Horton Ripped Off | Suarez or Cease? | Cubs Baseball Channel Podcast

Horton Ripped Off | Suarez or Cease? | Cubs Baseball Channel Podcast

It was a shocker last night when MLB announced the Rookie of the Year final and it wasn’t Cade Horton. Yep. He didn’t win the award. Thought he was robbed. I thought he deserved it, but we’re going to talk about that. Also, what’s the latest news on Cubs replacing Shota Imanaga? and they’ve got two pitchers in their sights according to a lot of reports that would put them right at the top of the rotation. And one guy who’s put up some really good numbers over the last few years. We’re going to get into that. How about Kyle Tucker? What’s going on there in the Kyle Tucker sweep stakes? Are the Cubs in it? Who are the teams that are being mentioned? All that and more right here on the Cubs baseball channel. Like, subscribe, thumbs up, hit the bell, do all those things and uh we’ll get you going here. Go Cubs. [Music] [Applause] [Music] What do you say everybody? Mc Gillespie Cubs baseball channel and uh here we go. um I guess right out of the shoot disappointed that the Cubs Kate Horton did not win the Rookie of the Year and I thought that he was going to uh I thought for sure he was going to win it but when it was all said and done Drake Baldwin of the Atlanta Braves who hit 274 with 19 home runs and 80 runs batted in. Uh a catcher in a position that doesn’t see a whole lot of offense although the big dumper would probably argue with that. the the Mariners Cal Riley, but uh it was Baldwin that won. Kate Horton came in second. I thought that Kate Horton would win this. For much of the season, he was a slim odds on favorite, but you know, we talked about it yesterday that Kelshi had Drake May pulling away. You wonder how maybe if word had gotten out. I mean, it was weird how all of a sudden all the money went on Drake May. Or maybe people just did the math and felt like, you know, the the offensive stats were more important than a pitcher that was dominant in baseball. And he was the best pitcher in baseball the second half of the season or at least one of a handful. Uh 9 and5 record, 267 RA, had that long consecutive scoreless inning streak. Didn’t get a lot of help from the bullpen. the team didn’t score a lot of runs, but he was the most important pitcher on the staff. The other thing, too, and this is where you really have to calculate this, the Cubs made the playoffs. Horton pitched in big games. The Braves were weren’t even in the playoff picture. Yeah, he put up some good numbers, but what would it have been like if those games mattered? Because they didn’t. Braves were stinky. They got rid of their manager and uh in a close vote it was, you know, obviously uh not Horton and it was Baldwin that ended up winning the award. So, I don’t know. I’m surprised by that. I really thought that Kate Horton deserved it. I think that he is the best Cubs pitcher to come out of their system since Mark Prior, Carrie Wood is what I think. And that’s no knock on anyone else. Fast ball is great. Change up was much improved through his time in the Cub system. And then he’s got elite breaking balls with his slider, which is amazing, and his curveball. It’s really good. So maybe it hurt him that he was injured at the end of the season. And, you know, maybe if he had that spotlight of pitching in the playoffs, that would have helped him, you know, but he wasn’t available. That’s been the knock on him his entire career is his durability. And so he comes in second and uh it’s disappointing. You know, you look at over the years like Cubs that won the Rookie of the Year and it’s it’s not a lot. You know, Chris Bryant won in 2015, Giovanni Sodto in 2008, Carrie Wood in 98, Jerome Walton, remember him in that long hitting streak in ‘ 89, and then Ken Hubs and Billy Williams, sweet swinging Billy Williams went backto back 61 and 62. And uh I thought that this was going to be the year that the Cubs had another uh on that list. But you know uh f and I said you know what his record was 11 and four and he had a 267 erra. I think I had my my stat wrong there. 11 and 11 and4 um for Horton. So I don’t even know what where that came from. Uh but yeah 11 and four with a 267 erra. even better than the stat that we had there, which is nine and five. Maybe somebody else saw that stat and thought, “Yeah, it’s he only won nine.” No, he won 11 and he could have won 15. And I put some of that on the Cubs for not giving him a whole lot of offensive support. And then obviously then they kept pulling him out of games really early and maybe that hurt him too. I don’t know. But um still a great season. Disappointing and it is what it is. Hey guys, uh before we really get into the guy that could be pitching next to him in the rotation. Don’t forget about our QR code right there. Right there. Boom. And Avenue D. Make sure you scan that. We’re giving away cash prizes. We’re giving away swag. Uh look at this right here from the swag bag. Yep. Cubs baseball channel cap. you need this for your next trip to Wrigley. You say, “Hey, man. We all watch the show every day and I got to look good when I’m in the bleachers or maybe when I’m uh, you know, somewhere in the stands.” So, pick that up. You get an opportunity to win one or if you’re interested in buying one, email and uh uh on the comment section here and we’ll uh get in touch with you. All right, that is the bad news. Just get that out of the way. Not happy about it. Good news, the next ace. Well, I don’t know if it’s good news yet, but the Cubs are seen now as one of the most likely spots or the biggest suitors for Ranger Suarez. So, you just start to wonder now, you know, you do you compare who do you like better, Ranger Suarez or do you like Dylan CE? And I’ve kind of felt like it was going to be cease, but Suarez predicted right now to get five years, 135. Uh pitched for the Phillies, 12-8 record, 320 ERA in 26 starts. He’s one of the best pitchers that’s on the market this year. And um I think that he’s someone that the Cubs could be serious about getting. Um his name has popped up a lot and been you know kind of talked about with the Cubs. Now could the Cubs go and get him and Dylan Case? No. I just don’t think so. Um then I wonder if the Padres’s are going to go after Case to try to keep him around, right? or will they go after Suarez because you know they’ve got not only cease but Michael King as a free agent and then former Cub U Darvish is out you know you got to kind of try to figure out like where these guys are going to go but when they did not pick up the show to Ianaga option and then he optioned out and became a free agent uh a lot of people feel like he’s going to end up going to the Mariners and be a great fit in Seattle, right? So, we’ll see what happens. Um, but I hated to see show to go. A lot of you guys were like, “Look, he’s gone. They’re not signing him. So, just know that they’re not going to spend the money and he didn’t look good at the end of the year.” And I guess the the telltale sign was at the end of the season, you’re in the playoffs, you got one game for the year and you rather pitch the bullpen than go with Sha. So, that’s why. But Suarez on the list now as far as teams that are uh you know or at least pitchers that the Cubs are really interested in and you know the question to me is um you know is is is what are they going to where are they going to spend their money? You know where where are they going to go to try to replace Shota? you know, what’s the the the you know, the the rotation going to look like? Um, and he’s certainly a pitcher who gives you I think he’s kind of a bulldog guy, gets a guy gets a good strikeout, uh, a good strikeout ratio, and he’s pitched in big games. So, um, you know, we’ll He got hit by a comebacker last season. Kind of shortened his year right at the end of the year, but uh I think he’ll be uh just fine and and we’ll see what happens. But his name’s kind of popped up. Now, another free agent that we’re keeping an eye on is uh Kyle Tucker. What’s the latest on Kyle Tucker? Where are we going with Kyle Tucker? The funny thing about Kyle Tucker is there’s some teams on this list now that are a little bit surprising. I mean, we all know that the Dodgers could move Tascar Hernandez to the outfield or excuse me, could move him to left field and then put Tucker in right and and the the Dodgers have manipulated salary enough where their highest paid guy is like paid like 2 million so they could go out and do this. We talked about that on the show yesterday. So, why not? I mean, why not let the Dodgers get all the good players and um and not have to worry about being that far over the salary cap? I mean, why even have or whatever you want to call it. It’s not a cap, but you know, the tax thing, right? Uh the Yankees because Cody Bellinger opted out and the Yankees may say, “Hey, you know what? We like Bellinger, but Tucker’s better because he is.” and then maybe we’ll get him right or the Blue Jays who are now becoming one of those teams who you’re hearing for Tucker. Remember the Blue Jays were one of the last teams in the mix to get Show Otani. Remember, he flew out there. He was pretty serious about it. Then they signed Vlad Guerrero Jr. and maybe they add Tucker. Uh, I I think as a free agent, it would not be um I mean just for me personally a very soughtafter spot. I I just don’t think I’d want to live in Canada and want to live there. But the team’s great. I mean, they were they were almost won the World Series last year and they obviously uh have built enough of a fan base up and they’re not afraid to spend some money. I mean, they’re ready to go get up there and spend now with some of the big boys. So, that’s interesting, right? Uh, some other teams that you’re hearing, obviously the Phillies, we talked about that. You trade Bryce Young or uh uh Bryce Young, quarterback of the of the um Panthers. No, you don’t trade him. You you you would you would think about it if you were a football player. Trade Bryce Harper. Maybe you get rid of, you know, some other salary. Maybe you don’t get Kyle Kyle Swarber, who we all want the Cubs to sign and and you go after Tucker and you add him. So, you know, that’s a that’s a team. You know, the Mets are are considered potential contenders now. I mean, they went out and signed Juan Sto. You know, why not add Tucker? I mean, who cares about how much money you spend? You’re in New York. You’ll make it back up. But how about the Orioles? I mean, trying to get over the hump, new manager, they they fired our friend Brandon Hyde had a dismal season last year. They were supposed to contend. They get to the playoffs and they don’t win any games. You know, maybe they go out there and they they they they pony up and they get them. that that I saw that name and I’m like, man, that cuz the Orioles are like the smallest of the small market and uh they made a mistake, you know, not boycotting the Nationals going to DC because they were pulling from DC and Baltimore and now they’re just kind of Maryland, part of PA and Delaware and a lot of those people like the Phillies. So, kind of interesting to me. Now, the Cubs, where they at on this, just nothing I’m hearing or seeing tells me that the Cubs are remotely in the mix for Tucker. And maybe that changes, but $400 million for a guy who gets hurt every year. Now, some of these injuries are, you know, kind of fluke injuries, but he had the the right shin fracture in 24. right hand fracture and left calf strain this past year. When he was healthy at the beginning of the season, he was good. But everybody when you made that huge trade to get him was like, “Hey, this guy kind of he’d been a little hurt lately.” And then that’s what you got. So, I’m sure that there’s a part of them saying, “You know what? Go to get hurt. We’re going to be stuck with this.” Um, and if you think the Jason Hayward deal was a lot, this is double, you know, pretty close. So, I’m sure they there’s a a little hesitancy to want to go out there and pay that kind of money. I mean, and you think about this and the Cubs paid Jason Hayward all that money, you know, would they have won the World Series without him? I don’t know. Maybe. um he did give the speech, but then for the other eight years, you know, you got a very mediocre player, you know, would that be the case with Tucker? So, I don’t know. Uh Kyle Hendris is set to retire, ladies and gentlemen, one of the all-time great Cubs. And I’ll tell you, uh, it is sad to know that, you know, that I don’t know that we’re just that far away from, you know, from a a career ending. You know, he he got to the big leagues in July of 2014 and then by 2016, he was that kid that they kept throwing out there in the big games and he got it done. He had the best erra in the league. in 2016 had a 213 RA and had 170 strikeouts. He was so good they should have never taken him out of game seven. Joe Madden almost managed us out of that game and he signed with the Angels in the off season and now he’s going to retire. So, um, good luck to him. you know, five seasons with more than 130 strikeouts for Kyle. You know, he had 13 almost 1,400 strikeouts in his career. And um you know, when you take away his playoff wins, he had over a 100 wins when you count the playoffs, I think, but 97 and 81 overall career and had a 312 RA in the postseason, you know, which was great. And he’ll be I I don’t know that he’ll get a statue outside of Wrigley, but he’ll one day be in the Cubs Hall of Fame, you know, like he belongs in the Cubs Hall of Fame. I mean, he’s a he’s a legend now for all he did to help us get our championship. So, what do you guys think? You agree with me? Yeah, you do. Come on. Um, all right. How about this one? Justin Turner. Should the Red Sox sign Justin Turner? A lot of people asking right now, should the Red Sox get him? Uh, I he was great on the bench this year. He had the walk-off home run, which was pretty cool, but I just don’t want the Cubs to sign him. I don’t care where he goes. I hope he gets another year in baseball. This th this to me was one of those moves where the Cubs were too shortsighted. They should have put some of those young guys in this spot, got them experience, and been building for the future. Instead, it was like, you know, it felt like we were building to make sure everybody didn’t get fired. And they didn’t. They didn’t get fired, which is good. I didn’t want to see them get fired. But now, you didn’t win the World Series, you know? Who knows? I mean, maybe maybe behind the scenes it was like having an extra coach. Well, hey, just go buy another coach if you need an extra coach. Just a shame that we we didn’t use that time in the big leagues for somebody that is going to play for the next 10 or 15 years. But love him, personality, great guy, really fun dude. Uh, you know, he’s he’s memorable with that that unforgettable beard and uh maybe he goes back to the Red Sox. you know, he he’s the perfect guy for a team that is right on the cusp of winning and you just need like one guy off the bench. So, um you know, good for him. Some rumblings that the Cubs may try to sign Pete Crow Armstrong long term. Going to get into that more at length next show. Appreciate all of you guys for being here. Again, join MC Nation Avenue D. Easy to do. hit that QR code and uh let’s let’s get let’s have some hat winners. Um you guys argue, want to disagree, want to agree, talk about it. Hey, did you feel like hey deserve the rookie of the year? I surely did. Did you? You know, tell me what you think. Um do would you rather have a catcher that hit 19 home runs and had 80 runs batted in and hit 274 or a guy that goes out there and is one of the best starters in the game? What’s more valuable? I think it’s close, but I think Courton I I I just think Courton should have won this award. Just I don’t know. It was close. And you know, obviously we must have had our rose colored glasses on cuz we didn’t see it. All right. Like, subscribe, thumbs up, hit the bell. Thanks for being here. And I want to tell you guys this. As you plan your Christmas vacation and you want to get to the mountains and get closer to Staint Nick, great place to do it. Severeville, Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains. When you head to the Smoky Mountains, it’s only natural to visit Severeville. Even we had to check it out. And we’ve been here our whole lives. Experience the adventure of a lifetime. I’m king of the world. Even you can get a bird’s eye view of the Smokies. You’re going down, Billy. [Applause] Wa! Your smokers start here. [Music]

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This Episode:
– Cade Horton Robbed! Didn’t win ROY
– 2025 11-4 2.67 ERA Not Good Enough
– Next Ace…Ranger Suarez vs Dylan Cease
– Latest News On Kyle Tucker
– Kyle Hendricks Set to Retire
– Red Sox should sign Justin Turner?

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Mick Gillispie has covered the Chicago Cubs since 2007 and has been a fan of the team since the 1984 season. He has broadcasted spring training games or been heard on Cubs.com, MLB.com, 670 The Score, WGN, CSN-Chicago and Marquee Sports Network. He is an award winning play-by-play voice for the Tennessee Smokies Cubs Double-A Affiliate. He has also hosted many forums over the years at Cubs Convention including Down on The Farm.