Cubs Talk Podcast

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by David Kaplan, Kelly Crull, and Tony Andracki to diagnose what's going wrong for the Cubs. The quartet discuss the team's playoff chances (1:30), what area of their game bothers them the most lately (5:45), what can be done trade-wise to help right the ship (11:00), and whether Joe Maddon's seat is becoming a little warm (18:00).

In this jam-packed episode, Jason Heyward speaks with Kelly Crull about the Cubs defense and how he helped recruit Craig Kimbrel (1:20). Then, David Kaplan catches up with David Bote about his ever-changing role with the team, as well as how much fun he has watching Javy Baez (7:10). Finally, Luke Stuckmeyer welcomes new Cubs draftee Tyler Schlaffer to the show, and the Homewood-Flossmoor product...

Luke Stuckmeyer sits down with legendary broadcaster Bob Costas to re-live his call of "The Sandberg Game" in 1984, plus a whole lot more including the impact of NBC's Game of the Week (2:30), how baseball was different in the '80s (5:00), the reason why Ryne Sandberg was not initially named the Player of the Game on June 23, 1984 (12:45), and how baseball fans missed out on potentially classic Wo...

In the second part of our interview with Ryne Sandberg, the Hall of Famer talks the legendary Bleacher Bums (3:20), the increased media attention after his epic June 23rd game in 1984 (7:00), his 1st home run off Bruce Sutter (11:00), and his 2nd longball that improbably tied the game again in the 10th inning (16:30), as well as all the craziness that followed once the game ended.

Luke Stuckmeyer sits down with Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg for a wide-ranging conversation centered around the infamous "Sandberg Game." Ryne gives insight into his feelings upon being traded to the Cubs (2:00), and discusses the reason he ended up with the #23 (5:00), plus how the 1984 season changed everything and raised his personal expectations sky-high (9:00) and the "Daily Double" dynamic betw...

35 years ago, Ryne Sandberg put on a performance for the ages, hitting game-tying home runs in the 9th and 10th innings against the Cardinals and Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter. Luke Stuckmeyer takes us through highlights of that day's broadcast with insight from Sandberg himself, broadcaster Bob Costas, Tribune beat writer Fred Mitchell, and Dave Owen, who walked off the game in the 11th. Sandb...

Craig Kimbrel talks after arriving in Iowa. Plus, Luke Stuckmeyer gets an update on Ian Happ from manager Marty Pevey and sits down with pitcher Dillon Maples. 1:15 - Craig Kimbrel speaks with media 8:53 - Manager Marty Pevey on Ian Happ 13:08 - Dillon Maples sit down interview.

Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki check in from Wrigley Field after the Cubs split the first leg of the Crosstown Classic with the White Sox. Kelly & Tony discuss the breaking news of top pitching prospect Adbert Alzolay's promotion to the big leagues and what his role could be with the Cubs (2:15), and assess where the Cubs stand as they continue their long homestand, including the recent offensi...

Luke Stuckmeyer and producer Eric Strobel welcome Frederic, aka the Cubs' unofficial Director of Morale. Fred takes us through the origins and growth of his fandom and social media persona (1:30), before discussing how Jake Arrieta's dominance announced the Cubs as contenders (7:30) and the now-ubiquitous hard hats in the bleachers (16:00). Finally, Fred and the guys talk about this year's team, i...

Kelly Crull sits down with Cubs reliever Brandon Kintzler, and the veteran right-hander covers many topics, including his ongoing prank war with fellow reliever Steve Cishek (2:50), his growing role as a leader and mentor inside the clubhouse (4:00), and Tommy Hottovy's impact on the pitching staff so far (10:30).

Luke Stuckmeyer, David Kaplan, Tony Andracki, and Kelly Crull get together to discuss and debate everything going on with the Cubs. Topics include the squad's struggles on the road this season (2:30), Steve Cishek's weird injury and his playful relationship with Brandon Kintzler (8:45), how many Cubs could end up in Cleveland for the All-Star game (12:45), and Kyle Schwarber's performance in the l...

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by The Athletic's Jon Greenberg to discuss his new book, "If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Chicago Cubs Dugout, Locker Room, and Press Box." Jon shares a great deal about the book, including why he decided to start it at the 2004 season (3:45), the antics and hilarity of the Lou Piniella Era (7:30), why 2013 could be viewed as a turning point in the franchise's...

In a jam-packed episode, Kelly Crull catches up with David Bote after his record-setting 7 RBI performance earlier this week against Colorado (1:20) before also chatting with Carlos Gonzalez, who had quite an eventful first week with the Cubs (6:40). Then, Leila Rahimi talks with Peter Gammons, who discusses the Cubs' 2019 draft class, the tough NL Central, and his Hot Stove Cool Music fundraiser...

Hear the entire press conference from Friday at Wrigley Field, where Craig Kimbrel met the media for the first time as a Cub alongside Theo Epstein. Kimbrel discusses his workout regimen while he was unsigned (2:30), which current & former Cubs helped sway him toward Chicago (8:20), what a realistic timeline for his debut will be (12:30), and why he's excited to pitch in front of the Wrigley F...

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by MLB Network's Dan Plesac to discuss whether this move makes the Cubs favorites in the NL Central, and the mental makeup of closers (1:00). Then, Luke welcomes David Kaplan and David DeJesus to debate where Kimbrel ranks among active relievers and what the Cubs' ideal bullpen looks like moving forward (10:00). Finally, Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki chime in from Wrigley...

Get to know the hosts of the new NBC Sports Chicago show "Outside the Ivy," as David Kaplan goes in-depth with Michael Cerami, Danny Rockett, and Luis Medina. The guys detail how their paths brought them to this point (1:30), the depth of the Cubs' fan base both online and off (5:00), when they all knew that Theo Epstein's grand plan was going to work (10:00), and Kap's surprising connection to on...

Luke Stuckmeyer, David DeJesus and Doug Glanville talk all things Craig Kimbrel after a rumor-filled weekend about the free agent closer. First, Doug and David share memories of their respective draft days as the 2019 MLB amateur draft gets underway (1:20). Then, the guys discuss how badly the Cubs need to be in on Kimbrel (6:00), why the Cubs need to take advantage during a win-now season (9:00),...

Hear Albert Almora speak about Wednesday's foul ball incident (1:20) before Luke Stuckmeyer, Doug Glanville, and David DeJesus discuss the nuances of the league's safety problem (6:30), the Iowa Cubs already planning to extend their netting next season (10:00), and if either David or Doug ever worried about their safety while they were playing (12:00).

In this special edition of the podcast, we dip into the archive to bring you an epic comeback from 11 years ago. Re-live the May 30, 2008 game against the Rockies, including commentary from Mark DeRosa, who hit the decisive homer late in the game. DeRosa discusses how the wind played such a crucial role that day (1:30), the mindset on the bench after going down 8 runs (3:30), and what was running...

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by David Kaplan and Tony Andracki to give a progress report on the Cubs at the 1/3 mark of their season. The trio discuss the many positives about the team so far as well as the starting rotation (1:15), the areas where the team needs to improve (4:00), the price to acquire an impact bullpen arm (9:00), and the Tyler Chatwood closer experiment (12:00). Then, the guys marv...

Kelly Crull goes 1-on-1 with the Cubs' Kyle Ryan and covers a lot of ground with the lefty reliever, including whether he feels established with the team yet (1:30), how his experiences with the Tigers earlier in his career shaped the pitcher he is today (3:00), and how the dynamic in this season's clubhouse and how a veteran like Brandon Kintzler helps Ryan out (5:15).

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by the Cubs Postgame Live team of David Kaplan and David DeJesus to break down all the various redemption stories on the 2019 Cubs, ranging from Kris Bryant returning from an injury-plagued campaign to Tyler Chatwood becoming a legitimate weapon out of the bullpen (1:00). Then, the guys discuss how well Kyle Schwarber is performing out of the leadoff spot over the last we...

Hear from Jake Arrieta after his first start as a visitor at Wrigley Field, including his thoughts on facing his former teammates and the standing ovation he received during his first at-bat (1:30). Then, Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by MLB Network's Mark DeRosa to discuss the Cubs' leadoff spot, the team outperforming expectations so far, and much more (8:15).

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by NBC Sports Chicago Cubs producers Eric Strobel and Nate Poppen to break down Monday night's big matchup between former Cub Jake Arrieta and Yu Darvish. The trio discuss the history and dynamics behind the matchup (2:00), the statistical comparison between the two pitchers over the past two seasons and their potential going forward (4:00), the difference in mental makeu...

Luke Stuckmeyer, David Kaplan, Kelly Crull, and Tony Andracki discuss the similarities between the red-hot 2019 Cubs and 2016 World Champions. Chief amongst those parallels are the superb performances of Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester, as well as the entire pitching staff (2:30). Also similar are MVP-caliber play from Kris Bryant, and a resurgent Willson Contreras (12:45). Finally, the panel disclo...