Monday Morning Cubs Show
A show every Monday morning about the Chicago Cubs from Carl and Mahoney.
Monday Morning Cubs Show
Groundhog Day Debates, Pitchers Reporting, And Cubs Roster Questions
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A groundhog rivalry, a cough, and a countdown to what actually matters. We open with Woodstock pride and Groundhog Day lore, then cut through the annual noise around “pitchers and catchers report” to ask a tougher question: how do the Cubs set themselves up for a season that feels built for right now? We get honest about Nico Horner’s value, why trading him would be a mistake, and how an extension only makes sense at the right number. We also make the case that Michael Busch isn’t a sleeper waiting for a leap—he’s already one of the most productive first basemen in baseball, with room to sharpen the glove and manage lefty exposure.
From there, we look at the prospect pipeline with a clear lens. Losing a blue-chipper hurts, but Moises Ballesteros and Jackson Wiggins headline a next wave that keeps the system useful without stealing focus from a win-now window. We talk timing, roles, and why a couple of rookies filling everyday jobs can work for a big-market club when the veterans carry the peak months. Then comes the World Baseball Classic: a blast to watch, a knot in the stomach for coaches. PCA’s energy could benefit from high-leverage reps, but the risk is real in early March intensity; we draw the line between fun and what the regular season demands.
Finally, we map the rotation market with patience. Big names remain, but a late spring signing only makes sense after a real look at in-house arms. If health or performance dips, a short-term stabilizer becomes logical; if not, save the ammo. Through it all, we keep our eyes on the only countdown that counts: the home opener at Clark and Addison. Cold April air, short lines, loud innings—those days set the tone. If you’re ready for a season built on clarity, smart risk, and a little Midwest superstition, you’re in the right place.
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- Carl & Mahoney
Sick Day Banter And Groundhog Day
SPEAKER_00And we're clear. Good morning, good afternoon, and evening, Chicago Cubs fans. Welcome back to the Monday morning Cubs show. It is Carl joined by Mahoney. Today is Monday, February 2nd. I'll say it, you just heard it. Little bit of COVID, I think, or the flu, or something. Not a common cult, Mahoney.
SPEAKER_01Well, Carl, we're gonna come at you guys with a bit of a COVID episode. I am in the recovery stage. You are in it, as we had alluded to here in the green room. And Carl, it is also Groundhog Day. And I want to say about four weeks ago, I said, you know, I hadn't been getting sick. And then ever since then, I've been just been in the ringer. It feels like Groundhog Day to the household with the sniffles and and so on and so forth.
SPEAKER_00Now you have two young children. Does like when one gets sick, do you do you know that like it's it's an onslaught coming of two weeks? Or is it like when one gets sick, is it good because now there's immunity in the house? How does that work with having immunity versus knowing you're gonna get sick?
SPEAKER_01It it works both ways. I think, unfortunately, you always gonna know that you're gonna catch, you know, whatever bug is in there. I'm I'm transferring beds. My son will bump into our bed. I go to his bed. So I'm rolling around and snotting whatever the hell other kind of germs. So you know you're gonna catch it, but you're also gonna know you're gonna build some of those immunities because it hasn't been as bad of a year as it was last year. So I'll take it. I don't know how else to put it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we're gonna battle. This is gonna be a this is gonna be a nice light episode in the off season. Uh, you know, as we get into some of the stuff here on the list, Mahoney. I will just say it's nice to see you. We had a great episode last week with our good pal Jake. We're excited to have him on in the future. And just to address some questions people have had, we will do we will do guests this year. We are gonna have some guests on. We're gonna expand. I suppose like our community or our network or whatever that is, however the hell you want to say it. You know, I'm not good at announcements, but we will be doing guests. That was good to have Jake on last week. Check it out.
Woodstock Willie vs Phil: Film, Place, Pride
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was great, awesome feedback out there from the maniacs. It's always good to have Jake on board, whether we're sitting across each other from you know, at a high top table or if we're yucking it up on the Monday morning cub show. So it's great to have Jake. I'm looking forward to mixing it up with some other characters as well. And yeah, Carl, off the top, it is Groundhog Day. Great movie directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray, one of his, you know, very much a uh staple in his career, one of my personal favorites. Um, but one fun fact in that movie is it's not filmed in Ponxatoni, it was filmed in Woodstock, Illinois. And since then, Carl, there has spawned almost uh a divide in the groundhog community of which groundhog are you going to listen to now? We have in Illinois Woodstock Willie, and of course they have Ponxitawny Phil in Ponxitawny, Philadelphia or Pennsylvania, excuse me. Yeah. Um, but I'm I'm a Woodstock Willie guy. I mean, I uh you have to go. He said early spring, Ponza Tawney Phil said six more weeks. There's a war going on within the Groundhog Day community.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, this is a tough situation, Mahoney. I'm glad we're starting the show here. As we look ahead to spring training, I think I think a couple we got to break down this in a couple different ways. Obviously, Woodstock, Illinois is where they filmed the movie, and the reason they filmed the movie there is they were looking for a location that encapsulated small town America perfectly. And the downtown central district area of Woodstock, if you haven't been, is gorgeous. It's beautiful, it's just straight out of a Hallmark movie. And so they filmed it there because it was like the perfect set for it. Um, and now Woodstock, Illinois is really they like if you go up there, the place is basically like a tribute to the movie, you know. So uh I put a lot of credence into the fact that that's the soul and the spirit of a groundhog day. Like, if they wanted to do it somewhere better, they would have filmed the movie somewhere better. Like they picked they picked Woodstock, Illinois because it is the perfect place to ask a wood to ask a uh groundhog, like, are we gonna have a short, you know? And I've always been Woodstock Willy. I think people in Chicago that go the way of punk uh Punkston I go the way of Phil. Yeah, like I like that that's just a good sign. Like, you shouldn't don't be listening to Phil. I'm a Willy guy. If you're from Chicago, you should be a Willy guy. Have you been to Wood downtown Woodstock? It's off Route 47, and I'm a big proponent of Route 47. If you haven't been, it's just an unbelievably beautiful, quaint little slice of America for a nice Sunday afternoon stroll with your lady and the kids.
SPEAKER_01It's an absolute type of town that you'd picture yourself as in a movie, and it in fact was. So Woodstock, Illinois, great place to visit, great place to yuck it up, have some good times with the family, with your lady, as Carl mentioned, and it's nice to you know get some of that nostalgia in there. Would Groundhog Day be as big if it wasn't for the Harold Ramus film?
SPEAKER_00No, no, absolutely not. Like Bill Murray, you know, obviously it's all Bill Murray. He great quote from Bill Murray. He was talking about he's got brothers that are super wealthy, he's from an extremely wealthy family, and uh, you know, he wanted to be famous, and he has like a ton, I believe, a ton of regret because his life is so utterly changed by his fame. And he's like, I was trying to be successful, I wasn't trying to be famous. Like, if I knew all this fame would come with the success, I would have gone the way of my brothers, which is kind of crazy to think about. Like, you know, one of the one of the most celebrated and beloved actors of all time. How about that? Like, yeah, maybe not the best, but obviously, you know, it's not like Daniel Day Lewis, but he walks in a room, everybody loves him, and he's like, if I knew it was gonna be like this, I would have just been in private equity, like my brothers.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know, just like not always in the good mood to be on to yuck it up to give those Bill Murray moments. I'd imagine that could be a very much a double-edged sword. Um but it's good to report, man. Big Cubs fan, yeah, involved in the community. We see a lot of him. Uh, that's fantastic. We do love Bill Murray on the Monday morning Cubs show. But yeah, it is great to hear that Woodstock Willie did indeed report that we are going to have an early spring. Carl, speaking of spring, it sounds like it's nine days until pitchers and catchers report. Boy, do I love saying that? And Carl, that's about where it ends because I really just don't care that much after the fact.
Pitchers And Catchers Hype And Reality
SPEAKER_00Well, it's such a funny like note in the baseball calendar that pitchers and catchers report, and now we're take it's like the report it, they are here. They're playing countdown. The players don't show up for a little bit, you know, they've got time for that, and then there's time before the games start playing, and we're still a long way away from opening day. There's a lot of shit that can happen in spring training. We have the world baseball classic coming up. That doesn't stop people, though. Pitchers and catchers are reporting, baby. They are reported. We are reporting, which reminds me, Mahoney, the weather's getting warm. Uh, you know, if you listen to Willie, spring's coming early. Don't be late. Guys, go get yourself a thirsty vaquero. All bite, no rattle, Mexican style soda with the signature spicy finish, three bold flavors on Amazon, and the title beverage sponsor of the Monday morning cub show. You guys are going down to spring training, you're gonna want a thirsty vaquero in the cooler. You guys are watching a game at home, you're gonna want a thirsty vaquero in the cooler. Be good to yourself. Get yourself some thirsty vaquero on Amazon.
SPEAKER_01The guy with COVID told me about it. Thirsty vaquero. It's great. Hey, and if you are fighting a cold or anything or any ailments this winter, Thirsty Vacaro will help clean those sinuses out, folks, because that is real, genuine jalapeno in those tickle your taste buds, it's gonna tickle your nostrils, and get yourself a thirsty vacaro, you know where to find it, it's on Amazon. And buy Thirsty Vacaro, support the show. It's an experience in a can, it's all bite, no rattle. Can't say that enough. A fantastic beverage.
SPEAKER_00I threw some Thirsty Vacaro outside the house, and it got a little bit of the uh what is it? Slush. Yeah, the watermelon. Are you kidding me? The watermelon slush? Dude.
SPEAKER_01I'm dumping that in a ninja later. I'm dumping that in a ninja with some ice cubes. I might have to make myself a Thirsty Vacaro um daiquiri or whatever I could do with that bad boy. So many different combinations.
SPEAKER_00Dress it up, little rump chata. Hey, I I have gave up soda, not really, because I went to the movie, like in the movie theaters, I'll pound the Dr. Peppers. Um, but otherwise I'm I'm out on sodas, and that's just a weight thing. Like I've told you, I went and saw the doctor. He's like, You're fucking fat, buddy. So that was a couple months ago. So I'm down, I'm down, whatever. Who gives a shit? But part of the, you know, you gotta cut out the stuff that's just so bad for you. Soda's at the top of the list. A big soda guy was a big soda guy, and have all but entirely replaced that with Thirsty Vaquero. So, like, sit down for a big pizza this weekend, Thirsty Vaccaro. You know, little fucking tacos, thirsty vacaro. Something where traditionally God, that's a gorgeous owl on my front lawn. I'm sorry to do that to you, Mahoney. Uh, something traditionally owl spotting, stop the show. You could pause if you'd like. Oh my god, you wouldn't believe how big it got.
SPEAKER_01Holy fuck! Oh, I'd give anything to see an owl outside a window right now.
Sponsor Read: Thirsty Vaquero
SPEAKER_00Holy shit. So, but my point with the with Thirsty Vacaro, guys, is that it's been just a nice refreshing uh reprieve from something that's put a lot of damage in my body. Thirsty Vaccaro, not at all, you know. I mean, but limited sugars, all natural fruit juices. So go check it out if you're going down that path with me. Um I hate, you know, it's like I should have told you at the top I was gonna sneak into Thirsty Vacaro ad read when you don't see it coming, but like you knew I was gonna do that.
SPEAKER_01I knew you were going to, and at the same time, you could fit in a thirsty vacero ad read, really, whenever you want. It's like I'd always take somebody putting a thirsty vacero in front of me, whether it's you know through my ears or through my taste buds.
SPEAKER_00I don't want to make fun of people that are listening to this that have been so excited for like pictures and catchers are reporting. As much as I want to draw like self-awareness, like it's kind of lame, you know, it's just be careful.
SPEAKER_01Even in our talk, I'm excited. I'm one of those folks that is excited online. There might have been a 10-day countdown. I think I tweeted something a few days back, like, here it goes, boys. Right around the corner, a text came out. You know, time flies, gonna be here before we know it. And then you do realize, like, what actually happens? Okay, pictures and catchers report. Sweet. And then that's about it. I mean, it's just you know that baseball's around the corner, it just gets you a little more excited, it gives the fans something to say, and I I mean, I'll take it at that, but you're right, there's really not a whole lot of juice that comes out of that day after the fact. I mean, really, I mean, when they start playing games, is that even all that great?
SPEAKER_00You know, you're like you get sucked in. Like, let me just point at Gage Workman, you know, hit 500 last spring training mid-March. So, like, six weeks from now, people would be very excited about Gage Workman. It guy sucked and was a complete bum, and then talk shit about the Cubs when he got signed by the White Sox. It's all smoke and mirrors. Like, they report today and then tomorrow, or whatever, not today, nine days from not even today, nine days. Nine days, nine days on day 10, towel drill. On day 10, balance beam work, on day 10, light like light throwing, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And um, I mean, even the executives know that people aren't as dialed in as they mean they might allude to with you know, tweets, countdowns, etc., because they're bailing on a bunch of games on Marquee Network. They're like, Yeah, we're not gonna broadcast all that many spring training games this year because really who cares?
Spring Training Expectations And Broadcast Gaps
SPEAKER_00Yeah. This does here's a good reminder. Um, think about this time. I was down in Arizona a couple years ago, and I've told the story before of like how I ended up down there, but um I ended up I watched the Super Bowl. I remember because this downtime is weird. Like, players don't have to be there, but guys are there, they're moving into their apartments. So it's not like pitchers and catchers report like now they're going down there, like they're already down there, they're already training, they're already moving into their places or whatever. But the pitchers and catchers start, I think, maybe like a week before everybody else, just because they have to do like a little bit more throwing and whatever, however the hell they make that decision. But I went to the Barstool Scottsdale bar for the Super Bowl, and they had like the upstairs reserved, and I ended up watching the Super Bowl. I believe it was absolutely with Nico Horner, and I think Justin Steele and Ian Hap. Yeah, but it was mostly me and Nico Horner sitting at like a high table on the outside of like they had a stream set up for Dave and Dan or whatever, and they were streaming that. I think uh maybe Brandon Walker was there or something, but I wasn't on the stream, I was just sitting at the street.
SPEAKER_01That's just the most that's like one of those weird, nuanced things that's like, oh, you were sitting with Nico and watching the Super Bowl in Arizona right before spring training.
SPEAKER_00I needed a place to post up. I should have told us positively about Nico before, but I went in, I said hi, and then I was with Mrs. Carl, and we were we were like walking around looking for a place to sit down, and he was at a high table. I think it I can't remember if it was Ian Hap or Justin Steele, it was one of those two, but uh because I know both of those guys enough to say hey. And when I was but I hadn't met Nico before, and so I was walking by and I was like, Oh shit, there's two spots here. I was like, Hap, can I sit here? He's like, Oh, what's up, Carl? And Nico could not have been any cooler. I meant to say this before, he's like the nicest guy out of all of them, out of anybody I've met from all that. Like, he's extremely nice, and that takes us into the next talking point. They fucking trade this guy, you're out of your mind, you're out of mind.
SPEAKER_01A Nico Horner, baller strike. He he needs to report to Mace, Arizona for Cub Spring training.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, that's just a strike. Mohoney, like it's just too easy. That trading him is a was a disaster discussion point. The reason people are talking about this is now he's looking for an extension. I've heard from CAP said five and ninety, which means 18 million a year, which I would not give him either. It would not give him five years and 90 million dollars. I'd also not trade him, I would just play him this year. And if he wants to be a free agent, then let him dip his toes in the waters.
SPEAKER_01Couldn't agree more. And um, I do feel I mean, there was some just this is because it's the offseason and you're reading between the tea leaves, you're trying to make sense of certain things, will they or won't they? And with Nico, you know, you see like the Giants sign uh what is it, Luis Arise or whichever his name is. I know I'm probably butchering that, yeah. But they sign him, and it's like, okay, that now it makes a little bit more sense for Nico to likely stay on the cub. So that almost gets me excited when I see other potential suitors that are looking for a second baseman, are are looking elsewhere, and that tells me that things may have settled and that or may not. Like I said, you're just reading through the tea leaves here, trying to make sense of things because we we have nine days to fill this void until the pitchers or catchers really give us the juice.
SPEAKER_00Well, read your tea leaves. I think you're right. I mean, I think you're right. You know, you see, and you said his name fine, like Luis Arise. You didn't need to you didn't need to double back on that one, but I almost am doing it now just to protect myself. Well, people are sensitive because uh pronouncing names are hard, but when you mispronounce names, then you sound like you don't know what you're talking about. So, but you've always been a bad name guy, and it's a shtick, yeah. It's a part part shtick, but actual real shtick. I mean it's part shtick to cover the fact that you are just like fundamentally can't read fucking names.
SPEAKER_01Right. We're shticking on shtick.
Nico Horner Extension Talk And Trade Noise
SPEAKER_00So a rise signing with the Giants. You that is a good interpretation on your part to say obviously things have cooled down because they were the most linked to name with Nico Horner. Nico Horner in that ballpark. I should just decide if he played at ATT or whatever they call Peck Bell, you know, the San Francisco Giants Stadium. If he played 81 games a year there, he might have 25 triples. You know, he would tear that, he would tear that outfield up. That would be awesome to see. I think that's part of the attraction that the Giants had with him. But no, the the Cubs not no motivation to move Nico Horner, if anything, this year, I'm telling you, really shapes up. I'm telling you, this could be very special for the Cubs. With like I think Dansby Swanson could be hitting a power prime in his career. I think Alex Bregman could have you know, like a second half of his career season of his, you know, second half, I should say, of his career. He had a couple great seasons in 17 and 19. I don't expect a 155 OPS plus. I don't expect Alex Bregman to have MVP votes, but I think he's gonna have one of his better, you know, seasons in a long time. Nico Horn, like Nico Horner is gonna be great, Michael Bush is gonna be great. This isn't a core for like two, three, four years down the road. You're gonna be looking at it and being like, oh, thank you. We still have Dan's being like this. Is right now, the moment is this season, this season only is the way I'm kind of looking at it.
SPEAKER_01Hey, bleacher report ranked us number two in the power rankings. It wasn't for nothing. Go listen to last week's episode when we break that down. So I'm hoping to see Nico Horner report to the Chicago Cubs base Arizona facility. Um, but in transition, I believe Nico, he spent a little bit of time in Tennessee, right? He was on the Smokies. Yeah, do a little bit of double-A ball there. So, Carl, and the reason why I'm even bringing this up is I was down in Knoxville. This is just a quick transition. I was down in uh Knoxville. I'm doing a little work in Knoxville. It sounds like I'm gonna be there periodically over the course of the next year. And you know, it got me thinking about the Tennessee Smokeys, now known as the Knoxville Smokies. They were previously in a suburb of Knoxville and they moved back in 2025, and henceforth now they are known as the Knoxville Smokies. Um beautiful little area down there. I just don't think I don't give Knoxville Smokies a lot of love. We talk about the iCubs because obviously that makes the most sense when we're gonna see guys you know making an impact. But I just gotta say, is I'm gonna be getting down to the double A affiliate facility very soon. I've heard it's a beautiful ballpark, and um, I'll be letting you guys know. I'm not gonna give a timeline on that, but I I just wanted to give the Smokies a little bit more love. And Carl, there's a lot of airtime to fill in the offseason, so what the hell else are we going to talk about?
SPEAKER_00I have not I haven't been to Tennessee Smokies for a game before. I would like to go to Iowa Cubs for a game this year. I'd like to go see our friend Lizard King. I here's my take on this whole Knoxville Smokies thing and you being down there. If we don't have some kind of recurring segment, you know, on the scene in Knoxville, on the scene with the Smokies, if you don't at least apply for a media credential from the Tennessee Smokey or Knoxville Smokies and get a TikTok going, like Mahoney's TikTok account, something where we know like real low output, real low view count, like 150 max is what I'm asking for. Yeah, max. I don't want you putting it like you should start an Instagram or TikTok specifically for your adventures to Tennessee smoky baseball games. But I'm looking for real bad content, low grade content, uh hot pretzel reviews, you know, nacho reviews, not even ballpark hot dogs or beer reviews. Although I also had this other idea is that like a good maybe not good. This is kind of like bad for society, I suppose. But I think an interesting viral challenge would be I've always wanted to do this. How fast can someone eat a hot dog and chug a beer at a baseball game? And I feel like there should be a that like it should be a thing where people record themselves and see how fast they could do it. Is that a bad idea?
Knoxville Smokies Plans And Prospect Pipeline
SPEAKER_01I know, and I'm almost positive we did this and the video never made the light of day because it was a bad idea. And that indigestion that just sits on the top of your chest is is not it kind of ruins the rest of the nine innings if you jump all you know, jump the gun at the beginning of the game. We have done that, haven't we? I know we have last season. And then we were talking about how the Cubs were pumping the the you know the music in the stadium so that you can't be posting videos on YouTube for the copyright infringement. That's how that led to that conversation.
SPEAKER_00Sorry I'm going a little bit off off track here, but no, it's good to reel people, it's good to reel me back in. So, first off, the challenge I said that's a terrible idea. Like, how fast that that costs you$18. That's a bad idea. It's not even funny. Um two, that is a real thing we've brought up. So when you go to a Cubs game, you can't take extended video because of the amount of copyright that's in the background here, but you can't post or share anything. I'm telling you, you can't post it, it'll get flagged on social media. Genius stuff from the Ricketts family.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean it's that's diabolical, but you know, somebody thinks of that stuff.
SPEAKER_00Um We're in Tennessee still. You are going to Smokey's Games this year. You are going to research season ticket packages, and you're going to ask one of your clients to pick up the check on it.
SPEAKER_01Well, I might have to pick up the check on it, but either way, we're going to be going to Smokey's games. I will get you guys low, low grade content. I'm not going to advertise this, so you're going to have to keep your ears and eyes out on the TikTok to see when and where I'm posting this bad boy. But I mean, a lot of prospects have come through, you know, the the Knoxville Smokey system, now known as. And that said, you know, I see the top MLB top 100 list comes out. We have two. I think you know, Moises Peliseros was the number 55, and then Jackson Wiggins coming in at 58. We obviously traded Owen Casey away. He sits at number 44 for Edward Cabrera. Um, and it's a it's a good and bad thing, right? You don't want all your guys, you want people contributing at the big league level, right? Or trade chips where we bring in a guy like Cabrera that's going to shore up that starting rotation. Uh, but what is your take on it? And is it is it where we need to refill this prospect, you know, pipeline once again? Or are we at that sweet spot where we have guys that can contribute now and they are on the big league team, you know, such as your Cade Hortons, your Mac Shaws, even um, or what is it going to look like with a Moises Bellasteros and Jackson Wiggins this year from that prospect perspective?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think that's a good question, Moni. I think we have like a year gap here to get more good minor league players evaluated and developed. And so this Ethan Conrad kid they drafted from Wake Forest in the first round, you know, people are hoping that he can slide in and take that Owen Casey role of being, you know, can he be a top 50 prospect? Kind of a big ask. I think you would expect him to be a top hundred if he's a first-round outfielder college kid. You'd expect that within a year and a half he's gonna have had enough success in the minor leagues in grade and profile. Otherwise, it's a surprising, you know, draft pick. And the Cubs have hit on these recently. Cade Horton, Matt Shaw, etc. Those are good examples of you know, guys last year that thrived as rookies. Matt Shaw, brutal in the first half, had to go back down. Cannot emphasize enough, though, a 522 slug with position changes, never played third base before in his life, finished top three gold glove finalist. That's incredible stuff. A from Matt Shaw, but also from the Cubs for finding Matt Shaw and putting him in that position, which you know, I don't know if a lot of teams are even comfortable doing that with an undersized third baseman, and especially the type of market and profile the Cubs have. So you got to take a step back and like it's it's a you can look at it from yeah, we do need these players to step up and fill the ranks. Owen Casey, it sucks to lose a prospect like Owen Casey. It's good that we get Edward Cabrera in return for two and a half, three years, whatever it is. Yeah, but you also have to look at like the history, or I should say, the recent history the Cubs have had of being able to get these guys and kind of turn things around uh through the draft and through trades, which they've been successful at. So I do feel good about where we're at, despite having only two guys in the top 100. But if you look at where Boy Diasteros is, you know, he'll be playing every day. This will be another year where you have a rookie coming into the everyday lineup, and so that'll be between him, Matt Shaw, Kate Horton, that's like pretty substantial for a big market team to have rookies come in and fill these everyday roles. So that's awesome. And then, you know, I mean, just some closing thoughts as I'm getting long-winded on this. If you look at the the top 100 list, I believe it's I believe Biosteros is 56, and then you have two left-handed pitchers, Gage and Connor. One with one with the athletics, one with the Boston Red Sox, and then you have Jackson Wiggins, 59. Those two lefties that are sandwiched in between Jackson Wiggins and Moises Biasteros are I don't think I've used a F-word yet. They're fucking nasty, buddy. They are absolutely filthy nasty. And just for context purposes, the fact that our two prospects are like around what is it, Connor Early.
Top 100 Prospects, Trades, And Timeline
SPEAKER_01Connor Connolly Early and Gage Jump.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, gauge jump is a six foot, like 190-pound lefty. Who's got like a really, really solid breaking ball mix, and he's gonna be he's gonna be very good. He's way more polished than Jason Wiggins is, but like that just goes to show you that this isn't like these are pretty good prospects. Jason Wiggins and Biastero should be very good. And I I just trust that we're gonna replace these guys. I that's a long-winded answer to a pretty simple question, but I think the timing too is sets up perfectly with where we're at in this window. Because I'm trying to make this point that I don't think the 27 Cubs are like the 26 Cubs should just be this unique beast. I don't think 27. 27 is gonna look way different. We'll worry about that when it gets here, but it's a special season, everything's kind of aligned. I love where Prospect Capital is. Like Jackson Wiggins can make an impact this year, but Mark's still making an impact.
SPEAKER_01So you want these guys wearing rings, right? You don't want them contributing to your triple A level. That was what Dio said. Some shit like that. It was a badass quote back in the day where it's like your farm system isn't that great anymore. And he's like, Yeah, because they're all in the big leagues getting World Series rings. So, like, what's up? And now we'll worry about that again. And that if I knew the answer, if anyone knew the answer to that question, the sweet spot is that what they're always trying to do is improve, you know, and bring guys up. So I mean, it's just that cycle. I will say, and lastly, I have really taken um a keen interest in looking at just top 100 prospects, looking at their score since we started the show. I have more fun doing it, and I'm gonna leave it at that because you know, take a look and get interested in it if you want to go just a little bit of that extra step, but otherwise, let's just worry about the team that we have.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, the root of uh of talking baseball, I think, at least for me podcasting when the original Red Line Radio is to talk about minor leaguers and talk about young players and talk about shit that wasn't getting really covered. There's a lot of good stuff in there, and we're just at a completely different phase now with the Cubs as an organization, um, where like there isn't you don't have these young guys. It it was fun to sort through like what's the difference between Javi Baez and Chris Bryan? Is Albert El Mora gonna be worth his shit? And you know what's going on with Addison Russell? Is he taking too much Adderall? Like, there's just a lot of fun young players to get into. Now, I mean, I like the fact that we have more established veterans, the young guys, and by the way, we did all this young guy talking. I'm such an idiot, and there are people listening to this that can are thinking I'm such an idiot. We are celebrating the Cubs or patting Jed and his team on the back for these young players, and I didn't even say Pete Crow Armstrong's name. Right. Well, like we're talking about developing prospects. When you look at this roster, it's crazy to think how much value is coming from like guys that Jed found when they were teenagers. So, yeah, I feel very good about where we're at with the prospect situation, and I feel even better about the fact that we've got Jed in charge of finding more young players because he's just done an awesome job.
SPEAKER_01Well, let's change gears here, Carl. I want to take a look at this one young whippersnapper that we have in the lineup, and I want to see him take a huge jump this season in Michael Bush, our first baseman. I think he's gonna be getting more cracks at lefties, we're gonna see what he can do.
SPEAKER_00But you have uh you had something to say about Michael Bush, and I well, you're trolling me, and I want to tell the duple why why are you trolling me?
SPEAKER_01Why are you I'm trolling you because essentially what we are seeing, and I have seen the same thing is folks out there are saying Michael Bush might be taking a big step up this year. I'm looking for Michael Bush to really kind of you know cement his spot in the order and and all that. And why does that actu aggravate you in in senses?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, in a sense, it's because he did that. He's done that two seasons now. He's he started every day in first base after the trade in 2024, and then in 25, he obviously didn't hit lefties, not at all down the stretch. But whether he's hitting leadoff or fifth or seventh, wherever this guy's in the lineup, but he finished like top five in first baseman in like every category last year, was one of the most productive corner infielders in baseball. And I have this lingering sentiment that Cubs fans are like, well, maybe Bush will break like he's awesome, he's already awesome, he's already comparable to Anthony Rizzo, which is crazy. Broke it out, correct. So the discourse with Michael Bush has to be will he fall off? No, will he take steps forward? What fucking the steps forward then would be Cooperstown. How do you how do you get better? Um like to get better, then it's like he's the best first baseman of baseball. Then I don't know if I want to go that far. But I think what I'm more interested in with Michael Bush is like the protective aspect of I don't want to see this guy dip, I don't want to see slumps, I don't want to see the Cubs start hitting him third, I don't want to see him ask him to hit leadoff against lefties. There's a couple stretches here, and I trust Craig Council is obviously smart enough. The guy's such a miserable bitch, but like there's no way I shouldn't have swore there. I shouldn't have. I've been watching my mouth. But I I just don't think it's realistic to be talking about Michael Bush and saying, well, he's gonna get better and take steps forward next year. I mean, they're there they are gonna let him hit against lefties. So I would be protective and say, I hope he can be average against left-handed pitching, major league average against left-handed pitching, and it doesn't completely throw the lineup off, you know, so that he's around to face a righty later in the game. That would be nice if we could get to that point with him. Uh, but in the other sense, it's just I'd like to see the defense just get a little bit sharper. You know, he's already pretty solid over there, but like he could be he could be a he's athletic enough to get a gold glove, he's talented enough. He's he played, he played second base in the minor leagues. Like, this is a guy who knows how to pick and catch it and all that shit. So that's a realistic step up, then yeah.
SPEAKER_01Like if he's gonna improve, like maybe he'll get gold glove caliber defense, and that would be awesome.
SPEAKER_00But like I've seen people talk about Michael Bush like he's a sleeper, or like this guy had almost five wins above replacement last year, uh, with nearly a 150 OPS plus, like that means almost 50% better than your average major league player. This guy's fucking awesome. Sorry, Lizard King. He's awesome, he's awesome. I can't say that enough. Michael Bush is awesome. The Bushwhacker. You know, and I had some tangential thought that was flowing through my mind as I'm talking about Michael Bush. This could it could come back to me at any moment in the next 15 minutes here, guys, and I will grab it, I will reach out, I will throw it on the table as soon as I find it.
Michael Busch Is Already Elite
SPEAKER_01You'd mentioned Pete Crow Armstrong earlier. He is going to be what appears to be the starting for center fielder for team USA in the upcoming world baseball classic. We'll be covering, we'll be covering the ins and the outs. We'll be covering the the round robin. We'll be covering the tournament. Pretty sure that there's a round robin, and then it goes to the round 16. I haven't looked at the format, folks, but um Carl, you're always interested in a world baseball classic year. You're a little nervous, things could go wrong. We have a couple players playing in it that are going to be looking to contribute this season for the Chicago Cubs and not the colors of their nation. So, Carl, ball or strike. You enjoy a world baseball classic year. That's a that's a strike, Mahony.
SPEAKER_00I'm hanging on for dear life as you're doing this trans. I hope people appreciate you the way they should. Uh, yeah, we are gonna be covering the world baseball classic, Tim. We're gonna be good. The credential application is in, buddy. We're going shocker, we're going to Scottsdale, buddy. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, yeah, you know, you'd ask you'd ask me to do some of the transitions because I know you're fighting a pretty tough case of COVID. So I was trying to, I got I'm getting a little over the top here, but the WBC.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think it's good for Pete, though. Let's start here. And I actually have the thought that was in my head this is a perfect transition. Craig Council. I called him a bitch in the last thing. Craig Council was talking about the world baseball classic. And we're going another step deeper here. Mooney on January 27th wrote an article in The Athletic about Craig Counsel, etc., about what the Cubs were doing and just kind of how I missed this, by the way.
SPEAKER_01I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_00Don't worry, it wasn't like a Mooney deep dive, it was more of like a Mooney roundup. And for maniacs that aren't familiar, Patrick Mooney's the gold standard of reported on the Cubs in this household. Patrick, it's Patrick Mooney one, and then there's just like miles of shit before we even get to that.
SPEAKER_01One of the only real reporters left.
SPEAKER_00And I'm not saying other people are shit, I'm saying Mooney's that good. Mooney is so good, all right. And so, one of the things he's talking about, I'm gonna actually read this because I don't want to mince my words. Mooney puts paints the most beautiful picture, and in the opening paragraph of what he wrote on January 27th, I'm gonna read this. Manager Craig Council. This is a quote manager Craig Council was already in mid-season form deconstructing reporters' questions and envisioning worst case scenarios. It's in the first paragraph, yeah. Everything you need to know about Craig Council. Mooney just tells you mid-season form, he's in mid-season form deconstructing our questions, envisioning worst case scenario. Meaning it's impossible to talk to Craig Council because when you ask him a question, he's just gonna tear the thing apart and be as literal as possible and be like, Do I think we have enough depth? Well, there's never enough depth to win a World Series. And if you look at the it's just like, dude, just answer the fucking question. Do you think do you would you like to see more depth? Yeah, yes. And so counsel has been talking extensively about, and it's been a miserable prick in it talking about we don't have enough. I'd like to see us get more. I want to see more. I want to go into spring training with more. I want more, I want more pitching, I want more whatever position players. And why does this matter? The world baseball classic, because we're going back to and saying the injury risk this year through the roof. Now, why say is he going to be playing full games in mid-March? A guy with no obliques, you know, that get ready, get ready for a hammy or something to blow. You know, Pete Crow Armstrong, who probably you know has been out gallivanting around with Caleb Williams, yeah, but probably could use an a full March of like on the slow developmental ramp going into everyday play. You know, I don't know how that helps Peter. Maybe does it help we just throw his feet into the fire and you let him just, you know, you let him play full, like full competitive games in early March. I think yeah, I think maybe I don't know.
WBC Jitters, PCA Reps, And Injury Risk
SPEAKER_01I think it helps. He's been doing a lot of the touring, a lot of you know, visiting Chicago. I don't think he really left over the winter. I think he wanted to take in the sights and sounds for what we have alluded to a few weeks back. But he's the type of kid who's young enough to go out there, do it, get a bunch of reps in and some competitive atmospheres, and that's gonna be paying off as he hits the you know the season and gets rolling. Um, the fire will already be lit, especially if they do some damage. So I think that that would be a fun atmosphere for a player like PCA to experience at this point in his career. That's how I feel.
SPEAKER_00Well, I feel like a douche for bringing up injury risk, but I have to because Pete Pete won't Pete will want to put on a show for the world, right? One gear, there's early March, nobody cares. I could care less. I say right now, could care less, get swept, lose the Czech Republic. Don't give a fuck. Great, right? Like, just don't care at all. Japan won again. Great. Who cares? Who cares? I only care about the Cubs. I only care about our team. It's mid-June, and are we playing with momentum? Is it July and we have momentum? Is it August and we feel good about the pitching staff where we don't have to blow our wad at the trade deadline? Is it September and I'm putting together the playoff rotation? That matters so much more than you know, like we have Australia in round robin play. Fuck Australia.
SPEAKER_01And now I think I want them to cancel, I want them to cancel the world baseball classic.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's not a good thing when you see your players in the because there's literally no tell me benefit. It's not the Olympics, pal. All right, we're not this ain't Sochi. You're not coming after Putin. We're not making some political statement here. Like it's literally just like whatever. We gotta go play the Dominicans, they're gonna run it down our foot. No, I mean they're a good team, but like it's fun. It's fun to play.
SPEAKER_01It's fun to watch, it's fun to watch, nerve-wracking when your center fielder's out there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I don't need like everybody I liked when it was Trout versus Otani. I think it's fun to watch, and I do take anybody but a cub. I don't want any cubs out there. I think people that like watching the cubs in it, you know, you have to like ignore the fact that Pete Crow Armstrong is gonna run 100 miles an hour into somebody, or he's gonna be taking the biggest swings. And is he ready for that in the calendar? I don't know. If there is one player offensively that would benefit from it, I suppose it's Pete getting them game reps early. But I just go back to how reckless he is in the outfield. I'm like, I just don't need him with that USA, USA, USA chip on his shoulder.
SPEAKER_01Like, I'm gonna show the world how a part of the program for you know, since he was U 16. How the fuck do you know that? I mean, I do know he was on like the under 17s or whichever.
SPEAKER_00He played on like the national team when he was like 15 or 16.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, maybe he he wears that proud, and you don't like that because that means he's gonna be aggressive.
SPEAKER_00Well, I yeah, I I would like this. Is a guy we're talking about giving the biggest contract in the history of the Chicago Cubs to. Now let me ask you this: do you trust him to play sensibly?
SPEAKER_01No, not in the outfield, and that not just the his style. That's like he really does only know one gear. Um, yeah, you got me freaked out. You took me down a couple pegs. I'm not gonna lie. When I started getting excited about PCA getting the reps, and but yeah, anything could happen. It's the last thing we need going into this season of all seasons, it's distractions.
SPEAKER_00Our most reckless and our most fragile guy, and they both hit in the middle of our order. So I don't like that. Like, if we're gonna have put eat putting an app in the world baseball classic, that's great. And like, I thought, did I see Bregman wanted to play for Team Israel before he retired? Great, that's awesome. And like, if Swanson wants to go play, sure. There's so many players on the Cubs, I would be like, perfect. That guy makes sense. I get it, I do. When does it start? Do you know? March right before March Madness, I think. It's a nice tournament, dude. Here's a great moment from World Baseball Classic 2020, uh, whenever it was three, two, three. March 5th, pool play begins. Love pool play, way better than around Robin. March 5th, last year, or no, last World Baseball Classic, Shohei Otani was struck out, and the guy who struck him out from the Czech Republic like owned a plumbing business.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I remember that. That whole team was raged, like all of those dudes were contractors. I that's crazy.
SPEAKER_00Were they were they were they Americans with Czech citizenship? I can't remember, dude. Well, we're gonna be on top of it this year, guys. Don't yeah, that's right.
SPEAKER_01We're gonna know about the history of the WBC coming up about a week ahead of time.
SPEAKER_00Don't you worry. Chinese Taipei, I'd expect them. They have a good youth program. I'm surprised they don't have and now we're getting this is where I don't know where where we're at with them. And if this did I did I say something I shouldn't have, or like no okay, you're good.
SPEAKER_01I just yeah, these guys were all teachers. It was the Czech team, the uh players from Czech baseball extra liga. Extra liga.
SPEAKER_00That's the league. Thank our producer for that note. Um we'll have more world baseball classic coverage. This is getting choppy.
SPEAKER_01This is getting choppy. I'm not good at I can't do research live while we're recording. This is not my that's not my thing. Pull up this stat, dead silence for two minutes.
SPEAKER_00Uh okay, ball or strike. Ian Hap should be on team USA.
SPEAKER_01Strike. Hap is the type of guy that you want representing America. I could see him with some you know, camos on, you know, heading into a real conflict. See I wouldn't be much there, but I could see it.
SPEAKER_00I think if you have you should have eight years big league experience before you play on the world baseball classic, and it should be a reward to older guys like Ian Hap to kind of. Get away from spring training for a little bit. Like it should be something that's really special, and not as much as we're gonna feel this exciting, dynamic young team. I kind of like a veteran.
SPEAKER_01Heavy veterans, even if it's backups, even if it's like you know guys who just retired, maybe just to get the last, you know, play for team USA one last time or for their first time as a reward.
Craig Counsell’s Depth Mindset
SPEAKER_00What about unsigned guys? You know, Nolan Arenado wants to go, or who am I thinking of? No, he's with the Diamondbacks. I'm just thinking there's just better ways to do it with the with the veterans. So baller strike and you can have uh baller strike. You're I'm gonna baller strike myself. Baller strike. I'm most excited for Wrigley home opener this offseason. That's strike. A strike down the middle, down the middle. When we think about this, that's why I laugh when people are like, oh, pitchers and catchers are reporting. Like, tell me when the home open like that, I want the countdown to Clark and Addison. That's the countdown we're after.
SPEAKER_01In one quick programming alert, I will say, and we've said this in the past, the best time to go experience Wrigley, maybe not particularly opening day, while glorious, fantastic time. Don't miss that either. But if you really want to experience the ballpark, go when it's about 35 degrees. You know, go when there's not a lot of people going. You can have the pick of the litter and go on a private little personal tour while a baseball game's being played. It's easy in out. No bath, no lines in any bathroom, any bars, anything. Carl, we had a chance to do that a couple years ago, and it's a really is a fun time. And then have that other experience where the place is going nuts in a hot summer's day, too. But just a little bit of a little bit of a tidbit there for for you folks out there listening.
SPEAKER_00I recommend loading up before Mother's Day, trying to get two, three games before Mother's Day, and then I can I can only do like one, two, max two loaded late summer days where you can't take a piss and the concessions are bad. Early in this early in the year, it's great. It is challenging when the can and this is a reality. I I would have never made this argument when I lived around Riddleville and you know when it was super convenient to go to games, but it can be an absolute, it can be an absolute nightmare.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's an older gentleman's strategy, right, that we are imploring.
SPEAKER_00So this is the Monday morning cub show. Not anything juicy, guys. No, no offseason trade rumors, right? We don't have uh maybe I guess there's one thing to address would be the starting pitching staff. There's some uns there's some unsigned bigger names out there, and we're most closely tied to Zach Gallon. But then there's other names. There's a big, big name. Framber Valdez remains unsigned, Lucas Giolito, Chris Bassett, Max Scherzer, I believe Justin Verlander still wants to pitch. So there's some like you know, recognizable names out there. I would say at this point, the Cubs probably don't make a move until spring training starts. And then they could potentially, if they do strike within this pool of players, it would be it would be two weeks into spring training. And it would be somebody that they, you know, it'd be early March. It would be somebody that they know is already training themselves. Like you wouldn't have to worry about Lucas Giolito. He hasn't been in camp. So if we sign him in mid-March, what's he gonna be? He's ready to go. This is a crop of guys, like if they add somebody, it's gonna be from the crop of guys that are gonna be ready to go, that are training themselves, that are prepared. Um so, but like I don't I think you'd have to see, I don't know if it's an injury, somebody would have to look like shit, where the Cubs have this window when pitchers and catchers do report. So say there's like a three-week window where you can evaluate your guys, see where they're at, and then if they do sign someone, it's gonna be it's probably gonna be because someone's not good, it's probably because someone's hurt or someone's bad. So that's where the urgency I'm kind of aligning with like, are we gonna get a Zach Allen? Are we gonna get a Chris Bassett or Lucas Giolito? These guys are still out there, or how can we just go sign one of them for you know one year, 20 million or something? And I think you first have to, we already have eight starting pitchers, so I think you first have to give the Cubs this window to get them on site, work with them, and then if there is a strike there, if there's somebody to strike on there, I think you you make your move then. But it wouldn't be in it wouldn't be for if you look at the calendar, I don't think it would be for another month. I don't think it would be for four more weeks where the Cubs would sign a starting pitcher.
SPEAKER_01But we did bring to the maniacs that Woodstock Willie did not see his shadow and is predicting an early spring, and that's the groundhog day prediction that we're rolling with, baby.
SPEAKER_00I don't think you could have done a worse job connecting what I just said to where you wanted to close the show.
SPEAKER_01Think in the beginning you were saying like there's not a lot of juicy stuff going on. I think the Woodstock Willie thing is pretty juicy.
Wrigley Home Opener And Early-Season Strategy
SPEAKER_00Oh, okay. We're not breaking anything, I'm not breaking news here. No, but we did, yeah, we had that. That was news.
SPEAKER_01I had to, I mean, I had to explain my connection.
SPEAKER_00Hey, we got covet. I have covet. I have covet bad. I have to go, I have to publish. I'm I have to go. I have to go right now. I have to go, dude. I can't. I've been keeping, I've been doing my best. I'm giggling so much. I the fucking Sudafed. You know, uh I didn't have to use the F-word there, Lizard King. You know, I didn't, and I want to just thank the Maniacs again. It's been a great community, it's been warmed up, you know. It particularly the last year. We're very much looking forward to the season's coverage, interviews, uh, you know, at least one or two shows a week. I think two. I think I'm gonna do two. Uh, and we'll figure this out. That's not an announcement, Melody.
SPEAKER_01No, I understand. Figure it out.
SPEAKER_00So if you guys get a chance, you know, five star review, share the show, send it to your uncle Gary or a buddy, or somebody who likes the Cubs. You know, until next time, we'll see you guys soon.