Locked On Cubs - Daily Podcast On The Chicago Cubs

For Episode 69, I wanted to give the fans a nice treat. Evan Altman of Cubs Insider joined me for my second segment to chat a bit about the Cubs, Triple-A depth, and the overall perception of Addison Russell. To close out the discussion, we teased an article I wrote for Cubs Insider that compared Cubs players with Marvel superheroes from Avengers: Infinity War. It's just for fun, but if you're a Marvel fan it's a must-read.

Otherwise, the Cubs took two-of-three from the White Sox this weekend, and I spent the first segment looking back on that. In the final segment, I did my usual rundown of the NL Central and updated the standings. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to [email protected].

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With the Cubs having an off-day on Thursday, I took the opportunity to field more of your questions for Episode 68. There were some good ones! In the first segment, I talked a little about some hypothetical lead-off options and a recent hot-take about whether or not Kris Bryant is a superstar. Yeah, you can't make this up. A national baseball guy really did start this conversation.

In the second segment, I took more questions. First, I blathered on and on about writing and why not to try to get into the sports writing industry. Later, I recalled my favorite player to interview and ranked the best Cubs playoff victories. Needless to say, they're all from this century. Be sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and don't be afraid to email any questions or comments to [email protected].

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The Cubs finished out their sweep of the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, pounding starter Wei-Yin Chen and posting a 13-4 victory. Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Addison Russell all hit homers for Chicago, and the main arms in the bullpen got some major, must-needed rest. So the Cubs are now 8-5 in their last 13 games despite an awful offensive stretch, which puts them on pace for 100 wins. Next up on the schedule is the Chicago White Sox.

I spent the second segment looking back on the Crosstown Classic. Despite how many might feel, the Cubs and Sox are not rivals in any sense of the word. Maybe the fans have a rivalry, but that doesn't even really exist outside Chicago. At any rate, I looked back on some stats from the historical, head-to-head matchup, a few key moments in the series, and Cubs franchise leaders versus the White Sox.

Be sure to send your questions for Friday's mailbag podcast to @LockedOnCubs on Twitter or [email protected].

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The Cubs beat the Marlins for the second straight day, running their record to 7-5 in their last 12 games. But wins and losses aren't the only thing we're here to talk about. Tom Loxas of Cubs Insider joins me in the second segment to go over those Manny Machado trade rumors. Would it make sense for either the Cubs or the Baltimore Orioles to work out a deal? If so, who would have to be involved?

In the final segment, I did my brief rundown of the NL Central and updated the standings. Jose Quintana will take on the Marlins in the finale of the three-game series on Wednesday, with the Cubs looking for a three-game sweep. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments at [email protected].

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The Cubs are back in the win column, baby! Ian Happ hit two home runs, Kris Bryant crushed one, and Javy Baez hit a deep homer to center field in a 14-2 rout of the Miami Marlins. It really was exactly what the Cubs needed, with Kyle Hendricks tossing eight innings and giving the bullpen a much-needed day of rest. Jen-Ho Tseng will make his 2018 debut with the Cubs on Tuesday night against Miami.

In the second segment, I looked at a piece that Patrick Mooney wrote for The Athletic on Adbert Alzolay, and I looked at what could be on the horizon for him (and the rest of the Cubs' bullpen) as the season moves along. There are some very good reasons to look to avoid burning out guys like Steve Cishek, and it has everything to do with October. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to [email protected].

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That didn't go as planned. The Cubs lost all three in St. Louis over the weekend by a combined four runs, including two walk-off losses that they lead with less than three outs to go. That brings the losing streak to five games, and well, things aren't going very well for the Cubs right now. They can't hit, they can't score, and it's no fun to watch. But otherwise, things are great.

In segment two, I vented the frustration on behalf of Cubs fans everywhere. This is off script, people. Not only did I point out the biggest problem, I pointed out the biggest things that Cubs fans love to blame that really aren't the problem at all. Finally, I looked around the NL Central, updated the unfortunate division standings, and looked ahead at the Marlins a bit. Be sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments at [email protected].

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It's an off-day podcast, so I gathered questions from a Twitter AMA to entertain you. In the first segment, I jumped on some meatballs right down the middle. It's a little light-hearted, and a good way to kick things off. But in the second segment, I went at the really hard-hitting stuff. That includes a question about whether the Baltimore Orioles would actually be interested in a Manny Machado-for-Addison Russell type of deal.

In the final segment, I looked at the one game from the NL Central on Thursday. The Cubs begin a series in St. Louis on Friday, with Jose Quintana facing Miles Mikolas. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs to take part in any future AMA's, and you can also email questions or comments to [email protected].

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The Cubs lost against to the Rockies on Wednesday, dropping their three-game set and finishing the season series tied at 3-3. The offense failed them again, but this time the pitching was no better. On a day when the wind was blowing out, Rockies pitcher Tyler Anderson dominated while Yu Darvish couldn't keep fly balls to stay in the ballpark. The final score was 11-2, with solo homers from Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant accounting for all the Cubs' runs.

I welcomed Kelly Wallace of Locked On Cubs back to the show to talk a little about Ian Happ in our second segment. Have the Cubs learned from their handling of Kyle Schwarber last year, and will they send Happ and his 46.1 K% down to Triple-A Iowa? I finished out by looking around the NL Central and updating the standings. You can follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to [email protected].

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The Cubs are back in first place all on their own, which is where they belong. After winning four straight over the Brewers, the Cubs took Game 1 of a three-game home series with the Colorado Rockies. In the opening segment, I do a quick rundown of everything that has happened since last Friday. In the second segment, I opened talking about Adbert Alzolay and his excellent start at Triple-A Iowa on Monday evening. What could his role be in Chicago this season?

After a few historical notes on Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, I took a look around the NL Central. The Cubs' 7-1 record has meant a lot in relation to the Brewers, who are now one game back of the Cubs. A special thanks to Sean Sears of FanSided for taking the reigns for me on Friday. I was in Chicago doing a story on the Brewers for The Athletic, so I appreciate him picking up my slack. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to [email protected].

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