Golf Players

Is Chicago Cub Ian Happ a Top 10 left fielder in baseball right now? | CHGO Cubs Podcast



The offseason rolls on and we’re still here despite the lack of movement. It’s Day Four of Cody Bellinger week and Jeff Passan is saying this is trending towards February so this celebration might be extended multiple weeks. The good news is we had a great conversation with Julian Merryweather at the Cubs Convention. We’ll share that. The bad news is Ian Happ is being disrespected on yet another list. Join Cody Delmendo, Ryan Herrera, and Corey Freedman for this edition of the CHGO Cubs Podcast.

An ALLCITY Network Production

PARTY WITH US: https://bit.ly/3SRS03z

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/CHGOSports

ALL THINGS CHGO: https://linktr.ee/chgosports

WEBSITE:
http://allCHGO.com/

BUY MERCH:
http://CHGOLocker.com

FOLLOW ON SOCIAL:
Twitter: @CHGO_Sports
Instagram: @CHGO_Sports

GET OUR FREE NEWSLETTER:

Elevate Your Game with CHGO’s Free Newsletter

WATCH YOUR FAVORITE TEAMS: https://www.fubotv.com/chgo

Head over to https://Midtown.com/CHGO to tour the Midtown Athletic Club nearest you.

Schedule a free in-home estimate today with Empire! All listeners can receive a $350 OFF discount when they use the promo code CHGO. Restrictions apply. See https://EmpireToday.com/CHGO for details.

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CHGO for $20 off your first purchase.

Check out FOCO for merch and collectibles here https://foco.vegb.net/CHGO and use promo code “CHGO10” for 10% off your order on all non Pre Order items.

AG1 is going to give you a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. Just visit https://drinkAG1.com/CHGOCubs

https://shadyrays.com: use code ‘CHGO’ for 50% OFF 2+ pairs of polarized sunglasses!

Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.

#Cubs #ChicagoCubs #FlyTheW

[Applause] Hey Chicago what do you say this is the chgo Cubs podcast hi welcome I’m Cody joined by Ryan and Cory as you can see no Luke stuck we got Cody D stuck Meer people are saying uh hi happy Thursday we have uh a lot of nothing but we’re turning it into really

Important stuff to talk about but we are we also did talk to Julian and Merryweather at Cubs convention so that’s cool yeah we do have that that’s for sure we do have that guys good interview we’ll share that later in the show there but again we do have things

That we can discuss but first everyone please hit the like button hit the Subscribe button give us the good ratings on Spotify Apple wherever you get your podcast I appreciate y’all uh and yeah but I said that there’s like nothing but there actually is something like actual breaking news and it’s it’s

That Nick magical has a doppelganger in this city all right or a second job or a second job I don’t I’m not sure but the White Soxs hire their new play-by-play uh announcer today and I’m telling you guys this is this is the biggest news all winter in my opinion

Also Brennan if you’re watching I strictly starred the show this way specifically for you no he’s not going to mind this cuz you’re not talking about his ability to play baseball so it’s fine but now the eyes if you’re not not if you’re not watching if you’re

Listening on the podcast like you you should go check this out real quick cuz it’s so what’s it’s it’s pretty similar I don’t remember his name John shiff I I don’t want to say his his name wrong but iin like that he did uh college football

This past season I saw some share a highlight of him calling a game on ESPN did he sound like Nick madal no okay in my opinion he did not sound like Nick madal but anyway just a crazy like the craziest doppelganger they look like especially the eyes the eyes the eyes

Really did it for me so the one of the main reasons I did want to bring it up is because we sit in the office we we sit around the office talk ball with the sock guys Stucky likes to bring up the oh you guys want magical back all the

Time and now the white socks officially have their new version of Nick magal so credit to them well I mean if this was like a wrestling storyline it’d be like the middle of the season and Magle would rip off the headset yeah and go play oh

It was him all along you know what meme I’m thinking of is like the Scooby-Doo one where Fred like takes the mask off yeah and it’s the same person or whatever it’s just some wearing the mask on himself there’s like back to wrestling sting when he would wear the

The Sting mask take it take it off and it’s just yeah it’s him with the exact same paint on in a mask yeah wrestling talk anyway yeah we credit us for getting some wrestling talk in here we go I mean you know we can end the show with Royal Rumble predictions I don’t

Know doesn’t let me talk about that so it’s this weekend oh my I got peacock I’m definitely watching it I got nothing to do in my life these days other than to Countdown the days to Cody Bellinger resigning or watching old wrestling well and everybody can root for noted Cubs

Fan CM Punk oh yeah that’s true that’s true okay that’s your cup of tea for sure anyway uh so last night on Cubs Twitter I I didn’t necessarily necessarily see it right away cuz I was at Northwest Western Illinois game but I saw on our slack channel uh I think Cory or Ryan

Threw it in there the MLB Network put out yet another list the the the the list of top 10 love fielders uh in the game today according to them and uh Ian haap is not on the list he is not um so here on screen on screen we got they

Went yordon Alvarez Brandon nmo Nolan Jones Brian Reynolds Chaz McCormick Randy or R Ro Arena Lars nupar who I still don’t know if is a creative player or not Christian Yelich who’s dead to me uh Matt walner who honestly he could be a creative player too I didn’t know who

He was until the until today and then uh old pal old buddy Kyle schwarber um thoughts fellas look like I’m not I’m saying haps in the top five or should be in the top five or whatever it’s kind of weird some of the guys that are on there that like aren’t

Primarily left fielders didn’t play Left Field most like left field wasn’t their most played position last year and I guess like I guess part of this is projecting where they might be so like yeah if you’re talking about Brandon nmo who didn’t play much left base or left

Field last year um you know he’s probably moving there I guess Harrison Bader right went to the metch or something like that so he may be in center field so I I think part of his projections um but that said like Ian hap being you know an All-Star left

Fielder two-time go Glover now you know he 118 WRC plus last year coming off a 120 WR RC WRC plus season I mean hap deserves to be on there in my opinion I’m not again not saying he should be top five or anything but like even that

910 spot feels right for hap and and to have him not on there um you know whatever like like I would say the left field position isn’t like stacked by any means right so there are guys especially if they are moving to left field that may have the

Argument for that but I think if we’re talking about like the top left fielders right now not you know not projecting things out talking about where they’re at what they did last season all that kind of stuff I mean I think I think ha deserves to be on there and it’s it’s

Kind of it’s a bad look that he’s not in my opinion this one isn’t as egregious as like Nico not being the fan list or being 10th at second base or Azie Al not existing anymore but I think I I know I said this last week when I was in here

And Scott said it in the chat earlier like I’m almost positive they’re doing this on purpose they’re they’re trying it’s it’s engagement farming I’m like sure of it like it or they’re just insane but I or they’re I think they’re insane that’s this this one isn’t super

Egregious I I agree with uh Ryan like I think ha is in the top 10 even just looking like he he just he he had a a barely higher just picking one person on that list like he had a barely higher Ops than Brian Reynolds he had a better

WRC plus than Brian Reynolds he had a higher War than Brian Reynolds Defender like even just picking one single person he should be on that list over like he just had a better season I think than Brian Reynolds unless you’re like really looking at other specific metrics but

Feel like the ones I just laid out are pretty comprehensive for stuff like this so I don’t know and like yeah I mean if you know I know when he plays the field that’s where yordon plays but like yeah if you’re going to include yordan Alvarez like yeah he’s better than ianh

So I mean maybe offensively some of these name like Mo a lot of these names deserve to be on here like but Kyle schwarber like we all know that at this point like in his career he’s not a good Defender yeah he’s going to hit you 40

Bombs and hit 200 and strike out 200 times a year but and walk at a really good rate and be really close clutch for you in the playoffs but is like we’re talking about overall player I’m not trying to sit here and say that Ian hap is overall a better

Player than Kyle schworer I think Kyle schworer has definitely proven more in his career than Ian hap has Ian ha has had two really good years Kyle schorer you know he’s been doing it since honestly since 15 outside of you know maybe 17 was his his worst year with the

Cubs but you know even last year when you know yeah hit like 200 but he was leading off for the Phillies for a reason man he gets on base he does but like when you you factor in the defense and stuff it it to me it’s like are we

Just talking about offensively or are we talking about overall player and to me Ian hap is a better overall player at this point to me than Kyle schwarber so um friend of the show Michael Camy had a really good tweet this morning um he went through like the rankings for like

Left fielders from 2022 through the end of 2023 and Ian haap has a 6.8 War combined the last two seasons that’s second in baseball for left fielders uh his 118 way to runs created plus sixth in baseball for left fielders uh 36 homers SE that’s second 145 RBI that’s

Second 15 defensive run save that’s third uh back-to-back gold gloves like I think he at least deserves to be on the list I don’t even know where you would put him on the list but I just yeah like I agree he deserves to be on the list so

I don’t know man they also put say Suzuki on the right field list in a spot that we were like wow that’s that’s a little surprising so you know maybe this is them you know making a doing their doing their thing to make us mad yeah to

Even it out no yeah I it’s again like like Cory said it’s not egregious right like a lot of those guys in a not stacked position have the argument just but just looking at the numbers looking at what he’s done the last year and two

Years uh it feels and then I think the main thing is a lot of the guys on there just don’t play Left Field often like yordon Alvarez is number one and don’t get me wrong if he was a primary left fielder absolutely he’s he’s number one

But he played like 43 games there last year like that he played 70 something at he was D I know he missed some time too so like he was no nowhere near qualified as far as like to qualify for end of year end of season stuff nowhere near

Qualified with left fielders so it’s like I I don’t know what I don’t know what what qualifies to be on that list and yes again like I said if yordon Alvarez was a primary left fielder absolutely he’s number one um it’s just like the the range of like what the range of what

They’re maybe allowing someone to be called a left fielders is pretty pretty long I I I do agree with everybody though like it you know the Cubs I haven’t done anything since they last did something three weeks ago so it’s you know it’s something to talk about

But you know the MLB network is making these list they’re bad anhs a valuable player that was my main takeaway but as I was looking at it though especially like I replied from our account with a picture of him when he was doing the interviewing du out gimmick uh back in

Like what was that 17 or 18 the tweet that we sent when I was looking through the pictures of Ian hap like one of the things that like I don’t know I had like a moment of like man he’s been on the team like longer than I would have

Thought and I was looking it up before we got on the air this morning and maybe other people have realized this and it just dawned on me six years ago if you would have told me that even right now not just going into this season and obviously as an

Extension so this number will go up Ian hap has played more games as a Chicago Cub than Chris Bryant did or jav bayz did isn’t that crazy yeah that pretty crazy if you told me that would have been the outcome in 20 17 I would have said you’re nuts and probably have been

What happened like you are nuts yeah isn’t that isn’t that r that would have been a triggering thing for you to say to me in 2017 he he just passed uh KB at the end of last year M HS at 8:36 games played for the Chicago Cubs Chris Bryant

Was at 8:33 well then it’s crazy when you think about how much time he ended up spending when he went back to when he got optioned back down right like the last but he’s been there with like eight seasons now in the big things this would

Be his eighth season yeah I mean and you know like if hap finishes his extension he’ll pass Rizzo too like I never in a million years I never would have thought like of that group the guy who’s going to play the most games is a Chicago CU is he in hat it it

Is surprising but yeah I mean yeah you don’t think about the longevity that he’s had on this team and that’s through and like of course he was going to make it through the last tradeoff or the the trade deadline blowing things up right he was going to make it if not be traded

He wasn’t going to be traded just because he was going to cost him them a ton of money like the last core was right they were all set to hit free agency at the same time it was going to cost a lot to try to keep all of them

They ended up not keeping any of them whatever but like hap wasn’t at that stage in his career where they needed to make a financial decision like if they were going to trade him it was because like 2022 when when he could have been a trade chip right a pretty solid trade

Chip on the market it would have been more more of that for halfs what it makes sense that he was able to last this long and obviously he’s gotten his extension uh in part because of his longevity and what he means to the organization um you know he’s the the player rep for

The Players Association for the Cubs does a lot of stuff the leadership qualities he has and overall a solid player um so yeah when you when you think about it like it makes sense that he has lasted this long but it is surprising when you when you say those

Names Chris Bryant jav Bas considering like early on in their careers we were sitting here like you know Javi and Chris Bryant rzo those guys those guys are going to be there forever that’s the core they’re going to they’re going to keep them forever and now you got Ian hap who’s

Past all but one of them yeah yeah I think I was just going to answer uh keo’s question in the chat I I think so in today’s game I think he’s worth 20 million a year 3.6 war in 2022 3.5 last year like he’s become a pretty consistent player he’s the type of

Player especially on this Cubs team when they lack those like big stars and especially the big Sluggers I think a lot of people will look at that and say you know is he good enough to be that person and and he’s not but for 20 mil I

Think the extension that he signed is very valuable and you know look like the way that he’s done the work defensively like he’s turned himself into a very valuable player even if like I I you know I don’t think he’s a star I don’t think anybody would call him a a true

Star like in this league or even in like the city of Chicago I don’t think it feels that way but if you can have a 3.5 win player year in year out like improving defensively and you know I mean even at this point he’s 29 like

That’s solid I these are his prime like the extension goes through his prime years and he’s probably a guy who throughout the season will have himself an all he’s probably a fringe all-star year into year to year right like he made it in 2022 um didn’t get the ND

This last season he could potentially get it this season you know depending on how things go but he’s like what you’re saying is like the value that he brings 20 million doesn’t feel like an overpay or anything like that for a guy like that it’s why like I’ve sat here and

Everyone in the chat has sat here every day this offse offseason and has talked about how the Cubs need to add to this roster because if they do then there’s the guys like an Ian haap can become even more valuable he could easily be go

From a three five 36 War player to you know have a random five War season because he’s in a lineup that’s deep and you know he becomes a guy that teams are going to would rather face than whoever that we’re thinking you know like that that’s what I’ve always thought that his

Value is is like if he was on a really good team he we would all think where was that with the CBS well he’s looked at right now as you know a top three player on this roster as we sit here probably right like top two like it’s

That’s just what it is and it’s not that it’s not that I don’t want him to be it’s more of just like we know who he is and he has made drastic improvements compared to the beginning of his career so you just he’s just like you said Cory’s he’s not a superstar caliber

Player he’s a fringe Allstar like you said Ryan like they they need some some star power in there to potentially see him really take advantage of H of having someone like that in the lineup like it I wish I could think of a player that from the past that would compare to that

I I keep wanting to think of just because of the same type of player except they’re not as versatile but like Ben Z yeah that was the first one that came to mind he wasn’t like the the Big Bopper on the team or anything but he

Was a you know like like you saw this last year like hap was very pretty valuable in high lever situations even though like people point out the four times he struck out to end the game like whatever it was but um like overall is pretty valuable on high leverage spots

And like that’s what Ben Z was for the Cubs back when when they were you know at their highest caliber of Team around you know obviously Chris Bryant MVP Rookie of the Year Anthony making all-star teams contras and and schwarber and Javi and those guys coming into

Their own and like zilis was the veteran guy who wasn’t the star I me he ended up winning World Series MVP but he wasn’t the for who oh um 2016 the Chicago Cubs oh did you forget yeah I forget a lot people do for I forgot what were we just

Talking about Ben zis friend of the program won the World Series MVP oh for the 2016 Chicago c um but yeah but yeah he he did he won the MVP of the World Series but he wasn’t like the the guy in that lineup throughout the season but he was clutch

And he came up big for them time in time out and I think um you know maybe H isn’t quite at that level right now but I it feels like a similar kind of profile of a player the Cubs have sort of the opposite problem that they did at

The end of the last run at the end of the last run they had true stars and Sluggers and at times obviously a very boom or bust offense and they were really searching for those kind of complimentary players to fill out a lineup now the Cubs almost have too many

Of those as the YouTube chat is saying and as we’re discussing like you need the guys that sort of like take that to the next level you need the guys that allow Craig counil now to move Ian hap down in the lineup or Dansby down in the

Lineup like that was such a big point of discussion at the end of last year when Dansby was hitting cleanup or you know he had a really rough end to the season which he admitted many times and it’s like yeah he’s not a four or five hitter

He shouldn’t be he was hitting ninth for the Braves like when they won the World Series he started that World Series I think game one he was hitting ninth and the Cubs have that sort of opposite problem now where it’s like you have a lot of guys that really fill up a lineup

In a nice way but they’re not that like upper upper tier of like true star like carrying a lineup that type of thing so that’s the needle that we’re all hoping Jed threads in the next few weeks or at some point but yes we are all still

Waiting for that and uh I I didn’t check your Twitter today you’ve been updating on it I’m assuming the Cubs did not sign Cody Bellinger today I haven’t heard okay I heard we’re we’re day 116 of how many days Cody Bellinger has been a free agent I quote tweeted sahad

Of Sharma his uh article he had at the athletic today just like a quote that he put in there and it says League sources have confirmed that the Cub’s focus is indeed to add a lefty to upgrade their lineup there’s an obvious name to fill that spot in Bellinger and he remains

The top of he remains at the top of the Cubs list of targets and this article is a lot a lot of it’s about why the Cubs went away from reys Hoskins and and Michael Bush and all this Barb you should definitely go read it it might actually change your mind about Michael

Bush um but I I mean it’s it’s just more of the Bellinger Remains the favorite I know John Haymon was doing his like Bleacher Report live stream within the last day or two saying that the Cubs are still the favorite like when what where like

It really is like Jed and Carter and you know probably John Haymon sitting in the background because he’s Scott boris’s puppet and then Scott Boris the those three just like finger pointing man like stand off the office like it really is and um I don’t know I Bellinger I I I’m

Going to I’m staying on the hill I’m I’m I’m staying on the hill I’ve said it all offseason the longer this goes the more likely he’s going to be a cub I’m not getting off the hill uh but you know I guess to see a guy who covers the Cubs

Regularly put this out there I don’t know if that changes anyone’s mind compared to like what said that the same thing well yeah I know but no it’s I mean you’re right like the longer out there the Cubs Remain the favorite one as we’ve said all offseason that he’s

Just he’s comfortable here right he’s he’s got the year of experience they enjoy their time together and like you keep the longer it goes you see no other team is biting either no team is jumping in front of the Cubs to to overpay for Bellinger or pay more for Bellinger the

Cubs want to pay like whatever it is like no no other team has has jumped the line to go get Bellinger the Blue Jays went out and get Kevin km who doesn’t necessarily really eliminate them from from getting Bellinger but you know they’re also like maybe they’re they’re

A little less inclined to get him maybe is is the right way to put it or the Giants are kind of out of it too right the Yankees aren’t doing Bellinger like all this stuff all the teams that could have got Bellinger are out pretty much

Except for the Cubs and any team that could surprise or jump into the race hasn’t done it yet so yeah it is like the more the more that we go on in this offseason with him not signing even if it’s a a shorter ter term deal than what they wanted it does

Feel that the what that what Bellinger side wanted uh it does feel like him going back to the Cubs coming back to Chicago like that the percentage of that gets higher at least a little bit every day for me mhm well and so looking at our YouTube chat I would say uh Chef

Kevin you know is not all I you know I don’t think that’s a crazy thought you know he’s saying that Bell you know we’re talking about needing to add stars there is risk that Cody Bellinger is not a star as we’ve talked about as everybody is kind of documented when you

Have a guy that cratered as much as he did and changed his approach and and things like that and you know you’re you’re trying to make a a different batted ball approach work a two- strike approach work better for you there is a risk in that of course there is like and

That and that’s one of the reasons that we have always called for and I always use this example even though it’s like the most obvious example like you need the mooki bets and Freddy Freeman of the world like those are Bonafide Stars year in and year out elite elite elite top

Tier like everything you know 950 Ops Etc and there’s risk that of course Cody Bellinger is not that player but as we look at things right now the paths for the Cubs to add add offense to add left-handed power to fit the positions that they have there’s just not that

Many great options and of course you’re familiar with Cody Bellinger he’s familiar with you so I think the potential for of course there is risk but the potential for him to continue being the player he was last year and I think improve upon that as he

Sort of molds into this newer version of himself is very strong and that’s why everybody’s advocating for them to do it but it’s not unreasonable to say like hey like is that true star power if they add that is that really answering what you guys are saying of course there’s

Risk in that um I will say you know what is Brendan doing in here go to work and also I was about to defend Brendan because I was going to say I I know you shared it I think this morning and sahadev wrote about the comparison

Of uh Bush and Matt mvis but if you go to Brendan and I I think not our last episode two weeks ago Brendan goes through and I think he has a thread on this on uh Twitter as well the difference between mvis and Bush they are not the same player they are very

Different players even if the small Major League sample the maybe overall results looked similar but they are not they are not the same player Mike uh bush is a much more disciplined hitter he looks more like a hitter that came from the Dodgers system MH very much so than Matt murv

Ever did yeah I will say this from the article from sadov today the biggest thing related to Bush and Hoskins that I took away from it is that he bluntly says that the Cubs plan for Michael Bush to be the opening day first base he’s plan and so that’s why kind of talked

About a little bit yesterday I’m I’m not upset that they didn’t sign ree Hoskins now there’s like three other options out there they can still get Justin Turner Brandon Belt and uh JD Martinez those are th and I would say two of those three for sure could be a

Solid DH um Turner obviously plays third right uh I don’t know if he can play Third anymore that’s the only position I’ve ever I I don’t think he can they probably all be like play with Boston JD JD Martinez definitely is like the d a

DH and so is Brandon Bel but and Brandon Bel can play a little first I know he has throughout his career but I I think that those one of those three could be an option as well to add depth or something that they can probably get on

A one-year deal that I’m I’m I’m honestly with the way that Brandon Belt hit last year in Toronto I’m not I’m not against it and he’s a left-handed bat they have they have so many right-handed bats like they need some lefties so I wouldn’t be against a guy like Brandon Belt I I

Don’t I I’m I’m into Bush I when you look at it and I know how that sounded uh my where I think a lot of issue is is you’d prefer that type of commitment to a guy who hasn’t proven anything at the MLB level when you’ve rounded

Everything else out yeah so I I think it’s you know it’s similar to like it not not the same player not an exact comparison but like even a couple weeks ago when we were talking like well what if their big offensive signing was Matt Chapman like that’s the only name they

Go out and sign cuz Bellinger gets a massive deal somewhere else like I think Chapman’s a good and a good player as a headliner not not really not with where this offense is right now and what it really needs so I like the acquisition of bush I’m very intrigued by him and

Like I said before like the amount of people who were really relieved almost that he was getting traded so he would actually get an opportunity like a lot of those Prospect writers and analysts like very excited to see him get this opportunity which doesn’t mean he’ll

Succeed but I like the idea when you’ve added nobody else on your offense and lost currently your best hitter and Slugger I can see why people are like okay like I wish they weren’t going this route for first base at this particular Moment In Time unless they plan on

Filling some of the rest of this out in a significant way yeah I I don’t know I I think part of that is just the view that it’s Fe it’s almost February now and Bellinger St and I had Bellinger signed in December like none of the negativity would be around or I mean

Definitely less of it right like Bush no one would be negative about Bush and like oh this is all rickets is going to do blah blah blah like that wouldn’t be around it’s because the guy that they that we we went into the offseason saying should be you know outside of

Otani their top priority and is still their top priority even more so just hasn’t signed yet and it’s late January I think that just the the point of view of the time that we are at changes things because had he signed a month or two ago probably wouldn’t be

Saying the same thing what happened over there I don’t know all I know is the chat’s cracking me up and Barb I’m not going to be angry I just I’m trying to educate you should really go you should go watch Corey and Brennan show like I

Know you don’t like it that they’re not live when they do it but like the the episode they’re talk that Cory added about talking about Michael Bush and Matt mvis they are not the same player batting average does not define what a player is that just that just isn’t so

At least not Nick magical might be the only one sorry sorry Brennan um all right we need to do some ads want to tell us about Midtown athletic run yeah and you know it would I I got to tell you like we we are at we physically are

Not but chdo is at Midtown Athletic Club right now the one out in banck Bur I believe mhm um they are yeah they’re out in ban burn doing some live shows we got our Bears guys out there um our The Cho podcast is doing that so um some cool

Stuff you want to check it out but I got to tell you they have actually have four Chicago land locations they got the one in Palatine and the northwest suburbs banic bur in the NorthShore Willowbrook in the southwest suburbs and Midtown Athletic Club and hotel in the middle of

Bucktown and Lincoln Park uh let me tell you about Midtown Palatine which actually launched a multi-million dollar transformation of the club which will be complete early 2024 so it’s it’s coming it’s coming right now man we are in early 2024 now so it’s almost there uh and Midtown is offering no initiation

Fees this January at their banck bur Palatine and Willowbrook location uh that midtown’s got something at the clubs for everyone single people families with kids people looking to make Lifestyle Changes people wanting holistic Wellness Midtown Chicago is actually the nicest Fitness club I’ve I’ve ever been in what was it like six

Stories something like that they got you know yoga studios and golf simulators on one level you know a boxing Studio on one on another level weightlifting gym and all that kind of stuff and they got the tennis courts basketball courts pickleball they’re everywhere it’s amazing um but let me tell you some

About their about some of their other cool Club features uh they got super Luxe locker rooms with wet and dry saas and premium amenities Amazing Outdoor and indoor pools and hot tubs a collection of Boutique Fitness Studios with more than a 100 classes per week included in the membership and they’re

Not just gym quality the spaces are actually Boutique quality they got the best tennis courts and programming in the sport Midtown has indoor and outdoor tennis pickle ball and paddle tennis it’s USA professional quality all the way um so go check it out let me tell you Cho Bears and the Chicago Sports

Podcast is filming live from midt banck bur on up today Thursday the 25th um guests of the show are complimentary today so actually if you want to go uh to the banic burn location I know they’ll be kind of hanging out meet and greet that kind of stuff and and just

Just maybe chitchatting about Chicago Sports uh so go check out the space and catch the shows head over to midtown.com chgo to find out more and to tour the Midtown Athletic Club nearest you did you know it’s getting easier for businesses to switch to electric vehicles that’s something we can all get

Behind for the health of the planet and for the well-being of all of us who share so I you know I actually did know that I heard that the other day um but yeah the electric grid is evolving to meet your cleaner energy needs as we all move with

Confidence toward an electric tomorrow whether you have one delivery van or a whole Fleet of shipping trucks ComEd can help guide you to make the changes that makes sense so what should business owners do Ryan well business owners listen up Corey you never know you might

You might own business in the future you should listen up go to comed.com to learn more about the resources Fleet rebates and infrastructure rure incentives available to help businesses go electric if you own a business don’t wait start making your plan today to switch to electric vehicles good for

Business good for the planet good for all of us go to comed.com clean I I was reading the chat did you say comed.com clean you know what Cody I actually did comed.com clean go now and see how going electric connects us to a better way of doing business and a

Better future for generations to come Susie where why are people she says that I’m using baby oil what what is she talking about Barb is Barb saying that you got Barb just thinks that I am like said I bet Barb did say I bet he puts baby oil on

Himself but she was replying to Carlos oh okay oh because Carlos asked if you pose in the mirror at Midtown ah okay okay well no I do not pose in the mirror at Midtown CH in the chat the chat is not going to let Corey yeah Cory’s not

Going to let that one go it was great uh the chat is also o telling us that the Cubs and Red Sox are talking shop which maybe I’ll catch up on that what was that who says who Cubs are linked to Ryan stanic according to Brady um who also said that Justin

Turner played seven games at third base last year so thank you for clarifying I I really wasn’t sure credit to you Brady um maybe we’ll look up that okay that’s from Bob nighale n Andale the Cubs and Red Sox are two big Market teams who have expressed interest in veteran relever Ryan stanik

Okay is it spell r y n e r Ry is that how it’s spelled okay like samber y okay Ryan yeah um well we’re going to talk about the bullpen now Bullpen good segue yeah it’s a great segue uh our conversation with juliia Maryweather was

Great get got to listen to it last night before I went to bed so uh Luke and think Jared did a great job and uh Julian talks a lot about you know the difference between the beginning of the year and like basically the rest of the season after that and how he transformed

Right so let’s do it Julian Julian Merryweather super excited to have Julian Merryweather here uh I would call you an unsung hero of last season but I think most Cubs fans know just how important you were to that team you know it was a it was a great season for you

Julian I I guess the first five games weren’t the same as the rest of the season right like you just separate that like what what happened after five games that that flipped your season around I mean that that was definitely like a big reflection period for me like

Hey things aren’t going my way maybe make some small tweaks I I still thought I had a good foundation of what I wanted to do going into the year and just kind of getting back to hey what’s really G to turn this thing around and we we

Highlighted a few things just with the pitching staff and was able to make a quick adjustment and kind of just the confidence and experience kind of Grew From There how much of that is just a a product of your with a new team new organization playing in a new city where

It’s just a natural adjustment there’s probably no denying it because it is like you’re everyone’s a human and you you get out there rly for the first time and it can really like take the breath out of you um but in a good way and like kind of learn to

Embrace that throughout the year was really cool just having the the fans energy every every home game describe your first time at Wrigley because I think every nobody forgets their first time what whether it’s as a fan or a player or a reporter the first time you walk into that building there’s no

Question it’s different than any other ballpark oh man I mean yeah seeing the ballpark itself is just like it takes you back in time like it it you feel like you’re Frozen in in a in a time frame way before you were here and it’s very like I get the similar feeling from

Fenway like these old ballparks they they have that like historic feel to it like where you at that moment of kind of awe being in it and you know being the bullpen guys we walk out to the bullpen every game and we see the the crowds

Going crazy for us in the first so it’s just like a different experience for sure walking into that every game it’s not quite the coliseum in Italy but but it is somewhat like that right like it’s like you see it on TV you’ve seen it before and you’re like oh this place is

Real yeah man it’s a real uh so you had a new uh Adventure last year coming to the Cubs you come to the national league as Jared was talking about but now this year you have a new manager and and he’s had great success one of the things Craig Council has been

Very very good at is managing his bullpen in the past how excited are you about you know the new adventure with with a new manager now oh I mean just talking to Craig in and know him as like a human is is awesome because he’s just

Such a cool down earth guy and then yeah we’ve kind of already like he’s not afraid to jump right into the deep end with stuff and ask us hey how how do you feel about you know everything with with how the bullpen is and like he he wants

To get to know you and um I mean former players that he’s had like they say nothing but good things and especially from the bullpen like that’s that’s a great great thing to hear when he knows how to manage it and everyone’s you on board and it would seem like he’s come

Into this job knowing at least a little bit about you guys because of competing against you um has he talked at all about like what he you know what he’s learned about you from you know looking at from the other other Dugout no like our first conversation like he called me

On the phone and he was like yeah man Scout reports on you were tough this year and like he’s giving me all the stuff that you know he was dealing with like dealing with our whole bullet pin and you know everyone and uh it seems like he’s super open transparent and

Like I’m I’m excited to learn a lot from him because he’s been able to do all kinds of uh small little tweaks and and things into the game that I think people might not see and it’s like I’m just excited to learn from from him and his experience Bullpen was counted on so

Much last year and I I kind of feel like that’s it’s not a secret that’s the way baseball’s kind of gone like starters just don’t go as long as they used to and bullpens have become a critical part of of the game of baseball how do you look at what you

Guys are building right now and how you might be able to impact the 2024 team yeah it’s kind of nice having some of a lot of the familiar faces back in the group I mean a lot of the I mean for me included I it was kind of my first time

Going through a full season in the bullpen and then guys like adbert and lighter like us getting through that whole whole season together and and all the other guys that had chances and experience throughout the year like just bringing that into this year is already

Like a huge I think stepping stone for a lot of us because all right we’ve already seen what we can do and we’ve already kind of established it now it’s like all right we have we have like roles that we know we can we can come

Through for the team and like we all just kind of pull together as as a bullpen great I you look at you mentioned Mark ligher and the two of you led the team in appearances last year you had the the highest number of innings of any pure reliever um number

One what what has helped you with that kind of durability to be able to go out and pitch that much and then number two how do you prepare yourself to try to go out and do something like that again this year yeah no I mean my career has

Been riddled with injuries and ups and downs and it’s just about finding the small tweaks that kind of uh can get you to that place of for me it was health you know was was always number one and uh it took a good good amount of trial

And ER but you know those things kind of add up over time and you kind of find the routines that are that are right for you and you know I’m a big guy in the offseason I like to know stay in the gym and stay on my Throne program so um have

Having like a consistent stable routine for that is is huge for me W I’ve never heard someone say that health and staying consistent is how they stay consistent in the season like in the offseason you you know what I mean no yeah but I mean he that’s a huge thing for him right

That was huge for him for Merryweather in 23 because as he said like his career has been riddled with injuries he hasn’t you know he didn’t have a whole lot of Big League Time prior like with Toronto he pitched 13 innings in 2020 13 innings

In 2021 and 26 and 23s in 2022 so just he didn’t have a whole lot of opportunity in the big leagues and part because you know he had his struggles at the big league level but also because he was hurt a lot and so like whenever you

Know we talk about about magal is someone that like he’s got something to prove especially trying to stay healthy right there’s guys everywhere that we’ve talked about plenty of times um with injury history they like okay they have to prove they can be healthy Maryweather

Was one of those guys like even at the end of the season when you know they lost adbert I think it was to a forearm strain Fulmer to a for to two forearm strains I think or or maybe they rushed him back or got or brought him back a

Little too early whatever it was and like lighter had like back spasms I think it was towards the end of the year and his arm was just D yeah he didn’t he didn’t end up going on the the I but I know he had like a whole week in between

Outings at one point like Julian marowa picked up the slack like he handled a bulk of the backend U Innings especially at a time when every single game was felt like it was close like he didn’t really get a break um and he ended up pitching 69 different games 72 Innings

And and ended with a 338 ra ER like he was huge for the Cubs and you know we talk about that being a I think it was a waiver claim pickup in j about a year ago this time um and to to help him unlock something that not only made him

Pretty good at the big league level but um good in high leverage moments and late ining moments and just durable I think that was this was last season was a huge season for Mayweather um just to prove maybe even like to himself that he

Could do it um but to prove that he was healthy he and he could be a vital part of the Cubs Bullpen he’s totally I would say locked himself into a a bullpen role for the Cubs right now and I don’t and I don’t think that’s a problem I think he

Definitely earned a shot at being another late inning guy I don’t I don’t know if I say closer with him but um definitely a guy that like Craig Cel now can trust in that Bullen I think he earned that my my favorite thing about Merryweather was that he had the high

Velocity something that the Cubs really struggled to find and especially in the bullpen during like the back end of the golden era and then obviously the beginning of this rebuild the fact that you got a guy who has that kind of a you know that kind of arm off a waiver wire

Off the waiver wire basically um and you threw him in the pitch lab and you know he said himself health and consistency uh in the offseason really helped him going into last season so he’s healthy going into next season I think obviously the I think the only

Real question for him is like can you do it again like was it a one-year Wonder type thing I think if he is you know you know your your seventh eighth inning guy you’re you’re good I I’m I I’m fine with him in the as a high leverage late

Inning guy uh an occasional day to close on if adbert is you know had closed two or three straight days before that something like that to me he’s as as as reliable as Albert Alay at this point like going into 2024 the other thing you

Love about him is the fact that he can can hit Triple did with the fastball which I remember sitting on the couch during games last year and going back and it was like not since Chapman in 2016 have the Cubs have anyone hit Triple digit with a fast ball so you

Know pairs that with a with a good slider and you know you we don’t know what exactly they’re working on with him in the pitch lab this offseason or in Spring but like I mean it feels like he’s starting to unlock things with himself that um you know he’s not a

Younger guy or anything but um could still have a pretty solid career whether that’s with the Cubs or not um but yeah I I think that what we saw this last year and like you said like it’s something that can you do it again right and it’s actually something that I think

It was I think David Ross actually said towards the end of the season about Justin steel um where it’s like you had a great year but once the next season starts what you did last year doesn’t matter it’s like can you can you keep stacking on great because it was talking

About like you know kind of not he wasn’t comparing steel to Lester but it was more like John Lester stacked great seasons on great seasons on great season and that’s why we see him as a great pitcher then David Ross talked about steal and it’s like what he did last

Year was great but once he gets to next season is can you do it again can you keep stacking that and become a great pitcher on your own I but I think that works for anyone like Julian Merryweather really good season from him last year um proved something to the

Cubs and proved something to himself that he could do it but he’s got to go and do it again like once he once opening day comes what Julian Mayweather did last year doesn’t matter especially when we’re talking about bullpens cuz we know how volatile they can be like

Bullpen guys especially guys that don’t have long track records of success as in the bullpen like you don’t know year to year what you’re going to get so like he’s got to go and especially prove that he could do it next year and then once

It gets to the year after he could do it again like like he’s got to prove it but um it needs to be done and I think like you know whether that Nightingale rumor about someone like stanic is true or I I I do see the Cubs going that route it

Seems like the type of move that they would make just in terms of like when there is a discussion of hater it’s just not how this team has operated if they wanted to really like overc course correct and say our Bullpen pretty much cost us if you’re picking one thing that

Cost us down the stretch it was really the bullpen and we’re going to overcorrect for it we are going to go spend a bunch of money we’re going to get one of the best closers and that that’s not really their MMO and I don’t think most people wanted them to commit

The dollar that way if they’re operating on a budget that’s not how I would do it what did hater end up getting like 95 mil something like that it I know it was close to Edwin Diaz only Godfather would would want them to I think well and you know usual

Caveat I wish they spent $500 million go get everybody but they’re not going to do that so I I kind of look at that as when some people were like their most pesimistic and they were thinking they hired Council to try and make a lesser team better I don’t think that that’s the

Logic we’ll see how the rest of this offseason plays out but I I’m hoping that’s not going to be the case I do think they might they they’re going to continue their Bullpen strategy which they’ve been doing for years and now they have a better Bullpen manager so I think

Signings like that lesser signings guys where you’re looking and I see it happening in our live YouTube chat where they’re looking like okay stanic was really good in 2022 but the numbers kind of ballooned a little bit in 23 and you’re trying to figure out why and the

Cubs will figure that out those are the types of guys I see them bringing in it might not be exciting but they’ve cobbled together bullpens with worse players and worse M Bullpen managers and now they have a better one so I I think that what you saw with Merryweather

Getting back to the interview we just played is something I think they’re going to try to continue replicating identifying guys from other organizations that they can tweak or put into their very specific roles because they have identified that as being potentially successful and I know like last year that that strategy didn’t go

Like as well as everyone had hoped it it sure as hell didn’t go as well as I felt like it was going to because it the way at least the way it did the two years prior but help the three years prior I think it I think they started going this

Route back in 2019 20120 but I don’t again I’d rather them spend money on guys who are going to impact the team every single day that’s that’s my that’s what I’m always going to think related to how the Cubs are spending money based off how we know the front

Office manages so uh we got the second half of that interview coming up but we got to do some ads um game time I would have used game time last night but Mark Carman just gave me a free ticket uh yeah you would have used game I would

Have used game time to go to Illinois Northwestern last night in evst but didn’t have to thanks to Mark Carman shout out to you man but again not everyone has a mark Harman yeah not everyone has a mark kman and I’m I’m thinking most of you guys in the chat

Like you can talk you can listen to him talk every day on C show bears but I’m I’m assuming that most of you aren’t friends with Mark Carman uh personally so you go to game time to go get your tickets for whatever I the Bulls the Blackhawks the Cubs whenever the season

Starts uh Illinois and Indiana play on Saturday in Champagne I’m thinking about going to that game I might not since they’re 0 and2 when I attend this year here um game time is the fast and easy way to buy tickets for all the sports music comedy and Theater events near you

With killer last minute deals all in prices views from your seat and their best price guarantee game time takes the guesswork out of buying tickets uh again would have gone last night using game time but I did not I used game time a few months back uh when Morgan Wallen

Came to Wrigley Field last summer when I say a few months I mean like six months ago uh is super easy to use and as you can see on the screen right now Sarah is showing us like it you you see a SE a seating chart uh it it’ll show you like

The best view that you can get right it’s the only ticketing app that gives you complete peace of mind with your purchase you can see the view from your seat before you buy so you know exactly what to expect when you arrive all in all in prices show your total upfront so

You know you’re getting a great deal without hidden fees buy tickets in seconds with two Taps they’re obsessed with finding ways to help you save money on tickets game time has deals on tickets right up to the St of event and even an hour after it starts it’s the

Place to find last minute seats find exclusive Flash Deals and sponsor deals on tickets for football basketball baseball concerts comedy theater and more with Zone deals you pick the section and Game Time picks the seats for an average of 18% savings and the game time guarantee means you’ll always

Get the best price if you find tickets in the same section and row for Less game time will credit you 110% of the diff of the difference so take the guest work out of buying tickets with Game Time download the game time app now create an account and use code chgo for

$20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem with code chgo for $20 off download game time today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed and after you buy your tickets you’re going to need a way to get there so you can go to Chevy all

Right our partner Ray Chevrolet is ringing in the new year with their best offers all month long make your way to race Chevrolet on on Route 12 in Fox Lake to join in on the savings and start your ray resolution as one of the top selling Chevy dealers in the midwest

You’ll always be able to shop one of Chicagoland’s largest Chevy inventories but right now they’re trying to make room for inbound 2024 models so all their current inventory must go folks plus you can find the perfect tailgate vehicle at Ray Chevy because they have over 100 new Silverados available with

Prices starting at 19 $1,495 that’s that’s pretty good that’s pretty good uh or take up yeah to $10,000 off on the new 2023 Silverado as well uh to top it off they’re pricing over 125 Vehicles o under 20,000 seriously guys can pricing get more a affordable seriously right and then the

My thing right now is that you can get a free oil change this month free oil change when you mention Cho when scheduling your oil change at Ray Chevrolet in Fox Lake start your new year off right visit Ray Chevrolet in Fox Lake or Ray chevrolet.com to start

Your ray resolution they’ve been serving the community since 1963 find New Roads that’s my best Luke Luke stuck Meer impression one reading both ads to the end of that ad so doesn’t he I want to hear we should get like the soundboard that we have like we

Sarah’s got little sounds we just record Luke doing this whenever we miss whenever he’s not around and we have that ad read just throw that throw we do that with SEL Bulls oh really cuz it’s like Big Dave has his Bulls win actually I think I could throw that up find that

Um there we go we need a Cody button you know credit to me credit to me credit to me there you go big of me I forgot Jake just cleaned out her computer y say none of our sounds are in come on Jake tough

Okay so we got the last we got like 6 minutes I don’t know how much of this interview we have left but I know it was 10 minutes total all right five minutes so we 90 seconds to talk yeah oh yeah perhaps uh so here’s the rest of our

Interview with juliia Maryweather so coming off that season where you pitch more than you’ve ever pitched before you don’t take extra time to kind of let your body recoup than maybe you had or you just stick with the same thing that you were it’s pretty similar um and I

And I I feel like the foundation I built uh from last off season to this one helped me a lot cuz that was a big shift in a lot of things I was doing and now it’s more about just maintaining everything uh you know a few improvements for sure though here and

There and and kind of just you know keep it simple you feel like this team’s ready to win the division oh for sure I mean I’m excited like this Clubhouse I’m everyone’s excited to be around each other you know there’s already a buzz I mean just the fans here adding into that

It’s like fuel to the fire but guys are excited to get back to Arizona and like you know compete again this year and and we all you know we follow the offseason really closely we’re looking at free agent signings and trades and things like that how much attention do you pay

To what your team is doing during these months I wait for the headlines to come out I’m not really into the rumors because I feel like that you get really into the weeds with those but uh you know it’s it’s cool to see how how we’re already building our team and and it’s

You know we’re excited for whoever else we can welcome for sure uh oh go ahead no go ahead we had the chance to uh to meet sha imaga yester yesterday and uh and see a little bit of what he’s like and get a a sense for his personality

Have you had the chance to to talk to him introduce yourself yet yeah yeah we met like quick introductions and yeah seems like a great nice guy I mean he’s coming into this this this FanFest thing kind of like a into a you know Whirlwind basically like you know flying in here

And getting everything done with his contract so I mean props to him for being able to be here and and like you know make make everyone kind of get to know his personality I think it’s really awesome this is a different event isn’t it I mean I know other teams have

Something sometimes but this this is different yeah what’s it like from a player’s perspective coming in and seeing even just opening night oh yeah oh Opening Ceremonies you feel like you’re ready to go and pitch in a game after that kind of adrenalin rush going on the stage might be more actually but

Uh no it’s I haven’t seen anything like it um and I think it’s special that people come out here through the cold weather you know find find their way with their you know snow boots and and pack the place man it cool I love a good story that comes out every you know

Every year you’re looking for a fun story that comes out in baseball I think Mike talkman was a great story last season uh but the one I read I think it was Marquee about the fourleaf Clover with your mom in the Hat okay explain that to people that haven’t read the

Article explain your mom gives you a fourleaf clover how often she just sends them in the mail like it comes in with my fan mail I have to make sure okay oh there’s one for Mom it’s probably like five fourleaf clovers that she like wrapped in there and she just keeps

She’s like looks for him and that’s like when people ask her how do you find all these four the Clover she like oh I just look for them she’s finding these on the ground yeah she has this weird ability to like see the patterns she’s been able to do

This for like ever since she was young so it’s kind of it blows people away that she can just go through a a field and pick out like five like just like nothing she’s like she got Jedi powers or something for four Le she might yeah

Yeah she might she might so obviously I would assume you’re a superstitious family no are is she superstitious and are you superstitious it’s got to be in our DNA at this point it’s something right like it’s almost ingrained but no that’s that’s something I’ve done I mean she’s always been like super

Superstitious like she will have to sit in a certain spot when I’m pitching and if you know fall behind three 0 she’s gonna already you know she’s going to try to get ahead of it maybe change seats maybe take a lap she is just you

Know a wreck but you know it helps her kind of calm down I think knowing that I got a fourleaf clover up in there nice so do you have other superstitions that you follow like you know do you have to put the socks on one at a time or no I’m

I wouldn’t say Superstition like that I’m I’m super routine like I because I want to take all the that stuff out of it and like I if I know my routine it’s it’s more boring but it’s like it keeps my brain in a good spot yeah any other

Guys on the team who have their own superstitions or or little things like that that they do for each game a man I feel like if I was around the starters I feel like that’s a group that usually they have these little ticks and these like superstitions um maybe it’s like

The buildup of each game that they have to pitch where you’re in the bullpen you’re just kind of praying every every game you know hey let’s hope we get out of this one you know so it’s a little different mentality but um I can’t think honestly any off the top but I’m sure

You’ll get some good answers from firsthand accounts see now I think Bullpen guys generally are a different breed like you said than starting pitchers what about the idea of your mom you know how like Ohio State they put the little Buck guy on the helmet you

Have a good game or what if she’s got this many fourleaf clovers maybe she should be spreading the wealth with the rest to the bullpen okay you know you know like Ali good game here’s your four leaf clover for the next game we we can might be able work something out she I

Mean that’s been her thing I’m talking little Le you know she was handing all the kids out for everyone wanted one so hey we might be on something here I like that idea spread the luck I don’t think I’ve ever found a fourleaf clover ever

In my life I was going to say some people spend their whole lives looking for them and never find one crazy but your mom just she’s she’s for did she plant them in your yard or like maybe there’s yeah maybe there’s a little like this is Young yeah now now it’s like

Starting to make sense here Santa Claus isn’t real on kids don’t watch this podast Julian this has been a lot of fun and uh good luck this season good health this season and uh we’ll see you in the playoffs oh yeah I’ll see you guys around I appreciate you guys having me

Man lot of fun thanks for coming so what what a weird like thing I just his mom just finds fourleaf clovers on the ground like yeah I I don’t think I’ve ever seen I don’t know that I’ve often looked for one but I’ve definitely never found one in person yeah I think

This is a great interview for the Casual fan for sure and I even die hards obviously like everyone that’s here in the live chat but like Barb was in the chat during this part of the interview I’m pretty sure and she was like who is this guy and I’m like this

Is one of the best relievers in the Cubs uh Bullpen this past season and you got to see a little bit of his personality and as Lucas said after every one of the these interviews that we’ve done or that you guys got to do at Cubs convention

Like he just seems like a really nice dude so easy to root for I think yeah I think and I think the the Cubs are full of those kind of guys like even just the you know the guys we’ve had so far some guys that you don’t hear from often

Obviously relievers you you never hear from unless something bad happens right like that’s just kind of how it works um but all the interviews we’ve had and like me being able to go you know in the clubhouse and talk to guys during the season it’s like yeah there are a lot of

Guys that good dudes that are easy to root for I it goes back to what we talked about maybe last week about just building the culture for the Cubs and and you don’t want to you know P pigeon hole yourself or whatever the word is into like I only

Want to bring in really high quality uh person people right like I’m not saying bring in a bunch of bad people but but like you can’t say like I refuse refuse to bring in anyone that might not be the friendliest guy just because you they wouldn’t whatever it is right like but

Part of the building that culture is bringing in guys that get along with the rest of the people in the clubhouse that make everyone want to play for each other that’s part of building that winning culture and like so Julian Mayweather I think fits in there he may not be the

Most outspoken guy but clearly he has a fun personality has good stories and and fits in well with that with a lot of the guys in that Clubhouse in my opinion anything Cory no I mean I’m looking forward to uh you know we need some of

Those guys to step up in the pen you know next year it’s going to be interesting I think I think I know a lot of people are are down on the pen and I I I still think they need to add at least one more veteran reliever but this year I think there’s

Definitely higher upside with some of the guys coming into the bullpen that’s internal like a Luke little like uh you know I’m still high on Daniel Peno right to go with some of the guys that are already established here right I think the bullpen really is in a

Better spot it’s just at the end of last year with the way that things played out PE a lot of people are down on the bullpen because of how things played out but there was a lot of injuries at the end of last year there’s a lot of guys who were overused last

Year mark ligher Jr great example so again like you guys were saying with the way Craig Council manages a bullpen I think that there is definitely that’s probably like to me Pro the biggest thing for him I’ve always said that as long as you can get a team to play it

Play for you and you can manage a bullpen that’s all I really need out of the manager I think like on the bullpen too you know again they they need to add more they need more swing and Miss like we’ve said all these things but I do

Think at the very least we can rip on them as as we did at the time and as we still do that we we knew what was going to happen to that bullpen even when they got to the trade deadline and they didn’t do enough to prevent it but going

Into this year you have that knowledge now so of course it was a bad experience last year and again something the front office deserves some blame for but you have that knowledge you now have the knowledge like okay do we know these guys can go game one to 162 in these

High leverage roles do we know where some of these younger guys might be able to contribute even if it’s in a smaller role or a lower level you have more of that knowledge so hopefully with one or two additional guys you get some guys to take leaps in their careers bring up

Some other guys I think hopefully we do see a a better and kind of like more productive Bullpen the most important thing for the bullpen I I is what I longevity you know you they have got to be able to go from the beginning of the year to the end of the

Year they were not prepared for that last year and it costs them quite dearly and when you’re in races that come down to a single game a couple games that’s the type of thing that you have to be prepared for so if they are not prepared

For it this time it’s an even more egregious era than it was last year because you should have been prepared for it last year you weren’t it bit you and you know we’re late in the offseason here but there’s a lot of people unsigned there’s a lot of roles that are

Undefined they have got to be better prepared for that through this season how how do you learn from what transpired last year how do how do you learn from you know maybe you know mistake mistake might be the word right like I I do learn from the mistake of

Not addressing the bullpen um you know preseason I I think the I think what they did in the preseason had much more of an impact on the bullpen overall than um you know the the trade deadline just because of the the money stuff and staying under the tax whatever but like

Had they addressed it better um in the preseason you know you’re not worried about the trade deadline at that point may maybe quas is enough right so um it’s all about how you how do you learn um from building the bullpen over a s and having it last over a six-month period that

That’s what they need to learn from yeah I mean if stanic becomes a cub this weekend or tomorrow before you guys do your show I think that’s a solid Edition based off what I’ve seen on Fang graphs I haven’t gone and watched any tape of him but he’s basically what I’m saying

That they’ve been needing to get so we’ll see how that plays out um more options more depth right and I think someone said it above in the chat like you know of course the circumstance they ended up fighting for their life toward the end of July and tough things to

Prepare for but that’s what I mean like you know now you go into this season and you know guys grow guys change but you do have at least the thought like hey like might can adbert alai pitch you know close five games a week because you’re probably with the way

Everything’s stacking up you’re probably gonna be in a bunch of close games again like they haven’t done enough to sort of separate themselves out in that way you know and you’re you’re prepared for that possibility or you know can we ask these guys to go over their career Innings

Limit again etc etc so yeah um I did as we’re wrapping up I do have an interesting trivia question we’ll see if the chat or you guys can answer it um saw it on Twitter and it was a list of the active player active player okay who

Has the most home runs against every team in the league so my question to you is who is the active player who has the most home runs in their career against the Chicago Cubs who is the biggest uh I would I would say at this point

It’s Joey vad that was what I was gonna say is it Joey V I was going to let the chat guess a little bit but it is Joey V sorry no um and I believe if I’m looking at this list correctly it is the most home

Runs against any single team no one on this list has more than 50 against any single team Joey V Destro is Joy the Cubs Anthony Rizzo is the leader active leader against the Reds there you go for what that’s I was gonna say hap I was

Hap might be on there because it feels like he hits a run every time he faces him Rizo also the answer for the Pirates Joey vad also the answer for the Brewers which isn’t a surprise I mean if you the active player you’re it’s going to be the same for uh first

Bision yeah I guess technically VA well vad isn’t on a team right but he hasn’t retired he hasn’t retired he technically active he’s technically active well we didn’t talk about this yesterday and I know we need to get out of here but Ben zis next year he will be officially on

The ballot for the Hall of Fame and I don’t care what anyone says I say you she just go in bias Alone says it don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story he won’t he won’t he won’t but he won’t but he he’s he’s one of those

Players that I think his value and how well he played his role I don’t I don’t I I don’t think that makes him a Hall of Famer in in my eyes the Hall of Fame would look very different than it actually does it would be like the

Absolute like 1% of baseball players but like when you think about it was 500 home runs 3,000 hits yeah I mean crazy threshold to get at the same time like I with the way that the voting goes now like Ben zis for who he was the role he played

Especially on you know multiple teams that went to or won the World Series he’s a very unique player in that two World Series yeah uh went to the World Series with the Rays too right so you’ve been to multiple World Series with three different teams yeah so like Brady says

In our our YouTube chat like kind of changing the game as a utility guy and and doing that from multiple World Series winning teams playing several different positions while he’s doing it like being one of the better one of the better professional hitters in baseball he’s an interesting because if you just

Look at his like stats you wouldn’t think you wouldn’t think so but if you consider like the role and how significant the role he played on some of the most significant teams in recent MLB history very interesting all I know is that if he

Does go in one day I don’t know how you don’t put a Cubs hat on him I know he played more years with the rais but like more people in the world are going to remember him as a cub well you know I don’t know if he’ll

Make the Hall of Fame but U he’ll make the Cho Sports Hall of Fame there you go that’s the best Hall of Fame it actually has credibility all right actually has credibility and we don’t care about all your bad decisions that you might have made all right we love all of you as

Long as you like us right that’s how we feel about all the listeners in the chat sure all right don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story uh Cory and Brenan got a show tomorrow will it be live I I don’t think so no doubtful all

Right sorry Barb I I Brendon has to work in the Brendan has to work that’s why they don’t go live sorry he’s too he’s too busy U apparently according to Barb it has nothing to do with Sarah so yeah it really has nothing to do I I don’t

Know I’d love to help you guys but you guys CH they were saying your fee is too high I know I know my fee went up after only L has the money for Sarah to produce live so yeah then Barb said that Cory and Brena need to Pony up and pay Sarah

So I’ll take it what a incredible I give I I give all my money to Tom Rickett so I I don’t have any don’t you’re triggering Godfather all right all right thanks for everyone hanging out today hit the like button on your way out hit the Subscribe button if you’re new tell

Your friends about us cuz when the Cubs fix this roster and become a 90 plus win projected team we’re going to ride a roller coaster that we’ll never forget and I’m just manifesting it the mo the best way I possibly can all right um so again appreciate you all for being here

Thanks for checking out the Cho Cubs podcast I’ll see you next week you’ll see Cory and Bron tomorrow Bye we all sitting like the mayor

6 Comments

  1. Happ had one good year were he actually hit lefties decently but that will never happen again they should have traded him when he had value just like they should have traded Shwarber when he actually had value to the Yankees. Happ is a platoon player at best.

  2. Ross batting Happ third mostly all season, left a bad taste in everyone's mouth and makes sense why he's not in the top 10. He'll return under Counsell.

  3. Hey Jed woke up and reached into his wallet finally..Cubs finally get a big pullpen addition..Hector Neris!…That should bolster the Relief pitching some..Along with Carl Edwards Junior.

Write A Comment