A 5-0 hole in the second inning usually feels like a death sentence, and with how the Cubs have looked early, it also feels like a shortcut to a bad mood for the rest of the day. Then Sunday happened. We talk through the comeback win that stopped the bleeding after a frustrating Pirates series, why it genuinely felt like our “mentals” got saved, and what it would actually take for momentum to become real instead of just a nice Sunday memory.

From there we get honest about the bigger anxiety hanging over a 7-8 start: the schedule gets harder fast. We head into Philadelphia, we’ve got the Mets coming, and the Dodgers are on the horizon. That’s where the Craig Counsell conversation hits, because the team still feels too quiet, too flat, and too reliant on “it’ll turn around” without showing us the spark first. Joey Molinero joins us and brings the perfect comp for Cubs expectations right now: The Last Jedi. Big hype, early warning signs, and the fear that you might wake up in June and realize you’ve been telling yourself stories.

We also run a full slate of Ball Or Strike on the stuff Cubs fans are arguing about every day: Matt Shaw playing first base in extras, Pete Crow-Armstrong struggling vs lefties and whether he should hit ninth, Miguel Amaya potentially moving up in the lineup, and the Michael Busch alarm at first base. We hit the bullpen health, Ben Brown’s wild pitch problem, and why roster depth suddenly feels thin. We even detour into Marquee broadcasts, commercials, and why the Ross and Rizzo podcast is a reminder of what the 2016 Cubs had that this group still needs.

If you’re watching every night and feeling every swing, you’ll feel right at home here. Subscribe, share the show with a fellow Cubs fan, and leave a review so more maniacs can find us.

Thanks for tuning in! 

- Carl & Mahoney