October 6, 2025 • 30 mins
The Cubs drop Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, and now the pressure is on. In this episode of the Dingers Podcast, we break down what went wrong, from missed opportunities to shaky moments on the mound. We look ahead to Game 2, asking the big questions: Who’s going to step up when it matters most? And will Shota’s splitter split the way it needs to? It’s do-or-die time for the Cubs—let’s talk about it.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to The Dinger's Podcast, presented to you by
Test Sports Network with your host Mitch, jeff and Kevis
Gay to talk to the Cubs. All I need is
a y'all, The Dingers Podcast is on the air. I'm
(00:24):
your host, Mitch. I'm here with my man Jeffrey.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
The Cubs have dropped game one to the brew Cup
on Saturday. We were recording on Monday, well, pre game
episode before the Cubs take on the Brewers tonight at
eight o'clock. Jeff, are you even gonna be awake that late?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
No? No, I will that.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
You're just cann get up early and watch the next day, right, Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
I mean I should be able to rewatch it tomorrow
at some point. I can't take it off work. But no,
it's I see, when I saw the eight away, I
didn't even really look to see what time zone that was.
I just assumed that they were listing like Eastern time
zone for some reason. But then I thought, well, both
those teams are in the central eighth eight. It's just
a weird time for teams in the Central to start
(01:14):
a game. I don't know what's on TBS before.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
That, probably Big Bang theory that's what is always on TBS.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
So does that start at like eight oh eight in
the morning and that goes to like set eight o'clock.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Yeah, I think they're like the sole distributor of Big
Bang theory. Anyway, let's recap a little bit of how
the Cubs are down in this series with the Brewer
Crew or the djens from up Country as we like
to call them. Game one a lot of controversy with
(01:54):
Cubs Twitter of them starting Matthew Boyd. What is your
take on, Yeah, obviously it didn't work out, but going
into the game, were you confident in the start with
Matthew Boyd? And what was your kind of feel after
it kind of collapsed and didn't even make it out
(02:14):
of the first.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I didn't know if it was really necessary to start
him because he was kind of going on somewhat a
short rest and he has pitched just a ton of
innings this year. I mean, he's been like an innings
eater all season. He hasn't been on the il, he
hasn't missed I don't even think he's missed his start
this year. He's just he's stilling a ton of innings
(02:39):
more than his previous year's workload.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Yeah, especially coming off an injury from last year and
coming back. I will say this, Yes, I Colin Ray
might have been the better option there, But I'm not
blaming the loss in what happened on Boyd. Yes, it
(03:05):
started out with three straight doubles. That's gonna happen. They're
gonna hit the ball. We started off with a home
run and they felt pretty confident in per Alta figuring
it out. What changed the game on Saturday was the air.
Was the air by Nico Horner? That was That was
(03:25):
the change in the game. I'm that was the game
right there, that air, and I hate because Nico has
had such a great year. That was the change in
the game. You're already down two to one. We get
I think I think it was a strikeout, right, So
(03:46):
now we have runners on first and second. You have
one out and you're down two to one. Ground ball
gets hit to Nico and he boots it, getting the
bases loaded. The next guy hits a fly ball, or yes,
(04:13):
the next guy hits a fly ball and they tag
the runner up from third and score. That should have
been three outs. It should be a two to one
ball game at the end of the first you're feeling
okay at that point if it's two to one. Instead
it's one out, he hits a sack, fly drives in
(04:34):
the run, and then they get another base hit. We
bring in Soroca and he gives up a couple more
and that's six to one, and then you're it's a
different ballgame, right from two to one to six to one.
You feel different as a fan, you feel different as
a player. You're like, all right, we're still in this,
but like not.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
At six to one. And I'll tell you what for
Soroka to come in in that kind of a situation, Uh,
that's kind of high pressure that early in the game.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
And I wouldn't have gone to Soroka. I don't trust Soroka.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Probably a little nervous, Yeah, but I'm I'm putting that
loss solely on Nico Horner, Like, you gotta make that play.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
I said, my eleven year old son could make that play.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
You know, he's typically pretty sure handed.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
I don't know if he was runners going to third
and get out. By another day, we aren't even getting
up for run runners over. It's baseball, yep.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
But you know, I don't want to make the excuse
that we got young players out there with not a
lot of playoff experience. You know, they got three games.
But at the same time, some of the most of
our last month of the season had like playoff locations,
(06:01):
like are we gonna get home field? You know in
the wild card series? Well, we have to travel. So, like,
I feel like there's been pressure on the players for
a month, so they should have been they should be
pretty well locked in and ready to go. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Anyway, So that that's my take on that, Like I
don't put Boyd. That's what you want big game pitchers
to do, especially when we have a depleted starting pitching staff. Anyway,
you're gonna rely on your best players. Now, you could
go back and say, yeah, we have injuries and Horton
(06:41):
and Steal if we had those two, and it's like okay,
But I hate that excuse because the Brewers are without Woodriff,
and the Brewers have traded away their best players every
year for the last four years and they're still winning
the division. They ain't make an excuses. But we as
Cubs fans like loved like that's the way spouting off
on Twitter of all those things like not up play
(07:03):
the game. You want your best players to step up
in that situation. Matthew Boyd need to step up for
his team and deal. Like I guarantee you any other
team in the postseason in that situation with what we have,
they'd be relying on their best picture. Now you can say,
Matthew Boyd hasn't been the best picture against Milwaukee this season. Okay,
(07:24):
I get it, but you rely on on on Colin Ray. Serious,
I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
I think at that moment, like going with Colin Ray
would be a lot like Troton Josh Hamill's we had
that gave up like ten runs three different times in
the last month in twenty sixteen. Yeah, uh, you're right.
I mean the players do need to step up. It's like,
how bad do you want it? And I just read
(07:55):
an interesting fact and it doesn't give me a lot
of hope. But the teams that won Game one of
the best of five n lds have gone on to
win the series one hundred and thirteen out of one
hundred and fifty six times.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
My good. Yeah, Scott, like I we I know you're
just joining U, Scott, but I went on a rant
that we cannot blame the loss on the decision of
Matthew Boyd or Colin Ray starting that game was decided
on the air by Nico. We should have been out
of that inning two to one at the end of
(08:31):
first and live to fight another day. And it's a
totally different game. That air cost the Cubs a win,
cost the Cubs a chance to just keep playing and fighting.
That game, it was like that happened, the floodgates opened
and we couldn't come back from that. And you don't
even know, like Peralta gave up a leadoff home run
(08:53):
to Michael Bush and he bounced back. You don't know what.
Just get Matthew Boyd through that first and then you
don't know what can happen. Maybe he finds it in
the second inning. That's the thing I don't blame. I'm
with Craig Counsel on this. You're gonna ride your best
players in the playoffs. You have to, you have to.
And so then I'm looking towards Cal Tucker, like you
(09:13):
have to step up, buddy, you have to. And frankly,
I'm not a huge Kyle Tucker fan. I have felt
like the whole season his interviews have been like he
has one foot out the door. He is just I'm
almost like done with Kyle Tucker.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Like his body language at the plate, I don't see
a lot of enthusiasm, and I don't feel like he's
that focused on playing great baseball.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Did you did you see the lineup? It just came out.
You want to see here? Here's the Cubs lineup for
Game two. Justin Turner at first base leading off, Nico
Hornon at second base, Kyle Tucker, Seya Suzuki in right field,
Ian Happen left field, Carson Kelly catching, Pete k Armstrong
(10:08):
and center, Dancy Swanson shortstop, Matt Shaw third base. And yeah, Scott,
you're saying, what the hell, here's why. Here's why they're
starting with an opener. Ashby is getting get the start,
and what does Justin Turner do? He rakes lefties. Ashby's
(10:31):
probably only gonna pitch one inning, and so I guarantee
you after that one inning, Michael Bush is gonna sub
back in. They're gonna try to get something I throw
out today. Why not have Nico Horner start and lead
off the game. But I like Nico number two that
if Turner gets on, don't be surprised if they pinch
(10:51):
run for Justin Turner, knowing that he's probably not gonna
get a second at bat, and you're looking at Nico
Horner to move him over and then hopefully Kyle Tucker
and say can drive him. Man, they're gonna look to
score a couple of runs right away. That's my thinking
of like why councils doing this, Scott is, is that
Ashby's starting, He's only get one or two innings and
(11:13):
then they're gonna go to the rest of their bullpen
or I don't know who they're gonna go. Misowski, maybe
one or two innings. He struggled the second half and
especially the last month. Kintana's going Game three, So that's
my what I think, why Justin turn for Justin turned
probably get a start Game three too? With Katana pitchin.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Yeah, I mean it's it's very very possible. Hopefully, I
mean he does something at the plate, gets something started,
but at the same time, he's old as ship, and
if he gets on base, I.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Mean he's They do have electric wheelchairs now, like they
can go pretty fast.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Right right, But I mean Nico might as well, says Bunt,
and they might as well give Justin a huge head
start on that bun because he's only gonna get the
first if he hits a double, Nico's only going to
get the second or first pace because.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
I actually kind of like the move I'm sorry, Scott,
Like I kind of like the move of getting Turner,
like getting him at bat, like seeing what he got.
He has a ton of postseason experience against Ashby. Why
not you get him one inning? I mean, maybe that's
the matchup the Cubs have look been looking for of
like get him an a b against what is I
(12:32):
wonder what is splits our first Ashby. I'm gonna look
that up quick.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Well, I guess showed that's going on four days, But
I said, I'm feel too bad about that.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Yeah, what are the chances this this game might get
to lead?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
It's in Milwaukee. They have a roof. I know the
roof leaks, but.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Oh, at least it's something terrible. See, I thought they
I thought they switched one to Chicago. I thought it
was like one game, two games, and then that the
last two would be at home for Milwaukee, so it
must be like two to two. And then one.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Say, look up where Ashby? Where Turner? And three at
bats has zero kits first and half is three. Carson
(13:53):
Kelly's two for four, Danceby is three for five. Maybe
they should have put a dance By at lead off.
Nico is one for five. Pc A is zero for three.
I mean, maybe they should have put Dansby lead off.
That might have been who better. I kind of like it.
(14:16):
Let's see it, Let's see what happens. This is this
is this game a must win?
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Yes? I think it is, I honestly, because if we
go down to oh, I don't know. I just don't
know if they have when it takes a comeback.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
It's gonna be hard to beat this Brewers team that
puts the ball in play three straight games. It's gonna
be hard to But I don't want to say, like
when it's not, uh, you're out of the playoffs type
of game as must win. But we need this, We
(15:03):
need this. I don't think I said from the very beginning,
you need to split in Milwaukee, hopefully you can take
care of home field. But I had this going five
and it was gonna be a nail bier type of series.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Right if we don't win this one, you know, I
think I give us a shot to win game three,
But then I'm on the bubble with what happens in
game four.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Yeah, if they come back with Peralta, Oh well, right,
and that's where we do we do we not trading
for a starting pitcher and the trade deadline and missing
Horton and Steele sucks, but we have to roll with
who we got and we need guys to step up.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Yeah, if it's some busts for candy and nuts, we'd
all have a good Christmas.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
And not all of us do have good Christmases.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
That's right. I mean been missing Justin Steel all year.
Miss showed a considerable amount of time.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
As Justin Steel tried throwing right handed.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I don't know. I doubt it.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Why Why hasn't he tried?
Speaker 3 (16:21):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
He might be wicked good.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
It was the one pitch he pitched at Michigan and
he lost his hand. Remember that guy that pitched in
the majors for like the White Sox and the Yankees,
Jim abbitibbit m I mean he only had one hand. Yeah,
I don't think he was. I think the handy losses.
I was just done in hand too. You can relearn
other things.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Uh, forced what's your prediction for tonight's game.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Oh, it's gonna be a one run game, some three two,
four to three something like that. I don't.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
I think this is gonna be uh seven to six game.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yeah, still one run.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
I think it's gonna be a little bit more scoring
in this game. I think we're gonna maybe push a
run across early. Brewers are gonna jump back and get,
like me, three to one, one of our guys is
gonna hit a big home run that gets us tied up,
and then it's gonna be coming down to the end
of who's gonna get the the big hits and on
(17:37):
the bullpen. So that's how I kind of see it.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Ah h.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
We need our guys to be guys. And I know
I was talking a little bit about about Kyle Tucker.
I'm gonna be honest. I've been frustrated the last second
half of the season with with not necessarily his plan field,
but his body language and his his it feels like
one foot out the door with him. Yeah, and it's like,
(18:09):
how why can you not get up for a playoff?
Like you still, like in your interview, has this like
dull like response. There's no passion there, like you see
Dansby Swanson talking and it's like passion. See Nico Horner
like this is the great thing. Ian happ like this,
Like you see their like excitement for playoffs. And Kyle
(18:31):
Tucker is like, it's like, oh, it's.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Like Will Ferrell's first interview in Talladega Nights. He doesn't
know how to talk.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Yeah, I can't. I can't do it. Like, so we
need we need something, something more out of him, right,
And you think.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
If this was your only season in in Chicago and
you actually helped the team make it to the playoffs,
you want to try to showcase your talent's a little
bit better, to push up.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Your ag Yeah, show that you can ball out in
the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
I'd be giving it my all.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I'm not saying that he's not giving it his all,
but I don't think his his heart is not in it.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
And he doesn't have a lot of skin in the game.
You know, when he's not under the team control for
a while. I mean, this is it.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
And here here's the thing. Tonight, Jackson Cheerio, who had
a hamstring injury during the season was out for like
a month, tweaked it on the in the first game.
He's leading off tonight, he's he's gonna play. And I
saw him running yesterday. There was a video of it,
and you could tell he's like not one hundred if
(19:51):
that and he's their best player. If that was Kyle Tucker,
he would not be playing this game, right, he wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
I can't believe how long was he hampered by a
calf injury?
Speaker 1 (20:09):
A month?
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Yeah, And Kevin and I were talking about one morning
at the gym when we were, you know, doing the
stretching after we do our two minutes of cardio. He's like, yeah,
apparently it's gotta be pretty so Kevin said, goes, Apparently
it's gotta be pretty severe if he can't run, and
he goes, I don't know what the guy's problem is.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Oh, but Cubs play at eight o'clock again, eight o'clock
on TBS, so they're gonna interrupt big bang theory for
a baseball game. Baseball game. Have you watched any of
the other playoff games?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
I watched a little bit of a Boston and Yankees
game last week, but I can't you know what. Saturday
was a big day for sports on TV. There were
a lot of great college football games and it was
really hard. After this second inning, I kind of quit
watching the Cubs game because it was disheartening. But it's
(21:12):
it's really hard for me to watch that where there's
so many other great college football games going on right now.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
I mean I've been watching I watched the Yankees, Blue Jays.
Excuse me, I've been fighting cool. Oh man, I've been
fighting a cold for like the last like two weeks,
like just all up in my throat. So I'm sorry
I sounded weird. But the Billies, uh, Dodgers one series,
(21:42):
there's just some great baseball, like in this playoffs, it's
been a lot of fun. I've be't watched any of
the Seattle verse. Oh my goodness, we were they playing
Seattle and blanking blanking, Oh my goodness. No, Blue Jays
(22:02):
and the Yankees are playing oh the Tigers. Sorry, duh,
I haven't watched that game. That game is usually the
late game, so I haven't been able to tune into
that one. But it's been some some good, good baseball.
So it's fun to watch baseball, even though a lot
of the games have been late. We're gonna end this
(22:24):
by doing something fun. I want you to name your
most random Chicago Cubs.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Player Sam Fluid Flood, Samfold, Samfold.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I'm waiting for Scott to say his most random Cubs
baseball player.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Let's hear it.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Let's hear Scott, because I don't want him to take mine.
It's pa Okay, yep, I'm gonna go. Hector villain Aeva.
Do you even remember him?
Speaker 3 (23:07):
He was like no, but I remember Omeilia Bona Fassio.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
There you go.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Hector Villainva was like a ninety nineties, late eighties maybe.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Yeah. I can hear Harry Carey pronouncing his.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Name, Yeah, just butchering it.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Yeah. Toffee Roads, Oh, tough Toffee Roads.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Toffee Rhoads was like we I named one of my
we had like baby puppies born like Ray Round opening day,
Whent Touffie Roads at three home runs, and I named
one of the dogs Tofie.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
And another one Scruffy because.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
That's what he was. The rest of the season, he
was horrible, but he had that one good game against
the matt So there's that. Do you remember Doug Descenzo.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Yes, Daniel descalso, Yes, that was the Paul Bocco Durham catcher.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
I was just thinking of random Cubs today and going
through like I was just writing down random Cubs I
could think of. Do you remember Auguiojada?
Speaker 3 (24:31):
I remember Sean Boski. I got his autograph at a
I Cubs baseball clinic they had at when I was
in the Little league. Nice and the starting pitcher that
night was the dude that always hopped over the third baseline,
had all Turk Wendell, Turk Wendell. He was the starter
of that game that night. I'll tell you what when
(24:52):
they said that he used to do weird stuff like
jump over the third baseline, Okay, it wasn't. He didn't
hop over it. It was like he almost pull vaulted
over the third base to get to the pictures.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Now.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
Yeah. They also used to brush his teeth with black
liquorice flavored toothpaste between innings.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Some people really like black licorice. I don't really trust
those people. But weird dude, very weird dude. All right, Well,
get ready because we're gonna have to buckle our seat
belts a full nine innings, not just the ninth inning tonight,
because it's gonna be an exciting game. I'm nervous. I
(25:30):
do want to ask you this before we Okay, do
you think the Cubs can win the World Series this year?
Speaker 3 (25:41):
I want it to happen, and there are it's a
possibility they could do it.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Like in your heart, are you saying, yeah this, we
have a chance to win the World Series?
Speaker 3 (25:49):
In my heart? No, but my head. You know, your
head and your heart sometimes aren't in the same path,
same train of thought.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
So here here, here I am because like my wife
asked me, like on Saturday, the Cubs after the Cub's
lost and we're down, and she's like, you aren't as
mad as I thought you'd be. And it's like, I
want to beat the Brewers. I do really bad because
it's the Brewers. But I told her I was like
(26:19):
one losing by and nine or one. A loss is
a loss. In the playoffs, it doesn't matter, like loss
is a loss. No matter how bad you get beat
still not good. We still have to bounce back the
next game. But also, I said, going into twenty sixteen,
(26:43):
even twenty fifteen, like twenty fifteen, I was like, I
want to ride this as long as possible, but I
don't think we have enough for a World Series championship
twenty sixteen. You are like fully, like we have a
good bullpen, we have the starting pitching, our offense can cook.
We we have enough to win the World Series? We
(27:07):
do yeah, and so like so like this year, you're
going into it and you know the Cubs weaknesses. You're like,
the Dodgers are a better team, the Phillies are a
better team, the Blue Jays are a better team. Like
(27:31):
you have these teams that like you, Like I would
say the Tigers, they don't have a better team. They
have some good starting pitching, but they like their offense
pretty weak. But my head is telling me that I
want the Cubs to win the World Series, and I do.
I do, but my heart is still like I don't
(27:52):
think we have enough. And so it's it's hard for me.
Like if if they had if they had Justin Steele
and Kate Horton and they had one bullpen on that
you could like lock down and the totally different. I'll
be going to it. Our offense can can can turn
it on. But like we need right now, we need
(28:17):
Chris Bryant game was it Game five home run moment
to like get us spark just kind of like stay
as home run Game one after we were going four
or five innings without run and then he hits the
home run, and that kind of like, let's us go.
We need one of those. We need a big inning
(28:40):
getting three three runs, three to four runs and one
inning early tonight to get us jump started. So that's all.
Thanks for listening, Go Cubs. Hopefully we can chat again,
and the Cubs are up in the series and getting
ready to take the Brewers out of the playoffs just
like they've aid has had and every time they make
(29:01):
the playoffs that they take an exit. So go Cubs,
and let's hate the w tonight.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Go Cubs.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Go.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
He's Scott Sea from Isolwa mentioned Tario as a random Cub.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
That's a good one.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
How was I gonna say is what a puke? He
won two World Series rings with two different franchises on
the bench.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
YEP, he's a horrible person, that's what. Thanks for listening.
(30:00):
H
You're listening to The Dinger's Podcast, presented to you by
Test Sports Network with your host Mitch, jeff and Kevis
Gay to talk to the Cubs. All I need is
a y'all, The Dingers Podcast is on the air. I'm
(00:24):
your host, Mitch. I'm here with my man Jeffrey.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
The Cubs have dropped game one to the brew Cup
on Saturday. We were recording on Monday, well, pre game
episode before the Cubs take on the Brewers tonight at
eight o'clock. Jeff, are you even gonna be awake that late?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
No? No, I will that.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
You're just cann get up early and watch the next day, right, Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
I mean I should be able to rewatch it tomorrow
at some point. I can't take it off work. But no,
it's I see, when I saw the eight away, I
didn't even really look to see what time zone that was.
I just assumed that they were listing like Eastern time
zone for some reason. But then I thought, well, both
those teams are in the central eighth eight. It's just
a weird time for teams in the Central to start
(01:14):
a game. I don't know what's on TBS before.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
That, probably Big Bang theory that's what is always on TBS.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
So does that start at like eight oh eight in
the morning and that goes to like set eight o'clock.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Yeah, I think they're like the sole distributor of Big
Bang theory. Anyway, let's recap a little bit of how
the Cubs are down in this series with the Brewer
Crew or the djens from up Country as we like
to call them. Game one a lot of controversy with
(01:54):
Cubs Twitter of them starting Matthew Boyd. What is your
take on, Yeah, obviously it didn't work out, but going
into the game, were you confident in the start with
Matthew Boyd? And what was your kind of feel after
it kind of collapsed and didn't even make it out
(02:14):
of the first.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I didn't know if it was really necessary to start
him because he was kind of going on somewhat a
short rest and he has pitched just a ton of
innings this year. I mean, he's been like an innings
eater all season. He hasn't been on the il, he
hasn't missed I don't even think he's missed his start
this year. He's just he's stilling a ton of innings
(02:39):
more than his previous year's workload.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Yeah, especially coming off an injury from last year and
coming back. I will say this, Yes, I Colin Ray
might have been the better option there, But I'm not
blaming the loss in what happened on Boyd. Yes, it
(03:05):
started out with three straight doubles. That's gonna happen. They're
gonna hit the ball. We started off with a home
run and they felt pretty confident in per Alta figuring
it out. What changed the game on Saturday was the air.
Was the air by Nico Horner? That was That was
(03:25):
the change in the game. I'm that was the game
right there, that air, and I hate because Nico has
had such a great year. That was the change in
the game. You're already down two to one. We get
I think I think it was a strikeout, right, So
(03:46):
now we have runners on first and second. You have
one out and you're down two to one. Ground ball
gets hit to Nico and he boots it, getting the
bases loaded. The next guy hits a fly ball, or yes,
(04:13):
the next guy hits a fly ball and they tag
the runner up from third and score. That should have
been three outs. It should be a two to one
ball game at the end of the first you're feeling
okay at that point if it's two to one. Instead
it's one out, he hits a sack, fly drives in
(04:34):
the run, and then they get another base hit. We
bring in Soroca and he gives up a couple more
and that's six to one, and then you're it's a
different ballgame, right from two to one to six to one.
You feel different as a fan, you feel different as
a player. You're like, all right, we're still in this,
but like not.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
At six to one. And I'll tell you what for
Soroka to come in in that kind of a situation, Uh,
that's kind of high pressure that early in the game.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
And I wouldn't have gone to Soroka. I don't trust Soroka.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Probably a little nervous, Yeah, but I'm I'm putting that
loss solely on Nico Horner, Like, you gotta make that play.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
I said, my eleven year old son could make that play.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
You know, he's typically pretty sure handed.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
I don't know if he was runners going to third
and get out. By another day, we aren't even getting
up for run runners over. It's baseball, yep.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
But you know, I don't want to make the excuse
that we got young players out there with not a
lot of playoff experience. You know, they got three games.
But at the same time, some of the most of
our last month of the season had like playoff locations,
(06:01):
like are we gonna get home field? You know in
the wild card series? Well, we have to travel. So, like,
I feel like there's been pressure on the players for
a month, so they should have been they should be
pretty well locked in and ready to go. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Anyway, So that that's my take on that, Like I
don't put Boyd. That's what you want big game pitchers
to do, especially when we have a depleted starting pitching staff. Anyway,
you're gonna rely on your best players. Now, you could
go back and say, yeah, we have injuries and Horton
(06:41):
and Steal if we had those two, and it's like okay,
But I hate that excuse because the Brewers are without Woodriff,
and the Brewers have traded away their best players every
year for the last four years and they're still winning
the division. They ain't make an excuses. But we as
Cubs fans like loved like that's the way spouting off
on Twitter of all those things like not up play
(07:03):
the game. You want your best players to step up
in that situation. Matthew Boyd need to step up for
his team and deal. Like I guarantee you any other
team in the postseason in that situation with what we have,
they'd be relying on their best picture. Now you can say,
Matthew Boyd hasn't been the best picture against Milwaukee this season. Okay,
(07:24):
I get it, but you rely on on on Colin Ray. Serious,
I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
I think at that moment, like going with Colin Ray
would be a lot like Troton Josh Hamill's we had
that gave up like ten runs three different times in
the last month in twenty sixteen. Yeah, uh, you're right.
I mean the players do need to step up. It's like,
how bad do you want it? And I just read
(07:55):
an interesting fact and it doesn't give me a lot
of hope. But the teams that won Game one of
the best of five n lds have gone on to
win the series one hundred and thirteen out of one
hundred and fifty six times.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
My good. Yeah, Scott, like I we I know you're
just joining U, Scott, but I went on a rant
that we cannot blame the loss on the decision of
Matthew Boyd or Colin Ray starting that game was decided
on the air by Nico. We should have been out
of that inning two to one at the end of
(08:31):
first and live to fight another day. And it's a
totally different game. That air cost the Cubs a win,
cost the Cubs a chance to just keep playing and fighting.
That game, it was like that happened, the floodgates opened
and we couldn't come back from that. And you don't
even know, like Peralta gave up a leadoff home run
(08:53):
to Michael Bush and he bounced back. You don't know what.
Just get Matthew Boyd through that first and then you
don't know what can happen. Maybe he finds it in
the second inning. That's the thing I don't blame. I'm
with Craig Counsel on this. You're gonna ride your best
players in the playoffs. You have to, you have to.
And so then I'm looking towards Cal Tucker, like you
(09:13):
have to step up, buddy, you have to. And frankly,
I'm not a huge Kyle Tucker fan. I have felt
like the whole season his interviews have been like he
has one foot out the door. He is just I'm
almost like done with Kyle Tucker.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Like his body language at the plate, I don't see
a lot of enthusiasm, and I don't feel like he's
that focused on playing great baseball.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Did you did you see the lineup? It just came out.
You want to see here? Here's the Cubs lineup for
Game two. Justin Turner at first base leading off, Nico
Hornon at second base, Kyle Tucker, Seya Suzuki in right field,
Ian Happen left field, Carson Kelly catching, Pete k Armstrong
(10:08):
and center, Dancy Swanson shortstop, Matt Shaw third base. And yeah, Scott,
you're saying, what the hell, here's why. Here's why they're
starting with an opener. Ashby is getting get the start,
and what does Justin Turner do? He rakes lefties. Ashby's
(10:31):
probably only gonna pitch one inning, and so I guarantee
you after that one inning, Michael Bush is gonna sub
back in. They're gonna try to get something I throw
out today. Why not have Nico Horner start and lead
off the game. But I like Nico number two that
if Turner gets on, don't be surprised if they pinch
(10:51):
run for Justin Turner, knowing that he's probably not gonna
get a second at bat, and you're looking at Nico
Horner to move him over and then hopefully Kyle Tucker
and say can drive him. Man, they're gonna look to
score a couple of runs right away. That's my thinking
of like why councils doing this, Scott is, is that
Ashby's starting, He's only get one or two innings and
(11:13):
then they're gonna go to the rest of their bullpen
or I don't know who they're gonna go. Misowski, maybe
one or two innings. He struggled the second half and
especially the last month. Kintana's going Game three, So that's
my what I think, why Justin turn for Justin turned
probably get a start Game three too? With Katana pitchin.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Yeah, I mean it's it's very very possible. Hopefully, I
mean he does something at the plate, gets something started,
but at the same time, he's old as ship, and
if he gets on base, I.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Mean he's They do have electric wheelchairs now, like they
can go pretty fast.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Right right, But I mean Nico might as well, says Bunt,
and they might as well give Justin a huge head
start on that bun because he's only gonna get the
first if he hits a double, Nico's only going to
get the second or first pace because.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
I actually kind of like the move I'm sorry, Scott,
Like I kind of like the move of getting Turner,
like getting him at bat, like seeing what he got.
He has a ton of postseason experience against Ashby. Why
not you get him one inning? I mean, maybe that's
the matchup the Cubs have look been looking for of
like get him an a b against what is I
(12:32):
wonder what is splits our first Ashby. I'm gonna look
that up quick.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Well, I guess showed that's going on four days, But
I said, I'm feel too bad about that.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Yeah, what are the chances this this game might get
to lead?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
It's in Milwaukee. They have a roof. I know the
roof leaks, but.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Oh, at least it's something terrible. See, I thought they
I thought they switched one to Chicago. I thought it
was like one game, two games, and then that the
last two would be at home for Milwaukee, so it
must be like two to two. And then one.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Say, look up where Ashby? Where Turner? And three at
bats has zero kits first and half is three. Carson
(13:53):
Kelly's two for four, Danceby is three for five. Maybe
they should have put a dance By at lead off.
Nico is one for five. Pc A is zero for three.
I mean, maybe they should have put Dansby lead off.
That might have been who better. I kind of like it.
(14:16):
Let's see it, Let's see what happens. This is this
is this game a must win?
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Yes? I think it is, I honestly, because if we
go down to oh, I don't know. I just don't
know if they have when it takes a comeback.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
It's gonna be hard to beat this Brewers team that
puts the ball in play three straight games. It's gonna
be hard to But I don't want to say, like
when it's not, uh, you're out of the playoffs type
of game as must win. But we need this, We
(15:03):
need this. I don't think I said from the very beginning,
you need to split in Milwaukee, hopefully you can take
care of home field. But I had this going five
and it was gonna be a nail bier type of series.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Right if we don't win this one, you know, I
think I give us a shot to win game three,
But then I'm on the bubble with what happens in
game four.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Yeah, if they come back with Peralta, Oh well, right,
and that's where we do we do we not trading
for a starting pitcher and the trade deadline and missing
Horton and Steele sucks, but we have to roll with
who we got and we need guys to step up.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Yeah, if it's some busts for candy and nuts, we'd
all have a good Christmas.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
And not all of us do have good Christmases.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
That's right. I mean been missing Justin Steel all year.
Miss showed a considerable amount of time.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
As Justin Steel tried throwing right handed.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I don't know. I doubt it.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Why Why hasn't he tried?
Speaker 3 (16:21):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
He might be wicked good.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
It was the one pitch he pitched at Michigan and
he lost his hand. Remember that guy that pitched in
the majors for like the White Sox and the Yankees,
Jim abbitibbit m I mean he only had one hand. Yeah,
I don't think he was. I think the handy losses.
I was just done in hand too. You can relearn
other things.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Uh, forced what's your prediction for tonight's game.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Oh, it's gonna be a one run game, some three two,
four to three something like that. I don't.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
I think this is gonna be uh seven to six game.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yeah, still one run.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
I think it's gonna be a little bit more scoring
in this game. I think we're gonna maybe push a
run across early. Brewers are gonna jump back and get,
like me, three to one, one of our guys is
gonna hit a big home run that gets us tied up,
and then it's gonna be coming down to the end
of who's gonna get the the big hits and on
(17:37):
the bullpen. So that's how I kind of see it.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Ah h.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
We need our guys to be guys. And I know
I was talking a little bit about about Kyle Tucker.
I'm gonna be honest. I've been frustrated the last second
half of the season with with not necessarily his plan field,
but his body language and his his it feels like
one foot out the door with him. Yeah, and it's like,
(18:09):
how why can you not get up for a playoff?
Like you still, like in your interview, has this like
dull like response. There's no passion there, like you see
Dansby Swanson talking and it's like passion. See Nico Horner
like this is the great thing. Ian happ like this,
Like you see their like excitement for playoffs. And Kyle
(18:31):
Tucker is like, it's like, oh, it's.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Like Will Ferrell's first interview in Talladega Nights. He doesn't
know how to talk.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Yeah, I can't. I can't do it. Like, so we
need we need something, something more out of him, right,
And you think.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
If this was your only season in in Chicago and
you actually helped the team make it to the playoffs,
you want to try to showcase your talent's a little
bit better, to push up.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Your ag Yeah, show that you can ball out in
the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
I'd be giving it my all.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I'm not saying that he's not giving it his all,
but I don't think his his heart is not in it.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
And he doesn't have a lot of skin in the game.
You know, when he's not under the team control for
a while. I mean, this is it.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
And here here's the thing. Tonight, Jackson Cheerio, who had
a hamstring injury during the season was out for like
a month, tweaked it on the in the first game.
He's leading off tonight, he's he's gonna play. And I
saw him running yesterday. There was a video of it,
and you could tell he's like not one hundred if
(19:51):
that and he's their best player. If that was Kyle Tucker,
he would not be playing this game, right, he wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
I can't believe how long was he hampered by a
calf injury?
Speaker 1 (20:09):
A month?
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Yeah, And Kevin and I were talking about one morning
at the gym when we were, you know, doing the
stretching after we do our two minutes of cardio. He's like, yeah,
apparently it's gotta be pretty so Kevin said, goes, Apparently
it's gotta be pretty severe if he can't run, and
he goes, I don't know what the guy's problem is.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Oh, but Cubs play at eight o'clock again, eight o'clock
on TBS, so they're gonna interrupt big bang theory for
a baseball game. Baseball game. Have you watched any of
the other playoff games?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
I watched a little bit of a Boston and Yankees
game last week, but I can't you know what. Saturday
was a big day for sports on TV. There were
a lot of great college football games and it was
really hard. After this second inning, I kind of quit
watching the Cubs game because it was disheartening. But it's
(21:12):
it's really hard for me to watch that where there's
so many other great college football games going on right now.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
I mean I've been watching I watched the Yankees, Blue Jays.
Excuse me, I've been fighting cool. Oh man, I've been
fighting a cold for like the last like two weeks,
like just all up in my throat. So I'm sorry
I sounded weird. But the Billies, uh, Dodgers one series,
(21:42):
there's just some great baseball, like in this playoffs, it's
been a lot of fun. I've be't watched any of
the Seattle verse. Oh my goodness, we were they playing
Seattle and blanking blanking, Oh my goodness. No, Blue Jays
(22:02):
and the Yankees are playing oh the Tigers. Sorry, duh,
I haven't watched that game. That game is usually the
late game, so I haven't been able to tune into
that one. But it's been some some good, good baseball.
So it's fun to watch baseball, even though a lot
of the games have been late. We're gonna end this
(22:24):
by doing something fun. I want you to name your
most random Chicago Cubs.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Player Sam Fluid Flood, Samfold, Samfold.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I'm waiting for Scott to say his most random Cubs
baseball player.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Let's hear it.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Let's hear Scott, because I don't want him to take mine.
It's pa Okay, yep, I'm gonna go. Hector villain Aeva.
Do you even remember him?
Speaker 3 (23:07):
He was like no, but I remember Omeilia Bona Fassio.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
There you go.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Hector Villainva was like a ninety nineties, late eighties maybe.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Yeah. I can hear Harry Carey pronouncing his.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Name, Yeah, just butchering it.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Yeah. Toffee Roads, Oh, tough Toffee Roads.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Toffee Rhoads was like we I named one of my
we had like baby puppies born like Ray Round opening day,
Whent Touffie Roads at three home runs, and I named
one of the dogs Tofie.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
And another one Scruffy because.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
That's what he was. The rest of the season, he
was horrible, but he had that one good game against
the matt So there's that. Do you remember Doug Descenzo.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Yes, Daniel descalso, Yes, that was the Paul Bocco Durham catcher.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
I was just thinking of random Cubs today and going
through like I was just writing down random Cubs I
could think of. Do you remember Auguiojada?
Speaker 3 (24:31):
I remember Sean Boski. I got his autograph at a
I Cubs baseball clinic they had at when I was
in the Little league. Nice and the starting pitcher that
night was the dude that always hopped over the third baseline,
had all Turk Wendell, Turk Wendell. He was the starter
of that game that night. I'll tell you what when
(24:52):
they said that he used to do weird stuff like
jump over the third baseline, Okay, it wasn't. He didn't
hop over it. It was like he almost pull vaulted
over the third base to get to the pictures.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Now.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
Yeah. They also used to brush his teeth with black
liquorice flavored toothpaste between innings.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Some people really like black licorice. I don't really trust
those people. But weird dude, very weird dude. All right, Well,
get ready because we're gonna have to buckle our seat
belts a full nine innings, not just the ninth inning tonight,
because it's gonna be an exciting game. I'm nervous. I
(25:30):
do want to ask you this before we Okay, do
you think the Cubs can win the World Series this year?
Speaker 3 (25:41):
I want it to happen, and there are it's a
possibility they could do it.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Like in your heart, are you saying, yeah this, we
have a chance to win the World Series?
Speaker 3 (25:49):
In my heart? No, but my head. You know, your
head and your heart sometimes aren't in the same path,
same train of thought.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
So here here, here I am because like my wife
asked me, like on Saturday, the Cubs after the Cub's
lost and we're down, and she's like, you aren't as
mad as I thought you'd be. And it's like, I
want to beat the Brewers. I do really bad because
it's the Brewers. But I told her I was like
(26:19):
one losing by and nine or one. A loss is
a loss. In the playoffs, it doesn't matter, like loss
is a loss. No matter how bad you get beat
still not good. We still have to bounce back the
next game. But also, I said, going into twenty sixteen,
(26:43):
even twenty fifteen, like twenty fifteen, I was like, I
want to ride this as long as possible, but I
don't think we have enough for a World Series championship
twenty sixteen. You are like fully, like we have a
good bullpen, we have the starting pitching, our offense can cook.
We we have enough to win the World Series? We
(27:07):
do yeah, and so like so like this year, you're
going into it and you know the Cubs weaknesses. You're like,
the Dodgers are a better team, the Phillies are a
better team, the Blue Jays are a better team. Like
(27:31):
you have these teams that like you, Like I would
say the Tigers, they don't have a better team. They
have some good starting pitching, but they like their offense
pretty weak. But my head is telling me that I
want the Cubs to win the World Series, and I do.
I do, but my heart is still like I don't
(27:52):
think we have enough. And so it's it's hard for me.
Like if if they had if they had Justin Steele
and Kate Horton and they had one bullpen on that
you could like lock down and the totally different. I'll
be going to it. Our offense can can can turn
it on. But like we need right now, we need
(28:17):
Chris Bryant game was it Game five home run moment
to like get us spark just kind of like stay
as home run Game one after we were going four
or five innings without run and then he hits the
home run, and that kind of like, let's us go.
We need one of those. We need a big inning
(28:40):
getting three three runs, three to four runs and one
inning early tonight to get us jump started. So that's all.
Thanks for listening, Go Cubs. Hopefully we can chat again,
and the Cubs are up in the series and getting
ready to take the Brewers out of the playoffs just
like they've aid has had and every time they make
(29:01):
the playoffs that they take an exit. So go Cubs,
and let's hate the w tonight.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Go Cubs.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Go.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
He's Scott Sea from Isolwa mentioned Tario as a random Cub.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
That's a good one.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
How was I gonna say is what a puke? He
won two World Series rings with two different franchises on
the bench.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
YEP, he's a horrible person, that's what. Thanks for listening.
(30:00):
H
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