WEBVTT
00:01.070 --> 00:04.892
[SPEAKER_01]: Welcome in and welcome back to the cubby's good podcast, Jake.
00:04.952 --> 00:15.458
[SPEAKER_01]: We know who will be playing in the NLCS, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, feels like that's a classic October match up.
00:15.539 --> 00:25.604
[SPEAKER_01]: We're now used to over the past few years, quickly, before we get into the mail bag aspect of this episode, which is going to tie up most of it.
00:26.785 --> 00:29.547
[SPEAKER_01]: Are we rooting for a meteor or just
00:30.857 --> 00:32.318
[SPEAKER_01]: And the me of my enemy is my friend.
00:32.418 --> 00:33.179
[SPEAKER_01]: What's going on here?
00:33.379 --> 00:34.980
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, the NLCS is hell on earth.
00:36.320 --> 00:38.022
[SPEAKER_00]: There are no winners, only losers.
00:39.663 --> 00:40.863
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, no.
00:40.903 --> 00:42.744
[SPEAKER_00]: Worst case in it, or for a cubs fan.
00:43.625 --> 00:43.865
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
00:45.026 --> 00:46.627
[SPEAKER_00]: Like, I don't want the Dodgers to three people.
00:46.647 --> 00:49.329
[SPEAKER_00]: But there's just no way I can root from Milwaukee.
00:49.369 --> 00:58.254
[SPEAKER_00]: So if you forcing me down the shoot, and I have to pick a lane, I think, if I have to pick an NL team, and let's be clear, my default would be to open the A up with this.
00:58.795 --> 00:59.075
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
00:59.713 --> 01:07.462
[SPEAKER_00]: I think I'd pick the Dodgers and that's really it key and I feel gross and I don't like it, but yeah, I can't pick the brewers can't do it.
01:08.143 --> 01:14.190
[SPEAKER_01]: What it'd be better or worse if Milwaukee just gets boat raised against the Dodgers like they did last year.
01:15.961 --> 01:17.442
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I'd find it hilarious.
01:17.703 --> 01:29.293
[SPEAKER_00]: But amidst the larger like CBA lockout discussion, I don't want that because I feel like that could have some implications and people might craft some messages around it.
01:31.375 --> 01:32.075
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I don't know.
01:32.175 --> 01:33.457
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a lose lose, man.
01:33.557 --> 01:34.678
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't want any part of this.
01:35.811 --> 01:37.772
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, speak of what we do out part of.
01:37.893 --> 01:39.714
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's get started with the mail bag.
01:40.114 --> 01:43.496
[SPEAKER_01]: Last week, after Jet Horror talked, took to our Facebook page.
01:43.877 --> 01:48.400
[SPEAKER_01]: I told our readers fans to just sound away with your questions.
01:48.460 --> 01:48.980
[SPEAKER_01]: You did.
01:49.641 --> 01:55.024
[SPEAKER_01]: We appreciate that just a quick note because it's going to be a strange offseason.
01:55.144 --> 01:57.946
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll be looking to do mail bags when we can.
01:58.066 --> 01:59.868
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll probably have another one in November.
02:00.749 --> 02:08.079
[SPEAKER_01]: And then we'll see what the CBA talks dictate in terms of content that will be covering on the podcast.
02:08.640 --> 02:15.170
[SPEAKER_01]: We've prepared a lot of Evergreen in this short call look back because I have a feeling that could be the trend for a few months.
02:15.970 --> 02:27.492
[SPEAKER_01]: But Jake, let's dive in, Bob, on our Facebook page, Bob, Mitchell, this is a question that has been fairly popular amongst circles for Cubans over the past couple of weeks.
02:28.072 --> 02:31.793
[SPEAKER_01]: Will there be changes in the Cubans runoffice of this all season?
02:32.753 --> 02:33.953
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, there will be changes.
02:34.474 --> 02:36.314
[SPEAKER_00]: No, Jed Holier is not going anywhere.
02:36.494 --> 02:39.855
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think that's the change that Cubans want to see.
02:39.995 --> 02:41.535
[SPEAKER_00]: That is not the change that they're going to get.
02:42.700 --> 02:50.886
[SPEAKER_00]: I think we're going to hear Carter Hawkins name tossed around for any front office openings if there are GM openings or president of baseball ops.
02:51.446 --> 02:58.932
[SPEAKER_00]: We could see his name there assistant GM Jared Banner was just connected to the front office job with the athletics.
03:00.233 --> 03:07.200
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think we're going to see some changes, we're going to see some new faces, we'll see some guys who've been here a while, move on to their next opportunity.
03:08.801 --> 03:11.164
[SPEAKER_00]: But I feel like that's not too irregular.
03:11.364 --> 03:19.952
[SPEAKER_00]: I think we tend to look at, you know, the one and two and then not really pay a ton of attention to the plethora of names underneath those those two.
03:20.713 --> 03:42.193
[SPEAKER_00]: but it's it's pretty common for for assistant GMs and folks like in that level of the front office to find new opportunities to it's same as any of us with a career better opportunity presents itself better title better money maybe it's a hometown team whatever it is so yes there will be changes no general year will not be part of those changes
03:43.209 --> 03:43.809
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I agree.
03:43.829 --> 03:45.290
[SPEAKER_01]: I think there will be changes.
03:45.670 --> 03:47.851
[SPEAKER_01]: Definitely won't be dreadful.
03:48.111 --> 03:53.014
[SPEAKER_01]: I think if there was going to be a horror change, you want to met with reporters last Friday.
03:53.094 --> 03:54.935
[SPEAKER_01]: That's just the optics of that.
03:55.035 --> 03:57.216
[SPEAKER_01]: Just wouldn't look good if we turn markets.
03:58.636 --> 04:00.297
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think you also hit the nail on the head.
04:00.397 --> 04:04.379
[SPEAKER_01]: There's front office change almost every off season.
04:04.619 --> 04:09.862
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just so many fans want to see whether it's president-based for operations or the general manager.
04:10.857 --> 04:14.019
[SPEAKER_01]: There's more than that, and I think we're going to see that.
04:14.259 --> 04:18.302
[SPEAKER_01]: I think the cups are serious about changing how they view pitching.
04:18.342 --> 04:29.188
[SPEAKER_01]: So, whether that's another bump up for Tyler Zambro, who's kind of become the voice of an influence for the cups pitching infrastructure, above it's getting another insistent GM in the form of office.
04:29.229 --> 04:30.709
[SPEAKER_01]: Or simply creating a title.
04:31.330 --> 04:35.452
[SPEAKER_01]: I think there is going to be change with the cups for an office when it comes to
04:36.453 --> 04:37.734
[SPEAKER_01]: the pitching side of things.
04:38.375 --> 04:45.522
[SPEAKER_01]: And I also do think this probably will be our season that Carter Hawkins says, leave kind of just rehashing what we talked about last episode.
04:45.622 --> 04:50.026
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, Hawkins in terms of his career development is a need of something else.
04:50.126 --> 04:55.211
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think the cuts from our face is in need of another number two on the jet oil.
04:56.412 --> 04:56.933
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, 100%.
04:58.950 --> 05:03.112
[SPEAKER_00]: I think one thing to keep an eye on too is this could move really quickly.
05:04.233 --> 05:07.915
[SPEAKER_00]: We mentioned the CBA and what we all assume will be a lockout.
05:08.435 --> 05:12.938
[SPEAKER_00]: But once the world series wraps, it is going to be bananas.
05:12.958 --> 05:15.039
[SPEAKER_00]: You're going to see transactions on the player side.
05:15.679 --> 05:20.462
[SPEAKER_00]: Free agency will kick off, trade market will kick off, front office merry go round will kick off.
05:20.502 --> 05:24.284
[SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, I feel like we'll get more of that here to the end of the month.
05:25.815 --> 05:47.835
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's a major league baseball center memo to owners last night about what to expect for the lack out a lot of it is probably stuff that people should be used to the last time around, but pretty much the websites are scrubbed of any active players you can't really have any affiliation with current players that are part of the players union.
05:49.516 --> 05:57.245
[SPEAKER_01]: For all the talk that that won't be moves in November, I would just point to the last time when it was kind of a frenzy in the Rumble.
05:57.926 --> 06:03.191
[SPEAKER_01]: The Cubs got involved in that, so I do think it's shaping up to be a busy November.
06:03.251 --> 06:07.957
[SPEAKER_01]: It's funny because this is one of the things that baseball fans have always clamored for like, hey.
06:08.637 --> 06:14.321
[SPEAKER_01]: Why can't we have what the MBA has, what the NFL has in terms of free agency So I think I'm just signing straight away.
06:14.341 --> 06:35.036
[SPEAKER_00]: I think we're going to get that this year unfortunately the trade Office at though many not be baseball for a while Yeah, yeah, that's It's going to be interesting you would have wished it everyone involved would have been less than five years ago, but a last we're back time as a flat circle Doom to repeat itself forever
06:36.870 --> 06:37.532
[SPEAKER_01]: This is Drew.
06:37.552 --> 06:43.848
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's move on to the next question, will the cops have any different pitching coaches next year?
06:44.550 --> 06:45.753
[SPEAKER_01]: Thanks a Thomas for this week.
06:46.238 --> 06:46.478
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
06:46.919 --> 06:48.099
[SPEAKER_00]: I think I think they will.
06:48.980 --> 06:52.723
[SPEAKER_00]: I think again, it's Cub Spans are definitely looking at this from the top down.
06:52.743 --> 06:54.404
[SPEAKER_00]: They want Tommy hot of these head on a plate.
06:55.225 --> 06:56.966
[SPEAKER_00]: And I don't know that they're going to get it.
06:58.227 --> 07:00.249
[SPEAKER_00]: I think they're going to give hot of a one more year.
07:01.429 --> 07:07.194
[SPEAKER_00]: Just given the fact that they had to feel three dozen plus pictures to get through those these in this year.
07:07.274 --> 07:09.115
[SPEAKER_00]: It's hard to drop that all at his feet.
07:16.263 --> 07:22.648
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, you know, why I couldn't we get Daniel Clancy right quickly when he was back, but again, both of those guys also battled injuries.
07:22.768 --> 07:28.151
[SPEAKER_00]: So again, I think it's hard to drop all the shortcomings of the Cubs pitching staff.
07:29.430 --> 07:50.143
[SPEAKER_00]: at Tommy Hottavis' feet, that being said, I think we could see maybe Zambro build out his staff a little bit more, I think we could get maybe in a new assistant pitching coach, but I think that Hottavis will be around to start this season, I think next year though is the Maker Break, if he comes pitching struggles again, I think that's the end of the line.
07:50.937 --> 07:58.731
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I go back and forth and out of the, um, I'm inclined to lean, know that he won't be back.
07:59.151 --> 08:03.519
[SPEAKER_01]: Why I think he will be back kind of ties into what we were saying previously.
08:04.660 --> 08:23.282
[SPEAKER_01]: I think teams when it comes to the coaching staffs, when it comes to the front office, aren't looking to make major changes as they saw season, just because you really only have that month to go through interviews, to go through hires, and then once the summer first happens, I love to be everything stops.
08:23.963 --> 08:36.036
[SPEAKER_01]: So if you don't have a pitching coach in place by then, you then risk getting to April, May, whenever it is where you have one to two weeks to find a new pitching coach before your team's expected to start spring training.
08:36.216 --> 08:36.436
[SPEAKER_01]: So
08:37.454 --> 08:46.596
[SPEAKER_01]: I think combining that with the fact of just how weird 2026 was with injuries, I think how the lead does get another chance.
08:47.736 --> 08:55.178
[SPEAKER_01]: But like you said, I think he does enter 2027 on the half seat, assuming that the cups don't fix their pitching.
08:55.938 --> 08:57.078
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, not assuming.
08:57.158 --> 09:00.099
[SPEAKER_01]: If the cups don't fix their pitching, he won't be back.
09:00.139 --> 09:01.920
[SPEAKER_01]: I guess I just assume because that seems to be the
09:04.732 --> 09:13.154
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I think it's also important to remember, since Tom Ricketts bought the team, and especially in recent years, they're not a high turnover organization.
09:13.174 --> 09:14.194
[SPEAKER_00]: They like continuity.
09:14.254 --> 09:19.696
[SPEAKER_00]: They, it feels like they would rather lose with what they know than roll the dice on what they don't know.
09:19.816 --> 09:21.636
[SPEAKER_00]: So they know Tommy has been around a long time.
09:22.636 --> 09:23.877
[SPEAKER_00]: Everyone in the club house loves him.
09:23.957 --> 09:27.638
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think it'll be back, but to your point, hot seed in 27 for sure.
09:29.386 --> 09:38.709
[SPEAKER_00]: Speaking of the non-existent Nazi, the Cubans are looking for the next question, how long do Jed Hoyer and Craig Council have jobs?
09:41.550 --> 09:43.450
[SPEAKER_01]: Definitely for this Aussie, isn't it?
09:44.971 --> 09:51.773
[SPEAKER_01]: I think we've been pretty clear that neither Hoyer or Counter are going anywhere this Aussie's in, there wouldn't really be,
09:53.939 --> 09:55.280
[SPEAKER_01]: That wouldn't really be warranted.
09:55.560 --> 10:03.965
[SPEAKER_01]: Again, for us disappointing as the end of the season was, this is still a cup of seeing that's coming off of two consecutive playoff appearances.
10:04.025 --> 10:07.247
[SPEAKER_01]: That's not something you just, it merely though I'll go window.
10:07.268 --> 10:12.891
[SPEAKER_01]: That said, this is also a cup of seeing that should have larger expectations.
10:13.371 --> 10:13.972
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think,
10:15.262 --> 10:27.768
[SPEAKER_01]: If we have some summons of a regular season next year, so 100 plus games to where those long, a large enough data set to be like, is there a really change under horror on this year?
10:27.928 --> 10:29.990
[SPEAKER_01]: Is there a really change under console?
10:30.810 --> 10:40.935
[SPEAKER_01]: I think if we get to 2027 and the clubs have another early exit in the playoffs, then I do think it's fair to wonder, is it time for a change?
10:40.955 --> 10:44.297
[SPEAKER_01]: Because at that rate, you're looking at three years of kind of the same as all.
10:44.977 --> 10:53.703
[SPEAKER_01]: And frankly, when you signed hole you're to the extension last summer, when you gave counsel the five-year deal, you have to have returning your investment.
10:53.743 --> 11:01.088
[SPEAKER_01]: And right now, I can't say that the cups have that for either, for either member right now, but it's too early for to give up on the jobs now.
11:01.649 --> 11:05.671
[SPEAKER_01]: Definitely next year, I think they wind up on a hot seat if things don't change.
11:07.032 --> 11:08.513
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, let me twist that a little bit.
11:08.593 --> 11:11.275
[SPEAKER_00]: If the cubs flat again, assuming a large enough
11:14.821 --> 11:16.802
[SPEAKER_00]: what is the job status for jetting Craig?
11:17.302 --> 11:17.862
[SPEAKER_01]: Both are gone.
11:19.442 --> 11:20.323
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, both are gone.
11:20.343 --> 11:26.544
[SPEAKER_01]: And because if your council, it's his fourth year, he would be entering a lame duck status.
11:27.264 --> 11:35.687
[SPEAKER_01]: If your whole year, you're the one that essentially said, hey, council is the reason why we haven't budged the gap to the Milwaukee Brewer.
11:35.787 --> 11:43.689
[SPEAKER_01]: So if you're going off of four years of you not only doing that, but then in the fourth year, you miss the playoffs, both have to be gone.
11:44.625 --> 12:06.324
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think that's the, I think there's a lot of pressure on Jed this winner, like, especially he's got a build a pitching staff he has he missed on every major arm that he went out and got last winner and that is a glaring swing and a miss from a front office that has a ton of resources and a ton of ton of data at its disposal to make the right choices.
12:06.404 --> 12:09.867
[SPEAKER_00]: So to go on and make all the wrong ones is a tough look.
12:11.214 --> 12:17.889
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think they're on equal footing in terms of how warm their seats are going into next year.
12:18.538 --> 12:24.741
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I would venture the gas at both connected at the hip, whether it's next year or two years or now.
12:24.861 --> 12:33.684
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think those are scenarios where I say, Tom was going to be like, oh, well, we'll keep in bed, we're getting really Craig, or we're firing, we're firing Craig.
12:33.784 --> 12:38.747
[SPEAKER_01]: I think at the straight, the both connected, their futures are intertwined.
12:39.327 --> 12:47.050
[SPEAKER_01]: So whether it's a hot seat, or they find a way to kind of re-establish the base on a new thumb, they're going to be connected moving forward.
12:48.965 --> 12:55.468
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, 100% and that was part of the point when they brought Craig again was that he was going to be very deeply intertwined in the front office in the day to day there.
12:55.508 --> 12:59.309
[SPEAKER_00]: So I guess we'll see, but they're not going anywhere right now.
12:59.329 --> 13:08.993
[SPEAKER_00]: They're not going anywhere this winter, so if you're one of those Cub's fans listening begging for a new manager or a new president of baseball ops, I hate to disappoint you, but gotta do it.
13:11.207 --> 13:22.293
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, let's move on a knock and judge horror or really since you kind of took the rings with your upsteen is This cup seam doesn't spend on a high end closer.
13:22.953 --> 13:38.141
[SPEAKER_01]: It feels like we're finally at a crossroads When it comes to that being horror or is ideology for building a pitching staff But generally Jake over the last couple years why has that been the one thing that gent horror has avoided?
13:39.648 --> 13:41.229
[SPEAKER_00]: really farms are volatile man.
13:41.349 --> 13:43.310
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, look at look at Phil Mayton last year.
13:43.350 --> 13:51.993
[SPEAKER_00]: He had what like a two ERA between Texas and St. Louis came here and just imploded had the knee issue that was recurring until they finally shot him down for surgery.
13:52.854 --> 13:56.295
[SPEAKER_00]: We've seen high profile deus look at Edwin Diaz in Los Angeles.
13:57.176 --> 14:00.937
[SPEAKER_00]: Josh Hader was better this year, but his first year in Houston was kind of disastrous.
14:01.678 --> 14:04.419
[SPEAKER_00]: So like there's a history of these really high profile arms.
14:05.508 --> 14:07.269
[SPEAKER_00]: going sideways, and then it's just dead money.
14:07.289 --> 14:08.590
[SPEAKER_00]: You can't do anything with it.
14:09.230 --> 14:14.333
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think the cubs are very focused on not carrying dead contracts.
14:15.834 --> 14:29.282
[SPEAKER_00]: But again, when the bullpen continues to be a problem, especially on the scale of was this year, you have to spend, and it can't be that, oh, we finally signed a reliever to a multi-year deal for the first time in half a decade.
14:29.302 --> 14:31.243
[SPEAKER_00]: Like that can't be how it comes operate.
14:32.076 --> 14:40.261
[SPEAKER_00]: I appreciate the work that Jed is done in the front office is done in covering the diamonds in the rough, the drew pomerans, the Jacob web, so the world that's all wonderful.
14:41.021 --> 14:44.363
[SPEAKER_00]: Those should be complimentary pieces to what you have already put together.
14:44.923 --> 14:51.987
[SPEAKER_00]: You can't go into the season grabbing 10 of those wild cards and hoping to hit and that's how your bullpen is going to find success.
14:52.507 --> 15:00.672
[SPEAKER_00]: They should be an added layer on the depth chart to bolster your relief core instead of being the linchpin that has to hold it all together.
15:02.498 --> 15:15.712
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think it just comes down to it being an easier pill to swallow when someone like Kobe Milner doesn't work out because you're paying him less than $3 million, you can just simply DFA him.
15:16.073 --> 15:24.401
[SPEAKER_01]: In the case of the Dodgers with Edwin Diaz this year, they were never going to DFA him amidst his struggle, same thing with Thanos Scott last year.
15:25.062 --> 15:39.560
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think the Cubs desperately want to leave that flexibility on a pitching set so that hey, even if this guy doesn't work out, we're not paying him 20 plus million dollars in each of the next few years, like you said.
15:39.640 --> 15:42.924
[SPEAKER_01]: They want to desperately avoid that bad contract.
15:43.985 --> 16:07.853
[SPEAKER_01]: that being said, I think we are starting to see the roots in that philosophy because when you're consistently relying on diamonds and the rough, that means your misses are going to be that much more overstated because now not only are you turning those reclamation projects into success stories, but you don't have that cornerstone that you could fall back on in the bullpen.
16:08.533 --> 16:20.218
[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe that was supposed to be Daniel Palencia this year, but he was just saying Daniel Palencia outside of a long stretch last year hasn't really done it for four or four seasons in terms of being that lights out closer.
16:20.378 --> 16:36.025
[SPEAKER_01]: I love Al Gasolina I hope he's the answer But we just can't go into another season where it's like, all right Daniel Palencia's health healthy Let's get these one of your dears in and patch together the bullpen that can't be a recipe for success
16:38.618 --> 16:43.345
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and just for some context, while you were talking up, hold Edwin DS's contract.
16:44.187 --> 16:46.430
[SPEAKER_00]: And he's going to make 23 million dollars.
16:46.490 --> 16:53.721
[SPEAKER_00]: And each of the next two years, this year, the Cubs only paid two players, more than $23 million, and it was Dan's B. Swanson and Alex Breggman.
16:54.420 --> 16:54.920
[SPEAKER_00]: That's it.
16:55.240 --> 16:56.981
[SPEAKER_00]: The Cubs don't spend at that level.
16:57.041 --> 16:58.701
[SPEAKER_00]: They have never spent at that level.
16:59.461 --> 17:02.322
[SPEAKER_00]: They like to keep their money spread out to your point that way.
17:02.362 --> 17:05.703
[SPEAKER_00]: They're not dealing with just a ton of money on the books.
17:06.303 --> 17:07.523
[SPEAKER_00]: They've never been that way.
17:07.563 --> 17:10.904
[SPEAKER_00]: They've never signed a $200 million contract.
17:11.024 --> 17:13.204
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, PCA's deal kicks in next year or so.
17:13.865 --> 17:16.225
[SPEAKER_00]: That's another decent chunk of change, obviously.
17:16.265 --> 17:19.246
[SPEAKER_00]: But especially on the pitching front, the Cubs don't go there.
17:20.326 --> 17:20.988
[SPEAKER_00]: hardly ever.
17:21.410 --> 17:26.245
[SPEAKER_00]: So the last major major one was John Luster and that was more than a decade ago.
17:27.998 --> 17:47.026
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and it, a long, that, and I'm curious to see if there is a shift in spending their horror, has already indicated the split in terms of pitching and position players this amount of season is going to be geared towards pitching when it comes to the hubs available financial resources.
17:47.166 --> 17:50.027
[SPEAKER_01]: There were whispers last year that the hubs were willing to
17:50.867 --> 17:52.749
[SPEAKER_01]: step outside the comfort zone.
17:52.769 --> 17:54.472
[SPEAKER_01]: I would say we didn't really see it.
17:55.513 --> 18:05.625
[SPEAKER_01]: It was a classic cubs we tried when talks about pursuits of like Dylan sees, Michael King, even to add my who thankfully they avoided that.
18:05.786 --> 18:06.006
[SPEAKER_01]: But
18:07.187 --> 18:14.732
[SPEAKER_01]: At some point, whether it's this or a season next or a season, the cups are going to have to get uncomfortable when it comes to their spending.
18:14.792 --> 18:22.417
[SPEAKER_01]: Whether that's spending on a higher closer, spending on a top of the rotation picture, which I think is probably closer to what they would be willing to do.
18:23.394 --> 18:38.563
[SPEAKER_01]: they have to get outside the comfort zone because what they're currently doing isn't working and the long-term or the grand view of saying how are we going to close the gap between us and Milwaukee is things we've already said.
18:38.864 --> 18:46.148
[SPEAKER_01]: You have to pay for expected results in your pitching staff, but not just any expected results, expected results at the top of the market.
18:47.409 --> 18:52.232
[SPEAKER_00]: Yep, well said, it's you just had your season and for the same reason two years in a row.
18:53.005 --> 18:54.847
[SPEAKER_00]: You didn't have the pitching to go toe to toe.
18:54.907 --> 18:59.511
[SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, the offense went into San Diego ice cold.
19:00.252 --> 19:01.013
[SPEAKER_00]: That's going to happen.
19:01.093 --> 19:12.744
[SPEAKER_00]: But in those situations, if you're a legit contender, you have that top of the rotation stud to turn to, or you have that late-ending arm, who can keep a one-nothing game, one-nothing instead of things sitting out of hand, and the cubs haven't had it for two years.
19:13.504 --> 19:16.707
[SPEAKER_00]: And that's led to early exits in each of the last two positions.
19:18.744 --> 19:20.527
[SPEAKER_00]: So we can move on to the next one here.
19:20.547 --> 19:23.592
[SPEAKER_00]: We've touched on it a little bit, but we'll kick it to you Jordan.
19:23.672 --> 19:24.654
[SPEAKER_00]: Are we getting a new
19:26.677 --> 19:28.097
[SPEAKER_01]: I think we're getting a new coach.
19:28.418 --> 19:30.978
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think we'll get a new manager.
19:32.119 --> 19:36.420
[SPEAKER_01]: I think as we've kind of driven home this episode, Craig Council isn't going anywhere.
19:36.440 --> 19:43.642
[SPEAKER_01]: I, in terms of likelihood, I would say it's likely that we're getting a new bench coach.
19:44.383 --> 19:50.685
[SPEAKER_01]: Similar to Carter Hawkins, Ryan Fairley, has been a rising candidate for managerial vacancies over the past few years.
19:51.345 --> 19:51.725
[SPEAKER_01]: I think
19:55.586 --> 20:06.892
[SPEAKER_01]: Again, why I question that is if you look across baseball, there's not all the teams making changes this off season and I think it just goes back to the CBA uncertainty.
20:07.452 --> 20:11.374
[SPEAKER_01]: So maybe that's how play early sticks around with the clubs for one more year.
20:11.794 --> 20:13.375
[SPEAKER_01]: There's an opening in Philadelphia.
20:13.535 --> 20:15.816
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll see if there's an opening in New York.
20:16.616 --> 20:22.298
[SPEAKER_01]: If it feels like Aaron Boone is always on this last life before a kind of regaining it.
20:22.378 --> 20:29.141
[SPEAKER_01]: But I do think Ryan clearly is most likely to go if not fine, clearly than I would say Tommy holiday.
20:30.101 --> 20:30.821
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, agreed.
20:30.921 --> 20:41.045
[SPEAKER_00]: I think the without the CBA discussion, it's a it's a different conversation, but I know obviously Craig's not going anywhere, but
20:41.622 --> 20:47.328
[SPEAKER_00]: A common critique I hear of council and I'd love you to take on it is that he just doesn't have any fire.
20:47.588 --> 20:49.610
[SPEAKER_00]: He doesn't fire the guys up.
20:49.650 --> 20:55.276
[SPEAKER_00]: He doesn't go and get them ready to roll and and he's just always this calm cool collected.
20:56.157 --> 21:02.664
[SPEAKER_00]: Do you think there's anything to it or do you think that that's based in what you know just it's kind of an outdated perception of managers.
21:03.306 --> 21:16.652
[SPEAKER_01]: It's an outdated perception of Managers because it never made sense to me why if you're a fan, you're clamoring for your manager to get ejected from the game because he's so upset.
21:16.800 --> 21:20.422
[SPEAKER_01]: that that never made sense to me and I I get it.
21:20.942 --> 21:25.044
[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe we were spoiled in the 80s because we got to watch Mike Dicker with the fire of a passion.
21:25.404 --> 21:26.704
[SPEAKER_01]: Who cares about I clap?
21:26.784 --> 21:30.006
[SPEAKER_01]: Give me a manager of coach that's just something good at their job.
21:30.546 --> 21:37.729
[SPEAKER_01]: And here's the the trump card is if they're good at their job, that whole of motion stuff doesn't matter.
21:37.909 --> 21:39.810
[SPEAKER_01]: Ben Johnson, perfect example.
21:40.330 --> 21:42.311
[SPEAKER_01]: He gives you the fire and passion in the locker room.
21:42.351 --> 21:43.651
[SPEAKER_01]: He gives you the fire and passion.
21:44.111 --> 21:47.513
[SPEAKER_01]: When you listen to him with certain topics, you know what he is doing the game.
21:48.053 --> 21:48.953
[SPEAKER_01]: He is stoic.
21:49.093 --> 21:50.394
[SPEAKER_01]: He is looking at his play card.
21:50.434 --> 21:52.815
[SPEAKER_01]: He's not that fire and passion guy, but look at him.
21:52.835 --> 21:53.715
[SPEAKER_01]: He's getting his odds.
21:54.395 --> 21:56.876
[SPEAKER_01]: No one cares about the fire and passion.
21:56.936 --> 21:58.157
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think.
21:58.915 --> 22:18.730
[SPEAKER_01]: If Council and the Cubs just get results next year, I don't think we're going to hear this outdated excuse of, he's too still a keys to bland he's a perfect fine manager for the job he's the best baseball mine on that coaching staff and you shouldn't want him to get ejected in games because that would put the Cubs out of disadvantage.
22:20.422 --> 22:24.724
[SPEAKER_00]: So what you're saying is Craig needs to be more like Ben Johnson and Ripp is sure it off after wins.
22:25.124 --> 22:25.464
[SPEAKER_00]: Got it.
22:25.664 --> 22:26.704
[SPEAKER_00]: You heard it here first.
22:26.924 --> 22:32.306
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, maybe that'll be the key to the towing 27 season.
22:32.386 --> 22:33.367
[SPEAKER_01]: Jake, let's take a break.
22:33.447 --> 22:34.887
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's hear from our sponsors.
22:35.128 --> 22:35.788
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll come back.
22:35.828 --> 22:38.869
[SPEAKER_01]: We have a few more questions and then we'll close it up.
22:43.671 --> 22:49.413
[SPEAKER_01]: Jake speaking of Craig Council and this is something that I've seen pop up over the past season.
22:50.870 --> 22:55.014
[SPEAKER_01]: Do you think there's an issue between credit counselor and the players?
22:55.274 --> 22:59.979
[SPEAKER_01]: I think James was insinuating that maybe those not connecting the way they should?
23:01.320 --> 23:02.121
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think so.
23:02.542 --> 23:02.862
[SPEAKER_00]: I think.
23:04.898 --> 23:10.321
[SPEAKER_00]: I think modern professional athletes are more than capable of taking care of themselves.
23:10.881 --> 23:12.301
[SPEAKER_00]: And they know their routine.
23:12.321 --> 23:31.010
[SPEAKER_00]: They know, you know, if there's not handholding that goes on there and every public interview throughout the year during the ups and the downs, every player, young and experienced everybody praised Craig for the fact that when they get to the ballpark, they know what they're getting.
23:31.070 --> 23:32.431
[SPEAKER_00]: They don't have to worry about
23:33.349 --> 23:40.794
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, anyone who's seen money ball, they're like Craig's not in there flipping his desk over or anything like that, that just isn't part of his M.O.
23:40.854 --> 23:57.705
[SPEAKER_00]: and I think that, you know, we all appreciate that and whatever you do for a living, you want to go to work and have a pretty good idea what the environment's going to be like, how you're going to be treated to how the communication style works and that's the same for professional Athens or human beings.
23:58.925 --> 24:02.947
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think Craig delivers that consistency and I think that's what's made him so popular.
24:03.448 --> 24:06.049
[SPEAKER_00]: He clearly has had to have some tough conversations.
24:06.129 --> 24:16.114
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm sure it wasn't an enjoyable talk to go to Ian Hab who is someday going to be in the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame and tell him, hey, Ian, I know you've been here for 10 years.
24:16.174 --> 24:16.955
[SPEAKER_00]: Congrats on that.
24:17.395 --> 24:19.076
[SPEAKER_00]: By the way, you're now a platoon player.
24:19.196 --> 24:24.739
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm sure that wasn't a particularly, you know, warm and fuzzy conversation, but he's shown that
24:27.143 --> 24:28.960
[SPEAKER_00]: Like you said, he's a brilliant baseball minds.
24:30.839 --> 24:38.501
[SPEAKER_00]: Like I said, when things were going good this season, everyone loved to praise, oh my God, Craig's handling this so well, he's playing like, he didn't even have a half a deck.
24:38.521 --> 24:48.843
[SPEAKER_00]: He had like six cards out of the 52 and it was piecing it together on a daily basis and it's just baseball and baseball fans are very much a what have you done for me lately?
24:48.883 --> 24:50.083
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, what have the cups done lately?
24:50.103 --> 24:53.244
[SPEAKER_00]: They got bounced in two straight in a wild card round on the game in the seasons over.
24:53.364 --> 24:57.865
[SPEAKER_00]: So no, I don't think there's any relationship between Craig and the players.
24:59.284 --> 25:06.209
[SPEAKER_01]: One of the biggest issues the Cubs had going into last season was that Dan's response and would play every day.
25:06.650 --> 25:13.755
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's incredible you applaud him for that desire, but there were clear instances where it was setting the Cubs back.
25:15.375 --> 25:24.938
[SPEAKER_01]: credit, credit council, because however he did it, he got through Swanson, be like, hey, it's good to take a game or two off your feet.
25:25.178 --> 25:35.361
[SPEAKER_01]: As you mentioned, he had that tough conversation with Ian Hap this year, saying, hey, your numbers against I've taken pitching isn't where they need to be.
25:35.401 --> 25:37.982
[SPEAKER_01]: So we're going to put Tyron Taylor in the line up more often.
25:38.122 --> 25:40.543
[SPEAKER_01]: He did that with Kyro Tucker at the end of last year.
25:40.643 --> 25:40.963
[SPEAKER_01]: So,
25:41.843 --> 25:51.290
[SPEAKER_01]: I think if there was an issue with Craig Council and his connection with players, I think we would have seen it based off of those three exchanges and we have it.
25:51.951 --> 26:01.038
[SPEAKER_01]: Each player kind of responded the way the club's were hoping and I think that's just another sign that Craig Council is the right manager for this job.
26:01.218 --> 26:04.580
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, that doesn't mean he's perfect.
26:04.820 --> 26:07.182
[SPEAKER_01]: He does have some words but not
26:11.032 --> 26:11.272
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
26:11.432 --> 26:16.613
[SPEAKER_00]: And if, you know, if you're listening and you're saying, oh, well, those are better in guys, so they probably know how to handle themselves.
26:16.673 --> 26:22.454
[SPEAKER_00]: Anyway, you know, turn the clock back to PCA and the incident with the white socks fan.
26:22.534 --> 26:23.675
[SPEAKER_00]: And like, even that was handled.
26:23.835 --> 26:28.156
[SPEAKER_00]: So like, that's a 24-year-old compared to Ian who's in his 30s, Dan's we use in his 30s.
26:28.196 --> 26:31.476
[SPEAKER_00]: So Craig clearly has the year of everyone on that roster.
26:31.876 --> 26:32.737
[SPEAKER_00]: They respect him.
26:33.337 --> 26:34.497
[SPEAKER_00]: I, again, I think that
26:35.133 --> 26:37.555
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, we can all be frustrated with how this isn't ended.
26:37.775 --> 26:41.599
[SPEAKER_00]: No, there's no clubhouse issues brewing around council.
26:43.060 --> 26:44.782
[SPEAKER_00]: That we know that we know.
26:47.144 --> 26:51.167
[SPEAKER_01]: Jake one of Jed Horya's takeaways from his press conference.
26:51.908 --> 26:57.954
[SPEAKER_01]: He expressed a desire for Pedro Amoeira's a matcha to get a larger role on the roster next few.
26:59.536 --> 27:04.959
[SPEAKER_01]: As a whole over the last few years, we haven't really seen the Cubs play their younger players.
27:05.199 --> 27:12.623
[SPEAKER_01]: It's been a case of, hey, let's bring you up from AAA, so you can get a feel for the Major League Raster or feel for how to be a Major Leagueer.
27:14.144 --> 27:25.190
[SPEAKER_01]: Considering the number of reagents the Cubs have, are we moving towards a season where maybe this is a youth movement of sorts and counts when the Cubs are the younger players play?
27:27.381 --> 27:34.504
[SPEAKER_00]: So first I would say, yes, there have been instances where they would bring up a Kevin O'Count or whoever was.
27:34.524 --> 27:37.046
[SPEAKER_00]: They'd bring it guy up in many, they'd get one at bat over 15 days.
27:37.086 --> 27:39.147
[SPEAKER_00]: And it's like, okay, well, what was the point of this?
27:39.587 --> 27:44.529
[SPEAKER_00]: That I never love, if you're gonna bring somebody up, get him some reps, maybe not every day, every third day.
27:45.270 --> 27:49.692
[SPEAKER_00]: I hope they get away from that and work those guys into the rotation more moving forward.
27:50.192 --> 27:56.175
[SPEAKER_00]: But I think you could also say, what prospect in the last few years has been worthy of taking an every day job?
27:56.820 --> 27:57.340
[SPEAKER_01]: very good.
27:57.600 --> 28:00.802
[SPEAKER_00]: Like with where this roster's been, it is better and heavy and it's very established.
28:00.842 --> 28:05.143
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not benching any of those guys for what has been coming out of the miners.
28:05.263 --> 28:09.405
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, hopefully, over the next few years, Josiah Hart shown her own airs.
28:09.425 --> 28:13.707
[SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully, those types of guys keep taking those right developmental steps where they force their way in.
28:13.727 --> 28:15.847
[SPEAKER_00]: The cups haven't had anybody force the issue.
28:16.328 --> 28:19.309
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think that's why you see them slow play a young players when they come up.
28:19.669 --> 28:19.909
[SPEAKER_00]: Hey,
28:20.713 --> 28:26.135
[SPEAKER_00]: collect a big league paycheck, learn the ins and outs of a big league life, and that's been their approach.
28:26.795 --> 28:32.598
[SPEAKER_00]: But I would argue this year, Pedro Ramirez did force the issue and he played every day almost.
28:32.658 --> 28:37.820
[SPEAKER_00]: So he made the most of the opportunity and it warranted every day playing time.
28:37.840 --> 28:41.721
[SPEAKER_00]: But when you have a guy come up and go over ten with six strikeouts, no, I'm not going to keep trotting him out there.
28:41.761 --> 28:44.623
[SPEAKER_00]: That's just not going to work.
28:44.763 --> 28:47.584
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think we'll see younger players play more, but
28:48.564 --> 28:50.806
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, I think it's going to also depend on the offices.
28:50.846 --> 29:05.840
[SPEAKER_00]: And yes, they're the two corners spots open and the outfield, but if you bring back the map or, you know, if there's some other bat that falls to you while you're focused on pitching and you rounded out that way, I think it's more likely that you see some young bench pieces, um, then it is every day starters.
29:06.983 --> 29:13.589
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think there's going to be a youth movement of sorts and I also just think you hit it on a HUD.
29:13.690 --> 29:31.587
[SPEAKER_01]: I think Yeah, having these players come up and sit isn't ideal, but I think Pedro or Mayor has showed that like if you have success in that memory draw and you're doing all the things right behind the scenes, you're going to gradually get more playing time.
29:32.527 --> 29:46.272
[SPEAKER_01]: And, too, the Cups Farms system just hasn't been that strong, but I hasn't, like you mentioned, it hasn't been a crisp aren't, have you by as Kyro Schwalves come up and be like, hey, this is a prospect that you need to play every day.
29:46.833 --> 29:51.634
[SPEAKER_01]: You mentioned, I think we have a few of them here in the next few years, a heart-chorn
30:01.385 --> 30:06.026
[SPEAKER_01]: I get it, both Pedro and Mayor as a match-all can play the corner upfield.
30:06.547 --> 30:18.990
[SPEAKER_01]: I would say, I think there's risk in your often taking a major step back because while they are both very good against latended pitching, they are also both very bad against right-handed pitching.
30:19.030 --> 30:20.271
[SPEAKER_01]: So maybe it's a case will.
30:20.991 --> 30:26.635
[SPEAKER_01]: you bring back Ian Hatt, he starts against Raidies, who show our mayor starts against lefties.
30:28.596 --> 30:39.404
[SPEAKER_01]: That's why our caution saying it's going to be a full-fledged youth movement because I think committing both right field of left field to match our individual mayor's, would be a mistake for the cops this afternoon.
30:40.259 --> 30:49.684
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I'm sorry, but you're not heading into what should be the peak years for Nico Honer, obviously, PCI still young, but you're heading into year one of a PCI extension.
30:49.704 --> 30:55.968
[SPEAKER_00]: Year two with Alex Braggman, Nico at his peak, you're not going to just all the sudden flush the roster with youth and hope it works out.
30:56.208 --> 30:57.149
[SPEAKER_00]: They need to win.
30:57.189 --> 31:08.055
[SPEAKER_00]: They're going to prioritize veterans over fringe rookies, and that's because at the end of the day, this is a results-oriented business, and we talked about it earlier when it comes to the front office and the coaching staff.
31:08.515 --> 31:14.119
[SPEAKER_00]: This is an organization that they prefer to stick with what they know, and veterans are more predictable.
31:14.159 --> 31:17.582
[SPEAKER_00]: They're going to feel more comfortable going down that avenue.
31:17.622 --> 31:25.728
[SPEAKER_00]: That being said, if a young player comes up and forces the issue, I think they're open to it, but that's just been those instances have been few and far better.
31:26.553 --> 31:35.575
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, they're just simply hasn't been outside of Pedro a mayor as a case where that's been the reason why a player hasn't played for the Cubs.
31:35.635 --> 31:48.177
[SPEAKER_01]: If you look at Kevin Alcontra, he struggled offensively to begin his tenure in the Major's and it was just until this season that he finally had his first extra base hit at that Cubs majorly gastron.
31:48.277 --> 31:53.738
[SPEAKER_01]: So this isn't in case where those prospects performing in the Cubs just aren't playing on it's a case where
31:54.498 --> 31:59.060
[SPEAKER_01]: It has them in that immediate results rather than keep trying to make it work.
31:59.620 --> 32:01.621
[SPEAKER_01]: The cubs are in the middle of their contentment window.
32:01.681 --> 32:12.386
[SPEAKER_01]: They can't just simply divert all this playing time for prospects because as you mentioned with Breggman, with Horner, with Smatin, the system that's very much in the middle of their contentment window.
32:12.426 --> 32:18.389
[SPEAKER_01]: And depending on the moves they make this offseason, it's a window that's going to start to close here.
32:18.989 --> 32:29.118
[SPEAKER_01]: As 27 starts, or maybe you make the light moves and it's popped open for another year or two, but we got this, this isn't a situation where prospects should be expected to play every day.
32:29.979 --> 32:30.779
[SPEAKER_00]: No, not at all.
32:31.160 --> 32:33.802
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think the same thing on the pitching side of things, right?
32:34.462 --> 32:36.644
[SPEAKER_00]: No, there haven't been a ton of young arms that come up.
32:36.704 --> 32:37.545
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, Kate Horton did.
32:37.565 --> 32:41.608
[SPEAKER_00]: He came up and they gave him some runway and good things happened until they didn't.
32:43.030 --> 32:43.270
[SPEAKER_00]: But,
32:44.744 --> 32:53.931
[SPEAKER_00]: Again, with the injuries and stuff, they just haven't been those blue chip guys to turn to and say, hey, like this, this winter in particular, it's like, yes, there's a ton of openings on the pitching staff.
32:54.731 --> 32:59.234
[SPEAKER_00]: Do you feel a 100% or even close to 100% on any arm in the miners right now?
32:59.414 --> 33:01.736
[SPEAKER_00]: No, they still have a lot to prove.
33:02.496 --> 33:10.762
[SPEAKER_00]: And you can't fault the cubs for saying, no, we're not gonna gamble and try to unproven and come out of the out there when we have veterans we could hand playing time to.
33:12.050 --> 33:18.015
[SPEAKER_01]: Jake, it's only fitting that this is going to be our last question since it kind of defined the entire season.
33:19.096 --> 33:23.399
[SPEAKER_01]: The number of injuries the cubs had this year, specifically when it comes to pitching.
33:24.140 --> 33:29.925
[SPEAKER_01]: As I tied the bad luck, is that tied to something else within the cubs' training staff, pitching development being off.
33:30.625 --> 33:34.949
[SPEAKER_01]: I think Dan's question is kind of at the hard of everyone's mind.
33:35.829 --> 33:40.253
[SPEAKER_01]: What worked wrong when it comes to the cubs' ability to keep pictures healthy this season?
33:42.141 --> 33:43.082
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't have an answer.
33:43.222 --> 33:45.684
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't even know Jed Hoyer has an answer, frankly.
33:45.704 --> 33:52.630
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's gonna be like a agenda item one on the off season to do list is be like, how did this happen and why did it happen?
33:53.291 --> 33:59.256
[SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't always the same injury over and over, which makes me think there's some bad luck involved there.
34:00.277 --> 34:15.333
[SPEAKER_00]: perfect example like Edward Cabrera's blisters fill me tons need like it wasn't just oh all of a sudden every picture on the staff blew out his elbow that wasn't the problem but yeah there was there was a lot of injuries it put them behind the eight ball pretty much from April on
34:17.955 --> 34:28.908
[SPEAKER_00]: Again, to me it's a testament to council that they even made the playoffs and I think without PCA turning in the best season in the century and a half I don't even think they make the playoffs.
34:28.928 --> 34:34.374
[SPEAKER_00]: I think it took something truly remarkable to overcome this rash of injuries and
34:35.463 --> 34:47.948
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't have the answer to say that I do, I'd just be speculating, but regardless of what the answer is, Jed Oyer has to figure it out and he has to figure it out quickly because it cannot happen again in 2027.
34:50.252 --> 34:52.493
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's some combination of both.
34:52.573 --> 34:59.717
[SPEAKER_01]: If you go on spot track in terms of the actual money that was on the IL this season, the couple of 15th and baseball.
34:59.737 --> 35:01.538
[SPEAKER_01]: So that's half of the pack.
35:01.578 --> 35:07.401
[SPEAKER_01]: Now, some of that is cute, I will say, because they consider Anthony Wendell to be endured for the angels.
35:07.861 --> 35:09.942
[SPEAKER_01]: So his contract, of course, is going to be up there.
35:09.962 --> 35:11.563
[SPEAKER_01]: The dad or the reds, actually.
35:12.043 --> 35:14.844
[SPEAKER_01]: with a team with the most money on the IL.
35:14.864 --> 35:24.449
[SPEAKER_01]: But then if you go to days specifically on the IL, it comes at top five in baseball over two thousand, over two thousand and one hundred days on the IL.
35:24.509 --> 35:29.811
[SPEAKER_01]: So on one end, I think it's just the nature of major league baseball.
35:29.931 --> 35:32.712
[SPEAKER_01]: We live in an era where pictures are going to get hurt.
35:34.013 --> 35:37.835
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm inclined to say that it was bad luck because
35:40.182 --> 35:44.868
[SPEAKER_01]: Enjoy see this extent just simply wasn't in the cup's nature prior to this year.
35:44.908 --> 35:55.142
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, we've had bigger injuries, but when Justin's here got hurt, is that anything we were really surprised by Justin's here as someone that's flooded with Tommy John's surgery over the past five years.
35:55.943 --> 35:58.125
[SPEAKER_01]: We all figured there was coming and it happens.
35:58.285 --> 36:07.052
[SPEAKER_01]: K-torted, another one who had time we joined in the past, given the type of picture he is, he was always going to be killing it for a second one.
36:07.172 --> 36:10.434
[SPEAKER_01]: So, the cups have to do their due diligence.
36:10.774 --> 36:17.199
[SPEAKER_01]: They have to see is there something wrong without developing a pan for pitching that's causing this, but I'm inclined to say,
36:18.180 --> 36:20.821
[SPEAKER_01]: This might have just been one of those years where you just weren't healthy.
36:21.001 --> 36:22.202
[SPEAKER_01]: Look at how man to brace.
36:22.822 --> 36:24.182
[SPEAKER_01]: Last year, they were not healthy.
36:24.302 --> 36:25.323
[SPEAKER_01]: They were healthy this year.
36:25.363 --> 36:26.863
[SPEAKER_01]: We're one of the best teams in baseball.
36:27.424 --> 36:32.466
[SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes that's just how the cards are dealt in baseball.
36:33.446 --> 36:43.370
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and we talked about it back around the draft, but I think that there is definitely a reckoning at hand for how the cubs approach the draft every summer.
36:44.165 --> 36:53.627
[SPEAKER_00]: They'd love to take these flyers on super high upside guys with checkered health pass and you can't do that, given the pitching and the, like, fool me once fool me twice.
36:53.667 --> 37:04.469
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, fool me 12 times and I would personally take a slightly lower ceiling picture who you feel really good about staying healthy long term.
37:04.489 --> 37:08.790
[SPEAKER_00]: Now again, baseball in general now is fine burning arms out.
37:09.770 --> 37:12.652
[SPEAKER_00]: As an industry, as a sport, that's the shift they want.
37:13.092 --> 37:16.274
[SPEAKER_00]: Higher spin rates and higher v-lows and whatever happens happens.
37:17.174 --> 37:18.655
[SPEAKER_01]: Your interest is pretty interesting.
37:18.695 --> 37:19.355
[SPEAKER_01]: Kiss them most.
37:19.635 --> 37:21.456
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, let's get the most of these guys.
37:21.917 --> 37:24.438
[SPEAKER_01]: Once that guy's done, get someone else in to replace him.
37:24.790 --> 37:31.653
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, but the problem is the cubs don't have those guys, they don't have anyone to replace them, and they're still getting hurt.
37:31.893 --> 37:42.839
[SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, and all of this, another reason why there's not a front office change coming right now, like the cubs need the continuity of the top to figure this out get to the bottom of it and get back on track in 2027.
37:44.260 --> 37:47.101
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and it just has to be.
37:47.321 --> 38:00.846
[SPEAKER_01]: And another reason why it just makes me say it's a baseball is are we really going to put someone like Hunter Harvey against the Cub's track record because Harvey over the last few years hasn't said healthy.
38:00.886 --> 38:01.626
[SPEAKER_01]: So guess what?
38:01.986 --> 38:04.507
[SPEAKER_01]: It was in other words that he was going to get hurt this year.
38:04.567 --> 38:11.810
[SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes it just goes to, like you're mentioning, the Cub's having to shift the type of petrol say target
38:13.230 --> 38:22.056
[SPEAKER_01]: If you target pictures with a checkered injury history, chances are that history is going to catch up to you whether it's their season or next.
38:22.076 --> 38:29.542
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think that's one of the biggest things to watch here from what cops in the pitching, whether it's through agents, whether it's trades, because even look at Edward Cabrera.
38:30.262 --> 38:48.678
[SPEAKER_01]: I'd recover the knock on him with the marlins was that he couldn't say healthy so we really that surprised in his first season in Chicago he didn't say healthy so I wouldn't say it's not certainly something that comes out doing wrong with the development I think it's just the type of pictures that they're targeting and you just have to shift it from there.
38:49.972 --> 38:50.672
[SPEAKER_00]: Yep, 100%.
38:50.812 --> 38:52.253
[SPEAKER_00]: So we'll see if that happens.
38:52.533 --> 38:57.754
[SPEAKER_00]: Judd has his work cut out from this winter, given just the sheer volume of arms that he needs to bring in.
38:58.634 --> 39:00.315
[SPEAKER_00]: There can be those flyers.
39:00.515 --> 39:04.816
[SPEAKER_00]: But again, it's like we were talking about with the closer and building high relief assets.
39:04.836 --> 39:06.637
[SPEAKER_00]: You can't just roll the dice and hope it works.
39:07.297 --> 39:11.538
[SPEAKER_00]: You need to have some proven commodities that you complement with bounce back candidates.
39:11.558 --> 39:14.199
[SPEAKER_00]: With guys who have crazy good stuff, but haven't been healthy.
39:14.279 --> 39:15.999
[SPEAKER_00]: Those can be part of the puzzle.
39:16.480 --> 39:17.700
[SPEAKER_00]: They just can't be at its core.
39:18.527 --> 39:21.529
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, those can't be your big ticket items at the office.
39:21.589 --> 39:25.091
[SPEAKER_01]: And that would do it for the ladies and my old back episode.
39:25.252 --> 39:26.933
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll be back with you next week.
39:27.593 --> 39:30.035
[SPEAKER_01]: In the meantime, subscribe to our YouTube page.
39:30.255 --> 39:34.538
[SPEAKER_01]: Follow us, subscribe and our podcast, leave a review, give us five stars.
39:35.118 --> 39:41.042
[SPEAKER_01]: Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, all the goods, we'll have you dialed in with all the cups and news throughout the office.
39:41.082 --> 39:45.125
[SPEAKER_01]: And as Jake mentioned at the top, it's going to be hot and have you to be good with.
39:45.566 --> 39:47.011
[SPEAKER_01]: So stay clicked on the copies clip.
39:47.212 --> 39:49.560
[SPEAKER_01]: For now, I'm Jordan, that's Jake.
00:01.070 --> 00:04.892
[SPEAKER_01]: Welcome in and welcome back to the cubby's good podcast, Jake.
00:04.952 --> 00:15.458
[SPEAKER_01]: We know who will be playing in the NLCS, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, feels like that's a classic October match up.
00:15.539 --> 00:25.604
[SPEAKER_01]: We're now used to over the past few years, quickly, before we get into the mail bag aspect of this episode, which is going to tie up most of it.
00:26.785 --> 00:29.547
[SPEAKER_01]: Are we rooting for a meteor or just
00:30.857 --> 00:32.318
[SPEAKER_01]: And the me of my enemy is my friend.
00:32.418 --> 00:33.179
[SPEAKER_01]: What's going on here?
00:33.379 --> 00:34.980
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, the NLCS is hell on earth.
00:36.320 --> 00:38.022
[SPEAKER_00]: There are no winners, only losers.
00:39.663 --> 00:40.863
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, no.
00:40.903 --> 00:42.744
[SPEAKER_00]: Worst case in it, or for a cubs fan.
00:43.625 --> 00:43.865
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
00:45.026 --> 00:46.627
[SPEAKER_00]: Like, I don't want the Dodgers to three people.
00:46.647 --> 00:49.329
[SPEAKER_00]: But there's just no way I can root from Milwaukee.
00:49.369 --> 00:58.254
[SPEAKER_00]: So if you forcing me down the shoot, and I have to pick a lane, I think, if I have to pick an NL team, and let's be clear, my default would be to open the A up with this.
00:58.795 --> 00:59.075
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
00:59.713 --> 01:07.462
[SPEAKER_00]: I think I'd pick the Dodgers and that's really it key and I feel gross and I don't like it, but yeah, I can't pick the brewers can't do it.
01:08.143 --> 01:14.190
[SPEAKER_01]: What it'd be better or worse if Milwaukee just gets boat raised against the Dodgers like they did last year.
01:15.961 --> 01:17.442
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I'd find it hilarious.
01:17.703 --> 01:29.293
[SPEAKER_00]: But amidst the larger like CBA lockout discussion, I don't want that because I feel like that could have some implications and people might craft some messages around it.
01:31.375 --> 01:32.075
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I don't know.
01:32.175 --> 01:33.457
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a lose lose, man.
01:33.557 --> 01:34.678
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't want any part of this.
01:35.811 --> 01:37.772
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, speak of what we do out part of.
01:37.893 --> 01:39.714
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's get started with the mail bag.
01:40.114 --> 01:43.496
[SPEAKER_01]: Last week, after Jet Horror talked, took to our Facebook page.
01:43.877 --> 01:48.400
[SPEAKER_01]: I told our readers fans to just sound away with your questions.
01:48.460 --> 01:48.980
[SPEAKER_01]: You did.
01:49.641 --> 01:55.024
[SPEAKER_01]: We appreciate that just a quick note because it's going to be a strange offseason.
01:55.144 --> 01:57.946
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll be looking to do mail bags when we can.
01:58.066 --> 01:59.868
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll probably have another one in November.
02:00.749 --> 02:08.079
[SPEAKER_01]: And then we'll see what the CBA talks dictate in terms of content that will be covering on the podcast.
02:08.640 --> 02:15.170
[SPEAKER_01]: We've prepared a lot of Evergreen in this short call look back because I have a feeling that could be the trend for a few months.
02:15.970 --> 02:27.492
[SPEAKER_01]: But Jake, let's dive in, Bob, on our Facebook page, Bob, Mitchell, this is a question that has been fairly popular amongst circles for Cubans over the past couple of weeks.
02:28.072 --> 02:31.793
[SPEAKER_01]: Will there be changes in the Cubans runoffice of this all season?
02:32.753 --> 02:33.953
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, there will be changes.
02:34.474 --> 02:36.314
[SPEAKER_00]: No, Jed Holier is not going anywhere.
02:36.494 --> 02:39.855
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think that's the change that Cubans want to see.
02:39.995 --> 02:41.535
[SPEAKER_00]: That is not the change that they're going to get.
02:42.700 --> 02:50.886
[SPEAKER_00]: I think we're going to hear Carter Hawkins name tossed around for any front office openings if there are GM openings or president of baseball ops.
02:51.446 --> 02:58.932
[SPEAKER_00]: We could see his name there assistant GM Jared Banner was just connected to the front office job with the athletics.
03:00.233 --> 03:07.200
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think we're going to see some changes, we're going to see some new faces, we'll see some guys who've been here a while, move on to their next opportunity.
03:08.801 --> 03:11.164
[SPEAKER_00]: But I feel like that's not too irregular.
03:11.364 --> 03:19.952
[SPEAKER_00]: I think we tend to look at, you know, the one and two and then not really pay a ton of attention to the plethora of names underneath those those two.
03:20.713 --> 03:42.193
[SPEAKER_00]: but it's it's pretty common for for assistant GMs and folks like in that level of the front office to find new opportunities to it's same as any of us with a career better opportunity presents itself better title better money maybe it's a hometown team whatever it is so yes there will be changes no general year will not be part of those changes
03:43.209 --> 03:43.809
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I agree.
03:43.829 --> 03:45.290
[SPEAKER_01]: I think there will be changes.
03:45.670 --> 03:47.851
[SPEAKER_01]: Definitely won't be dreadful.
03:48.111 --> 03:53.014
[SPEAKER_01]: I think if there was going to be a horror change, you want to met with reporters last Friday.
03:53.094 --> 03:54.935
[SPEAKER_01]: That's just the optics of that.
03:55.035 --> 03:57.216
[SPEAKER_01]: Just wouldn't look good if we turn markets.
03:58.636 --> 04:00.297
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think you also hit the nail on the head.
04:00.397 --> 04:04.379
[SPEAKER_01]: There's front office change almost every off season.
04:04.619 --> 04:09.862
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just so many fans want to see whether it's president-based for operations or the general manager.
04:10.857 --> 04:14.019
[SPEAKER_01]: There's more than that, and I think we're going to see that.
04:14.259 --> 04:18.302
[SPEAKER_01]: I think the cups are serious about changing how they view pitching.
04:18.342 --> 04:29.188
[SPEAKER_01]: So, whether that's another bump up for Tyler Zambro, who's kind of become the voice of an influence for the cups pitching infrastructure, above it's getting another insistent GM in the form of office.
04:29.229 --> 04:30.709
[SPEAKER_01]: Or simply creating a title.
04:31.330 --> 04:35.452
[SPEAKER_01]: I think there is going to be change with the cups for an office when it comes to
04:36.453 --> 04:37.734
[SPEAKER_01]: the pitching side of things.
04:38.375 --> 04:45.522
[SPEAKER_01]: And I also do think this probably will be our season that Carter Hawkins says, leave kind of just rehashing what we talked about last episode.
04:45.622 --> 04:50.026
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, Hawkins in terms of his career development is a need of something else.
04:50.126 --> 04:55.211
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think the cuts from our face is in need of another number two on the jet oil.
04:56.412 --> 04:56.933
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, 100%.
04:58.950 --> 05:03.112
[SPEAKER_00]: I think one thing to keep an eye on too is this could move really quickly.
05:04.233 --> 05:07.915
[SPEAKER_00]: We mentioned the CBA and what we all assume will be a lockout.
05:08.435 --> 05:12.938
[SPEAKER_00]: But once the world series wraps, it is going to be bananas.
05:12.958 --> 05:15.039
[SPEAKER_00]: You're going to see transactions on the player side.
05:15.679 --> 05:20.462
[SPEAKER_00]: Free agency will kick off, trade market will kick off, front office merry go round will kick off.
05:20.502 --> 05:24.284
[SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, I feel like we'll get more of that here to the end of the month.
05:25.815 --> 05:47.835
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's a major league baseball center memo to owners last night about what to expect for the lack out a lot of it is probably stuff that people should be used to the last time around, but pretty much the websites are scrubbed of any active players you can't really have any affiliation with current players that are part of the players union.
05:49.516 --> 05:57.245
[SPEAKER_01]: For all the talk that that won't be moves in November, I would just point to the last time when it was kind of a frenzy in the Rumble.
05:57.926 --> 06:03.191
[SPEAKER_01]: The Cubs got involved in that, so I do think it's shaping up to be a busy November.
06:03.251 --> 06:07.957
[SPEAKER_01]: It's funny because this is one of the things that baseball fans have always clamored for like, hey.
06:08.637 --> 06:14.321
[SPEAKER_01]: Why can't we have what the MBA has, what the NFL has in terms of free agency So I think I'm just signing straight away.
06:14.341 --> 06:35.036
[SPEAKER_00]: I think we're going to get that this year unfortunately the trade Office at though many not be baseball for a while Yeah, yeah, that's It's going to be interesting you would have wished it everyone involved would have been less than five years ago, but a last we're back time as a flat circle Doom to repeat itself forever
06:36.870 --> 06:37.532
[SPEAKER_01]: This is Drew.
06:37.552 --> 06:43.848
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's move on to the next question, will the cops have any different pitching coaches next year?
06:44.550 --> 06:45.753
[SPEAKER_01]: Thanks a Thomas for this week.
06:46.238 --> 06:46.478
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
06:46.919 --> 06:48.099
[SPEAKER_00]: I think I think they will.
06:48.980 --> 06:52.723
[SPEAKER_00]: I think again, it's Cub Spans are definitely looking at this from the top down.
06:52.743 --> 06:54.404
[SPEAKER_00]: They want Tommy hot of these head on a plate.
06:55.225 --> 06:56.966
[SPEAKER_00]: And I don't know that they're going to get it.
06:58.227 --> 07:00.249
[SPEAKER_00]: I think they're going to give hot of a one more year.
07:01.429 --> 07:07.194
[SPEAKER_00]: Just given the fact that they had to feel three dozen plus pictures to get through those these in this year.
07:07.274 --> 07:09.115
[SPEAKER_00]: It's hard to drop that all at his feet.
07:16.263 --> 07:22.648
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, you know, why I couldn't we get Daniel Clancy right quickly when he was back, but again, both of those guys also battled injuries.
07:22.768 --> 07:28.151
[SPEAKER_00]: So again, I think it's hard to drop all the shortcomings of the Cubs pitching staff.
07:29.430 --> 07:50.143
[SPEAKER_00]: at Tommy Hottavis' feet, that being said, I think we could see maybe Zambro build out his staff a little bit more, I think we could get maybe in a new assistant pitching coach, but I think that Hottavis will be around to start this season, I think next year though is the Maker Break, if he comes pitching struggles again, I think that's the end of the line.
07:50.937 --> 07:58.731
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I go back and forth and out of the, um, I'm inclined to lean, know that he won't be back.
07:59.151 --> 08:03.519
[SPEAKER_01]: Why I think he will be back kind of ties into what we were saying previously.
08:04.660 --> 08:23.282
[SPEAKER_01]: I think teams when it comes to the coaching staffs, when it comes to the front office, aren't looking to make major changes as they saw season, just because you really only have that month to go through interviews, to go through hires, and then once the summer first happens, I love to be everything stops.
08:23.963 --> 08:36.036
[SPEAKER_01]: So if you don't have a pitching coach in place by then, you then risk getting to April, May, whenever it is where you have one to two weeks to find a new pitching coach before your team's expected to start spring training.
08:36.216 --> 08:36.436
[SPEAKER_01]: So
08:37.454 --> 08:46.596
[SPEAKER_01]: I think combining that with the fact of just how weird 2026 was with injuries, I think how the lead does get another chance.
08:47.736 --> 08:55.178
[SPEAKER_01]: But like you said, I think he does enter 2027 on the half seat, assuming that the cups don't fix their pitching.
08:55.938 --> 08:57.078
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, not assuming.
08:57.158 --> 09:00.099
[SPEAKER_01]: If the cups don't fix their pitching, he won't be back.
09:00.139 --> 09:01.920
[SPEAKER_01]: I guess I just assume because that seems to be the
09:04.732 --> 09:13.154
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I think it's also important to remember, since Tom Ricketts bought the team, and especially in recent years, they're not a high turnover organization.
09:13.174 --> 09:14.194
[SPEAKER_00]: They like continuity.
09:14.254 --> 09:19.696
[SPEAKER_00]: They, it feels like they would rather lose with what they know than roll the dice on what they don't know.
09:19.816 --> 09:21.636
[SPEAKER_00]: So they know Tommy has been around a long time.
09:22.636 --> 09:23.877
[SPEAKER_00]: Everyone in the club house loves him.
09:23.957 --> 09:27.638
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think it'll be back, but to your point, hot seed in 27 for sure.
09:29.386 --> 09:38.709
[SPEAKER_00]: Speaking of the non-existent Nazi, the Cubans are looking for the next question, how long do Jed Hoyer and Craig Council have jobs?
09:41.550 --> 09:43.450
[SPEAKER_01]: Definitely for this Aussie, isn't it?
09:44.971 --> 09:51.773
[SPEAKER_01]: I think we've been pretty clear that neither Hoyer or Counter are going anywhere this Aussie's in, there wouldn't really be,
09:53.939 --> 09:55.280
[SPEAKER_01]: That wouldn't really be warranted.
09:55.560 --> 10:03.965
[SPEAKER_01]: Again, for us disappointing as the end of the season was, this is still a cup of seeing that's coming off of two consecutive playoff appearances.
10:04.025 --> 10:07.247
[SPEAKER_01]: That's not something you just, it merely though I'll go window.
10:07.268 --> 10:12.891
[SPEAKER_01]: That said, this is also a cup of seeing that should have larger expectations.
10:13.371 --> 10:13.972
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think,
10:15.262 --> 10:27.768
[SPEAKER_01]: If we have some summons of a regular season next year, so 100 plus games to where those long, a large enough data set to be like, is there a really change under horror on this year?
10:27.928 --> 10:29.990
[SPEAKER_01]: Is there a really change under console?
10:30.810 --> 10:40.935
[SPEAKER_01]: I think if we get to 2027 and the clubs have another early exit in the playoffs, then I do think it's fair to wonder, is it time for a change?
10:40.955 --> 10:44.297
[SPEAKER_01]: Because at that rate, you're looking at three years of kind of the same as all.
10:44.977 --> 10:53.703
[SPEAKER_01]: And frankly, when you signed hole you're to the extension last summer, when you gave counsel the five-year deal, you have to have returning your investment.
10:53.743 --> 11:01.088
[SPEAKER_01]: And right now, I can't say that the cups have that for either, for either member right now, but it's too early for to give up on the jobs now.
11:01.649 --> 11:05.671
[SPEAKER_01]: Definitely next year, I think they wind up on a hot seat if things don't change.
11:07.032 --> 11:08.513
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, let me twist that a little bit.
11:08.593 --> 11:11.275
[SPEAKER_00]: If the cubs flat again, assuming a large enough
11:14.821 --> 11:16.802
[SPEAKER_00]: what is the job status for jetting Craig?
11:17.302 --> 11:17.862
[SPEAKER_01]: Both are gone.
11:19.442 --> 11:20.323
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, both are gone.
11:20.343 --> 11:26.544
[SPEAKER_01]: And because if your council, it's his fourth year, he would be entering a lame duck status.
11:27.264 --> 11:35.687
[SPEAKER_01]: If your whole year, you're the one that essentially said, hey, council is the reason why we haven't budged the gap to the Milwaukee Brewer.
11:35.787 --> 11:43.689
[SPEAKER_01]: So if you're going off of four years of you not only doing that, but then in the fourth year, you miss the playoffs, both have to be gone.
11:44.625 --> 12:06.324
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think that's the, I think there's a lot of pressure on Jed this winner, like, especially he's got a build a pitching staff he has he missed on every major arm that he went out and got last winner and that is a glaring swing and a miss from a front office that has a ton of resources and a ton of ton of data at its disposal to make the right choices.
12:06.404 --> 12:09.867
[SPEAKER_00]: So to go on and make all the wrong ones is a tough look.
12:11.214 --> 12:17.889
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think they're on equal footing in terms of how warm their seats are going into next year.
12:18.538 --> 12:24.741
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I would venture the gas at both connected at the hip, whether it's next year or two years or now.
12:24.861 --> 12:33.684
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think those are scenarios where I say, Tom was going to be like, oh, well, we'll keep in bed, we're getting really Craig, or we're firing, we're firing Craig.
12:33.784 --> 12:38.747
[SPEAKER_01]: I think at the straight, the both connected, their futures are intertwined.
12:39.327 --> 12:47.050
[SPEAKER_01]: So whether it's a hot seat, or they find a way to kind of re-establish the base on a new thumb, they're going to be connected moving forward.
12:48.965 --> 12:55.468
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, 100% and that was part of the point when they brought Craig again was that he was going to be very deeply intertwined in the front office in the day to day there.
12:55.508 --> 12:59.309
[SPEAKER_00]: So I guess we'll see, but they're not going anywhere right now.
12:59.329 --> 13:08.993
[SPEAKER_00]: They're not going anywhere this winter, so if you're one of those Cub's fans listening begging for a new manager or a new president of baseball ops, I hate to disappoint you, but gotta do it.
13:11.207 --> 13:22.293
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, let's move on a knock and judge horror or really since you kind of took the rings with your upsteen is This cup seam doesn't spend on a high end closer.
13:22.953 --> 13:38.141
[SPEAKER_01]: It feels like we're finally at a crossroads When it comes to that being horror or is ideology for building a pitching staff But generally Jake over the last couple years why has that been the one thing that gent horror has avoided?
13:39.648 --> 13:41.229
[SPEAKER_00]: really farms are volatile man.
13:41.349 --> 13:43.310
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, look at look at Phil Mayton last year.
13:43.350 --> 13:51.993
[SPEAKER_00]: He had what like a two ERA between Texas and St. Louis came here and just imploded had the knee issue that was recurring until they finally shot him down for surgery.
13:52.854 --> 13:56.295
[SPEAKER_00]: We've seen high profile deus look at Edwin Diaz in Los Angeles.
13:57.176 --> 14:00.937
[SPEAKER_00]: Josh Hader was better this year, but his first year in Houston was kind of disastrous.
14:01.678 --> 14:04.419
[SPEAKER_00]: So like there's a history of these really high profile arms.
14:05.508 --> 14:07.269
[SPEAKER_00]: going sideways, and then it's just dead money.
14:07.289 --> 14:08.590
[SPEAKER_00]: You can't do anything with it.
14:09.230 --> 14:14.333
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think the cubs are very focused on not carrying dead contracts.
14:15.834 --> 14:29.282
[SPEAKER_00]: But again, when the bullpen continues to be a problem, especially on the scale of was this year, you have to spend, and it can't be that, oh, we finally signed a reliever to a multi-year deal for the first time in half a decade.
14:29.302 --> 14:31.243
[SPEAKER_00]: Like that can't be how it comes operate.
14:32.076 --> 14:40.261
[SPEAKER_00]: I appreciate the work that Jed is done in the front office is done in covering the diamonds in the rough, the drew pomerans, the Jacob web, so the world that's all wonderful.
14:41.021 --> 14:44.363
[SPEAKER_00]: Those should be complimentary pieces to what you have already put together.
14:44.923 --> 14:51.987
[SPEAKER_00]: You can't go into the season grabbing 10 of those wild cards and hoping to hit and that's how your bullpen is going to find success.
14:52.507 --> 15:00.672
[SPEAKER_00]: They should be an added layer on the depth chart to bolster your relief core instead of being the linchpin that has to hold it all together.
15:02.498 --> 15:15.712
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think it just comes down to it being an easier pill to swallow when someone like Kobe Milner doesn't work out because you're paying him less than $3 million, you can just simply DFA him.
15:16.073 --> 15:24.401
[SPEAKER_01]: In the case of the Dodgers with Edwin Diaz this year, they were never going to DFA him amidst his struggle, same thing with Thanos Scott last year.
15:25.062 --> 15:39.560
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think the Cubs desperately want to leave that flexibility on a pitching set so that hey, even if this guy doesn't work out, we're not paying him 20 plus million dollars in each of the next few years, like you said.
15:39.640 --> 15:42.924
[SPEAKER_01]: They want to desperately avoid that bad contract.
15:43.985 --> 16:07.853
[SPEAKER_01]: that being said, I think we are starting to see the roots in that philosophy because when you're consistently relying on diamonds and the rough, that means your misses are going to be that much more overstated because now not only are you turning those reclamation projects into success stories, but you don't have that cornerstone that you could fall back on in the bullpen.
16:08.533 --> 16:20.218
[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe that was supposed to be Daniel Palencia this year, but he was just saying Daniel Palencia outside of a long stretch last year hasn't really done it for four or four seasons in terms of being that lights out closer.
16:20.378 --> 16:36.025
[SPEAKER_01]: I love Al Gasolina I hope he's the answer But we just can't go into another season where it's like, all right Daniel Palencia's health healthy Let's get these one of your dears in and patch together the bullpen that can't be a recipe for success
16:38.618 --> 16:43.345
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and just for some context, while you were talking up, hold Edwin DS's contract.
16:44.187 --> 16:46.430
[SPEAKER_00]: And he's going to make 23 million dollars.
16:46.490 --> 16:53.721
[SPEAKER_00]: And each of the next two years, this year, the Cubs only paid two players, more than $23 million, and it was Dan's B. Swanson and Alex Breggman.
16:54.420 --> 16:54.920
[SPEAKER_00]: That's it.
16:55.240 --> 16:56.981
[SPEAKER_00]: The Cubs don't spend at that level.
16:57.041 --> 16:58.701
[SPEAKER_00]: They have never spent at that level.
16:59.461 --> 17:02.322
[SPEAKER_00]: They like to keep their money spread out to your point that way.
17:02.362 --> 17:05.703
[SPEAKER_00]: They're not dealing with just a ton of money on the books.
17:06.303 --> 17:07.523
[SPEAKER_00]: They've never been that way.
17:07.563 --> 17:10.904
[SPEAKER_00]: They've never signed a $200 million contract.
17:11.024 --> 17:13.204
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, PCA's deal kicks in next year or so.
17:13.865 --> 17:16.225
[SPEAKER_00]: That's another decent chunk of change, obviously.
17:16.265 --> 17:19.246
[SPEAKER_00]: But especially on the pitching front, the Cubs don't go there.
17:20.326 --> 17:20.988
[SPEAKER_00]: hardly ever.
17:21.410 --> 17:26.245
[SPEAKER_00]: So the last major major one was John Luster and that was more than a decade ago.
17:27.998 --> 17:47.026
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and it, a long, that, and I'm curious to see if there is a shift in spending their horror, has already indicated the split in terms of pitching and position players this amount of season is going to be geared towards pitching when it comes to the hubs available financial resources.
17:47.166 --> 17:50.027
[SPEAKER_01]: There were whispers last year that the hubs were willing to
17:50.867 --> 17:52.749
[SPEAKER_01]: step outside the comfort zone.
17:52.769 --> 17:54.472
[SPEAKER_01]: I would say we didn't really see it.
17:55.513 --> 18:05.625
[SPEAKER_01]: It was a classic cubs we tried when talks about pursuits of like Dylan sees, Michael King, even to add my who thankfully they avoided that.
18:05.786 --> 18:06.006
[SPEAKER_01]: But
18:07.187 --> 18:14.732
[SPEAKER_01]: At some point, whether it's this or a season next or a season, the cups are going to have to get uncomfortable when it comes to their spending.
18:14.792 --> 18:22.417
[SPEAKER_01]: Whether that's spending on a higher closer, spending on a top of the rotation picture, which I think is probably closer to what they would be willing to do.
18:23.394 --> 18:38.563
[SPEAKER_01]: they have to get outside the comfort zone because what they're currently doing isn't working and the long-term or the grand view of saying how are we going to close the gap between us and Milwaukee is things we've already said.
18:38.864 --> 18:46.148
[SPEAKER_01]: You have to pay for expected results in your pitching staff, but not just any expected results, expected results at the top of the market.
18:47.409 --> 18:52.232
[SPEAKER_00]: Yep, well said, it's you just had your season and for the same reason two years in a row.
18:53.005 --> 18:54.847
[SPEAKER_00]: You didn't have the pitching to go toe to toe.
18:54.907 --> 18:59.511
[SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, the offense went into San Diego ice cold.
19:00.252 --> 19:01.013
[SPEAKER_00]: That's going to happen.
19:01.093 --> 19:12.744
[SPEAKER_00]: But in those situations, if you're a legit contender, you have that top of the rotation stud to turn to, or you have that late-ending arm, who can keep a one-nothing game, one-nothing instead of things sitting out of hand, and the cubs haven't had it for two years.
19:13.504 --> 19:16.707
[SPEAKER_00]: And that's led to early exits in each of the last two positions.
19:18.744 --> 19:20.527
[SPEAKER_00]: So we can move on to the next one here.
19:20.547 --> 19:23.592
[SPEAKER_00]: We've touched on it a little bit, but we'll kick it to you Jordan.
19:23.672 --> 19:24.654
[SPEAKER_00]: Are we getting a new
19:26.677 --> 19:28.097
[SPEAKER_01]: I think we're getting a new coach.
19:28.418 --> 19:30.978
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think we'll get a new manager.
19:32.119 --> 19:36.420
[SPEAKER_01]: I think as we've kind of driven home this episode, Craig Council isn't going anywhere.
19:36.440 --> 19:43.642
[SPEAKER_01]: I, in terms of likelihood, I would say it's likely that we're getting a new bench coach.
19:44.383 --> 19:50.685
[SPEAKER_01]: Similar to Carter Hawkins, Ryan Fairley, has been a rising candidate for managerial vacancies over the past few years.
19:51.345 --> 19:51.725
[SPEAKER_01]: I think
19:55.586 --> 20:06.892
[SPEAKER_01]: Again, why I question that is if you look across baseball, there's not all the teams making changes this off season and I think it just goes back to the CBA uncertainty.
20:07.452 --> 20:11.374
[SPEAKER_01]: So maybe that's how play early sticks around with the clubs for one more year.
20:11.794 --> 20:13.375
[SPEAKER_01]: There's an opening in Philadelphia.
20:13.535 --> 20:15.816
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll see if there's an opening in New York.
20:16.616 --> 20:22.298
[SPEAKER_01]: If it feels like Aaron Boone is always on this last life before a kind of regaining it.
20:22.378 --> 20:29.141
[SPEAKER_01]: But I do think Ryan clearly is most likely to go if not fine, clearly than I would say Tommy holiday.
20:30.101 --> 20:30.821
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, agreed.
20:30.921 --> 20:41.045
[SPEAKER_00]: I think the without the CBA discussion, it's a it's a different conversation, but I know obviously Craig's not going anywhere, but
20:41.622 --> 20:47.328
[SPEAKER_00]: A common critique I hear of council and I'd love you to take on it is that he just doesn't have any fire.
20:47.588 --> 20:49.610
[SPEAKER_00]: He doesn't fire the guys up.
20:49.650 --> 20:55.276
[SPEAKER_00]: He doesn't go and get them ready to roll and and he's just always this calm cool collected.
20:56.157 --> 21:02.664
[SPEAKER_00]: Do you think there's anything to it or do you think that that's based in what you know just it's kind of an outdated perception of managers.
21:03.306 --> 21:16.652
[SPEAKER_01]: It's an outdated perception of Managers because it never made sense to me why if you're a fan, you're clamoring for your manager to get ejected from the game because he's so upset.
21:16.800 --> 21:20.422
[SPEAKER_01]: that that never made sense to me and I I get it.
21:20.942 --> 21:25.044
[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe we were spoiled in the 80s because we got to watch Mike Dicker with the fire of a passion.
21:25.404 --> 21:26.704
[SPEAKER_01]: Who cares about I clap?
21:26.784 --> 21:30.006
[SPEAKER_01]: Give me a manager of coach that's just something good at their job.
21:30.546 --> 21:37.729
[SPEAKER_01]: And here's the the trump card is if they're good at their job, that whole of motion stuff doesn't matter.
21:37.909 --> 21:39.810
[SPEAKER_01]: Ben Johnson, perfect example.
21:40.330 --> 21:42.311
[SPEAKER_01]: He gives you the fire and passion in the locker room.
21:42.351 --> 21:43.651
[SPEAKER_01]: He gives you the fire and passion.
21:44.111 --> 21:47.513
[SPEAKER_01]: When you listen to him with certain topics, you know what he is doing the game.
21:48.053 --> 21:48.953
[SPEAKER_01]: He is stoic.
21:49.093 --> 21:50.394
[SPEAKER_01]: He is looking at his play card.
21:50.434 --> 21:52.815
[SPEAKER_01]: He's not that fire and passion guy, but look at him.
21:52.835 --> 21:53.715
[SPEAKER_01]: He's getting his odds.
21:54.395 --> 21:56.876
[SPEAKER_01]: No one cares about the fire and passion.
21:56.936 --> 21:58.157
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think.
21:58.915 --> 22:18.730
[SPEAKER_01]: If Council and the Cubs just get results next year, I don't think we're going to hear this outdated excuse of, he's too still a keys to bland he's a perfect fine manager for the job he's the best baseball mine on that coaching staff and you shouldn't want him to get ejected in games because that would put the Cubs out of disadvantage.
22:20.422 --> 22:24.724
[SPEAKER_00]: So what you're saying is Craig needs to be more like Ben Johnson and Ripp is sure it off after wins.
22:25.124 --> 22:25.464
[SPEAKER_00]: Got it.
22:25.664 --> 22:26.704
[SPEAKER_00]: You heard it here first.
22:26.924 --> 22:32.306
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, maybe that'll be the key to the towing 27 season.
22:32.386 --> 22:33.367
[SPEAKER_01]: Jake, let's take a break.
22:33.447 --> 22:34.887
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's hear from our sponsors.
22:35.128 --> 22:35.788
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll come back.
22:35.828 --> 22:38.869
[SPEAKER_01]: We have a few more questions and then we'll close it up.
22:43.671 --> 22:49.413
[SPEAKER_01]: Jake speaking of Craig Council and this is something that I've seen pop up over the past season.
22:50.870 --> 22:55.014
[SPEAKER_01]: Do you think there's an issue between credit counselor and the players?
22:55.274 --> 22:59.979
[SPEAKER_01]: I think James was insinuating that maybe those not connecting the way they should?
23:01.320 --> 23:02.121
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think so.
23:02.542 --> 23:02.862
[SPEAKER_00]: I think.
23:04.898 --> 23:10.321
[SPEAKER_00]: I think modern professional athletes are more than capable of taking care of themselves.
23:10.881 --> 23:12.301
[SPEAKER_00]: And they know their routine.
23:12.321 --> 23:31.010
[SPEAKER_00]: They know, you know, if there's not handholding that goes on there and every public interview throughout the year during the ups and the downs, every player, young and experienced everybody praised Craig for the fact that when they get to the ballpark, they know what they're getting.
23:31.070 --> 23:32.431
[SPEAKER_00]: They don't have to worry about
23:33.349 --> 23:40.794
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, anyone who's seen money ball, they're like Craig's not in there flipping his desk over or anything like that, that just isn't part of his M.O.
23:40.854 --> 23:57.705
[SPEAKER_00]: and I think that, you know, we all appreciate that and whatever you do for a living, you want to go to work and have a pretty good idea what the environment's going to be like, how you're going to be treated to how the communication style works and that's the same for professional Athens or human beings.
23:58.925 --> 24:02.947
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think Craig delivers that consistency and I think that's what's made him so popular.
24:03.448 --> 24:06.049
[SPEAKER_00]: He clearly has had to have some tough conversations.
24:06.129 --> 24:16.114
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm sure it wasn't an enjoyable talk to go to Ian Hab who is someday going to be in the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame and tell him, hey, Ian, I know you've been here for 10 years.
24:16.174 --> 24:16.955
[SPEAKER_00]: Congrats on that.
24:17.395 --> 24:19.076
[SPEAKER_00]: By the way, you're now a platoon player.
24:19.196 --> 24:24.739
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm sure that wasn't a particularly, you know, warm and fuzzy conversation, but he's shown that
24:27.143 --> 24:28.960
[SPEAKER_00]: Like you said, he's a brilliant baseball minds.
24:30.839 --> 24:38.501
[SPEAKER_00]: Like I said, when things were going good this season, everyone loved to praise, oh my God, Craig's handling this so well, he's playing like, he didn't even have a half a deck.
24:38.521 --> 24:48.843
[SPEAKER_00]: He had like six cards out of the 52 and it was piecing it together on a daily basis and it's just baseball and baseball fans are very much a what have you done for me lately?
24:48.883 --> 24:50.083
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, what have the cups done lately?
24:50.103 --> 24:53.244
[SPEAKER_00]: They got bounced in two straight in a wild card round on the game in the seasons over.
24:53.364 --> 24:57.865
[SPEAKER_00]: So no, I don't think there's any relationship between Craig and the players.
24:59.284 --> 25:06.209
[SPEAKER_01]: One of the biggest issues the Cubs had going into last season was that Dan's response and would play every day.
25:06.650 --> 25:13.755
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's incredible you applaud him for that desire, but there were clear instances where it was setting the Cubs back.
25:15.375 --> 25:24.938
[SPEAKER_01]: credit, credit council, because however he did it, he got through Swanson, be like, hey, it's good to take a game or two off your feet.
25:25.178 --> 25:35.361
[SPEAKER_01]: As you mentioned, he had that tough conversation with Ian Hap this year, saying, hey, your numbers against I've taken pitching isn't where they need to be.
25:35.401 --> 25:37.982
[SPEAKER_01]: So we're going to put Tyron Taylor in the line up more often.
25:38.122 --> 25:40.543
[SPEAKER_01]: He did that with Kyro Tucker at the end of last year.
25:40.643 --> 25:40.963
[SPEAKER_01]: So,
25:41.843 --> 25:51.290
[SPEAKER_01]: I think if there was an issue with Craig Council and his connection with players, I think we would have seen it based off of those three exchanges and we have it.
25:51.951 --> 26:01.038
[SPEAKER_01]: Each player kind of responded the way the club's were hoping and I think that's just another sign that Craig Council is the right manager for this job.
26:01.218 --> 26:04.580
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, that doesn't mean he's perfect.
26:04.820 --> 26:07.182
[SPEAKER_01]: He does have some words but not
26:11.032 --> 26:11.272
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
26:11.432 --> 26:16.613
[SPEAKER_00]: And if, you know, if you're listening and you're saying, oh, well, those are better in guys, so they probably know how to handle themselves.
26:16.673 --> 26:22.454
[SPEAKER_00]: Anyway, you know, turn the clock back to PCA and the incident with the white socks fan.
26:22.534 --> 26:23.675
[SPEAKER_00]: And like, even that was handled.
26:23.835 --> 26:28.156
[SPEAKER_00]: So like, that's a 24-year-old compared to Ian who's in his 30s, Dan's we use in his 30s.
26:28.196 --> 26:31.476
[SPEAKER_00]: So Craig clearly has the year of everyone on that roster.
26:31.876 --> 26:32.737
[SPEAKER_00]: They respect him.
26:33.337 --> 26:34.497
[SPEAKER_00]: I, again, I think that
26:35.133 --> 26:37.555
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, we can all be frustrated with how this isn't ended.
26:37.775 --> 26:41.599
[SPEAKER_00]: No, there's no clubhouse issues brewing around council.
26:43.060 --> 26:44.782
[SPEAKER_00]: That we know that we know.
26:47.144 --> 26:51.167
[SPEAKER_01]: Jake one of Jed Horya's takeaways from his press conference.
26:51.908 --> 26:57.954
[SPEAKER_01]: He expressed a desire for Pedro Amoeira's a matcha to get a larger role on the roster next few.
26:59.536 --> 27:04.959
[SPEAKER_01]: As a whole over the last few years, we haven't really seen the Cubs play their younger players.
27:05.199 --> 27:12.623
[SPEAKER_01]: It's been a case of, hey, let's bring you up from AAA, so you can get a feel for the Major League Raster or feel for how to be a Major Leagueer.
27:14.144 --> 27:25.190
[SPEAKER_01]: Considering the number of reagents the Cubs have, are we moving towards a season where maybe this is a youth movement of sorts and counts when the Cubs are the younger players play?
27:27.381 --> 27:34.504
[SPEAKER_00]: So first I would say, yes, there have been instances where they would bring up a Kevin O'Count or whoever was.
27:34.524 --> 27:37.046
[SPEAKER_00]: They'd bring it guy up in many, they'd get one at bat over 15 days.
27:37.086 --> 27:39.147
[SPEAKER_00]: And it's like, okay, well, what was the point of this?
27:39.587 --> 27:44.529
[SPEAKER_00]: That I never love, if you're gonna bring somebody up, get him some reps, maybe not every day, every third day.
27:45.270 --> 27:49.692
[SPEAKER_00]: I hope they get away from that and work those guys into the rotation more moving forward.
27:50.192 --> 27:56.175
[SPEAKER_00]: But I think you could also say, what prospect in the last few years has been worthy of taking an every day job?
27:56.820 --> 27:57.340
[SPEAKER_01]: very good.
27:57.600 --> 28:00.802
[SPEAKER_00]: Like with where this roster's been, it is better and heavy and it's very established.
28:00.842 --> 28:05.143
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not benching any of those guys for what has been coming out of the miners.
28:05.263 --> 28:09.405
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, hopefully, over the next few years, Josiah Hart shown her own airs.
28:09.425 --> 28:13.707
[SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully, those types of guys keep taking those right developmental steps where they force their way in.
28:13.727 --> 28:15.847
[SPEAKER_00]: The cups haven't had anybody force the issue.
28:16.328 --> 28:19.309
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think that's why you see them slow play a young players when they come up.
28:19.669 --> 28:19.909
[SPEAKER_00]: Hey,
28:20.713 --> 28:26.135
[SPEAKER_00]: collect a big league paycheck, learn the ins and outs of a big league life, and that's been their approach.
28:26.795 --> 28:32.598
[SPEAKER_00]: But I would argue this year, Pedro Ramirez did force the issue and he played every day almost.
28:32.658 --> 28:37.820
[SPEAKER_00]: So he made the most of the opportunity and it warranted every day playing time.
28:37.840 --> 28:41.721
[SPEAKER_00]: But when you have a guy come up and go over ten with six strikeouts, no, I'm not going to keep trotting him out there.
28:41.761 --> 28:44.623
[SPEAKER_00]: That's just not going to work.
28:44.763 --> 28:47.584
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think we'll see younger players play more, but
28:48.564 --> 28:50.806
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, I think it's going to also depend on the offices.
28:50.846 --> 29:05.840
[SPEAKER_00]: And yes, they're the two corners spots open and the outfield, but if you bring back the map or, you know, if there's some other bat that falls to you while you're focused on pitching and you rounded out that way, I think it's more likely that you see some young bench pieces, um, then it is every day starters.
29:06.983 --> 29:13.589
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think there's going to be a youth movement of sorts and I also just think you hit it on a HUD.
29:13.690 --> 29:31.587
[SPEAKER_01]: I think Yeah, having these players come up and sit isn't ideal, but I think Pedro or Mayor has showed that like if you have success in that memory draw and you're doing all the things right behind the scenes, you're going to gradually get more playing time.
29:32.527 --> 29:46.272
[SPEAKER_01]: And, too, the Cups Farms system just hasn't been that strong, but I hasn't, like you mentioned, it hasn't been a crisp aren't, have you by as Kyro Schwalves come up and be like, hey, this is a prospect that you need to play every day.
29:46.833 --> 29:51.634
[SPEAKER_01]: You mentioned, I think we have a few of them here in the next few years, a heart-chorn
30:01.385 --> 30:06.026
[SPEAKER_01]: I get it, both Pedro and Mayor as a match-all can play the corner upfield.
30:06.547 --> 30:18.990
[SPEAKER_01]: I would say, I think there's risk in your often taking a major step back because while they are both very good against latended pitching, they are also both very bad against right-handed pitching.
30:19.030 --> 30:20.271
[SPEAKER_01]: So maybe it's a case will.
30:20.991 --> 30:26.635
[SPEAKER_01]: you bring back Ian Hatt, he starts against Raidies, who show our mayor starts against lefties.
30:28.596 --> 30:39.404
[SPEAKER_01]: That's why our caution saying it's going to be a full-fledged youth movement because I think committing both right field of left field to match our individual mayor's, would be a mistake for the cops this afternoon.
30:40.259 --> 30:49.684
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I'm sorry, but you're not heading into what should be the peak years for Nico Honer, obviously, PCI still young, but you're heading into year one of a PCI extension.
30:49.704 --> 30:55.968
[SPEAKER_00]: Year two with Alex Braggman, Nico at his peak, you're not going to just all the sudden flush the roster with youth and hope it works out.
30:56.208 --> 30:57.149
[SPEAKER_00]: They need to win.
30:57.189 --> 31:08.055
[SPEAKER_00]: They're going to prioritize veterans over fringe rookies, and that's because at the end of the day, this is a results-oriented business, and we talked about it earlier when it comes to the front office and the coaching staff.
31:08.515 --> 31:14.119
[SPEAKER_00]: This is an organization that they prefer to stick with what they know, and veterans are more predictable.
31:14.159 --> 31:17.582
[SPEAKER_00]: They're going to feel more comfortable going down that avenue.
31:17.622 --> 31:25.728
[SPEAKER_00]: That being said, if a young player comes up and forces the issue, I think they're open to it, but that's just been those instances have been few and far better.
31:26.553 --> 31:35.575
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, they're just simply hasn't been outside of Pedro a mayor as a case where that's been the reason why a player hasn't played for the Cubs.
31:35.635 --> 31:48.177
[SPEAKER_01]: If you look at Kevin Alcontra, he struggled offensively to begin his tenure in the Major's and it was just until this season that he finally had his first extra base hit at that Cubs majorly gastron.
31:48.277 --> 31:53.738
[SPEAKER_01]: So this isn't in case where those prospects performing in the Cubs just aren't playing on it's a case where
31:54.498 --> 31:59.060
[SPEAKER_01]: It has them in that immediate results rather than keep trying to make it work.
31:59.620 --> 32:01.621
[SPEAKER_01]: The cubs are in the middle of their contentment window.
32:01.681 --> 32:12.386
[SPEAKER_01]: They can't just simply divert all this playing time for prospects because as you mentioned with Breggman, with Horner, with Smatin, the system that's very much in the middle of their contentment window.
32:12.426 --> 32:18.389
[SPEAKER_01]: And depending on the moves they make this offseason, it's a window that's going to start to close here.
32:18.989 --> 32:29.118
[SPEAKER_01]: As 27 starts, or maybe you make the light moves and it's popped open for another year or two, but we got this, this isn't a situation where prospects should be expected to play every day.
32:29.979 --> 32:30.779
[SPEAKER_00]: No, not at all.
32:31.160 --> 32:33.802
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think the same thing on the pitching side of things, right?
32:34.462 --> 32:36.644
[SPEAKER_00]: No, there haven't been a ton of young arms that come up.
32:36.704 --> 32:37.545
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, Kate Horton did.
32:37.565 --> 32:41.608
[SPEAKER_00]: He came up and they gave him some runway and good things happened until they didn't.
32:43.030 --> 32:43.270
[SPEAKER_00]: But,
32:44.744 --> 32:53.931
[SPEAKER_00]: Again, with the injuries and stuff, they just haven't been those blue chip guys to turn to and say, hey, like this, this winter in particular, it's like, yes, there's a ton of openings on the pitching staff.
32:54.731 --> 32:59.234
[SPEAKER_00]: Do you feel a 100% or even close to 100% on any arm in the miners right now?
32:59.414 --> 33:01.736
[SPEAKER_00]: No, they still have a lot to prove.
33:02.496 --> 33:10.762
[SPEAKER_00]: And you can't fault the cubs for saying, no, we're not gonna gamble and try to unproven and come out of the out there when we have veterans we could hand playing time to.
33:12.050 --> 33:18.015
[SPEAKER_01]: Jake, it's only fitting that this is going to be our last question since it kind of defined the entire season.
33:19.096 --> 33:23.399
[SPEAKER_01]: The number of injuries the cubs had this year, specifically when it comes to pitching.
33:24.140 --> 33:29.925
[SPEAKER_01]: As I tied the bad luck, is that tied to something else within the cubs' training staff, pitching development being off.
33:30.625 --> 33:34.949
[SPEAKER_01]: I think Dan's question is kind of at the hard of everyone's mind.
33:35.829 --> 33:40.253
[SPEAKER_01]: What worked wrong when it comes to the cubs' ability to keep pictures healthy this season?
33:42.141 --> 33:43.082
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't have an answer.
33:43.222 --> 33:45.684
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't even know Jed Hoyer has an answer, frankly.
33:45.704 --> 33:52.630
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's gonna be like a agenda item one on the off season to do list is be like, how did this happen and why did it happen?
33:53.291 --> 33:59.256
[SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't always the same injury over and over, which makes me think there's some bad luck involved there.
34:00.277 --> 34:15.333
[SPEAKER_00]: perfect example like Edward Cabrera's blisters fill me tons need like it wasn't just oh all of a sudden every picture on the staff blew out his elbow that wasn't the problem but yeah there was there was a lot of injuries it put them behind the eight ball pretty much from April on
34:17.955 --> 34:28.908
[SPEAKER_00]: Again, to me it's a testament to council that they even made the playoffs and I think without PCA turning in the best season in the century and a half I don't even think they make the playoffs.
34:28.928 --> 34:34.374
[SPEAKER_00]: I think it took something truly remarkable to overcome this rash of injuries and
34:35.463 --> 34:47.948
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't have the answer to say that I do, I'd just be speculating, but regardless of what the answer is, Jed Oyer has to figure it out and he has to figure it out quickly because it cannot happen again in 2027.
34:50.252 --> 34:52.493
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's some combination of both.
34:52.573 --> 34:59.717
[SPEAKER_01]: If you go on spot track in terms of the actual money that was on the IL this season, the couple of 15th and baseball.
34:59.737 --> 35:01.538
[SPEAKER_01]: So that's half of the pack.
35:01.578 --> 35:07.401
[SPEAKER_01]: Now, some of that is cute, I will say, because they consider Anthony Wendell to be endured for the angels.
35:07.861 --> 35:09.942
[SPEAKER_01]: So his contract, of course, is going to be up there.
35:09.962 --> 35:11.563
[SPEAKER_01]: The dad or the reds, actually.
35:12.043 --> 35:14.844
[SPEAKER_01]: with a team with the most money on the IL.
35:14.864 --> 35:24.449
[SPEAKER_01]: But then if you go to days specifically on the IL, it comes at top five in baseball over two thousand, over two thousand and one hundred days on the IL.
35:24.509 --> 35:29.811
[SPEAKER_01]: So on one end, I think it's just the nature of major league baseball.
35:29.931 --> 35:32.712
[SPEAKER_01]: We live in an era where pictures are going to get hurt.
35:34.013 --> 35:37.835
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm inclined to say that it was bad luck because
35:40.182 --> 35:44.868
[SPEAKER_01]: Enjoy see this extent just simply wasn't in the cup's nature prior to this year.
35:44.908 --> 35:55.142
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, we've had bigger injuries, but when Justin's here got hurt, is that anything we were really surprised by Justin's here as someone that's flooded with Tommy John's surgery over the past five years.
35:55.943 --> 35:58.125
[SPEAKER_01]: We all figured there was coming and it happens.
35:58.285 --> 36:07.052
[SPEAKER_01]: K-torted, another one who had time we joined in the past, given the type of picture he is, he was always going to be killing it for a second one.
36:07.172 --> 36:10.434
[SPEAKER_01]: So, the cups have to do their due diligence.
36:10.774 --> 36:17.199
[SPEAKER_01]: They have to see is there something wrong without developing a pan for pitching that's causing this, but I'm inclined to say,
36:18.180 --> 36:20.821
[SPEAKER_01]: This might have just been one of those years where you just weren't healthy.
36:21.001 --> 36:22.202
[SPEAKER_01]: Look at how man to brace.
36:22.822 --> 36:24.182
[SPEAKER_01]: Last year, they were not healthy.
36:24.302 --> 36:25.323
[SPEAKER_01]: They were healthy this year.
36:25.363 --> 36:26.863
[SPEAKER_01]: We're one of the best teams in baseball.
36:27.424 --> 36:32.466
[SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes that's just how the cards are dealt in baseball.
36:33.446 --> 36:43.370
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and we talked about it back around the draft, but I think that there is definitely a reckoning at hand for how the cubs approach the draft every summer.
36:44.165 --> 36:53.627
[SPEAKER_00]: They'd love to take these flyers on super high upside guys with checkered health pass and you can't do that, given the pitching and the, like, fool me once fool me twice.
36:53.667 --> 37:04.469
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, fool me 12 times and I would personally take a slightly lower ceiling picture who you feel really good about staying healthy long term.
37:04.489 --> 37:08.790
[SPEAKER_00]: Now again, baseball in general now is fine burning arms out.
37:09.770 --> 37:12.652
[SPEAKER_00]: As an industry, as a sport, that's the shift they want.
37:13.092 --> 37:16.274
[SPEAKER_00]: Higher spin rates and higher v-lows and whatever happens happens.
37:17.174 --> 37:18.655
[SPEAKER_01]: Your interest is pretty interesting.
37:18.695 --> 37:19.355
[SPEAKER_01]: Kiss them most.
37:19.635 --> 37:21.456
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, let's get the most of these guys.
37:21.917 --> 37:24.438
[SPEAKER_01]: Once that guy's done, get someone else in to replace him.
37:24.790 --> 37:31.653
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, but the problem is the cubs don't have those guys, they don't have anyone to replace them, and they're still getting hurt.
37:31.893 --> 37:42.839
[SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, and all of this, another reason why there's not a front office change coming right now, like the cubs need the continuity of the top to figure this out get to the bottom of it and get back on track in 2027.
37:44.260 --> 37:47.101
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and it just has to be.
37:47.321 --> 38:00.846
[SPEAKER_01]: And another reason why it just makes me say it's a baseball is are we really going to put someone like Hunter Harvey against the Cub's track record because Harvey over the last few years hasn't said healthy.
38:00.886 --> 38:01.626
[SPEAKER_01]: So guess what?
38:01.986 --> 38:04.507
[SPEAKER_01]: It was in other words that he was going to get hurt this year.
38:04.567 --> 38:11.810
[SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes it just goes to, like you're mentioning, the Cub's having to shift the type of petrol say target
38:13.230 --> 38:22.056
[SPEAKER_01]: If you target pictures with a checkered injury history, chances are that history is going to catch up to you whether it's their season or next.
38:22.076 --> 38:29.542
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think that's one of the biggest things to watch here from what cops in the pitching, whether it's through agents, whether it's trades, because even look at Edward Cabrera.
38:30.262 --> 38:48.678
[SPEAKER_01]: I'd recover the knock on him with the marlins was that he couldn't say healthy so we really that surprised in his first season in Chicago he didn't say healthy so I wouldn't say it's not certainly something that comes out doing wrong with the development I think it's just the type of pictures that they're targeting and you just have to shift it from there.
38:49.972 --> 38:50.672
[SPEAKER_00]: Yep, 100%.
38:50.812 --> 38:52.253
[SPEAKER_00]: So we'll see if that happens.
38:52.533 --> 38:57.754
[SPEAKER_00]: Judd has his work cut out from this winter, given just the sheer volume of arms that he needs to bring in.
38:58.634 --> 39:00.315
[SPEAKER_00]: There can be those flyers.
39:00.515 --> 39:04.816
[SPEAKER_00]: But again, it's like we were talking about with the closer and building high relief assets.
39:04.836 --> 39:06.637
[SPEAKER_00]: You can't just roll the dice and hope it works.
39:07.297 --> 39:11.538
[SPEAKER_00]: You need to have some proven commodities that you complement with bounce back candidates.
39:11.558 --> 39:14.199
[SPEAKER_00]: With guys who have crazy good stuff, but haven't been healthy.
39:14.279 --> 39:15.999
[SPEAKER_00]: Those can be part of the puzzle.
39:16.480 --> 39:17.700
[SPEAKER_00]: They just can't be at its core.
39:18.527 --> 39:21.529
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, those can't be your big ticket items at the office.
39:21.589 --> 39:25.091
[SPEAKER_01]: And that would do it for the ladies and my old back episode.
39:25.252 --> 39:26.933
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll be back with you next week.
39:27.593 --> 39:30.035
[SPEAKER_01]: In the meantime, subscribe to our YouTube page.
39:30.255 --> 39:34.538
[SPEAKER_01]: Follow us, subscribe and our podcast, leave a review, give us five stars.
39:35.118 --> 39:41.042
[SPEAKER_01]: Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, all the goods, we'll have you dialed in with all the cups and news throughout the office.
39:41.082 --> 39:45.125
[SPEAKER_01]: And as Jake mentioned at the top, it's going to be hot and have you to be good with.
39:45.566 --> 39:47.011
[SPEAKER_01]: So stay clicked on the copies clip.
39:47.212 --> 39:49.560
[SPEAKER_01]: For now, I'm Jordan, that's Jake.
