March 10, 2025 • 33 mins
On this episode of Dingers, we’re joined by Matt and Sam from Locked On Cubs to break down all things Cubs as we gear up for the Japan Series against the Dodgers. With Opening Day inching closer, we dive into the biggest storylines surrounding the team and what to expect when the Cubs take the field in Tokyo. Roster questions remain, and one of the biggest concerns is the top-tier depth of the starting rotation. Do the Cubs have enough firepower to compete over a full season? We debate the strengths and weaknesses of the pitching staff, potential surprises, and what the team still needs to address. Don’t miss this one!
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Subscribe: / @dingersachicagocubsfanpodc824 Talk #Cubs baseball on our facebook group: / 188995809182063 @dingercubs is presented by OnTapSportsNet.com, your go-to source for Cubs news, analysis, and updates. Follow us on social media: @Diingercubs | @OnTapSportsNet Panelists: @dingercubs | @baseball_buj | @wycoffjd23 | Follow us on Twitter: @dingercubs Follow us on Instagram: @dingercubs TikTok: @dingercubs Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/dingercubs
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to The Deer's Podcast, presented to you by
Test Courts Network, with your host Mitch, Jeff and Kevis
The way to talk to the Cubs.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
All I need is a.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Y. I ain't believe, under estimate the Swingers.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
The Deer's Podcast is on the air. I'm your host, Mitch,
and I'm joined. I have a special privilege of being
joined by Matt and Sam from Locked On Cubs. How
are you guys tonight?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Doing good? Mitch, thanks for having us. We're very excited
doing well.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
So we're gonna jump right into it. And I listened
to one of your guys episodes. If you're not subscribed
to Lockdown Cubs, make sure that you are subscribed to there.
They put out an episode every Monday through Friday. Is
it a short half an hour long episode, great content,
great during the season. If you missed the game, you
(01:07):
get caught up real quick. So make sure that you
were subscribed to their podcast because they they do a
great job, probably one of my probably the best Cubs
podcast out there right now. So make sure that you
are listening to these guys every single weekday. But I
was listening to an episode from last week and and
sam you were talking a little bit about like your
(01:29):
fandom as a child being season ticket holder from was
it nineteen ninety three through.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Or I'm not that old nineteen ninety eight to two
thousand and eight?
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Okay in two thousand and eight, and so I wanted
to challenge you guys, and you guys can kind of
do it together since here in like eight days, it's
gonna be opening Day, and we as Cubs podcasts, we
like to like predict what the opening day lineup is
gonna be. And can you remember way back and name
(02:06):
the lineup from Let's Go First two thousand and three?
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Could you do that? Yeah? Probably so, manf we get
right a lot of trivia today. We just came off
of an episode over Matt, Matt, Matt, you want me
to go and you fill in the gap or yeah,
I'm trying to actually sketch it out here, all right
two thousand and three.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Well, I know this is putting a lot of pressure
on you.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
No, there's no pressure. I should I should get most
of these. Yeah, we just trade players. Yeah, do you
want to go? Do you want to do?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
All?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Right? You go, you go, I'll go off of you.
Sammy Sosa. All right, I'm gonna go second base, uh,
Mark Rudzalanic, Uh, shortstop, Alex Gonzalez. Uh, I'm gonna go catcher.
Was it Damian Miller? Nice?
Speaker 3 (02:59):
That was the one that was like, that's gonna be
the tough one.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Well done, third bait. Sorry, left field, I'm gonna go
with Moisse Salou Yep. Center field's tricky because they got
uh loft and at the deadline, I know that one.
If you want me to take that one, yeah, yeah,
to take it please, Corey Patterson of course.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
And do you remember what type of game he had
back opening there? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Was it?
Speaker 2 (03:28):
He had a what do you have like two homers
and like five like like six seven RBIs or something
like that.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Gonna blowout when a fifteen win versus the New York
in New York, New York gets the nuts?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
All right? Uh? It was it? He stopped joy at first? Nice?
Was it? Really?
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
All right, I'll try the other corner, Jose Hernandez. Now
they traded him. I think it was Mark Belliban.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
I thought Mark Belhorn.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Oh wow, well he was in the Aramis trade, wasn't
he later that year?
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Yeah, you're right, you're right, yeah, yeah, yeah, he was
the opening day I think he was a shortstop, the
opening day shortstop in like ninety eight or something. I
don't I don't identify Jose Hernandez. I do know, Mitch.
We do know who the picture is, because we just
recorded a couple hours ago and that was identified. If
we're going to give you that.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Go for it, Carrie would Carrie would well done that
two thousand and three will kind of be one to
always stick out to us as Cubs fans, but a
lot of us, a lot of them don't remember the
lineup that we threw out there on opening Day, and
so Ory Patterson.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Mark did Mark Bellhorn finish this season on a different team.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
I think they traded him to Boston. Yep, that was
the goay to go into Boston. Well done?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Well.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
We are eight days away from from do you consider
opening day of the Japanese series?
Speaker 4 (04:58):
It's tough to like, that's.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Happening so early and then you guys come back and
do these spring training games still, Like, how do you
guys feel like do you get as amped as Opening
Day when it's like at Wrigley as this opening day
in Japan? When it's like, oh, man, I gotta get
up early in the morning. It's not quite the like
live up like where you wake up and you have
(05:20):
a couple hours to like get your body ready for
opening day. This is like up and early, get some
coffee and get going. You got How are you guys feeling? Like, Sam,
where are you at? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:31):
It feels different. I don't want to I don't want
to say I'm less amped. I don't think that's the case.
It just feels different because it feels like, you know,
you're gonna overreact to this because it's two games and
I think I think what throws me is it's not
the fact that it's uh not at Wrigly. It's the
fact that there's a week off in between. Yeah, I
(05:54):
think that's what throws me off. So it's gonna be
two games. We're gonna basically be evaluating these two games
for seven consecutive days or six consecutive days. I think
that's what throws me off more so than than where
it is. Well you, Matt, Yeah, I'm starting to get
more excited now that we're almost inside a week.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Yep, eight days away.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
But I'm curious to find that out. Mitch, I wonder
because that that first day is so special that Thursday
would become now Thursday in late March or early April.
Uh So I hope that that, you know, doesn't remove
any buzz from from that opening series against the d Backs. Yeah,
(06:40):
I really, I really think because they're on an island
those two mornings too, I think it's gonna be a
lot of focus on those games. I think I'm trying
to like coach myself that it's not going to be,
but it's going to be. Oh, they're the only game
in town.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Yeah. And that's like, so I I teach middle school
and I have a lot of boys that are our
baseball fans, but they they they aren't really they're more.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Like Yankee We got a whole bunch of Yankees fans.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
But like they're even getting excited for this Japanese series, Like, oh,
at least baseball, it's gonna the only thing I can watch.
There's nothing really on TV right now. Mark Madness isn't
here quite yet, and so like they were getting excited.
So it's like it's cool to guys see that.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Are you gonna have in class?
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Uh No, no, definitely not. Never have day games on
in my classroom. Ever, but there's still some roster moves
still to be made of, like what does this this
opening day.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Roster look like?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
And we we have gauge workmen and on that are
look to. I think yesterday was reported that they're going
to make the opening day roster with some injuries that
we have with Horner and we still have Shaw still
not sure if he's gonna be on opening day. What
do you think the next roster moves are going to
(08:06):
be and what do you think that opening day lineup
is going to kind of look like their Matt.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Well Entering today's spring game, the Cubs only had thirty
three guys in camp, and as I look at the
list of who it is, I would be really surprised
if Matt Shaw does it make the trip yep. And
(08:34):
if he doesn't, technically Kevin Alcantra would have to take
his spots of people that are on that are in
camp yep. I know that's weird to think about, but
that's true. I think all Contra is a taxi squad candidate,
but I never expect him to actually be active. And
then there's just a couple there's just one pitcher spot
(08:57):
and that might just be on the taxi squad too,
and that's guys like Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, Daniel Palencia
is still in camp as of right now. Maybe he
makes the trip hopefully, So really it's probably more I'm
targeting now March twenty seventh as okay, who's actually gonna
(09:18):
spend the first couple of weeks as Cubs more so
now than these two games, because even in that eight
day span from the last Japan game to the twenty seventh,
if Horner is ready and Shaw then then Workmen or
Bruhan will have to be their their flame will have
(09:40):
to be extinguished. So you know, there's gonna be some transit.
They are gonna be very transactional before the twenty seventh.
But really, I think the battles right now, or the
questions are pretty minor. Of less Council begins his pressure
tomorrow and he's like, guess what, Matt Shaw is gonna
be roommates with Horner. He's not coming with us.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yeah, now, when you if we don't keep gauge workmen
on the roster, then he goes back to who was
it he Detroit, Yeah, Detroyed, And that's that's the tougher.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Very likely. There is a scenario Mitch where the Cubs
and Tigers. The Cubs could basically send a prospect to
the Tigers and workmen could be assigned to des Moines.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Which which the spring he's having.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
It's tough because you have these two guys Juan and
and workmen that could be great valuable bench pieces, which
the Cubs have kind of reworked their whole bench. It's
it's something that was kind of really weak last year.
We didn't have anybody that when injuries did happen or
we were trying to fill everybody at third base. Now
we actually have a decent bench and you have now
(10:57):
Workmen who adds a little bit of pop never really
got a chance, and Detroit and you have Bruhan who
who had speed and can play second base. So that's
that's the tough thing of like, who do you see
getting maybe an extended look on this roster.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Yeah, I think it's gonna be a workman. I think
he you know, we've talked about this on our show.
I think in a different scenario, if if Aramis Ramirez
was still playing third base for the Cubs, maybe it'd
be vd del Bruhan, but or Chris Bryant or something
like that. But with a lesser experienced guy like Shaw.
(11:35):
I think just having a little bit of defensive insurance
and pop off the bench a guy that you feel
like could give you, Like I just don't feel like
vdel Breuhan could play every day successfully if something happened
to Matt Shaw, if Matt Shaw wasn't hitting or whatever
it was. So I think it's gonna be workman. I'm
pretty confident that now.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
We we've seen where the Cubs last two years have
gone through, where they've gone a month's where the offense
has just went completely silent, and Ben kind of the
downfall of the whole season, Like you can kind of
pin it back to like two months both the last
two years.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
And you look at the schedule this year and you see.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
That April is a tough April, and and Kyle and
the comments kind of talks a little bit about getting
off into a hot start in April is so key.
How much value are you guys putting in on that
first April with the really tough schedule?
Speaker 2 (12:33):
What you think, Matt, Yeah, I would say I'm putting
a good amount of value on it. I know it's
gonna be a challenge through that. Believe it's the last
series that crosses over to the first day of May.
There's thirty those first thirty two games. There's a lot
of really good competition on the schedule. Dodgers a couple
(12:53):
of times, d Backs a couple of times, Padres, Phillies, Ranger.
So it's gonna be a challenge. With that being said,
you know, I think we have learned, you know, less
so from the powerhouses like the Dodgers and Yankees. But
I do think a division winning team could have a
(13:16):
twenty five thirty game pocket. It wouldn't be fun if
they opened with that, but they could settle in after
that and have a fine season or even a really
special season. But I would like to see them, you know,
when they go into Milwaukee on Friday, May second, thirty
(13:38):
two games in. You'd like to see them, you know,
at least seventeen and fifteen or whatever it is, and
really just just you know, good health, positive contributions throughout
the roster, including what you mentioned, Mitch, with the revamped bench,
I would say I would add to that the revamped bullpen,
(13:58):
and then the just the looming question those first thirty
two would be Okay, who are the five starters, how
are they looking and does it become even more clear
because it is already in my opinion that they need
help there well even just after that first month, is
it even more clear? And so those are some things
(14:19):
I'm looking for.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
You bring them up. The starting pitching and the maybe
not having the depth. That was one of my questions
of what is your concerns going into this season? But
my big concern is is more like, we do have
pretty good depth at starting pitching, but we don't have
top tier depth. And that was something we thought that
(14:45):
they were going to address and kind of fill in
between Imonaga and Tyone with a quality starting pitcher, and
we didn't get that. But if if one or two
of those guys gets injured or is on the il
for X significant amount of time, we're in trouble with
a top tear. Starting pitching in our rotation gets really weak.
(15:08):
So that's my big concern. Is that something you guys
concerned And what other concerns you guys got?
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Yeah, yeah, I think first of all, just going back
to what you said earlier about the offense, even in
the previous era with Bryant Rizzo Baiez. Twenty eighteen, offense
disappeared cost them the season. Twenty twenty COVID season, offense
disappeared cost some season. This is It's been a pretty
(15:35):
common theme for the Cubs really since two thousand and seventeen,
where the offense just goes silent for large, large chunks
of time and ends the season in one way or another.
And I think this will probably be the first year
that doesn't happen in a while. Yeah, I'm with you.
I mean, we talked about it for the show that's
gonna air tomorrow. My biggest concern is I just feel
(15:58):
like they're missing a quality arm. I know they got
a bunch of depth. Like I mean, I just could
repeat what you just said. It's the same thing. I
know they have a bunch of depth. I just wish
they had another guy. And they told you that they
needed another guy, because they're basically at the two yard
line with the Lizardo trade and it didn't work out.
They wouldn't have gotten them gone after him so hard
if they didn't think they needed another pitcher. You know,
(16:21):
if and it's not even just injuries, it's performance. What
if him, and IgA is a three point seven to
seventy RA guy this year. That's still pretty good. But
that's not going to be good enough with this team
unless there's some sort of production that we're not seeing
that may come, or they have a plan to do
a six man rotation or or something that we don't know.
(16:41):
But you know, it just feels like they easily could
have just gotten this taken care of by spending a
little bit more money. But I won't go down that road.
It's too late.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Do you any concerns Matt Is that or is that
kind of the same?
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Starting pitching is the biggest one for sure, And I've
hear who the fifth guy is by the way, Yeah, in.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
The and you might look like, okay, maybe the trade
deadline you get Sandy l Contra. You might you might
make a trade there, But it's like you have this
tough stretch at the beginning of the beginning of the season.
If you had him at the or had somebody of
quality at the beginning of the season, then you could
use that in other ways, maybe for offense, Like we're
(17:27):
putting a lot of stock in Matt Shaw to be
able to be the guy at third base. Well, what
if he isn't engaged workman, I mean, he hasn't proven
anything yet. So it's it's those type of things where
we could put those assets that we have in the
mior leagues to use in other places if we would
have went out and did what they obviously, like Sam,
you said, they they identified that that was a hole
(17:48):
and they tried to fill it and just didn't work out.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
They failed.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
So yeah, they failed.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
You talked a little bit about the offense and you
said it's not going to happen this year.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Yeah, why is that? Yeah? I just you know, I
just feel more confident this year. I think you're gonna
get you know, in May and June PCA and of
last year, pc A and A Maya were you know,
one seventy hitters. I think those guys have graduated past
that level. I think Shaw's I'm probably higher on Matchhaw
(18:20):
maybe than anybody that has a podcast or a platform,
I think. And then you had a star player. You know,
last year Cody Bellinger was a slightly above average player.
Now you had a star player. You put those things together,
and I just think they're they're gonna be you know,
I don't know if they're gonna be you know, they're
not gonna be the Dodgers or you know, even a
(18:41):
maybe a top three offense, but I think top ten
and more consistency, a higher floor is in order.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
I mean over the last year, we've talked a lot
about this Cubs lineup has been full of like B
listers and seedless stars, and we have not had an
A lister on this line up in a long time.
And you get Kyle Tucker and and that's an A lister.
That's a guy that can sustain an offense when other
guys are are underperforming.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
When Ian Happen is going.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Through his his stretch at the beginning of the season
where he's he's not hitting too you have you have
your Tucker' there to like sustain the offense. And I
do think like Dansby is gonna is gonna take a
step forward this year. I think last year, dealing with
the hernia injury like that was holding him back a
little bit from from taking a good swing. So I
(19:31):
feel like he's gonna be more sustainable. And that's gonna
just linked in the lineup. And that's a big thing
with the Cubs lineup. That hasn't been It's hasn't been
very long. He get down past five to six and
it's like out out out and.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
You're like, okay, let's turn it back over and we
have to get.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Well, you just said, you just said the whole problem.
It's it's been full of B listers and seedlisters and
it's not a long line up, So you can't have both.
If it's Philip B listers and seedlisters, you gotta have
best listers and sealisters of the eight nine hole. So
this year I think I think it's longer and they
have an A lister. Sorry to cut you off.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
No, that's great. You just released an episode yesterday about
PCA and great listen plug Make sure you guys listen
to the episode about PCA. Is he the guy or
a guy that the organization can can build around. Do
(20:23):
you think he is that level of a player that
he can be the future face of the Cubs?
Speaker 4 (20:33):
What do you think, Matt?
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Yeah, I think in some cases he already is a
little bit of the face just with his his swagger's
presence is branding. And so if I'm thinking about on
the field number one, but also off the field, I
would say one hundred percent. Yes, that's what makes PCA
really exciting. You know. Really, when you look forward to
(20:56):
the future, you lump in PCA, bush Ayah Shaw into
this one two year player category, you feel pretty good.
But PCA is easily leading that charge out of that group.
Although I think Sam is right Matt Shaw would like
would like to see at the table with that. We'll
see if he what he does with it. But PCA,
(21:19):
he he's quickly becoming one of my favorites. I know
in my classes at school, Mitch, that's what the kids
are talking about. You know, that's who's attracting their attention,
and it's easy to see why. You know. Just to
add on to that, the other thing that this Cubs
team has has really struggled with really since Matt and
(21:44):
I have had our show, which is twenty twenty two,
is entertainment excitement. Let you know, dare I say personality?
You know, one of the reasons why the twenty sixteen team,
besides for obvious reasons, was so lovable is you know,
Joe Madden was a character, Biez was had flair and energy,
(22:05):
Rizzo was you know, people like those guys, you know
what I mean? Bryant was really the only one that
was like, you know right here, Pca just he brings,
he brings something to the table. You want to know
what he's gonna say. You want to know what he's
gonna do next, and this team needs that. It matters
in sports. It just does. Boog would disagree, but it does.
Oh and definitely.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Like I mean, last few years, we've gone two Cubs
games and my son's like, oh, I want to buy
a jersey and he's wanted to buy a jersey like
Okay Bellinger or he's wanted to buy a jersey, and
I'm like, wait, wait, wait, wait, this is an investment
for me, Like I'm investing my money. I want to
get a guy that's gonna be here for a while.
(22:47):
I think that's the last Like when we went through
the Bryant and Bayaz and Rizzo, they were there for
a stretch, so you felt like one you got to
know him, they had personality and I could invest in
in them. And Pca is the guy that, like my
son this year, wants to go to the game and
buy a jersey. That would be one I would invest
in because he's going to be a Cub for a
(23:08):
while and you can see them maybe extending him or
at least build around and so and yes, he's marketable,
he's fun and he he he will bring excitement two
Cubs And like you said, it has been Barry Vanilla
on the North Side, even like my son's into baseball,
but watching a Cubs game even that, he's like, it's
(23:31):
it's kind of boor it's not.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Like there's no it's not been fun at times, but
at times it's been boring.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yeah, And like, well, especially at the beginning of last season,
and my son was just starting baseball and getting into it,
like and he's watching the Cubs and they're playing the
most boring offensive baseball and.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
That pushing runs across. He's like, I don't want to
play like this.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
It's like, well, your son doesn't care about exit velocity,
you know, he doesn't care about law on changle, he
doesn't care about waiting to hit home runs. He wants
to see some pop off the screen. Yep, he does.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
So talking about excitement, we we have some youth on
this team that top one hundred prospects. We have quite
a few of them on that list, and a lot
of guys kind of just waiting in the wings. A
lot of guys from.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
Pitchers to position players, outfielders.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Who do you see out of that that group maybe
making an impact on this season's team.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Oh, go ahead, that well, I said in our Bold
Predictions episode. I think Kate Horden is going to contribute
to the rotation before the end of the year and
then eventually transitioned to the bullpen just to keep keep
a pitch count on him.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Literally.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Uh, I think the You know, it's interesting because Craig
Council keeps name dropping these guys. He named dropped the
other day, He's name dropped all contra Biasterio's Casey Treanto's
I'd like to see Bias Steros, even if it was
a short stint exclusively DH Maybe he cameos at first
(25:11):
or catcher and he just gaps one. I'm thinking about
Schwarbers one of his first games in Cleveland. Maybe Bias
Saros can do that against you know, the hated Cardinals,
hated Brewers, hated Reds, hated Pirates, something like that. That's
too but but yeah, even if it was just a
(25:33):
cup of coffee, d bat for a series or two,
or just like a ten day stint for someone who
just needs the minimum. I l stint. I think we
are going to see these guys this year. Can't be
the d Backs. They play him twice in April already,
they're done with them in April, right, Yeah, yeah, you know,
it really depends who gets injured. That's really the easy answer. Yeah,
(25:59):
I mean, I think Horton's the easy choice. I think
that's that's where I would probably go, especially because Council
even uh said it, like, hey, we want to have
to call up Kate Horton. We want to have the
the concern with him, you know, with with innings and
stuff that means things are good. And I think our
Contra would be the other one. I think those are
the two obvious choices. You know, Treonto's has had a
(26:22):
great spring, but it would just you know, you know,
you don't want I don't really want to see him
anytime soon because that would mean something probably happened to
Horner or Swanson because I don't think they're gonna have
him back up. And then Casey, you know, he's battling
the injury right now. He's you know, an important year
for him, and and you know, we'll see because if
people don't realize, like HAPs A Zuki, A lot of
(26:42):
these guys horner after this year, I got one more
year left. You know, not everybody's gonna be back unless
they win a world championship.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Yeah. Uh, mine is is is Kate Horton, and I
don't want there to be injury and I want him
to be doing so well down with.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Hoar Cubs, Horton doesn't need injury.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
And that he earns his the fifth starter spot like
he earns his way on because like you said, they
haven't really named it.
Speaker 4 (27:09):
It's they don't really have a fifth starter right now.
They have a couple of guys that could be it.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
But for Kate Horton to go down with Iowa Cubs
start the season hot and to earn that call up
there and to get a couple of starts, and like
you said, move eventually to the bullpens.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
I think he would sure up that bullpen.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Speaking of bullpen, where do you see our bullpen? Who's
gonna get what innings? Where do you see the guys landing?
I mean, we pretty much have the eight and nine,
but who do you think are going to get the
maybe six, seven, eight?
Speaker 4 (27:43):
Where do you have guys landing in there.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
I raise her and field Bar. Yeah, I mean, I
think it all depends on matchups. I think. I think
I think in the sixth inning, if there's some lefties,
if they're you know, if they're if they're playing La
and him and As throwing seventy five pitch through five,
and in the sixth inning it's Otani, Betts, Freeman, you know,
you see their field bar on the sixth because that's
(28:08):
that's the time to use that lefty pocket unless they
you know, use like Boyd or somebody. But console's not
really innings relegated, he's more matchups. Like you said, I
think Presley Hodge eight nine, and then Brazier will get
high leverage. I think Merriweather's pitched his way to get
some leverage to start the year with the way he's
looked in spring. Wow. Really yeah, I think so. So
(28:30):
we'll see, uh, we'll see it's it's I'm not as
confident in the bullpen as mad is. We'll see how
it goes.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
Do you have him the same, Matt No.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
I think after Presley and Hodge, I would have Frazier
and field Bar would be the next two high leverage guys. Meryweather,
he I think he's gonna make even the March twenty seventheam,
But yeah, I think that would be something where I
would throw some some caution on it in terms of
where does he come in right away? Granted it's it's
(29:05):
for how he finished the year last year, and just
that absolute debacle against the Toronto Blue Jays on that Friday,
and then the following I believe Tuesday, it was or Monday,
even that absolute debacle in Cleveland, so yep. And and
then Eli Morgan, is he going to be optioned in
(29:25):
a couple of weeks to triple A? That would be
I didn't have that on on my card entering the spring,
but apparently that's out there. And uh Nate Pearson is
supposedly when he's gonna face nine guys. I always thought,
why can't relievers do that? Just go through the order
(29:45):
one time, put the gym shoes on, So we'll see.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
I'm with Matt. I'm I'm pretty high on this bullpen
more because it was so bad last year, Like I
have to be high on around it than it was
last year. So I'm I'm really glad that they revamped
in and kept the guys they made trades for last year,
like eight Pearson because he did pitch well towards the
end of last year and just can't see what he
(30:12):
got in him.
Speaker 4 (30:13):
So and again, I like what you have the nine innings?
Why why don't teams do that more?
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Because that's I feel like that would that would work? So, uh,
is there any way like that you can plug where
you guys?
Speaker 4 (30:30):
I know you don't have your Twitter handles up there?
Do you want to plug your Twitter handle?
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Quick? And then we'll wrap up because I told you
guys half an hour. I want to make sure there
were that and you guys answered all my questions. Loved
what you guys had to say. So where where can
they follow you guys and subscribe to you Guys podcast?
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Yeah, locked on Cubs five days a week, all the
major audio platforms, Apple, Spotify, everywhere else. YouTube making the
push to thirteen thousand subs and yeah, we're we'd love
love for listeners to be part of the ride. Yeah.
I had Sam Olber Matt Cosey on social Uh, what's.
Speaker 4 (31:12):
Your what's your before we end? What's your bold prediction
on the opening day game?
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Oh? Wow, I haven't thought about that yet, what's a
bold prediction on the opening day game. Oh man, that's
putting me on the spot. I think so Heyo Tani's
gonna hit a home run. Nah, oh no, he very
careful the first open the season. Like the Verish sat
(31:40):
he very careful the first pitch of the twenty twenty
five season, because he will challenge him with a fastball
up in the zone and if he misses just by
a bit, it'll be hit about four hundred and seventy
five feet.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
I thought you were gonna say, I Monaga seven shutties
and then we will and over.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
But yeah, I don't think that's gonna happen. I'm just
hoping they splip. Yeah, I'm hoping they win again game.
But they might not. They might, they might not. So
I think my bold prediction would be if Shaw's at
the starting lineup, He's gonna get some hits. Okay, I
not really think that's that bowl, but just kind of
annoyed at the whole Shaw situation. He should be treated
(32:23):
like a like a top tier prospect. He should be
in the lineup. He should be hitting sixth, fifth, or
seventh opening day and let him go. Yeah, they're treating
like a department store or something. Yeah, I don't like it,
so I'll say inside the park, Homer. Oh that's about us. Well, no,
you should put money on that then, because you you
(32:43):
can let you could like you could pay you could
pay like tuition off of that.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
Oh that that would be fun in the Tokyo Dome
to see the crowd being crazy as he's flying around
the bases. Love it, well, thanks for joining us. Appreciate
Matt damn bit of joining us. That does it for
this episode of the Dinner's Podcast. Make sure that you
are following us on on Tap Sports Network and Yeah
(33:11):
Go Cubs,
You're listening to The Deer's Podcast, presented to you by
Test Courts Network, with your host Mitch, Jeff and Kevis
The way to talk to the Cubs.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
All I need is a.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Y. I ain't believe, under estimate the Swingers.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
The Deer's Podcast is on the air. I'm your host, Mitch,
and I'm joined. I have a special privilege of being
joined by Matt and Sam from Locked On Cubs. How
are you guys tonight?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Doing good? Mitch, thanks for having us. We're very excited
doing well.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
So we're gonna jump right into it. And I listened
to one of your guys episodes. If you're not subscribed
to Lockdown Cubs, make sure that you are subscribed to there.
They put out an episode every Monday through Friday. Is
it a short half an hour long episode, great content,
great during the season. If you missed the game, you
(01:07):
get caught up real quick. So make sure that you
were subscribed to their podcast because they they do a
great job, probably one of my probably the best Cubs
podcast out there right now. So make sure that you
are listening to these guys every single weekday. But I
was listening to an episode from last week and and
sam you were talking a little bit about like your
(01:29):
fandom as a child being season ticket holder from was
it nineteen ninety three through.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Or I'm not that old nineteen ninety eight to two
thousand and eight?
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Okay in two thousand and eight, and so I wanted
to challenge you guys, and you guys can kind of
do it together since here in like eight days, it's
gonna be opening Day, and we as Cubs podcasts, we
like to like predict what the opening day lineup is
gonna be. And can you remember way back and name
(02:06):
the lineup from Let's Go First two thousand and three?
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Could you do that? Yeah? Probably so, manf we get
right a lot of trivia today. We just came off
of an episode over Matt, Matt, Matt, you want me
to go and you fill in the gap or yeah,
I'm trying to actually sketch it out here, all right
two thousand and three.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Well, I know this is putting a lot of pressure
on you.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
No, there's no pressure. I should I should get most
of these. Yeah, we just trade players. Yeah, do you
want to go? Do you want to do?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
All?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Right? You go, you go, I'll go off of you.
Sammy Sosa. All right, I'm gonna go second base, uh,
Mark Rudzalanic, Uh, shortstop, Alex Gonzalez. Uh, I'm gonna go catcher.
Was it Damian Miller? Nice?
Speaker 3 (02:59):
That was the one that was like, that's gonna be
the tough one.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Well done, third bait. Sorry, left field, I'm gonna go
with Moisse Salou Yep. Center field's tricky because they got
uh loft and at the deadline, I know that one.
If you want me to take that one, yeah, yeah,
to take it please, Corey Patterson of course.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
And do you remember what type of game he had
back opening there? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Was it?
Speaker 2 (03:28):
He had a what do you have like two homers
and like five like like six seven RBIs or something
like that.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Gonna blowout when a fifteen win versus the New York
in New York, New York gets the nuts?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
All right? Uh? It was it? He stopped joy at first? Nice?
Was it? Really?
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
All right, I'll try the other corner, Jose Hernandez. Now
they traded him. I think it was Mark Belliban.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
I thought Mark Belhorn.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Oh wow, well he was in the Aramis trade, wasn't
he later that year?
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Yeah, you're right, you're right, yeah, yeah, yeah, he was
the opening day I think he was a shortstop, the
opening day shortstop in like ninety eight or something. I
don't I don't identify Jose Hernandez. I do know, Mitch.
We do know who the picture is, because we just
recorded a couple hours ago and that was identified. If
we're going to give you that.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Go for it, Carrie would Carrie would well done that
two thousand and three will kind of be one to
always stick out to us as Cubs fans, but a
lot of us, a lot of them don't remember the
lineup that we threw out there on opening Day, and
so Ory Patterson.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Mark did Mark Bellhorn finish this season on a different team.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
I think they traded him to Boston. Yep, that was
the goay to go into Boston. Well done?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Well.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
We are eight days away from from do you consider
opening day of the Japanese series?
Speaker 4 (04:58):
It's tough to like, that's.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Happening so early and then you guys come back and
do these spring training games still, Like, how do you
guys feel like do you get as amped as Opening
Day when it's like at Wrigley as this opening day
in Japan? When it's like, oh, man, I gotta get
up early in the morning. It's not quite the like
live up like where you wake up and you have
(05:20):
a couple hours to like get your body ready for
opening day. This is like up and early, get some
coffee and get going. You got How are you guys feeling? Like, Sam,
where are you at? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:31):
It feels different. I don't want to I don't want
to say I'm less amped. I don't think that's the case.
It just feels different because it feels like, you know,
you're gonna overreact to this because it's two games and
I think I think what throws me is it's not
the fact that it's uh not at Wrigly. It's the
fact that there's a week off in between. Yeah, I
(05:54):
think that's what throws me off. So it's gonna be
two games. We're gonna basically be evaluating these two games
for seven consecutive days or six consecutive days. I think
that's what throws me off more so than than where
it is. Well you, Matt, Yeah, I'm starting to get
more excited now that we're almost inside a week.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Yep, eight days away.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
But I'm curious to find that out. Mitch, I wonder
because that that first day is so special that Thursday
would become now Thursday in late March or early April.
Uh So I hope that that, you know, doesn't remove
any buzz from from that opening series against the d Backs. Yeah,
(06:40):
I really, I really think because they're on an island
those two mornings too, I think it's gonna be a
lot of focus on those games. I think I'm trying
to like coach myself that it's not going to be,
but it's going to be. Oh, they're the only game
in town.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Yeah. And that's like, so I I teach middle school
and I have a lot of boys that are our
baseball fans, but they they they aren't really they're more.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Like Yankee We got a whole bunch of Yankees fans.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
But like they're even getting excited for this Japanese series, Like, oh,
at least baseball, it's gonna the only thing I can watch.
There's nothing really on TV right now. Mark Madness isn't
here quite yet, and so like they were getting excited.
So it's like it's cool to guys see that.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Are you gonna have in class?
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Uh No, no, definitely not. Never have day games on
in my classroom. Ever, but there's still some roster moves
still to be made of, like what does this this
opening day.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Roster look like?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
And we we have gauge workmen and on that are
look to. I think yesterday was reported that they're going
to make the opening day roster with some injuries that
we have with Horner and we still have Shaw still
not sure if he's gonna be on opening day. What
do you think the next roster moves are going to
(08:06):
be and what do you think that opening day lineup
is going to kind of look like their Matt.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Well Entering today's spring game, the Cubs only had thirty
three guys in camp, and as I look at the
list of who it is, I would be really surprised
if Matt Shaw does it make the trip yep. And
(08:34):
if he doesn't, technically Kevin Alcantra would have to take
his spots of people that are on that are in
camp yep. I know that's weird to think about, but
that's true. I think all Contra is a taxi squad candidate,
but I never expect him to actually be active. And
then there's just a couple there's just one pitcher spot
(08:57):
and that might just be on the taxi squad too,
and that's guys like Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, Daniel Palencia
is still in camp as of right now. Maybe he
makes the trip hopefully, So really it's probably more I'm
targeting now March twenty seventh as okay, who's actually gonna
(09:18):
spend the first couple of weeks as Cubs more so
now than these two games, because even in that eight
day span from the last Japan game to the twenty seventh,
if Horner is ready and Shaw then then Workmen or
Bruhan will have to be their their flame will have
(09:40):
to be extinguished. So you know, there's gonna be some transit.
They are gonna be very transactional before the twenty seventh.
But really, I think the battles right now, or the
questions are pretty minor. Of less Council begins his pressure
tomorrow and he's like, guess what, Matt Shaw is gonna
be roommates with Horner. He's not coming with us.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yeah, now, when you if we don't keep gauge workmen
on the roster, then he goes back to who was
it he Detroit, Yeah, Detroyed, And that's that's the tougher.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Very likely. There is a scenario Mitch where the Cubs
and Tigers. The Cubs could basically send a prospect to
the Tigers and workmen could be assigned to des Moines.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Which which the spring he's having.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
It's tough because you have these two guys Juan and
and workmen that could be great valuable bench pieces, which
the Cubs have kind of reworked their whole bench. It's
it's something that was kind of really weak last year.
We didn't have anybody that when injuries did happen or
we were trying to fill everybody at third base. Now
we actually have a decent bench and you have now
(10:57):
Workmen who adds a little bit of pop never really
got a chance, and Detroit and you have Bruhan who
who had speed and can play second base. So that's
that's the tough thing of like, who do you see
getting maybe an extended look on this roster.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Yeah, I think it's gonna be a workman. I think
he you know, we've talked about this on our show.
I think in a different scenario, if if Aramis Ramirez
was still playing third base for the Cubs, maybe it'd
be vd del Bruhan, but or Chris Bryant or something
like that. But with a lesser experienced guy like Shaw.
(11:35):
I think just having a little bit of defensive insurance
and pop off the bench a guy that you feel
like could give you, Like I just don't feel like
vdel Breuhan could play every day successfully if something happened
to Matt Shaw, if Matt Shaw wasn't hitting or whatever
it was. So I think it's gonna be workman. I'm
pretty confident that now.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
We we've seen where the Cubs last two years have
gone through, where they've gone a month's where the offense
has just went completely silent, and Ben kind of the
downfall of the whole season, Like you can kind of
pin it back to like two months both the last
two years.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
And you look at the schedule this year and you see.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
That April is a tough April, and and Kyle and
the comments kind of talks a little bit about getting
off into a hot start in April is so key.
How much value are you guys putting in on that
first April with the really tough schedule?
Speaker 2 (12:33):
What you think, Matt, Yeah, I would say I'm putting
a good amount of value on it. I know it's
gonna be a challenge through that. Believe it's the last
series that crosses over to the first day of May.
There's thirty those first thirty two games. There's a lot
of really good competition on the schedule. Dodgers a couple
(12:53):
of times, d Backs a couple of times, Padres, Phillies, Ranger.
So it's gonna be a challenge. With that being said,
you know, I think we have learned, you know, less
so from the powerhouses like the Dodgers and Yankees. But
I do think a division winning team could have a
(13:16):
twenty five thirty game pocket. It wouldn't be fun if
they opened with that, but they could settle in after
that and have a fine season or even a really
special season. But I would like to see them, you know,
when they go into Milwaukee on Friday, May second, thirty
(13:38):
two games in. You'd like to see them, you know,
at least seventeen and fifteen or whatever it is, and
really just just you know, good health, positive contributions throughout
the roster, including what you mentioned, Mitch, with the revamped bench,
I would say I would add to that the revamped bullpen,
(13:58):
and then the just the looming question those first thirty
two would be Okay, who are the five starters, how
are they looking and does it become even more clear
because it is already in my opinion that they need
help there well even just after that first month, is
it even more clear? And so those are some things
(14:19):
I'm looking for.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
You bring them up. The starting pitching and the maybe
not having the depth. That was one of my questions
of what is your concerns going into this season? But
my big concern is is more like, we do have
pretty good depth at starting pitching, but we don't have
top tier depth. And that was something we thought that
(14:45):
they were going to address and kind of fill in
between Imonaga and Tyone with a quality starting pitcher, and
we didn't get that. But if if one or two
of those guys gets injured or is on the il
for X significant amount of time, we're in trouble with
a top tear. Starting pitching in our rotation gets really weak.
(15:08):
So that's my big concern. Is that something you guys
concerned And what other concerns you guys got?
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Yeah, yeah, I think first of all, just going back
to what you said earlier about the offense, even in
the previous era with Bryant Rizzo Baiez. Twenty eighteen, offense
disappeared cost them the season. Twenty twenty COVID season, offense
disappeared cost some season. This is It's been a pretty
(15:35):
common theme for the Cubs really since two thousand and seventeen,
where the offense just goes silent for large, large chunks
of time and ends the season in one way or another.
And I think this will probably be the first year
that doesn't happen in a while. Yeah, I'm with you.
I mean, we talked about it for the show that's
gonna air tomorrow. My biggest concern is I just feel
(15:58):
like they're missing a quality arm. I know they got
a bunch of depth. Like I mean, I just could
repeat what you just said. It's the same thing. I
know they have a bunch of depth. I just wish
they had another guy. And they told you that they
needed another guy, because they're basically at the two yard
line with the Lizardo trade and it didn't work out.
They wouldn't have gotten them gone after him so hard
if they didn't think they needed another pitcher. You know,
(16:21):
if and it's not even just injuries, it's performance. What
if him, and IgA is a three point seven to
seventy RA guy this year. That's still pretty good. But
that's not going to be good enough with this team
unless there's some sort of production that we're not seeing
that may come, or they have a plan to do
a six man rotation or or something that we don't know.
(16:41):
But you know, it just feels like they easily could
have just gotten this taken care of by spending a
little bit more money. But I won't go down that road.
It's too late.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Do you any concerns Matt Is that or is that
kind of the same?
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Starting pitching is the biggest one for sure, And I've
hear who the fifth guy is by the way, Yeah, in.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
The and you might look like, okay, maybe the trade
deadline you get Sandy l Contra. You might you might
make a trade there, But it's like you have this
tough stretch at the beginning of the beginning of the season.
If you had him at the or had somebody of
quality at the beginning of the season, then you could
use that in other ways, maybe for offense, Like we're
(17:27):
putting a lot of stock in Matt Shaw to be
able to be the guy at third base. Well, what
if he isn't engaged workman, I mean, he hasn't proven
anything yet. So it's it's those type of things where
we could put those assets that we have in the
mior leagues to use in other places if we would
have went out and did what they obviously, like Sam,
you said, they they identified that that was a hole
(17:48):
and they tried to fill it and just didn't work out.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
They failed.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
So yeah, they failed.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
You talked a little bit about the offense and you
said it's not going to happen this year.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Yeah, why is that? Yeah? I just you know, I
just feel more confident this year. I think you're gonna
get you know, in May and June PCA and of
last year, pc A and A Maya were you know,
one seventy hitters. I think those guys have graduated past
that level. I think Shaw's I'm probably higher on Matchhaw
(18:20):
maybe than anybody that has a podcast or a platform,
I think. And then you had a star player. You know,
last year Cody Bellinger was a slightly above average player.
Now you had a star player. You put those things together,
and I just think they're they're gonna be you know,
I don't know if they're gonna be you know, they're
not gonna be the Dodgers or you know, even a
(18:41):
maybe a top three offense, but I think top ten
and more consistency, a higher floor is in order.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
I mean over the last year, we've talked a lot
about this Cubs lineup has been full of like B
listers and seedless stars, and we have not had an
A lister on this line up in a long time.
And you get Kyle Tucker and and that's an A lister.
That's a guy that can sustain an offense when other
guys are are underperforming.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
When Ian Happen is going.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Through his his stretch at the beginning of the season
where he's he's not hitting too you have you have
your Tucker' there to like sustain the offense. And I
do think like Dansby is gonna is gonna take a
step forward this year. I think last year, dealing with
the hernia injury like that was holding him back a
little bit from from taking a good swing. So I
(19:31):
feel like he's gonna be more sustainable. And that's gonna
just linked in the lineup. And that's a big thing
with the Cubs lineup. That hasn't been It's hasn't been
very long. He get down past five to six and
it's like out out out and.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
You're like, okay, let's turn it back over and we
have to get.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Well, you just said, you just said the whole problem.
It's it's been full of B listers and seedlisters and
it's not a long line up, So you can't have both.
If it's Philip B listers and seedlisters, you gotta have
best listers and sealisters of the eight nine hole. So
this year I think I think it's longer and they
have an A lister. Sorry to cut you off.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
No, that's great. You just released an episode yesterday about
PCA and great listen plug Make sure you guys listen
to the episode about PCA. Is he the guy or
a guy that the organization can can build around. Do
(20:23):
you think he is that level of a player that
he can be the future face of the Cubs?
Speaker 4 (20:33):
What do you think, Matt?
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Yeah, I think in some cases he already is a
little bit of the face just with his his swagger's
presence is branding. And so if I'm thinking about on
the field number one, but also off the field, I
would say one hundred percent. Yes, that's what makes PCA
really exciting. You know. Really, when you look forward to
(20:56):
the future, you lump in PCA, bush Ayah Shaw into
this one two year player category, you feel pretty good.
But PCA is easily leading that charge out of that group.
Although I think Sam is right Matt Shaw would like
would like to see at the table with that. We'll
see if he what he does with it. But PCA,
(21:19):
he he's quickly becoming one of my favorites. I know
in my classes at school, Mitch, that's what the kids
are talking about. You know, that's who's attracting their attention,
and it's easy to see why. You know. Just to
add on to that, the other thing that this Cubs
team has has really struggled with really since Matt and
(21:44):
I have had our show, which is twenty twenty two,
is entertainment excitement. Let you know, dare I say personality?
You know, one of the reasons why the twenty sixteen team,
besides for obvious reasons, was so lovable is you know,
Joe Madden was a character, Biez was had flair and energy,
(22:05):
Rizzo was you know, people like those guys, you know
what I mean? Bryant was really the only one that
was like, you know right here, Pca just he brings,
he brings something to the table. You want to know
what he's gonna say. You want to know what he's
gonna do next, and this team needs that. It matters
in sports. It just does. Boog would disagree, but it does.
Oh and definitely.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Like I mean, last few years, we've gone two Cubs
games and my son's like, oh, I want to buy
a jersey and he's wanted to buy a jersey like
Okay Bellinger or he's wanted to buy a jersey, and
I'm like, wait, wait, wait, wait, this is an investment
for me, Like I'm investing my money. I want to
get a guy that's gonna be here for a while.
(22:47):
I think that's the last Like when we went through
the Bryant and Bayaz and Rizzo, they were there for
a stretch, so you felt like one you got to
know him, they had personality and I could invest in
in them. And Pca is the guy that, like my
son this year, wants to go to the game and
buy a jersey. That would be one I would invest
in because he's going to be a Cub for a
(23:08):
while and you can see them maybe extending him or
at least build around and so and yes, he's marketable,
he's fun and he he he will bring excitement two
Cubs And like you said, it has been Barry Vanilla
on the North Side, even like my son's into baseball,
but watching a Cubs game even that, he's like, it's
(23:31):
it's kind of boor it's not.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Like there's no it's not been fun at times, but
at times it's been boring.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yeah, And like, well, especially at the beginning of last season,
and my son was just starting baseball and getting into it,
like and he's watching the Cubs and they're playing the
most boring offensive baseball and.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
That pushing runs across. He's like, I don't want to
play like this.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
It's like, well, your son doesn't care about exit velocity,
you know, he doesn't care about law on changle, he
doesn't care about waiting to hit home runs. He wants
to see some pop off the screen. Yep, he does.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
So talking about excitement, we we have some youth on
this team that top one hundred prospects. We have quite
a few of them on that list, and a lot
of guys kind of just waiting in the wings. A
lot of guys from.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
Pitchers to position players, outfielders.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Who do you see out of that that group maybe
making an impact on this season's team.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Oh, go ahead, that well, I said in our Bold
Predictions episode. I think Kate Horden is going to contribute
to the rotation before the end of the year and
then eventually transitioned to the bullpen just to keep keep
a pitch count on him.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Literally.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Uh, I think the You know, it's interesting because Craig
Council keeps name dropping these guys. He named dropped the
other day, He's name dropped all contra Biasterio's Casey Treanto's
I'd like to see Bias Steros, even if it was
a short stint exclusively DH Maybe he cameos at first
(25:11):
or catcher and he just gaps one. I'm thinking about
Schwarbers one of his first games in Cleveland. Maybe Bias
Saros can do that against you know, the hated Cardinals,
hated Brewers, hated Reds, hated Pirates, something like that. That's
too but but yeah, even if it was just a
(25:33):
cup of coffee, d bat for a series or two,
or just like a ten day stint for someone who
just needs the minimum. I l stint. I think we
are going to see these guys this year. Can't be
the d Backs. They play him twice in April already,
they're done with them in April, right, Yeah, yeah, you know,
it really depends who gets injured. That's really the easy answer. Yeah,
(25:59):
I mean, I think Horton's the easy choice. I think
that's that's where I would probably go, especially because Council
even uh said it, like, hey, we want to have
to call up Kate Horton. We want to have the
the concern with him, you know, with with innings and
stuff that means things are good. And I think our
Contra would be the other one. I think those are
the two obvious choices. You know, Treonto's has had a
(26:22):
great spring, but it would just you know, you know,
you don't want I don't really want to see him
anytime soon because that would mean something probably happened to
Horner or Swanson because I don't think they're gonna have
him back up. And then Casey, you know, he's battling
the injury right now. He's you know, an important year
for him, and and you know, we'll see because if
people don't realize, like HAPs A Zuki, A lot of
(26:42):
these guys horner after this year, I got one more
year left. You know, not everybody's gonna be back unless
they win a world championship.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Yeah. Uh, mine is is is Kate Horton, and I
don't want there to be injury and I want him
to be doing so well down with.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Hoar Cubs, Horton doesn't need injury.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
And that he earns his the fifth starter spot like
he earns his way on because like you said, they
haven't really named it.
Speaker 4 (27:09):
It's they don't really have a fifth starter right now.
They have a couple of guys that could be it.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
But for Kate Horton to go down with Iowa Cubs
start the season hot and to earn that call up
there and to get a couple of starts, and like
you said, move eventually to the bullpens.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
I think he would sure up that bullpen.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Speaking of bullpen, where do you see our bullpen? Who's
gonna get what innings? Where do you see the guys landing?
I mean, we pretty much have the eight and nine,
but who do you think are going to get the
maybe six, seven, eight?
Speaker 4 (27:43):
Where do you have guys landing in there.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
I raise her and field Bar. Yeah, I mean, I
think it all depends on matchups. I think. I think
I think in the sixth inning, if there's some lefties,
if they're you know, if they're if they're playing La
and him and As throwing seventy five pitch through five,
and in the sixth inning it's Otani, Betts, Freeman, you know,
you see their field bar on the sixth because that's
(28:08):
that's the time to use that lefty pocket unless they
you know, use like Boyd or somebody. But console's not
really innings relegated, he's more matchups. Like you said, I
think Presley Hodge eight nine, and then Brazier will get
high leverage. I think Merriweather's pitched his way to get
some leverage to start the year with the way he's
looked in spring. Wow. Really yeah, I think so. So
(28:30):
we'll see, uh, we'll see it's it's I'm not as
confident in the bullpen as mad is. We'll see how
it goes.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
Do you have him the same, Matt No.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
I think after Presley and Hodge, I would have Frazier
and field Bar would be the next two high leverage guys. Meryweather,
he I think he's gonna make even the March twenty seventheam,
But yeah, I think that would be something where I
would throw some some caution on it in terms of
where does he come in right away? Granted it's it's
(29:05):
for how he finished the year last year, and just
that absolute debacle against the Toronto Blue Jays on that Friday,
and then the following I believe Tuesday, it was or Monday,
even that absolute debacle in Cleveland, so yep. And and
then Eli Morgan, is he going to be optioned in
(29:25):
a couple of weeks to triple A? That would be
I didn't have that on on my card entering the spring,
but apparently that's out there. And uh Nate Pearson is
supposedly when he's gonna face nine guys. I always thought,
why can't relievers do that? Just go through the order
(29:45):
one time, put the gym shoes on, So we'll see.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
I'm with Matt. I'm I'm pretty high on this bullpen
more because it was so bad last year, Like I
have to be high on around it than it was
last year. So I'm I'm really glad that they revamped
in and kept the guys they made trades for last year,
like eight Pearson because he did pitch well towards the
end of last year and just can't see what he
(30:12):
got in him.
Speaker 4 (30:13):
So and again, I like what you have the nine innings?
Why why don't teams do that more?
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Because that's I feel like that would that would work? So, uh,
is there any way like that you can plug where
you guys?
Speaker 4 (30:30):
I know you don't have your Twitter handles up there?
Do you want to plug your Twitter handle?
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Quick? And then we'll wrap up because I told you
guys half an hour. I want to make sure there
were that and you guys answered all my questions. Loved
what you guys had to say. So where where can
they follow you guys and subscribe to you Guys podcast?
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Yeah, locked on Cubs five days a week, all the
major audio platforms, Apple, Spotify, everywhere else. YouTube making the
push to thirteen thousand subs and yeah, we're we'd love
love for listeners to be part of the ride. Yeah.
I had Sam Olber Matt Cosey on social Uh, what's.
Speaker 4 (31:12):
Your what's your before we end? What's your bold prediction
on the opening day game?
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Oh? Wow, I haven't thought about that yet, what's a
bold prediction on the opening day game. Oh man, that's
putting me on the spot. I think so Heyo Tani's
gonna hit a home run. Nah, oh no, he very
careful the first open the season. Like the Verish sat
(31:40):
he very careful the first pitch of the twenty twenty
five season, because he will challenge him with a fastball
up in the zone and if he misses just by
a bit, it'll be hit about four hundred and seventy
five feet.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
I thought you were gonna say, I Monaga seven shutties
and then we will and over.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
But yeah, I don't think that's gonna happen. I'm just
hoping they splip. Yeah, I'm hoping they win again game.
But they might not. They might, they might not. So
I think my bold prediction would be if Shaw's at
the starting lineup, He's gonna get some hits. Okay, I
not really think that's that bowl, but just kind of
annoyed at the whole Shaw situation. He should be treated
(32:23):
like a like a top tier prospect. He should be
in the lineup. He should be hitting sixth, fifth, or
seventh opening day and let him go. Yeah, they're treating
like a department store or something. Yeah, I don't like it,
so I'll say inside the park, Homer. Oh that's about us. Well, no,
you should put money on that then, because you you
(32:43):
can let you could like you could pay you could
pay like tuition off of that.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
Oh that that would be fun in the Tokyo Dome
to see the crowd being crazy as he's flying around
the bases. Love it, well, thanks for joining us. Appreciate
Matt damn bit of joining us. That does it for
this episode of the Dinner's Podcast. Make sure that you
are following us on on Tap Sports Network and Yeah
(33:11):
Go Cubs,
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