Monday Morning Cubs Show

The Cubs don’t need more vibes right now. They need answers in the late innings, because a good lineup and a strong rotation only matter if you can finish games. I’m Carl, and this Friday solo is me getting specific and tactical about the one part of the roster that still feels unsettled: the bullpen.

I walk through the simplest question that keeps coming up when the game gets tight: who takes the ball in the ninth? My stance is clear. If Daniel Palencia is healthy enough to be on the big league roster, he’s the closer immediately, and he should be used like one. From there we build the rest of the plan like a real-world puzzle, using a clean “seven outs” framework after your starter and your ninth-inning guy are accounted for.

Then we sort the names that could decide September and October at Wrigley Field: what Jacob Webb’s season means if he’s pushed back into a better role, why Shelby Miller’s return could bring the kind of dominant outs the bullpen needs, how Hobie Milner changes the lefty picture, and why Justin Steele fits best as a targeted, high-leverage weapon based on rehab progress and pitch counts. I also draw a hard line between hope and reality when it comes to prospects and control, and I explain why some “easy fixes” are not fixes at all.

I close with a quick, serious reminder about staying grounded and watching our language, because this community matters more than a bad week of baseball. If this helped you think clearer about the Cubs bullpen plan, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more Cubs fans can find it. What’s your ideal 7th and 8th inning combo?

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney

Two walk-off losses can make a good team feel shaky fast, especially when they land late and ruin your night. Then the Cubs turn around and hang 19 runs like nothing happened. That swing is why we hit record, because it forces the real question: are we watching a contender with bad breaks, or a team that can’t get out of its own way? We talk through how we’re reading the weekend, why process matters more than a single blown save, and what a 19-2 win actually tells us about this group. 

The standings talk gets spicy: we’re still chasing the Brewers in the NL Central, and we’re also trying to hold the top wild card spot with the Phillies getting hot. We break down what “scoreboard watching” should and shouldn’t do to your brain, why hosting at Wrigley Field could be the difference in October, and why we don’t want excuses about lineups or vibes when the roster is loaded with real talent. 

Then we get into the pitching picture that decides everything. We cover bullpen roles with Jacob Webb and Daniel Palencia, plus the late-season reinforcements everyone’s tracking like Justin Steele and Ben Brown. We also hit the Danzby Swanson injury fallout and the Nico Hoerner plus Pedro Ramirez infield shuffle without pretending it’s a 1:1 replacement. Finally, we air out the frustration with Javier Assad getting optioned and what that says about how organizations treat reliable arms. 

If you ride with the Cubs, you’ll feel this one. Subscribe, share the show with a fellow fan, and leave a review so more maniacs find us before October hits.

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney

Five games back can feel like nothing or everything, and right now it feels like everything. We’re locked into the NL Central race, refreshing Brewers scores, and asking the only question that matters for late-August Cubs baseball: do we actually have a path to catch Milwaukee, or are we just entertaining ourselves?

We dig into the roster the way real fans do, with equal parts love and obsession. Pete Crow-Armstrong gets the spotlight as a true headline player because the speed, defense, and swagger are changing games nightly. We also give flowers to the “memory makers” like Javier Assad for underrated run-stopping work, and Nico Hoerner for quietly doing second-half damage while the broader conversation looks elsewhere. Along the way, we hit the bigger theme: enjoying the regular season without letting October anxiety steal the fun.

Then we get serious about what shifts a season. Dansby Swanson’s oblique injury isn’t just a lineup swap, it changes the entire feel of the infield and what the pitching staff can attack. From there, we pressure-test an October rotation built around Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes, talk playoff seeding and why the top wildcard spot at Wrigley matters, and map out how the bullpen looks if Palencia locks down the ninth. We even take a detour into the Dodgers money noise, just long enough to remind ourselves to stop staring at other teams and handle our business.

If you’re riding with this Cubs team, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more fans find us.

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney

Dansby Swanson goes down and the whole Cubs machine suddenly feels less flexible. That’s where we start today, because losing two to the Cardinals is annoying, but losing the shortstop who anchors preparation, positioning, and pitcher confidence can change the shape of the next month. We talk through the real ripple effects: Nico Hoerner sliding to short, Pedro Ramirez taking on more responsibility, and Craig Counsell losing the lineup and rest-day “sauce” that helps a good team stay fresh and win series after series. 

We also sort the weekend honestly. Joshua Baez doing something no one in MLB history has done is the kind of baseball chaos you almost have to respect, even when it hurts. But then we get into the stuff that decides October: starting pitching choices, Edward Cabrera’s struggles, and why the front office still has to evaluate upside instead of only reading the box score. From there we project where Kevin Gausman, Shota Imanaga, Matt Boyd, and especially Clay Holmes fit, including why the cold-weather version of Holmes could be a nightmare if the Cubs manage his workload the right way. 

Then we pivot to a real Cubs vs White Sox preview built on identity and matchups. We break down how the White Sox build their lineup, why certain hitters live with swing and miss to get to damage, and how isolated power helps you spot the danger pockets fast. We also call out the names you need to know before first pitch, including Chase Meidroth, Murakami, Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery, and Randall Grichuk’s lefty-crushing profile, plus how Chicago’s outfield defense plays at Wrigley. 

If you’re watching the series, this is the roadmap, plus a reminder: respect the opponent, but don’t forget the Cubs are better across the field when they play their game. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple so more maniacs find the Monday Morning Cub Show.

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney

One hit will make you question your sanity, but it also clarifies what you actually care about: October. After the Cubs get blanked 7-0 by the Nationals, I talk through the anger, the overreactions, and the one thing that’s still true even on nights like that: this team is in position to make a serious MLB playoffs push.

The big target is obvious. We’re chasing the Milwaukee Brewers, and a division win changes everything, from rest to bullpen usage to whether you’re sprinting through the Wild Card round or setting up for the NLDS. I also draw a hard line between regular season baseball and postseason baseball, because the format changes the rules and it should change how we evaluate pitching, roles, and even what “fair” means.

From there, it’s tactics. I break down why Kevin Gausman getting roughed up can be a matchup story instead of a doom story, why Clay Holmes belongs in the October conversation if he’s healthy, and why the most important lineup problem left on the board is performance against left-handed pitching. We also talk about Alex Bregman looking like himself again and Pete Crow-Armstrong playing at an MVP level, plus why the supporting cast from two through nine is the real difference between “fun season” and “championship threat.”

If you like smart Cubs talk with real emotion, subscribe, share this with a Cubs fan who needs a place to land, and leave a quick review so more people can find us.

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney

PRESENTED BY THIRSTY VAQUERO - Something changed after the trade deadline, and you can feel it right away: the Cubs rip off a 6-1 week, the vibes swing from survival to belief, and the roster suddenly looks like it’s built for meaningful October baseball. We’re not doing empty scoreboard hype either we talk through what actually drives a post-deadline surge, why the new arms matter, and how confidence spreads when the clubhouse sees real investment and real depth.

Then we get loud about Pete Crow Armstrong. We break down why PCA’s value is bigger than a hot streak: elite everyday defense, game-warping range, timely power, and the kind of presence that can keep the Cubs near the top of MLB runs scored even when other regulars aren’t posting monster OPS numbers. We also tackle the MVP debate head-on, including how voters think about Shohei Ohtani versus a true every-inning position player who impacts both sides of the game.

From there, we dig into Kevin Gausman as a potential Game 1 starter and why his aggression and tempo fit a defense-first team. We map the path to catching Milwaukee, debate Pedro Ramirez versus Ian Happ for playoff lineups, and talk bullpen roles with Palencia’s return looming. The back half hits home with a Father’s Day makeup game story that turns into a tribute, and a reminder that baseball is sometimes the healthiest distraction we’ve got. If you’re a Cubs fan who wants analysis with real emotion, hit play, then subscribe, share the show, and leave us a review.

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney

The trade deadline is where Cubs fans either spiral or lock in, and we’re choosing lock in. After a long, weird, very honest solo ramp-up about what it feels like to live pitch-to-pitch with a team that can actually win, we bring on Brian Smith from Baseball America, the most plugged-in Cubs prospects voice you’ll find anywhere online. If you’ve been staring at prospect lists, worrying about who we shipped out, and trying to figure out what the Cubs just told us about their future, this conversation is built for you. 

We dig into the moves that matter: Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, Tyrone Taylor, and the prospect cost that triggered the loudest reactions. Brian breaks down Jefferson Rojas with real nuance, explains why some “Top 100” guys are more tradable than fans think, and names the true untouchables in the system from the Cubs’ point of view. We also get into why certain bats get squeezed on a high-payroll roster, how catching value changes everything, and what it means when the front office prioritizes October innings over long-term WAR debates. 

Then we zoom out to the big question: what did we learn about Jed Hoyer as a leader and a buyer? Brian’s answer is sharp, and it paints a clear picture of how the Cubs may use their farm system to keep the major league roster winning year after year instead of riding a rebuild roller coaster. If you care about the Cubs trade deadline, Cubs prospects, farm system strategy, and the playoff push, hit play, send this to a friend who’s melting down in the group chat, and then subscribe, share, and leave a review so we can keep doing this all season.

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney

Trade deadlines are supposed to deliver one clean answer. The Cubs went the other direction and that’s why this one is so interesting.

We sit down right after the buzzer to talk through what Chicago actually did, why it fits the roster, and where it could blow up. Kevin Gausman is the headliner for us, not because he’s some mystery ace, but because his profile finally matches what the Cubs do best: convert contact into outs with elite defense. We dig into how his fastball-splitter approach works, why the mental side of committing to two pitches matters, and what changes when you pitch at Wrigley Field with real gloves behind you.

Then we get into the swing-for-the-ceiling move: Clay Holmes. He’s coming off a broken fibula, he’s heading into free agency, and his best version can tilt a postseason series with ground balls and ugly at-bats. We talk risk, timeline, and how the Cubs can deploy him without rushing. On the position-player side, Tyrone Taylor gives Craig Counsell a real weapon vs left-handed pitching, and we’re honest about what that means for lineup decisions down the stretch.

Finally, we unpack the emotional gut-punch trade: Moises Ballesteros out, Ryan Zaverishan in. The Cubs get a controllable, high-strikeout bullpen arm, but we also lay out the pressure test that comes with walks and late innings in Chicago. Braxton Garrett rounds it out as a long-odds upside play that might pay off later. If you care about the Cubs trade deadline, the MLB playoff push, and what wins in October, you’ll want this one. Subscribe, share it with a Cubs fan, and leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney

If you watched the Cubs light up Paul Skenes and thought, “Okay, this is different,” we’re right there with you. That game isn’t just a fun highlight. It’s evidence the Cubs offense can hit elite pitching, which is the whole point of October baseball. So we stop hand-wringing over being seven back and ask the only question that matters with the MLB trade deadline looming: what move actually raises our World Series odds?

We get specific on what has to change in the rotation and what can’t keep happening, including a blunt take on Jamison Taillon’s role in games that matter. Then we lean into the optimism that’s earned, not imagined: Shota Imanaga’s steady run, Matthew Boyd looking locked in, and the real possibility that internal bullpen reinforcements like Ben Brown, Daniel Palencia, and Hunter Harvey can reshape the late innings by September.

From there, it’s deadline strategy with names, priorities, and trade-off debates. We talk Joe Ryan, the temptation of “club control,” and why Tarek Skubal is the kind of pitcher you push chips in for if you want to win a playoff series against the Dodgers, Braves, or Brewers. We also hit the Matt Shaw conversation, why prospect value only matters if it helps you win now, plus a quick Cardinals series look and a nod to James Triantos getting his moment. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan, and leave a review, then tell us: what’s the bold move you want the front office to make?

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney

A longtime Cubs reporter accidentally fires off a tweet that was never meant for the public, and suddenly we’re not just talking about baseball. We dig into the Bruce Levine “Twinkle D/Twinkle Dumb” moment, why it’s so funny, and why it also taps into a real tension around Cubs media, Marquee Sports Network, and what fans expect from people who “cover” the team.

From there, we pull the camera back and get honest about how the info ecosystem actually works. Carl revisits his own Yu Darvish reporting fiasco, the kind of sourcing win that can still turn into instant internet jail if the timing goes sideways. It’s a perfect trade deadline backdrop, because the Cubs are good enough to make everyone desperate for answers, rumors, and accountability, even when the truth is messy.

Then we finally get on the field. We talk about the case for the Cubs as a legit top-five offense and top-tier defense, and what that could mean in a postseason series. We run “Ball Or Strike” on the Aaron Civale trade as a very Jed Hoyer move, debate whether Pete Crow-Armstrong is stacking one of the best all-around Cubs seasons in decades, and get real about how hard 40-40 becomes when September pressure hits. We also unpack Craig Counsell’s “just make the team better” comment and what it signals about urgency inside the building.

If you’re into Chicago Cubs analysis, MLB trade deadline talk, PCA hype, and the weird little off-field stories that tell you what’s really going on, this Friday drop is for you. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, share it with a Cubs friend, and leave a review so we can keep doing this every week.

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney