Six games can feel like nothing, right up until you’ve watched every pitch and realized you’re already emotionally invested. That’s why we decided to ditch the vague “it’s early” chatter and do something concrete: a full Cubs report card, A through F, with independent Cubs journalist Blake Cowell joining me for a fast-moving hangout that turns frustration into actual analysis.

We start with the stuff that shapes the whole season, not just the next series. Jed Hoyer’s surprise extension work gets real credit, and we talk about how Tom Ricketts using deferrals can open doors for roster building. Then we get into the best early signal on the field: pitching. We break down what makes Cade Horton look like a front-line arm, why Edward Cabrera’s power stuff feels different for this team, and how Matt Boyd’s strikeout numbers could swing the Cubs’ ceiling if they hold.

From there, we hit the questions Cubs fans are already debating: Nico Horner’s contract value, where Michael Bush fits long term, and what to do with the new MLB ABS challenge system when leverage is high. We also get honest about what has not looked clean yet, including Alex Bregman’s defense and how fast the mood changes online, especially around Matt Shaw. And yes, we even grade the new Wrigley Field chicken churro because baseball is a long season and the details matter.

If you’ve got a grade of your own, bring it with you. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs friend, and leave a five-star review so more fans can find us. What’s your biggest A or your most deserved F so far?

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- Carl & Mahoney

We react to the Cubs dropping the opening weekend series and sort the real problems from the stuff that will fade once the season settles. We also dig into the Nico Horner extension and what it signals about the Cubs building around defense, payroll, and pitching to contact.
• opening weekend recap and why 1-2 feels so familiar
• quick schedule check with the Angels at Wrigley and Cleveland ahead
• Cade Horton’s efficiency and why his style is so hard to face
• Ian Happ’s hard contact and handling a bigger lineup role
• missed chances on Sunday and frustration with solo homers
• Wrigley Field beer prices and the pitch clock concessions theory
• early read on Alex Bregman’s dugout vibe and on-field look
• Nico Horner’s six-year deal and how service time changes player pay
• why elite up-the-middle defense supports pitching to weak contact
• Shota Imanaga watch and why the whiffs matter
• Miguel Amaya versus Carson Kelly and the odd batting order usage
• whether Michael Bush belongs in extension talks
Guys, don't forget, tune in on Friday's show
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- Carl & Mahoney

Getting smoked 10-4 on opening day messes with your head, especially when the opponent is a team you think you should handle. We talk through how to process that kind of loss without spiraling, what actually decided the game, and why the only real response is simple: take the series. That mindset is the difference between following baseball like a daily panic test and following it like a season-long story where the truth shows up over time.

Then the conversation turns to the news that actually reshapes the Cubs’ future. Nico Hoerner gets extended, and I dig into why his value goes way beyond a box score: elite defense up the middle, smart baserunning, low strikeouts, and an everyday mentality that sets a standard. If you’ve ever wondered what “clubhouse leadership” looks like in modern MLB, Hoerner is the cleanest example. Stability matters, and locking in the middle infield takes a huge problem off the to-do list.

And the headline move: Pete Crow-Armstrong signs for $115 million. I break down why that number surprises me, why it can be a massive win for Jed Hoyer, and how the weird reality of league-minimum years changes what “getting paid” means for a young star. We also hit early lineup construction questions, what changes when Seiya Suzuki is out, and who I want in that crucial third spot when the lineup is whole.

If you’re locked in on the 2025 Cubs, subscribe so you don’t miss the Friday rhythm, share this with a Cubs fan who’s already overreacting, and leave a quick five-star review if you’ve got a second. What’s your grade for the Nico and PCA extensions?

Thanks for tuning in!

- Carl & Mahoney

Opening Day is days away, so we bring Marquee play-by-play broadcaster Alex Cohen on to put real numbers behind our 2026 Cubs predictions and the storylines that can drive a division run. We also react to late spring news like Seiya Suzuki’s likely IL stint and what it means for roster decisions right now.

• Alex Cohen’s path from the Iowa Cubs to Marquee and what availability and relationships change in a career
• Seiya Suzuki injury update and how an IL move reshapes the bench options
• Javier Assad versus Ben Brown as a role and development debate
• 2026 Cubs win total predictions and why pitching depth changes the ceiling
• Michael Busch as home run leader and the importance of his splits versus lefties
• Nico Hoerner runs scored and stolen base outlook in a contract season
• Pete Crow-Armstrong growth case through home runs plus steals
• Cade Horton innings target and the ace mentality discussion
• Justin Steele win total expectations once he returns
• Daniel Palencia save totals and what makes closer stability rare
• Craig Counsell ejections and how fire shows up in modern managing
• Alex Bregman workload planning with DH days and Matt Shaw’s multi-position role
• Broadcast prep routines plus how to build better on-air chemistry
• The no-hitter story and how announcers handle pressure midgame
• Plans for additional programming and quick-hit game reactions

Check it out on Amazon.com for all your fulfillment needs
I should have an opening day recap show available Thursday midnight
Just keep your eyes peeled for this stuff

Thanks for tuning in!

- Carl & Mahoney

A snowy March morning and suddenly everything feels close: Opening Day, a season with real expectations, and a World Baseball Classic that looks like October baseball. We’re coming in hot with reactions to Team USA’s 2 to 1 win over the Dominican Republic, including the “ball or strike” moment that decided the ending and what it says about the current state of the game. It’s the perfect mix of modern baseball trends and old truths: solo shots, piles of strikeouts, and the idea that with two strikes you still have to fight.

From there we bring it back to the Chicago Cubs. Pete Crow Armstrong keeps showing why his defense plays bigger than the highlight reels, and the WBC stage is basically a spotlight built for his speed, confidence, and edge. We also talk through the one moment that took the air out of the room for Cubs fans: Seiya Suzuki’s injury scare, why it feels uniquely damaging, and what the lineup loses when that right-handed thunder isn’t there.

Then we roll into Ball Or Strike and the spring training stack: Daniel Palencia’s closer path, why Moises Ballesteros is getting real national breakout buzz, and how Matt Boyd becoming the Opening Day starter is a win for the Cubs pitching development machine. We finish with a rapid pitch clock on Ben Brown, Jameson Taillon worries, Eddie Cabrera’s rotation slot, and Matt Shaw trying reps at first base. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan, and leave us a Spotify review to help us climb back to five stars.

Thanks for tuning in!

- Carl & Mahoney

A good Cubs season starts long before the ivy turns green. We kick things off with the signals that actually matter in March—Matt Shaw holding serve while learning another position, Dansby Swanson finding rhythm, and fringe bats pushing for a real job—then thread those details through a bigger, brighter picture of what this team can be when the games start to count. With Dan “Big Cat” Katz in studio, we revisit the jolt of 2015 and Arrieta’s absurd heater, not just to bask in nostalgia but to draw a blueprint: conviction, roles that fit, and a crowd that makes every pitch feel heavier.

From there, it’s all about levers. Seiya Suzuki’s WBC swagger looks like more than a weekend mood; if he stays upright, a career year is on the table. Alex Bregman brings everyday certainty—long counts, hard contact, and respect from every dugout—that travels in cold weather. And PCA’s first-pitch aggression isn’t recklessness; it’s intent. Craig Counsell’s calm, relentless bullpen management gets its due, because it turns thin nights into chances and chances into wins. The key variable? Justin Steele. If he returns at full throttle by early summer, he becomes the deadline addition everyone begs for without the prospect tax, sliding Shota into a truer role and letting Cade Horton’s innings pop on a smart leash.

We don’t dodge the uncomfortable parts. Tom Ricketts clears Chicago’s owner bar but still leaves ambition on the table for a franchise that should play in the deep end more often. We stack 2016 vs 2026, position by position: the old rotation still rules, but today’s group has a path to echo that dominance if Steele anchors and the lineup’s contact profile holds. Along the way, you’ll get Wrigley lore, the 50-50 obsession, foul-ball nerves, and the eternal hot-dog debate—because the little rituals matter as much as the big swings.

If you love smart Cubs talk with heart, this one hits the sweet spot. Subscribe, share with a fellow maniacs, and drop your win total prediction—we’re calling 95 as the number to beat. Want more of these deep dives all season? Follow, leave a review, and tell us the one matchup where 2026 beats 2016.

Thanks for tuning in!

- Carl & Mahoney

The countdown to baseball gets real, and we can feel it. We kick off with that opening day itch, then tackle the story Cubs fans won’t stop talking about: why Marquee’s spring training blackout stings and what it says about priorities. From there, we dig into the roster choices that actually move the needle—how the Tyler Austin injury complicates first base platooning, whether Michael Busch can hold his own against lefties, and what internal options or short-term pivots make sense without overpaying for a name.

On the mound, we draw a hard line between excitement and urgency. Justin Steele is officially cleared—no setbacks, no shortcuts, same timeline—and that’s a win for October thinking. Let him ramp right and peak in mid-summer. Meanwhile, Shota Imanaga’s velocity is up and the contact has been loud. We explain why the velo matters more than spring results, what to watch in his tunneling and rhythm, and how a back-end role paired with a chip-on-the-shoulder season could be a quiet edge.

Then we open the PCA file. His Chicago Magazine profile was raw and unfiltered—F-bombs, pressure, vulnerability, swagger—and it raised real questions about mindset and maturity. We separate signal from noise: the tools are elite, the adjustment is mental, and leadership around him matters. That’s why the World Baseball Classic arrives at the perfect moment. PCA and Alex Bregman will share a clubhouse with the game’s best, learning how to channel fire without pressing. We also spotlight Cubs across the WBC (USA, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama), the injury calculus versus real-game value, and how short, high-leverage reps can accelerate development better than backfields ever could.

It all adds up to a clear thesis: depth to weather April, patience to get healthy, and a runway to hit stride when it counts. If you’re fired up for meaningful baseball, you’ll feel right at home here. If you enjoyed this, follow the show, rate us five stars on Spotify or Apple, and share it with a Cubs fan who needs that opening day jolt.

Thanks for tuning in!

- Carl & Mahoney

One calm spring can set the tone for a wild summer. We zoom past box score buzz and dig into what actually matters for the Cubs: defined roles, smarter rest, and a roster that doesn’t need March miracles to look like a contender. We start with Michael Conforto’s fit—why a bat-first, lefty-heavy profile paired with playable defense could be the right lever against right-handed pitching—and how that decision intersects with Chas McCormick and Matt Shaw in right field. The focus isn’t on who has the hotter week; it’s on which mix safeguards run prevention while adding thump without breaking the defense.

Then it’s the Moises Ballesteros conversation. Few rookies step into a near-everyday DH role, but his bat-to-ball skill and zone feel make him an outlier. We talk through why missing a little early-camp time isn’t a crisis, how a steady DH plan protects Seiya Suzuki’s soft-tissue risk, and the ripple effects of rotating off-days to keep legs fresh into September. We also flag the one real stress point: first base depth. Michael Busch can hit, but someone has to carry the righty split when lefties stack up. Enter Tyler Austin, fresh off a KBO power binge. If that pairing stabilizes, the rest of the lineup plays to its strengths: Horner’s efficiency, Swanson’s bounce-back path, PCA’s range, and a bullpen core deep enough to shorten games.

We round it out with World Baseball Classic tradeoffs, why veterans benefit more from structured ramps than patriotic adrenaline, and how league-wide parity means there are fewer “easy” series. Bonus: a rapid-fire tour of the best promotional giveaways this year and a heads-up on special ticket rules so you don’t miss the items you actually want. The through line is simple: prioritize health, lean into leverage matchups, and trust the roles. That’s how you build toward a 96-win reality rather than chasing spring mirages.

If this breakdown hits your baseball brain, tap follow, share it with a Cubs friend, and drop a five-star review on Apple or Spotify—tell us your biggest opening day concern.

Thanks for tuning in!

- Carl & Mahoney