1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,280 Speaker 1: I think the easiest way to do this is you 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: just build a good offensive team that hits the ball 3 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: hard and on a line and doesn't rely on the 4 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: home run. Welcome into north Side Territory, Foul Territory Networks 5 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 1: Cubs Podcast. I'm Sahade Sharma with my partner Patrick Mooney, 6 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: where your Cubs beat writers over at the Athletic Patrick. 7 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: Today we're doing an always fun mail bag episode. The 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: readers came out in force, the listeners came out in 9 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: force on Twitter and gave us plenty of things to address. 10 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,199 Speaker 1: I always enjoy these because fans have plenty to complain 11 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: about or like, well, just questions the answered, but a 12 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: lot of it. You know, after another eighty three and 13 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: seventy nine season, they're gonna that it's not always the 14 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: most positive way of looking at things, And that's perfectly fine. 15 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: Why don't we just get right to it. What do 16 00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: we got to kick it off? 17 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 2: Well? 18 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean you said, we love the mailbag because 19 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 3: our readers and listeners. It helps us like know what 20 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 3: people are talking about, what they're thinking about, helps us 21 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 3: like formulate ideas and articulate kind of what we're seeing 22 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 3: in this account aptly named Cubs account must know, Sahadi 23 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 3: that you are the resident Wriggly weather conspiracy theorist, And 24 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 3: so we've got question. Jed pointed to the variability of 25 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 3: the wind at Wrigley for this year's downturn and offensive performance. 26 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 3: Does he have explicit plans to address that? How would 27 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 3: you address it? Morell and Wisdom weren't able to beat 28 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 3: the wind any better than the lesser exit philosophy guys. 29 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, So, I mean, I think weather it is fascinating 30 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: at wrily because it has changed over the years and 31 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: the wind doesn't seem to blow out as much. I 32 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: also think, like we need to be careful about like 33 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: parsing what Jed said, Like we need to really listen 34 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: to what Jed saying. I think Jed was explaining individual 35 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: performances more than making excuses for the team or talking 36 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: about future team building like it was it definitely impacted 37 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: the individual, but the teams like as a whole, like 38 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: both teams played in it, right, So like you can't 39 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: use that as an excuse now, I think, you know, 40 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: it's interesting. There are different ways to look at this, 41 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: someone suggested. Brusce Ll Vine suggested, like you need to 42 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 1: get guys that hit the ball even further right, and 43 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: that's how you address it. And I'm not sure if 44 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: that's the case. Remember when the Yankees came to town and 45 00:02:55,720 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: someone knockdown Juan Soto, someone knockdown I mean, I don't 46 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 1: know if there's like that, Like you always are going 47 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: to go back to that Patrick Wisdom one that he 48 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: did whatever one hundred and twelve miles per hour that 49 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: should have been out on the street and somehow it 50 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: got knocked down. And then one that Pedro Pages hit 51 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: like ends up in the basket because he just hit it, 52 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: you know, thirty feet uh and you know, to the right, 53 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 1: and that changes everything about it. I don't think. I 54 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: don't think you can go about building a team based 55 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: on the weather because you don't know what the weather 56 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: is going to be. There was something that Jed said 57 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: that I think got completely overlooked and I need to 58 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: do research on it, but he said, it's like all 59 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: the times it was blowing out was when they were 60 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: on the road, and and that that that, to me, 61 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: is the thing. It was just randomness that they were 62 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: on the road, that they were at home when it 63 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: was all the times that was blowing in so you 64 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: can't build a team based on the wind blowing in. 65 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: I think the easiest way to do this is you 66 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: just build build it. You know, build a good offensive 67 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: team that hits the ball hard and on a line 68 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: it doesn't rely on the home run. So you know 69 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: that that's that's the simple answer, you know, Like, yes, 70 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: exit velocity. Guys like Patrick Wisdom and Christopher Morrell were 71 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: dinged by this in a certain way because they had 72 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: balls knocked down. But Cody Bellinger certainly was impacted by this, 73 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: as we saw with his home road splits that were insane. 74 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: Like uh, Saya Suzuki had better road numbers than home numbers, 75 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: but he was really good at home still, he was 76 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: basically like his season at home was basically the season 77 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: Ian Half had overall. Uh, that's really good, Like ye, 78 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: happ had a really good season offensively. So you know, 79 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: I don't think this is something that you would dress 80 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: as like. I don't. I don't think the Cubs should 81 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: have the wind in mind when looking at the future. 82 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:01,359 Speaker 1: I think analyzing what happened in the past, it's important 83 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: to understand that the wind blew in a lot at Wrigley. 84 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 1: So if you're looking at Cody Bellinger's overall numbers and 85 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: saying one o nine way to runs grade plus wasn't 86 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 1: good enough. Okay, what what happened this season? Why was 87 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: it a one o nine? It's the same way you 88 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 1: should have analyzes twenty twenty three that whatever it was, 89 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: one thirty way to run screader plus. That's awesome, that's 90 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: a you know, a borderline star uh production. Uh, but 91 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: what happened? How did he get there? Right? I think 92 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: he's somewhere in between that one o nine and that 93 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 1: whatever one thirty four that he had in twenty twenty three, 94 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: because the wind did play a factor at Wrigley. So 95 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: I think it's more about analyzing what happened than trying 96 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: to build a team for the future and understanding the 97 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: value of the players that play at Wrigley and how 98 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: that dinged them. And also I think you have to 99 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: also look at the positives, Like we talked about shows 100 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 1: the showdos season and you know, jameson tyone doesn't strike 101 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 1: out a lot of guys and doesn't put a lot 102 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: of balls on the ground, like you have to factor 103 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:11,919 Speaker 1: that in. So, like these these types of things, it 104 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: goes both ways. Like the offense could get better next 105 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: year if the winds blowing out. But now you have 106 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 1: to account for pitchers and how much they miss bats 107 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: showed I think will be okay because he misses so 108 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: many bats and he doesn't walk guys. You have to 109 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: wonder about jameson Tyne regressing a little bit at Wrigley. 110 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: I haven't looked at his home road splits that maybe 111 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: that's maybe that's something interesting to look at. I just 112 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: wouldn't overreact to this. 113 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 3: I mean, Council is on the record towards the end 114 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,679 Speaker 3: of the season being like, no, you don't change anything 115 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 3: in terms of roster construction, right, just saying like, we 116 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 3: don't know what the weather's going to be next year. 117 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 3: Do you know what the weather's going to be next year? 118 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 3: Like he was acknowledged it was different, I think, but 119 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 3: was not saying the Cubs should go about things any 120 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 3: different because of that. So that that seems pretty He's 121 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 3: he's had a pretty definitive when he was dissuh that, 122 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 3: which is a conversation that went all the way back 123 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 3: to Opening Day. 124 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: With you and him right right, Yes, oddly enough, I 125 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: brought it up in Texas, how Wrigley doesn't play like 126 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: like one like people assume it does and and the 127 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: wind is really hard to predict now and it's just 128 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: not what it used to be. Uh and and and 129 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:35,679 Speaker 1: I immediately got labeled the weather guy. Uh uh So, 130 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 1: so yeah, you're apparently I did not expect it to 131 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: become such a big topic for the Cubs. In reality, 132 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: I just I've always found it fascinating that it's kind 133 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: of changed. And I think a lot of it, and 134 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: we've talked about this on the podcast, a lot of 135 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: it has to do with I mean, climate change is 136 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: certainly an aspect here, but like the video boards and 137 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: and the and the below us the club that they 138 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: have below the press, the Catalina Club, that has changed 139 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,239 Speaker 1: the wind patterns because that used to be open there, 140 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: so that means the wind could come through, meaning like 141 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: if it was blowing out, that wind was coming through there. 142 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: Now that they don't have that big open space to 143 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: have the wind come through, I think that impacts it. 144 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: It certainly is something that they talk about at Fenway, 145 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: where like the upper deck or like a hind home 146 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 1: plate wasn't there. I guess the press bots and other 147 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: things weren't there back in the day, and the ball 148 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 1: used to go farther at Fenway Park. I mean, it's 149 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: certainly it's real, right, Like you build something to block 150 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,199 Speaker 1: the wind, it's going to impact how the ball carries. 151 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: So it's interesting. I you know, I don't know enough 152 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,559 Speaker 1: about whether to really like put me science behind it, 153 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 1: but I find it fascinating and just observationally, it's it's 154 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: it's harder to predict. I used to feel like it 155 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: is eighty five degrees and sunny and it is blowing 156 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: out out. I don't need to look at the flags, 157 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: and then you get to the ballpark and it's like, 158 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: why is it blowing in? That used to not happen. 159 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: So it's just a little weird. And I'm sure there's 160 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: some science behind it, and someone smarter than us could 161 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: quit explain it. But yeah, I don't think I think 162 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: Counsel's answer is the right answer. You don't. You just 163 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 1: build a good team, Just find good players, you know, 164 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: and you'll you're both playing under the same condition. So 165 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: beat the other team, just be better than them. 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Should 195 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 1: this be the off season that Jed and company try 196 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 1: to work out an extension with Justin Steele. He's still 197 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 1: only twenty nine, three really good seasons behind him, and 198 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 1: I think we all know he loves it in Chicago, 199 00:10:57,800 --> 00:10:59,959 Speaker 1: so there should be common ground to find a beneficial 200 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: extension for both sides. 201 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 3: Definitely anticipate this being a thing this offseason. I don't 202 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 3: know where it goes, but Steel's camp and the Cups 203 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 3: front office would not be doing their respective jobs if 204 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 3: they did not at least explore this idea. And you know, 205 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 3: these conversations typically happen kind of in that arbitration window 206 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 3: and then sometimes it picks back up in spring training 207 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 3: heavy and I would say a Steels agency Wasserman does 208 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 3: have a pretty good track record here of like they're 209 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 3: very aggressive and effective. But you know they did that 210 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 3: deal for Tyler Glass. Now you Darvish has gotten an 211 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 3: extension in San Diego. I feel like they are not 212 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 3: quite as adamant as Scott Bord when it comes to 213 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:03,839 Speaker 3: kind of testing free agency. Now, having said all that, 214 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:07,679 Speaker 3: I don't know if there is that fit. I mean, 215 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 3: there is an idea from Steel's side, which would you know, 216 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 3: would look at probably like a five year term. Right, 217 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 3: He's got three more arbitration cases and you'd want to 218 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 3: get a little more security on the back end. That 219 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 3: is where that is kind of the roadmap. I would 220 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 3: say there are some comps out there if you look 221 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 3: at five year deals. But at the same time, like 222 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 3: this front office is a little different. 223 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:37,199 Speaker 1: You know, it. 224 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 3: Continues to evolve. Jed's been here a long time, but 225 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 3: you have Carter Hawkins running things now. There's been some 226 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 3: changes restructurings around the front office. So I'm not sure 227 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 3: if there's like great historical comps from the Cup side 228 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 3: in terms of like pushing in for something like this. 229 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 3: I also don't think, well, their books are not in 230 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 3: bad shape. It's not the blank slate that it was 231 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 3: a couple of years ago when they were signing Nico 232 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 3: and Hap to those sorts of deals. And on the 233 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 3: pitching side, they aren't kind of as desperate as they 234 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 3: were after trading away all those position players at the 235 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 3: twenty one deadline. So I think it was important that 236 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 3: Steele pitched at the end of last year just to 237 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 3: give everyone sort of another snapshot. I think they wanted 238 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 3: to see him do it this year and kind of 239 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 3: prove that he could build off that All Star season. 240 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 3: And he did that in large part, but there was 241 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 3: a freak injury at the beginning and arm injury towards 242 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 3: the end, and you know, he winds up with twenty 243 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 3: four starts and a tick under one hundred and thirty 244 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 3: five innings of you know, real almost excellence when when 245 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 3: he's healthy but still not quite there as that like 246 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 3: thirty starts every year. Guy, I feel like I realized 247 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 3: I'm talking in circles here, But that's that's kind of 248 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 3: what the conversation is gonna be, right, of like, of 249 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 3: course you love Chicago. Of course the Cubs want Justin 250 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 3: Steel around, but they already have him around and under 251 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 3: club control. And Steel's gonna get paid very well through 252 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 3: arbitration because he does put up some of those numbers. 253 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 3: So I'm he's almost thirty as well, right, and like, 254 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:31,280 Speaker 3: how many were you an attack on to the end 255 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 3: of that, knowing that pitchers get hurt and he's been well, 256 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 3: I'm not fully healthy, hasn't had that like major injury 257 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 3: that wipes out a euch chunk of his career major 258 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 3: league career. So I don't know what's your kind of 259 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 3: reside of like what would you do if you? 260 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I'm looking at this in like a 261 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: Jed Carter point of view, and I and I start 262 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: to wonder, like why why why are you extending a 263 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: guy that? Okay, so this was his age twenty eighth season, 264 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: But the way this works with age X season is 265 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: is it cuts off at June thirtieth. He's a July 266 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: eleventh birthday, so it's almost his you know, if he 267 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 1: was born two weeks earlier, we'd be talking about his 268 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: age twenty nine season, right. He turned twenty nine in July. 269 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: So let's say next season he turns thirty, the season 270 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: after that he turns thirty one, and the season after 271 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 1: that he turns thirty two. Right, So like we're talking 272 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 1: about three more seasons that he's under control in his 273 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: early thirties essentially, and then the extension would be like 274 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: mid thirties, right, Like if he gets added what let's 275 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: say a realistic extension adds two or three years, right, 276 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: that's what you try to do. If those are guaranteed, 277 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: that is just not happening. That's not how Jen and 278 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: Carter are going to do business. I don't believe that. 279 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: I don't believe that they would do that. Give him 280 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: three more guaranteed years. He has been relatively healthy since 281 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: he's been up in the big leagues. There's been like 282 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 1: random injuries, the elbow stuff pops up every now and then, 283 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: but he was like the big reason why he pitched 284 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 1: at the end is because he was healthy. He was 285 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 1: cleared to go. He had nothing wrong with him, Like 286 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: the scans came back clean. It was nothing wrong. So 287 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: I know people didn't fully agree with that. Fans didn't. 288 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: But he was fine, Like it was emphasized to us 289 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 1: over and over again, how he was fine. And neither 290 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: the Cubs nor Justin Steel had any desire to jeopardize 291 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 1: his future, right, so they so that that should be 292 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: a non issue. It's going to be an issue with fans, 293 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: I understand, but I don't think it is. But he 294 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: does have Tommy John in his history. Like the reason 295 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 1: he's an older guy right now going through ARB is 296 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: because his development got stunted by Tommy John right, and 297 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: and he was, and that's why it took him so 298 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: long to get to the big leagues. I just, you know, 299 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: I just don't think it's the way they're going to 300 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: do things like San Diego and aj S Feller, they'd 301 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 1: be like, we need this guy. He's guaranteed one hundred 302 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: and forty innings at least, which in today's game is 303 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 1: a lot, right, And that's I mean, I think that's 304 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:11,160 Speaker 1: kind of how you feel, like he's going to give 305 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: you one hundred and thirty hundred and forty innings and 306 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,479 Speaker 1: if not, and if he's healthy, then he can give 307 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: you one hundred and seventy five and that in today's game, 308 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:22,119 Speaker 1: that's just a lot, like I know, yeah, yeah, like 309 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 1: a high level like he was according to fangrafs, he 310 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: was four point eight war last year. He was three 311 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: war this year. That's a very good pitcher for only 312 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 1: twenty four starts. He's he's great, Like I I'm he's 313 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:38,640 Speaker 1: convinced me that he's a legit, you know to note 314 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 1: right on a good team. Uh. And and I have 315 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 1: not like I don't like I'm not concerned about his production. 316 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 1: It's like and I and I do wonder about the 317 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 1: agent curve with him if you want, like the very 318 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 1: simple easy comp to go is with Lester, right, And 319 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,679 Speaker 1: the reason the Cubs felt comfortable giving Lester all that 320 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: money is because they thought he'd age well. Right, They 321 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 1: compared him to Andy Pettitt and his aging curve. So yeah, 322 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:13,639 Speaker 1: I don't. I don't think it's what the Cubs would 323 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:17,680 Speaker 1: do this front office. I just don't see them doing it. 324 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: Me personally, I under I can understand that because of 325 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: his age, and you brought it up. They're in a 326 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 1: better spot with their pitching development. You know, five years ago, 327 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: seven years ago, whatever, they couldn't develop pitching. They had 328 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: to like get it wherever they could, and they would 329 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: have to pay for it. So I think this is 330 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 1: a different situation. And I don't I don't know if 331 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 1: this is the off season where the Cubs are going 332 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 1: to be aggressive with it. I think they they can. 333 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 1: They can be patient and if he and if they 334 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 1: need to pay a little bit more because he throws 335 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: one hundred and eighty innings and that puts up a 336 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 1: three e r A again, I think they'd be willing 337 00:18:56,359 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: to do that happily. And they'll also have more information 338 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 1: on Jordan Wicks, Ben Brown, javisad Who, Kate Horton, all 339 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 1: those Rightiznsky, they'll have more information on those guys if 340 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 1: three of them emerge and throw one hundred and twenty 341 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,199 Speaker 1: innings this year or something like that. Right then they're like, 342 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 1: why are we paying this guy twenty five million a year? 343 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: Why would we pay this guy twenty five million a year? 344 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,399 Speaker 1: Right then they start talking about and again I'm just thinking, 345 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: like they do. They start talking thinking about trading him 346 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:32,879 Speaker 1: or something like that for process, right, Like, I'm not 347 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: saying they should. I'm trying to think like this mindset 348 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 1: of like. 349 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 3: That's a while to think that a steel extension question 350 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 3: leads to them possibly, But I get what you're saying. 351 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: I say, I'm not saying. I'm just saying, that's the 352 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 1: thought process that you have to inter because it is 353 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: like a big I remember Jed saying this soon after 354 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 1: I don't know, it was probably in the middle of 355 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: the non rebuild rebuild uh where where they're really struggling, 356 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: and he was asked like, what what have you what 357 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: did you learn from the first you know that that 358 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:11,440 Speaker 1: last group that you want with And basically he said 359 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:14,359 Speaker 1: you gotta I'd rather trade someone a year early than 360 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: a year late. So, like, I think that's kind of 361 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,679 Speaker 1: their mindset now, like that that's part of you have 362 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: to be willing to move these guys. There's no such 363 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:30,480 Speaker 1: thing as like, you know, forever Cubs or whatever. I 364 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 1: don't I don't think they're going to look at it 365 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 1: that way. I'm just again, I'm not reporting that that 366 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: Justin Steele would be traded a year from now or 367 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: anything like that. I'm saying you have to think like 368 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: they do, and I think that's that that's something that 369 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:49,479 Speaker 1: a year from now, if enough pictures have developed and 370 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:52,880 Speaker 1: they feel good about where they are, then it's something 371 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:56,119 Speaker 1: that they may think about. I don't know. I'm just saying, like, 372 00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: do not assume extension with this group, especially with pitching. 373 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: Pitching can get hurt at any moment, so and they 374 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,680 Speaker 1: understand that. And at his age, I just think it 375 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 1: it may not make the most sense, like get it 376 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 1: may just make the most sense to keep them and 377 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: let them walk. But yeah, yeah, I think that may 378 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: be the best thing. If he's pitching as well as 379 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 1: it looks like he's going to. 380 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 3: Well that was that's actually a good segue here. We 381 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,119 Speaker 3: had two questions that we wanted to kind of lump 382 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:30,640 Speaker 3: together because we're already conjuring trade scenarios. Kyle Welch asked, 383 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 3: what's your best guess on a Michael Bush style trade 384 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 3: for twenty twenty five, you know that type of move 385 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:41,440 Speaker 3: that comes totally out of nowhere? And Paul Casco asks, 386 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 3: is Nico Horner going to be traded so that Matt 387 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:50,720 Speaker 3: Shaw can take over second base? The floor is yours sided? Yeah, 388 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:53,919 Speaker 3: I mean is Nico going to be traded? I'm not 389 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 3: saying one hundred percent yet, Like I think these kind 390 00:21:57,280 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 3: of tie in together because Nico is maybe. 391 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 1: That that Michael Bush style trade. I think Nico they're 392 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: going to explore that I and I think, understanding this 393 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:13,680 Speaker 1: front office, they're going to explore almost anything. Like I 394 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:17,199 Speaker 1: don't think there is someone on this roster that you 395 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: could say like Nope, they're not moving him, Like I 396 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 1: guess not maybe Petek Armstrong, but. 397 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 3: The trade guys and p Yeah, probably right. 398 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: It's like, so it's your outfield, right, which you're kind 399 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:34,360 Speaker 1: of locked into, then. 400 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 3: Probably keep but yes. 401 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: Yes, probably keeping Shoda. But yeah, like there's just not 402 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: much that you'd say, like even like if they find 403 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: the right deal, like if Peritis, like if they decide 404 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 1: like they want to shift in that direction. Obviously, Dancy 405 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: Swanson's contract makes him hard to move, but like, I 406 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:59,440 Speaker 1: just don't think there's anyone you can look at and say, like, Nope, 407 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: they're not moving him. And when you say, what's your 408 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:04,639 Speaker 1: best guess on a Michael Busch style trade, so that 409 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: that doesn't mean like a that was essentially a challenge 410 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 1: trade right prospects for prospect a move that totally comes 411 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,919 Speaker 1: out of nowhere. What if they trade Michael Bush? What 412 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 1: if what if they think they can upgrade first base 413 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:21,640 Speaker 1: and go from a one twenty way to run strade 414 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: A plus to one forty five and that that would 415 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: be like getting Blad Junior. Right, I don't think that 416 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: blue Jays are moving him, Like there's there's rumors now 417 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: that the blue Jays are are like going all in 418 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: in free agency and going to make like a Godfather 419 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:39,639 Speaker 1: offered to Jan Soto or something, right, Like, I I 420 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: think the blue Jays are more and like we're saving 421 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: our jobs phase than then let's trade our superstar first 422 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 1: baseman whose father you know who grew up in Canada 423 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:56,880 Speaker 1: and whose father played for mon Yeah, yeah, I don't 424 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 1: think I don't think you can do that. But that's 425 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,399 Speaker 1: that's an out side the box way, right. So what 426 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: I'm saying here is this front office looks at everything 427 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: value based assessments. Right, what is what is Michael Bush's war? Okay, 428 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: it's X right, it's let's say I don't have it 429 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: up right now, but let's say it's three. Right. Can 430 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 1: we get a four and a half win player? Can 431 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:26,159 Speaker 1: we upgrade to a four and a half win player? 432 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: Can we upgrade to a six win player? Right? That? 433 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 4: Like? 434 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: And what if that player is you know it? So 435 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 1: his value according to fangrabs is two point three? What 436 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 1: if you can get a five win player? Double that? Right? 437 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 1: And the cost? Like, and then you look at the 438 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:42,879 Speaker 1: cost for that and and that's how they're doing it. 439 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:45,240 Speaker 1: That's how they're going to do it. Can you upgrade 440 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,119 Speaker 1: at second base? What if you trade Nico? Okay? What 441 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:50,360 Speaker 1: are you getting for Nico? And who are you replacing 442 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 1: it with? That's how they're looking at it, value based, Like, 443 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: so is what you're getting plus who you're replacing him 444 00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: more valuable? Or does it help your team in a 445 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 1: different way that that's how they're going to look at it. 446 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: So they'll look at any area and say, can we 447 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: upgrade this spot? Is it more like and even like 448 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:12,200 Speaker 1: they're not going to trade Pete or Armstorm, but even him, 449 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 1: they'll look at it in that way. If they get 450 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: some crazy offer for him, they'll look at it in 451 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: that way. Because it's very much like, this isn't gut Field, 452 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:25,280 Speaker 1: This isn't a J. Preller style Dave Dombrowski's style. This 453 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,640 Speaker 1: is very much like what what are the value? What's 454 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: the value here? Like what can we get? What? What 455 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 1: are we losing? And what are we gaining? And are 456 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:36,440 Speaker 1: we a better team because of that? That's how they're 457 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:40,159 Speaker 1: going to look at it. So who could be moved? 458 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: I just wouldn't rule out very many people other than 459 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: the guys that they can't move. And yes, I agree 460 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: with you showed a You just put show down that 461 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:50,159 Speaker 1: list because it's like it's really hard to find a 462 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 1: picture at that cost, Like that value is going to 463 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:57,360 Speaker 1: be really hard. So it's dollar per war right essentially, 464 00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 1: And that's kind of like what they're going to look at. 465 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 3: I read this as I thought of your piece after 466 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:06,920 Speaker 3: the trade deadline of how the Cubs went after Logan 467 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 3: o'happy that a Bush style trade or moving Nico, Like, 468 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 3: do they do that type of deal to upgrade a 469 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:20,640 Speaker 3: catching situation that is kind of a glaring need. There 470 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 3: isn't a great obvious like free agent option that's a 471 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,880 Speaker 3: clear upgrade that that's kind of where I went immediately, 472 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:32,640 Speaker 3: not saying that's what's going to happen, but like you said, 473 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 3: they'll exhaust every trade possibility this winter. 474 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, catcher's going to be a priority, right, but I 475 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 1: don't know if it's easily done. I think that's that 476 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 1: you know, we've talked about this and we'll continue to 477 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 1: talk about it. I just don't know. You know, they're 478 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 1: not going to be able to pry O Hoppy away. 479 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 1: There's there's got to be other guys, and I don't 480 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 1: know how easy it'll be to to get any of 481 00:26:56,359 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: those catchers. But they'll certainly explore it. And I appreciate 482 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: that they did that, Like you know, they tried to 483 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,400 Speaker 1: get creative at the deadline, and we'll see what happens. 484 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: We have time for one more you think, Patrick, And 485 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if I said this, but we'll do 486 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:15,880 Speaker 1: a second mail bag piece this week because we got 487 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,400 Speaker 1: so many good questions from you guys, so there's gonna 488 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: be plenty of Don't don't think we didn't. We're skipping 489 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: your question. You have a chance to be in the 490 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 1: next episode as well. Aaron Becker or maybe Baker has 491 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 1: has a two part question. He says, with the number 492 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:36,680 Speaker 1: of position players already under contract, we've kind of touched 493 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 1: on this, but how do you how do the Cubs 494 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 1: reshape this roster enough that it's not just a case 495 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:45,120 Speaker 1: of running it back and hoping for improvement. I think 496 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 1: we we answered that to a degree. I'm not sure 497 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:53,680 Speaker 1: if you have a specific idea there, Patrick that goes 498 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 1: beyond this. I you know, my my other like, I 499 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 1: don't love this idea because you know, I mean, maybe 500 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 1: you see if I and Half's willing to be moved, right, Like, 501 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: is he willing to do that? I don't think he's. 502 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 3: That seems like a waste of time. 503 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:18,399 Speaker 1: Right, And it could's that one, right, I agree, But 504 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: other than that, like we've we've touched on everything, right, 505 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 1: Like what it is? I the more I think about it, 506 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 1: the more I do think it's hard. How do you 507 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 1: like I like Kevin el Contra. I want to see 508 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:31,719 Speaker 1: what Kevin ol Contra can do. I don't know if 509 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: he's has a shot to do it with the Cubs. Like, so, 510 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 1: you've got to get creative there unless they're you know, 511 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: you got to think about what you're doing there. Why 512 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: don't like unless you have more to add to that. 513 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: Let me get to this second, the second question, how 514 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 1: does ownership view the payroll this year versus the performance achieved? 515 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 1: Does the amount spent to underperform expectations this year make 516 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: ownership less likely to spend it in future seasons even 517 00:28:56,600 --> 00:29:02,040 Speaker 1: though the fan base already seems to regard them as. 518 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think this is kind of the awkward part 519 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 3: for Jed Hoyer's front office when they have to meet 520 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 3: with the Ricketts family the board however they worked there. 521 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 3: I don't know quarterly meetings, however, it's structured of like 522 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 3: this ownership group looked at the Red Sox a couple 523 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 3: of years ago, when I want to say they kind 524 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 3: of did a half measure at the trade deadline. I 525 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 3: think they still finished in last place and they tripped 526 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:39,600 Speaker 3: over the tax. It was just like that to them 527 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 3: is like the worst case scenario and I think that 528 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 3: on the one hand, you do have We've talked abou 529 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 3: this before. Jed is managing the payroll the way they 530 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 3: want it to be managed, right of like focusing on 531 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:01,959 Speaker 3: the farm system, getting that steady supply of cheaper, younger talent, 532 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 3: being quote rational in the free agent market, not doing 533 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 3: those thirteen year deals, not going all the way top 534 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 3: of the market. Obviously, as fans you may hate that. 535 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 3: As media we can question that philosophy, but there there's 536 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 3: a lot of alignment there in terms of like how 537 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 3: Tom Rickets use the game, how Jed Hoyer and Carl 538 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 3: Hawkins do the games, and honestly, Craig counsel of a 539 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 3: very rational human being as well. He may have some 540 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 3: different thoughts, but he is not like a careless off 541 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 3: the cuff person by any means. And so I think 542 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 3: what you're looking at here is this family have run 543 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 3: the business sort of the same way almost continuously since 544 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 3: they bought the team from Tribune Company. They view it 545 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 3: as a quote closed loop. Now we can question a 546 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 3: lot of things because we don't get to see their books, 547 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 3: but essentially what that means is they say whatever revenues 548 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 3: they get, they pay the expenses, and leftover stuff goes 549 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 3: to base of operations. Now there's lots of different ways 550 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 3: for them to build their wealth and make others, et cetera. 551 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 1: So conveniently all that the land and all the property 552 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 1: they own around the ballpark doesn't count. But that's a 553 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 1: different understanding. 554 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 3: Is that it's just simply not definite spending. It's not 555 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 3: like reacting to public outcries or certain you know, internal pressures. 556 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 3: It's just like, this is their system, this is how 557 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 3: it's set up, so more revenue comes in whatever they 558 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 3: they don't necessarily spend beyond whatever their projections are. Like 559 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 3: clearly in San Diego, Peter Silent before he died, made 560 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 3: some sort of kind of speculative calculation right of like 561 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 3: I think he thought with the Chargers leaving town with 562 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 3: this great ballpark, kind of wild man executive, you know, 563 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 3: wheeling and dealing some some great talent on hand, and 564 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 3: just saw a moment to like kind of kind of 565 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 3: bust up the model that had been in place in 566 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:34,400 Speaker 3: San Diego. Cubs do not. 567 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:36,520 Speaker 1: Do that. 568 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 3: They have their kind of steady operation. And I think 569 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 3: without nineteen oh eight, there is less curgaency. Without someone 570 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 3: like THEO Epstein kind of agitating. I think it is 571 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:56,760 Speaker 3: a different dynamic in Ragley Bill. But at the same time, 572 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 3: there are you know, I go back to after the 573 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 3: twenty fifth NLCS when they get swept and like that 574 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:06,960 Speaker 3: was a moment where business and baseball operations work together 575 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:08,840 Speaker 3: and said, all right, let's kind of do two off 576 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 3: seasons in one. They see this core, they see this opportunity, 577 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 3: and they went a lot bigger than they thought kind 578 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:24,040 Speaker 3: of heading into the GM meetings, Like they had amazing 579 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 3: winter meetings and that was not what they envisioned kind 580 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 3: of at the GM meetings that it took some work, 581 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 3: some planning, some creativity, and so I would take Tom 582 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 3: Ricketts at his word on this. He's been pretty consistent 583 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:43,360 Speaker 3: of that. They view the luxury tax threshold that's sort 584 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 3: of a general range of where they want to end 585 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 3: up each year. They may go over, they may stay under. 586 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 3: They're aware of the penalties and various calculations, and from 587 00:33:57,360 --> 00:33:59,520 Speaker 3: there they kind of want to respond to the moment. 588 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:04,800 Speaker 3: It's with someone who kind of pushed the nic Cassiano 589 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:07,960 Speaker 3: steel over the line, just like this team needs something, 590 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:14,359 Speaker 3: I'm going to pay for it, get it done. That 591 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:18,040 Speaker 3: is obviously not the prevailing narrative around Tom Ricketts at 592 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:20,680 Speaker 3: this time. I mean, there's a letter that came out 593 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:23,920 Speaker 3: and our colleague John Greenbrigg at The Athletic wrote that up. 594 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:28,920 Speaker 3: But like this is like it or not, This is 595 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:33,279 Speaker 3: sort of the Cubs plan is to have like that 596 00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 3: stable kind of flow of resources where it's not having 597 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,480 Speaker 3: to do what they did in COVID, which was kind 598 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:47,279 Speaker 3: of just splash, but that each year, Jed Hoyer running 599 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:50,760 Speaker 3: baseball operations has a pretty good idea of what's coming, 600 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 3: what the limitations are, what the advantages are, what the 601 00:34:56,280 --> 00:35:00,200 Speaker 3: landscape is, and then it's totally up to him and 602 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:03,440 Speaker 3: his staff to use it however they see fit. I 603 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 3: think it's clearly not satisfying. It has not been good enough. 604 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 3: I think you could also see like how that could work, 605 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:15,720 Speaker 3: right if the Cubs the prior one to one more game, 606 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:21,839 Speaker 3: if certain things fell a different way this year, it's 607 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:23,839 Speaker 3: like not out of the realm of possibility that we've 608 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:26,319 Speaker 3: been talking about, like a pretty good operation, right, and 609 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:32,560 Speaker 3: not having a lot of these not overly positive questions 610 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:35,320 Speaker 3: in this off season mail bag that will be a 611 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:38,000 Speaker 3: regular feature for us, right, I just. 612 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:41,160 Speaker 1: Have a couple of quick things to add, Like I 613 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:44,880 Speaker 1: always dislike when it's like black or white, right, and 614 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:48,040 Speaker 1: like sort of call them cheap bothers me a little 615 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:52,400 Speaker 1: because it's not study's cheap, right, there's nuance here. But 616 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:55,440 Speaker 1: they're like ninth or tenth in payroll depending on how 617 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:58,000 Speaker 1: you want to look at it, and in like the 618 00:35:58,120 --> 00:36:00,839 Speaker 1: landscape has changed, why are they not their tenth They 619 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 1: should always be, in my opinion, in the top five 620 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:07,960 Speaker 1: or hovering around there. This is they're too low. Teams 621 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:10,800 Speaker 1: have passed them up, and I think that that doesn't 622 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:13,480 Speaker 1: make them cheap. It just I think they should be 623 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 1: more aggressive with their payroll. I also think there's an 624 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:20,560 Speaker 1: argument to be made of you are far and away 625 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 1: the biggest payroll in the NL central, why are you not? 626 00:36:25,239 --> 00:36:28,080 Speaker 1: Why are you not doing better? And then the central right, 627 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:31,759 Speaker 1: So this comes back to the dollar per more or 628 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:35,520 Speaker 1: whatever I was discussing before. I don't love analyzing it 629 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:38,399 Speaker 1: in that way. But are they getting the most bang 630 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 1: for their buck? Right? Obviously not. There are teams in 631 00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:45,719 Speaker 1: the playoffs that have significantly unless they're payroll in them, 632 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 1: including like Detroit was like nothing right of their active payroll. 633 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:53,160 Speaker 1: It was like so like twenty something or something. We're insane, Right, 634 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: that's not their actual payroll because of guys that were hurt, 635 00:36:56,080 --> 00:37:00,920 Speaker 1: like Hoavier Bias. But like the Cubs are not efficient passion, 636 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:03,719 Speaker 1: not like Milwaukee, not like Cleveland, not like Campa Bay. 637 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 1: And that's really what they're trying to get to. Right. 638 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:10,600 Speaker 1: If you're efficient like that and you have the highest 639 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:14,200 Speaker 1: payroll in NL Central, nobody's complaining about you not being 640 00:37:14,239 --> 00:37:16,719 Speaker 1: in the top five, right, and then Tom Ricketts looks 641 00:37:16,719 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 1: like a genius and gets what he wants. That is 642 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,480 Speaker 1: what Tom Ricketts wants. He wants he wants to be 643 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:27,680 Speaker 1: able to spend like like the tenth the eighth highest 644 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:30,279 Speaker 1: payroll in the current landscape how things are. He doesn't 645 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:32,360 Speaker 1: want to spend like San Diego. He doesn't want to 646 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:36,560 Speaker 1: spend like that's Philly. That's that's the other team I 647 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:38,680 Speaker 1: was thinking of, like Philly and San Diego when they 648 00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:41,879 Speaker 1: pass you up. In my opinion, that that shouldn't happen, right, 649 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:45,279 Speaker 1: I get like I fans want them to spend like 650 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:48,080 Speaker 1: LA and the New York teams. I understand that's not 651 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:50,759 Speaker 1: going to happen, but it would be nice to see 652 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 1: them right behind them, uh, and we're not We're not 653 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:57,359 Speaker 1: seeing that. So I get the frustration from fans, But 654 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:00,360 Speaker 1: essentially what needs to happen if that it's not going 655 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:02,239 Speaker 1: to happen, you just need if you can accept that 656 00:38:02,239 --> 00:38:06,080 Speaker 1: that's not happening. Now, it's up to Jed and Carter 657 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:08,320 Speaker 1: and everyone to be more efficient with the payroll that 658 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 1: you do have. And that's the bottom line. Like so, 659 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:16,120 Speaker 1: and I my assumption is not after this season, this 660 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:19,520 Speaker 1: past season, but one more year of this. And that's 661 00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:23,319 Speaker 1: when Tom starts to say, like, come on, like other 662 00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:25,920 Speaker 1: teams are more efficient with their payroll, like you need 663 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:27,680 Speaker 1: to be better with it, Like you need to find 664 00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 1: the right players. I'm giving you enough money to win 665 00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:33,720 Speaker 1: because look at all these teams Arizona and Milwaukee. Because 666 00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:35,400 Speaker 1: he's not he's not going to point to what the 667 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:38,280 Speaker 1: World Series is, you know, maybe Yankees, Dodgers or whatever. 668 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:41,200 Speaker 1: It's either going to be like one of the teams 669 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:43,440 Speaker 1: is going to be a top three payroll right in 670 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:48,439 Speaker 1: the World Series. Right, So he's not going to point 671 00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:51,799 Speaker 1: to that. He's going to point to Cleveland, you like 672 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 1: you pointed to Arizona last year. So that's and and 673 00:38:56,719 --> 00:38:59,160 Speaker 1: it's a fair point in the sense like you have 674 00:38:59,239 --> 00:39:02,200 Speaker 1: to be efficient the money that you spend and put 675 00:39:02,239 --> 00:39:04,000 Speaker 1: to get put out a better roster, put out a 676 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:06,440 Speaker 1: better team, and that's the better bottom line, Like they 677 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:08,480 Speaker 1: need to be better, and we're always going to come 678 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:10,719 Speaker 1: back to that be better, because when you don't make 679 00:39:10,719 --> 00:39:13,759 Speaker 1: the playoffs, you're not good enough and that should be 680 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:17,320 Speaker 1: the minimum expectation. All right, Yeah, we will be back 681 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:20,720 Speaker 1: later this week with more of your questions. I always 682 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:23,879 Speaker 1: enjoy answering all of the questions and going through these things. 683 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:26,640 Speaker 1: It helps us to think through things as well. Thanks 684 00:39:26,680 --> 00:39:29,439 Speaker 1: so much for listening. This is Northside Territory. Make sure 685 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:33,440 Speaker 1: to subscribe, rate and review a subscribe on YouTube. Subscribe 686 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:35,319 Speaker 1: to The Athletic where Patrick and I are on top 687 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:38,640 Speaker 1: of the Cubs offseason. Thanks so much for listening and reading. 688 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:40,920 Speaker 1: We really appreciate all of you. Take care