1
00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:09,320
Speaker 1: Welcome into Northside Territory. Foul Territory Networks Cubs podcast. I'm

2
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:12,360
Speaker 1: Sharma with my partner Patrick Mooney, where your Cubs beat

3
00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,280
Speaker 1: writers over at the Athletic Patrick, what are we ten

4
00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,200
Speaker 1: days into spring training about?

5
00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:20,959
Speaker 2: Or we're getting there? Not not not quite? I guess

6
00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:23,000
Speaker 2: a full week a week?

7
00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:29,440
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, so you it feels like I was

8
00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:33,960
Speaker 1: gonna say, Patrick, I feel like you're You're haggard, you're exhausted,

9
00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:36,160
Speaker 1: You're already to come home.

10
00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:39,600
Speaker 3: You know, you know how spring training is. This is

11
00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:40,360
Speaker 3: not complaining.

12
00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,400
Speaker 4: It's just like such a groundhog day experience that and

13
00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,440
Speaker 4: like all the years kind of blend together that once

14
00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:51,000
Speaker 4: you're back for like two days, just like okay, well

15
00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:54,880
Speaker 4: this is just the routine now, and like time kind.

16
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:59,840
Speaker 3: Of ceases to exists in the same forum. You know,

17
00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:06,200
Speaker 3: is not like weekends, you no, not.

18
00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,039
Speaker 4: A whole lot of nighttime activities, and it's just a

19
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,520
Speaker 4: lot of you know, not complaining.

20
00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:16,520
Speaker 2: Again, but it's just that no complaining.

21
00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:17,839
Speaker 3: That pace of spring training.

22
00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,040
Speaker 4: I would saying with someone at the end of the day,

23
00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:22,360
Speaker 4: like it feels like you're there for a month just

24
00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:24,920
Speaker 4: because like your your brain is just wired and you

25
00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:29,520
Speaker 4: know your muscle memory of doing it, and.

26
00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:32,360
Speaker 3: Yeah, after a bregnant it's like, you know, like that

27
00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:33,440
Speaker 3: was exciting, that.

28
00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,640
Speaker 4: Was a big story and then there was a big,

29
00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:38,320
Speaker 4: big letdown.

30
00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,280
Speaker 3: So it's kinda gotta gotta pivot.

31
00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:42,880
Speaker 2: Now you now you grind through it.

32
00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,720
Speaker 1: And we were not allowed to complain, right because especially

33
00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:48,560
Speaker 1: you and I because we get to tap in back

34
00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,320
Speaker 1: and forth. The others have to be there for majority

35
00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,240
Speaker 1: of the six weeks and uh so we can complain

36
00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,440
Speaker 1: amongst ourselves, but if we complain to them, we may

37
00:01:58,440 --> 00:01:59,160
Speaker 1: get It.

38
00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,480
Speaker 3: Is a total job. I love doing the job.

39
00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,720
Speaker 4: It's just that you fall into this like okay, well

40
00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,600
Speaker 4: I just go hotel, ballpark, you know, yeah, may have

41
00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:11,600
Speaker 4: grab dinner, then do work at home, just like rin

42
00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:12,440
Speaker 4: rinse repeat.

43
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:13,720
Speaker 3: So it's very agreable.

44
00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:20,400
Speaker 4: Ah, work day just you know, very very repetitive getting

45
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,000
Speaker 4: into the uh you know, rhythm of the season.

46
00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:23,360
Speaker 3: Which is good.

47
00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,080
Speaker 1: No, no, I get you. I'm I'm I'm looking forward

48
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,400
Speaker 1: to it. You missed out on some snow, so I heard, yeah,

49
00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,760
Speaker 1: it'll be back. It'll it'll still be here. I think

50
00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:36,000
Speaker 1: it's going to be pretty cold, so you're here, you'll.

51
00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:36,360
Speaker 2: Come back to it.

52
00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:38,840
Speaker 1: You're not missing out on all of it, don't think.

53
00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:44,000
Speaker 1: All right, So Kyle Tucker met with the media finally,

54
00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:50,400
Speaker 1: uh like, I mean it sounds like Bregman and is

55
00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:51,520
Speaker 1: this a one year thing?

56
00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:54,320
Speaker 2: Are the topics there? Right?

57
00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,400
Speaker 1: Like you had a little bregmant thoughts and then you know,

58
00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,000
Speaker 1: trying to win in what feels like a one year

59
00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:02,160
Speaker 1: stint with the Cubs.

60
00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,400
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, I think I think Bregman would have

61
00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:11,440
Speaker 4: helped optimize Tucker's year in Chicago, no doubt of just

62
00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,360
Speaker 4: having that presence in the lineup, someone to take some

63
00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,959
Speaker 4: of the pressure off, someone who he's very close with,

64
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,560
Speaker 4: and someone who Tucker called one of the best players

65
00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,120
Speaker 4: and one of the best people in the game. I think,

66
00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,280
Speaker 4: like we all spend way too much time on social

67
00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:32,800
Speaker 4: media and stuff like that. But I think part of

68
00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,480
Speaker 4: the rationalization that I saw out there, I was like, Oh, well,

69
00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,520
Speaker 4: he's not pregnant's not worth the money, He's not gonna

70
00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,080
Speaker 4: be that you know, he's not that good. It's like, well,

71
00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:43,440
Speaker 4: I don't know, the best player on the team thinks

72
00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,200
Speaker 4: he's that good. The president of the team thinks he's

73
00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:46,920
Speaker 4: that good.

74
00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:48,120
Speaker 3: You know.

75
00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,440
Speaker 4: The manager said Oos basically said obviously disappointing. That's why

76
00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:54,160
Speaker 4: you go after the player, because you want him on

77
00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,920
Speaker 4: your team. So when he's not on your team, that

78
00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:03,040
Speaker 4: is a let down. So that's what that's one aspect

79
00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:07,160
Speaker 4: of it. And also I think it's really hard to

80
00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,480
Speaker 4: kind of report out the Bregman negotiations and look at

81
00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,960
Speaker 4: this franchise's track record and look at, you know, project

82
00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,880
Speaker 4: what Kyle Tucker may get a year after.

83
00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,320
Speaker 3: Juan Soto as a more well rounded.

84
00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:26,400
Speaker 4: Player, though slightly older and not as generational Hall of

85
00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:27,760
Speaker 4: Fame ish.

86
00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:30,120
Speaker 3: At this point, it's still really really good.

87
00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,480
Speaker 4: I am not seeing any sort of contract extension coming

88
00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,400
Speaker 4: out of this. It doesn't mean the Cubs and Tucker

89
00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:38,920
Speaker 4: can't reassess at the end of the year, but I

90
00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:43,440
Speaker 4: think the odds of them coming together on a long

91
00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,600
Speaker 4: term contract extension and spring training during the season is

92
00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:48,599
Speaker 4: very close to zero.

93
00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,800
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean I and that's not changing much what

94
00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,560
Speaker 1: we've said yea, they traded.

95
00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:57,400
Speaker 3: It's more confirmation than like a.

96
00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:03,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah exactly, which you know, people, I think there

97
00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,239
Speaker 1: is this sentiment that, well, they didn't spend on Bregman,

98
00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:11,160
Speaker 1: they're saving for Tucker. I would not think in that

99
00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:16,120
Speaker 1: fashion like that is not what's happened. They want and

100
00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,280
Speaker 1: they and yes, exactly, it's just not like, don't look

101
00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:19,560
Speaker 1: at it.

102
00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,760
Speaker 2: It's like, well, they're saving up for Kyle Tucker.

103
00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:24,880
Speaker 1: Like there's going to be a bidding war for Kyle Tucker,

104
00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:28,760
Speaker 1: assuming he's healthy, assuming he continues to perform like he's performed,

105
00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,359
Speaker 1: there will be a bidding war for him. And the

106
00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:35,680
Speaker 1: Cubs are not set up to win bidding wars. They

107
00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,640
Speaker 1: couldn't even win a mini bidding war from Alex Bregman.

108
00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,640
Speaker 1: It wasn't a real bidding war. They didn't even enter

109
00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,760
Speaker 1: the Jan Soda bidding war because and it's not because

110
00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:47,160
Speaker 1: Jed Hoyer doesn't think Jan Soda is a good player.

111
00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:51,400
Speaker 1: They understand what type of budget they're working with, so

112
00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,719
Speaker 1: like they like unless something changes with the way they spent,

113
00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,839
Speaker 1: like the with the budget, Like I like, how are

114
00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,279
Speaker 1: they gonna win this bidding war? I think, like I

115
00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:04,400
Speaker 1: don't want to like rain on the parade before the

116
00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:09,000
Speaker 1: season starts, but this looks more and more like this

117
00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:13,080
Speaker 1: is not okay. They're saving up the war. They're building

118
00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:15,479
Speaker 1: the war chest and and they're gonna spend dump it

119
00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,440
Speaker 1: in in Kyle Tuck Tucker's lap. That doesn't seem to

120
00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:24,800
Speaker 1: be what's happening. Uh, you know, things can change. I

121
00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,800
Speaker 1: like they can you know, if they have a good season, Uh,

122
00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,240
Speaker 1: they can adjust and and maybe uh maybe the budget.

123
00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:35,800
Speaker 2: Increases or or whatever.

124
00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:40,640
Speaker 1: You know, this isn't locked up locked in right now,

125
00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,720
Speaker 1: that he's not extending, or that he's not going to

126
00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:45,039
Speaker 1: come back to the Cubs as a free agent. I

127
00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,599
Speaker 1: just don't see a realistics here in scenario where they're

128
00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:52,880
Speaker 1: in a bidding war. Uh, Kyle Tucker is I don't

129
00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:58,279
Speaker 1: know who's a free agent after this season, but on

130
00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,880
Speaker 1: the open market unless I'm missing some one. And if

131
00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:03,840
Speaker 1: if I'm right on that, like he's going to be

132
00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:07,159
Speaker 1: highly sought after. One obvious team that tried to trade

133
00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,880
Speaker 1: for him are the New York Yankees. If they may,

134
00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:12,400
Speaker 1: it would probably make sense for them to go after him, right,

135
00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:17,840
Speaker 1: a lefty at that park, Uh, they they need a

136
00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,880
Speaker 1: they'll still need an outfielder. In all likelihood, my guess

137
00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:26,520
Speaker 1: is they're going to go after Kyle Tucker. And and like,

138
00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:29,120
Speaker 1: I just don't think the Cubs are set up to

139
00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:33,240
Speaker 1: to win that. And it's it's frustrating to think in

140
00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,560
Speaker 1: that manner when we're six months away from free agency.

141
00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,160
Speaker 1: More than that, when when we're still in spring training.

142
00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,400
Speaker 1: And this is uh, you know the reality of their

143
00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,240
Speaker 1: financial situation. When I say that, and it's not like

144
00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:47,320
Speaker 1: they don't have the money. We need to emphasize that

145
00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:51,559
Speaker 1: they have the money. They're not acting like a team

146
00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:55,040
Speaker 1: that can you know, swing it around and and uh,

147
00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,920
Speaker 1: you know, kind of throw the hammer down financially.

148
00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,679
Speaker 5: How's that New Year's resolution for you? The fad diets

149
00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,040
Speaker 5: or the BS resolutions are so out. How about just

150
00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,640
Speaker 5: spending less on your wireless billcrats.

151
00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,760
Speaker 6: Mintmobile to the rescue Scottie. They've got half off of

152
00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:13,280
Speaker 6: their three month unlimited plan. That's three month plan for

153
00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,480
Speaker 6: only fifteen bucks a month. Baby.

154
00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,239
Speaker 7: All plans come with high speed data and unlimited talk

155
00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:22,880
Speaker 7: and text delivered on the nation's largest five G network.

156
00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,080
Speaker 6: Switching is easy. They'll convert your current phone and phone

157
00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:27,000
Speaker 6: number for you too.

158
00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:30,160
Speaker 7: Switch to Mint and new customers can get half off

159
00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:33,760
Speaker 7: an unlimited plan until February second. To get your new

160
00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:36,880
Speaker 7: wireless plan for just fifteen bucks a month and get

161
00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,480
Speaker 7: the plan shipped to your door for free, go to

162
00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:45,199
Speaker 7: mintmobile dot com Flash Territory. That's mintmobile dot com slash territory.

163
00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,480
Speaker 5: Forty five dollars upfront payment required equivalent to fifteen bucks

164
00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,240
Speaker 5: a month. New customers on their first three month plan only,

165
00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:55,280
Speaker 5: speed slower above forty gigabytes on unlimited plan. Additional taxes, fees,

166
00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,120
Speaker 5: and restrictions apply. See mint mobile for details.

167
00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:02,679
Speaker 4: You know, we're not gonna linger on this like every

168
00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:07,200
Speaker 4: single day of Kyle Tucker's cub's tenure. But the Bragmant

169
00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,559
Speaker 4: thing was not only revealing, it was a guy who's

170
00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,559
Speaker 4: super tight with Tucker Tucker shows up, you know, if

171
00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:22,160
Speaker 4: Fragmant's signed elsewhere, you know, on January twelfth, Like sure,

172
00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,720
Speaker 4: maybe it would have come up at CUPS convention, I guess.

173
00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:25,079
Speaker 3: At that point.

174
00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,680
Speaker 4: But it's not like this is going to be the

175
00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:31,000
Speaker 4: thing about Kyle Tucker the whole time. It's more like,

176
00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:34,600
Speaker 4: let's get this out of the way now so that

177
00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:41,120
Speaker 4: everyone's expectations are in the right place of like CUPS SYNC,

178
00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:45,520
Speaker 4: he's going to have him awesome year. Kyle Tucker has

179
00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:51,720
Speaker 4: had awesome years throughout his major league career. If he

180
00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:56,400
Speaker 4: has an awesome year, their playoff odds go through the roof.

181
00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,640
Speaker 4: And so that's just it's kind of a one year

182
00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:04,480
Speaker 4: arrange and then see what happens, and that's fine. I

183
00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:08,000
Speaker 4: think this is someone who seems pretty unbothered by a

184
00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:12,480
Speaker 4: lot of it. He's not a not allowed talker, Council says,

185
00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:18,480
Speaker 4: he's very like simple routine. He's been, you know, a

186
00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,960
Speaker 4: top of the draft type of talent guy who got

187
00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:24,760
Speaker 4: to the big leagues very quickly. I think he's been

188
00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:29,480
Speaker 4: in the last five alcs's and three of the last

189
00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:32,480
Speaker 4: five World Series if I look that up.

190
00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:36,520
Speaker 1: He missed last let well not this past as right,

191
00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:37,400
Speaker 1: they missed the ALCS.

192
00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:39,560
Speaker 2: They they're streaking it this year.

193
00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,320
Speaker 3: That's right, So buddy ad bitch to I think five

194
00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:42,640
Speaker 3: of them?

195
00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,400
Speaker 4: What mean yeah, yeah, right right, which is.

196
00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:47,840
Speaker 3: Kind of staggering, you know what I mean?

197
00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:49,760
Speaker 4: Like it was just like this guy's got a lot,

198
00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,040
Speaker 4: a lot of experience and he was not like loong

199
00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:55,680
Speaker 4: for the ride like he was, you know, a driving force.

200
00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,880
Speaker 3: It'll be different. You made this point, I think basically

201
00:10:58,920 --> 00:10:59,199
Speaker 3: at the.

202
00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:05,640
Speaker 4: Winter meetings, as these rumors were circulating, like he's not

203
00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,120
Speaker 4: gonna have the same supporting cast as he did in Houston,

204
00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:14,439
Speaker 4: and I think that'll be different, but not necessarily prohibitive

205
00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:16,280
Speaker 4: to what he wants to accomplish this year and what

206
00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,520
Speaker 4: the Cubs want to accomplish this year. And I mean,

207
00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,360
Speaker 4: Kyle Tucker flat out was talking about winning the World

208
00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,360
Speaker 4: Series this year, and I think he has a lot

209
00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:29,079
Speaker 4: more credibility than most when he brings that up. He's

210
00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,760
Speaker 4: someone who's to help him get towards that path.

211
00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:36,280
Speaker 1: Right right before we move on. I think it is important.

212
00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:38,520
Speaker 1: I don't want to be all negative and just like

213
00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:43,120
Speaker 1: act like I mean, adding Kyle Tucker is a huge addition.

214
00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,160
Speaker 1: I want to re emphasize that. And like, this team

215
00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,920
Speaker 1: is a good team for twenty twenty five, that built

216
00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:51,360
Speaker 1: a really strong team.

217
00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:55,320
Speaker 2: I like this team. Are they World Series favorites? Obviously not?

218
00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:58,200
Speaker 1: When the Dodgers exist the way they do what they've built,

219
00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:00,760
Speaker 1: like they're going to just be the favorite for a while,

220
00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,800
Speaker 1: it feels like. But I like, weird things happen in

221
00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:05,959
Speaker 1: the playoffs, and and the Cubs are good enough to

222
00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:08,560
Speaker 1: get to the playoffs, and they have a team that

223
00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,920
Speaker 1: can make some noise, Like there's no doubt about it.

224
00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:13,679
Speaker 1: I would not I'm not going to pick them to

225
00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:18,040
Speaker 1: win the World Series entering the season. I likely will

226
00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:20,559
Speaker 1: pick them to make the playoffs, and and I think

227
00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,760
Speaker 1: they could make some noise. And they have a superstar

228
00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:25,320
Speaker 1: on offense, and they have a strong rotation, and they

229
00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:29,200
Speaker 1: have young players. When you have young talent, that's that's

230
00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:31,719
Speaker 1: always intriguing to me as well. Right, And one of

231
00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:33,280
Speaker 1: those players, we're going to be talking about him a

232
00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,680
Speaker 1: ton all season long, has inside track at third base.

233
00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:41,320
Speaker 1: I mean, Matt Shaw is apparently taking advice from Ryan Samberg.

234
00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:45,240
Speaker 2: You were there, You've been there. What's the what's the

235
00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:45,800
Speaker 2: story there?

236
00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:50,720
Speaker 1: What's uh Rhino obviously a Hall of Famer come into

237
00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:51,440
Speaker 1: spring training.

238
00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:52,960
Speaker 2: I mean, there's some gravitas there.

239
00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,160
Speaker 1: There's something to be said when when you have players

240
00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,760
Speaker 1: like that, former players like that that can come around

241
00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,000
Speaker 1: spring training and and you know, get getting these guys here.

242
00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:08,000
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's one of those kind of you know, weekend

243
00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,920
Speaker 4: snapshot at spring training is not exactly what I was

244
00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,720
Speaker 4: planning to Red just kind of popped up, you know,

245
00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:18,280
Speaker 4: people were asking about it, I guess, And there are

246
00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,800
Speaker 4: just lots of elements within this. I think I filed

247
00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:22,960
Speaker 4: like a six turndred words story, but there was like

248
00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,400
Speaker 4: six or seven ideas I tried to kind of cram together.

249
00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,800
Speaker 4: I guess start with the top of Ryan Sandberg looks great,

250
00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:34,199
Speaker 4: sounds great. Our buddy Jesse Rogers and I were in

251
00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:37,520
Speaker 4: the middle of the Cups clubhouse and kind of Rhino

252
00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:40,200
Speaker 4: tap me on the shoulders that I had to Jesse,

253
00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:41,880
Speaker 4: and all of a sudden we're talking to him and

254
00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,679
Speaker 4: the kind of media access time is sort of wrapping up.

255
00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:48,160
Speaker 4: But when Rhino's in the middle of the room talking,

256
00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:50,920
Speaker 4: you just you can't be like, you know, just walk away.

257
00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,920
Speaker 4: And so he was in great spirits and just the

258
00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,040
Speaker 4: day before, Craig Counsel had said, like, look, whenever a

259
00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,560
Speaker 4: Hall of Famer shows up, walks into the room, he

260
00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:03,880
Speaker 4: brings impact. And we're thrilled to have Rhino here, particularly

261
00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:05,960
Speaker 4: after his battle of cancer last.

262
00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,079
Speaker 3: Year, the relapse that he announced in December.

263
00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:16,959
Speaker 4: He's back in Mesa and he came across Matt Shaw,

264
00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:21,960
Speaker 4: and Shaw said that Samberg said, Hey, you know, I

265
00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,520
Speaker 4: went through a similar thing earlier in my Cup's career.

266
00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:30,840
Speaker 4: And you know, Sandberg's advice or kind of outlook is

267
00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:34,120
Speaker 4: very simple, like just keep doing what you're doing, like

268
00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,920
Speaker 4: whatever got you to this point, just stay consistent to that.

269
00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:41,600
Speaker 4: And I did not realize this, but he was actually

270
00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:44,720
Speaker 4: an opening day third baseman for the Cubs in nineteen

271
00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,960
Speaker 4: eighty two that he came up mostly as a shortstop

272
00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:52,120
Speaker 4: with the Phillies. You know, was just hoping to like

273
00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,720
Speaker 4: mega major league roster. And you know, at that time,

274
00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,120
Speaker 4: teams had Coorse for like almost a decade, right, I

275
00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,400
Speaker 4: had every day yea for years and years and year.

276
00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:05,040
Speaker 4: He wanted to break in kind of as a utility guy.

277
00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,280
Speaker 4: No one was thinking like statue outside the stadium at

278
00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:08,720
Speaker 4: that point.

279
00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:09,640
Speaker 3: And I believe his.

280
00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:12,760
Speaker 4: First nine games he was like one for thirty and

281
00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:16,440
Speaker 4: got a call the office with Dallas Screen and le Ilia.

282
00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:17,800
Speaker 3: And he's like, am I getting sent down?

283
00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,960
Speaker 4: And the game him a vote of confidence, and you know,

284
00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:26,360
Speaker 4: shortly thereafter, you know, had like a nice game in Pittsburgh,

285
00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,520
Speaker 4: got a couple of hits, and you know, sort of

286
00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:33,160
Speaker 4: the rest is history. Again, not saying that Matt Shaw

287
00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:37,560
Speaker 4: is on some paths towards Cooper's town, but counsel noticed

288
00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,040
Speaker 4: and stuff like that of like, okay, who's paying attention,

289
00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:47,040
Speaker 4: who kind of recognizes the opportunity, who who's listening? And

290
00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,280
Speaker 4: then just to kind of wrap it up, Shaw obviously

291
00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,640
Speaker 4: had been following the Bregman sweepstakes. He knows he has

292
00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:58,000
Speaker 4: this opportunity in front of him, still dealing with some

293
00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,400
Speaker 4: oblique tightness.

294
00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:02,560
Speaker 3: The plan is on.

295
00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:07,480
Speaker 4: Monday, hopefully he's clear to do kind of light hitting

296
00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:12,160
Speaker 4: and throwing maybe at like seventy percent, and that you know,

297
00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:15,640
Speaker 4: probably not gonna be ready for the start of Cactasy games.

298
00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:17,040
Speaker 3: They don't see the need to push it.

299
00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,320
Speaker 4: But y'all is like, look after everything that's going on,

300
00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,760
Speaker 4: maybe it makes sense just kinda take a deep breath here.

301
00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,160
Speaker 4: Don't need to go all out to like, you know,

302
00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:30,200
Speaker 4: be in that first spring game. They're moving him a

303
00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:34,880
Speaker 4: little slowly, but yeah, I mean, all indications are he's

304
00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:39,760
Speaker 4: he has the inside track and it would take something

305
00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:46,080
Speaker 4: kind of going wrong or something unforeseen to force.

306
00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:48,720
Speaker 3: Him out of that spot. That's like the very strong

307
00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:50,120
Speaker 3: sense in MESA.

308
00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:56,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, when you talk about like council notices these things,

309
00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,720
Speaker 1: we've been hearing that since he was drafted, right like

310
00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:00,800
Speaker 1: pretty much since he got in the orgization. Like this

311
00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:02,920
Speaker 1: is a guy that stands out gets a lot of

312
00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,560
Speaker 1: Nico Horner comparisons as far as work ethic, how he

313
00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:10,119
Speaker 1: goes about business, you know, whatever. The baseball equivalent to

314
00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,760
Speaker 1: a gym rat is that's Matt Shaw and you love

315
00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,920
Speaker 1: to see that, you love to hear that obviously has

316
00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:17,879
Speaker 1: to deliver on the field. Not the same type of

317
00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:21,320
Speaker 1: player as Nico Horner, so we do that comparison a

318
00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:25,520
Speaker 1: lot just because he gets those off the field comparisons. Yeah,

319
00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:27,720
Speaker 1: and he makes a ton of contact like Nico, but

320
00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,560
Speaker 1: he's got more power and obviously different defensively. But I'm

321
00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:33,560
Speaker 1: fascinated to see how he does and how he grows,

322
00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,120
Speaker 1: because you know, he's one of those guys that they've

323
00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:40,280
Speaker 1: drafted and immediately were like, oh, this guy probably should

324
00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:43,200
Speaker 1: have been drafted a little higher than he was. Really

325
00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,480
Speaker 1: deep draft strong drafts, so it makes sense why he

326
00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:49,639
Speaker 1: was drafted where he was. But yeah, excited to see

327
00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:53,119
Speaker 1: what he can be, what he can turn into. Just

328
00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,440
Speaker 1: one of many young talents, but probably the one that

329
00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,359
Speaker 1: as far as the guys that haven't debuted yet, that's

330
00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,240
Speaker 1: gonna you know, how it projects to have the biggest impact,

331
00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:06,199
Speaker 1: especially early on.

332
00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:06,399
Speaker 2: On this with this team.

333
00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:10,920
Speaker 1: As far as adding veterans, uh, there's no Bregmann move

334
00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,200
Speaker 1: coming or anything similar, right, We've talked about Dylan Seese.

335
00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:16,399
Speaker 2: That's not going to happen. They're not trading for Dylan sees.

336
00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:20,119
Speaker 1: It's just you know, Adrian Peller wants the world for

337
00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,040
Speaker 1: him if he's going to move him, and he's likely to.

338
00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:24,040
Speaker 3: I don't know if anyone's trading for him right.

339
00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:29,000
Speaker 1: Right right, it would be a shocker. But that doesn't

340
00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,080
Speaker 1: mean they're done right. There are moves to be made,

341
00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:36,080
Speaker 1: and it mostly seems like building out the bench, maybe

342
00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:37,680
Speaker 1: some of the final pieces here.

343
00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,840
Speaker 4: Yeah, I would say just to circle quickly back to Shaw,

344
00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:45,719
Speaker 4: like that's the guy that teams would want right like

345
00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:50,080
Speaker 4: he is. That's how that's how he's viewed within the industry,

346
00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:51,840
Speaker 4: Like no one knows how good he's gonna be or not,

347
00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:53,800
Speaker 4: but he's viewed as very close.

348
00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:55,720
Speaker 3: To major league ready, a guy that you can.

349
00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:59,760
Speaker 4: Essentially like plug in for for six years and stuff

350
00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:01,200
Speaker 4: years at a very.

351
00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:03,200
Speaker 3: Low cost.

352
00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:07,199
Speaker 4: But that's what the Cubs need right now. I was

353
00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:09,960
Speaker 4: told they're looking at a lot of different names. There's

354
00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:16,600
Speaker 4: no name as compelling as Alex Bregman, but still still

355
00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:21,800
Speaker 4: hearing Justin Turner as someone they're looking pretty hard at.

356
00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:26,720
Speaker 3: I don't know kind of where they're going to land

357
00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:29,479
Speaker 3: on that, but that hasn't like gone away.

358
00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,840
Speaker 4: I've gotten kind of mixed signals on Jose Iglesias as

359
00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,399
Speaker 4: someone who would bring a ton of defense, kind of

360
00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:43,000
Speaker 4: some energy, maybe a little quirky personality, but does not

361
00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:48,359
Speaker 4: have that offensive profile that the IVY system is going

362
00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:53,240
Speaker 4: to love. I guess they're never never stop looking for pitching.

363
00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:58,120
Speaker 4: I think we've heard that David Robson's sort of sounds

364
00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:02,920
Speaker 4: out of there range, though Council had not ruled out

365
00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:07,000
Speaker 4: the idea of signing a veteran reliever to a major

366
00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:13,439
Speaker 4: league deal. You know, there's some money set aside still

367
00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:19,199
Speaker 4: for sprint training in season. I would say after that,

368
00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:23,280
Speaker 4: it's probably gonna have to go to the board and

369
00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:27,200
Speaker 4: see what the Ricketts family thinks. And I think we'll

370
00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:29,040
Speaker 4: be getting into this pretty soon. We'll have a mail

371
00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:31,160
Speaker 4: bag episode. We had got a lot of good questions

372
00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:35,600
Speaker 4: on that when we consulted on the old Twitter machine,

373
00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:40,240
Speaker 4: and I like some of the thoughts that people are having, like, Okay,

374
00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:41,760
Speaker 4: what's next, what's next?

375
00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:42,399
Speaker 3: What's next?

376
00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,880
Speaker 4: I think we'll see a little activity, you know, in February,

377
00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:51,439
Speaker 4: some smaller additions to round out the team, and then

378
00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,080
Speaker 4: it's just going to set up for just an enormous

379
00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,400
Speaker 4: trade deadline for this team.

380
00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:01,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, especially if they if they keep to powder dry

381
00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:05,680
Speaker 1: as far as staying below the you know, artificial limit

382
00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:07,080
Speaker 1: that they've set for themselves.

383
00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:09,879
Speaker 2: So if that's the case, yeah, I expect it.

384
00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,520
Speaker 1: As long as they're in it, there's gonna be some

385
00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:16,240
Speaker 1: potential for some solid moves, right, some the types of

386
00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:18,600
Speaker 1: moves that fans probably would like to have seen more

387
00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:22,440
Speaker 1: of at this point, but perhaps we'll see that in July.

388
00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,240
Speaker 1: We'll I'll hold off on digging in on some of

389
00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:29,200
Speaker 1: these names because we did get some good mailbag questions,

390
00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:32,320
Speaker 1: so we'll save that for that episode later this week.

391
00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:36,320
Speaker 1: So we'll wrap this one up here. Thanks so much

392
00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:40,440
Speaker 1: for listening. This is Northside Territory Foul Territory Networks Cubs podcast.

393
00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:44,760
Speaker 1: Make sure to rate, review, subscribe to the podcast to

394
00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,880
Speaker 1: the YouTube channel, and subscribe to The Athletic where Patrick

395
00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,080
Speaker 1: is reporting from Mesa and I'll be out there in

396
00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:55,200
Speaker 1: about a week. Thanks so much for listening, and everyone

397
00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:55,760
Speaker 1: take care.

398
00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:14,240
Speaker 4: The name anything I know the

399
00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:21,359
Speaker 7: Day the Leader