The Cubs find themselves in the abyss as the losing continues in a bad stretch for them. Can they find a way out or is it time for Jed Hoyer to move on from this roster? David Kaplan, Maddie Lee, Tim Stebbins, and Gordon Wittenmyer discuss the current losing streak and what, if anything, can they do to get out of it. The crew also debates how big of a rebuild are the Cubs looking at and can it be turned around quickly so the team can be in contention again? (1:50) - The Cubs have lost 10 straigh...
Jul 07, 2021•31 min•Ep. 506
The Cubs have slipped to six games back in the NL Central and things look bleak. Starting pitcher Jake Arrieta is struggling to put together solid outings. Is it time to remove him from the rotation? David Kaplan, Maddie Lee, Tim Stebbins, and Gordon Wittenmyer discuss Arrieta and what the Cubs should do. The crew also discusses the increase in offense around the game since MLB cracked down on "sticky stuff" and the Cubs' lack of movement as the trade deadline gets closer. (1:30) - Is Jake Arrie...
Jul 02, 2021•34 min•Ep. 505
David Kaplan, Gordon Wittenmyer, and Tim Stebbins discuss the current state of the Cubs at the end of a tough June schedule. Is the season over? The crew also discusses if there is a plan to keep and re-sign any of the current Cubs up for contracts this offseason. Later, they discuss the differences between the Cubs' and Dodgers' competitive windows, as well as Clayton Kershaw's thoughts on the topic. (1:45) - David Kaplan believes the Cubs' season is over (7:00) - Are the Cubs going to re-sign ...
Jun 30, 2021•36 min•Ep. 504
Wilson Inoa was a Cubs prospect with great potential to make the show, but one injury changed the course of his life, and now he's part of the team in a different way as the Cubs lead groundskeeper in Mesa, Arizona. Not every prospect's path to a big-league field looks the same. This is Wilson Inoa's strange, twisting, and inspiring road less traveled.
Jun 27, 2021•14 min•Ep. 503
The Cubs' next 6 games are against the defending champs and against a division rival. How will they fair? David Kaplan, Maddie Lee, Gordon Wittenmyer, and Tim Stebbins break down the upcoming road trip and what they expect from the Cubs. Also in the podcast, the crew discusses the recent play of Jake Arietta and Jason Heyward and if it's good enough for them to play regularly, should the Cubs trade for another starting pitcher who is on a 1yr deal and try to re-sign him, and a lot more. (1:50) -...
Jun 25, 2021•30 min•Ep. 503
Cubs manager David Ross benched shortstop Javy Báez for a baserunning mistake vs. Cleveland. Was the benching Ross' attempt to send a message to the team? David Kaplan, Tim Stebbins, Gordon Wittenmyer, and Maddie Lee discuss the Báez benching, the Cubs' struggling offense, whether the Cubs will re-sign Baez, and more. (1:30) - Reactions to the Báez benching (7:00) - The Cubs lead MLB in outs on the bases the last four years (14:30) - During a challenging June schedule, the Cubs lost their series...
Jun 23, 2021•26 min•Ep. 502
On this Father's day, the Cubs Talk podcast releases a very special and heartfelt episode featuring Ian Happ. NBCS Chicago Cubs beat writer Maddie Lee is joined by Ian Happ as he discusses the impact his late father, Keith Happ, had on him including the positive outlook and use of positive mental health strategies. Happ lost his father to brain cancer in 2015 at the age of 58, but Happ continues to be inspired by his father every day and uses one of his dad's key lessons of mental health in his ...
Jun 20, 2021•32 min•Ep. 502
David Kaplan, Tim Stebbins, and Gordon Wittenmyer break down Jacob deGrom's start against the Cubs and debate if he is the best at his craft in sports right now. Later, the crew discusses the importance of beating playoff-caliber teams in the regular season and describes the feeling around the Cubs only a few weeks away from the trade deadline. (2:00) - Is Jacob deGrom better at his craft than any athlete in sports right now? (14:10) - If a pitcher is dominating your team, would you want to see ...
Jun 18, 2021•34 min•Ep. 501
MLB is stepping up measures and plans to suspend pitchers for using substances to get more control of the ball. How will this impact baseball? David Kaplan, Maddie Lee, Gordon Wittenmyer, and Tim Stebbins discuss the newly enforced rule and if Cubs pitchers are using it and how will this impact the Cubs specifically. (1:40) - Pitchers who violate ‘sticky stuff’ rules will face 10-game suspensions, MLB says (10:14) - How will MLB even enforce the rule? (15:00) - Are the Cubs using "sticky stuff"?...
Jun 16, 2021•31 min•Ep. 500
After struggling in the beginning, the Cubs capped off their West Coast road trip by beating Yu Darvish to secure a series win over the World Series-contending Padres. Now the Cubs look to take advantage of a banged-up Cardinals team in their upcoming series.David Kaplan, Gordon Wittenmyer, Maddie Lee and Tim Stebbins discuss the road trip and the Padres series, also previewing the Cardinals series. The crew also breaks down the Cubs' vaccination numbers and if it will be a problem going forward...
Jun 11, 2021•32 min•Ep. 499
The Cubs have started the west coast road trip stumbling out the gate, can they recover, and how will they fare against former Cub Yu Darvish? David Kaplan, Maddie Lee, Tim Stebbins, and Gordon Wittenmyer break down the Cub road trip and discuss has Jed Hoyer made his decision yet on if this team is worth going all-in on, or will he start the rebuild at the trade deadline. (1:30) - Cubs vs Sox Nike City Edition uniforms (3:40) - Does Jed Hoyer have a good idea on if the Cubs will be buyers or se...
Jun 09, 2021•38 min•Ep. 498
In a "West" themed episode, Tim Stebbins and Gordon Wittenmyer breakdown the upcoming west coast road trip the Cubs will be on, and will the Cubs be able to be above .500 and make a strong statement to management that they are ready to make another push to the playoffs before the trade deadline. Later in the podcast, sticking with the theme of the West, Tim and Gordon are joined by umpire Joe West as they discuss Joe breaking the all-time games umped record and get his opinion on replacing umpir...
Jun 04, 2021•44 min•Ep. 497
Marc Silverman is one of Chicago's great sports radio hosts and an all-around great guy who is a lifelong Cubs fan. Silvy joins his friend and ESPN radio teammate, David Kaplan, as they discuss where their Cubs fandom began and their favorite players in Cubs history. They also break down the first-place Cubs and their expectations for them the remainder of this season. (2:50) - Silvy on battling cancer during a pandemic and how the Cubs played a big role during that time (7:10) - Favorite Cubs p...
Jun 02, 2021•33 min•Ep. 496
The hottest topic in baseball right now is Cardinals manager Mike Shildt going on a rant on MLB's dirty little secret on how pitchers are using foreign substances to increase spin rate. David Kaplan and Tim Stebbins discuss Shildt's rant and if there's validity to his argument. Later in the podcast, the crew discusses the Cubs' push for 1st place in the NL Central division and how injuries are impacting the Cubs this year. (1:45) - Mike Shildt's viral rant of pitchers using foreign substances to...
May 28, 2021•30 min•Ep. 495
The Cubs are currently in second place in the NL Central but are inching closer and closer to first after winning a weekend series vs. the rival Cardinals. Will they be able to get to the top of the division? David Kaplan, Maddie Lee, and Gordon Wittenmyer discuss the recent series win and break down what's working for the Cubs. Later in the pod, the crew discusses Wilson Contreras' play and if he's willing to stay with the Cubs if they start a rebuild. (2:10) - There's a path where the Cubs cou...
May 26, 2021•30 min•Ep. 494
The Cubs play the Cardinals 13 times over the next several weeks, and those games might play a huge part in influencing the team's approach to the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline. David Kaplan, Gordon Wittenmyer and Tim Stebbins discuss how those Cardinals series could impact the Cubs' core. They also discuss the COVID-19 vaccine protocols in MLB and how it's negatively impacting the Cubs off of Jed Hoyer's own admission. And the team peaks south on the red line to discuss the White Sox drama with Tony ...
May 21, 2021•33 min•Ep. 493
With the new updated safety protocol by the CDC, the Cubs will increase capacity and have other changes. To break down the new guidelines and discuss how they will impact Cub fans at Wrigley, Dr. Robert Citronberg joins David Kaplan and Maddie Lee to explain the details of what's next and what fans should expect at Wrigley Field. David Kaplan and Maddie Lee also discuss the return of Kyle Schwarber and Jon Lester to Chicago as the Cubs set to play the Washington Nationals. (1:30) - More fans are...
May 19, 2021•24 min•Ep. 492
In breaking news, the city of Chicago and state of Illinois approved the Cubs to expand fan capacity to 60 percent. David Kaplan, Maddie Lee, and Gordon Wittenmyer discuss the change, the impact the new money will have on the team, and if there will be a plan to reach 100 percent capacity before the season ends. Later, the group debates why the Cubs can't hit with runners in scoring position and if this trend will last. (1:50) - Mayor Lori Lightfoot has opened up fan capacity to 60 percent. Is t...
May 14, 2021•33 min•Ep. 491
The mustache. The swagger. The farm. Andrew Chafin is a character you didn't know you wanted more of. On this episode of the Cubs Talk Podcast, Chafin joins David Kaplan and Gordon Wittenmyer as they discuss his style, his cars, and his interests outside of baseball. The crew also discusses his love of pancakes without syrup, his DIY YouTube page, and how he approaches pitching in the analytics era of baseball. (2:15) - You don't mess with Andrew Chafin (7:30) - Chafin on becoming a fan favorite...
May 12, 2021•26 min•Ep. 490
Kris Bryant is swinging a hot bat and playing as good as ever, but the Cubs are near the bottom of the NL Central. They could get quite a return if they decide to trade him, but would they do another trade with the White Sox. who are in desperate need of an outfielder due to injuries? David Kaplan and Gordon Wittenmyer break down the Cubs' position and if they are considering moving Bryant or if there's still hopes of reaching an extension. (1:46) - Why has Kris Bryant been so good to start the ...
May 05, 2021•21 min•Ep. 489
The Cubs are having an up and down year so far with a lot of the same players. Was last year's roster better? The Cubs Talk crew of Tim Stebbins, Maddie Lee, and Gordon Wittenmyer breakdown the differences between this year's team and last year, what direction the Cubs seem to be headed toward, and they discuss if Tim Stebbins and Cubs pitcher Zach Davies is the same person. (2:00) - Rough stretch for the Cubs (8:40) - Did the Yu Darvish trade signal to the team and fans that the organization is...
Apr 30, 2021•32 min•Ep. 488
The beginning of the Cubs 2021 season has been a roller coaster of highs and lows, but where exactly is this team? Are they still trying to win? Is this a rebuild? Should they start trading core pieces? The Cubs Talk crew of Gordon Wittenmyer, Maddie Lee, and Tim Stebbins review the Cubs’ first month of baseball and decides if the answer is to start the rebuild now, re-sign the core and try again, or is the answer somewhere in the middle. (2:00) - What has been learned about the Cubs so far (8:0...
Apr 28, 2021•33 min•Ep. 487
The Cubs took the first two games of their series against the New York Mets and the offense scored 16 runs in one game! Will the Cubs' bats get going now? The Cubs Talk crew of David Kaplan, Tim Stebbins, Maddie Lee, and Gordon Wittenmyer discuss the offense's recent success and if it's here to stay. They also discuss if Javy Báez can get hot after hitting a grand slam and if he's playing better than his good friend, Francisco Lindor. Later, the crew previews the upcoming series against the Brew...
Apr 23, 2021•27 min•Ep. 486
In a packed episode, the Cubs Talk crew of Maddie Lee, Gordon Wittenmyer and David Kaplan discuss the verdict of Derek Chauvin and how the murder of George Floyd led to The Players Alliance, which includes Jason Heyward. The crew also breaks down whether MLB will do anything about the length of games, and preview the Mets-Cubs series. (2:10) - Initial reactions to the Derek Chauvin verdict (4:30) - Jason Heyward speaks on why MLB players started The Players Alliance (6:33) - Will MLB find ways t...
Apr 21, 2021•20 min•Ep. 485
The Cubs offense is in the sunken place without promise that it will get out (see what I did there) anytime soon. But who is to blame? The players? The coaching staff? The front office? Ownership? The Cubs Talk crew of David Kaplan, Maddie Lee, and Gordon Wittenmyer break down the continued woes of the offense and who is to blame for it being not just bad but historically bad. (2:00) - Is it surprising how bad this offense is? (7:55) - Has Jed already started thinking tear down and rebuild? (15:...
Apr 16, 2021•41 min•Ep. 484
The Cubs added a fourth player to the COVID-19 related injured list on Tuesday in Matt Duffy, just 24 hours after relievers Jason Adam, Dan Winkler and Brandon Workman landed there. Gordon Wittenmyer, live from Milwaukee, and David Kaplan and Tim Stebbins discuss the Cubs' COVID concerns, where they stand in getting the team vaccinated, and the Cubs scratching Kyle Hendricks shortly before first pitch Tuesday out of an abundance of caution due to him not feeling well. Later in the podcast, the c...
Apr 14, 2021•26 min•Ep. 483
The Cubs Talk crew discusses Jake Arrieta's second start of the season and the rotation's quality first week. But should fans be worried about the lack of offense, or is it still too early? David Kaplan, Tim Stebbins and Gordon Wittenmyer break down the Cubs' first week, whether it's too early to panic about the offense and if there are early signs of things to come for the remainder of the season. (1:30) - Biggest positive takeaway from the first week of the season (5:00) - Is it too early to w...
Apr 09, 2021•28 min•Ep. 482
The 2021 season is underway and baseball is back, but for how long? The players have been noticeably unhappy during recent labor negotiations, so what happens after 2021 — the final season of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement? Gordon Wittenmyer sat with the Cubs' player rep Ian Happ as they break down issues that need to be resolved between the players and owners. David Kaplan, Maddie Lee and Gordon discuss the interview and what they think will happen at the conclusion of the season. ...
Apr 07, 2021•38 min•Ep. 481
The Cubs dropped Game 1 of the 2021 season, losing 5-3 to the Pirates while only managing two hits compared to Pittsburgh's nine. Should Cubs fans be worried? Of course not. Are there things they should keep an eye on? Absolutely! David Kaplan, Maddie Lee, Gordon Wittenmyer, and Tim Stebbins do a postgame breakdown of the loss and discuss what Cubs fans should keep an eye on as the season gets going. (1:30) - Cubs have an embarrassing outing in Game 1 (4:25) - Did the cold weather impact the way...
Apr 02, 2021•18 min•Ep. 480
Opening Day for the Cubs is this Thursday, and that means it's time to preview the season and make bold predictions. David Kaplan, Tim Stebbins, Maddie Lee and Gordon Wittenmyer predict if the Cubs will win the division, if any players will be re-signed, who will have the better season between Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester, and a lot more. (1:44) - How many games will the Cubs win? (10:26) - How many plate appearances will Joc Pederson get against lefties? (16:00) - How many starts will left-hande...
Mar 31, 2021•35 min•Ep. 479
