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Speaker 1: Welcome into Northside Territory Foul Territory Network's Cubs podcast. I'm

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Speaker 1: Sahadev Sharma with my partner Patrick Mooney. We are your

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

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Speaker 1: eighty one games into the season, eighty one games down

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Speaker 1: and the Cubs are fifteen games over five hundred. We

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Speaker 1: talked to some people about eighty one games down and

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Speaker 1: you know, it's no surprise everyone's pleased with the first half.

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Speaker 1: Craig Council gave us his thoughts on the first half.

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Speaker 2: Oh, I'm sure he loved the sort of arbitrary number question.

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Speaker 2: You know, I'm sure I can just already picture him

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Speaker 2: sort of like grimacing and like pursing his lips and

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Speaker 2: shrugging that.

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Speaker 1: He wanted to be sure that this would only be

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Speaker 1: done once. We weren't going to go over the first

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Speaker 1: half multiple times. You know, he that there were promises made.

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Speaker 1: We'll see if promises are kept. We can't tell others

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Speaker 1: what to ask. The All Star break will be another

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Speaker 1: point in time where he has to assess the first

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Speaker 1: half of the season. So Greig Council will not get

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Speaker 1: out of it that easily. I'm sure there will be

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Speaker 1: more questions asked about the first half of the season.

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Speaker 3: It was a great first half. Forty eight and thirty three.

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Speaker 1: Last time we talked Patrick, they had just come off

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Speaker 1: a really tough loss. You know, maybe there were I

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Speaker 1: don't know if it was their worst loss of the season,

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Speaker 1: but it was a down moment in the season, and

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Speaker 1: and council kind of talked about that. At one point,

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Speaker 1: I believe it was Thursday morning. He said, look, if

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Speaker 1: that's our lowest point of the season, we're gonna have

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Speaker 1: a great year.

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Speaker 3: And he's absolutely right.

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Speaker 1: We you know, we we live in by the game

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Speaker 1: by game aspect of baseball and that and that's going

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Speaker 1: to make you go crazy if.

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Speaker 3: You do that. It's it.

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Speaker 1: It's the old John Lackey saying, you guys treated like

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Speaker 1: it's one hundred and sixty two seasons. Uh, And you

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Speaker 1: know that's you got to put it in perspective. The

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Speaker 1: Cubs have been great this year. They've they've answered every

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Speaker 1: down moment in this first half. I think, you know,

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Speaker 1: this first half is kind of summed up in these

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Speaker 1: last two games in the sense that anytime there were

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Speaker 1: there was a rough patch, the Cubs were able to

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Speaker 1: punch back.

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Speaker 3: They did not. They have not yet allowed any any

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Speaker 3: down moments to lead to uh more than that.

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Speaker 1: Essentially, it hasn't been down weeks. It hasn't been There

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Speaker 1: hasn't been a down month just yet. Even when things

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Speaker 1: aren't going perfectly, or something seems like some aspect of

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Speaker 1: the team seems like it's it's struggling, another aspect pulls,

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Speaker 1: pulls team up, or that that unit steps up and

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Speaker 1: writes the ship.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I think the Cubs would have absolutely taken this

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Speaker 2: in Mesa if you told them maybe forty eight and

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Speaker 2: thirty three towards the end of June in first place,

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Speaker 2: while getting like minimal to limited to non existent contributions

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Speaker 2: from key members of their starting rotation. And I'm talking

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Speaker 2: obviously about not Sashota but Justin Steele and Javi or Asad.

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Speaker 2: How they've whethered that has been very impressive, particularly when

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Speaker 2: they went through it was longer than a moment. There

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Speaker 2: was sort of a cycle there when the bullpen looked

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Speaker 2: like it was going to be in shambles again. And

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Speaker 2: even when you're a voice of reason, which I think

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Speaker 2: we sort of give the Cubs to benefit of the

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Speaker 2: doubt on this it's also like you still have to

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Speaker 2: go out and do it again and fix it again,

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Speaker 2: and they have with I mean again and going back

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Speaker 2: to Mesa to have like Chris Flexen, Drew Pomeranz, Daniel Palencia,

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Speaker 2: Brad Keller being like major forces out of the bullpen.

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Speaker 2: You know, did not see that exactly coming, though broadly speaking,

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Speaker 2: we know that the Cubs are kind of good at

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Speaker 2: plucking these guys off the scrap heap and putting them

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Speaker 2: in positions to succeed. And then yeah, I'm curious kind

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Speaker 2: of your kind of takeaway, your snapshot of the Cardinals

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Speaker 2: when you look at a division that has been we

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Speaker 2: talked about it with Katie Wu earlier this week of

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Speaker 2: you know, you have four teams in this division that

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Speaker 2: are either in a playoff position if the season ended today,

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Speaker 2: or within striking distance of a wild card. Four winning

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Speaker 2: records out of five teams. I think that has been

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Speaker 2: a surprise as well, and I think it'll it'll make

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Speaker 2: the second half a lot more interesting because I just

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Speaker 2: don't think the Cubs can sort of like go on

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Speaker 2: cruise control or sort of you know, go halfway at

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Speaker 2: the trade deadline. Like it's hard to see, like the Brewers, Cardinals,

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Speaker 2: and Red's all just like falling off a cliff in

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Speaker 2: July and August.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I like maybe the Reds are the

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Speaker 1: most terrifying of the group. Like with this young kid

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Speaker 1: coming up now, Chase Burns, There's there's a lot of

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Speaker 1: talent in this and NOL Central as far as young pitching.

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Speaker 1: Right now, we get there's guys that are coming up

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Speaker 1: that are just dominating right away, and and that's, uh,

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Speaker 1: you know, that's got to be a little scary for

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Speaker 1: for the competition. When you see Chase Burns comes up

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Speaker 1: and he just like strikes out six Yankees right away.

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Speaker 3: That's that's that's impressive. Uh.

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Speaker 1: And the stuff that Miserski's doing, uh with the with

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Speaker 1: the Brewers is impressive. So there's a lot of talent

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Speaker 1: in this division. Saint Louis, Look, they had the first

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Speaker 1: two games, their offense showed up. They they looked really good.

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Speaker 1: It was one good game of good pitching, uh, and

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Speaker 1: then and they just haven't like I don't think here's

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Speaker 1: they've been remarkably healthy.

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Speaker 3: I didn't like Katie. I think Katie told us this.

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Speaker 1: They they haven't had a pitching injury like that. That's

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Speaker 1: in this day and age, that's insane. I don't you know,

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Speaker 1: sometimes you have these random one off seasons. I'd be

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Speaker 1: surprised if that lasts all season long. How do you like?

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Speaker 1: How does that happen? And I don't even think that

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Speaker 1: their pitching is that great. It's fine, but there's nobody

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Speaker 1: that like Sonny Gray's a good pitcher. The Cubs missed

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Speaker 1: him other than that, like, these guys can be hit,

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Speaker 1: like Eric Fetty doesn't strike anyone out, and look what

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Speaker 1: happened to him. The cut Like a team that puts

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Speaker 1: the ball in playing and can hit for power.

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Speaker 3: Did exactly that.

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Speaker 1: You know, the Cubs probably were one hit away from Thursday.

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Speaker 3: Being a blowout.

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Speaker 1: They they're pitching, you know, I think you know, we've

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Speaker 1: talked about this a lot, but the bullpend deserves so

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Speaker 1: much credit.

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Speaker 3: The Cubs are a pete grow armstrong.

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Speaker 1: You know, brain cramp away from taking three or four

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Speaker 1: of the card from the Cardinals. They had a bad

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Speaker 1: first game and then that starting pitcher is no longer

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Speaker 1: in the majors that started that game, and now they

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Speaker 1: responded so well. The bullpen through fifteen shutout innings after

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Speaker 1: a weekend at home that easily could have gotten in

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Speaker 1: your head because of the wind, and then they didn't

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Speaker 1: give up any runs. Matthew Boyd we were talking about

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Speaker 1: this in the press box. Patrick is he an all Star.

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Speaker 1: He's up there and innings pitched, he's up there in eer.

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Speaker 1: He has like he's been a key to this season

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Speaker 1: not falling apart. He's their stopper. And then you get

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Speaker 1: showed to back and he pitches like that on a

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Speaker 1: pitch count. Probably like he even said he didn't feel

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Speaker 1: like he was one hundred percent there with all his

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Speaker 1: he still getting feel for everything.

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Speaker 3: I you know, there's.

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Speaker 1: As as pessimistic as you could have gotten on Tuesday night.

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Speaker 3: It feels like you could easily be.

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Speaker 1: As optimistic after after the final two games of that series.

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Speaker 1: One hundred percent agree with you. They cannot let up.

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Speaker 1: Nothing is going to be easy. They're not running there

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Speaker 1: in anything can happen. But I don't think they're running

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Speaker 1: away with this division. And and they have to add

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Speaker 1: I think this next we're in like four week constant

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Speaker 1: monitoring our texts mode of like checking in with people

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Speaker 1: and seeing if there's anything new. We know they're on

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Speaker 1: the phone gauging the trade market. Whether anything can happen quickly,

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Speaker 1: I'd be surprised. But they are going to be aggressive

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Speaker 1: and they have to add a starting pitcher and then

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Speaker 1: what else? Stay at I guess you'll see how the

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Speaker 1: market plays out, but and how the team plays like

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Speaker 1: what who?

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Speaker 3: Who steps up? Who? Who looks good? Do they need

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Speaker 3: to go? Get? Like?

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Speaker 1: I don't know if a third basement is available, but

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Speaker 1: you know that that's that's a that's an option there, Patrick.

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Speaker 1: Before we continue, let's let's take a quick break first.

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Speaker 1: I want to I want to say something. We have

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Speaker 1: a a shop now, Patrick, Northside Territory Shop dot com.

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Speaker 3: I'm seeing toats, I'm seeing.

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Speaker 1: Uh, backpacks, notebooks, all sorts of fun stuff. If you're

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Speaker 3: You can be a do we do we have a.

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Speaker 1: Nickname for for our fans at north Side Territory heads uh, Northside.

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Speaker 2: Territory Sickos or something.

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Speaker 3: Like Sickos north Side Sickos. Yes, I think.

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Speaker 2: That that winner hat would come in handy in the

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Speaker 2: Wrigleyfield press box like in June. Yes, when you still

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Speaker 2: need to pack a second coat because you never know

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Speaker 3: All right, north side Sickos. Check that out.

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Speaker 1: We're going to take a break and we'll uh, we'll

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Speaker 1: be right back with some more cubstock.

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Speaker 3: Patrick. Kyle Tucker had a good series.

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Speaker 1: He is at a one fifty six way to run screate,

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Speaker 1: a plus two eighty seven batting average, three ninety five

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Speaker 1: on base percentage, slugging like crazy, sixteen homers. It was

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Speaker 1: good to see him hit for power, hit that home run.

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Speaker 1: I think there was a little slight concern whether the

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Speaker 1: power was, you know, coming consistently after the finger injury.

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Speaker 1: It's just good to see him getting hits and being consistent.

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Speaker 1: He's the type of player that know every team wants

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Speaker 1: needs in their lineup. And and we we we chatted

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Speaker 1: with him briefly. Uh at uh, well it was it

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Speaker 1: was actually quite a while in Saint Louis. Look, this

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Speaker 1: isn't groundbreaking stuff. Kyle Tucker isn't gonna tell us I'm

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Speaker 1: resigning with the Cubs or I'm going to go to

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Speaker 1: the highest bidder in the offseason. He's just not gonna

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Speaker 1: say that stuff.

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Speaker 3: But he did.

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Speaker 1: He did talk to us and there was some free

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Speaker 1: agency talk. He said, he said once, if something happens,

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Speaker 1: we'll know, So there we go.

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Speaker 2: So uh yeah, I mean he uh, he is hard

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Speaker 2: to find in that clubhouse. This is not uh complaining

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Speaker 2: as much as just sort of describing his presence around

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Speaker 2: the team of like he's very engaged with his teammates

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Speaker 2: and kind of in tune with the of the day

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Speaker 2: to day over one sixty two, very well liked by teammates,

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Speaker 2: but not someone who is around his locker a lot

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Speaker 2: while the clubhouse is open to the media, So it

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Speaker 2: becomes kind of you know, when you get him, it's

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Speaker 2: a headline and you know, yeah, I mean there's no

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Speaker 2: reason to think he's about to sign an extension with

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Speaker 2: the Cubs, right, I mean, we're we're approaching the fourth

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Speaker 2: of July. Here, he's so close to free agency. Cubs

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Speaker 2: have never done something to the level that he would

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Speaker 2: expect to sign at. So you know, I think this

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Speaker 2: has worked out. You know, I think it's more worthwhile

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Speaker 2: to just look at what he's brought thus far, and

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Speaker 2: I think you've really seen like this is kind of

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Speaker 2: when you're on the whiteboard or if we're writing out

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Speaker 2: the stories at the winter meetings of why they're going

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Speaker 2: after this guy, it is to get that star level player,

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Speaker 2: and he has been that, and you've seen it in

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Speaker 2: a lot of different ways. I think what their longest

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Speaker 2: losing streak is three games after two seasons where they

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Speaker 2: just had weeks, maybe even months of like kind of

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Speaker 2: downward spiral. And that's not all Kyle Tucker. It's not

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Speaker 2: how the game works. But I'd imagine that it helps

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Speaker 2: pekrow armstrong playing next to a guy like that or

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Speaker 2: hitting behind a guy like that. Clearly, say a Suzuki

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Speaker 2: has acknowledged that he's learned from watching Tucker, and it's

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Speaker 2: been more decisive and aggressive, and it's kind of moved

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Speaker 2: on from at bats easier just by watching Tucker. And

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Speaker 2: he's a nice all around player that is as advertised,

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Speaker 2: you know, like I don't. He's not a gold glove

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Speaker 2: defender like a Jason Hayward out in right field, but

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Speaker 2: he's pretty good, you know when you say. And he's

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Speaker 2: a solid runner on a team that has really pushed

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Speaker 2: the envelope in terms of stealing bases and taking extra

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Speaker 2: bases and putting pressure on the other team and then

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Speaker 2: circling back to kind of where I started on this

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Speaker 2: of like, he's pretty laid back guy, seems unbothered by

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Speaker 2: all of this stuff, like the free agency, the new team,

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Speaker 2: bigger market, all of that. He seems pretty unaffected.

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Speaker 3: Yeah.

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Speaker 1: Absolutely, I think when he goes through little mini slumps

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Speaker 1: or whatever you want to call him, I can see

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Speaker 1: some pretty I really like. Social media is not the

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Speaker 1: best gauge of what the masses are thinking, I think,

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Speaker 1: but you can see some wild stuff like is he

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Speaker 1: worth this huge contract? Is he really as good as

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Speaker 1: as he's hyped up to be. So he's worth according

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Speaker 1: to Fangrafts, three point six WAR this season if you

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Speaker 1: play up the season, if he plays, if he's healthy,

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Speaker 1: if he does the exact same thing in the second half,

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Speaker 1: he'll be seven point two WAR. There were six guys

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Speaker 1: last year with a higher WAR than seven point two,

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Speaker 1: So I mean he's everything he's been advertising more. It'd

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Speaker 1: be his best season ever by war.

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Speaker 3: So he is.

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Speaker 1: He's worth the bunny, whether it comes pay it or not.

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Speaker 1: You know that we can We've talked about that plenty.

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Speaker 1: I think our feelings are known, not expecting them to

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Speaker 1: go out there and do it. Weirder things have happened.

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Speaker 1: They were super aggressive to go get him. Maybe things shift,

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Speaker 1: maybe philosophies shift. You know, Kyle Tucker is valuable beyond

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Speaker 1: what he does on the field. In my opinion, I

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Speaker 1: think there's something to having a star in the lineup.

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Speaker 1: I don't love things that you can't measure. It can

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Speaker 1: be frustrating as someone that likes to look at the number.

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Speaker 1: But it's hard to say that he doesn't impact the

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Speaker 1: team beyond just what he does. I think Saya Suzuki

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Speaker 1: is a better player this year because of Kyle Tucker

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Speaker 1: being in the lineup, says, Suzuki's offense isn't by the number,

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Speaker 1: is that much better. What's different about him this year

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Speaker 1: is he is a power hitter. This year he is

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Speaker 1: hitting the crap out of the ball and it's going

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Speaker 1: over the fence a lot more often. He has Like

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Speaker 1: the number I like to look at for power is ISO.

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Speaker 1: It's two seventy eight. Like that's it's basically slugging minus

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Speaker 1: batting average. It's it's as simple as you know. He's

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Speaker 1: this is the percentage of extra base hits you're getting.

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Speaker 1: That's seventy eight points higher than his career high. He's

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Speaker 1: already mashed his career high in home runs. Saya Suzuki

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Speaker 1: is having a monster power season and he is just

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Speaker 1: like a menace in the middle of that order. App

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Speaker 1: is starting to look really good. This offense is really good.

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Speaker 1: Pete or Armstrong, it's probably a superstar because he didn't

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Speaker 1: have to overthink things and this lineup is so good.

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Speaker 1: He was able to settle in after rough first two

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Speaker 1: weeks and and he just turned it on and.

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Speaker 3: He is who he is now.

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Speaker 1: You can say like bad series are when he doesn't

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Speaker 1: like dominate the series and hit a bunch of home runs,

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Speaker 1: Like he had a mistake, a couple of bad you know,

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Speaker 1: decision to bunt, a mistake in the outfield, and he

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Speaker 1: still had a pretty good series. Like he scored a

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Speaker 1: huge run because he's a menace on the baits Pats

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Speaker 1: and with his speed. Probably because Wilson Contraras made a

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Speaker 1: wrong decision there to throw He shouldn't he should not

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Speaker 1: thrown that ball a second. You just let you just

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Speaker 1: let the guys steal the base and make sure Pete

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Speaker 1: doesn't score. But that's besides the point. Patrick, I kind

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Speaker 1: of want to talk a little bit about Wilson. Let's

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Speaker 1: let's take one more break and then let's talk Wilson.

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Speaker 3: Oh.

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Speaker 1: Patrick Wilson Contreras, he's so fun as far as entertainment

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Speaker 1: it is, you know, I'll say this, So this is

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Speaker 1: what happened. Daniel Palencia is in a great you know,

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Speaker 1: great job.

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Speaker 3: By Daniel Palencia.

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Speaker 1: By the way, this season, in Thursday's game, Daniel Palencia

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Speaker 1: gives up I believe a leadoff double. Contreras comes up

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Speaker 1: and it gets hit on a one two pitch.

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Speaker 3: And it was hard.

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Speaker 1: It was a nearly one hundred and one mile per

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Speaker 1: hour fastball and it was close to his head and

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Speaker 1: he got hit on the hand kind of like diving away,

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Speaker 1: like going to the ground. As he was going to

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Speaker 1: the ground, he got clipped on the hand, barely clipped him. Still,

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Speaker 1: it's a it's a ball up and in this is

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Speaker 1: a guy that's broken bones because of a hit by pitch.

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Speaker 1: It's it's his ivelihood and there's one hundred and one

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Speaker 1: mile per hour projectile coming at your head. And this

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Speaker 1: is a passionate dude, and he was not pleased with

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Speaker 1: Daniel Palencia basically told him throw strikes in his demonstrative way.

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Speaker 1: Polentia is like looking at him like, huh, you know.

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Speaker 1: And I got to give credit for Palencia for locking

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Speaker 1: in at that moment and not allowing that to get

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Speaker 1: in his head. And then he struck out the next

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Speaker 1: three batters, strikes out the final guy kind of does

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Speaker 1: a celebration, turns in the direction of the Cardinals and

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Speaker 1: Wilson and continues his celebration, and Wilson had words, the

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Speaker 1: bench is clear, nothing happens.

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Speaker 3: I don't think that was anything.

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Speaker 1: I think that's Wilson Contrari's you know, he's a fiery dude,

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Speaker 1: and he was ticked at the moment. Afterwards, he apologized.

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Speaker 1: He said that was a bad look on my part.

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Speaker 1: I shouldn't have done that. And he explained why he

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Speaker 1: was heated. It was kind of what I said, he's

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Speaker 1: gotten hit before, it's hurt him, and and like it

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Speaker 1: was just the heat of the moment thing. And Palencia

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Speaker 1: said the same thing as the heat of the moment,

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Speaker 1: I'm not going to hit Why would he hit a guy?

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Speaker 1: Why would he want the time run coming on with

385
00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,600
Speaker 1: no oubts like that's insane. But still it's one hundred

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Speaker 1: and one miles per hour near your head. So it

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Speaker 1: was For me, it was like, I get it, passion,

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Speaker 1: heat of the moment type stuff.

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Speaker 3: Move on.

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Speaker 1: This isn't like retaliation isn't going to come next week,

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Speaker 1: when the next weekend, when the Cardinals are in town,

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Speaker 1: I don't think so.

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Speaker 3: Maybe there will be something will happen.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, something something fun will happen. I don't think that

395
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Speaker 1: needs to be retalled. Maybe I should put it that way.

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Speaker 1: I don't think that's something that's like, now we're mad

397
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Speaker 1: at each other because that was unacceptable behavior.

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Speaker 3: It's just it's baseball, but really entertaining.

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Speaker 1: Way to end it, because it had been kind of

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Speaker 1: a whole hum three nothing game.

401
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Speaker 3: No.

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Speaker 2: I mean, Wilson brings that unpredictability factor that you just

403
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Speaker 2: never sort of know. And I think if you're a

404
00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,240
Speaker 2: fan of his team, you shaded it more. If he

405
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Speaker 2: plays on your favorites team, your favorite team's longest historic rival, yeah,

406
00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:11,760
Speaker 2: that's going to get under your skin as well. I

407
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Speaker 2: enjoy it because I feel like the game needs more

408
00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:19,720
Speaker 2: of that. That everything is so process oriented and data

409
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Speaker 2: driven and influenced by numbers. Just the dispassionate way front

410
00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:29,800
Speaker 2: offices view teams, even how managers make decisions that I

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Speaker 2: don't know. I mean, we didn't cover baseball in the seventies,

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00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,639
Speaker 2: but I'd imagine there were a lot more, you know,

413
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Speaker 2: guys that sort of had a lot less patience and

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Speaker 2: you know, quicker tempers and so that they're just I

415
00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:50,760
Speaker 2: think fewer guys with Wilson's sort of disposition left in

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Speaker 2: the game. You see it before the games, everyone dapping

417
00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:53,840
Speaker 2: each other.

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Speaker 1: Up and chatting, you know, yeah, I mean you saw

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Speaker 1: when they were like when the bench is cleared, most

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00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:01,480
Speaker 1: to the guys I came up to each other and

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00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:04,680
Speaker 1: we're like smacking each other's butts and chilled, chill.

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00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:05,399
Speaker 3: Yeah, you know.

423
00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:10,159
Speaker 2: So uh, you know, I I would lean back to

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Speaker 2: what you know, Katie wou had told us earlier this

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Speaker 2: week of how how impressed she's been with the way

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00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:20,159
Speaker 2: that Wilson handled the position change and a you know,

427
00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:26,399
Speaker 2: directional shift in Saint Louis. He's still really really good player,

428
00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:32,320
Speaker 2: you know, very good hitter. But yeah, there are probably

429
00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:37,040
Speaker 2: elements of Wilson, you know that can great on on

430
00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:40,400
Speaker 2: people and that kind of make you scratch your head

431
00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,760
Speaker 2: of like why are you reacting like this? But I

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Speaker 2: don't know if he had gotten in plenty of his head,

433
00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:47,200
Speaker 2: it would have been like a genius sort of move.

434
00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,760
Speaker 2: I don't think it was that calculating by any means,

435
00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:53,600
Speaker 2: but this is this is how he gets to this point.

436
00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:59,639
Speaker 2: Like Wilson was never handed anything. He grinded for a

437
00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:04,320
Speaker 2: long time in the minors. He was not kind of

438
00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:09,800
Speaker 2: on scholarship, so to say. He he went out and

439
00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:12,920
Speaker 2: took that job in Chicago and made himself a big

440
00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,480
Speaker 2: part of the World Series team in Cubs franchise history.

441
00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:21,159
Speaker 2: And then you know that by choosing the Cardinals, the

442
00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,560
Speaker 2: relationship is just going to change for that next part

443
00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:25,840
Speaker 2: of your career playing career.

444
00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,399
Speaker 1: Yeah, And I mean you're absolutely right like it. And

445
00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:32,560
Speaker 1: Plenty even said, like why would I want to hit him?

446
00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:36,280
Speaker 1: Like I respect for the way he he like got

447
00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:39,280
Speaker 1: up here, what he's doing, Like he's a great representative

448
00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:44,600
Speaker 1: of Venezuelan baseball and they're both Venezuelan. Uh, you know, Polentcia,

449
00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:47,879
Speaker 1: there's I don't think there's any doubt in anybody's mind

450
00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,240
Speaker 1: that Polentcy wasn't trying to hit him, Like, but he

451
00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:53,520
Speaker 1: does like to go in. He does like to go in,

452
00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:56,000
Speaker 1: and he's not afraid to and and I think, like

453
00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:59,119
Speaker 1: everything you said about Wilson is right and and like

454
00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,320
Speaker 1: all like he is a passionate dude who worked his

455
00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:04,439
Speaker 1: butt off to get to where he is. He's a

456
00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:08,200
Speaker 1: good player, really good player. You gotta you know, he's

457
00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:13,040
Speaker 1: kind of in a Cardinals clubhouse that may not have

458
00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:17,000
Speaker 1: the most like personalities. He kind of adds some fire

459
00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:21,399
Speaker 1: to that group, and you gotta respect that. I just

460
00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:24,040
Speaker 1: have to point out how good Polentia has been. He's

461
00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:26,440
Speaker 1: you know, I give a lot of love to you.

462
00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:33,440
Speaker 1: Like Brad Keller and Drew Pomerantz, Polentia has now become

463
00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:36,120
Speaker 1: and I think there was a debate and I think

464
00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:38,320
Speaker 1: it's now you can just say, like he's the best reliever.

465
00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,000
Speaker 1: That's who it is. He strikes out nearly thirty percent

466
00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:44,280
Speaker 1: of batters. He has a whip of one in the

467
00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:50,520
Speaker 1: era of one point eighty six. He's closing games, just

468
00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:54,280
Speaker 1: bears down in the moment, like you said, I said

469
00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:57,040
Speaker 1: it once he once he hit that guy. Once he

470
00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:01,199
Speaker 1: hit Wilson, and Wilson was barking at him. I was like,

471
00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:03,280
Speaker 1: is he going to get in his head? Is this

472
00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:05,080
Speaker 1: what's gonna happen? Is it going to be like his

473
00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:07,840
Speaker 1: first It was his first save opportunity of the season

474
00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:10,880
Speaker 1: where one bad thing happened and it led to multiple

475
00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:15,960
Speaker 1: other bad things happening and blowing the save so much

476
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,480
Speaker 1: credit for absolutely not letting anything get in his head.

477
00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:22,200
Speaker 1: He just focused on the next hitter, the next pitch,

478
00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:24,119
Speaker 1: and blew those guys away.

479
00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:26,280
Speaker 3: Really good execution.

480
00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,760
Speaker 1: I'm impressed by Daniel Palencia's transformation. I think there's a

481
00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:35,480
Speaker 1: mental aspect here. If you would have talked to people

482
00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,640
Speaker 1: around him and maybe even Daniel, can he mentally handle

483
00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:42,600
Speaker 1: being a closer? After last year, I don't think many

484
00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:46,440
Speaker 1: people would have said mentally, yes, he has the stuff,

485
00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:51,159
Speaker 1: can he mentally do it? I don't know now, Like

486
00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,639
Speaker 1: what a transformation for this guy, Like really impressive, just

487
00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:59,120
Speaker 1: putting in the work to become, you know, this totally

488
00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:03,000
Speaker 1: different type of pitcher on the mound who doesn't you know,

489
00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:05,440
Speaker 1: just get himself, you know, get.

490
00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:10,440
Speaker 3: Himself out of the game. Uh. It's really impressive work

491
00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:10,920
Speaker 3: by him.

492
00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:14,800
Speaker 1: This bullpen in general, you know, I just I keep

493
00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:17,520
Speaker 1: thinking we need to give them the credit that they deserve.

494
00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:21,600
Speaker 1: It's a really good bullpen and and Palencia, Wow, just

495
00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:26,320
Speaker 1: lockdown closer. Uh, Like to the point where we haven't

496
00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:28,639
Speaker 1: even mentioned that Porter Hodge is back with the team.

497
00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:30,439
Speaker 3: I don't know what Porter Hodge is going to be,

498
00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:33,200
Speaker 3: you know, just yet, but.

499
00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:38,600
Speaker 1: He's he hasn't impacted them much this season, and it's

500
00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:42,280
Speaker 1: not like some disaster that's this team is weathered a

501
00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:45,120
Speaker 1: lot of like unexpected turns because they've gotten a lot

502
00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:49,000
Speaker 1: of unexpected like unexpected you know, they've taken some hits

503
00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:55,440
Speaker 1: and weathered it because they've gotten so many unexpected great performances.

504
00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:57,000
Speaker 3: And Councils said it.

505
00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,040
Speaker 1: That was part of what he said to like get

506
00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:02,520
Speaker 1: back to what we say, start with you need surprises

507
00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:04,840
Speaker 1: first half. I think you can kind of say like

508
00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:08,120
Speaker 1: they've gotten a ton of surprises. Council said it, They've

509
00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:10,080
Speaker 1: got We've gotten a ton of surprises.

510
00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:11,800
Speaker 3: That's why we're here. Keep it up.

511
00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,280
Speaker 1: Like now, these guys are part of the key part,

512
00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:16,840
Speaker 1: you know, the key parts of this team.

513
00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:18,640
Speaker 3: You could list them off.

514
00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,360
Speaker 1: There's a lot of them, and I think Palencia is

515
00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:23,280
Speaker 1: right up there with them as far as someone you

516
00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,120
Speaker 1: weren't counting on and now he's just a rock in

517
00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:26,680
Speaker 1: that bullpen.

518
00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:33,240
Speaker 2: Yeah, not just surprises, but like extreme top end pleasantly

519
00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:39,120
Speaker 2: surprising developments. Whether it's Palencia being this lockdown closer after

520
00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:43,800
Speaker 2: the Cubs went through the Presley struggles and you know,

521
00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:47,600
Speaker 2: Porter Hodge, you know, had his chance and got hurt.

522
00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:52,160
Speaker 2: Peko Armstrong not just being like a pretty good offensive

523
00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:55,800
Speaker 2: play hair, but just being an absolute game changing force.

524
00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,680
Speaker 2: Like I think you could even go back like to

525
00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:02,040
Speaker 2: or three weeks ago, and I think the Cubs probably

526
00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:04,600
Speaker 2: would have been okay if those were his offensive numbers,

527
00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:06,960
Speaker 2: the counting stats by the end of the year, right,

528
00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:11,320
Speaker 2: Like we know Pete had seventeen homers, like that would

529
00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:13,360
Speaker 2: be like, oh, that's he's probably on the right track,

530
00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:17,560
Speaker 2: right like he being like you know, on the short

531
00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:25,680
Speaker 2: list of MVP candidates, circling back again Matthew Boyd, it was,

532
00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:29,120
Speaker 2: you know, can he stay healthy? You know, you think

533
00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:34,320
Speaker 2: he'll deliver quality, maybe not quantity, so long as he's healthy.

534
00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:40,240
Speaker 2: And he's really just across the board, been a great addition. Again,

535
00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:44,880
Speaker 2: he's someone like Tucker has some intangible value. I mean

536
00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:49,520
Speaker 2: we were told when he signed, this guy has fantastic makeup,

537
00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,280
Speaker 2: one of the best dudes you'll ever encounter. And he

538
00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:59,120
Speaker 2: is just like a shockingly positive friendly to the nth degree,

539
00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:01,200
Speaker 2: like more than and you know, I think anyone could

540
00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:05,880
Speaker 2: have reasonably expected if you hadn't a cross pathes him before,

541
00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:11,080
Speaker 2: but a great resource to teammates pitchers. And then I

542
00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:14,120
Speaker 2: think some of the more you know, moderate surprises or

543
00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:16,280
Speaker 2: just you know, the things you need of like Carson

544
00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:21,240
Speaker 2: Kelly having that you know, nice run as like Barry Bonds.

545
00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:28,600
Speaker 2: You have Ian App's consistency. You know, Dansby's struggles with

546
00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:31,960
Speaker 2: runners and scoring positions still haven't prevented him from being

547
00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,640
Speaker 2: like kind of right where you'd want your shortstop to

548
00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:36,840
Speaker 2: be a gold glover who can hit. You know, twenty

549
00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:40,520
Speaker 2: something Homers drive in roughly eighty runs, Like that's a

550
00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:47,239
Speaker 2: good piece. Jameson Tyne has been steady except for these

551
00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:50,480
Speaker 2: last couple of outings that I think we anticipate that

552
00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:55,120
Speaker 2: sort of smoothing out moving forward. So yeah, curious to see,

553
00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:57,440
Speaker 2: like who steps forward in the second half. I think

554
00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:00,240
Speaker 2: third base. I think adding a hitter still makes a

555
00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:04,880
Speaker 2: lot of sense. I think kind of disclaimer for all listeners,

556
00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:08,520
Speaker 2: like the tweets about cubs interested in picture X are

557
00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:12,240
Speaker 2: almost always going to be true or inquiring about Picture

558
00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,200
Speaker 2: X because that is their job. That doesn't mean the

559
00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:18,720
Speaker 2: tweet has a full context, but Yeah, they are digging

560
00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:21,680
Speaker 2: in on all of those names pretty much, anyone who

561
00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:25,719
Speaker 2: is available or semi available or could be available, like

562
00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:26,120
Speaker 2: they have.

563
00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:28,160
Speaker 3: They have to check in on that and will continue

564
00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:28,600
Speaker 3: to do so.

565
00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,200
Speaker 1: Yeah, they're they're going to add a picture at some point.

566
00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:32,600
Speaker 3: Uh.

567
00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:35,680
Speaker 1: Yes, those rumors you hear. Yes, they're interested in that

568
00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:40,560
Speaker 1: picture because they're interested in everyone, so so they they've

569
00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:44,320
Speaker 1: they've been making a lot of calls, have been you know,

570
00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:47,560
Speaker 1: the process has begun. Uh and and we will We'll

571
00:32:47,680 --> 00:32:50,840
Speaker 1: see where it ends up. How big the name is

572
00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:53,280
Speaker 1: and how impactful the picture is. I mean sometimes the

573
00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:56,760
Speaker 1: biggest name isn't always the most impactful uh player at

574
00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:59,880
Speaker 1: the deadline, so you know there's there's.

575
00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:01,840
Speaker 3: Move to be made, they will make moves.

576
00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:06,520
Speaker 1: I still think this response was impressive to me because

577
00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:09,680
Speaker 1: I was just waiting for it had to come. A

578
00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:12,560
Speaker 1: bad moment had to come, A long stretch has to come.

579
00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:14,480
Speaker 1: I kept feeling that way. I was like, Okay, maybe

580
00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:17,520
Speaker 1: it's here. Maybe maybe they're going to lose three or four,

581
00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:19,200
Speaker 1: maybe they're just not going to look good for a

582
00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:22,480
Speaker 1: little while. I didn't think it was the end or anything.

583
00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,320
Speaker 1: I just felt it had to come and to respond

584
00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:29,080
Speaker 1: like that was impressive to me. Maybe there will be

585
00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:31,280
Speaker 1: another bad moment. I mean, there certainly will be another

586
00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:33,479
Speaker 1: bad moment. We'll see how long it lasts. I think

587
00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:36,240
Speaker 1: is a key and this weekend is not going to

588
00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:40,200
Speaker 1: be easy. This Astros team is doing a really good

589
00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:42,760
Speaker 1: job with their pitching. They have a lot of good pitching.

590
00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:47,000
Speaker 1: The Cubs miss Hunter Brown, who is a stud who's

591
00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:49,320
Speaker 1: merged as a stud, one of the best pitchers now

592
00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,840
Speaker 1: in the game. I believe they get Framber Valdez and

593
00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,720
Speaker 1: then on Sunday, so we'll see how they can handle him.

594
00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:59,360
Speaker 1: But yeah, not going to be an easy series. This

595
00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:02,000
Speaker 1: is a team. These are two good teams. They're both

596
00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:04,680
Speaker 1: forty eight and thirty three. I think the Askers are

597
00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:07,120
Speaker 1: playing really well right now, so it'll be a fun series.

598
00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:13,000
Speaker 1: Kyle Tucker returns, Ryan Presley returns to Houston, so they'll

599
00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:16,279
Speaker 1: take center stage there as far as media goes, and

600
00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:19,080
Speaker 1: we'll see the type of receptions they get and how

601
00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:23,399
Speaker 1: the Cubs do. It's just another test. It's not May

602
00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:26,239
Speaker 1: is in the past, so I don't think they're going

603
00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:27,200
Speaker 1: to have a stretch.

604
00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:27,600
Speaker 3: Like that again.

605
00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:35,480
Speaker 1: But weathering these situations, making sure the losing doesn't extend

606
00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:35,960
Speaker 1: too long.

607
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:36,839
Speaker 3: Its kind of the key.

608
00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:39,799
Speaker 1: We'll see how this weekend goes all right, everyone, thanks

609
00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:42,080
Speaker 1: so much for listening. This is Northside Territory. Make sure

610
00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:44,759
Speaker 1: to rate, review, subscribe, subscribe to the YouTube channel, and

611
00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:47,440
Speaker 1: subscribe to The Athletic where Patrick and I are on

612
00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:50,200
Speaker 1: top of all things Cubs. Thanks so much for listening

613
00:34:50,200 --> 00:35:00,360
Speaker 1: to everyone and.

614
00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:09,799
Speaker 3: The lad

615
00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:16,200
Speaker 2: They anyone le