SLOPPY weekend for Chicago Cubs

SLOPPY weekend for Chicago Cubs

you are locked on Cubs part of the Lockdown Podcast Network Your team every day alongside Sam Wber I’m Matt Cozy Sam and I are lifelong fans taking our passion into a discussion with you on all things Cubs Today’s episode is presented by our great partners at FanDuel Right now new customers can get $200 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins Pack show here on a Monday as they usually are Sammy Sosa was back at Wrigley Field We will preview Cubs Cardinals show Imanaga returning this week Porter Hajj might not And we start with recapping Cubs Mariners as the Cubs lost two out of three in what passed for what I’m calling a sloppy home run derby And most of the home runs 10 were by the Mariners And most of the slop was from the Cubs 94 loss Friday 106 win Saturday and 146 loss Sunday Sam the Cubs could be facing their first real patch of adversity this season Yeah I I like the way that you describe that uh sloppy home run derby And for me Matt you know this was one of those series where the the old Sam was kind of uh reared it its ugly head if you don’t mind me saying about myself Uh you do a really good job before each series kind of previewing most winnable least winnable Um and it felt like Friday felt like Friday afternoon they lost the series That’s how it felt So I’m not as disappointed um overall like from Sunday That was just that was expected Colin Ray wind howling out against the Mariners team despite the wind that felt like it was just swinging the bats really well Uh for me it’s just looking around the division and you know as we’re recording here the Brewers are in a tight one late If they hold on it’ll be 20 of 27 uh wins for them in their last 27 As bad as it feels like the Cubs are playing you know their their record is in the last 27 Matt want to take a guess Uh I’m gonna guess Yeah I’m gonna go 27 17 and 10 16 and 11 And and and usually you go 16-11 you’re not going to drop four games in the standings because what seems to be happening right now is that the Cubs on both sides of the baseball are leveling off a little bit right and and they probably were doing that a little bit sooner but they had that 21 game stretch that they took advantage of where they were able to really stack some wins When you’re 46 and 31 when you’re 15 over especially in a division like this you should be up more than three and a half games And that’s really the number It’s not your record It’s it’s how many games up are you And so because of the success of the team that we’re about to play and more so the success of the team up north that looks like the same team as last year that’s where kind of my concern lies a little bit And I know it’s probably too early to do that but but that’s just how I am Um and that’s what I’m going to do Uh as far as the weekend goes my big takeaway just generally from the weekend and adversity is we learned what we already knew and that is that this Cubs pitching staff does not have enough whiffs enough swing and miss enough strikeouts You’ve got to be able to miss bats on weekends like this Now it’s a perfect pitching staff to pitch when the wind’s howling in We’ve learned that too Uh but but this weekend maybe it was a be careful what you wish for Maybe this team’s just better suited um playing in pitcher conditions But that’s that’s where I’m at Where are you at Uh cuz when you say adversity that’s exactly what I’m talking about Just hey you got this Brewers team is about to play the Rockies and Bru uh Pirates Pirates then Rockies If you have a great week this week which I think we could agree would be four and three they probably go five and one You’re going to look up a week from now and you’re going to be a game up That’s what I mean by adversity Yeah I still don’t see it developing more from the the the normal eb and flow of the season right now Uh I I don’t have exact worries other than other than starting pitching which is a big one by the way Yeah Uh but the offense leveled off this week or got better this week I would say defensively within the the context of the three games very poor Uh is it a concern moving forward No Um but but talk about a porous effort in all three contests It was uh crystal clear this weekend Um so I I would say I’m I’m doing it a little bit better with it than you are I I get putting it in the scope of the division Uh but I could come right back and say “Well they’re in striking distance of of being the best record in baseball.” Sure Sure And they’ve been in the same convo the last month with with the Dodgers Mets and Phillies who we’ve looked to for for years Yeah Or at least you know most of this season most of the last couple of years especially Dodgers and Phillies Um I I I think it’s still a team that could win in a a variety of ways I don’t have a great answer for why the the lead is is slimmer than you would like despite their overall record Uh besides that there was close games that they they couldn’t seal the deal on early and perhaps that is adding up now Um but beyond some of the the patches of the last few weeks I don’t have any big worries right now Uh I do respect the Brewers I am really curious how this rival series with the Cardinals is going to go because they didn’t fade You know they’ve won five out of their last six albeit some of that against the White Socks But um I I could get to the the adversity patch I just don’t see it as much as the normal eb and flow of the year um just because it’s not exactly a trend yet I I would prefer if they had a a bigger lead Um but but I guess we’ll see this week You know if they drop three out of four to St Louis boom that’s a trend Yeah Um and I think them being on the right side of the scoreboard has has calmed us Uh but but you know maybe that doesn’t continue Well I don’t think we’re really saying different things I I would even go as far as to say that I think their lead’s smaller than we’d like Nothing to do with them It’s because the other teams are better than everybody thought And that’s just and that’s just I’m just annoyed by that I’m annoyed that the Brewers look like the exact same team to me as they did last year after a bump Now your point seems to be and they have and they have good starting pitching right And your point seems to be the right one which hey maybe it’s just the flow of the season They’re really hot right now but you know you you said it in a different way but it’s my concern We are one of the best teams in baseball and and and if in terms of their record and if you told me before July 4th hey you’re going to be one of the best teams in baseball but your your division lead a week from now might be a game or two that it’s just irritating you know That’s all it is because I’m not that that’s really the point I’m not actually overly concerned with the Cubs themselves I’m just more concerned about I don’t know what was it a week or two maybe two weeks ago was like hey should we be talking I mean I was listening on the radio should we thinking about World Series should we be thinking about this you got to you got to walk before you could run and I would be shocked pleasantly if this division felt really really comfortable you know by mid August or or you know it’s going to it’s going to have to go at least till September This is there’s some really good teams in here that are just better than people thought Um I I’ll never understand the the the uh prognostications of the Brewers They’re wrong every year And um so especially last year Yeah And so that’s that’s really where I’m at But yeah look the Cubs this isn’t a Brewer show The Cubs have holes I think they’re going to be okay but you know okay might mean we’re sweating September 20th That’s the only point I’m make making That’s Yeah there there’s just more of a there’s an increased stress level Yeah that’s it That’s all I’m saying Whereas maybe the Dodgers won’t have that It seems like the Phillies and Mets might battle it out for a while though Yeah And I And my to my tone on the show is totally different if the Brewers and Cardinals come out losing two out of three this weekend Five and a half instead of three and a half or whatever it is But you know they keep winning sweeping sweeping Minnesota on the road I mean I think do we go to Minnesota this year I think we do I mean that would be before the break That would be a really awesome result we’d be celebrating on this show It’s the second to last series of the of the first half It’s not a small deal So I just think you combine everything You lose two of three you have a mediocre five and four home stand I think that’s the right word to describe it Uh especially after you started three and one you know you need a lot of pitching and you’re just trying to get there And while you’re trying to hold serve and I think still doing a pretty good job of doing so the other teams especially Milwaukee because as you said we’re going to get to see St Louis for the first time they just keep racket up racket up wins So for me it’s just you said it’s just an increased stress level And we’re gonna preview Cubs Cardinals later in the show Please stick around for that Uh coming up next let’s break down the starting rotation It was Boyd Horton and Ray over the weekend And Shot Managa is going to return this week a much needed addition to that rotation which has uh regressed and at times regressed mightily uh the last few weeks and we’ll do that next This episode is brought to you by Wonderful Pistachios Looking for a snack that’s both delicious and nutritious Crack into a good source of protein with Wonderful Pistachios Wonderful Pistachios is one of the highest protein nuts Each 1oz serving has six grams of protein giving you over 10% of your daily value Plus they’re packed with fiber and better for you unsaturated fats to help keep you feeling fuller longer Personally I love the No Shells variety It’s the perfect grab-and-go snack for busy days Whether I’m snacking at my desk on a road trip or just need a quick protein boost they’re always my go-to folks You’ve seen me eat these plenty on watchalongs They’re my go-to snack They’re my favorite snack Chili roasted is my favorite flavor I have to have a quick handful right now They’re excellent They’re packed with flavor I could not recommend them more So get snacking and get cracking with a snack that packs a protein punch Visit wonderfulpistachios.com to learn more Shot Minaga made a rehab start Friday for Triple A Iowa and his next start will be this week against the Cardinals Uh his last start was in early May at the major league level So this really was almost an eight what was that A seven-week injury almost eight Uh Colin Ray Ben Brown and Cade Horton are the candidates uh to not stay in the rotation Craig Councel did indicate on Saturday the Cubs could move to a six-man rotation but I don’t really remember them uh doing that I know they’ve flirted with it in the past but it’s never actually come to fruition Uh Matthew Boyd on Friday was was was good but his shoulder isn’t because he made a heck of a catch that caused a throwing shoulder uh to to get dinged up a little bit There were positive reports on Sunday about that but there is a possibility he gets uh skipped this week More on that later Uh Colin Ray or Kate Horton on Saturday was not pitch efficient again but did showcase a few reasons why he should remain uh in the rotation and Colin Ray really struggled again Here are his run totals the last six starts including Sunday 66042 and six It’s like a lottery drawing So Imanaga is going to come back Wednesday or Thursday Uh first of all how how nice is that after a long absence And second who stays who goes and could they do the six-man Um wow Lot of lot of questions I’m trying to think how I want to answer them Well first of all it’s great to have Managa back and I’m really happy he’s pitching against the Cardinals It sounds like Yes Don’t you remember the irony Uh last year was the first time I really started to get irritated with this team was Memorial Day weekend Imanaga was slated to pitch against the Cardinals They rained out the game and then pushed him back And I’m like what So now I’m glad that he’s got a chance to pitch a pitch at Bush Stadium and and u you know it’s going to be a really important series that we’re going to talk about Um I don’t know You know your Ben Brown to Triple A thing last week to me felt very contingent on Porter Hodgej coming back up and and you know that’s going to be a question I think you’re going to talk about If it’s just straight Imanaga it it feels like Pearson goes Ray gets moved to the pen probably I I you know I feel like it feels like Flexen and Ray are a little redundant You know do you need two long long relievers that don’t get a lot of whiffs I doubt they would put Brown in the bullpen just off a whim like that They’d want him to probably you know learn that routine But maybe it’s like a maybe they do something like it’s not a six-man rotation per se but when Brown pitches you know one of those dudes throws the first two innings or an inning or is ready to back him up if it goes short something like that to where they keep them because if you do keep two long guys you got to really use them and make sure that they’re helping the team and shorten outings And so I think something like that probably happens where your your rotation would be just an order of of of ability Imanaga Imanaga Boyd Tyion Horton Brown and then Brown kind of has has the kid gloves on with one of those long guys get ready to tail uh him or open for him You know something like that As far as Cade goes I you know I think he’s done a a good enough job to warrant continuing to start if he’s healthy The only question with him and it’s also a question with Boyd is just when do you start getting worried about these guys innings that haven’t thrown a lot of innings Even on Saturday that day was such a difficult day to pitch I mean uh PCA misjudges two hat misjudges one uh he still was able to give the Cubs a decent chance to win uh and he had the the Bruhan era behind him as well So I I’ve been really impressed with him his ability to compete and I think he’s been an asset so far So that’s probably where I would go Just kind of Ray goes as kind of a a piggyback off of Ben Brown and and you know Pearson you know he would go Yeah there’s multiple avenues the Cubs could go in the rotation I think Brown does stay in the rotation for now but Pomerance uh is an opener for him And then even when Horton pitches you know Ray Ray and Flexen could could be first out of the pen if mileage is that much of a a concern But this early in the season I think they want Brown to be a starter if possible whether that’s in De Moine or here Uh but I think Imanaga returning is is a major storyline Um the Cubs are without their two best starters It’s not even close I I understand Matthew Boyd’s been really good I know Jameson Tyion’s been good at times but for the way the C without their two best guys and Steel and Iaga now Sha is coming back um it’s it’s definitely a a welcome a welcome sign Uh I think Nate Pearson you know his days are numbered Uh maybe even you know soon sooner than later Um certainly Can you hear me still Yeah it’s a little staticky Okay Um maybe when maybe when I activated you know then Pearson can be demoted if he’s not sooner Uh since he did not impress Sunday But you know there’s definitely going to be a shuffle this week Yeah I think for me it’s it’s a shuffle I I think the real problem with the pitching right now and and I’ll use an example from Sunday and we’ve talked about this a lot Craig is so pragmatic with the with his bullpen usage And you know you you say something like “Well Pomerance is going to open for Brown That’d be great.” I don’t think they want to give away Pomerance early right now because the bullpen is so beat up They’ve had so many day uh days in a row without playing outside of that cancellation It’s going to be 95 plus degrees all week again in St Louis They don’t feel very confident in a lot of their pitchers going deep in games Like I and and and the point is I I think Craig needs to be a little bit more risky with it Like for example on Sunday he did not need to if if the plan was to bring in Flexon for the top of the order there in the sixth inning You don’t need he could face two extra hitters uh with the bottom of the order You know what I mean It was just it it’s a little too much with that And I know Cap was really fired up about Henness’s Cabrera pitching on Friday which is something that you mentioned That one I’m a little bit less frustrated with because who else is going to pitch You you can’t bring in Keller down two you can’t bring in Valencia down two Uh there there weren’t a lot of guys left and then he went all in on Saturday to win I think the solution here in Council’s defense is you just you need a better overall starting situation You’re you’re fighting through these outings and you need a little bit more stability And I think it’s a very fair thing to ask Matt you know was a lot of their success early in the year due to conditions I think that’s fair A lot of these guys I mean look Ray Ray and Tyion especially Yeah Well and especially Ray just because of how much hard contact he gave up Sunday Oh you know it’d be one thing if the wind was blowing out but everything was you know 99 plus off the bat Seemed like right Porter Hodgej was not good on Friday He pitched as well in De Mo and actually in Nashville for TripleA Iowa Seven runs on four hits no strikeouts two walks one third of an inning Uh yeah he recorded one out He is supposedly going to pitch Tuesday and then the Cubs are going to evaluate where he stands because he doesn’t have to come back He has minor league options so they can just keep him in AAA and with the way the high leverage guys for the most part are performing I think maybe that happens 100% 100% It’s it I I which is too bad for him I’ve told you this man it’s but he’s not he hasn’t been good These guys go like this These relievers you miss time and it goes both ways You could really struggle you get injured for a while you come back you’re a brand new guy Um and now all of a sudden this happened and you just bullpen pitchers are too trendy You have to make sure he’s okay before you come back up and do this cuz you said it Keller uh Palencia Theelbar Pomearance and I I I I’ll throw in a mid-leverage guy Even Brazier has been good enough Okay Where it’s it’s not it’s not quality right now with that with those relievers It’s just you know getting them you know not not overusing them because of the lack of innings you’re getting from your your starting rotation So um yeah I saw that line It was funny The headline was Imanaga who started the same day Right Right And then you you look down you go “Man how did they give up so many runs If he pitched Oh Oh it was our was our it was our closer.” Yeah Our old closer And Nate Pearson was just awful I was trying to say that before uh my Wi-Fi or Streamyard was being attacked by the Monstars from Space Jam And uh you have several other guys who could be demoted and promoted freely So they might even just get rid of Pearson before I think returns I think he’s gone I think he’s gone tomorrow because Okay you think about it You got Brown pitching in St Louis supposed to be 95 at first pitch A lot of your bullpen guys are tired You need uh Flexon not available Threw a ton today Right You need you need another safe arm if you’re down 92 in the four Yeah So those names who could be uh go up and down freely this year Cosg Grove Hollowwell Little Neely and Robert So we’ll probably see more guys I think you’ll see one of them Yeah I I because you can’t go into that into that game tomorrow pitcher short That’s right And Pearson could uh also be optioned again but uh as Sam said in a text message to me maybe you know something he could be DFA or something like that But uh Cubs actually have an open spot on the 40man right now So uh we’ll see But yeah I think the Pearson triple AAA stats might have been a mirage 2.0 for him All right coming up next we got Cubs Cardinals and some Sammy Sosa talk This episode is brought to you by FanDuel Summer sports are in full swing And whether you’re all about baseball under the lights golf on the green or high stakes soccer action FanDuel is the best way to make every game even more exciting You’re already following the action Why not make it a little more thrilling With FanDuel you can get in on the game while your friends are getting sunburned at the beach Folks we already cashed in Pete’s over home run total this year and we cashed in another on Sunday on FanDuel The overunder heading into the year for Seya Suzuki’s home run total was 19 and a half He hit home runs number 19 and 20 off a fantastic right-hander Logan Gilbert Pete should be able to get his stolen base number uh pretty soon as well That was 29 and a half although he did get thrown out uh stealing on Sunday So if you’re new to FanDuel new customers can bet just $5 and get $150 in bonus bets if your first bet wins Open the FanDuel app today or visit fanuel.comlockedon to get started Cubs Cardinals this week four game series First time these two teams have met uh this season which is an embarrassment Brown and Liberator Tyion and Fetty and then we got TBDs for Wednesday and Thursday Matthew Boyd is hopefully going to pitch this week but if he can’t that’s a big problem Yeah because Imanaga is going to pitch Wednesday or Thursday and then the other game would be a bullpen game I would suspect it will be uh Brown Tyion Boyd and Shota I hope so because it would be surprising to see show to throw Wednesday on normal rest after the injury You’d think they want to give him one extra day Absolutely I even thought before they announced that Saturday he might pitch Friday in Houston Yeah I just don’t I that Crawford boxes with him you know Oh yeah right Good point Uh I don’t like that stadium I would say I would say and then for the for the Cardinals the TBD you’re going to see Sunny Gray You’re gonna see him you know unless he’s hurt or something He’s going to pick Yeah Sunny Gray one on Thursday Yeah it it for them just off their rotation it’s Palante and Gray or Gray Palante one of those two Now maybe they haven’t announced it Maybe they don’t want to throw Palante Um look I I said it earlier a four and three week would be fine but with the way the other team up north is playing you you you’d like to do better And this is a really good opportunity You’re about to see the Cardinals here seven times in a short span and they’ve been right right on you most of the year And now you get a chance to to you know build some ground Obviously it’s going to be a tough series None of the Cardinals pitchers really make you lose sleep at night outside of maybe Gray I was really surprised to see on FanDuel that the Cubs are slight underdogs Monday I know Brown hasn’t thrown the ball well and and and they’ve struggled versus lefty starters which may be why but Libertore outside of his last start really hit a wall there for a while Um but I don’t like that I don’t like when when the Cubs are you know it’s the exact same line it was uh Sunday which I don’t like But it’s a really important series You hear me say it every time we have a four gamer Gotta get game one Get game one you set yourself up to take three out of four You don’t you’re you’re trying to leave St Louis with a split And you know that’s not the worst uh uh result in the world Matt But I I think we all could use a little feel-good three out of four series win And the Cubs are 23-7 Sam in games this year following a loss Yeah it’s a great stat So hopefully they can keep that up Cardinals had hit a wall themselves as a team recently but then kicked back up this week Socks Uh they sit at 42 and 36 And uh yeah you know these series since we’ve done this show have been very tensionfilled Um I wonder if we’ll see anything like that this week Uh but but I’m I am looking forward to it I just hope they can pocket that uh win on Monday similar to last week when they pocketed the first win of the week Uh that would have been Tuesday against the Brew Crew So hopefully they do that It’s a big game I don’t think Sammy Sosa is making the trip although he could It’s not too far away from Wrigley Sammy was at Wrigley on Friday and it was uh it broke It leaked Friday morning and then the Cubs announced it at like 10:00 am Just odd odd behavior by all parties once again Uh and Sosa is not you know uh excluded from that Um but you know I think this return really could one day be the subject of a great documentary if someone wanted to pursue it just a really complicated relationship with the team You know even just that moment Friday where they put him on the video board I was on the edge of my seat Um I thought it was a really cool moment But the fact that it took 21 years I guess Friday brought closure but it was just quite a journey with him Yeah I thought I’m on the same wavelength as you are and I don’t even think it brought closure It was odd I mean I he got a nice ovation but it wasn’t But he was in the box He was in the the luxury suite Yeah it was in the box It just felt a little forced and it felt like the It felt like And I I I sense this a little bit at Cubscon You and I were sitting next to each other when he got introduced and you know pessimistic myself I said I’m I’m surprised that Ovation wasn’t louder And I I really do think some people just really debated and and and were thinking about it It just like because how how did there not break out of Sammy Sammy How did that not break out Um the whole thing just feels I I really I echo everything you said It feels odd Uh this is something that you would think would be advertised in advance for people to come to the game and really get into it They just picked a random Friday 120 against Seattle I mean not that the opponent really not that the opponent really matters but you think it would be like a whole this is the day Sammy Sosa is returning We’re gonna he’s going to throw out the first pitch He’s going to do this do that It just felt it felt um odd And I’m not even blaming the Ricketts for that Like you said I think it goes both It goes both ways I mean even his interview I listen I didn’t listen to the one with with Pat Rahm but I listened to him in the booth with Boo and JD and it was just it was just a bit odd the whole thing Yeah And and and I’m glad to say this because we we I think we spent a lot of time on Sosa uh in terms of the you know uh compared to to everybody else I’m done with it now Um I am and the reason why is because the team like when Sosa was in the boot there I f I’m just I’m locked in I’m trying to win a division title and so like with me you know that stuff’s fun to talk about when the Cubs are 10 under and they’re trying to gut their way to 78 79 wins and you live in the past I’m trying to live in the in the in the moment with this team and trying a way to win a division And so I you know when he was on I was like because everyone was texting me about it like you know Sammy Sosa the guy’s whether you like him or not he’s a superstar right A a a a symbol of my childhood A true blue superstar for so many people right around our age especially more your yours than mine Not that we’re that far apart Thank you You know what I mean Um but um you know my cousin was text me “How’s the thing How’s the thing?” I’m like “We just lost a game to Seattle that we shouldn’t have lost Ah so that’s that’s really where I was with it Well no we’ve even done shows like lead topics where it’s like is Sosa ever going to return It’s like that’s done now And it was appropriate It’s done He’s back It was lukewarm I think that’s the way to go It was it was a lukewarm welcome and it was fine Well and you know if you’re having soup this weekend if you want it hot or lukewarm or if you’re having soup this weekend um you know let’s have a little conversation assuming you’re in Chicago We’ll be back after Cubs Cardinals on Monday Hopefully lead off that series with a win This is Locked On Cubs part of the Lockdown podcast network Your team every day for your second listen Check out the allnew locked on MLB game night Every game every night all season long A local analysis on a national scale Find MLB game night on the Lock MLB channel on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcast He’s Sam Olber I’m Matt Cozy This is Locked on Cubs

The Cubs lost the series to the Mariners over the weekend thanks to sloppy play by the Cubs and 10 home runs by the Mariners. Plus: Shota Imanaga returning this week, Porter Hodge might stay at Triple-A, Cubs/Cardinals preview, and Sammy Sosa back at Wrigley Field.

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