1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,080
Speaker 1: In terms of like a spring training meg extension. I

2
00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,960
Speaker 1: don't think there's any any real possibility.

3
00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:11,960
Speaker 2: Of that happening. Yeah, we got Patrick Mooney on with us.

4
00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:14,520
Speaker 2: We're gonna go over some Cubs storylines. You know, let's

5
00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:16,479
Speaker 2: go right into it and then cutting a few things

6
00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,640
Speaker 2: on the back end. AJ. I just want to leave

7
00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,319
Speaker 2: the simplest possible terms what I'm leaving told me a

8
00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,639
Speaker 2: few times now, what do you think of the Cubs

9
00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:26,720
Speaker 2: off season?

10
00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:27,080
Speaker 3: Aj?

11
00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:27,680
Speaker 2: Not bad?

12
00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:28,840
Speaker 3: Huh?

13
00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:29,880
Speaker 4: Better than this team?

14
00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:36,360
Speaker 2: Well, that teams that bird's hibernating. It's not a way.

15
00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,680
Speaker 4: That's why I saw my my less crop seen babblehead,

16
00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:45,319
Speaker 4: right because oh wow groover right. Uh but yeah, that's

17
00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:47,720
Speaker 4: why it sits there every day, because they're until they're

18
00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:53,720
Speaker 4: sleeping with less or I p less love you. But uh, yeah,

19
00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:55,640
Speaker 4: the Cubs have had a good off season. I have

20
00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:57,480
Speaker 4: to give them credit. As much as that pains me

21
00:00:57,520 --> 00:00:59,600
Speaker 4: to say, I think they've had a pretty decent offseason.

22
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,360
Speaker 4: I love to get one more nice piece, and whoever

23
00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,320
Speaker 4: that is, I don't know. It's not my money. It's

24
00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:07,840
Speaker 4: the uh, you know, the people that own the Cubs,

25
00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,160
Speaker 4: And I hate to say their names, but I'm not

26
00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,680
Speaker 4: going to uh, but they've had a good offseason. They've

27
00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,759
Speaker 4: had a better off season than probably anybody except maybe

28
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,080
Speaker 4: the Dodgers and the Aches and the Mets.

29
00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean they're I would also say that off

30
00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,480
Speaker 1: season is not done yet. I mean we still you know,

31
00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,560
Speaker 1: my colleagues scided if Sharma Ke and Rosenthal we still

32
00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,679
Speaker 1: keep hearing the Cubs are active. We don't know exactly

33
00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,240
Speaker 1: what that will be. There's a big difference between sort

34
00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,039
Speaker 1: of hanging around and talking to Scott Boris about Alex

35
00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:44,440
Speaker 1: Bregman versus actually like going out and doing it. And

36
00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,200
Speaker 1: I think that's where the the Astros have had kind

37
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,520
Speaker 1: of an advantage in a way that the Cubs don't,

38
00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,240
Speaker 1: because Tom Ricketts is not that type of owner who's

39
00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,600
Speaker 1: just gonna call up Scott Boris and.

40
00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:57,160
Speaker 3: Close a deal here.

41
00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:02,320
Speaker 1: But whether it's another pitcher, I think until Bregman signs elsewhere,

42
00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,920
Speaker 1: the Cubs are gonna be involved. And I think by

43
00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,440
Speaker 1: the time they get to Mesa, it could the offseason,

44
00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:09,560
Speaker 1: which has been pretty good, could look a lot different

45
00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:10,359
Speaker 1: by that point too.

46
00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,720
Speaker 2: All Right, So before we dive into twenty twenty five

47
00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:16,480
Speaker 2: storylines and things that we know, for certain, and what's

48
00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,880
Speaker 2: on the roster. Let's cover Bregman really quickly. What do

49
00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:22,560
Speaker 2: you think where are we at with the Cubs one inning?

50
00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,680
Speaker 2: Are they at with Bregman and the negotiations? And do

51
00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:28,800
Speaker 2: you think that it's real? I know someone was floating

52
00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,320
Speaker 2: out a four hundred, but and if it has opt outs,

53
00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,000
Speaker 2: maybe that's enticing for him over a six I think

54
00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,120
Speaker 2: one point fifty six from the Astros. But do you

55
00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,120
Speaker 2: think this is serious?

56
00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:42,640
Speaker 3: Well, it's definitely serious.

57
00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,520
Speaker 1: I think it's just a matter of how serious and

58
00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:49,320
Speaker 1: what the appetite is to get something, don't hear?

59
00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:50,919
Speaker 3: I mean this is the way the Cubs are sort

60
00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:52,160
Speaker 3: of set up.

61
00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,520
Speaker 1: I mean Jed Hoyer does not have an unlimited budget,

62
00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,720
Speaker 1: but he has managed it in a way that keeps

63
00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:02,120
Speaker 1: the Cubs kind of in the conversation for any of

64
00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:06,480
Speaker 1: these you know guys who maybe are a little disappointed

65
00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,119
Speaker 1: or frustrated with kind of where how their market has developed.

66
00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:14,200
Speaker 1: And also they built up, you know, pretty substantial amount

67
00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:18,040
Speaker 1: of young talent to where you know, if teams are

68
00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,760
Speaker 1: looking to make moves late, they are certainly in those

69
00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:25,359
Speaker 1: conversations here as well. And I think what we've kind

70
00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,600
Speaker 1: of learned over the years here as the Cubs have

71
00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,600
Speaker 1: transitioned away from THEO and overhauled their front office, it

72
00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,240
Speaker 1: is really all about.

73
00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:34,800
Speaker 3: Whatever the computer tells them to do.

74
00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,800
Speaker 1: Now, they certainly have preferences and they dictate their own strategy,

75
00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:43,120
Speaker 1: but it's really all about whatever deal fits in their system.

76
00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,080
Speaker 1: And we'll see if Bregman gets to kind of get

77
00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:47,200
Speaker 1: falls to their level.

78
00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,280
Speaker 2: I should say, well, they love those former astros, they

79
00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:55,360
Speaker 2: really do. We'll get into that, right Tucker, Presley, et cetera.

80
00:03:55,440 --> 00:04:07,040
Speaker 2: Let's hit the storylines. We've got four storylines that we

81
00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,600
Speaker 2: promised will hit. Maybe a bonus question if we have time,

82
00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:13,240
Speaker 2: can Kyle K Tucker vault the Cubs back into the playoffs?

83
00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,640
Speaker 2: And can they convince him to stay long term? This

84
00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,160
Speaker 2: is year two of Craig Counsel super rich manager disappointing

85
00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,679
Speaker 2: season in year one of his expedition with the Cubs,

86
00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,040
Speaker 2: obviously ditching the hometown team, getting the contract, getting what

87
00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,039
Speaker 2: he was worth, but so far it didn't work out.

88
00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,240
Speaker 2: What are we thinking with Matt Shaw? Can he make

89
00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,279
Speaker 2: an impact starting on day one? And is patients wearing

90
00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:36,320
Speaker 2: thin with the front office? This is kind of a

91
00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,800
Speaker 2: make or break do they have to make the playoffs

92
00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:41,039
Speaker 2: for this current front office to be set up the.

93
00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:41,400
Speaker 3: Way it is.

94
00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:43,719
Speaker 2: Let's start at the top, because Kyle Tucker is a really,

95
00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,800
Speaker 2: really strong player. You can call him a superstar. Many do,

96
00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,800
Speaker 2: right based on the seasons he's put together consistently and

97
00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:51,680
Speaker 2: what he was on pace for last year before he

98
00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,080
Speaker 2: got hurt. What do you think of this addition Tucker

99
00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,040
Speaker 2: in and Bellinger out.

100
00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,320
Speaker 1: This is a guy they absolutely needed to get. I mean,

101
00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,720
Speaker 1: the Cubs have been an eighty three win team, kind

102
00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:09,799
Speaker 1: of a stable, conservative organization, like just good enough to

103
00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,359
Speaker 1: play meaningful games in September, not good enough to advance

104
00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,400
Speaker 1: and win in October. And I think if you look

105
00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,120
Speaker 1: at the contours of those previous seasons, it was they

106
00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,720
Speaker 1: needed a star. They needed someone to step up and

107
00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,560
Speaker 1: hit that three run homer to kind of win a

108
00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,640
Speaker 1: series on the road, to make sure that like four

109
00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,880
Speaker 1: game losing streak doesn't turn into like a three week spiral.

110
00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:39,120
Speaker 3: And I think Tucker is one of the best all

111
00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:41,279
Speaker 3: round players in the game.

112
00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,520
Speaker 1: I think the second point of this will be really

113
00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,760
Speaker 1: fascinating to watch, like how is he gonna function as

114
00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:49,720
Speaker 1: sort of like the man in Wrigleyville. He didn't really

115
00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:54,919
Speaker 1: have to do that in Houston, And at this point,

116
00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,480
Speaker 1: I don't think either side has any sort of expectations

117
00:05:57,480 --> 00:05:59,720
Speaker 1: about a long term deal. At this point, I think

118
00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,280
Speaker 1: the expectation is that he will play this year out.

119
00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:05,960
Speaker 1: The Cubs will have a year to sort of lay

120
00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,840
Speaker 1: the groundwork and recruit him. But in terms of like

121
00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,960
Speaker 1: a spring training Meg extension, I don't think there's any

122
00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,160
Speaker 1: any real possibility of that happening.

123
00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,159
Speaker 5: To use one of Count's favorite words last year that

124
00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:23,320
Speaker 5: was repeated ever once in a while, is this season

125
00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:27,280
Speaker 5: going to be daunting for Craig counsel or is the

126
00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:31,240
Speaker 5: second season of him moving into an organization that now

127
00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,599
Speaker 5: he gets more of his own fingerprint on and kind

128
00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,520
Speaker 5: of the processes of like I want these types of

129
00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,039
Speaker 5: guys to come up and everybody playing under me. Is

130
00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,000
Speaker 5: there going to be something new in year two?

131
00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,800
Speaker 1: Yeah, that was a great get you guys had of

132
00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:51,479
Speaker 1: Pat Murphy acknowledging that a council wouldn't call it trolling

133
00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,799
Speaker 1: the Brewers, but it was definitely a specific word choice

134
00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,719
Speaker 1: of saying that the Brewers are this daunting challenge when

135
00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,880
Speaker 1: on undaunted, is this kind of very personal motivational slogan

136
00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:04,360
Speaker 1: for his.

137
00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,080
Speaker 3: Old good buddy Pat Murphy.

138
00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,680
Speaker 1: But yeah, I mean this is where Council is supposed

139
00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,560
Speaker 1: to really put his imprint on the team. I mean,

140
00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:17,239
Speaker 1: the front office views him as part of the inner

141
00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:21,120
Speaker 1: circle for every major decision, So the product on the

142
00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:24,200
Speaker 1: field is going to be on some level a reflection

143
00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:29,680
Speaker 1: of his belief system and priorities. He's someone who comes

144
00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:34,000
Speaker 1: into the office occasionally throughout the off season. He's you know,

145
00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:39,200
Speaker 1: on slack, he's reading reports, he's watching video. So you know,

146
00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,040
Speaker 1: I would imagine, as you guys know, he's not the

147
00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:47,080
Speaker 1: most animated guy. But in terms of how this pitching

148
00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,960
Speaker 1: staff is going to be deployed, that's a huge point

149
00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,320
Speaker 1: of emphasis for Counsel. I think he was the one

150
00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:56,520
Speaker 1: who put pressure on the front office publicly at the

151
00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:00,960
Speaker 1: end of last year, during that daunting sort of monologue

152
00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:02,640
Speaker 1: of saying, we should be trying to build ninety win

153
00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,800
Speaker 1: teams around here, and he, you know, has certainly been

154
00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,760
Speaker 1: a voice behind the scenes trying to kind of create

155
00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,040
Speaker 1: a sense of urgency that I think you've seen in

156
00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:14,960
Speaker 1: the moves the Cubs that made this off this winter.

157
00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,120
Speaker 4: Is one of the reasons the moves. We talked about

158
00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:25,400
Speaker 4: Alex pragmant sorry still have cardinal hair on my is

159
00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,800
Speaker 4: one of the One of the the reasons why is

160
00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,120
Speaker 4: because the prospects are coming. And we talked about Alex

161
00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:35,720
Speaker 4: Pragman earlier, and they have Matt Shaw and he's supposed

162
00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,079
Speaker 4: to possibly be there on opening day as their third basement.

163
00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:40,760
Speaker 4: Is that what's happening with the Cubs. They finally built

164
00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,440
Speaker 4: this farm system up to a point where the prospects

165
00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:45,960
Speaker 4: are coming and they're gonna be used a lot to

166
00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:47,959
Speaker 4: help solidify this roster.

167
00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:49,720
Speaker 3: Well age.

168
00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,360
Speaker 1: As you know, the Cubs would never overhype their prospects.

169
00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:54,880
Speaker 3: That never happens, but no.

170
00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:56,200
Speaker 5: Team does does.

171
00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,800
Speaker 1: Yeah, I do think I think there's a certain logic

172
00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:04,280
Speaker 1: you in getting Kyle Tucker, you trade away Cam Smith,

173
00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,520
Speaker 1: another first round pick out of Florida State who had

174
00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:09,480
Speaker 1: crushed it at the Cape Cod League, was very much

175
00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:14,120
Speaker 1: a fast riser in your system. I think there's also

176
00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:20,880
Speaker 1: dovetails with counsels, you know, philosophy, his demeanor. He created

177
00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,480
Speaker 1: a great space for Pete Crow Armstrong to really develop

178
00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,560
Speaker 1: at the major leagues last year at a time when

179
00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:28,280
Speaker 1: there are a lot of questions about you know his

180
00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,080
Speaker 1: offensive development, whether he could kind of play under control,

181
00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,640
Speaker 1: and he told PCA, like, look, just just play great defense,

182
00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:37,880
Speaker 1: you know, focus on what you do well. You know,

183
00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,320
Speaker 1: Councils has sons who are right around the same age

184
00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,839
Speaker 1: as PCA, which I think gave him like a nice

185
00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,760
Speaker 1: bit of context to kind of what these players are

186
00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:47,599
Speaker 1: going through.

187
00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:52,120
Speaker 3: At this point in their careers. And so Matt Shall,

188
00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:56,720
Speaker 3: if they don't get Bregman would get a nice run there.

189
00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,959
Speaker 3: I would say it's his job to lose at third base.

190
00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,439
Speaker 1: Cops also of Nicol Horner coming off surgery, so it's

191
00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,280
Speaker 1: a little bit of a question mark when he would

192
00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:09,120
Speaker 1: be ready, and you know Shaw could play second base

193
00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:12,200
Speaker 1: as well. And I think if you're looking kind of

194
00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:15,880
Speaker 1: over the horizon, it's this trade deadline of the Cubs

195
00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,200
Speaker 1: are gonna have a lot of pieces that they can

196
00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:24,040
Speaker 1: move to go get whatever they need this summer, and

197
00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,120
Speaker 1: I think it would probably be in their best interest

198
00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,320
Speaker 1: to move some of these guys because they have a

199
00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,120
Speaker 1: cluster of roughly you know, six to seven players in

200
00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:37,320
Speaker 1: that top one hundred, you know, top one twenty in

201
00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:39,920
Speaker 1: the industry, and there's just not enough room to give

202
00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:43,400
Speaker 1: these guys the pathway to develop in the major So

203
00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:43,880
Speaker 1: I think if.

204
00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,600
Speaker 3: You give Shaw and maybe another guy comes up.

205
00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:48,800
Speaker 1: And that was a big part of this the last

206
00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,720
Speaker 1: Cubs era with Joe Madden. Of you have a Kyle

207
00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,880
Speaker 1: Schwarber coming up to DH during those mid season injured

208
00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:58,679
Speaker 1: league games, and all of a sudden, he's just hitting

209
00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:02,760
Speaker 1: bombs in the playoffs against your Cardinals AJ. So I'd say, like,

210
00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:05,880
Speaker 1: if they can kind of methodically work some of these

211
00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:08,000
Speaker 1: guys in, I think this year will be a success

212
00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:08,719
Speaker 1: for them.

213
00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,400
Speaker 4: Okay, that makes sense. Listen, you know where I stay

214
00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,000
Speaker 4: with the Cubs. You know how I feel about the Cubs. Okay,

215
00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,480
Speaker 4: but it's the happiest place on Earth behind Disney World, right,

216
00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,600
Speaker 4: it's the Friendly Confines. But his patients growing a little

217
00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,240
Speaker 4: thin because they won. It's almost been ten years now

218
00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,840
Speaker 4: since they won. They finally did it. They broke the curse.

219
00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,160
Speaker 4: The Cubs were told we're gonna win for the next

220
00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,160
Speaker 4: ten years, and the next year after they pretty much

221
00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:36,240
Speaker 4: started kind of going downhill rapidly. You know, Rizzo gone,

222
00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:39,280
Speaker 4: Bryant gone, everyone gone. These guys are all gone, and

223
00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:42,400
Speaker 4: they haven't really done much much since. So is the

224
00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,640
Speaker 4: patience of the Cub fans, not that they had a

225
00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:47,040
Speaker 4: lot of patience to begin with, but is it wearing

226
00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,679
Speaker 4: thin with Jed Hoyer and the rest of this front

227
00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:53,920
Speaker 4: office to put a winning team and yes, I'll say

228
00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:56,760
Speaker 4: his name, Tom Ricketts and the Ricketts family to spend

229
00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,439
Speaker 4: money to put a quality team that can go out

230
00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:00,520
Speaker 4: and win the World Series.

231
00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:04,800
Speaker 1: Again with the Cubs, well, I don't know how much

232
00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,120
Speaker 1: time you spend in Chicago in the winter, but it's

233
00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:09,120
Speaker 1: pretty bleak here, man, Like if you look at the

234
00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,959
Speaker 1: city sports. Yes, that's a good move to say sports

235
00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,959
Speaker 1: franchises right now, the Cubs are actually like pretty competent

236
00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:20,679
Speaker 1: in comparison. That doesn't mean that does not mean parades

237
00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,720
Speaker 1: down Michigan Avenue, But I do think it speaks to

238
00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:30,119
Speaker 1: the relationship between Tom Ricketts and Jed Hoyer. Now, obviously

239
00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:35,560
Speaker 1: the ultimate metric is the wins and losses at the

240
00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:37,319
Speaker 1: major league level, when the Cubs have not made the

241
00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:40,480
Speaker 1: playoffs since twenty twenty, and that is certainly on Jed

242
00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,640
Speaker 1: Hoyer's ledger. But I think if you look at kind

243
00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:49,000
Speaker 1: of stylistically, temperamentally, philosophically, like Jed Hoyer is exactly the

244
00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:53,199
Speaker 1: type of executive that Tom Ricketts wants running his team,

245
00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:58,120
Speaker 1: and yes, that does mean playing, being kind of in

246
00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:02,400
Speaker 1: the hunt every single year, and having a good base

247
00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:07,160
Speaker 1: of young talent, being to use a Rickets phrase, rational

248
00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,120
Speaker 1: with contracts in free agency. I mean, this is not

249
00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:14,280
Speaker 1: a team that is spending like the Dodgers, or is

250
00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:15,520
Speaker 1: spending like the Mats.

251
00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:18,439
Speaker 3: And now that's a whole separate episode.

252
00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:22,000
Speaker 1: But I think within the confines of what the friendly

253
00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,160
Speaker 1: confines of what the Rickets family are trying to build,

254
00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:28,560
Speaker 1: I think Jed Hoyer checks a lot of boxes what

255
00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:33,000
Speaker 1: they're looking for. And I don't know this division is bad.

256
00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:37,280
Speaker 1: I mean, the Cardinals are not trying this year. Major

257
00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:41,520
Speaker 1: questions about the Reds and the Pirates. I mean, we

258
00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:45,000
Speaker 1: underestimate the Brewers every single year. But you gotta think

259
00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:49,800
Speaker 1: they're gonna miss a damis so like it's set up here,

260
00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,360
Speaker 1: and to kind of call back to the previous answer

261
00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,800
Speaker 1: about the trade deadline, like Jet's gonna be in position

262
00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,400
Speaker 1: to go for it and I think you will.

263
00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,960
Speaker 2: Hey, last one bonus question here, how much better do

264
00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,160
Speaker 2: you think the Cubs bullpen is this year?

265
00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:06,880
Speaker 3: They just got.

266
00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:10,880
Speaker 2: Brazier, Porter Hodge looks good. Ryan Presley obviously for the

267
00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,280
Speaker 2: back end among some others that they did. Like, it

268
00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:15,160
Speaker 2: just starts to shift some of the guys you were

269
00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,880
Speaker 2: thinking high leverage more to mid leverage or whatever you

270
00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:20,440
Speaker 2: want to call it. So should Cubs fans be excited

271
00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:22,360
Speaker 2: that they won't blow as many late leads?

272
00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:25,960
Speaker 1: Well, it's always going to look better on paper, and

273
00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,600
Speaker 1: then as soon as the first blown save at Wrigley Field,

274
00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:33,000
Speaker 1: everyone will be, you know, criticizing the manager and things

275
00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:36,320
Speaker 1: of that nature. But yeah, it looks better on paper.

276
00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:42,640
Speaker 1: I think Presley organizes things in a way that should help.

277
00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:45,440
Speaker 1: If you look at these past couple of seasons too,

278
00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:47,840
Speaker 1: what really hurt them was early in the season just

279
00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:52,880
Speaker 1: getting knocked out with injuries and not having those answers

280
00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,360
Speaker 1: in the ninth inning. Like if if they're just like

281
00:14:55,400 --> 00:15:01,080
Speaker 1: a higher floor there, more stability. You know, you got

282
00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:03,760
Speaker 1: a guy the highest paid manager in baseball, you know,

283
00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,360
Speaker 1: pressing those buttons in the bullpen.

284
00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:10,560
Speaker 3: I would think it would look better. But we'll see.

285
00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,720
Speaker 1: We'll see who's healthy by the time they get back

286
00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,480
Speaker 1: from Japan and like the season really starts. But I

287
00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:18,320
Speaker 1: think if you look at a pitching staff from one

288
00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,040
Speaker 1: to whatever, however, many guys are gonna have in camp,

289
00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,840
Speaker 1: like over thirty. I think it looks pretty solid on paper,

290
00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:28,160
Speaker 1: with like we said, some flexibility to maybe even add

291
00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,240
Speaker 1: here before camp starts.

292
00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,120
Speaker 2: Okay, that's good enough. Cubs fans will take it. And

293
00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:34,920
Speaker 2: I know Cubs fans don't at me. We didn't put

294
00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:37,200
Speaker 2: everyone on that list. I like Nace Pearson too. If

295
00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,880
Speaker 2: you can stay on the mound, Patrick, thanks for the time,

296
00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:41,320
Speaker 2: then we'll see what happens.

297
00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:43,160
Speaker 3: All right, you got it, guys, take care.

298
00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,920
Speaker 2: All right here we are. It's a good point about

299
00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:47,960
Speaker 2: the rest of the division.

300
00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:52,600
Speaker 3: Guys, it's just not that good.

301
00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,440
Speaker 2: Yeah, but it's not that good. So it does help

302
00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,800
Speaker 2: Chicago because the Cubs weren't bad last year. They just

303
00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:01,520
Speaker 2: we're in a playoff team and it's been a problem

304
00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:03,640
Speaker 2: in the last couple of years. So like, can we

305
00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:05,760
Speaker 2: improve a little bit?

306
00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:07,680
Speaker 3: And will that put us counting on you?

307
00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:11,360
Speaker 4: Yes, counting on you, Tito, counting on you Ellie.

308
00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:16,640
Speaker 2: Really, it's just not great, right, Like Cincinnati's done some

309
00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:19,200
Speaker 2: things Kratz and I've liked some of the smaller moves

310
00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:22,280
Speaker 2: they made, but the Cubs made the bigger impact moves.

311
00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,360
Speaker 5: Oh oh my goodness, I mean what an upgrade Kyle

312
00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,800
Speaker 5: Tucker over Cody Bellinger. Even Cody Bellinger's like the reason

313
00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,440
Speaker 5: they signed him to that deal, like the year he

314
00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:35,880
Speaker 5: had two years ago. Kyle Tucker's still an upgrade. That

315
00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:40,600
Speaker 5: move alone with getting Presley, it's awesome. Would I would

316
00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:44,760
Speaker 5: go against that? I think I think the starting pitching

317
00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,200
Speaker 5: for the Pirates is gonna be really tough. So it's

318
00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:50,680
Speaker 5: gonna be tough to just bludgeon the Pirates to death

319
00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:52,640
Speaker 5: if you're the Cubs. But I still think the Cubs

320
00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:54,640
Speaker 5: are the better team. I still think the Reds win

321
00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,320
Speaker 5: this division currently currently where they're at.

322
00:16:58,280 --> 00:16:58,640
Speaker 3: Okay.

323
00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:01,600
Speaker 2: And then we had a couple of answers about schemes

324
00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:05,760
Speaker 2: from earlier. Igarashi in the chat said, Yamamoto got a

325
00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:08,440
Speaker 2: twelve year contract. Why couldn't Skeens get a ten year offer?

326
00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,760
Speaker 4: Because different things you could, but he ain't gonna sign it,

327
00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:14,600
Speaker 4: and they're not going to make a ten year offer.

328
00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:16,680
Speaker 5: Yamamoto was a proven substance.

329
00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,479
Speaker 4: Sorry, Skeens. One year just not the way the salary

330
00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:22,600
Speaker 4: structure works, and most teams don't do that with pictures.

331
00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:24,240
Speaker 3: Okay.

332
00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:27,400
Speaker 2: And then yeah, others like cr in the chat, Scott's

333
00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:30,760
Speaker 2: talking about the pirates right. Never will they extend schemes.

334
00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:31,200
Speaker 5: Never.

335
00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:34,880
Speaker 2: I just don't want to see. I just don't want

336
00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:38,879
Speaker 2: anyone to overlook the fact that money matters. More so

337
00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,479
Speaker 2: to some owners. Bob Nutting is money, money, money, and

338
00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:43,800
Speaker 2: he's going to look at his books and be like,

339
00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,359
Speaker 2: oh damn, this dude makes me money.

340
00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:49,639
Speaker 5: Look at just go look at Look at the picture

341
00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:52,199
Speaker 5: Paul Skins and Bob Nutting. You tell me if that

342
00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,320
Speaker 5: is a guy who's going to extend the person on

343
00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,439
Speaker 5: his right. Bob Nutting's standing to Paul Skeins left the

344
00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:01,359
Speaker 5: picture they took at the Beas, And you tell me

345
00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:03,880
Speaker 5: if you think that guy's gonna give the other guy

346
00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:04,560
Speaker 5: an extension.

347
00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:07,960
Speaker 2: He gave other people extensions. And that guy makes some money.

348
00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:11,360
Speaker 2: And on the other side, you're a pitcher, get your

349
00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:15,520
Speaker 2: first big check. It's hard to turn down nine figures

350
00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:16,600
Speaker 2: if you're a young pitcher.

351
00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:19,640
Speaker 4: Even he won't offer him that. I don't think he'll

352
00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,080
Speaker 4: offer him that, though. I just don't snee him. If

353
00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,600
Speaker 4: he yeah, if he went something like that, if he

354
00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,080
Speaker 4: went six years one hundred and twenty six years one

355
00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:29,760
Speaker 4: hundred something like that, sure, but he ain't gonna do that,