September 15, 2025 • 39 mins
The Cubs keep the dream alive with a huge series win over the Rays, and the postseason picture is still very much in play! On Episode 183 of Dingers, we break down the highs and lows of the week on the North Side. We dive into: 🔹 How the Cubs’ series win keeps playoff hopes strong 🔹 Concerns with recent struggles from Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd 🔹 The impact of losing Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker to the IL 🔹 What the team needs to do to survive and thrive down the stretch The road to October is anything but smooth, but the Cubs are still fighting. Can they overcome the hurdles and make a serious postseason push? We’ve got it all covered right here on Dingers!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
If you're listening to The Danger's Podcast, presented to you
by Test Sports Network with your host Mitch, Jeff and Kevis.
Great to talk some of the Cubs.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Here cast on there.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
We're here with Jeff and Kevin. I'm your host, Mitch.
The clubs are gonna be gonna push for the playoffs,
and that's what we're gonna be talking about tonight. It's
it's getting that time of year where what we've wanted
the Cubs to be is just back in the playoffs,
(00:40):
in the playoffs, hunting. We're gonna be able to talk
some Cubs baseball, some Cubs playoff baseball. What a fun weekend.
Let's start with the fun weekend that the Cubs had
with Saturday welcoming back the legend Anthony Rizzo to Wrigley Field. Uh,
what were your guys thoughts kind of with his retirement
(01:02):
and thoughts with Saturday watching the game and just seeing
everything that took place on Saturday. We'll start with you, Jeff.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I thought it was pretty cool that they let him
come back and retire as a Cub. I mean, he
spent the bulk of his career in Chicago. And I
also thought, like watching the little bit of the press
conference that I did that, you know, he laid out
the things that he was going to do now that
he was retired, and he actually went out to the
outfield and he sat with the bleacher bombs and he
(01:32):
had a hot dog and he helped make a beer snake.
He also sing the seventh ending stretch out there with
I believe Sidy Crawford and Eddie Vedder.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Yeah, I mean, what a retirement, right, yeah Crawford.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, I don't know how I didn't google her age,
but I tell you what, she still looks like she
did on that poster when I was thirteen. Just amazing.
I mean, she's like a fine wine.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Yeah, yeah, I thought sad, Yeah, I thought Saturday was fantastic.
Rizzo just has such a presence. He's such a goofy guy.
And it's and it's but it's goofy, I don't know,
in a fun way. You know, some people can be
over the top. He was just hilarious him on the
air when he joined the broadcast and and was was
(02:29):
talking through that was really fun. All the every time
they put the camera on him on the outfield, he
was always kind of up to something or just being
a fan. I mean, bright smiles, cheer in every play.
I mean when Casey went into the wall, he was
up at the edge of like look it over, like,
oh my gosh, you know what's going on. When Bias
(02:49):
Steros hit that home run and he almost caught it,
that was funny, and then immediately turned around it mouthed
that the camera could see that's why I'm retired.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah, and what are the odds of that? Like that's
crazy that he hits his first home run and literally
to the exact seat that in Like that.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Was just like, yeah, the same thing. I mean, batters
like you wanted to go to like left field, Like
they kind of picked the area, but it's not like
they can pick the seat or the bleacher spot, you know. Yeah, yeah,
that was I thought it was a lot of fun.
Brizzil was a ton of fun to listen to. I'm
excited to see him back in Chicago. I'm glad he
(03:35):
retired a cub never really doubted it would have would
have been interesting if he had gotten a I was
wearing a oh my gosh, obvious shirts. It's like Rizzio
is my captain or whatever like that, you know, like
something like that but you know, I have a feeling
we'll see stuff like that later on as we go.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah, I mean, it was like it was a perfect Saturday.
The only thing that wasn't perfect about is that Blue
the lead and lost. But it was great just to
honor Anthony Rizzo. He's done so much for the seat
of Chicago with the cancer research in Chicago and the
(04:17):
Children's hospital and just everything, like he's done so much
that he he is honest with not only clubs baseball,
but just the city of Chicago. He's made such a
big impact in so many people's life. He's just a
good dude, and it was cool to see him just
having fun, just being a kid. And that's kind of
(04:39):
what baseball does. That's what baseball does to growing men,
is that it makes them act kind of like a kid,
and it makes them acting a kid in the outfield.
And that's what's so fun about going to games like
you can kind of like it takes you back to
being a kid and remembering your first time of going
to a game and walking and seeing everything, and that
(04:59):
he can I got to experience that for the first time.
Was even kind of cooler to see him enjoying himself
in that way. So yeah, it was great and he
will the rest of his life. And so.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Uh did end up taking the series, eating the Rays
in the final game day with me.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
The hero uh double were on Monday night.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Yes, it's still for nothing.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
And to the guys that time, we were gonna talk
about tonight, Uh a little bit like we're heading into
the play and there.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Are those concerns were a little bit our offense, We
have some guys struggling. Michael Bush has been one that's
kind of been struggling as of Like this weekend he
kind of he saw a swing kind of turning a
little bit and him getting a home run tonight. But
he's been on the struggle bus and then PC I
think I saw a stat Since July he's hitting one
(06:16):
sixty one like batting average and just been struggling. He's
had some days off nursing an injury. Comes back tonight
he hits a bomb. Had some pretty good at bats
this weekend, but his bomb tonight. Who knew that just
playing the Pirates might fix a swing, right, And unless
(06:37):
you're facing Paul Skians, you got a good, pretty good
chance of fixing your swing. So hopefully he does that,
But like, are you guys concerned with the lineup in
some of our guys kind of struggling. It's kind of
flipped from being Ian Hap and Dansby Swanson early and
(06:57):
they are struggling to now it's a uh, it's Pca
who we kind of rode the first half. Now they're
struggling going into the playoffs. Are we concerned or do
we think that whether there's thirteen sixteen games left, is
that enough time to turn the tides here with these
guys and get them back on track.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Well, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
I I see see some things trending in the right directions,
and you know, you always want them to get hot
in September and I was just looking, I was like,
I wonder who we play? We play Pittsburgh, we play
Cincinnati for four, we play the Mets, and we play
the Cardinals. That's not a bad kind of way to
(07:47):
finish off the season and hopefully, you know, get some
other people kind of going.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
And the Reds and the Cardinals have been struggling mightily
the last like they're kind of throwing in the towel,
you know the deal.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
They're going to catch fire against us. I know it.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I know it always the pessimist, Jeff.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
I'm not trying to be a pessimist. It's just I
know I've been let down a lot in my life.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
That's tuche. But I think I see some folks heading
in the right direction. I think I didn't realize Moyesi
Biasteros was up till was like thirty some batting appearance
or plate appearances and he's batting three twenty one. Like, yes,
that's still a small sample, but I think, what was it?
I think I saw it the other day. He's only
(08:32):
struck out like one time.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Yeah, he's the one that's going to put the bat
in the ball. Yep, it's just he His big problem
in the minor leagues was he was sitting a lot
of ground balls and rolling over a lot and he
doesn't have the speed to beat out of ground ball,
so he needs to get the ball lifted in the air.
That was good to see him on Saturday getting the
ball in the air and getting a home run. But yeah,
(08:55):
like for PCA, I saw him hit he said in
two he's two sacrifice flies, the last this last weekend,
doing the thing that needed to be done in that
at bat and even that I'm just getting bat on
ball and doing it in situationally to drive and runs.
And then you see today him hitting a bomb for
a home run. Like all all these major league batters
(09:18):
sometimes need is like to square one ball up, barrel
a ball on a good pitch, and it's like, oh,
there it is. That that's the swing, that's what that's
my timing, okay, And they can recognize and get back
on track pretty fast. The one I'm more concerned about
is Saya Suzuki. He's been off for so long that
(09:45):
I don't I don't know. And here's the thing, like
we saw yesterday, Nico Horner come up super clutch. He's
been He has a chance to bat over three under
this year. It is wild.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Just if if.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Let's say we're game game three of the playoffs, the
wild Card Playoffs, it's eighth inning, we'd down one, we
have runners on second and third with one out. Who
(10:31):
are you most confident in having up to bat. It's
one hundred percent Nico Horner right in that lineup. One
hundred Nico Horner, because you either know he's gonna hit
a hit a ground ball through the through the gap
or hit a fly ball to drive in the run,
(10:52):
or he's gonna yank one down the line, or like
he's gonna do something that's gonna be productive to get
that tying run and possibly the winning run in from second.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Yeah, did you see that game against Chris Sale when
he had like two hard singles and like a hard
hit double and it was something it was like was
it the fifth or the sixth inning? And Nico had
seen like twenty two pitches from Chris Sale in three
at bats and just that last time he hit Sale
(11:24):
just starts shaking his head, just as like what in
the world is with this guy?
Speaker 1 (11:27):
And just remember that, And remember the beginning of the year,
there's all this trade talk about trading Nico Horner, and
there was a lot of people that were like do it, Like, yeah,
let's trade Nico. Let's like, let's this dude has been
the most clutch guy on this team and just been
consistent all year long, Like we haven't had to ride
(11:48):
the roller coaster of Nico Horner. He's just bet him
who he is. And I mean, there's nobody else in
this in in the lineup that I would trust more
in a situation where you need production. I mean, trust
him over cal Tucker, trust him over Ian Hap definitely,
(12:15):
Like if it, just if, would you feel confident if
Saya Suzuki and Michael Bush are back to back with
one out that we're gonna get a run in with
those two coming up to play.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
No, And I think lineup wise, I think you got
to keep them separated as much as they're left and
then A right, I don't know, they haven't. They haven't
looked themselves lately. Michael Bush is coming around a little bit.
But I've thought for like a month now, Michael Bush
needed taken out of the leadoff spot.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
I hated that when they did that. That that is
what threw him off when they did that in late
July August and they they moved him to the leadoff
that he was on a roll before that. I get
council wants the best hitters at the top of the lineup,
but that like that messed him up.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Yeah, like we've.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Seen that before. He plays for the Phillies.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Yeah, when he moved move Schwarber get back and who
Schwarber is? Yeah, I'm I'm concerned that right now with that,
How concerned are you that that Kyle Tucker is going
to be healthy and back, because again we have thirteen days.
(13:35):
He hasn't played for what the last ten games, He's
had at least what fifteen days off? He needs. He
needs to come back with at least six games left
to at least get his timing back, right.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
I don't have much hope that he'll be perductive.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
And even if he does come back, I don't see
him playing out in the outfield. I see him playing
like he's gonna be a d h.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Right, Yeah, what's he injured with again?
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Is it a calf string?
Speaker 3 (14:11):
That's why I thought it was lower leg.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
And that's and that's the thing. Like the last game
he played was the first time he barreled a ball.
It had an opposite field home run? Does his first
opposite field home run all season long? Was the game
that he got hurt in, so like he was finding
his swing again and that he gets.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Hurt, which maybe, you know, maybe he's pulling the old
Kyle Schwerburn. He's watching a million pitches in the back
in the cage or something, right, and he's just gonna
walk out and we're gonna have a second guy named
Kyle who didn't need to actually play part of the
regular season and could get him going in the in
the playoffs. But I'm a little worried. I would love
(14:52):
for him to get back in early. I would love
for the first at bat he takes back, he hits
a first pitch dinger, you know, and I'll go, okay, right,
he's here, He's We're good with him, a lot of
him right back in. But yeah, I agree, he's gonna
be d h because that lower I'm betting that lower
leg he's not gonna be able to run on super
well in the outfield, which then I'll move by a
(15:18):
steros out Yeah like that. Yeah, that get then we
start playing some weird chess because we've got hobbled pieces.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Well, then who do you play out there? And right,
is it gonna be Saya? Is it gonna be on Casey?
Is it gonna be depending on the matchup, Like, I
don't trust. I'm sorry, but this time of year with
sayas Azuki in the outfield doesn't bring me good feelings
because I've seen the last two years where he's dropped
(15:45):
a ball that's cost us a playoffs. There's something like
so I do not feel confident in says Azuki out
playing out my field.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Yeah, it seems to always be something with him, right, Like,
I love the guy, but come on, speaking of players
kind of wondering, wandering around, I see Willie Castro's up
to bat right now. Talk about a guy who we
traded for and then kind of just tanked, which I
know he's not getting regular playing time.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
But he should only be used against left handed pitching,
right Like, that's what he has done the best when
with the Cubs.
Speaker 5 (16:24):
Mm hmm, yeah, oh that's gonna read the comment.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Ah, we were looking at pitching. Let's move the talk
to a little bit about pitching. Our bullpen has been
pretty cellar. Brad Keller's lately stepped into the closer's role,
been great all season. I even if Plincia comes back,
do you want him back in that closer role or
(16:56):
do you want him somewhere else? Seventh guy, sixth guy,
sixth a guy, because towards the last like two weeks
of the Plancia run, there wasn't much confidence in me.
Like it was like edge of my seat every single time.
It's gonna be a circus.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, even his good outings were like zero runs, two hits,
one strikeout or two strikeouts and it's just kind of
one of those like that was not clean.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Yeah, always a guy in second or third base, like
the time winning run is always getting get to the second.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Or third with him. I don't think any of us
watching comes Baseball deserve an ulcer in the ninth inning
have a guy.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Yeah, well that's I I don't for him, right. That's
where I do like Palencia though, as kind of a
set up guy or or a seventh inning guy, probably
for a little while, especially with how well he's been
throwing it. I mean, he gave up what his first
run since the All Star break just the other day. Yeah,
(18:06):
and then it was is it Kittridge?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Is that?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
And he threw an immaculate inning and then he was
one pitch away from like a second immaculate inning, and
it was like a borderline call that didn't go his way. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
My my trust, my circle of trust right now is
is pretty small with when it comes to bullpen arms,
even though they've been really good as a whole, like
our bullpen's been pretty stellar. Yeah, but the trust, like
(18:41):
I just I have maybe I have trust issues. Maybe
it's a maybe it's a me issue and not them. Uh,
but it's it's the circle of trust is pretty small
for me right now when it comes to bullpen where
I feel complete confidence.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
The other hey, Asad looked really good in a in
kind of a stretch role. That was kind of interesting
to see, especially as we look towards, you know, when
I'm jumping again a little bit, but as we look
towards the starting rotation in the in the playoffs, but
he looked good. Who was it that they brought in
for like a ninth inning the other day? I'm trying
(19:20):
to look through was that they brought out for a.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Ben Brown just got back sitting down because they brought
in Soroca. He's back. But my circle address is like Pomerants,
Keller and kid Ridge. That's that's That's kind of it.
Other guys like I don't know, I never I'm glad
that Ben Brown. I don't think Ben Brown should be
(19:44):
back up the rest of the year. Like that guy
that dude, like is he gonna be a good pitcher, Yes, eventually,
but he's kind of run his course this year for me.
But let's move to rotation. Let's ask this question. Say
we make the playoffs and we're in the wildcut, we
have three games. Who's getting Game one, who's getting Game two,
(20:07):
who's getting Game three?
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Mm? I like Michael Boyd for a start.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Matthew Boyd, Yeah too.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
I like to say people's name wrong. That way they
know I don't respect him. Which that's funny because that's
also on my Instagram story today. I think you gotta
go a show though. I mean, he's kind of been
pretty solid the last few starts. I mean, he did
(20:42):
give up a few runs the other day, but he
also struck out nine in five innings. As far as
the other third starter for that series, I think you
gotta consider Jamison. But also I don't know if you do,
like start Jamison and then you go to Colin Ray after.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
That, I think you're forgetting somebody.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
My number one, my Game one starter, Kate Horton. Yeah,
my Game one starter, my Game one starter is Kate Horton.
He has been the best pitcher in all of baseball
the second half the season. Yeah, he will get the
ball from me if I was Craig Counsel Game one
(21:36):
full trust in the Rookie of the Year for this
year Kate Horton, and it has a lot to do,
even more so to do with Boyd and Imanaga have
really been struggling. Boyd, especially Boyd needs like they need
to like skip a start for him or just give
(21:57):
him like a day off. Like I don't know, I
think they should skip a start and just let him
get like rest up in armor a little bit. He's
throwing more innings pas in the last like four years.
Give him some rest going into the playoffs. But game
one definitely Horton, then Boyd, then Imanaga, and I would
(22:23):
like I would piggyback Horton and tie on.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Mm hmm. That's a good idea.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
I like that.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
And then you you can if you depending on both
bullpen arms, you could have a SOD in the bullpen
to perhaps piggyback on either Boyd, Ormanaga, whoever is. You
can give one of those guys a shorter leash and
go to a SOD for like two or three innings.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Yeah, I mean, especially in a short three game series.
You you you can do that because you have to
win it. You have to win the first series to
even get into the second. So I mean I get
that you might want to go hort and Boyd a
Monaga and save Ty if you make it to the
second round. But it's like, you gotta get there first.
(23:10):
You gotta win games, you gotta make sure you win.
And if you can win in two, great, But like
a monoga game, one of then I'll see s like
but like or DS vision. But it's like I I'm
one that I want. I want to make sure I
get there first. But right now, Kate Horton is my
(23:34):
guy that I'm putting full trust in more than anybody.
The thing is, they've only been giving him like five
six innings. Yeah, they've been That's where you could piggyback
with somebody else.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
So do you think they'll keep ray on the wild
card roster?
Speaker 1 (23:58):
I I think they will, just because I don't think
they trust some of the other guys down in the
bullpen and where he could be the guy that slides
into the bullpen and gets one or two innings or
comes in gets one. Because I think they he's a
veteran enough guy they can do that with two guys
in the bullpen. I don't think. I just don't feel
(24:22):
like Counsel has full trust in him.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Yeah. I just was thinking about that and wondering because
I know, you know, those those rosters get kind of weird,
especially for wild Card because depending on the team, if
you don't trust a starter or two you're not, you
keep them out because you're not going to use them,
and then you bring extra arm bars.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
All so stole it, breezy breezing is who's your long
man or extray guy Asad Ray? Yes, but you also
have Michael Soroka too that just got activated. He was
gonna be your fifth, fifth starter when they traded for him,
and I mean they said that his velocities back up that. Yeah,
(25:05):
this guy that got from the Nationals, but he got
called up. Ben Brown got sent down. So now you
have like three guys and then four if you have
Colin Ray. But here's the thing. You want your best
pitchers pitching and with the best stuff. And if that's
Michael Soroka becoming a bullplaying guy just pitching one inning,
(25:29):
then let it be so Colin Ray, if it's just
one inning, like you better get these guys ready to
be able to warm up fast in the bullpen and
get ready to go.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Yeah, and they're even using Soroka tonight out of the bullpen.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
Yeah is he is? He got in.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Yeah, he's got twenty six pitches. Yeah, I think he
pitched the seventh in the eighth maybe maybe proud.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Of That's awesome. H that's what they need to do.
Give him two innings. Then you can hand it over
to Pomerants, Kittrich and Keller and feel pretty good that
you're gonna at least hold them.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Yeah, that's interesting kind of thinking about it, it seems
like the Cubs do have a wealth of pretty good
options for those kind of stretch guys between a sad
Ray and Soroka. Now, I don't know. Now, I just
feel a little better about the the armbarn if we're
(26:36):
if we're throwing those three guys in there, I mean,
then it'll get kind of funky when we go back
to when we when we make it to the d s.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Yeah, because then you're getting into five seven game series,
and then it changes changes how you attack. Then the
seven game series you go into four man rotation yep,
and so it just changes how you attack and what
you can use for starters and for if you're gonna
have those guys swing and yeah, it's.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Played left field and alternate.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
That day, it worked, it worked out. Yeah, I miss
Travis would mm hmmm.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
He was fun and he had such a presence in
the bullpen with his whole like no one's moving when
the ball gets hit over here, literally taking one off
the shin.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
So question, right now, we are set up to play
the Padres in the first round of the wild Card?
Is that who you would rather face over the Mets
or the Giants? Because the Giants are making a little
run too, they are who who would you rather face?
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Mm hmm with as long as we're home. Think I'd
rather play the Mets, I think, But I mean we
played the Padres so long ago.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Is that just a three game series?
Speaker 1 (28:19):
That's a three game series the wild Cards?
Speaker 2 (28:21):
So it's like two at home and then one on
the road away. I'm pretty sure it's the first two
at home, is it?
Speaker 3 (28:30):
I thought it was all three at all.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
I don't know, it's been a while since we've been
in the playoffs wild card run.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
No, it's all three at home, okay, because it's a
it's a there September thirtieth, October, first in October. Second,
it's uh Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Are the wild Card games?
Speaker 2 (28:53):
All right? So I guess it all depends on ones
blowing out. I mean, what do you really want to
be at home. I mean, you have the advantage of
the wind blowing out, but so does the other team.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
If the wind's blowing out and Mianaga is pitching, they
should have somebody else pitching, because that's been the one
thing that getsa is it's home run balls. Now, if
the wind's blowing in, you start Emanaga game one. If
if if the wind is blowing in, and you know
that maybe tomorrow the wind's gonna be blowing out, you
(29:29):
Pitchmanaga game one. Game Yes, you're like, okay, you look
at the weather report, you pull up the weather guy
WGN figure out.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
Well, kind of who knows what it'll be like? Because
was it ian happ on the compound. They were going
through what the wind wind had done this season versus
previous season, and and they've only had I had like
seven games where the wind was positively blowing out, and
even then it wasn't straight out. It was like to
an angle. Yeah, which is unusual, they were saying, compared
(30:10):
to normal seasons, that was a lot less than than usual.
But September October gets some wacky weather in the Windy City.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Well what if I was it? Cubs are forty six
and twenty nine home. Definitely want to be home, and
thirty nine and thirty five.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
Away, Yep, I want to be home.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
That's why I like finishing this this season strong. I'm
glad we're playing, we have who we're playing, but we
need you guys, some guys to get back on track.
And that top playoff spot wild card spot is is key.
And I mean no, I don't want Jinks anything or
(31:00):
like scare the Brewers, but we are only five and
a half back to the Brewers. Yeah, and we've kind
of played with us five and a half to like
six and a half back and forth in the last
week where we haven't gained any ground, but we haven't
really lost any ground. This would be a great time
(31:23):
if we could. If we could before the second to
last series get within three and a half, then we're talking.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
It's gonna make it exciting. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
And they played the Angels and then the Cardinals and
then the Padres and they finish with Cincinnati, so they
have some easy teams too, but.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
They played Padres is fighting for the playoffs. We play
the Mats who are fighting for the playoffs. We got Pirates, Cincinnati,
Matt's Cardinals, m.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
Yeah, that's interesting. It'll just be like who they would
really have to.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
They can beat up on the poor teams, and who
can win the three games? Like, but like it's still there,
and we hold the tiebreaker versus the Brewers, and.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
Do we hold the tiebreaker versus the Padres?
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Sorry I believe so.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
Yeah, I think we do too.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
But the fun thing is we will do a podcast
here again, and we will in the first time since
twenty twenty one. Is that the last time that comes
to me? To the playoffs?
Speaker 2 (32:51):
I think so?
Speaker 1 (32:53):
Yeah, we'll get to. But is that the where they
played just one game in twenty twenty one?
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Phb.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
Yeah, it was the best of three because it got
beat by the Marlins. Right, I'm pretty sure you'll have
to look that up. But we will get to do
a playoff episode.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Right, it feels like it's been forever.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
I mean, we started this in twenty twenty. We only
got to do it one time, and it was like
in and out before we even knew it and didn't
really get to do a good playoff episode. So this
will be fun to be able to talk actual playoff baseball. Man,
(33:50):
I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
I'm excited. The Cubs didn't make it in twenty twenty one?
Was it twenty one when they've traded Rizzo Ando?
Speaker 3 (34:03):
I think it was twenty twenty twenty Was the last
time they were in the playoff?
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Because that was the shortened season? Mm hm, yam, gosh oh.
I will say for being and that is what's the record,
I just had it.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
That's what our record, eighty five and sixty four.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
For being a team that's eighty five and sixty four,
you'd think I would be a little bit more confident,
right and us winning a first round wild card series,
But because there's these question marks that we've talked about
(35:01):
in this episode, I would feel a lot better. And
here's here's the reason why. What did we have the
first half the season that made you feel super confident
in this team?
Speaker 2 (35:18):
I think it was consistency, like all around with the exception.
I think at the beginning of the season, our bullpen
was kind of misfiring a little bit and almost like
our Achilles heel. But they got better, and as they
got better, it seemed like we became less consistent at
the plate in our offense. The second half is kind
(35:38):
of dropped off a little bit.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
You know what, I'll say, our stars were stars.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Yeah. I mean that's when we were calling Tucker King Tuck.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
And that's when we were calling PCA and MVP MVP
like he was at the All Star Break. He probably
would have won the MVP this year. Yeah, you had
your stars being stars and in the playoffs, that's what
wins you playoff games. When we had Chris Bryant in
(36:12):
the World Series in Game four, Game five, we're down
one and we need a spark, and he hits that
home run like stars were stars, Like he did what
he got the offense going, like that's what you need.
In the first half of the season, we had our
(36:34):
stars being that and it carried our team. It got
everybody going. We had the best offensive baseball. It would
make me feel a lot more confident going into the
playoffs if we had Pete being Pete and Cal Tucker
not an injury list but in the lineup Raking getting
(36:54):
hot right now, that would make me like, all right,
let's go, we're gonna win. We're gonna win this wild
card easy. But now it's like I don't know where
the offense is gonna come. It's kind of been sputtering
it's kind of showed some life. It's like it's been
a carcass laying there. You poked it and it's showed
(37:17):
life a little bit. But you're like, I want to
be so oh that's where. That's where I'm at. I
want some confidence. That's where these last thirteen sixteen, I
don't even know how many games left, but how many
ever games are left? I want to see some life
out of this offense. I'm confident that our pitching is
(37:40):
going to be there because they've been good all season. Yes,
the bullpen worries me, but they've been they've been really good,
and so I need to see this offense get going.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Agreed, agreed, get those stars back, made some star power.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
So hopefully PCA this was a jump start today of
hitting that bomb four hundred and seventeen sixteen feet, like
getting into one if he does want to, if he
hits one off Paul Skins, he's back, yep. Or do
you just like, no, we're not even gonna play him
against Paul Skians because we don't want that's good. Let
(38:25):
me just yeah, that's where I'm at.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
We play against that guy every single time we play
the Pirates.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
We won't miss him. But uh, that does it for
this episode of The Diner's Podcast.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Again.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
We're super pumped playoff Baseball. We're gonna be chatting it
up here on The Dinner's Podcast. Make sure you're following
Cubs on Tap. There are buddies on the on Tap
Sports Network podcasting. They're great. Give them a listen, go
check them out. They're doing a little bit more daily episode,
so go check them out as well as on Tap
Sports Network. But yeah, thanks for listening and go Cubs.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
Good night everyone, Thank you.
If you're listening to The Danger's Podcast, presented to you
by Test Sports Network with your host Mitch, Jeff and Kevis.
Great to talk some of the Cubs.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Here cast on there.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
We're here with Jeff and Kevin. I'm your host, Mitch.
The clubs are gonna be gonna push for the playoffs,
and that's what we're gonna be talking about tonight. It's
it's getting that time of year where what we've wanted
the Cubs to be is just back in the playoffs,
(00:40):
in the playoffs, hunting. We're gonna be able to talk
some Cubs baseball, some Cubs playoff baseball. What a fun weekend.
Let's start with the fun weekend that the Cubs had
with Saturday welcoming back the legend Anthony Rizzo to Wrigley Field. Uh,
what were your guys thoughts kind of with his retirement
(01:02):
and thoughts with Saturday watching the game and just seeing
everything that took place on Saturday. We'll start with you, Jeff.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I thought it was pretty cool that they let him
come back and retire as a Cub. I mean, he
spent the bulk of his career in Chicago. And I
also thought, like watching the little bit of the press
conference that I did that, you know, he laid out
the things that he was going to do now that
he was retired, and he actually went out to the
outfield and he sat with the bleacher bombs and he
(01:32):
had a hot dog and he helped make a beer snake.
He also sing the seventh ending stretch out there with
I believe Sidy Crawford and Eddie Vedder.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Yeah, I mean, what a retirement, right, yeah Crawford.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, I don't know how I didn't google her age,
but I tell you what, she still looks like she
did on that poster when I was thirteen. Just amazing.
I mean, she's like a fine wine.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Yeah, yeah, I thought sad, Yeah, I thought Saturday was fantastic.
Rizzo just has such a presence. He's such a goofy guy.
And it's and it's but it's goofy, I don't know,
in a fun way. You know, some people can be
over the top. He was just hilarious him on the
air when he joined the broadcast and and was was
(02:29):
talking through that was really fun. All the every time
they put the camera on him on the outfield, he
was always kind of up to something or just being
a fan. I mean, bright smiles, cheer in every play.
I mean when Casey went into the wall, he was
up at the edge of like look it over, like,
oh my gosh, you know what's going on. When Bias
(02:49):
Steros hit that home run and he almost caught it,
that was funny, and then immediately turned around it mouthed
that the camera could see that's why I'm retired.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah, and what are the odds of that? Like that's
crazy that he hits his first home run and literally
to the exact seat that in Like that.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Was just like, yeah, the same thing. I mean, batters
like you wanted to go to like left field, Like
they kind of picked the area, but it's not like
they can pick the seat or the bleacher spot, you know. Yeah, yeah,
that was I thought it was a lot of fun.
Brizzil was a ton of fun to listen to. I'm
excited to see him back in Chicago. I'm glad he
(03:35):
retired a cub never really doubted it would have would
have been interesting if he had gotten a I was
wearing a oh my gosh, obvious shirts. It's like Rizzio
is my captain or whatever like that, you know, like
something like that but you know, I have a feeling
we'll see stuff like that later on as we go.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah, I mean, it was like it was a perfect Saturday.
The only thing that wasn't perfect about is that Blue
the lead and lost. But it was great just to
honor Anthony Rizzo. He's done so much for the seat
of Chicago with the cancer research in Chicago and the
(04:17):
Children's hospital and just everything, like he's done so much
that he he is honest with not only clubs baseball,
but just the city of Chicago. He's made such a
big impact in so many people's life. He's just a
good dude, and it was cool to see him just
having fun, just being a kid. And that's kind of
(04:39):
what baseball does. That's what baseball does to growing men,
is that it makes them act kind of like a kid,
and it makes them acting a kid in the outfield.
And that's what's so fun about going to games like
you can kind of like it takes you back to
being a kid and remembering your first time of going
to a game and walking and seeing everything, and that
(04:59):
he can I got to experience that for the first time.
Was even kind of cooler to see him enjoying himself
in that way. So yeah, it was great and he
will the rest of his life. And so.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Uh did end up taking the series, eating the Rays
in the final game day with me.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
The hero uh double were on Monday night.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Yes, it's still for nothing.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
And to the guys that time, we were gonna talk
about tonight, Uh a little bit like we're heading into
the play and there.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Are those concerns were a little bit our offense, We
have some guys struggling. Michael Bush has been one that's
kind of been struggling as of Like this weekend he
kind of he saw a swing kind of turning a
little bit and him getting a home run tonight. But
he's been on the struggle bus and then PC I
think I saw a stat Since July he's hitting one
(06:16):
sixty one like batting average and just been struggling. He's
had some days off nursing an injury. Comes back tonight
he hits a bomb. Had some pretty good at bats
this weekend, but his bomb tonight. Who knew that just
playing the Pirates might fix a swing, right, And unless
(06:37):
you're facing Paul Skians, you got a good, pretty good
chance of fixing your swing. So hopefully he does that,
But like, are you guys concerned with the lineup in
some of our guys kind of struggling. It's kind of
flipped from being Ian Hap and Dansby Swanson early and
(06:57):
they are struggling to now it's a uh, it's Pca
who we kind of rode the first half. Now they're
struggling going into the playoffs. Are we concerned or do
we think that whether there's thirteen sixteen games left, is
that enough time to turn the tides here with these
guys and get them back on track.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Well, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
I I see see some things trending in the right directions,
and you know, you always want them to get hot
in September and I was just looking, I was like,
I wonder who we play? We play Pittsburgh, we play
Cincinnati for four, we play the Mets, and we play
the Cardinals. That's not a bad kind of way to
(07:47):
finish off the season and hopefully, you know, get some
other people kind of going.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
And the Reds and the Cardinals have been struggling mightily
the last like they're kind of throwing in the towel,
you know the deal.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
They're going to catch fire against us. I know it.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I know it always the pessimist, Jeff.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
I'm not trying to be a pessimist. It's just I
know I've been let down a lot in my life.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
That's tuche. But I think I see some folks heading
in the right direction. I think I didn't realize Moyesi
Biasteros was up till was like thirty some batting appearance
or plate appearances and he's batting three twenty one. Like, yes,
that's still a small sample, but I think, what was it?
I think I saw it the other day. He's only
(08:32):
struck out like one time.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Yeah, he's the one that's going to put the bat
in the ball. Yep, it's just he His big problem
in the minor leagues was he was sitting a lot
of ground balls and rolling over a lot and he
doesn't have the speed to beat out of ground ball,
so he needs to get the ball lifted in the air.
That was good to see him on Saturday getting the
ball in the air and getting a home run. But yeah,
(08:55):
like for PCA, I saw him hit he said in
two he's two sacrifice flies, the last this last weekend,
doing the thing that needed to be done in that
at bat and even that I'm just getting bat on
ball and doing it in situationally to drive and runs.
And then you see today him hitting a bomb for
a home run. Like all all these major league batters
(09:18):
sometimes need is like to square one ball up, barrel
a ball on a good pitch, and it's like, oh,
there it is. That that's the swing, that's what that's
my timing, okay, And they can recognize and get back
on track pretty fast. The one I'm more concerned about
is Saya Suzuki. He's been off for so long that
(09:45):
I don't I don't know. And here's the thing, like
we saw yesterday, Nico Horner come up super clutch. He's
been He has a chance to bat over three under
this year. It is wild.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Just if if.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Let's say we're game game three of the playoffs, the
wild Card Playoffs, it's eighth inning, we'd down one, we
have runners on second and third with one out. Who
(10:31):
are you most confident in having up to bat. It's
one hundred percent Nico Horner right in that lineup. One
hundred Nico Horner, because you either know he's gonna hit
a hit a ground ball through the through the gap
or hit a fly ball to drive in the run,
(10:52):
or he's gonna yank one down the line, or like
he's gonna do something that's gonna be productive to get
that tying run and possibly the winning run in from second.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Yeah, did you see that game against Chris Sale when
he had like two hard singles and like a hard
hit double and it was something it was like was
it the fifth or the sixth inning? And Nico had
seen like twenty two pitches from Chris Sale in three
at bats and just that last time he hit Sale
(11:24):
just starts shaking his head, just as like what in
the world is with this guy?
Speaker 1 (11:27):
And just remember that, And remember the beginning of the year,
there's all this trade talk about trading Nico Horner, and
there was a lot of people that were like do it, Like, yeah,
let's trade Nico. Let's like, let's this dude has been
the most clutch guy on this team and just been
consistent all year long, Like we haven't had to ride
(11:48):
the roller coaster of Nico Horner. He's just bet him
who he is. And I mean, there's nobody else in
this in in the lineup that I would trust more
in a situation where you need production. I mean, trust
him over cal Tucker, trust him over Ian Hap definitely,
(12:15):
Like if it, just if, would you feel confident if
Saya Suzuki and Michael Bush are back to back with
one out that we're gonna get a run in with
those two coming up to play.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
No, And I think lineup wise, I think you got
to keep them separated as much as they're left and
then A right, I don't know, they haven't. They haven't
looked themselves lately. Michael Bush is coming around a little bit.
But I've thought for like a month now, Michael Bush
needed taken out of the leadoff spot.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
I hated that when they did that. That that is
what threw him off when they did that in late
July August and they they moved him to the leadoff
that he was on a roll before that. I get
council wants the best hitters at the top of the lineup,
but that like that messed him up.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Yeah, like we've.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Seen that before. He plays for the Phillies.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Yeah, when he moved move Schwarber get back and who
Schwarber is? Yeah, I'm I'm concerned that right now with that,
How concerned are you that that Kyle Tucker is going
to be healthy and back, because again we have thirteen days.
(13:35):
He hasn't played for what the last ten games, He's
had at least what fifteen days off? He needs. He
needs to come back with at least six games left
to at least get his timing back, right.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
I don't have much hope that he'll be perductive.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
And even if he does come back, I don't see
him playing out in the outfield. I see him playing
like he's gonna be a d h.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Right, Yeah, what's he injured with again?
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Is it a calf string?
Speaker 3 (14:11):
That's why I thought it was lower leg.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
And that's and that's the thing. Like the last game
he played was the first time he barreled a ball.
It had an opposite field home run? Does his first
opposite field home run all season long? Was the game
that he got hurt in, so like he was finding
his swing again and that he gets.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Hurt, which maybe, you know, maybe he's pulling the old
Kyle Schwerburn. He's watching a million pitches in the back
in the cage or something, right, and he's just gonna
walk out and we're gonna have a second guy named
Kyle who didn't need to actually play part of the
regular season and could get him going in the in
the playoffs. But I'm a little worried. I would love
(14:52):
for him to get back in early. I would love
for the first at bat he takes back, he hits
a first pitch dinger, you know, and I'll go, okay, right,
he's here, He's We're good with him, a lot of
him right back in. But yeah, I agree, he's gonna
be d h because that lower I'm betting that lower
leg he's not gonna be able to run on super
well in the outfield, which then I'll move by a
(15:18):
steros out Yeah like that. Yeah, that get then we
start playing some weird chess because we've got hobbled pieces.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Well, then who do you play out there? And right,
is it gonna be Saya? Is it gonna be on Casey?
Is it gonna be depending on the matchup, Like, I
don't trust. I'm sorry, but this time of year with
sayas Azuki in the outfield doesn't bring me good feelings
because I've seen the last two years where he's dropped
(15:45):
a ball that's cost us a playoffs. There's something like
so I do not feel confident in says Azuki out
playing out my field.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Yeah, it seems to always be something with him, right, Like,
I love the guy, but come on, speaking of players
kind of wondering, wandering around, I see Willie Castro's up
to bat right now. Talk about a guy who we
traded for and then kind of just tanked, which I
know he's not getting regular playing time.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
But he should only be used against left handed pitching,
right Like, that's what he has done the best when
with the Cubs.
Speaker 5 (16:24):
Mm hmm, yeah, oh that's gonna read the comment.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Ah, we were looking at pitching. Let's move the talk
to a little bit about pitching. Our bullpen has been
pretty cellar. Brad Keller's lately stepped into the closer's role,
been great all season. I even if Plincia comes back,
do you want him back in that closer role or
(16:56):
do you want him somewhere else? Seventh guy, sixth guy,
sixth a guy, because towards the last like two weeks
of the Plancia run, there wasn't much confidence in me.
Like it was like edge of my seat every single time.
It's gonna be a circus.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, even his good outings were like zero runs, two hits,
one strikeout or two strikeouts and it's just kind of
one of those like that was not clean.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Yeah, always a guy in second or third base, like
the time winning run is always getting get to the second.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Or third with him. I don't think any of us
watching comes Baseball deserve an ulcer in the ninth inning
have a guy.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Yeah, well that's I I don't for him, right. That's
where I do like Palencia though, as kind of a
set up guy or or a seventh inning guy, probably
for a little while, especially with how well he's been
throwing it. I mean, he gave up what his first
run since the All Star break just the other day. Yeah,
(18:06):
and then it was is it Kittridge?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Is that?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
And he threw an immaculate inning and then he was
one pitch away from like a second immaculate inning, and
it was like a borderline call that didn't go his way. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
My my trust, my circle of trust right now is
is pretty small with when it comes to bullpen arms,
even though they've been really good as a whole, like
our bullpen's been pretty stellar. Yeah, but the trust, like
(18:41):
I just I have maybe I have trust issues. Maybe
it's a maybe it's a me issue and not them. Uh,
but it's it's the circle of trust is pretty small
for me right now when it comes to bullpen where
I feel complete confidence.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
The other hey, Asad looked really good in a in
kind of a stretch role. That was kind of interesting
to see, especially as we look towards, you know, when
I'm jumping again a little bit, but as we look
towards the starting rotation in the in the playoffs, but
he looked good. Who was it that they brought in
for like a ninth inning the other day? I'm trying
(19:20):
to look through was that they brought out for a.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Ben Brown just got back sitting down because they brought
in Soroca. He's back. But my circle address is like Pomerants,
Keller and kid Ridge. That's that's That's kind of it.
Other guys like I don't know, I never I'm glad
that Ben Brown. I don't think Ben Brown should be
(19:44):
back up the rest of the year. Like that guy
that dude, like is he gonna be a good pitcher, Yes, eventually,
but he's kind of run his course this year for me.
But let's move to rotation. Let's ask this question. Say
we make the playoffs and we're in the wildcut, we
have three games. Who's getting Game one, who's getting Game two,
(20:07):
who's getting Game three?
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Mm? I like Michael Boyd for a start.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Matthew Boyd, Yeah too.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
I like to say people's name wrong. That way they
know I don't respect him. Which that's funny because that's
also on my Instagram story today. I think you gotta
go a show though. I mean, he's kind of been
pretty solid the last few starts. I mean, he did
(20:42):
give up a few runs the other day, but he
also struck out nine in five innings. As far as
the other third starter for that series, I think you
gotta consider Jamison. But also I don't know if you do,
like start Jamison and then you go to Colin Ray after.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
That, I think you're forgetting somebody.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
My number one, my Game one starter, Kate Horton. Yeah,
my Game one starter, my Game one starter is Kate Horton.
He has been the best pitcher in all of baseball
the second half the season. Yeah, he will get the
ball from me if I was Craig Counsel Game one
(21:36):
full trust in the Rookie of the Year for this
year Kate Horton, and it has a lot to do,
even more so to do with Boyd and Imanaga have
really been struggling. Boyd, especially Boyd needs like they need
to like skip a start for him or just give
(21:57):
him like a day off. Like I don't know, I
think they should skip a start and just let him
get like rest up in armor a little bit. He's
throwing more innings pas in the last like four years.
Give him some rest going into the playoffs. But game
one definitely Horton, then Boyd, then Imanaga, and I would
(22:23):
like I would piggyback Horton and tie on.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Mm hmm. That's a good idea.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
I like that.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
And then you you can if you depending on both
bullpen arms, you could have a SOD in the bullpen
to perhaps piggyback on either Boyd, Ormanaga, whoever is. You
can give one of those guys a shorter leash and
go to a SOD for like two or three innings.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Yeah, I mean, especially in a short three game series.
You you you can do that because you have to
win it. You have to win the first series to
even get into the second. So I mean I get
that you might want to go hort and Boyd a
Monaga and save Ty if you make it to the
second round. But it's like, you gotta get there first.
(23:10):
You gotta win games, you gotta make sure you win.
And if you can win in two, great, But like
a monoga game, one of then I'll see s like
but like or DS vision. But it's like I I'm
one that I want. I want to make sure I
get there first. But right now, Kate Horton is my
(23:34):
guy that I'm putting full trust in more than anybody.
The thing is, they've only been giving him like five
six innings. Yeah, they've been That's where you could piggyback
with somebody else.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
So do you think they'll keep ray on the wild
card roster?
Speaker 1 (23:58):
I I think they will, just because I don't think
they trust some of the other guys down in the
bullpen and where he could be the guy that slides
into the bullpen and gets one or two innings or
comes in gets one. Because I think they he's a
veteran enough guy they can do that with two guys
in the bullpen. I don't think. I just don't feel
(24:22):
like Counsel has full trust in him.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Yeah. I just was thinking about that and wondering because
I know, you know, those those rosters get kind of weird,
especially for wild Card because depending on the team, if
you don't trust a starter or two you're not, you
keep them out because you're not going to use them,
and then you bring extra arm bars.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
All so stole it, breezy breezing is who's your long
man or extray guy Asad Ray? Yes, but you also
have Michael Soroka too that just got activated. He was
gonna be your fifth, fifth starter when they traded for him,
and I mean they said that his velocities back up that. Yeah,
(25:05):
this guy that got from the Nationals, but he got
called up. Ben Brown got sent down. So now you
have like three guys and then four if you have
Colin Ray. But here's the thing. You want your best
pitchers pitching and with the best stuff. And if that's
Michael Soroka becoming a bullplaying guy just pitching one inning,
(25:29):
then let it be so Colin Ray, if it's just
one inning, like you better get these guys ready to
be able to warm up fast in the bullpen and
get ready to go.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Yeah, and they're even using Soroka tonight out of the bullpen.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
Yeah is he is? He got in.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Yeah, he's got twenty six pitches. Yeah, I think he
pitched the seventh in the eighth maybe maybe proud.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Of That's awesome. H that's what they need to do.
Give him two innings. Then you can hand it over
to Pomerants, Kittrich and Keller and feel pretty good that
you're gonna at least hold them.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Yeah, that's interesting kind of thinking about it, it seems
like the Cubs do have a wealth of pretty good
options for those kind of stretch guys between a sad
Ray and Soroka. Now, I don't know. Now, I just
feel a little better about the the armbarn if we're
(26:36):
if we're throwing those three guys in there, I mean,
then it'll get kind of funky when we go back
to when we when we make it to the d s.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Yeah, because then you're getting into five seven game series,
and then it changes changes how you attack. Then the
seven game series you go into four man rotation yep,
and so it just changes how you attack and what
you can use for starters and for if you're gonna
have those guys swing and yeah, it's.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Played left field and alternate.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
That day, it worked, it worked out. Yeah, I miss
Travis would mm hmmm.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
He was fun and he had such a presence in
the bullpen with his whole like no one's moving when
the ball gets hit over here, literally taking one off
the shin.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
So question, right now, we are set up to play
the Padres in the first round of the wild Card?
Is that who you would rather face over the Mets
or the Giants? Because the Giants are making a little
run too, they are who who would you rather face?
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Mm hmm with as long as we're home. Think I'd
rather play the Mets, I think, But I mean we
played the Padres so long ago.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Is that just a three game series?
Speaker 1 (28:19):
That's a three game series the wild Cards?
Speaker 2 (28:21):
So it's like two at home and then one on
the road away. I'm pretty sure it's the first two
at home, is it?
Speaker 3 (28:30):
I thought it was all three at all.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
I don't know, it's been a while since we've been
in the playoffs wild card run.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
No, it's all three at home, okay, because it's a
it's a there September thirtieth, October, first in October. Second,
it's uh Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Are the wild Card games?
Speaker 2 (28:53):
All right? So I guess it all depends on ones
blowing out. I mean, what do you really want to
be at home. I mean, you have the advantage of
the wind blowing out, but so does the other team.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
If the wind's blowing out and Mianaga is pitching, they
should have somebody else pitching, because that's been the one
thing that getsa is it's home run balls. Now, if
the wind's blowing in, you start Emanaga game one. If
if if the wind is blowing in, and you know
that maybe tomorrow the wind's gonna be blowing out, you
(29:29):
Pitchmanaga game one. Game Yes, you're like, okay, you look
at the weather report, you pull up the weather guy
WGN figure out.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
Well, kind of who knows what it'll be like? Because
was it ian happ on the compound. They were going
through what the wind wind had done this season versus
previous season, and and they've only had I had like
seven games where the wind was positively blowing out, and
even then it wasn't straight out. It was like to
an angle. Yeah, which is unusual, they were saying, compared
(30:10):
to normal seasons, that was a lot less than than usual.
But September October gets some wacky weather in the Windy City.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Well what if I was it? Cubs are forty six
and twenty nine home. Definitely want to be home, and
thirty nine and thirty five.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
Away, Yep, I want to be home.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
That's why I like finishing this this season strong. I'm
glad we're playing, we have who we're playing, but we
need you guys, some guys to get back on track.
And that top playoff spot wild card spot is is key.
And I mean no, I don't want Jinks anything or
(31:00):
like scare the Brewers, but we are only five and
a half back to the Brewers. Yeah, and we've kind
of played with us five and a half to like
six and a half back and forth in the last
week where we haven't gained any ground, but we haven't
really lost any ground. This would be a great time
(31:23):
if we could. If we could before the second to
last series get within three and a half, then we're talking.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
It's gonna make it exciting. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
And they played the Angels and then the Cardinals and
then the Padres and they finish with Cincinnati, so they
have some easy teams too, but.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
They played Padres is fighting for the playoffs. We play
the Mats who are fighting for the playoffs. We got Pirates, Cincinnati,
Matt's Cardinals, m.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
Yeah, that's interesting. It'll just be like who they would
really have to.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
They can beat up on the poor teams, and who
can win the three games? Like, but like it's still there,
and we hold the tiebreaker versus the Brewers, and.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
Do we hold the tiebreaker versus the Padres?
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Sorry I believe so.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
Yeah, I think we do too.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
But the fun thing is we will do a podcast
here again, and we will in the first time since
twenty twenty one. Is that the last time that comes
to me? To the playoffs?
Speaker 2 (32:51):
I think so?
Speaker 1 (32:53):
Yeah, we'll get to. But is that the where they
played just one game in twenty twenty one?
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Phb.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
Yeah, it was the best of three because it got
beat by the Marlins. Right, I'm pretty sure you'll have
to look that up. But we will get to do
a playoff episode.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Right, it feels like it's been forever.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
I mean, we started this in twenty twenty. We only
got to do it one time, and it was like
in and out before we even knew it and didn't
really get to do a good playoff episode. So this
will be fun to be able to talk actual playoff baseball. Man,
(33:50):
I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
I'm excited. The Cubs didn't make it in twenty twenty one?
Was it twenty one when they've traded Rizzo Ando?
Speaker 3 (34:03):
I think it was twenty twenty twenty Was the last
time they were in the playoff?
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Because that was the shortened season? Mm hm, yam, gosh oh.
I will say for being and that is what's the record,
I just had it.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
That's what our record, eighty five and sixty four.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
For being a team that's eighty five and sixty four,
you'd think I would be a little bit more confident,
right and us winning a first round wild card series,
But because there's these question marks that we've talked about
(35:01):
in this episode, I would feel a lot better. And
here's here's the reason why. What did we have the
first half the season that made you feel super confident
in this team?
Speaker 2 (35:18):
I think it was consistency, like all around with the exception.
I think at the beginning of the season, our bullpen
was kind of misfiring a little bit and almost like
our Achilles heel. But they got better, and as they
got better, it seemed like we became less consistent at
the plate in our offense. The second half is kind
(35:38):
of dropped off a little bit.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
You know what, I'll say, our stars were stars.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Yeah. I mean that's when we were calling Tucker King Tuck.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
And that's when we were calling PCA and MVP MVP
like he was at the All Star Break. He probably
would have won the MVP this year. Yeah, you had
your stars being stars and in the playoffs, that's what
wins you playoff games. When we had Chris Bryant in
(36:12):
the World Series in Game four, Game five, we're down
one and we need a spark, and he hits that
home run like stars were stars, Like he did what
he got the offense going, like that's what you need.
In the first half of the season, we had our
(36:34):
stars being that and it carried our team. It got
everybody going. We had the best offensive baseball. It would
make me feel a lot more confident going into the
playoffs if we had Pete being Pete and Cal Tucker
not an injury list but in the lineup Raking getting
(36:54):
hot right now, that would make me like, all right,
let's go, we're gonna win. We're gonna win this wild
card easy. But now it's like I don't know where
the offense is gonna come. It's kind of been sputtering
it's kind of showed some life. It's like it's been
a carcass laying there. You poked it and it's showed
(37:17):
life a little bit. But you're like, I want to
be so oh that's where. That's where I'm at. I
want some confidence. That's where these last thirteen sixteen, I
don't even know how many games left, but how many
ever games are left? I want to see some life
out of this offense. I'm confident that our pitching is
(37:40):
going to be there because they've been good all season. Yes,
the bullpen worries me, but they've been they've been really good,
and so I need to see this offense get going.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Agreed, agreed, get those stars back, made some star power.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
So hopefully PCA this was a jump start today of
hitting that bomb four hundred and seventeen sixteen feet, like
getting into one if he does want to, if he
hits one off Paul Skins, he's back, yep. Or do
you just like, no, we're not even gonna play him
against Paul Skians because we don't want that's good. Let
(38:25):
me just yeah, that's where I'm at.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
We play against that guy every single time we play
the Pirates.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
We won't miss him. But uh, that does it for
this episode of The Diner's Podcast.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Again.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
We're super pumped playoff Baseball. We're gonna be chatting it
up here on The Dinner's Podcast. Make sure you're following
Cubs on Tap. There are buddies on the on Tap
Sports Network podcasting. They're great. Give them a listen, go
check them out. They're doing a little bit more daily episode,
so go check them out as well as on Tap
Sports Network. But yeah, thanks for listening and go Cubs.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
Good night everyone, Thank you.
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