Latest / North Side Territory: A Chicago Cubs Podcast / The Kyle Hendricks decision

Transcript

The Kyle Hendricks decision · North Side Territory: A Chicago Cubs Podcast

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: What kind of role is Kyle Hendrick's gonna have here,
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: like out of the bullpen. I just don't buy that
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: if you can impact this team there.
• 0:10
  Speaker 2: Welcome into north Side Territory.
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: I'm your host, Sahadev Sharma with my partner Patrick Mooney.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: We both cover the Cubs for the Athletic and we're
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: here with you in the File Territory Network to talk Cubs.
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: Patrick rough weekend against the Pirates. The Cubs take the
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: first of three against Atlanta, but the big news was
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: given to us in pregame. Kyle Hendricks is out of
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: the rotation for the foreseeable future, at least for this series.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: We'll see.
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: The goal is to get him back in the rotation.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: Craig Council is very straightforward about these things. This isn't
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: the end of Kyle Hendrick's career. This isn't He's not
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: being buried, but he is a bullpen arm right now.
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: It's a It's one of those things that I think
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: we all kind of saw coming. I think we all
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: kind of saw that this wasn't working, but it's still
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: a little surreal to kind of accept that, Okay, Kyle
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: Hendricks is in a starting pitcher at the moment, and
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: they're actually going to use him in the bullpen.
• 1:13
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 1:13
  Speaker 4: I loved your lead to your story, and we're definitely
• 1:16
  Speaker 4: not going to get in the habit of just reading
• 1:19
  Speaker 4: sentences from the Athletic. But I loved how you sum
• 1:21
  Speaker 4: this up of when naming the most important and impactful
• 1:25
  Speaker 4: pictures in Cubs history, it probably wouldn't take too long
• 1:29
  Speaker 4: to get to Kyle Hendrix. I think that sums everything up,
• 1:32
  Speaker 4: like I would probably put John Lester and Jake Arietta
• 1:36
  Speaker 4: just slightly ahead of him. But right in that conversation
• 1:41
  Speaker 4: you got Greg Maddox and Fergie Jenkins as just Hall
• 1:45
  Speaker 4: of famers, just enormous bulk stats, but they don't have
• 1:50
  Speaker 4: twenty sixteen and obviously they'd done they did a lot
• 1:53
  Speaker 4: of stuff for other teams, and then I don't know,
• 1:56
  Speaker 4: we weren't.
• 1:57
  Speaker 3: Around for Mordecai Brown.
• 1:58
  Speaker 4: We covered, you know, the Cubs for long time, and
• 2:00
  Speaker 4: then you know, certainly I would say below Kyle respectfully,
• 2:05
  Speaker 4: with all due respect. You can say whatever you want
• 2:07
  Speaker 4: after that, but you have the Rick Stuttcliffe's, the carry Woods,
• 2:10
  Speaker 4: the Carlos Sombranos. I think Kyle's, you know, but you
• 2:15
  Speaker 4: can probably you know, count on one hand the pictures
• 2:17
  Speaker 4: you would put in front of Kyle, which is crazy
• 2:22
  Speaker 4: to think about when I think you referred to him
• 2:24
  Speaker 4: as the secondary piece in the riot answer train, and
• 2:27
  Speaker 4: that very much was how the Cubs absorbed him into
• 2:30
  Speaker 4: their system.
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: Yeah it was, was it Christian Villanueva, Yes, yes, he
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: remember that start he had for the Padres, that that
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: one season, that that April I believe, I can't remember
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: what year it was, but it was like, oh no,
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: did the Cubs get rid of this guy too?
• 2:45
  Speaker 4: Crli drag it down, Jed and the Okay, why did
• 2:47
  Speaker 4: you give up this?
• 2:48
  Speaker 3: Well, we got a pretty good third basement.
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: Don't worry. It's funny.
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: There's I mean, people are gonna want to reminisce right
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: at some point about Kyle Hendrix. But Jed Hoyer was
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: like he started to and then he was like, you
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: know what, I don't want to talk about him, like
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: it's in the past, like it's not done, and you
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: know what, like there are times this happens a lot,
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: and I know it feels like this is silly to
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: even say, but I wouldn't just rule out that he
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: bounces back. Maybe not for the Cubs, right, but like
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: he could put together quality seasons in the future. I
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: remember David Ortiz in twenty ten saying, this guy's career
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: is done, right, and then he went and got I
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: think he got two more rings after that, right. I
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: remember C C. Sabathia like maybe five years before his
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: career was done. It seemed like he was cooked. There
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: are great players have awful moments, awful stretches as very
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: well could be the end for Kyle Hendrix as far
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: as being a productive player in the Major League, especially
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: as a starter. I just I don't like putting finality
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: on something until it's it's truly done. I don't think
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: it like with Jake Arietta, it kind of felt like, yeah,
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: this this was already leading.
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: Yeah right.
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: It wasn't like he had put together a good season
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: in the very recent past. Right, Does it feel like
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: watching Kyle Hendricks like, I'm not sure how this is
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: gonna work. Sure, absolutely, I'm not gonna deny what our
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: eyes are telling us, right, I just I'm not going
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: to rule out that he has a bounce back or
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: or or performs at a at a relatively high level
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: again sometime in the future.
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: Here.
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: Here's the thing, Patrick, I don't know how you felt
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: after we left that that that pregame presser with with Counsel,
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: But I was like, what kind of role is Kyle
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: Hendricks gonna have here?
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: Like out of the bullpen?
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: I just don't buy that he he can he can
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: impact this team there. And I think maybe I was
• 5:04
  Speaker 1: rushing to judgment there or being too emotional about it, right,
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: because you know, Jed was pretty clear this guy first
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: time through the order like there's some success there. Talking
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: to some people around the team. It didn't seem like
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: he was being buried and he's purely mop up duty.
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: The reality is the bullpen isn't good enough to do that.
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: You can't just say like I have, like Craig Counsel
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: has these six options ahead of Kyle Hendricks. He has
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: to find out what he can do. Because I did
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: look up the numbers. He was dreadful in Texas, right,
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: But even with that first time through the order, it's
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: like a it's just a little worse than league average,
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: like a seven something OPS, right, but first time through
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: after that Texas game is below seven hundred OPS. Good
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: strikeout rate, good walk rate. I don't think he's going
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: to be facing nine hitters. I think Council is going
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: to be looking for him to get sick south maybe
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: uh here and there. He's going to put him up
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: against the you know, six through eight hitter or something
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: like that. Right, He's not going to have them face
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: the heart of the order. He's not going to have
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: them face their best lefties. I mean he's a smart
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: he's a smart manager, and he knows matchups, and he's
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: going to find matchups for him. He's going to find
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: his pocket, right.
• 6:23
  Speaker 4: No, I think, uh, I mean, look what Mark letter
• 6:26
  Speaker 4: Junior's done, right, I mean he was not the starter
• 6:30
  Speaker 4: that Kyle Hendricks was. You know, maybe if everyone was
• 6:37
  Speaker 4: healthy and firing on all cylinders, this would be a
• 6:40
  Speaker 4: much more different conversation.
• 6:43
  Speaker 3: But they're not.
• 6:43
  Speaker 4: I mean, Porter Hodge, you know, it has a lot
• 6:48
  Speaker 4: of potential, but Council was pretty clear of like, this
• 6:51
  Speaker 4: is fast for him.
• 6:53
  Speaker 3: He needs innings, and by innings.
• 6:56
  Speaker 4: E thinks it certainly sounded like he thinks he needs
• 6:59
  Speaker 4: innings at a like not. I don't think he hasn't
• 7:02
  Speaker 4: pitched yet out of the cubs of bullpen.
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: Right.
• 7:04
  Speaker 3: So the other part too, is like Charlie Morton on
• 7:08
  Speaker 3: the mound for the Braves last night, Like that was.
• 7:11
  Speaker 4: A guy not that long ago that Kyle could look
• 7:15
  Speaker 4: at of like, oh he.
• 7:15
  Speaker 3: Had this rolling one year deal with the Braves, Like
• 7:18
  Speaker 3: he kind of reinvented himself.
• 7:20
  Speaker 4: He just kept kept going. You know, the younger pitchers
• 7:23
  Speaker 4: love having him around. He's reliable, big game experience, and
• 7:28
  Speaker 4: you know there's probably a conversation for down the road
• 7:31
  Speaker 4: of like, you know, would a different set of eyes,
• 7:36
  Speaker 4: you know, help Kyle, Like would just a kind of
• 7:38
  Speaker 4: a reboot somewhere else, kind of like how I remember
• 7:42
  Speaker 4: asking him this a couple of years ago, like how
• 7:44
  Speaker 4: Cole Hamill's came to the Cubs and you know kind
• 7:46
  Speaker 4: of just found this second life and kind of caught
• 7:50
  Speaker 4: caught fire for a couple of months there.
• 7:53
  Speaker 3: But for now.
• 7:54
  Speaker 4: I was surprised too when we were talking to the
• 7:57
  Speaker 4: dug out last night. You had done some reporting, and
• 7:59
  Speaker 4: you know, I think once we get that initial burst
• 8:02
  Speaker 4: of news, it's like, oh man, he's buried, he's mop
• 8:04
  Speaker 4: up duty, and it's like a countdown until he's done.
• 8:07
  Speaker 4: But you look at the other names in that bullpen,
• 8:10
  Speaker 4: like how many of them are you gonna trust? In
• 8:13
  Speaker 4: big moments against good hitters. There's a lot more doubt
• 8:19
  Speaker 4: now around Kyle Hendricks, but he's certainly proven it for
• 8:21
  Speaker 4: a really long time.
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, this bullpen is is an issue, right,
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: it's not. There's just so little you can point to
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: at the moment and say this guy is really trustworthy.
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: So there's almost no reason not to give Kyle Hendricks
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: a shot and see what he can do. I understand
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: the hesitancy of some fans. It's not your prototypical bullpen arm.
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: He's been a starter throughout his career outside of one
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: relief appearance right before the All Star Break in twenty sixteen.
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: And then I think he came out of the bullpen
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: at some point in a playoff game, maybe the Wildcard
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: game against the Rock. That sounds about right, Okay, And
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: that's it. And but you know what, I think, I
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: think he can handle it. I don't think there's any
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: doubt in my mind mentally and physically he can handle it,
• 9:23
  Speaker 1: like he can prepare for it properly. We'll see how
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: often he can be used. You don't You don't want
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: your bullpen with too many guys that can't be used
• 9:31
  Speaker 1: that often, right, Like if you have if you have
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: multiple pitchers in there that are down, that that are
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: down for like three or four days after they're used,
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: that's gonna be a problem. You can barely do it
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: with one, right. Yeah, And we saw where we're recording
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: this on a what day, Saday, Wednesday?
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: This morning? Tuesday night.
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: They you know, Javier assad only went four and two
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: thirds innings. It was a ten inning game. Council had
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: to use I believe five relievers. They pitched great. You know,
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: the bullpen is the reason the Cubs won that game probably, right.
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: I mean the sod Battle didn't have his best stuff,
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: Battled kept them in it, and then the bullpen shut
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: down a Braves offense that I guess isn't as good
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: as we all expected to be so far this season. So,
• 10:19
  Speaker 1: you know, a brief moment, some brief moments here of
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: like okay, what do they have with the bullpen, right?
• 10:25
  Speaker 1: And and what can they do with Kyle Hendrix to
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: help them maybe maybe not solidified, but at least fortify
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: for a little bit this group.
• 10:38
  Speaker 4: Yeah, and I think we could probably segue into the
• 10:43
  Speaker 4: Craig Council method here of you know, you hear things
• 10:49
  Speaker 4: at the introductory press conference when everything is amazing, and
• 10:52
  Speaker 4: then it's spring training in Arizona.
• 10:55
  Speaker 3: It's super relaxed.
• 10:57
  Speaker 4: Like you know, nowhere else you'd rather be that time
• 10:59
  Speaker 4: of year, and then the season starts and like, what
• 11:03
  Speaker 4: like half your pitching staff is on the injured list
• 11:06
  Speaker 4: whatever was it? Sixteen players I think, including position guys
• 11:11
  Speaker 4: since the start of the year, And okay, now we
• 11:14
  Speaker 4: find out a little more about like how Craig Council thinks.
• 11:16
  Speaker 4: And it's like one thing to say in Mesa, like
• 11:19
  Speaker 4: we pieced together twenty seven outs, and then you actually
• 11:23
  Speaker 4: see them do it game after game and you're like, okay,
• 11:28
  Speaker 4: and you were on this from the start. This idea
• 11:31
  Speaker 4: of like Council has a lot of credibility because it
• 11:34
  Speaker 4: worked in Milwaukee. And I don't know if whatever, ten
• 11:39
  Speaker 4: years ago, as a rookie manager, he could come into
• 11:42
  Speaker 4: Wrigley Field and done it this way. I mean, he's
• 11:45
  Speaker 4: certainly an accomplished manager, a smart guy, very good communicator.
• 11:48
  Speaker 3: Maybe it would have worked.
• 11:48
  Speaker 4: But at this moment he has just a ton of
• 11:53
  Speaker 4: credibility and if you ask players at Ben Brown, Haydden, Wiznsky,
• 11:57
  Speaker 4: We've written about this on the athletic. They're like, this
• 12:00
  Speaker 4: guy's won a lot of games, Like so you listen
• 12:02
  Speaker 4: to him, like he tells you where to go, and
• 12:05
  Speaker 4: you go there. And that is a big part of
• 12:09
  Speaker 4: this year with Kyle Hendrix of like we don't know
• 12:14
  Speaker 4: if it's gonna work, if if Kyle's gonna be able
• 12:16
  Speaker 4: to execute in those moments, but Council is going to
• 12:19
  Speaker 4: find those pockets, as you say, to see if if
• 12:22
  Speaker 4: he can make this work. And this really is a
• 12:28
  Speaker 4: day to day thing, and this trend has been building
• 12:32
  Speaker 4: for a long time. But I think any traditional baseball fan,
• 12:36
  Speaker 4: you know, we've had a lot of stories about this
• 12:39
  Speaker 4: sun the athletic, like the traditional starting pitcher matchup and
• 12:41
  Speaker 4: how that's kind of fading away a little bit, and
• 12:43
  Speaker 4: then the Areata Lester Hendricks Lackey Championship era. Then bring
• 12:52
  Speaker 4: in Cole Hammils and you darvish like that's kind of
• 12:56
  Speaker 4: how our brains are wired. But you know, counsel and
• 13:01
  Speaker 4: those coaches who show up, you know, hours and hours
• 13:04
  Speaker 4: before first pitch studying video getting their plans together. It
• 13:09
  Speaker 4: is very much in the moment and they have their
• 13:13
  Speaker 4: plan A. They hope to get a good start with
• 13:18
  Speaker 4: Shoda it's been awesome. Asad's been very very good. Tywne's
• 13:24
  Speaker 4: been very good as well. And then it's a lot
• 13:28
  Speaker 4: of kind of okay, well what is the other team doing?
• 13:31
  Speaker 4: What do we got tonight? And then it's kind of
• 13:34
  Speaker 4: improvising off there, and so that is something that we
• 13:38
  Speaker 4: just have to get used to.
• 13:39
  Speaker 3: Like, they're not gonna have the pitching probables.
• 13:42
  Speaker 4: They're probably gonna have some TBAs or tbds like regularly,
• 13:48
  Speaker 4: and maybe maybe things get healthy and things things sort out,
• 13:51
  Speaker 4: but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
• 13:54
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 13:54
  Speaker 1: I mean, I can't remember which GM meetings it was,
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: but I distinctly remember talking to Jed. It could have
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: been twenty eighteen, and you know, it was another playoff
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: run where pitchers had been used in a unique fashion
• 14:11
  Speaker 1: and the opener was becoming more more in vogue and
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: pitching like, the pitching was just really changing. And we
• 14:18
  Speaker 1: asked him about it, and it was basically like, I
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: don't see us really going I think regular season. You
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: still need starters, you need them to eat innings. Talk
• 14:28
  Speaker 1: to Jed, now, that's not how he talks about it.
• 14:30
  Speaker 3: No, No, you're right, you're right.
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: You got to figure out a way to just get
• 14:34
  Speaker 1: through every game and get through the season and put
• 14:37
  Speaker 1: it doesn't need to be five to seven starters. Obviously
• 14:41
  Speaker 1: it's not going to be five, but you know it
• 14:43
  Speaker 1: doesn't need to be seven or eight starters.
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: Get that put together, all those innings. It's just how many.
• 14:48
  Speaker 1: Pitchers can you can you accumulate over the course of
• 14:52
  Speaker 1: the season that can.
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: Get you through these things.
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: And I have to remind myself, you know, this is
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: I should have said this at the getting This is
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: a new podcast, right, make sure to subscribe and review
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: and and do all that good stuff at your wherever
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: you get your podcast from. But I feel like I've
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: said this a lot, but we haven't had the podcast,
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: so I haven't been saying it under but yet, like.
• 15:18
  Speaker 4: The press boss, your smuttering morning.
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: Uh, we we have to just throw out what we expect,
• 15:32
  Speaker 1: what we think should happen, what we cannot, like describe
• 15:37
  Speaker 1: our previous thoughts about pitching anymore. Craig Council is just
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: like you ask him questions like who what do you
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: what do you think about? Who are you going with
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: on this day? Like who you leaning towards, who's available,
• 15:49
  Speaker 1: who is available to him, right, Like if you would
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: have asked him in pregame yesterday, who are you leaning
• 15:54
  Speaker 1: towards for starting Thursday or beyond before Wix comes back?
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: Like who's filling Hendrix's spot in the rotation? He doesn't have.
• 16:05
  Speaker 1: I don't think he has an answer definitively. It's like
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: who am I using? Who am I using in these
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: next few days?
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: Right?
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: And and yesterday Tuesday he used with Nesky. Right, let's
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: see what happens Wednesday night. But if Ben Brown isn't
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: used tonight, I'd assume, you know, I think it's safe
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: to think that at least he's getting a few innings.
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: Maybe he maybe they go with an opener and then
• 16:27
  Speaker 1: switch to Ben Brown whatever, Right, But don't like starters, relievers,
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: set up men, closers like I think he even said
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: he like at one point when when al Zalai was
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: kind of removed from the closer's role.
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: Right, Uh, He's like.
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: Closer isn't a position, Like it's just pitcher. He's like,
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: I just need yeah out get it right? So, I
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: mean it's annoying at times. Right, It's like, man, I
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: just want to answer to my question.
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: Like he's not the closer anymore? Do you need a closer?
• 17:00
  Speaker 1: No, he doesn't. He needs someone to get him through
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: his innings and get out. However, he's going to put
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: that together. Like you said, he's earned the trust Ben Brown, literally,
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: like you wrote, study guys like Brandon Woodwrff and Corbyn
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: Burns how they were used. Wiznsky trusts him, the veterans
• 17:22
  Speaker 1: trust him.
• 17:24
  Speaker 2: We haven't.
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: Again, I feel like I've said this a bunch, but
• 17:29
  Speaker 1: six days, like a normal rest is four days rest.
• 17:32
  Speaker 1: That's not normal for Craig Counsel. It's five days rest.
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: Like he wants to get his starters more rest. That's
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: something that we need to continue to keep an eye on,
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: like just how he used it. I mean, it's all
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: gone to hell since the start of the season as
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: far as expecting anything traditional anyways, Right, it's just not
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: possible with the way things are, but even more so
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: with Counsel there.
• 17:56
  Speaker 2: And you know, I don't know how much.
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: Like I would in an alternate universe, I'd love to
• 18:03
  Speaker 1: see how another manager handles all this, right, Like I
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: it's like, how how much of an impact is he
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: having right now? How creative is he being? Like I'd
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: need to sit back and really look look at things.
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: But it does feel like at least there's a comfort
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: level with the players, feel a sense of comfort with
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: how he does things. You know, they may not agree
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: with every decision and not every move works out, you know,
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: like he pulled ti On at ninety two pitches on
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: Sunday and that led to.
• 18:37
  Speaker 2: A weird situation where you.
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: Know that one could argue that Tyon hadn't given up
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: a ton of hard contact to get him into that situation.
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: Another could argue that the wind probably saved him a
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: few runs. Right, But so so there's always there's always
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: going to be questions when the results don't line up.
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: But still I think it's it's been fascinating to fall
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: and watch and have him like he just doesn't have
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: Like I keep wondering, what's he gonna do here because
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: he just doesn't have enough.
• 19:08
  Speaker 2: But I will.
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: I've said this before the show to Patrick, but I
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: think we should give some props to Tyson Miller. This
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: was an afterthought of an acquisition. He's you can tell
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: by watching him that he's a tough at bat for Righty's.
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: He's faced a few lefties.
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: Here's what I love because the most irritating thing to
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: see watching a bullpen arm is seeing them walk guys.
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: I don't think he's walked a batter since joining the Cubs.
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: This is I've guaranteed jinxt him by bringing this up,
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: and he'll walk a guy's next outing. But he hasn't
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: allowed to run, hasn't walked about her looks like a
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: you know, at minimum, a guy that can get you out.
• 19:52
  Speaker 4: Yeah, and I think you know, he was drafted in
• 19:56
  Speaker 4: twenty sixteen when the Cubs did not have have their
• 20:01
  Speaker 4: highest picks because of the free agents they signed. But
• 20:05
  Speaker 4: for a fourth round guy like he, he was kind
• 20:07
  Speaker 4: of circled and it was this idea of like, I
• 20:10
  Speaker 4: believe this California Baptist, which at the time was a
• 20:13
  Speaker 4: Division two program, and you.
• 20:16
  Speaker 3: Look at his his size.
• 20:18
  Speaker 4: And his skills, and there was some projection involved there,
• 20:22
  Speaker 4: and you know, at that time, it was all about
• 20:27
  Speaker 4: you know, we're thinking of like the core air quotes
• 20:31
  Speaker 4: and like, you know, who who can they build around,
• 20:34
  Speaker 4: who who can supplement and sometimes you just need a dude,
• 20:38
  Speaker 4: like a good three weeks right, and like can you
• 20:42
  Speaker 4: kind of find that hot streak and put him in
• 20:45
  Speaker 4: the right spots and just kind of get through whatever
• 20:48
  Speaker 4: you have to get through. And certainly he is taking
• 20:52
  Speaker 4: advantage of this opportunity. You know, I think you see it.
• 20:58
  Speaker 4: It's like, Okay, it was a trade, but he was
• 21:00
  Speaker 4: also defaide. But I mean your understanding, right, is that,
• 21:03
  Speaker 4: like there were some intrigued teams given the state of
• 21:08
  Speaker 4: kitching across the baseball.
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: Industry, right, Yeah, from I talked to some people around
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: the league and they definitely this wasn't like someone that
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: like was. If he there would have been numerous teams.
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: Numerous teams tried to trade for him, and plenty of
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: others were hoping he'd clear. And the person I talked
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: to said, there was never a chance that he's like
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: those teams misread the market. If they actually thought he
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: was going to clear, you had to trade for him.
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: And Jake Slaughter is not like some impact prospect, but
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: he's not a non prospect either, So so the Cubs
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: had to give up something of value in a sense.
• 21:45
  Speaker 3: Yeah, And I think.
• 21:48
  Speaker 4: At this point, you know, if they have a few
• 21:51
  Speaker 4: ideas in the bullpen and if they can stabilize a
• 21:54
  Speaker 4: little bit, like this is gonna come back to the offense.
• 21:57
  Speaker 4: Right of like not you asking your bullpen to keep
• 22:04
  Speaker 4: winning close games and playing these high leverage laid in
• 22:10
  Speaker 4: in games like hit a three run homer once in.
• 22:13
  Speaker 3: A while, right, And I think.
• 22:15
  Speaker 4: The offense has become a topic of conversation.
• 22:20
  Speaker 3: And I thought it was interesting how.
• 22:24
  Speaker 4: Jed Hoyer, the president of Baseball Operations, said something like,
• 22:30
  Speaker 4: you know, if you look at our run scored, they're
• 22:35
  Speaker 4: actually higher than the Braves.
• 22:37
  Speaker 3: And no one is worried about the Braves offense. And
• 22:39
  Speaker 3: now both of.
• 22:40
  Speaker 4: Them are sort of middle of the pack now, but
• 22:42
  Speaker 4: the Cubs have scored more runs than the Braves. It's
• 22:46
  Speaker 4: just kind of the way they've gotten there has not
• 22:49
  Speaker 4: been like particularly reassuring at this point. But now that
• 22:53
  Speaker 4: you have Nico Horner and Dansby Swanson back in the lineup,
• 22:58
  Speaker 4: Seya Suzuki and Cody Bell, you're both healthy, it's gonna
• 23:04
  Speaker 4: come down to these guys, right, Like this has not
• 23:06
  Speaker 4: become a podcast about like the last guy on the bench,
• 23:09
  Speaker 4: and like why is he still like stars have to
• 23:13
  Speaker 4: be stars and we're not quite sure yet.
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: You know.
• 23:15
  Speaker 4: Eric Kratz, when we were on val Territory the other day,
• 23:20
  Speaker 4: was asking about, you know.
• 23:22
  Speaker 3: The thump in the middle of the lineup the pop
• 23:24
  Speaker 3: and he's like, and I don't want to hear Christopher Moreau.
• 23:26
  Speaker 4: And he made this like voice, like where Christopher Morrell apologists.
• 23:31
  Speaker 4: But that's how the Cubs look at it, right, Like
• 23:34
  Speaker 4: he does have that star potential, and they need Bellinger
• 23:37
  Speaker 4: has been playing pretty well.
• 23:38
  Speaker 3: They need Suzuki to get rolling.
• 23:42
  Speaker 4: They need Ian Hap to be closer to the player
• 23:45
  Speaker 4: they've expected, even out some of these you know, ups
• 23:49
  Speaker 4: and downs.
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I will say it was nice.
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: To see Ian Hap have quality contact Tuesday night. I
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: feel like I've been seeing that a little little bit more.
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: The results need to come more consistently. Obviously, I'm not
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: worried about Christopher Morrell unless he mentally gets out of
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: his game and starts chasing pitches and striking out a ton.
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: As long as he.
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: Sticks to what he's doing as the weather turns it
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: like like it was last night, he's going, I really think.
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: And I was not on the Christopher Morrell train, Okay,
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: I was not, so this this start has has really
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: changed the way I view him. Because he's not striking
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: out and he's walking a ton. I think he's going
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: to have a monster summer, Like he's going to have
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: a stretch here for like two months where it just
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: is like, oh, is this guy a star? And we're
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: going to start wondering that type of stuff off a
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: like is this guy like one of the you know,
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: top fifteen bats in the game type stuff like he's
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: he can impact the baseball and now that he's putting
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: it in play so often, Uh, it's it's different. It's
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: there's something to be excited there. Happy, Yes, he needs
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: to be better.
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: So I didn't. I didn't.
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: I haven't liked Suzuki's at past maybe the past two
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: three games basically since Skeens. He had some bad at
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: bats against Skiings. Wait did he play against Skeens. That
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: may have been the day he sat. It was the
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: first game against Skiens that I didn't like his hit bats,
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: I think, if I'm remembering correct, you don't like, say, okay,
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: he he had like he's having those half swings again
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: that kind of increached us out last summer.
• 25:31
  Speaker 2: But but he you know, I don't, I'm not.
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: He's he's not in his head anymore, at least from
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: what we understand. So so hopefully it doesn't linger any
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: and he gets back to being who we know he
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: can be. Uh, they obviously need a lot more on offense.
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: They they need to produce. Well, here's the reality there.
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: They have their fifteenth in runs scored, right, their average
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: offense by way to runs great at plus they're at
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: ninety nine. You know, that's basically average a good two games,
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: and they're a top ten scoring offense. You know, like
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: they they have a few good games, they put up
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: some numbers. It's it's really hard to judge a team
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: at this point, Like we're gonna be looking at this
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: and it's gonna vacillate back and forth. They have a
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: hot week, they face some week pitching. They have faced
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: some really tough pitching. I know, it's not it's not
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: the only excuse. You can't just use that as an excuse,
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: because you have to face good pitching in the playoffs,
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: so you know you have to hit good pitching at
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: some point. But all these guys are in a rut.
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: I am not too concerned about the offense. I will
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: say that I'm a little like I need to see
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: Ian Hap put together consistent, really strong at bats over
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: and over again.
• 26:46
  Speaker 2: You know what I mean.
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: You can't be once or twice here and there. But yeah,
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: I'm not. I think the offense could turn a corner soon.
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: You just like, especially if they have a I don't
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: think they have a run of really tough pitching here,
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: So hopefully we see that and they start impacting the
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: baseball in a different manner.
• 27:13
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm kind of I'm less bullish on the offense.
• 27:17
  Speaker 3: I feel like during these stretches, the great philosopher Anthony.
• 27:23
  Speaker 4: Rizzo always echoes in my brain of like, it's just baseball, man, Like,
• 27:27
  Speaker 4: you know, like things go back and forth. They have
• 27:30
  Speaker 4: faced some great pitching. I will certainly acknowledge that, but
• 27:37
  Speaker 4: when the bullpens kind of disorganized, and I get that's
• 27:41
  Speaker 4: kind of the essential nature of bullpens, But when that's
• 27:45
  Speaker 4: going on and the offense isn't really hitting, you're kind
• 27:50
  Speaker 4: of back in this like, you know, where are the
• 27:53
  Speaker 4: difference makers? Like who is going to carry this team
• 27:56
  Speaker 4: this year? Bellnger did it for long stretch last year.
• 27:59
  Speaker 4: Saya has shown he had those capabilities. Dansby and Nico
• 28:05
  Speaker 4: I think will be better the rest of the year,
• 28:08
  Speaker 4: But they haven't like really kind of blown us away
• 28:12
  Speaker 4: the way that you know, last year, things kind of
• 28:15
  Speaker 4: fit together and so and I'm also not like totally
• 28:19
  Speaker 4: sold on like the internal help because it's not like
• 28:24
  Speaker 4: they're plugging Alexander Canario in that lineup, and like pe
• 28:29
  Speaker 4: kro Armstrong, certainly, I think we both agreed. We've talked
• 28:32
  Speaker 4: about this off Arabs has been he has shown a
• 28:36
  Speaker 4: lot of maturity and a little more refinement to his game,
• 28:39
  Speaker 4: and as Jed said, he's gonna be here for a
• 28:43
  Speaker 4: long time, and I would not dispute that, But I
• 28:46
  Speaker 4: just don't know if like, where's the Schwarber coming up
• 28:52
  Speaker 4: in the middle of the year. I think in twenty seventeen,
• 28:55
  Speaker 4: it was around this time when Ian Happ came up
• 28:58
  Speaker 4: and he I think hit like wanty Homers that year, right,
• 29:01
  Speaker 4: or maybe that was a year after, but he was
• 29:02
  Speaker 4: like a productive offensive player for them. And I don't know,
• 29:09
  Speaker 4: maybe I'm wrong, but and maybe you know, people were
• 29:13
  Speaker 4: asking about Brennan Davis last night and sure, maybe he pops,
• 29:17
  Speaker 4: But I don't know, is counsel gonna trust that player?
• 29:22
  Speaker 4: Is you know, has how much has the league changed
• 29:25
  Speaker 4: since when like Schwarber came up and could just like
• 29:29
  Speaker 4: give the team an offensive jolt. So I think this
• 29:33
  Speaker 4: is now more looking like the group that they expected
• 29:37
  Speaker 4: when they you know, finished signing the Cody Bellinger contract,
• 29:42
  Speaker 4: and like, let's see, let's see what they can do
• 29:46
  Speaker 4: in warmer weather, in better hitting conditions, and maybe against
• 29:51
  Speaker 4: guys who don't throw like one hundred and three.
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: Right, And you know, Jed did kind of know it
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: wasn't like he was. I don't think someone like Brennan Davis,
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: Alexander Canario or Owen Casey who I like Owen Casey.
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: I think he can be an impactful bat at some point.
• 30:11
  Speaker 1: I'm not sure if he's fully ready, but I like
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: Jed did say, like when asked about those guys, we
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: we got to give our guys that are here more
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: of a leash, and and they got they have to build,
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: they have to show us what they can do. And
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: it's not you know, we're not at the point where
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: we're calling these guys up and benching regulars just yet.
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: You know, we're not looking for that, uh at this moment.
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: Brendan Davis, I will say, is on a tear. And yeah,
• 30:38
  Speaker 1: I talked to a hitting coach recently in the organization
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: who does believe it's real. Like he's turned a corner.
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: He's healthy, he's finally getting Uh, he's made some you know,
• 30:50
  Speaker 1: he's made some changes. A scout outside the organization warned
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: me about his in zone swing, and miss, I think
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: that has looked a little bit better over the last
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: couple of weeks. But that's you know, that's an that's
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: always an issue when you're swinging and missing it in
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: zone pitches a lot. If that's too high, uh, that
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: can be concerning. But if if he's if something's clicked
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: and and he's healthy, and he and he's confident, and
• 31:13
  Speaker 1: he's out there and hitting like he has been. Uh,
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: my guess is he's going to get a call at
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: some point, like he's gonna get Yeah.
• 31:23
  Speaker 4: There's gonna be more and there's gonna be an oblique strain.
• 31:26
  Speaker 4: Some's gonna run into a wall. They're gonna need just
• 31:31
  Speaker 4: a change for the sake of change.
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: Right, Right, And like you said, right, like so, Ian
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: Happ did hit twenty four home runs in twenty seventeen.
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: You know, Kyle Schwarber was impactful, Wilson Contreras was impactful.
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: I don't know if they have, like I I don't
• 31:47
  Speaker 1: disagree with you, right, they have really talented prospects. Maybe
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: Owen Cases that get guy, maybe Brennan Davis. Maybe they
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: can give you a hot month. I don't know if
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: they're gonna that jump happens anymore as often, right, like
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: we talk about the triple A to a major League
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: baseball jump.
• 32:05
  Speaker 2: The Orioles managed to do it.
• 32:08
  Speaker 1: That they they have something magic going on with their
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: hitting development.
• 32:13
  Speaker 2: I'm sure the.
• 32:14
  Speaker 1: Cubs would like to get a record number one draft picks,
• 32:17
  Speaker 1: right yeah, yeah, that helps too. The Cubs would certainly
• 32:22
  Speaker 1: like to get that reputation as well. So if if
• 32:24
  Speaker 1: if some of these guys can come up and impact
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: the baseball in a uh and and really you know,
• 32:31
  Speaker 1: give them a hot few weeks or a month or two,
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: uh that that could be. That could be the difference
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: between you know, making the playoffs, or making a deep
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: run of the playoffs, making having a higher seed in
• 32:42
  Speaker 1: the playoffs, whatever it is. Uh That that's how you
• 32:45
  Speaker 1: know good that That's what good teams, especially teams that surprise.
• 32:48
  Speaker 1: Jen says it all the time, right, good teams that
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: surprise they have young guys come up and impact the team.
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: That's what happened with Arizona last year. Uh So, I
• 32:58
  Speaker 1: you know, I when I say I'm bullish on the offense,
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: it's it's a lot to do with last year to
• 33:05
  Speaker 1: six and run scored, so I just expect more out
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: of them. So maybe maybe I should stop holding on
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: to last year. But that that That's where I'm at
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: right now. I think we can. I think we've covered
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: what we need to cover for for the moment. If
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: if people aren't aware, we're we're planning on doing three
• 33:23
  Speaker 1: podcasts a week, uh, we're well, we'll make sure to
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: cover every topic that you guys want.
• 33:31
  Speaker 4: Uh.
• 33:31
  Speaker 1: Where we're going to have some interaction with the fans,
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: We'll make sure to reach out. We'll figure out exactly
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: how we want that to work. Uh. We're going to
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: have interviews, uh with with coaches, with for ant office people,
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: whatever we can figure out what we're going to try
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: and make evolve this podcast into into something that fans
• 33:50
  Speaker 1: really want to uh, you know, make a destination multiple
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: times a week, and whether it's your drive to work, uh,
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: you know, your excuse to cut college classes, you know,
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: whatever it is. We we're going to try and keep
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: these episodes tight to like thirty ish minutes and make
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: sure you have something you can listen to on your
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: commute and get your you know, cubs fixed for for
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: the day. Thanks so much for listening. Patrick, I don't
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: know if you have something you want to I just.
• 34:21
  Speaker 4: Wanted to say thank you to the behind the scenes
• 34:24
  Speaker 4: crew at foul Territory. They've been great to work with.
• 34:28
  Speaker 4: They've been very supportive. They have like great ideas about
• 34:32
  Speaker 4: what we can do and that involves you, the listeners.
• 34:36
  Speaker 4: Some of those interactive segments that's a hot day have
• 34:38
  Speaker 4: just mentioned. So we will be at Wrigley Field, one
• 34:43
  Speaker 4: of us will be in Saint Louis, We'll both be
• 34:45
  Speaker 4: in Milwaukee at different points. Our coverage is really like
• 34:49
  Speaker 4: picking up here the deeper we get into the season,
• 34:52
  Speaker 4: and we're just super excited to have this platform and
• 34:56
  Speaker 4: a chance to talk ball.
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: Yeah, really excited to be back at it. Make sure
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: to subscribe, rate and a review. Uh We're We're available
• 35:05
  Speaker 1: everywhere that you can find podcasts. Uh so, so go
• 35:09
  Speaker 1: check us out in whatever form you'd you'd like. I'm
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: Sahadiv Sharma and that's Patrick Mooney. We we both write
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: for The Athletic. Make sure to check out our work there.
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: Thanks so much for listening. This is Northside Territory.
• 35:23
  Speaker 2: Take care