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A lockout is staring MLB in the face, and you can feel it in every quiet rumor and every awkward quote teams put out to “get in front of” not spending. We’re back on the Monday Morning Cubs show (yes, on a Wednesday) to talk through what that uncertainty actually means for the Chicago Cubs offseason, and why it can drain the energy out of roster talk before it even starts.  We get into the nuts and bolts that drive the entire market: qualifying offers, what it means when a player turns one down, and how draft pick compensation can change a team’s incentives. If you’ve ever wondered why clubs sometimes sit on their hands at the deadline or avoid certain free agents, this is the mechanism behind it. We also talk about why the Cubs seem determined to protect draft capital and “controllable talent,” and when that mindset turns from smart process into a convenient excuse.  From there, we zoom out to what actually moves the needle: run prevention. We argue about whether small bullpen signings should ever feel like headlines, react to Alex Bregman’s Gold Glove news, and then build a post-lockout wish list focused on arms that can win real games. Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Michael King, and the bigger question underneath it all: are the Cubs ready to pay for pitching that can dominate a season and a postseason?  If you enjoyed the chaos, subscribe so you don’t miss the next one, share it with a Cubs fan who’s already doomscrolling, and leave us a review so we can keep the giveaways going. What’s the one move you’d make the day the lockout ends? Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

The Brewers are on the doorstep of a World Series win and I’m feeling every ugly emotion that comes with it as a Cubs fan. So I grabbed the mic solo and said the quiet part out loud: I’m tired of “good enough,” tired of watching the Cubs drift, and tired of leadership acting like 89 wins is the finish line instead of the warning sign. If you’ve been doomscrolling the Cubs offseason and wondering what the plan even is, you’re in the right place. We talk about the MLB lockout that feels inevitable, why owners will lean on ratings and revenue arguments, and why that could lead to a weird, stingy winter for teams that rely on game-day cash. From there I get into what’s actually broken on the North Side: no real accountability, constant excuses, rising prices, and a roster that still screams for healthy starting pitching and more impact. Yes, I’m mad, but it’s the kind of mad that comes from caring. Then it’s Baller or Strike time: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s viral moment and the graduation “obligation,” John Mallee staying with the Cubs, why I don’t care about safe veteran moves, and why “injured pitching” can’t be a strategy anymore. We also hit trade and roster speculation, including Reed Detmers, a big swing for a starter like George Kirby, and the messy reality of Matt Shaw’s spotlight versus his on-field standing. If you want honest Cubs talk with zero sugarcoating, press play. Subscribe, share the show with a fellow suffering Cubs fan, and leave a review so this little community keeps growing. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

The Cubs need three starters, Happ and Seiya could be heading out the door, and the Brewers are playing for a championship. What exactly is the plan for 2027? Carl and Mahoney dig into the biggest questions facing the Cubs this offseason, starting with a rotation that can’t simply count on healthy versions of Justin Steele and Cade Horton. Where does Jed Hoyer find the pitching this team needs—and how do you replace Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki if both leave? Watching Milwaukee succeed brings out some familiar frustration with a Cubs organization that keeps spending B-plus money on B-minus players. We get into where the money should go, why another big trade might create more problems than it solves, and whether the front office will learn the right lessons from this October. Plus: five Gold Glove finalists, Ian Happ’s complicated relationship with Cubs fans, and why rooting against the Brewers still doesn’t come close to hating the Cardinals. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

October baseball is supposed to feel like a celebration, but as Cubs fans we’re stuck watching it from the outside while the Brewers look annoyingly legit. We start with that exact mood: a little relief, a lot of bitterness, and zero patience for Major League Baseball decisions that make the sport harder to follow. When playoff games start in the middle of a workday, we’re not just nitpicking, we’re calling out a league that keeps choosing convenience for TV windows over the actual fan experience. From there we jump into the kind of headline that makes you do a double take: benching Shohei Ohtani. We talk through why it sounds impossible unless there’s a real injury behind it, and what it says about how teams manage stars when the stakes get high. We also get into who we’re pulling for with the Cubs out, why Cleveland has a weirdly compelling case, and how MLB’s “best script” doesn’t always match what fans want. Then we go where every serious baseball conversation is headed: the lockout cloud. We explain why owners love turning fans against players, why that framing is backwards, and why “lost time” hits players in a way it never hits billionaires. After that, it’s pure Cubs offseason reality: Convention uncertainty, outfield questions, prospect stat inflation from minor league ball changes, bullpen role envy, and real frustration with how unprepared the team looked when it mattered. We close on the biggest long-term question of all: can the Cubs actually build around Pete Crow-Armstrong, or are we watching the start of a wasted window? If you’re riding the same Cubs roller coaster, hit subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more fans find the show. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

That Jed Hoyer press conference hit a nerve, and I’m not going to pretend it didn’t. I’m coming in hot after the Cubs’ playoff loss to the Padres because the messaging and the reality do not match. You can’t watch a short series swing on non-competitive at-bats at the top of the order, early crooked numbers allowed, and a bullpen that never scares anyone, then walk to the mic and act like the answers are vague or far away. We talk through the three on-field reasons the Cubs lose that series, then pull the camera back to the bigger Cubs pitching problem: dead-last velocity, not enough swing-and-miss, and decision-making that makes a thin staff look even thinner. I also get into the health side, because year after year of key arms missing time stops being “baseball luck” and starts looking like an organizational failure. If the Cubs can build a top offense and still finish well behind the division standard, the roster construction and pitching development plan deserve real heat. Then we get into what I think is coming next: mutual options declined, payroll walking out the door, and the MLB lockout threat becoming the easiest excuse in the world for Tom Ricketts and the business side to slow spending. My view is simple: stop bargain hunting and pay for real frontline starting pitching in free agency, even if it’s uncomfortable, because wasting elite seasons is the most expensive choice of all. If you’re a Cubs fan who feels like you’re being sold a story instead of a plan, you’ll want this one. Subscribe, share the show with another Cubs fan, and leave a review with your one non-negotiable offseason move. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

One hit. Eight runs allowed. Zero room to hide. That’s the kind of playoff opener that makes you question everything, from roster construction to the first pitch plan, and I’m not pretending I’m calm about it. I’m Carl, and this Monday Morning Cubs Show is a special recap and Game 2 preview built for Cubs fans who need to vent first, then refocus fast because it’s winner go home tonight at Petco Park. We start with the hard part: accountability. I break down why starting Matt Boyd in Game 1 felt like a leadership failure, why the matchup against the Padres lineup looked wrong on paper and looked worse on the field, and how a “gutless” vibe can spread once you fall behind early. Then we dig into what actually happened between the lines. Michael King’s movement, command, and ability to work both sides of the plate turned our at-bats into weak contact and ugly swings, and it exposed how quickly a top offense can look lost in October. From there, we turn the page to real adjustments for Cubs vs Padres Game 2. I give a scouting report on Nick Pivetta, why his vertical approach and strikeout stuff create a different kind of pressure than King, and what the Cubs need to do to avoid pressing. On the mound, Kevin Gausman becomes the fulcrum: I lay out why pitching “backwards” with early splitters and discomfort inside can change the tone, and why we need length from him to avoid bullpen chaos. If you’re riding the emotional swing of the MLB postseason, hit play, then tell me what you’re watching for tonight. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan who’s spiraling, and leave a review so we can keep firing these off when the games demand it. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

The Cubs are heading to San Diego for a Wild Card Series that feels like a stress test for everything we believe about this roster. The Padres are red hot at 16-3 down the stretch, Petco Park is going to be loud, and the margin for error is basically gone, but we still like the Cubs’ chances because the lineup is deeper and the defense is on another level. If you want a clear Cubs playoff preview that actually helps you watch the game smarter, we break down exactly where the series tilts and why.  We dig into the Padres scouting report from the top: Fernando Tatis Jr. as the superstar catalyst, Dustin Harris as the new spark plug hitting behind him, and how the rest of the order stacks up behind Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, and Ty France. Then we get blunt about the one rule we’re not breaking: we’re not walking Tatis, because it changes the entire inning and puts the pressure on the wrong hitters at the wrong time. The theme is simple and unforgiving: if Cubs pitching throws strikes, we can control the game; if we fall behind in counts, we’re playing with fire.  We also go deep on the pitching matchup, especially Michael King’s sinker-heavy approach and his ability to attack both glove side and arm side with different breaking ball shapes. That leads into the late-game problem everyone’s thinking about: the Padres bullpen, headlined by Mason Miller, and why the Cubs need to create offense early enough to avoid getting scripted out of the game. We wrap with our predictions, what a three-game series might look like, and the key moments we can already feel coming. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan, and leave a review so we can ride every pitch together. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

Clinching a playoff spot should feel like pure champagne, but if you’ve watched this Cubs season closely, you know it can feel like a deep, exhausted exhale too. We’re coming to you with our playoff clinch edition, joined by two of our most recurring voices: CB and the legendary Jake Tui, plus Mahoney in the mix as always. It’s loose, it’s honest, and it’s exactly how real Cubs fans sound when October finally becomes official. We dig into the question nobody agrees on: is making the postseason a celebration or a relief when the team has looked like a World Series threat and also flirted with late-season frustration? From there we go straight into the hot zones, bullpen trust, Craig Counsell decisions, and whether lining up the pitching staff matters more than chasing the perfect Wild Card seed. We also talk about what the front office got right at the deadline, what still scares us, and why certain matchups feel like landmines. Then we spend real time on the heartbeat of the year: Pete Crow-Armstrong. PCA’s 40-40 season sparks a full Cubs history argument, stacking his impact against Sammy Sosa’s cultural peak and Kris Bryant’s MVP run. We also make the case for the underrated bats that could decide a series, including what a healthy Alex Bregman changes and why Seiya Suzuki deserves more respect going into the MLB playoffs. If this made you feel something, subscribe, share it with a Cubs friend, and leave a review so more fans find the show. Who do you want in the Wild Card round, and what’s your one bold prediction for October? Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

Six games left, the Cubs sitting on the top wild card spot, and our brains are supposed to be melting, right? Instead, we wake up feeling oddly steady, and we try to explain why the vibes are different than those past “huge week” Mondays where everything felt like it could collapse. We also flag the very real variable hovering over the final stretch: weather, travel, and the way one storm can turn the cleanest plan into chaos. Then the real stuff hits. Alex Bregman gets drilled and suddenly every playoff conversation sharpens into one question: how much is getting Bregman healthy worth compared to chasing home field at Wrigley Field? We talk about where he was positioned, Craig Counsell’s response, what the injury could do to timing at the plate, and how the Cubs try to survive if they have to cover innings and at-bats without their best right-handed hitter. It’s not doom, but it is the kind of lineup math that decides October. From there we get into the players and roles that will make or break a short series: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s star turn, Ian Happ’s underrated steadiness, Carson Kelly’s sneaky value against lefties, and the pitching debate that won’t go away. We go Ball Or Strike on Shota Imanaga versus Matt Boyd, and we make the case for Daniel Palencia getting the toughest inning in October even if it shows up in the sixth. If you’re thinking about bullpen leverage, platoons, and how the Cubs actually win tight playoff games, this one’s for you. If you enjoyed it, subscribe on Spotify or Apple, share the show with a fellow Cubs fan, and leave a rating or review so more maniacs find us. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

A Super Bowl champion running back calls you up, then tells you he just wants to talk Pokemon cards. That is how our week starts, and it somehow fits perfectly with the current Cubs season: electric, improbable, and a little bit unhinged in the best way. Carl breaks down the quick-hit Nashville trip that turned into meeting Leonard Fournette, hearing how deep his Pokemon collecting goes, and why creative work and real sponsors can keep a show alive when everything feels shaky. Then we lock back in on what you came for: the Chicago Cubs playoff push and the stuff that actually decides October. We love this lineup. We love the defense. We cannot stop talking about Pete Crow-Armstrong, and we get into a real debate about what “peak” means when you compare PCA’s all-around game to the best of Sammy Sosa. We also talk about Alex Bregman as the steady hand near the top of the order, plus the sneaky October paths for Pedro Ramirez and a potential Matt Shaw moment. But we do not dodge the problem: the Cubs bullpen is the biggest reason trust gets fragile fast, especially when you picture a postseason matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers. We talk wild card positioning, why hosting at Wrigley Field matters, how Dansby Swanson’s return impacts everything up the middle, and we even make the case for going full pinstripes because baseball is still a vibes sport. If you like Cubs podcasts with real opinions and zero gambling-promo nonsense, subscribe, share this with a Cubs friend, and leave us a review so we can keep building this thing. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

The Cubs are doing something that should feel impossible: pairing a top-tier offense with elite defense, then turning around and making every late lead feel like a coin flip. On a Labor Day morning, we sit down as Cubs fans and talk through that emotional whiplash the only way we know how: a little neighborhood banter, a little scoreboard reality, and then a hard look at what actually wins in October. We give Pete Crow-Armstrong his flowers as the kind of athlete who changes a franchise’s ceiling, then we dig into the lineup’s surge with real context. Alex Bregman’s run, Nico Horner’s consistency, and the Cubs’ second half wRC+ paint a picture of an offense that travels. From there we go straight to the “ball or strike” segment, where we lay out the high leverage numbers, platoon splits against righties and lefties, one-run game results, and why the stats say this team is built to win tight games. Then we address the thing every Cubs conversation circles back to: the bullpen. We don’t sugarcoat it, and we don’t pretend it’s a minor flaw. We talk roster construction, why it feels like a whole phase of the game is missing, and what that means when the Brewers series looms and the Phillies are chasing. We also compare schedules down the stretch and preview the kind of left-handed pitching matchups that could define a playoff series. If you’re tracking the Chicago Cubs playoff race, Cubs bullpen concerns, or Cubs wRC+ trends, this one gives you both the numbers and the gut-check. Subscribe, share this with a fellow Cubs fan, and leave a review with your best real-life analogy for this bullpen. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

A series win can still feel like a loss when you know you had your foot on the Brewers’ throat. That’s where our heads are today, and we’re not pretending otherwise. We talk through the Cubs vs Brewers frustration, the blown chances, the late-inning chaos, and why a team that looks like a contender can still leave you steaming before the first sip of coffee. Then we slow it down and get precise about what’s real and what’s just noise. We unpack the “should have swept” instinct versus the more honest “could have swept” reality, especially when you steal a win scoring two runs. From there, we make the case that the foundation for an MLB playoffs run is still sitting right in front of us: Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes at the top. We get into how we’d line them up in October, why Game 1 logic is not the same as a one-and-done scenario, and what kind of tone-setter you actually want early in a series. After that, it’s the stuff fans argue about all night: the Cubs bullpen, the moments that scream lack of execution, and the bigger question of responsibility. We also push back hard on lazy Michael Busch takes by adding context around left-handed pitching, lineup trust, and what it means for roster flexibility across a long season. And yes, we go straight at Craig Counsell, because when the roster is this good, the leadership conversation gets loud fast. If you’re riding the same highs and lows, hit play, then subscribe, share the show, and leave a review so more Cubs fans find us. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

The Cubs are getting worked over by the Reds, the bullpen feels shaky, and the calendar is about to flip to September. That is exactly when we needed to sit down and ask the question nobody wants to answer: is there still a real path to catching the Brewers, or are we just doing math to protect our feelings? We bring in Mahoney and CB for a roundtable that starts with the fun stuff and quickly turns into the big stuff. We hand out our weekly Thirsty Vaquero awards, then zoom in on the story of the season: Pete Crow-Armstrong playing like an MVP and making historic noise, especially with the way he’s crushing left-handed pitching. From there we hit a few “ball or strike” calls that matter in October, including how much credit Craig Counsell deserves for the environment, and whether a season with a superstar this good has to end deep in the playoffs to feel right. Then we get specific with a full Cubs vs Brewers series preview at Wrigley Field, breaking it down by position groups: starting pitching matchups, bullpen trust, catching depth vs top-end talent, corner infield advantages, the middle infield questions with Dansby Swanson out, and why the Cubs outfield feels like the clear strength. We also talk hard lineup choices like Ian Happ vs Tyrone Taylor against lefty starters, plus what Seiya Suzuki’s future might look like after a quietly huge year. If you love smart Cubs talk with honest nerves and real scouting, hit play. Subscribe, share the show with a fellow fan, and leave a review, then tell us your prediction: do the Cubs take three of four, or is that wishful thinking? Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

The Cubs don’t need more vibes right now. They need answers in the late innings, because a good lineup and a strong rotation only matter if you can finish games. I’m Carl, and this Friday solo is me getting specific and tactical about the one part of the roster that still feels unsettled: the bullpen. I walk through the simplest question that keeps coming up when the game gets tight: who takes the ball in the ninth? My stance is clear. If Daniel Palencia is healthy enough to be on the big league roster, he’s the closer immediately, and he should be used like one. From there we build the rest of the plan like a real-world puzzle, using a clean “seven outs” framework after your starter and your ninth-inning guy are accounted for. Then we sort the names that could decide September and October at Wrigley Field: what Jacob Webb’s season means if he’s pushed back into a better role, why Shelby Miller’s return could bring the kind of dominant outs the bullpen needs, how Hobie Milner changes the lefty picture, and why Justin Steele fits best as a targeted, high-leverage weapon based on rehab progress and pitch counts. I also draw a hard line between hope and reality when it comes to prospects and control, and I explain why some “easy fixes” are not fixes at all. I close with a quick, serious reminder about staying grounded and watching our language, because this community matters more than a bad week of baseball. If this helped you think clearer about the Cubs bullpen plan, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more Cubs fans can find it. What’s your ideal 7th and 8th inning combo? Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

Two walk-off losses can make a good team feel shaky fast, especially when they land late and ruin your night. Then the Cubs turn around and hang 19 runs like nothing happened. That swing is why we hit record, because it forces the real question: are we watching a contender with bad breaks, or a team that can’t get out of its own way? We talk through how we’re reading the weekend, why process matters more than a single blown save, and what a 19-2 win actually tells us about this group.  The standings talk gets spicy: we’re still chasing the Brewers in the NL Central, and we’re also trying to hold the top wild card spot with the Phillies getting hot. We break down what “scoreboard watching” should and shouldn’t do to your brain, why hosting at Wrigley Field could be the difference in October, and why we don’t want excuses about lineups or vibes when the roster is loaded with real talent.  Then we get into the pitching picture that decides everything. We cover bullpen roles with Jacob Webb and Daniel Palencia, plus the late-season reinforcements everyone’s tracking like Justin Steele and Ben Brown. We also hit the Danzby Swanson injury fallout and the Nico Hoerner plus Pedro Ramirez infield shuffle without pretending it’s a 1:1 replacement. Finally, we air out the frustration with Javier Assad getting optioned and what that says about how organizations treat reliable arms.  If you ride with the Cubs, you’ll feel this one. Subscribe, share the show with a fellow fan, and leave a review so more maniacs find us before October hits. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney