Cubs Talk Podcast

Luke Stuckmeyer, David Kaplan, and Mark Potash get you ready for this week’s GM meetings by discussing big-name free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. The trio also debates the excitement of signing a marquee player against the long-term ramifications, and reacts to Javier Baez not winning a Gold Glove award. :50 - are baseball's GM meetings actually productive? 2:50 - excitement of signings...

What are the scariest moments in Cubs history? Where does Rajai Davis’ home run, Steve Bartman’s foul ball and Kris Bryant’s hit-by-pitch rank? Plus, with the end of the Cubs championship window now in sight, is that haunting what the Cubs do this winter? David Kaplan, Luke Stuckmeyer and Tony Andracki debate these topics and more, including how to give the Cubs lineup stability, Jason Heyward’s c...

Bryce Harper (2:00, 3:55) and Manny Machado (5:40) are both about to be set up for life with the contracts they'll sign this winter but does that mean they're worth the exorbitant amount of money they're going to get? And is it worth it to the Cubs to pay that much for one player? (7:10) David Kaplan, Luke Stuckmeyer and Tony Andracki debate and provide a comprehensive preview of what may be in st...

With the MLB offseason about to kick off, we run down the boldest predictions for the Cubs winter from around the NBC Sports Chicago content team. Topics include where Bryce Harper and Manny Machado will sign, how much money they’ll get, what the Cardinals will do this winter, Cubs offseason trades and how Theo Epstein’s front office may add to the pitching staff. 3:10 Will Sammy Sosa be welcomed...

Did Manny Machado’s value take a hit at all after he openly admitted hustling isn’t his “cup of tea”? Our Cubs team (David Kaplan, Kelly Crull, Tony Andracki, Jeff Nelson) debate that, plus the potential fit of Machado or Bryce Harper for the 2019 Cubs and beyond. The crew also runs down the top items on the Cubs’ offseason wish list – ranging from bullpen help to infield depth to a set leadoff hi...

On the latest Cubs Talk Podcast, David Kaplan, Kelly Crull, Luke Stuckmeyer and Tony Andracki discuss the comments Chili Davis made after being fired as Cubs hitting coach, ask if the Cubs struggles on offense were Davis' fault or the players and Anthony Iapoce will be walking into as he tries to gets the team back on track a the plate.

Kelly Crull, Tony Andracki and Vinnie Duber recap and analyze Theo Epstein’s end-of-season press conference in which the Cubs president of baseball operations addressed topics such as Joe Maddon’s managing, the team’s season-long offensive woes, Addison Russell’s suspension and looking ahead to the franchise’s offseason. Plus, Luke Stuckmeyer and David DeJesus join Mark Schanowski to discuss poten...

The Cubs had strong reactions to their shocking exit from the postseason after only one game, losing a hard-fought game to the Rockies. Listen to reaction from Javy Baez and Jon Lester and hear from Kelly Crull, Luke Stuckmeyer and Tony Andracki as they break down what went wrong and what's next for this team.

David DeJesus and David Kaplan kick things off by previewing the Cubs-Rockies Wild Card Game. Then hear what Joe Maddon and some Cubs players have to say about the crucial game. Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki report from Wrigley on the state of the Cubs.

Could the Cubs eliminate the Cardinals from postseason contention for the third time in the past four years? They have a chance to do so this weekend in what figures to be the most intense Cubs-Cards series since the 2015 NLDS. Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki break down the final weekend of the season, provide updates on Pedro Strop and Kris Bryant and analyze where this team - especially the offens...

The Cubs reduced their magic number to 5 Sunday behind another stellar outing from Kyle Hendricks and a second straight game of encouraging offense from Kyle Schwarber. The emergence of the Kyles at the most critical point in the season should come as no surprise for two guys who have built their reputations as big-game performers, but what they’re doing right now is huge entering the final week o...

Is Joe Maddon the NL Manager of the Year? Is Javy Báez the NL MVP? Who makes the postseason roster out of David Bote, Tommy La Stella, Ian Happ and Terrance Gore? Will Dillon Maples carve out a role in the October bullpen? Our Cubs crew (David Kaplan, Tony Andracki and Jeff Nelson) address these topics and more in the latest Cubs Talk Podcast with only 10 days remaining in the regular season.

Tony Andracki and Jared Wyllys recap the Cubs-Reds weekend series at Wrigley Field, culminating in a one-run loss Sunday afternoon. Between Willson Contreras pimping his double and Daniel Murphy getting thrown out in a key spot, the Cubs baserunning issues were on full display in a game they could’ve won and taken advantage of a Brewers loss to add more room in the tight division race. Plus, hear...

The Cubs are in the midst of a 30-day stretch with no off-days and still have a week left, clinging to only a one-game lead in the NL Central after dropping the series to the Brewers at Wrigley Field this week. Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki run down where the team is at mentally and physically right now, plus what they can do moving forward to turn around the issues on offense and in the bullpen.

David Kaplan and David DeJesus join forces to discuss the most worrisome things surrounding the Cubs as the Brewers come to town for a three-game series. What do players think when they see a team get hot late, like Milwaukee has? Plus, the effect Daniel Murphy has made at the top of lineup.

David Kaplan, Kelly Crull and Luke Stuckmeyer discuss the state of the Cubs with only 23 games left in the regular season and the importance of the crosstown series in late September. Plus, is Kris Bryant a long-term player at third or in the outfield? What is the optimal lineup to run out in a key game down the stretch, and is a designated closer a key part of that?

With September approaching, David Kaplan and Tony Andracki discuss the biggest issues facing the Cubs at the moment, including the health status of guys like Kris Bryant and Brandon Morrow. Is this bullpen good enough to win if Morrow can’t return to health and his dominant form? How good should fans feel about the rotation moving in September and October? What does the trade for a new veteran cat...

Daniel Murphy sits down for a 1-on-1 interview with Kelly Crull and talks about the Launch Angle Revolution, how he’s changed and developed as a hitter over time and what his first week with the Cubs has been like. Crull and Tony Andracki also discuss the Cubs feeling like they’re getting their mojo back after a nice five-game win streak, but they know they have a huge test in front of them over t...

With Tuesday’s news that the Cubs acquired Daniel Murphy and will be without Yu Darvish’s services for the remainder of the season, how does that affect the roster moving into the final month of the season? How much will the Cubs be able to count on Kris Bryant? How does Murphy fit in the picture for the Cubs’ potential playoff roster and lineup? Will Darvish even be ready to go in 2019? Kelly Cru...

For the first time in almost two weeks, the Cubs offense started to look more like the team we know they can be in Wednesday afternoon's victory over the Brewers. But when will the starting rotation follow? Kyle Hendricks pitched better than his stat line once again, but it's getting late in the season to continue to use that rationale for any Cubs starter. Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki break down...

Tony Andracki, Kelly Crull, Matt Buckman, and Jon Graff break down a wild weekend set against the Nationals. We discuss David Bote becoming a household name, Cole Hamels continuing the stellar start to his Cubs career, and Kris Bryant finally feeling pain free. Plus once the 2016 MVP returns to the lineup, what does that mean for Bote’s playing time?

The Cubs were back in Chicago for a quick four-game homestand against one of the worst teams in the National League, but the North Siders only managed to win two of the games – barely. The series ended on a bad note with Anthony Rizzo getting in the face with home plate umpire Angel Hernandez, but the weekend in general shined a light on some of the biggest concerns surrounding this Cubs team. Kel...

The Cubs went out and added three pitchers to their staff before the trade deadline Tuesday while the Pirates and Brewers made waves at the last minute. With all that pitching in tow now, do the Cubs have enough to mitigate the recent rash of injuries and hold off both NL Central rivals? David Kaplan, Luke Stuckmeyer and Tony Andracki break it down while also providing their picks for the most imp...

Will Yu Darvish pitch again for the Cubs this season? Jon Graff, David Kaplan, and Doug Glanville discuss Darvish’s status going forward and respond to Alex Rodriguez’s critical comments on Yu during Sunday Night Baseball. Plus the guys talk about the final piece(s) the Cubs may add before the trade deadline passes and Jon Lester’s advice for athletes using twitter.

Tony Andracki is joined by Phil Barnes, the senior editor of Vine Line, to break down the Cubs-Cardinals 5-game series at Wrigley Field that kicked off the second half of the 2018 MLB season. The main takeaways from the weekend included an up-close look at a Cubs starting rotation is still struggling to find their footing almost 2/3 of the way through the season. The Cubs lineup and bullpen contin...