Like where is it? And when you see PCA just 380 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:29,880 Speaker 1: impacting the game in different different ways, when you wrote 381 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: about how he sort of gets in pitchers heads, like 382 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,680 Speaker 1: that he can just make things happen by his presence, 383 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: Like last night up in the press box looking at 384 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:47,679 Speaker 1: that ground ball through a team double play, like what 385 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:50,560 Speaker 1: ninety nine out of one hundred times and PC eight 386 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: beats it out and then Hap gets that to out 387 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 1: two run triple into the right field corner. Like when 388 00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:01,680 Speaker 1: you have a guy like that who can just fly 389 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:07,400 Speaker 1: all over the field, it does to me it just got, 390 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,440 Speaker 1: like I said, sort of hit me of like oh wow, 391 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:13,159 Speaker 1: like this is not like I think we've seen enough 392 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,360 Speaker 1: to not annoint PCA, but be like, Okay, this guy 393 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 1: is a true difference maker at the major league level, 394 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 1: and like, let's see what happens over the next several years. 395 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 2: Right, they had this stat on Marquee. I'm just double checking. 396 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:30,399 Speaker 2: I can't remember exactly what they showed, but I didn't 397 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 2: realize it. But since July twenty seventh, he has thirty 398 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 2: six hits I believe that's right. So before that, including 399 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 2: you know, his cup of coffee, last year he had 400 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 2: thirty two hits. So justin still like twenty seventh, he 401 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 2: has four more hits than he did in his entire 402 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 2: career previous to that, which I mean just feels insane. 403 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 2: You know, like over like a month and a week, essentially, 404 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 2: he's put up the production that he did over the 405 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:02,439 Speaker 2: entire season plus cup of coffee. He's just a different 406 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 2: player right now. He's he's developed. He looks you know 407 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 2: what you said right there is I think is we're 408 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 2: seeing happening. Right. He has a chance to become an 409 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 2: impactful player for years to come. On this team, which 410 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:20,440 Speaker 2: changes a lot of the way you think about things 411 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 2: with regards to this team. I think it's less so 412 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 2: with Amaya, just because you know, like there's so much 413 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:32,679 Speaker 2: that PCA does that kind of changes the way you 414 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 2: do look at things and how he can impact the team. 415 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 2: Not that Amaya isn't impactful, it's just that A, I'm 416 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 2: not there yet, that I'm not sure that it's gonna, 417 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 2: you know, stick as far as like him being an 418 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 2: everyday player or the starting catcher going forward, and B 419 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 2: it's just what PCA does is electrifying. It's you know, 420 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 2: it's hard, It's it's hard not to like kind of 421 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 2: just be on the edgy seat watching him and kind 422 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 2: of like, Wow, this guy just changes games. He's he's 423 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,119 Speaker 2: someone you game plan for almost and you have to 424 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 2: like it's in the mind of the opposition when when 425 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 2: he is on base, when he's playing defense, when whatever 426 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 2: it is, even at the plate now. So he's kind 427 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 2: of changing the narrative around his career already. 428 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's a good point too. Like Amaya is 429 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:31,200 Speaker 1: a few years older than PCA. He plays a really 430 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 1: demanding position, Like I don't know how many the catchers 431 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 1: that you can really count on to the everyday types 432 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: year after year after year, not many of them floating around. 433 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: That's why they get enormous contracts when they're able to 434 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:55,679 Speaker 1: stay healthy and productive and cashed in. But I do 435 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: think it was an interesting way to kind of look 436 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:02,640 Speaker 1: at this September here, that the Cubs are probably gonna 437 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 1: be mathematically alive for a good bulk of this month, 438 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 1: so there will be something to play for, and that 439 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 1: switch will be flipped towards like evaluation and like what 440 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: does it mean moving forward? And we're talking about players 441 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 1: like Amaya and Pca, a coaching staff that you know, 442 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: I think has done some really significant in season things. 443 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:36,719 Speaker 1: We haven't even gotten to what you've written about Mike 444 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: Napoli and the base running, which has sort of taken 445 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: off in a really interesting way after a slower start, 446 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,360 Speaker 1: and then just still, you know, you kind of are 447 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:50,680 Speaker 1: what your record says you are. And I go back 448 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: to a Tom Ricket said at the end of last 449 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: season what he said spring training. You know, we don't 450 00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: play for consolation prizes, you know, stressing that the payroll 451 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: is more than enough to win a division that years 452 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: when the Cubs don't make the playoffs have to be 453 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: considered disappointment. So, like I think it was Terry Francona, 454 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,160 Speaker 1: I remember him saying once like the season. 455 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 5: Doesn't wind down, it just like comes to a complete, abrupt, 456 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 5: jarring stop, going from constantly worrying and thinking about things 457 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 5: and having to b places to just nothing. 458 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:31,760 Speaker 1: I think it's going to be like that with the 459 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: Cubs too. Of just the the vibes were great on 460 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 1: the road and they looked good and that's more of 461 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 1: kind of what they expected. But still they're still looking 462 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:44,119 Speaker 1: up at a lot of teams in the National League 463 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 1: right now. 464 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, the essentially can I'm kind of guestimating here, 465 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 2: but I think I'm right on this. They can go 466 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:54,639 Speaker 2: five hundred the rest of the way and one more 467 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 2: games than last year, you know, and I don't think 468 00:27:57,840 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 2: anybody I don't think it's a stretch to say they'll 469 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 2: go five hundred, right, Like, they're playing enough baseball, they 470 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 2: have an easy enough schedule, they're good enough team. They're 471 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:08,400 Speaker 2: going to end up where both you and I kind 472 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:12,159 Speaker 2: of thought they would at the end of the season, 473 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:14,360 Speaker 2: right I thought they'd have more wins because my whole 474 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:16,479 Speaker 2: thought process was they were going to be better at 475 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 2: the deadline, and then they'll be aggressive and add someone 476 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 2: that pushes them to another level. That didn't happen, But 477 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:25,399 Speaker 2: the talent that I saw on this team was like 478 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 2: eighty five ish wins, and that's about where they're probably 479 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 2: going to end up, and it's likely not going to 480 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 2: be enough. They need to play at the clip they 481 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 2: were playing at on the road. Well maybe not on 482 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:43,480 Speaker 2: the road, but essentially I think it was before. Yes, 483 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 2: So now they're twelve and four in the eighteen game 484 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 2: stretch that we kind of circled, right, you want to 485 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 2: go probably now you want to win this series and 486 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 2: go fourteen and four that they're kind of have to 487 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:57,520 Speaker 2: go on that type of run again the rest of 488 00:28:57,560 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 2: the season after these two pirate games. Uh, and and 489 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 2: then you can and then you have to hope that 490 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 2: that Atlanta and New York are playing just like barely 491 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 2: above five hundred long shot, but not impossible. Not yeah, 492 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 2: not impossible, not likely. Also, I think you're right, like 493 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 2: they can play great baseball down the stretch. They can 494 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 2: look like their progress was made, and ultimately the season 495 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 2: is a disappointment. I don't want to call it a failure. 496 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 2: When when players develop, and you and great council kind 497 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:35,280 Speaker 2: of observes and sees like these coaches are making a difference. 498 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 2: I need to make adjustments here, and like you know, 499 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 2: or you know, Justin Steele takes another step forward in 500 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 2: a season, Jameson Tyne stabilizes, showed to Monaga, all these things, 501 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 2: there's a lot of there's a lot of steps forward. 502 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 2: Doesn't mean it's acceptable and that that fans should be 503 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 2: happy coming up short. U sets them up nicely for 504 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 2: twenty twenty five big off season that we've been talking about, 505 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 2: whether they would not you know, like all that stuffy. 506 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 2: When I say big off season, I mean critical like important. Yeah, 507 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 2: not spending five hundred million on one Soto. Uh, you 508 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 2: can spin it however you want. Ultimately, not making the 509 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 2: playoffs is a disappointment, and I you know, I don't 510 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 2: want to crush optimius hopes, but that's that's likely where 511 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:24,400 Speaker 2: they're headed, just falling short, even if they have a 512 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:27,160 Speaker 2: strong finish here, which you know they're primed to do. 513 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 2: But that's ultimately what what what the season is is 514 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 2: looking like. 515 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, I just I didn't get a chance to write 516 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 1: this in my story off off of Monday but I 517 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 1: had kind of filed it away for you know, this 518 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: conversation is we're gonna be talking about it, like, you know, 519 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: was the season of failure or not if they don't 520 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:51,920 Speaker 1: make the playoffs? And I just go back to we're 521 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: both old enough to remember when the Cubs just gutted 522 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:59,719 Speaker 1: their coaching staff after a third straight trip to the NLCS, 523 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:04,280 Speaker 1: guys who helped them win their first World Series title 524 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: in one hundred and eight years. I mean, they kind 525 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 1: of blew out their coaching staff again after winning ninety 526 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: five games in twenty eighteen. I think after that ninety 527 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: five one season, was that when THEO said our offense broke. 528 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 1: When you had that like like been like a seventy 529 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: five ninety minute press conference of just this like sort 530 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:30,000 Speaker 1: of like one man show of airing grievances and frustrations 531 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: and disappointments. And I still think that has to be 532 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 1: the center of everything an organization does, of like getting 533 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 1: towards October, and that if you write off too much 534 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 1: for development and you know, saying positive things like if 535 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: you're not in the playoffs, particularly in an expanded playoff field, 536 00:31:56,680 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: is one of the worst divisions, one in which you're 537 00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: the big market team, and when the Cardinals, Reds, and 538 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:12,400 Speaker 1: Pirates all have remain either stagnant or plateaued or taken 539 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:17,840 Speaker 1: or kind of drifted backwards, like and you took the 540 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:22,720 Speaker 1: Brewer's manager, this hometown hero away from them, and they 541 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:28,360 Speaker 1: still run away with the division. That's going to be 542 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 1: the tension to me of all those exit meetings and 543 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:33,920 Speaker 1: off season planning sessions. 544 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely no, I agree with all of that. All right, 545 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:41,160 Speaker 2: they have a big one tonight. In my opinion, I'm 546 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 2: very curious to see how like I like, especially the 547 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:48,840 Speaker 2: offense looks that they're going to need to step up 548 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 2: with with Kyle Hendricks on the mound. You know, you 549 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 2: just don't know what you're going to get from Kyle Hendricks. 550 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 2: He could put up a good game, but you just 551 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 2: don't know. And the offense needs to kind of step 552 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:01,040 Speaker 2: up and grind through Paul's teams as best they can. 553 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 2: It's not an easy task, but I think that's what 554 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 2: lays ahead of them tonight because you do not want 555 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 2: to lose this series. You need to try and start 556 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:11,160 Speaker 2: getting back on the winning track and take this series 557 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 2: and hopefully take one from the Yankees over the weekend 558 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:16,280 Speaker 2: to kind of feel good about the rest of the 559 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 2: month and their chances to kind of, you know, make 560 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 2: a run here. All right, that's our first episode this 561 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:26,680 Speaker 2: week of Northside Territory. Thanks for listening to everyone. Make 562 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 2: sure to subscribe, rate and review. Subscribe to the podcast 563 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 2: there is the podcast the YouTube channel, and subscribe to 564 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 2: The Athletic, where Patrick and I will be writing about 565 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 2: the Cubs all month and into the off season. Thanks 566 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:42,640 Speaker 2: so much for listening to everyone. Appreciate it. Take care