Dansby Swanson's grand slam powers Chicago Cubs blowout win over Pirates | CHGO Cubs Podcast

[Music] n [Music] [Applause] [Music] hey Chicago what do you say it's the chgo Cubs podcast and it's a w night we are in the winers Lounge luk STM Cody delmendo and Ryan Herrera with Joey running the ones and twos celebrate 18 runs and I will admit it did feel a little bit long even though they scored 18 runs the Cubs win and Cody they're back to the 500 Mark they are back to the 500 Mark for the first time in two days yeah it's better than saying the now can they get over the 500 mark it doesn't matter season's over Cody has declared the season over he's finally on board with that and so now I mean they should get over the 500 mark this series yeah I being honest like or should that be the new goal finishing the season over the 500 Mark I guess if if the season is technically over in your eyes just finish strong you know yeah like I don't want it to be like they finish strong don't make the playoffs and then it's like like there were obvious concerns with this team throughout the year that shouldn't go away even if they do finish strong but finishing strong giving themselves a chance like I mean better better than the alternative of not finishing strong you which is also possible it'd be better to see them finish the season above 500 and strong because of their easy their easy schedule I mean at the All-Star break they were like it it was very much noted by all the math nerds out there the ivy league nerds that the Cubs had like the easiest second half schedule in in the National League the rest of the way so like yeah they it would not that it really matters to me but like if you if they play well enough to finish over 500 great they should and then we'll sit here and say oh they should have won 95 games instead of you know 84 85 and miss out because you don't have a tiebreaker with whoever the hell you didn't pass so uh can't wait for that day I'm not trying to be a downer here I I also didn't get to do yesterday's show and I'm still mad about yesterday's show but they did win 18 to8 tonight the offense look good PCA looked awesome Amaya I'm I swear to God you know we might as well just assume maybe they injected steroids into them I don't know I don't care steroids are awesome bring them back um we're gonna talk about him in a second by the way we do want to give a shout out to all the new die hards out there uh today's die hards that are brand new Dennis Jake Aaron Rob and Patrick and DFW Susie says she's a double die hard now double die hard double die hard she's in Dallas double die hard signed up through Dallas D launch today is she gonna be a troll in the Rangers podcast YouTube chat is she gonna is she G to be like Omar in our chat maybe would be fun she gonna be the Dallas Omar that's gonna be her her handle Yeahs don't know how to develop players super spend money yeah except it'll be like something related to the Rangers Corey for a $2 Super Chat I'm still mad about that Marlin's loss it was about that loss Cody still be on board that there was be a hoper well they' be they'd be two games above 500 today it was an opportunity to sweep a bad team take advantage of it and yeah that's what has caused Cody to wave the White Flag that's it well and it it's not that I'm not happy they won 18 to eight they it's a it's a nice win Mitch Keller you know he's solid the fact that you hit off him today like that's good I coming off yesterday's loss with how bad the offense was I did not expect them to score 18 runs tonight um but I mean the Braves are destroying the twins right now and you need the brave like the two games the Braves lost last week as in yesterday and whatever other day that they lost is also the same days that the Cubs lost two so you didn't gain ground you went four- two and didn't gain ground so it's just like you needed to go five- one and to get to at least get over 500 going in this week and who knows if they win like eight or nine in a row like Brendan tweeted before the game sarcastically then perhaps maybe there's some life but like they it is not let you're not letting me finish you're not letting you're not letting me finish you're not letting me finish it's not even hope I'm just saying that like they have to sweep teams dude to to do that and they just like if you can't sweep the Marlins you can't sweep the Tigers you know I guess this is a great opportunity against this Pirates team that's been playing really bad in the second half you know and and then the Nationals this weekend the Nationals are are a a scrappy Bunch that just called up Dylan Cruz I I just don't see it I see them winning I could see them easily winning these two Series against these two teams but I just feel like it's just not going to be enough and it's their own fault that they dug themselves this hole so I'm not trying to like take anything away from what happened tonight and tonight's game was awesome we got to see some awesome developments and that's basically all we have left for the year so did you did you notice eight stolen bases I first time since no like I 1911 obviously we watched them steal a lot of bases but I I never added up to got to eight yeah the first time since 1911 you said yeah 1911 yeah I mean right there uh what don't remember what inning it was when PCA takes second and then takes third right like within 15 seconds it was like huh yeah think go was a good good day to steal on them uh and then I Ballinger got one Nico got one and hap got two I believe something like that I don't remember the other one is maybe seya I don't know I can't add up eight in my head but when I saw that tweet from Mega mon I was like what two for Hab one for her three for PCA one for Bellinger and one for seya there you go that that'ss up to yeah I mean they were that's kind of another thing that we talk about with this team is just with the they don't have a ton of just like gamechanging slug in the lineup like they have guys that could hit home runs or whatever but they don't have that like huge 40 home run guy on this team uh and so they do have to find more ways to manufacture runs when you don't when you can't consistently count on swing changing the game right um and so Ste stealing bases especially a guy like PCA I mean he's he leads a team in stolen bases now I think he's 26 for 27 or something like that um yeah I mean he's he's that's the kind of things that uh that this Cubs team needs to do offensively is is just continue to to push the envelope steal some bases you know take the extra base on a you know what would be a single pulling a guy away from second base take that extra base or go first to third whatever small things like that is is when you don't have the pop throughout the lineup uh small things like that goes a long way towards helping you score 18 runs and I mean even they had 12 before Rody Tes came in I think right so like they did put up a lot of runs without facing a position player it's not every night the Cubs have had two home runs in a game it's not every night they've had a grand slam from Dansby Swanson it's not every night that they've had 21 hits in a game but it is becoming more often that the bottom of the order yeah this is something to watch the last month of the Season that Amaya and PCA continue to get it done that might be the thing we watch for the next four weeks that might be the thing to focus on that and call-ups when it happens but like seeing that continue or at least stay on a good level would be a positive way to finish off the season if you can finish this season on a positive note without making a playoff yeah and um I put a bunch of stats together Joy you got those I we were like scrambling up to the m update them every five minutes because they bed again in the ninth um so I believe these are correct but so this is p car Armstrong since July 27th right around the time when um you know he did a little mechanical adjustment added a leg kick that very obviously very noticeable um and so this is his last 27 games I love that picture of him yeah uh he's hitting 311 he's got a 927 Ops 15 RBIs 15 runs 13.1 uh strikeout rate 13.1% strikeout rate in eight stolen bases and I believe this is over like 906 or seven plate appearances so a pretty solid sample size actually it's over 99 so pretty solid sample size for him it's not and I wrote about this like I wrote about this with Amaya but also like with the PCA I've talked about this like one really strong stretch doesn't make a great career obviously uh but these are like the improvements that we've been kind of waiting to see out of Pete um you know even since last September when he came up and and struggled at the plate earlier in the year when he came back up struggled at the plate but it was always kind of like a like a the people that were that were calling him a bust and giving up on him like in June was always crazy to me it's like the dude's 22 years old he's gonna it's gonna take some time for him to to to just get acclimated to the big league level to be able to start hitting at the big league level and over these 27 games he's you know he's the bats come around and the goal as you said over the last month like that's the goal is to see that continue to see him you know not go through another long stretch of struggles but like this has been a really strong stretch that gives you a lot of hope that he's starting to kind of figure it out over here at the big league level U and then same thing with Amaya we got Amaya stats as well Joey do do we got those I'll be honest I had given up on Amaya a lot of people did as well I'm not I'm not gonna lie I I I didn't I didn't I didn't think it was going to work out yeah I didn't I I just said that well maybe I said that maybe he's at you know a backup but I didn't say that they should DFA him yeah well so here's a m no I never said DFA either well you said you gave up on him basically I gave up on him being like a really good catcher like he was their top prospect at one point correct okay so then maybe we were around the same level but and and and frankly this is a great stretch that Ryan's gonna tell us about but it also doesn't eliminate the rest of the season yeah know that that's with both of them it's like just you got to continue on the path so Joe can we bring those back up please right as I was about to go um so this is Miguel Amaya since July 7th it's his last 31 games obviously the stretches of like the dates are different because yeah the All-Star break in there he Miguel Maya doesn't play every day as a catcher um but this is his stats since July 7th which is right after he uh they gave him like a three- game break work on his own mechanical adjustment eliminated the leg kick uh more of a he lifts the front heel a little bit of a wider base that kind of stuff um but since then 352 average 991 Ops 20 RBI 15 runs 11.9% strikeout rate and five home runs again another guy that you're looking at I think he's at like a 100 plate appearances that stretch for him um another great 101 plate appearances another really great stretch from a guy that you need to see that out of that we' been waiting to see it out of because earlier in the year it was it was him Jan Gomes even Tomas Neato when they got him wasn't like the the the the numbers from the catchers the numbers from the catchers were like among the worst in baseball and obviously he was a of but now you're seeing over this last mon and a half his last 31 games that he's made an adjustment and that's helped things click for him at the plate as I say with Pete you want to see that continue over the last month of the year but it's another great stretch where you're like this guy's 25 years old he missed a lot of time developing the minor leagues like it was going to take him some time to kind of start figuring things out at the big league level and this is a sign that that's starting to happen it's just you a nightly basis when they win you see what a difference two home runs in a game can make for a team you see what a difference the bottom of the order doing this could have meant if it was happening All Season or half of the season right or Dansby showing you some power seya showing what he had four more hits tonight didn't he Suzuki I he was like four for six yeah I think so so I mean those are things that have kind of been missing all season long in in definitely in large sections so yeah it's nice to see it in one game but you can see how each one of them would have impacted this season had they gone the other way yeah I mean in relation to to Pete and Miguel you know everyone talks about Amaya's batting stance change he took away the big leg lift or whatever and it's more of like a toe tap now it's he like lifts the front heel yeah it's like not not much of a stride it's a wider base and kind of uses the hips a little bit more I think is what it looks like you have that and then you know I think Pet's is a little bit like you can't even like really tell nearly as much but I feel like he just is a little bit more set at the plate doesn't move the bat nearly as much as he did um but I also I think for Pete it's it was always all about just him getting the abats like he had to get the abats and like this is how the Cubs are going to have to do things with some of these other guys too maybe it won't take nearly as long with guys like Shaw and and whoever else because they're I think they're more established offensively than they are defensively and PCA for sure coming up was more about defense and the speed and you had we were we question the offense but this is all part of the process of going through it with these young guys and you know that's why I I didn't waver on him either so it's these are these are the two dudes that I'm paying attention to this last month whoever else they call up any of these other young pitchers whatever like this is this is what they need this is I I know no one will care if the games matter or not in some ways they do matter because they are technically still in the race um and and we've seen crazier things happen but uh yeah like they these two things happening is a massive development here in second half the season so you know I'm I'm happy for both of them because this team was just so hard to watch play offense before they got you know started hitting well or at least at some sort of League average level and to see them take those adjust adjustments and and show results we'll talk more about them we'll talk about the Drew Smiley DFA move that happened tonight as well waivers waivers excuse me uh waivers same thing facts facts don't let facts get away first Tight money line splits that's facts tight moneyline splits Cody those are facts tight moneyline splits yeah where you get them at Circus Sportsbook I had uh in half to get two total bases tonight he got in his first two bats he he almost had a homer tonight too you guys know that Ian H's from Pittsburgh what yeah you didn't know that Ian I don't think they've ever said that made that connection before yeah Ian ha's from Pittsburgh I and and if you didn't know chat Ian ha's from Pittsburgh you know um and that's why I took him on cira tonight and it won me some money um you know you could have bet the Cubs tonight I bet the the line wasn't too bad but I bet they had the best odds on Circa because they strive to have a minus 110 split on their menu unlike other sports books which may use minus 115 or minus 120 splits uh they keep as little money as possible in large Market bets especially compared to other books they don't limit players based on their winnings either every player has the same limits unlike other books who do limit winning players they encourage bers to download and explore all sports betting apps available so they can so they can compare the lines from each sports book there are real people behind their brand who resolve issues in a timely fashion as well unlike other books who use chatbots all aspects of the app are being ran by the same team that runs the main circus sports book as Circle Resort and Casino in Las Vegas so download the circus Sports Illinois app at Cirus sports.com Illinois apppp to sign up today also be on the lookout for circa events watch parties and tailgates we got our takeover friday10 Club coming up not this Friday but the Friday after September 6th yeah we only got four Friday 120s technically left uh they hang out with us there um shout out to them for doing that if you're someone you may know may have a problem with gambling call 1800 Gambler or text GB to 833 234 or visit really or visit areil winning.com shop summertime savings going on now at Ray Chrysler Dodge Jeep and RAM and save on the perfect new vehicle for you this August score new lower prices across their huge inventory taken during the make this The Summer Event for a limited time get 0% financing for 36 months on most of their new 2024 Jeep models or shop more than 125 Vehicles priced under 20 grand let the amazing team at Ray cdjr help you during each step of your car shopping Journey with rais price promise the numbers you're hearing on the podcast what you can expect to shop in stor and online that's because rais price promise means no price changing no add-ons and no hidden fees and since they prioritize a affordability for their customers hurry into Ray cdjr today and Shop one of the Chicago area's largest inventories then drive home with more money in your pocket than you'd expect so if you're in the market for a new vehicle then you got to check out the team at Ray Chrysler Dodge Jeep and RAM because they are the only team we recommend visit them today on Route 12 in Fox Lake for more information visit Ray cdjr in Fox Lake or Ray cjr.b 1963 I was thinking of Route 12 uh condolences to our buddy uh Danny rocket his mother passed away last week so he's going through a tough time so a lot of cubs fans know Danny shout out to him he's been on our show lot think about yeah oh yeah done couple songs couple Jingles for us um and he's he's a good Cubs fan um yes Drew Smiley was placed on waivers not DFA today yeah so uh placed on waivers not designated for assignment so like he could actually still continue to play for the Cubs like he could pitch tomorrow or something until like the process is resolved um it is irrevocable so he if if another team claims him um he's with the other team like some Contender claims him whatever um so where he to not get claimed on waivers I believe he would like I believe it's like the hector ner situation where he was uh placed on waivers uh like a Saturday I think it was then didn't get claimed and then whatever the next game was that first game against the Tigers I think um he was designated for assignment and released I would believe it's like the same situation where he's getting put on waivers now if no one claims him the Cubs May look to designate him for assignment Smiley um and maybe release him in the same vein but for now it's it's just waivers it's not a designate well this would be a nice way to dump some salary if that's what they're looking to do that's what they're looking to do oh okay part of it it has nothing to do with it uh yeah it's like it's like say that most likely not no they would not but wink let's just let's just be honest about it all right that's what we're here for right right this isn't Marquee shout out to those guys love you how let's just be honest all right so here's what I was thinking it was great the Cubs scored 18 runs we had aay that was great PCA was great great to see and also like I I gave those stats but like Amaya was four his first four hit game tonight right ever his first three hit game now he's got his first four hit game four RBI like PCA was three for five with like two runs obviously had three stolen bases and like May was on five times because he got hit by a pitch yeah so the number eight and number nine hitter in your lineup like and then Craig C has talked about that too how just having those two guys at the bottom of the order playing like hitting the way they have been for so long like how that just overall lengthens the lineup impr proves the lineup I think I think you've seen that over the last month plus just the offense looks overall better they still have their games like Sunday but um it just overall has looked better and you can attribute a lot of that to those two guys at the bottom of the order you know just lifting up the rest of the lineup yeah I mean I think with you know with whether it's Amaya or you're talking about Pete I thought what what Pete's like full value that you could see and if if you know if he becomes a 20 to 25 home run guy awesome you know you hit four you hit Homer the other day 437 feet that sure shows the potential of a guy who could hit 20 to 25 homers but I think it was whether it was the second or third inning I it was early in the game and he I think it the Cub's first run scored gets a two-out hit gets on first then steals second and then hap drove him in then the next time he was up he got he started the inning with a hit and then he stole second and then stole third and unfortunately in that inning the Cubs didn't score and if they would have lost this game I would have looked at that inning at why they lost the game but they didn't lose obviously but like the what I'm getting at here is like this guy is showing that he can in the last handful of days he can hit the ball over the fence he can he can run around the bases in less than 14 seconds uh and if he gets on base he's just such a thre threat such a threat puts so much pressure on the defense and so you're just seeing all the different things that he can do and the Cubs just don't really have a guy like that you we we sit here and talk about how the Cubs don't have any stars but this he's playing at a pace of like a star level type guy PCA is in my opinion and like I know it's not even been a full month I understand that but if he plays like this all the way through September you can't sit here and look at me with a straight face and tell me going into 2025 that we shouldn't buy stock well you definitely see the potential compared to what we've seen prior to this right like this is the best resume he has for listen I am the guy yeah versus the other stuff Jake uh Bowski was in on the chat earlier friend of the show and he said we've seen a lot of guys flash at the end of the season and then fizzle off the next year talking about Amaya did we think this is holding power I don't know uh you know as far as PCA goes and you do have to worry about that with Amaya because the sample size the other stuff is bigger than this is but PCA was drafted in 20 and it got me thinking they're GNA face skin on Wednesday versus Henrik if you went back and redrafted took all the guys in the last five years worth of drafts who would go one who would be the top five picks if you took all those because there have been some great young players to come out of the last five drafts ready if you went back so let's just do a little exercise you got we'll take 12 guys we put on the list adley Rutman Bobby Whit Jr skin gunar Henderson Jackson holiday Corbin Carroll Henry Davis South frck Jackson Merill PCA Garrett crochet Mason went got a pretty good list how should we redraft this if we're going to go today and we have the first we can the first five picks how would teams do it today if they had all of those players from the last five years I I'm fairly sure that Bobby Whit Jr would be number one but I could be wrong he'd be my first pick in that I I mean he's the most proven I think's most proven I mean he's probably gonna finish runner up in the AL MVP race this year um yeah he's Bobby Wht for me is is the top of that list out of those 12 names I think for me there's no debate like Bobby Wht Jr would be my top pick we good are we all good with that is there anybody else or do you want to go PCA PCA PCA PCA well I'll go PCA PCA PCA no I mean I think if you were going to take a pitcher number one to me it would be SK yeah it's just how high do you take a guy that's not an everyday player Jake said the same thing he would go with Skin's Gunner so do you think skin goes as high as number two I do and I think croche makes a good argument too because he's like I know he was out because of Tommy John last year year but he's came back this year and he despite being on how like being having the defense behind him that's not good and uh you know all the issues that they have in with the white sock like crochet has been one of the best pitchers in the American League I think the injury history for me would scare me offed a left scare me off top five that he'd had the injury problem so that's why I would I would say Whit now I could I could argue skes too I think I think what rushman also makes a good argument I mean catcher is such an important position I I think I go rushman number two I think I number I think I think I would I think those four like I I said wit is my number one in that list but then between SK Aly Rutman and gunar Henderson is like the next three for me I also think you know Jackson Merill or Corbin Caroll also I think personally after watching him postseason and pound the Cubs last year there's a lot of great names on there I I think Corbin Carroll would earn a top five pick for me yeah Pete realistically Pete's not going to be on here because it's only been a hot month but you canot you can obviously see the intangibles the tools that PCA has that is the reason that we put him just in the discussion with this because if he does reach if he does blossom the way that he projects or how he looks he could be just as good as some of these young outfielders he he we could be sitting here in a year and a half or even just this time next year and comparing his numbers and Corbin Carroll's numbers and comparing and debating with the guys at pH andx who's better okay legitimately they're both very similar players I just think PCA is a better Defender but Corbin Carrol's also fast he also a left-handed hitter he also has some power you know like he's he leads off for the for the Diamondbacks for most of the most of the time I I know he struggled the first couple months of the season but but he's he's been he's the reason that the Diamondbacks have just been scorching High here in the second half in my opinion so um yeah and Mason win he's gonna finish top five in in Rookie of the Year this year short stop but yeah is he in the top five of this like quote unquote draft now but he he has like there's so much it's really hard I I don't know why we have South freck and Henry Davis in here personally but that's just me but the rest I thought you threw those names out maybe Ryan did I didn't you said Henry d right just said that he was the first overall pick in 2021 but I mean he has very put 12 names in there 12 names so an hypothetical off what it's always hypothetical yeah off of what Cody is saying what if PCA had done this for three quarters of the Season what if he had started slow but in like late may we started to see this guy would would he have would he be creeping into the conversation for you well the record better if this guy that we're seeing now though does this for a year yeah I mean it will be challenging for him to do this over a full season like just the numbers he's put up in this last 27 game stretch but like if he's we're talking about like a 110 WRC plus guy considering what he's got what he does defensively and on the base paths that's a that's a pretty valuable player in my opinion so like and then anything better than that just just extra gravy on top of it right so yeah I mean I definitely think you'd feel more confident in PCA just be just because that stretch would be longer than about a month but um again like when when like before this stretch started like Allstar break like me I wasn't NE I wasn't worried about PCA I knew he's 22 years old like I said like it was going to take time I didn't think he'd be hitting like this over a 27 game stretch but um it's again it's a sign that he's starting to figure things out at the at the plate and you know even he doesn't put up these numbers over an entire year like I think he can still be a good hitter over an entire year right and make you feel even more confident about it if I had to make a pick out of the top of all those draft picks it wouldn't even be a player if I had to do a player Joey I'd be picking my favorite beverage some beers could say they're brewed for baseball but only Blue Moon is brewed by baseball beer and baseball just go together and no beer goes better than the one that was literally born in a ballpark blue moon created at corfield in Denver it's the Natural Choice all season long summertime shy holy cow it's going to be 98 tomorrow what does that scream get the blue moons out of the fridge and start slicing up the oranges give me a blue moon to cool off nothing beats watching baseball but well maybe lounging by the pool with a blue Moon's not so bad either an ice cold one blue moon was brewed by baseball to give you a dose of nostalgia and get you excited for a new season a beer this good only comes around once in a blue moon but you can enjoy it all season long bring the ballpark to you with blue moon Belgian style weeda it's oneof a kind every time get Blue Moon delivered by visiting get. Bloon beer.com chgo to see your delivery options that's get. Bloon beer.com chgo Blue Moon made brighter celebrate responsibly Blue Moon Brewing Company Golden Colorado they will be flowing at our Bears tailgates this year absolutely possibly yeah let me tell you about rugged Road rugged road is dedicated to creating Innovative and durable outo outdoor gear for adventurers who demand the best their products are designed with the highest quality materials and craftsmanship ensuring they perform in the toughest conditions whether you're on land or water rugged road gear is built to accompany you on every Adventure one of the most unique features of rugged Road coolers is their ability to always float upright so you'll never lose a drink unlike other heavyduty coolers rugged Road coolers are incredibly light making them easy to transport on any trip without compromising on performance they're crafted to handle the toughest environments and their coolers are built to last ensuring they can keep up with any Adventure the coolers are guaranteed to keep their contents cool for up to seven days but oftentimes much longer than that and they're pretty versatile perfect for a variety of outdoor activities from fishing and tubing to camping and tailgating these coolers are designed to meet the needs of every outdoor or Sports Enthusiast so Gear Up for your next adventure with rugged Road coolers the reliable durable and built to be used rugged road is your ultimate outdoor companion head to rugged Road outdoors.com and use code CHD for 10% off that's rugged Road outdoors.com code chdo for 10% off fill it up with blue moon can't go wrong float down a river can't go wrong what a to spend a day you know back to the smiley thing for a second we'll talk about some other stuff that's been happening with the Cubs but do you like the message that sends are you okay with that that's a to me that's a white flag like we're talking about waving the white flag and I know you you said listen realistically it's down below 2% but stranger things have happened do you like the message that sends to The Clubhouse we're we're trying to save a few Buck here there's no question that Drew Smiley in the bullpen makes it a better Bullpen right yeah he's been he's been solid even if they're not all high leverage Innings like he's been pretty good this year for him I also want to see Daniel Peno though and he's a lefty you know I mean I it's the Cubs telling you we've moved on we know we're not making it we got to see these guys like whoever they call up I expect to be a young arm that you know they have some that has some upside that they they that they have that they foresee a future with this team and I would rather see that I it's it kind of goes back to brags and and and the Bears guys arguing should the Bears tank or should they try to figure out how to win you know what I mean like what in that year when they ended up L luckily getting into the number one pick you know what I mean like I'm not sitting here saying I want the Cubs to tank the rest of the year they're too talented of a team to lose every game the rest of the year but give me a reason to watch Jack ne's here gave up a homer tonight he was good in his last appearance I'm interested in what he's doing I'm glad that he got in there because eventually I hope Craig Council puts him in there in like the sixth or seventh inning of a one or two-run game and and you see something that makes you think okay maybe this guy can do it because you're seeing in in a big situation he's come out in like blowouts that's when he's come out Ethan Roberts it's been the same thing anytime he's com out he's gone like over a week without pitching a couple times he only only he usually only comes out low leverage and not this Sunday but the Sunday before against the Blue Jays it was one to nothing and he came out and pitched and I want to say that's probably the highest leverage I've seen him pitch since he came back up to the majors but this is the thing is I want to see these young dudes pitch in the in these big in these quote unquote big moments and I still think they are because again it's not like they're 20 games under 500 they are at 500 and they are they in the clubhouse at least they are treating it as like they're trying to make the playoffs they're trying to get hot they're trying to somehow some way get in there and so whether it's they're the Cubs telling you like the front office telling you that they're waving the White Flag or not I want to see young guys in important situations whether they are going to matter or not at the end of the day so I don't have a problem with being realistic to be honest with you I I personally don't care in general well I think with that your point that you want to see the the young guys in in like those spots like Craig is going to try to win every game he's going to try to go whatever it is 32 and but so so with a guy like Jack NE until he earns that spot you're probably not going to see him in high leverage spots I mean Porter hjj is is pitching in some of the most high leverage spots the Cubs have right now he's a rookie obviously um but he earned the trust of Craig Cil to pitch in those spots if Luke little was healthy um he may be also in the same position right so I I don't think it's about for for Craig Cil it's not about playing the young guys or not he's he's like they're 500 like he's still going going to try to win every single game so unless Jack Neely you know begins to earn those th those uh spots those High leverage spots uh you're probably going to see him more in in blowout type situations or they're down by a few runs whatever like that that's probably where you'll see him uh until he earns that spot sure um but by the way for to just to clear up exactly what the smiley situation is um this is from MLB trade rumors they did they did Place him on waivers as reported by Bob Nightingale um he has not been designated for assignment can't continue to play for Chicago pending res resolution of the wayer process the placement is irrevocable however so smiley would land with another team in the next two days if anyone places a claim if Smiley goes un claim the Cubs can keep him in the bullpen for the remainder of the season they do not need to release him or attempt to outride him to the minor leagues right so Braves like I said like he's waivers someone claims him he's with the other team somebody's been looking at it maybe uh that's in it will say we'll take it that's what they're counting on but if nobody claims him he's still with the Cubs and then they could they could decide to go to the hector nearest route designate him for assignment and release him in general again like is it on like when you zoom out does it look bad because it's like you're a big Market team and you're trying to get under the luxury tax I guess but you're also losing like if you're over the luxury tax you you lose out on certain draft situ like draft picks and stuff like there's there there are that's why they call called the luxury tax like you there are penalties of of going over and this team wasn't good enough to win the World Series this year so it's like why not try and get like why not try and not get those penalties taken away from you you know what I mean like that that's it is it's it's the it's professional sports man like this is different if we're talking about college or high school or something this is professional sports Drew Miley is in his mid mid-30s like and and I've given him a lot of credit this year he's been awesome I can't believe that they didn't find someone to take him before the trade trade deadline uh but you know yeah well teams might have known that this situation was coming possible and weren't offering anything they don't have to give anything up because later we can just get them on waivers and I will say like that's a that that is a good point obviously like with the luxury tax and like if you're not competing like maybe you try I think it's kind of damned if you do damned if you don't because if you don't do that obviously you're over the luxury tax and then then you you started that clock that penalty clock on a year that you weren't making the playoffs or whatever but on the other hand it's like you're giving up like experienced reliever like in a in a sense from the outside looking in like waving the white flag on the year when you're you're at 500 you're I think they might be five and a half games back against the Braves again right now uh I don't I don't know if the Braves won or not yet today they were winning nine to one when we came over so there you go it's probably still at five and a half which isn't like I know the playoff ODS are low but they're not at zero um so six and a half just because they don't have the time were winning when we came over here too and they're not anymore true but like I said it's probably it's probably like it feels like a damned if you do damned if you don't situation because either way either way you don't look good no matter which kind of Route you take if you're Jed Hoyer because at this point like the fact that they could be over the luxury tax in a year that they that in a year that's gone this way you know that that's it's in itself is a little bit of a bad look and then if you're giving up guys to get under their luxury tax then you're like well why you should be having to do that right now right it's he not a great Resume Builder no eligent spending I was told it's a situation he's not going to escape criticism for on either side yeah for sure uh I saw that after his return to Wrigley jav bayz done for the season hip surgery uh that goes well uh cam Smith number one pick already been promoted to South Bend after hitting a home run in what six straight games six straight games yeah six straight games and now he'll be in South Bend so there's a chance for you want to go see him in person live in Chicago it's not that far away I mean it's kind of like the matot situation right he hit so well right after he got promoted that he he finished the year in double a right last season so he was obviously forcing the issue down in Myrtle Beach and quickly got promoted H six homers in six days you're GNA get yourself promoted I'm asking for Casey Shaw triantos B B steros all to hit six homers in six days and maybe they'll get promoted although Brennan Davis basically did the same thing and was not and they waited too long and then he got hurt however the good news is he homered in Arizona rich rich uh beasterfeld had that for us yeah that he hit a home run in Arizona at least he's coming back but I can't believe he's actually playing to be honest like based off what was reported about the injury and everything right with like what they said the injury was I was like this guy's not playing the rest of the year and here he is so you know it's just the the Brennan Davis story has turned into just I hope the guy turns out to put together a career I don't think it will be with the Cubs but I just hope he puts somehow some way puts together a career so um yeah but well I mean I feel bad for him he was yeah he a top 100 Prospect he was the Cubs top prospect and all of a sudden his body out of nowhere his body's just completely failed injuries for this the third straight season right that's been affected by injuries like again remember we were talking about it like when we launched like oh we want to see Brennan Davis up by the All-Star break yeah we two and a half years later then I cried for it when he had like six home runs in seven days or whatever was like like what two months ago yeah I almost wept yeah right on the podcast please do it please do it the shot that's exactly what you did uh Rel in relation to cam Smith though it is it is cool to see this type of development from yet again another first round pick from the Cubs and this is why I I think we talk about this in many ways we talk about oh should we trade this guy and this guy so we can get you know let's throw some names out that we've talked about over the last two years Josh nayor Shane Bieber uh Tyler glass now the all Jordan Montgomery well that was a free agent sign whatever the N the list of names goes on and on the thing is if the biggest thing that as an organization or we as fans will never look back and give two shits if one guy goes on and does great great or is just good we won't give two shits if you just continue to develop and draft well on top of winning people look back at the canana trade and we say oh you should have you should have traded for Verlander or you know whatever the reason that we look back at it more often than not is just because not only did Ce go on to be like an ace type pitcher but you also didn't develop anyone on the farm to replace him that's the thing that's the yeah and that's like that's the place they're trying to get to we again we we bring it up with like teams like the Dodgers who just seem to continue to bring up prospects all the time because they draft well develop well Scout well and then you have you have your big money contracts but then it feels like the rest of the team keeps getting filled by young guys making their debuts I mean their pitching staff was decimated by injuries throughout this year and I mean I I don't know how many wins they have but they're you know they're one of the best teams in baseball still right so the point is is I'm not saying say you can't trade them all I'm not saying that we should just freely throw all throw byos and and Casey and Shaw and tantos and trades for whoever I'm just saying that you have to move talent to get real talent if they were to actually be like in the Vladimir Guerero trade rumors like we tried to manifest or the Josh Naylor trade rumors or go if they would have gone out and just gave Kate Horton for Emanual Class A last off seon if you're able to continue to develop pitching in the case of Emanuel Class A which just use him because this team doesn't have a real Bonafide closer then it probably won't hurt nearly as much down the road if you can continue to develop pitching which I think the Cubs can they've shown that they can do it would it hurt to see Kate Horton go because I think he has a high ceiling absolutely but you you you still would have a Bonafide closer I'm not changing my mind on it I still wouldn't trade Kate Horton for Emanuel class even though he was hurt this year I'm not going back on that I think he still has plenty of upside and plenty of reason or plenty of Hope for Cub fans to to be you know a a guy in your rotation top of the rotation guy down the road but I'm just using that as as as an example you this team can afford to give away a someone in your top 100 for a key player you you talk about ohpp from the Angels this P at the trade deadline right like they could have give they can give a they give away triantos and whoever else for a catcher that you know might be might mix well with Miguel Amaya next year you know what I mean like this this team needs to be aggressive on the tradem market and I've been saying that since last offseason that's that's the biggest thing to me if you're not gonna go get Juan stto you got to get aggressive on the trade market man that and and get a guy who can hit the ball over the fence 40 times and it's not like you're saying none of the guys are going to leave and be good just because you traded them like you're saying you've got to trade value to get value or at least perceived value to get perceived value so the ways that you make it feel better one is what you're saying replace Jackson Ferris with more good pitching and the more good pitching you have even if he goes to the Dodgers and turns out to be a Hall of Famer as Barb says could happen if if he goes there and he turns out to be an ace someday you can live with it if you have Horton developed if you have your next pitcher velop if you have Wicks turn out to be really good like if those guys start to develop you miss it less or or the flip side is true if Michael Bush comes over and helps you every day as an everyday player and turns out to be a really legit player then you also have to live with that guy turning out to potentially be a pitcher there's also the chance that neither side works right but like you gota H you got to have some Stones you got to go after it every once in a while exactly yeah and that's why they make millions of dollars so when they are wrong we definitely are going to criticize them but also when you're right we'll definitely give you your flowers there's plenty of things that Jed has done good and it makes it hard for me to say that he's done his job completely like just really bad but he hasn't done enough to give the to bring re results to the major league team and that's my biggest frustration when when you entered an offseason last year after missing the Playoffs because your team fell apart in September due to your own doing really and you know enter iner this season with higher expectations despite what the projections were and the projection systems aren't wrong this team is on paac to win 83 to 85 games you know yeah and and so it's like okay they weren't wrong but Jed why did why didn't you try to do more you know and that's my biggest frustration with with Jed so this he's go to save his job or whatever you want to call it this off season and and get that big bat because you scored 18 runs tonight but [ __ ] I won't be surprised if they scor two tomorrow you know like this offense has just has been as inconsistent as ever I'll be surprised if they don't score like one or two tomorrow yeah that's the way the season's gone everyone in this YouTube chat watch now thinking the same thing Tight money line splits bet on the Cubs not bet on the team total under for the Cubs tomorrow you know like I I hate being this negative after winning 18 to eight but this is where I'm at man all you had to do is go five and one and I wouldn't be like this but you went four and two instead one you can't unwave it no I'm not I'm a man of integrity there it is man of integrity what what do you say nobody has more inte no has more Integrity in this studio or in this office than me nobody's more humble or has more Integrity absolutely not just ask Cody yeah um I did I don't know like we didn't talk about it a ton at the beginning of the show but also from this game ESO PES yeah hitting a homer uh he desperately need they need him they need to get him going man like he's it's been bad I don't remember exactly when it was but obviously there was that point where he talked about I think he hit a home run and then said after the game like that he felt like he had maybe been pressing a little bit trying to impress the rest of the team trying to do a little bit too much um but that didn't lead to like where he got back on track M I'm not saying this is going to be the one gets him back on track but like it's a good sign to see him hit one out of the ballpark and may you know I got the Cubs obviously hope that this is where he gets himself back on track becomes the hitter that um maybe he won't be the hitter that he was in Tampa Bay but just a good middle of the middle Le order bat that's going to help this team win games down the stretch again the Cubs aren't waving the White Flag themselves at least the coaches and the players so getting isach PES going consistently that you know going into September that's huge because that he's he's the guy they traded Morel for right this is the guy that they have in the middle of the order pretty much every game and they really need him to be that middle of the order betat Morell hit a homer over the weekend Cubs lost the trade lost TR five hits now I think since he went to Tamp and I don't wish I don't wish that for him either you know like yeah it's been interesting to watch both guys really struggle since the trade when people were all up in arms about it when it happened and you look at it now and neither one's made an impact on their team doesn't mean they won't but I I hope Christopher moral goes on to do good things even though parades hasn't hit consistently he and let's to be fair he did have a good week the week they played the Twins and the white socks but I think defensively outside of a few heirs he's he's made all the easy plays the routine plays that that he's supposed to make and then I think just his presence in the order has led to other guys in the lineup playing better too now you can't measure that or anything like that but if you just look at the Cubs offense before he was in the lineup or on the team it was awful and even more inconsistent than the now but if you go back to when they made the trade for him and to now the team overall on offense has been a lot better and more consistent despite having a few Duds in there where like Sunday where they can't score any runs so that doesn't take away my concerns about the offense as we go once we get to the off season but I do think that at the very least you you the lineup is a little bit more balanced and you don't feel like you're the top four or five guys in your lineup like of course when PCA and amay are hitting the way they are you feel like the whole lineup one through nine is is dangerous but like I think move with parades in there and being able to move Herer and Swanson down to like six or to like you know seven eight you know or I guess for them it's been SE six or seven like I think that's those are better spots for them you know and for half the season Herer was hitting lead off which I didn't understand you know like especially when the offense was playing so much better when hap was leading off ever since Hap's been leading off the offense has been better again you know like there there's plenty of things and I know injuries played a a factor into a lot of it and stuff too but they that's the only thing that I feel like parades has been able to do offensively or provide offensively for the Cubs is you just feel like the lineup's a little bit more balanced it's not top heavy topheavy you're you're getting contributions from everyone and I'm not I'm not as panicked when the balls hit to Third Base yeah I think that's totally to be totally honest I don't I don't think about it when the ball's hit to Third Base doesn't mean he's not going to make an error sometimes but yeah I'm just way more confident that the ball's going to get picked up and thrown yeah over the first Bas I I do think that's a big and that goes for any player like if you're struggling offensiv ly at least play good defense at least play good defense I think he's provided that I know he's had a couple airs since he's come that you know would definitely like to have back but if you're gonna you're struggling with the bat at least at least play good defense that's half the game obviously and and that helps the pitcher that helps the rest of the ball club and could at least help lead to wins if you're not um getting it done with the bat I think I think prus has done that for the most part as far as his defense I think some of the plays that I've been at least impressed with are just feel okay about is the fact that he's really good at charging those like not like the those like Choppers to third or like if they're not insanely hard like it's not like it's it's not like he's Nolan Aeron in his prime over there but he's making the plays and getting the out and even Morell struggled with stuff like that and as much as you know I wanted to see him continue to get those those reps over there and everything it was an experiment you know and I don't feel like parades is an experiment the thing if if paradyes doesn't work out if we're sitting here in June next year and he's he's hitting 200 or whatever then fine we can start to really have the conversation about like was this a bad trade especially if Morel bounces back next year right for sure however it's just too early for me to say one way or the other it's been not even a month yeah not even a month so we I'm willing to wait it out with this bat and the defense is fair enough it's fine enough for me to be okay going into next season with him so you're comfortable with him at third base like whereas Morel I I do think there were some improvements and like maybe you know there's there was times when he would felt like he'd take a step back but then you you'd feel like I think I don't think we were like confident with Morel at third base but I think we did see him improve at third base but obviously not to the level they needed him to especially when he was not getting the result of the bat with Paredes at least you feel comfortable with him at third base yeah defensively how about the week that we've had at all all city is our parent company right yeah they started in Denver then they went to Phoenix then they came to Chicago then they went to Philly now today launching Dallas dlls um and more to come in the next year is what we're told more more uh networks coming and we got on the Roku channel so now you can also find us on Roku oh yeah which is awesome especially you know you got some older relatives like I do get them a Roku stick yeah this is it here you can go you don't have to find YouTube and all these different things they're not not everyone is like Barb and Godfather you know listen I give them both credit for this right that they're here every day is I wouldn't at their age I would not be doing it if my mom doesn't know how to use uh it's fairly YouTube on a regular basis but Godfather and Barb do they deserve a ton of credit for being able to get on here whenever we go live so we launched on our being on the Roku Channel we launched dlls and we have a new merch site with new merch dropping just today right yes we Dro new merch today and and what's the website it's store. allity network.com yeah and there's some new shirts and stuff available right at that website the that the website you just said Luke it goes it just basically has the entire network right Denver Phoenix Philadelphia Chicago and Dallas all there and they'll if you once you go to that link or that website you'll see the chgo logo so if you're wa listening or watching this right now obviously you're Cubs fan so if you want to check out the new shirts for us then you just click that the Cho logo that's on that website whenever you get there and it's just like you know how we used to do it where you know there's used to be chg Locker now you just have to go to all store. allity network.com and you can see all of them cgol locker.com still exists but it doesn't have our new shirts on it at least that's how when I went on there today I didn't see our new shirts on there so claw up yeah I bet that's sold out before the season starts claw up well they people should be getting the I I really like our the like the north side Die Hard the Die Hard in the Cubs colors yeah yeah but I also really like the red stars one it's like very Chicago with like that that powder blue with the red stars in there I do like the powder blue one I do like that yeah you can also get I love everything powder blue the blue shirt with is it is it red that it's the Chicago flag for Cubs Cubs have we have a couple new shirts in in the Cubs sectiona up is there sha is still there too I my sha shirt came in last week wore it on one of our remote shows great shirt so I saw the slide one is on sale though it's on it's on sale I was watching uh in relation to dlls I was watching the Rangers podcast the D dlls Rangers podcast uh this afternoon interesting team that got there uh you remember uh Ty Legend Todd Jones MH his daughter is one of the co-hosts for that podcast who used to work for Bal Bal Southwest or whatever B Sports Southwest I believe yeah so they take they must have taken over after Fox Sports Southwest I guess I don't know I don't know Rick rener but it's very interesting like uh got I the very beginning they obviously kind of introduced themselves and stuff so uh if you know any Rangers fans let them know yeah let them know dlls exists or if you want to just get in on the cowboy conversation yeah it's very cool CI Joey said oh sorry yeah Texas Longhorn sorry about that forget hook him hook him who's their quarterback Horn's down he'll be a top three pick right Horn's down what about uh what about uh Manning for now we'll see anyway uh we're here after the game tomorrow too real quick uh C CH softball team 112 W breaking news almost yeah 112 W from CHL softball wow did it without guys no Joey no Ryan I even worn my jersey just hoping that the Cubs would get under a two-hour game they decided to go yeah when do we play Odyssey in a championship game yeah maybe the championship still the only real championship in this city over the last year it's the winningest team in Chicago yeah it's fair uh facts are facts facts are facts don't let them get in the way of a good story brother yeah so 112 win I think next is the semi-finals I think if I'm not mistaken we get WGN we get Kevin Wells I'm not sure Benedict Arnold possi playing for the other team yeah Benedict Arnold Benedict Wells Benedict Wells out the softball team all right so we're back after the after the game for full hour again tomorrow then we have a mat of course on Wednesday the SK versus Hendrick matchup hope you'll join us then thanks to everybody in the live YouTube chat thanks for the super chats tonight uh make sure you check out the Roku channel that we are on now and all the new merch at store. allity network.com until tomorrow night on the postgame show after they score two runs thanks for watching and fly the w [Music] [Applause]