Locked On Cubs – Daily Podcast On The Chicago Cubs

Coronavirus has shut down sports and baseball as we take a look at when we can expect real baseball games in 2020 in the 1st segment and hit on a few Cubs news bullets in the 2nd segment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times joins the show to talk about what it was like covering the Jake Arrieta signing, where he sees this Cubs team going into 2021, and what he's looking forward to most on his trip to Mesa, AZ to cover Spring Training. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We welcome David Kaplan, radio host of the Kap and J-Hood show on ESPN 1000 and host of the Football Aftershow on NBC Sports Chicago. We get Kaps' thoughts on the Cubs' offseason of financial woes, what he's expecting from this team in 2021, and why the Cubs are increasing their budget now this close to Spring Training. Plus, we ask Kap a series of questions where he can only respond with "Yes" or "Hell Yes", which Kap loved! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cubs are reportedly planning to have extension talks once Spring Training gets underway, but Jed Hoyer wouldn’t rule out any trades this Spring and the Cubs roster still has plenty. of holes. Plus, we have some news on the COVID health and safety protocols, MLB Pipeline has a few good surprises for the Cubs, and Joc Pederson shares why he picked the Cubs. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cubs have signed former Dodgers OF Joc Pederson to a deal, but the Cubs had their thunder stolen by the Cardinals after they reportedly trade for Rockies superstar Nolan Arenado. So we breakdown the Pederson signing for the Cubs in the first segment and then bring on Lucas to get his thoughts on the Cardinals' new 3rd baseman and how Arenado's presence impacts the NL Central. Tweet Thread on MLBPA's decision to reject the MLB's offer for a 154-game season (pay the same as 162-game season) with DH and expanded postseason here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We welcome on writer, publicist, and author of the book, A Bitter Cup of Coffee, Doug Gladstone, to share with us why there are currently 614 former MLB players who are not eligible for the league's benefit plan and how the MLB and the Player's Association had turned it's back to these former players. Doug has been working to create awareness of this issue for the last decade and a half to no avail, so we brought on Doug to share the story of some of these players and why baseball has a moral duty to give something back to these players. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cubs have been reportedly in talks with FA 2nd baseman Kolten Wong, so Ryan Davis stops by the show to explain how Wong could help the Cubs' versatility and flexibility in 2021. Plus, Ryan talks through the Cubs' decision to not sign Jon Lester and how they could be saving money to go after a bigger name (we recorded before the Joc Pederson signing). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean brings on Michael Ernst from Cubs Den to share his thoughts on the Cubs' return in the Yu Darvish trade with the Padres along with his scouting report on a few of the Cubs International Prospect signings. Also, Michael shares his thoughts on the Cubs not spending money and the report that Jon Lester reached out to Cubs ownership multiple times to try to make a deal work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cubs have done a lot since Sean last recorded, agreeing to arbitration deals with four of their five remaining players, leaving Ian Happ as the lone Cub heading to an arbitration hearing. Theo Epstein is officially joining MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's office, the international prospect signings brought the Cubs Dominican shortstop Cristian Hernandez, and the Cubs have reportedly signed a minor-league deal with Shelby Miller. Oh, and Kyle Schwarber players for the Washington Nationals - so it's been a weird few weeks for the Cubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Davis joins the show today to share his thoughts on the Cubs' new TV play-by-play broadcaster Jon "Boog" Sciambi and how the Marquee Network Broadcasts may feel in 2021. Plus, we talk through the Zach Davies portion of the Yu Darvish trade, as Ryan explains why Davies has the potential to stick around post-2021. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Davis joins the show to share his thoughts on the Yu Darvish trade, discuss the prospects in the return, remind everyone that Tom Ricketts and ownership are not here to spend their money, and give fans some hope that this trade isn't all bad. Plus, we talk through some of the recent rumors surrounding Willson Contreras as the Cubs reportedly were "aggressively shopping" the backstop after the Darvish move. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reportedly, the Cubs and Padres have agreed to a trade, as Yu Darvish and Victor Caratini are heading to San Diego for Zach Davies and a slew of young prospects. We’ll breakdown the trade in the 1st segment and then dive a little deeper on the four new youngsters the Cubs just acquired and what it says about the direction of this team in 2021 (and beyond) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The MLB Hot Stove is finally cooking again and the Cubs are in the middle of it all as the San Diego Padres are still working on a deal to acquire Yu Darvish, despite trading for Rays' starter Blake Snell Sunday night. Sean share's his thoughts and some of the things he's heard over the weekend as a trade for the 2020 NL Cy-Young runner-up looks to be very much in play at the moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today’s episode, Cubs have made a few bullpen signings the last few days so we’ll go over the arms and what they bring to the Cubs in 2021 in the 1st segment. In the second segment, there seems to be more smoke with these Darvish rumors, we’ll go over the Cubs asking price and touch on some other trade ideas and rumors out there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ESPN Cubs reporter Jesse Rodgers went on ESPN 1000 Tuesday to share his thoughts on the Cubs' offseason plans, reporting that he thought Yu Darvish was more likely to be moved than Kris Bryant. We bring on Ryan Davis to walk through that idea along with working out the conversation David Kaplan and Jonathan Hood had on the air after Rodgers' report, as neither seemed too fond of Bryant. Plus, we touch on the Jackie Bradley Jr. rumors and Ryan has an interesting comparison for Tyler Chatwood and what a deal for him in 2021 could look like. Here is the Cubs Insider Article we referenced in the show! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use the promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are talking through Baseball America’s recent top prospect lists and the Cubs top 10 prospects, according to Baseball America in the 1st segment. Then we’re touching on some quick news bullets like a Kris Bryant trade not guaranteed and the Cleveland plans on finally changing their team name. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cubs officially confirm their minor league affiliates this year with no surprises and Cubs VP of Player Development Matt Dorey spoke to NBC Sports Cubs Talk Podcast about some of the top talents in the farm system - we’ll touch on those both in the 1st segment. And then in the 2nd segment, we’ll go over some the key stories from the Winter Meetings and we have some names for potential replacements for Len Kasper in the TV booth. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We comb through the weekend rumors for the Cubs, which includes Willson Contreras' name as Joel Sherman of the New York Post mentions the Cubs backstop as a potential fit for the Mets. We talk through the NL DH rumors as Ken Rosenthal reported the MLB instructed teams to operate as if the DH was not returning, plus it's technically the Winter Meetings but don't expect the Cubs to do much this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the goodbyes piling up, the surprising exit of Cubs longtime broadcaster Len Kasper came as a shock to many, especially after they realize Kasper was not only leaving the Cubs for the White Sox but leaving TV altogether to join the ESPN 1000 radio booth. So Ryan Davis joins the show as we say goodbye to Len Kasper, a person who had become synonymous with the Cubs, calling some of the biggest moments in team history over the last 16 seasons on the North-Side. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!  Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The MLB Non-Tender Deadline has past and we have some news on the Cubs non-tendered players, being Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora Jr., Jose Martinez, and Ryan Tepera. So we bring on Ryan Davis to breakdown the moves and what they could mean for the Cubs 2021 plan and further. We also go through some of the bigger names non-tendered on Wednesday to see who the Cubs could target to replace Schwarber, should he not sign a smaller deal to stay on the North Side. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!  Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s the MLB non-tender deadline meaning teams have until 7 pm CT to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players - so we’re going over some names who could be non-tendered later today by the Cubs in the 1st segment and in the 2nd segment we’re talking about El Mago, who celebrated his 28th birthday Tuesday - I share my favorite Javier Baez memory on today’s show. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kris Bryant rumors didn’t stop over the weekend, but we do have some news on the Cubs plans for the former MVP. We’ll jump into some rumors and talk about the non-tender deadline coming this Wednesday in the 1st segment and touch on Jed Hoyer’s new staff promotions, along with some GM candidates to pay attention to in the 2nd segment. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jed Hoyer and Tom Ricketts have been careful with their words on the direction they plan to lead this Cubs team, but reading the tea leaves from both of their comments seems to point towards a possible rebuild on the North Side. Plus, we talk through some of the latest rumors involving Jon Lester and Kris Bryant. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cubs new President of Baseball Operations, former General Manager Jed Hoyer, spoke to the media for the first since Theo Epstein's exit. He gave some direction for this offseason, but there are still plenty of uncertainties surrounding the Cubs for 2021 and beyond. Plus, Kris Bryant trade rumors are ramping up again as reports continue to come out saying the Cubs are in active conversations with teams. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tony Andracki joins the show today to talk through the Theo Epstein exit, what he thinks the Cubs direction is 2021, and how Jed Hoyer will bring change to the North-Side in 2021 and beyond. Plus, Tony shares his favorite Theo Epstein memories while on the Cubs beat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Davis joins the show to share his thoughts on Theo Epstein leaving Chicago a year earlier than expected and what it could mean for the direction of this Cubs team. We also reminisce about Epstein's greatest accomplishments and some of his most frustrating mistakes, while we wonder what the Cubs will look like in the post-Theo Epstein Era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Theo Epstein, shockingly, announces he is stepping down from the President of Baseball Operations, and Jed Hoyer will assume the role, effective Nov. 20th. Sean shares his initial thoughts on the surprise news from Tuesday and discusses what this means for the Cubs future and how Jed Hoyer may start to tackle the next great Cubs team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Cubs Offseason has so far been a mystery but with Ryan Davis back on the show today he helps give us some pitchers the Cubs could target this offseason, go through a few in-house options, and also vent for a moment on the MLB owners who are asking the players once again to take less money in 2021. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Locked On NL Central hosts trio of Lucas Smith (Locked On Cardinals), Jeff Carr (Locked On Reds), and Sean Sears got together to discuss the 2020 season, preview what each NL Central teams offseason may look like, and dive into a NL Cy-Young conversation between Trevor Bauer and Yu Darvish in part one of this two-part podcast. Rock Auto Today's episode is brought to you by RockAuto.com. Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Lucas Smith - @Ljfastball, @LO_cardinals  Jeff Carr - @Jeffcarr @LockedOnReds  Ethan Smith - @mvp_EtHaN, @lockedonpirates Ben Larson - @cheeseheadtalks, @lockedonbrewers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Locked On NL Central hosts trio of Lucas Smith (Locked On Cardinals), Jeff Carr (Locked On Reds), and Sean Sears got together to discuss the 2020 season, preview what each NL Central teams offseason may look like, and dive into a NL Cy-Young conversation between Trevor Bauer and Yu Darvish in part one of this two-part podcast. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. Lucas Smith - @Ljfastball, @LO_cardinals  Jeff Carr - @Jeffcarr @LockedOnReds  Ethan Smith - @mvp_EtHaN, @lockedonpirates Ben Larson - @cheeseheadtalks, @lockedonbrewers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan and Sean take a look at the Cubs free agent options this offseason, talk through who could be possible trade targets for the Cubs, and which players the Cubs could attempt to move with 2021 expected to finally bring change to the Cubs roster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Theo Epstein had his end of the season press conference recapping the 2020 Cubs season, we’ll go through some of the key points in the 1st segment and then try to figure out the Cubs projected offseason plans in the 2nd segment. Plus, Jon Lester could still return despite his buyout and Tom Ricketts expects Epstein to stick around through 2021. Rock Auto Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Postmates For a limited time, Postmates is giving our listeners ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS of free delivery credit for your first SEVEN days. To start your free deliveries, download the app and use code LOCKEDON. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Davis joins Sean as the two go through the 2020 season no more time, plus David Kaplan of NBC Sports Chicago reported this weekend that Theo Epstein could look to leave the Cubs a year earlier than expected. We get Ryan's thoughts on the Epstein news plus we get his thoughts on what the Cubs options may be heading into an offseason full of questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs are swept by the Marlins, losing Friday’s game 2-0 despite Yu Darvish’s excellent outing, the Cubs failed to score a single run in game 2 and their season is over. So what comes next? We’ll recap the tough season-ending loss in the 1st segment and then preview what’s to come for the Cubs as they enter into the offseason - should we expect change finally with this roster? Rock Auto Today's episode is brought to you by RockAuto.com. Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lose Game 1 of the Wild Card Series as the Marlins score 5 runs in the 7th to take a 5-1 win from Kyle Hendricks and the Cubs Wednesday afternoon. We’ll recap the Game 1 loss in the 1st segment and then preview Thursday’s Game 2 matchup featuring Yu Darvish and Sixto Sanchez on the mound. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get $10 off your first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plenty to talk about on today's episode as Ryan and Sean preview the Cubs Wild Card 1st round match-up against the Miami Marlins. Ryan shares his players to keep an eye on in this series for the Marlins, we work through the Cubs potential Game 1 and 2 starters, touch on the Brailyn Marquez debut, and of course we talk about Kris Bryant's quotes after Saturday night's game with the White Sox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are joined by Ryan Davis who helps work through David Ross' decision to bench Kyle Schwarber, as the results on Monday from Schwarber were promising. We also discuss Jon Lester's strong outing and if Ryan would trust him to be the Cubs Game 3 starter in a postseason series, plus we talk about the Kris Bryant injury and whether David Bote is really a downgrade from Bryant this season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs drop two of three against the Twins after the offense fails to score more than three runs in the three-game set. We’ll recap the rough weekend series in the 1st segment and then preview the Pirates series starting Monday in the 2nd segment, plus more on David Ross’ decision to bench Kyle Schwarber in the 3rd inning of Sunday’s game and a few injury updates for the bullpen. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get $10 off your first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs kick-off their weekend series with the Twins this Friday, so we bring on Ryan Davis to preview what should be good litmus test for the Cubs against a potential playoff team in the Twins. Plus, we take a look at the Cubs rotation alignment for the postseason and who they could be facing in the 1st round of this year’s Fall Classic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs sweep the Indians in their quick two-game set this week, we’ll recap the series in the 1st segment and then hit on a few Cubs news bullets like Jon Lester’s comments after what could have been his last regular-season start at Wrigley Field Wednesday night, plus we have an update on Andrew Chafin and more. Rock Auto Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs start a two-game set with the Indians Tuesday night, featuring Yu Darvish and Carlos Carrasco on the mound. We’ll preview the series in the 1st segment and hit on a few Cubs news bullets in the 2nd segment, including the MLB and MLBPA agreeing to a playoff format in a bubbles located in Texas and California.  Rock Auto Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs bounce back after a tough 1-0 walk off to the Brewers and win the final two games of the series, including a no-hitter from Alec Mills on Sunday, we’ll recap the historic Sunday no-no from Mills (the 16th in Cubs Franchise history) with Ryan Davis in the 2nd segment after we recap the weekend series with the Brewers in the 1st segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs win the game they need to on Monday but lose 3-5 against the Cardinals’ this Labor Day Weekend, we’ll recap the weekend series and then preview Tuesday night’s game against the Reds and hit on a few news bullets after a long weekend, including an injury update on Jose Quintana, Tyler Chatwood, and Jason Heyward. Plus, the Cubs have added some speed to their roster in former Reds OF Billy Hamilton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chicago Sun-Times beat writer Russell Dorsey joins the show to help us sort through the rotation options the Cubs will have for Saturday's double-header with Cardinals, why Adbert Alzolay hasn't been given a real shot on the MLB-level, and Russ shares his thoughts on how the Cubs handled last Wednesday's game against Detroit when Jason Heyward and others sat out in protest of the events that happened in Kenosha, WI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs hang on to beat the Pirates 8-7 Tuesday night after leading 6-1 at point, but Jon Lester once again struggled on the mound. But it was the pitching choices David Ross made Leste exited that made Ryan Davis scratch his head. He helps breakdown the sloppy 8-7 win over the Pirates and takes a look at the Cubs new left-handed reliever and also dives into Kyle Ryan's high-leverage situation numbers. Plus, Jose Quintana was added to the 10-day IL but still no Adbert Alzolay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a surprisingly active MLB Trade Deadline despite there being very little time leading up to one of the more exciting days on the MLB Calendar. We’ll recap the Cubs flurry of moves that happened shortly after we finished recording yesterday in the 1st segment and then preview the Cubs three-game set with the Pirates as they finish up their 10-game road trip (currently 3-4 on the trip) and we’ll hit a few Cubs news bullets to wrap up the show. Postmates For a limited time, Postmates is giving our listeners ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS of free delivery credit for your first SEVEN days. To start your free deliveries, download the app and use code LOCKEDON. Indeed RIGHT NOW, Indeed is offering our listeners a FREE SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR CREDIT to boost your job post - which means more quality candidates will see it, fast. Try Indeed out with a FREE SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR CREDIT at indeed.com/lockedonmlb.  Rock Auto Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs split their four-game set with the Reds, including two really disappointing losses on Friday and Saturday night. We’ll recap the four-game series, talk about the historic Sunday game for the Cubs outfield in the 1st segment, and then in the 2nd segment we’re talking about the Trade Deadline as the Cubs have already acquired Jose Martinez and signed reliever AJ Ramos to a minor league deal, but with the Chatwood injury, it could add some pressure for the Cubs to add another arm. Postmates For a limited time, Postmates is giving our listeners ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS of free delivery credit for your first SEVEN days. To start your free deliveries, download the app and use code LOCKEDON. Indeed RIGHT NOW, Indeed is offering our listeners a FREE SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR CREDIT to boost your job post - which means more quality candidates will see it, fast. Try Indeed out with a FREE SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR CREDIT at indeed.com/lockedonmlb.  Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get $10 off your first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs are coming off two consecutive series losses to the White Sox and Tigers, but now have to face the Reds are also scuffling as of late. It's a big series for both teams as the Cubs hold their NL Central lead and the Reds sit just one game out of the final playoff spot in the National League. Can the Cubs finally put away an NL Central team or are the Reds going to push themselves back into the playoff conversation? A big series for both clubs this weekend, we take preview each match up in today's show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lose to the Tigers 7-6 Wednesday night, but the real story was Jason Heyward sitting out of the game in protest after the events in Kenosha. We recap the loss but focus more so on the quotes that came out after the game, as Heyward, David Ross, and Anthony Rizzo all spoke on the issue. Black Lives Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Davis joins Sean today to breakdown Tyler Chatwood's first start since returning from the IL and the 2020 debut of Jose Quintana, plus Ryan highlights some of the play from guys like Jason Heyward, Ryan Tepera, and Adbert Alzolay this season. The guys also preview Wednesday night's match-up between Jon Lester and Michael Fulmer, as the Cubs try to win their three-game series with the Tigers before heading to Cincinnati to face the Reds - who just designated for assignment former Cubs reliever Pedro Strop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs take the 1st game against the Tigers including a two-home run game from Javier Baez, who looks like he might be back. We’ll recap the 9-3 win over the Tigers in the 1st segment and preview the Tuesday night’s match featuring Tyler Chatwood’s return from the 10-day IL, plus Jose Quintana is available starting today in the bullpen, plus Sahadev Sharma speaks with 670 and breaks down some of the Cubs offensive woes from this past week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the Cubs drop two of three against the White Sox this weekend, we bring on Herb Lawerence and Chris Tannehill from the Locked On White Sox show to recap the weekend series. We get the White Sox crew's thoughts on the Cubs before and after this weekend, where they see this White Sox club going in 2020 and beyond, plus, we take a look ahead towards the end of the season as the Cubs will head to Guarantee Rate to finish the 2020 season against the White Sox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lucas Smith of Locked On Cardinals joins our show to recap this five-game set with the Cardinals, we get his thoughts on the Cardinals so far, what his thoughts are on this division, and recap Wednesday's double-header. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Davis joins us today to look ahead to the trade deadline, as the Cubs clearly need to add some bullpen help but could also benefit from having another bat on the bench. However, with so many teams still very much in the hunt for a playoff spot, it's going to be slim pickings at this year's trade deadline. Plus, we recap another excellent performance from Yu Darvish as the Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 Tuesday night. We preview Wednesday's double-header, but also look out for our live show with Lucas Smith of the Locked On Cardinals show starting right after the Cubs/Cardinals finish their double-header Wednesday night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lose their first series of the year against the Brewers and then welcome the Cardinals to Wrigley Field to a double-header, thankfully David Bote said the day in game 2 of the double-header but the Cubs are not looking so hot. We’ll recap the Cardinals doubleheaders from Monday in the 1st segment, preview Tuesday night’s match-up in the second segment, plus we’ll take a look into Kris Bryant’s rough start to the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs complete the two-game sweep of the Indians Wednesday night, winning 7-2. They’ll now head back to Wrigley Field to start a four-game set with the Brewers. We’ll recap Wednesday night’s game including another excellent outing from Kyle Hendricks, then we’ll preview the Thursday night match-up between Yu Darvish and the Cubs vs Brett Anderson and the Brewers.  Rock Auto Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. cbdMD Our friends at cbdMD have an amazing duo that can help you relax, regroup, and recharge when life gets chaotic. And to make it even easier cbdMD is offering all our listeners 25% OFF your next order when you use the promo code LOCKED ON MLB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat up on the Indians bullpen for 6 runs in a 7-1 win over the Cleveland Tuesday night, we bring on Ryan Davis to help recap Tuesday night's win and recap the Wednesday night match-up featuring Kyle Hendricks and Carlos Carrasco. Plus, Sahadev Sharma delivered on explaining the defensive improvements we've seen from Kris Bryant's and we take a look at how Kyle Hendricks have become the Cardinals' worst nightmare. cbdMD Our friends at cbdMD have an amazing duo that can help you relax, regroup, and recharge when life gets chaotic. And to make it even easier cbdMD is offering all our listeners 25% OFF your next order when you use the promo code LOCKED ON MLB at checkout. Rock Auto Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs return to play today against the Cleveland Indians, we’ll preview Tuesday night’s match up in the first segment and then hit on a few Cubs bullets in the second segment, like the Cubs cardboard cut out hitting drills and what the playoffs would look like had the season ended today (Cubs have the top seed!!!). Plus Eno Sarris from the Athletic dives into why offensive numbers so down this year. cbdMD Our friends at cbdMD have an amazing duo that can help you relax, regroup, and recharge when life gets chaotic. And to make it even easier cbdMD is offering all our listeners 25% OFF your next order when you use the promo code LOCKED ON MLB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Davis joins the show today, you can follow Ryan on twitter at RyanQDavis, he writes for Forbes Sports and occasionally Cubs Insider, as well as co-hosts this show with me. We recap the Cubs season so far and talk about the impact COVID-19 has had the Cubs weekend series with the Cardinals. cbdMD Our friends at cbdMD have an amazing duo that can help you relax, regroup, and recharge when life gets chaotic. And to make it even easier cbdMD is offering all our listeners 25% OFF your next order when you use the promo code LOCKED ON MLB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat the Royals again 6-1, clinching a series win with one more game to go in Kansas City. Yu Darvish threw another quality start for the Cubs and with some key at bats from Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, and Kris Bryant the Cubs were able to cruise past the Royals Wednesday night. We’ll recap the game in the 1st segment and then preview the final game of this four game set in the second segment, plus some interesting ways to use Jose Quintana that could help Kimbrel? We’re open to suggestions. Rock Auto Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyle Hendricks puts together the Cubs five straight quality start, the offense smashed three long balls, and the bullpen was able to hang out (barely) to a 5-4 win over the Royals Tuesday night. We’ll recap the game and take a look at the NL Central standings in the 1st segment and the preview Wednesday’s match-up along with taking a look at the dugout energy David Ross has been able to create in season with no fans. Postmates For a limited time, Postmates is giving our listeners ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS of free delivery credit for your first SEVEN days. To start your free deliveries, download the app and use code LOCKEDON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alec Mills pitches another gem, holding the Royals scoreless through 7 innings of work and a KB homer gives the Cubs a 2-0 win Monday night. We’ll recap the game in the 1st segment and then preview Tuesday night’s match-up between Kyle Hendricks and Brady Singer, plus more COVID news and an NL Central standings update.  Postmates For a limited time, Postmates is giving our listeners ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS of free delivery credit for your first SEVEN days. To start your free deliveries, download the app and use code LOCKEDON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs complete the sweep of the Pirates, pulling off an extra-innings win Sunday afternoon to improve their record to 7-2 on the season. We’ll recap the weekend sweep in the 1st segment and then preview the Cubs match up with the Royals as well as hit on a few news bullets in the 2nd segment. Postmates For a limited time, Postmates is giving our listeners ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS of free delivery credit for your first SEVEN days. To start your free deliveries, download the app and use code LOCKEDON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lost Wednesday night’s game against the Reds 12-7 and then Thursdays game was rained out, so the Cubs are back at Wrigley to take on the Pirates and then Royals before going back on the road. We’ll recap the Wednesday night loss in the 1st segment then preview the weekend series with the Pirates in the 2nd, as well as another COVID-19 update as the Brewers and Cardinals have their Friday night game postponed due to multiple positive COVID tests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs make it three in a row, beating the Reds again Tuesday night 8-5. We’ll recap another great offensive performance and start for Alec Mills in the 1st segment and then preview Wednesday night’s match up featuring reigning NL Player of the Week, Kyle Hendricks on the mound. Plus, another update on the Marlins COVID outbreak and the MLB’s response cbdMD Our friends at cbdMD have an amazing duo that can help you relax, regroup, and recharge when life gets chaotic. And to make it even easier cbdMD is offering all our listeners 25% OFF your next order when you use the promo code LOCKED ON MLB at checkout. Rock Auto Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs hang out to win 8-7 Monday night after the bullpen almost blows an excellent 5-inning no-hitter from Jon Lester, as questions still remain for Craig Kimbrel and his ability to close games. We’ll recap the Monday night win in the 1st segment and then preview Tuesday’s match up with Alec Mills taking the mound, plus and update on the Marlins COVID outbreak. cbdMD Our friends at cbdMD have an amazing duo that can help you relax, regroup, and recharge when life gets chaotic. And to make it even easier cbdMD is offering all our listeners 25% OFF your next order when you use the promo code LOCKED ON MLB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs managed to take two of three from the Brewers this weekend and now head on the road for the first time in 2020 amid the growing concern over COVID as the Marlins report 11 personnel have tested positive for the virus. And to make matters worse, the Reds have at least one player who has tested positive for COVID while two other players sat out Sunday after feeling sick prior to the game. A lot to think about as the Cubs prepare to face an improved Cincinnati team with familiar faces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Opening Day for the Cubs as they welcome in the Brewers at Wrigley Field to kick off the 2020 season on July 24th, we’ll preview tonight’s NL Central match-up in the 1st segment and then hit on a few Cubs news bullets in the 2nd segment like the Cubs signing Derek Dietrich and Marquee Network coming to an agreement with Comcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode Sean goes over the Cubs two scrimmage losses against the White Sox, along with an injury update on Jose Quintana and Anthony Rizzo. Plus, Willson Contreras has put in the work to improve his framing and Kyle Schwarber walks us through his state of mind during a normal workout day and the mental side of the game is going to be the toughest hurdle for players. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Adbert Alzolay shed some light on the life of minor leaguers on the Cubs South Bend satellite squad. Plus, Epstein addresses Bryant’s concern of being traded in a pandemic and the Cubs financial situation as a whole amid the COVID pandemic. We’ll touch on both of those in the 1st segment, plus Javy Baez isn’t worried about contract talks, we’ll talk extension and Cubs intrasquad highlights from the past few days in the second segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Coronavirus is still the talk of Cubs camp despite being the only club yet to have a player test positive. We’ll go over the recent vibe from Cubs camp in the 1st segment and in the 2nd we’ll talk about Craig Kimbrel’s intrasquad, a new pitch he’s working on, and the Cubs cut ties with Brandon Morrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs were able to finally start workouts at Wrigley Field this weekend, playing their first intrasquad matchup on the 4th of July. But after a weekend with more and more COVID cases popping up, players like Kris Bryant are voicing their concerns about the testing and the MLB's inability to nail this from the get-go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode we welcome on Matthew Aung who is a former writer and reporter who took some time away from baseball while dealing with some serious health risks. But now that he's getting better Matt is looking to get back into writing and covering baseball so we bring him on the podcast to talk some Cubs baseball in a shortened season! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs have released their incomplete roster of 50 players with another 10 expected to be added Monday afternoon, but the season is close to starting as players are expected to report to Wrigley Field by July 1st. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Folks, it looks like we have baseball in 2020 as MLB commissioner has implemented a 60-game season with full prorated salaries. Now we wait for the MLBPA to agree to the deal, with a response expected by Tuesday. We’ll go over the basics of the deal and when you can expect to see some Cubs baseball in the 1st segment. Plus, Cubs officially signed 1st round pick Ed Howard while former Cub Addison Russell is heading to the KBO, we’ll hit on a few Cubs news bullets to wrap up the show in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Davis joins the show as he and Sean go over the recent developments between the MLB owner's and the MLB Player's Association as both sides refuse to compromise. Ryan helps to explain further why the player's are upset and how the MLB owners should be able to afford paying players pro-rated salaries this season. We also touch on the ESPN 30 for 30 Long Gone Summer documentary and how important the 1998 Cubs were to Ryan as a kid. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four Locked On MLB hosts (Sean Sears, Brett Chancey, Gabrielle Starr, and Javier Reyes) discuss the 1998 season, the impact guys like Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa had on baseball, some of the parallels between 1994 season and the current day MLB, and of course, we talk plenty about dingers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Ernst, a lead writer for Cubs Den focusing heavily on Cubs prospects, came on the show to give his thoughts on the Cubs five draft picks from this week, if he likes the direction the farm system is heading, and he shares his thoughts on the current labor negotiations going between the MLB and MLBPA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jared comes on the show to talk about the labor battle ensuing between the MLB Owner's and the Player's Union as both sides refuse to meet the other's demands. Later, we dive into this 2020 Cubs team as Jared shares his thoughts on David Ross the manager, whether Yu Darvish can continue to dominate, and if Ian Happ can take the next steps in his development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Player’s Union has rejected the MLB Owner’s recent proposal of a 76-game schedule in which the players would receive 75 percent of their prorated salaries for the regular season if the playoffs are completed and 50 percent if the postseason is canceled. And then baseball twitter started to math each to death, we’ll go over the similarities between the MLB’s three proposals in the 1st segment. And then in the second segment we have a clip from the LO MLB draft preview on who the Cubs 16th pick could be in Wednesday’s MLB Draft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Players and Owners are still bickering as the League has rejected the player’s 114 game proposal, Tom Ricketts tells ESPN that losses across the league are biblical, and the city of Chicago and our nation are hurting from this past week’s reaction to the death of George Floyd and the resulting protests. It’s been a rough week, but a necessary one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We were lucky enough to talk with Len Kasper, the Cubs TV broadcaster, as we chat with Len about what the 2020 season may look like for him in the broadcast booth, how the current labor discussions could a preview to the 2021 CBA negotiations, and how a shortened season could actually benefit the Cubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The MLB has presented a financial proposal for the 2020 season, and not surprisingly, the players already hate it. We’ll go over how the MLB’s new proposal in the 1st segment and then talk about the Athletic’s article on David Ross and his leadership being essential to the Cubs this season.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are joined by Nick Shepkowski, he’s the executive producer of the McNeil and Parkins show on 670 The Score, Host Notre Dame pregame @radiodotcom. Managing editor for Fighting Irish Wire part of the USA Today CFB Wire Network and of course, a die-hard Cubs fan. We talk about becoming a Dad, what his biggest issue with the MLB 2020 season proposal is, and where he was when Michael Barrett sucker-punched AJ Pierzynski in the face. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The MLB and Players Union have yet to come to an agreement, but there is plenty to discuss as the MLB has proposed a 67-page document on the medical and safety procedures protocols. We bring on Ryan Davis to help breakdown how difficult of a task bringing baseball back is becoming.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports joins the podcast to talk about what a potential 2020 season could look like, what impact this season may have for extension talks for Javier Baez, and he talks about a few of the upcoming Marquee Network mystery games of the week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The MLB has sent it’s proposal for the 2020 season, which includes a June 10th start date, the DH, and a realignment of the division and playoffs. We’ll take a look at the proposal and point out some potential sticking points for the MLBPA in the 1st segment and then touch on a few Cubs centric news bullets to wrap up the show in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs 2019 Minor League Player of the Year, outfielder Brennen Davis, joins the show to talk about his breakout 2019 season, what his works and life in general have been since the outbreak of COVID-19 shutdown the MLB season, and how's managing to prepare himself for the 2020 season - should baseball return this season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evan Altman of Cubs Insider and Ryan Davis from Forbes Sports join the show to discuss the newest report on when the MLB season will start, which was initially reported by former player Trevor Plouffe, saying that Spring Training 2 will start in June and that Opening Day would be July 1st. Plus, we have Ryan and Evan debate topics that Sean throws out them, which leads to talking about the Michael Jordan documentary, naturally. It's a fun, long episode that we hope you all enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ken Rosenthal reported that the MLB is considering any and all proposals right now to get baseball back ASAP. Reports have come out this week saying baseball could be back by late June, we’ll discuss the proposal in the 1st segment and talk some Cubs centric news in the 2nd segment.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We bring on Ryan Davis for today's show to just go over the state of baseball right now and what the 2020 season could look like if/when the MLB allows game to be played. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The MLB has reportedly been considering multiple plans to get the 2020 baseball season started. We’ll go over the pros and cons of a few of the more talked about ideas in the 1st segment and then hit on a few Cubs news bullets in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Locked On Cubs, Sean is welcoming on guests he's gone to Cubs games with in the past. First up is his younger brother Brendan Sears, who was at the Kris Bryant walk-off game against the Rockies in 2015 and also saw Javier Baez hit a walk-off against the Phillies last season with Sean. We also talk about the 2016 season, what made it so special beyond winning the World Series, and we also get Brendan's thoughts on this 2020 season - should it ever start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode we welcome on Jeff Carr of the Locked on Reds podcast to preview his new-look Cincinnati Reds. We ask Jeff about the Nicholas Castellanos signing, their strong rotation, and if Joey Votto can bounce back from a rough 2019 season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode we start our NL Central Preview shows, starting with the Cubs most hated rival in the St. Louis Cardinals. We'll go over the season outlook for the Cardinals, players to keep an eye on, prospects who can make a different, and where we expect them to finish in 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs score three runs late to beat the Padres 3-2, we’ll recap the game including Yu Darvish’s performance in the 1st segment and in the 2nd we’ll talk about Darvish or Kyle Hendricks getting the opening day nod and Ian Happ looking to lock up the CF job. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs smash the Giants 16-3 Tuesday afternoon after announcing their most recent roster cuts, we’ll recap the game and go over the roster moves in the 1st segment then touch on a few Cubs news bullets in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yu Darvish had a bit of a corona virus scare, but threw a simulated game Friday and looked great - we go over that and the Cubs weekend games in the 1st. Then we’ll touch on a few Cubs bullets in the second segment like Kris Bryant saying the Astros weren’t the only team cheating and 5th spot in the rotation is still up for grabs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We welcome on Tim Stebbins of NBC Sports Chicago to talk about Bryzzo on TV, Joe Maddon’s awkward comments about his time with the Cubs, and all the pitchers in the pitch lab for the Cubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs lose to the Rockies on Tuesday but pull out a win against the Royals Wednesday, we’ll breakdown the to games in the 1st segment. Then we wrap up the show hitting a few Cubs news bullets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs beat the Mariners 16-12 Monday as teams had 15 hits and took advantage of some rough pitching outings. We’ll recap the game in the 1st segment and then we’re taking a look at 2B and taking a guess at who makes the team out of that position group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs split their first weekend of games, beating the A's 12-2 Saturday night but lost 4-2 to the Dodgers on Sunday. We'll go over who stood out for the right and wrong reasons in the 1st segment and then we'll touch on a few Cubs bullets in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We chat with University of San Diego head baseball coach Rich Hill, former coach of Kris Bryant, about why he decided to put Bryant in the leadoff spot during his junior season. Plus a few Cubs news bullets in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We welcome on Dan Szymborski of Fangraphs to share his thoughts behind this year's Cubs ZiPS projections, what he thinks of Kris Bryant leading off, and how he would have handled the Astros cheating scandal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Ross talked about making Kris Bryant the Cubs leadoff hitter for 2020 at camp Wednesday so we’ll put together our own lineup in the 1st segment and then touch on a few Cubs news bullets in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts spoke with the media Monday, we’ll breakdown his comments in the 1st segment and then touch on David Ross and his clear early impact on the team along with some Marquee Network carrier news in the 2nd segment. Brett Taylor's article from Bleacher Nation Transcribed Q&A with Ricketts from Jordan Bastian of MLB.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kris Bryant arrived at Cubs camp this weekend and sounded off a lot of things, from the rumors surrounding his thoughts towards the Cubs, extension talks, and he shares frustration with the CBA and the Astros. We’ll discuss all of Kris Bryant’s 36 minute presser in the first segment then touch on a few Cubs news bullets like the Jason Kipnis deal is official, Albert Almora Jr. admits he lost his confidence, and more in the second segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Kaplan reported Thursday that the Cubs were in contact with the Rockies and were once again trying to make a Nolan Arenado deal work. We’ll go over the latest Rockies/Cubs trade rumors in the 1st segment and then recap the last few days at Cubs camp as position players report plus Astros owner Jim Crane kinda sucks - all that in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pitchers and Catchers were due in camp on Tuesday, as Patrick Mooney of the Athletic and Jesse Rodgers of ESPN 1000 report that despite players reporting this week that the Cubs are still very active on the trade market - and apparently Jason Kipnis is a Cub! Also, Joe Maddon shares more on what happened between him and the Cubs, which of course, is creating some very dumb and pointless drama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs pitchers and catchers reported earlier Monday as Spring Training and warmer weather get closer. But we’ve got plenty to talk about as free-agent starter Taijuan Walker works out at Cubs camp, plus the front office acknowledges they saw financial issues coming for 2020 and 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mookie Betts is (maybe..?) a Dodgers and now teams are reportedly pivoting to Kris Bryant as Dave Kaplan reports teams are contacting the Cubs. We’ll discuss some of the teams that have reached out to the Cubs and some of the teams we assume have interest in the 1st segment. Later, we’ll touch on a few Cubs news bullets like their “different” spring training hats and Jason Kipnis rumors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jed Hoyer spoke with Jesse Rodgers we’ll discuss some of the more interesting points to come from the interview and the roster moves from this weekend in the 1st segment, then touch on a few Cubs news bullets before wrapping up the show in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kris Bryant’s grievance has been settled as the arbitrator rules in favor of the Cubs, shortly after that rumors started swirling about Bryant, we’ll sift through all the reports in the 1st segment. In the 2nd segment we’ll hit on a few Cubs news bullets, like Pedro Strop signing with the Reds and Jeremy Jeffress has agreed to a deal with the Cubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode we have on my former co-host Ryan Davis who writes for Forbes and MLB.com writer Russell Dorsey to chat about this Cubs team, the direction they are moving, and what is going to happen with Kris Bryant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs have signed a major league player (reportedly) in Steven Souza Jr. We’ll breakdown the signing in the 1st segment and recap some of the bigger stories from this weekend in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs Convention is over and we’re getting closer to Spring Training but the Cubs still haven’t signed a player to a major-league contract. However, we do have a better idea of what the Cubs plan is for 2020 and we’ll recap the weekend and touch a few Cubs news bullets in today’s show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tommy Birch is our guest today, sharing his thoughts on the 2019 I-Cubs that went to the postseason for the first time since 2008. Tommy gives us a few names to watch in Des Moines this season as well as what he's expecting from some of the Cubs top prospects like Nico Hoerner, Adbert Alzolay and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our last guest of the week is Jared Wyllys from Forbes and Chicago Magazine, who stops by to share his thoughts on the #Cubs lack of movement this offseason, shortcomings from front office and ownership, as well as what he's most looking forward to this weekend from Cubs Convention.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Cerami and Luis Medina from Bleacher Nation and NBC Sports Chicago's Outside the Ivy show come on the show to talk with Sean about the Marquee Network, if Kris Bryant will get traded, and dive into some of the more exciting events at Cubs Convention this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Len Kasper joins the show today to share his excitement for Cubs Convention, talk about the Marquee Network - Len teased a special announcement coming Saturday at the Convention, and of course, we talk plenty of Cubs baseball and Len's thoughts on the 2020 club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs were able to agree to deals with all six arbitration-eligible players this Friday, we’ll go over the numbers in the 1st segment as well as go over the hot rumor from this weekend involving Arenado, Bryant, and the Cubs. In the 2nd segment, we’ll go over a few Cubs news bullets including their trade with Oakland and the MLB coming down hard on the Astros for cheating. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs and the rest of the MLB have until Friday to submit arbitration figures so we’ll go over the team arbitration projections in the 2nd segment, but in the 1st we’ll be talking a little more about these juicy Nolan Arenado rumors involving the Cubs and few other bullets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs make a small move but are still one of three teams that has yet to offer a guaranteed contract this off-season. We’ll touch on the Carlos Asuaje signing and another Nolan Arenado rumor in the 1st segment and then in the 2nd segment we’ll hit on a few news bullets including more teams getting busted for stealing signs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plenty of rumors but still no major moves for the Cubs, we’ll touch on the latest involving Kris Bryant in the 1st segment and then touch on a few Cubs news bullets including an update on the Marque Network in the 2nd to wrap the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kris Bryant rumors were hot shortly after Christmas last week, Japanese OF Shogo Akiyama isn’t coming to Chicago but heading to Cincinnati, and was all the trade frenzy really just a way for the FO to get fans to appreciate this current core? Plenty to talk about on this Friday episode of Locked On Cubs - the first of 2020! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs aren’t doing much with multiple reports coming out that they can’t afford players like Eric Sogard or Joe Panik, it’s starting to look bleak for the North Siders this offseason. We’ll breakdown why so many teams are looking to get under the luxury tax this offseason in the 1st segment and then hit on a few Cubs rumors in the 2nd segment. Brett Taylor from Bleacher Nation's Luxury Tax breakdown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs walked away from the Winter Meetings without any additions or subtractions to their roster, but there were plenty of rumors. We’ll go over all the reports to come out about the Cubs this weekend in the 1st segment and then hit on a few Cubs news bullets before wrapping up the show in the second segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s D=day three of the MLB Winter Meetings and news keeps coming about the Cubs. We have the latest trade rumors surrounding Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant, plus David Ross spoke at the meetings yesterday and a report surfaced Wednesday morning that Anthony Rizzo will not receive an extension this season…...plenty to talk about on today’s episode of Locked on Cubs. Sean's article on 4 teams that make sense for the Cubs and Kris Bryant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are way too many rumors about Kris Bryant right now for me not to be a little worried - that being said - stay the f away from KB your vultures!! Day one of the Winter Meetings had plenty of news involving the Cubs, plus Stephen Strasburg signed for $245 mil!! All that and more on this Tuesday episode of Locked On Cubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs sign former Braves reliever Dan Winkler to a one year deal but bigger moves are expected as the Winter Meetings get underway Monday. We’ll touch on the latest rumors in the 1st segment and hit on a Cubs news bullets in the 2nd segment. Sean’s MLB Winter Meetings preview article Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There was another strange Cubs rumor from ESPN again, we’ll go over this “blockbuster” deal from David Schofield in the 1st segment, plus the Astros have an interested in Willson Contreras, and then we'll touch on a few Cubs news bullets in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs officially cut ties with Addison Russell yesterday, non-tendering the 25-year-old SS. We’ll touch on a few non-tendered targets for the Cubs in the 2nd segment but first Jeff Passan of ESPN dropped some more information about the Cubs and their reported frantic attempts to make a trade happen...we’ll discuss in the 1st segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is the non-tender deadline, which means it’s likely Addison Russell’s last day as a member of the Chicago Cubs organization. We’ll touch on who else could be a non-tender candidate and who the Cubs might be interested in in the 1st segment and touch on a few Cubs news bullets in the 2nd segment including Baseball America's latest top 10 list of Cubs prospects Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs made a minor trade move for A’s starter Jharel Cotton, plus Whit Merrifield’s name has once again returned for more Cubs trade rumors. We’ll hit plus a few quick news bullets in the 2nd segment, including who Rachel Folden is and some rumors involving extensions for Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There were a few Cubs trade rumors to pop up this week, we’ll touch on the most interesting on featuring Kris Bryant and Jason Heyward heading to Philly in the 1st segment. Then in the 2nd segment, we’ll touch a few Cubs news bullets and talk a little bit more about Nico Hoerner’s fit with the Cubs in 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

News broke Friday that Javier Baez and the Cubs were working on an extension, we’ll breakdown that and the twitter exchange between Yu Darvish and Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1st segment, then hit on a few Cubs bullets in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reports came out Thursday that the Cubs have found a new quality assurance coach in David Ross’ former Red Sox teammate Mike Napoli, we’ll touch on that plus more news on the KB trade rumors - Scott Boras gives Cubs fans hope for an extension, we’ll cover it all on today’s Friday episode of Locked on Cubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs are close to filling out their staff while Theo Epstein is telling everyone to take the rumors with a massive serving of salt, we’ll go over all the latest news to come out of the GM meetings and more in today’s show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the GM Meetings happening this week, the hot stove rumors have started to pick up steam with Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant both being included in trade talks this past weekend. We’ll go over the latest rumors in the 1st segment and then touch on the new additions to David Ross’ coaching staff and a few Cubs bullets in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean sits down with Tony Andracki to get his thoughts on the David Ross, the Cubs off-season direction, Theo Epstein's comments on ESPN 1000 last week, the Luxury Tax, and some players Tony believes the Cubs should target this winter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Yu Darvish and Jose Quintana officially becoming Cubs for 2020, we’ll breakdown the starting group from last season and the outlook for the group next season. And in the 2nd segment, we’ve got some Cubs news bullets and comments from Theo Epstein after spending 30 minutes with Dave Kaplan on ESPN 1000 last week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Cubs picking David Ross as their next skipper, what comes next? Tom Ricketts spoke today on 670 the score and ESPN 1000 Tuesday morning, so Sean goes through his comments and decode what we think the Cubs’ plan is for improvement in 2020. In the second segment, Sean will highlight the important dates to circle on your calendar and what the first decisions will be for the Cubs with the league year ending Wednesday night. Bleacher Nation article for 2019/2020 offseason dates Cubs Insider breakdown of Ricketts' comments from earlier (including link to interview with 670 The Score) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs officially announced David Ross as their 55th manager in team history, agreeing to a three-year deal last week. Sean Sears goes through the press conference with Ross, Theo Epstein, and Jed Hoyer meeting the media for 30 minutes on Monday. In the second half, we’ll talk about what lies ahead for the Cubs now that they have their manager for the 2020 season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs have started the interview process for a new manager, we’ll go over the latest candidates and who I think has the edge in and hit on a few Cubs bullets in the 1st segment. And then in the 2nd segment, we’ll talk about the Cubs bullpen as the first of our position breakdowns that will start today!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs are still identifying manager candidates, but there has been more talk about players who could be moved - including Kris Bryant. We’ll talk about the latest rumors involving the Cubs and a few other bullets on this Thursday episode of Locked on Cubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Theo Epstein spoke to the media for 81 minutes Monday outlining what should be an active off-season for the Cubs. We’ll go through Theo’s main talking points in the 1st segment and touch on some news and Cubs bullets in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs 2019 season officially came to an end on Sunday, and with it so did Joe Maddon’s time in Chicago as he and Theo Epstein announced prior to Sunday’s game that both sides had agreed to go their separate ways. We’ll touch on the weekend and Cubs moving on from Maddon in the 1st segment, then talk potential manager candidates and a few bullets in the 2nd segment. Cubs Managerial Candidates: https://fansided.com/2019/09/28/five-potential-candidates-to-replace-joe-maddon/2/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs are swept by the Pirates, losing their 9th consecutive game, head to St. Louis for their final series of the season. But the attention has turned from on the field to the front office and who's going to managing this team after 2019 - because according to Ken Rosenthal, it won't be Joe Maddon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs were officially eliminated from the playoffs Wednesday night, we’ll touch on the game in the 1st segment and then preview the finale with the Pirates and give you some reasons to watch the Cubs final series with the Cardinals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs drop Tuesday night’s game 9-2 after Kyle Hendricks flirted with a no-hitter through 6-innings, making their elimination number just one game. We’ll recap the game in the first segment and preview the Wednesday night game as well as touch on the scenarios still in play for the NL Wild Card.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs will start their second to last series of the regular season Tuesday night against the Pirates, needing to essentially win all of their remaining games and hope for some good luck to make it into the postseason. We’ll preview the game and take a look at the other games tonight that matter for the Cubs in the 1st segment and then talk about some of the fallout from this weekend and touch on a few injuries in the 2nd segment.  Beyond the Boxscore article: https://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2019/9/24/20880934/chicago-cubs-theo-epstein-red-sox-cardinals-sweep-joe-maddon-bryant-rizzo-baez-ricketts-cole Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs postseason hopes were crushed this weekend after being swept by the Cardinals in their four-game home finale. We’ll recap the misery from this weekend in the 1st segment and talk about what has to happen for the Cubs to make the postseason and some notes from their final regular-season series at home. Sean's article on Joe Maddon's future: https://fansided.com/2019/09/22/joe-maddons-future-chicago-isnt-murky-anymore/ Article on Nico Hoerner: https://fansided.com/2019/09/19/nico-hoerner-is-exactly-what-the-cubs-are-missing/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs tie the game up in the 9th against the Cardinals, but Craig Kimbrel allows the go-ahead homer in the 10th and the Cubs drop game one of a huge four-game set with the Cardinals. We’ll recap the game and preview Friday’s afternoon match-up in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs look like the Cubs again, losing 3-2 in extra innings Wednesday night against the Reds. We’ll recap the final game of the season with the Reds and preview a must-win series for the Cubs….and Joe Maddon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs bats are cooled off in a 4-2 loss over the Reds, but Yu Darvish still turned out a great performance. We’ll recap the game in the 1st segment, then preview the series finale with the Reds and talk playoff standings in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 The offense continues to rake, and bullpen throws 5.2 scoreless-innings, as the Cubs beat the Reds 8-2 Monday night. We’ll recap the win in the 1st segment and then preview Tuesday’s excellent pitching match-up between Sonny Gray and Yu Darvish - plus updates on the NL Central and Wild Card standings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs sweep the Pirates in incredible fashion, outscoring Pittsburgh 47-15 and inching closer to the Cardinals in the NL Central. We’ll recap the weekends game in the 1st segment and preview Monday night’s series opener with the Reds and touch on a few bullets in the 2nd segment. Plus, news on Anthony Rizzo's ankle injury.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talked with Jared Wyllys of Sporting News and Chicago Magazine to get his thoughts on the Cubs recent struggles, what kind of changes the off-season may bring, and touch on the excellent season Yu Darvish is having.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs salvage the series with the Padres, winning Thursday afternoon and splitting the series behind another great start from Yu Darvish. We’ll recap the win and preview the Cubs series with the Pirates starting Friday.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs got themselves a nice rebound win over the Padres, beating up Cal Quantrill to win 10-2 late on the West Coast last night. We’ll recap the win and the big night for rookie Nico Hoerner in the 1st segment and then preview Tuesday night’s game in the second segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 After winning the 1st game, the Cubs proceeded to drop the next three against the Brewers and now cling to a 1.5 game lead for the final NL Wild Card spot. Plus, more injuries as the Cubs are reeling after a rough weekend series. We’ll recap the weekend series in Milwaukee and then preview the San Diego series as well as touch on some big news: Top Prospect Nico Hoerner has been called up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs took game one of a four-game series with the Brewers Thursday night, we’ll recap the 10-5 win and preview Friday’s match-up and hit on a few Cubs bullets in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs were able to sweep the Mariners in a quick two-game set this week, but now they’ll try to redeem themselves against the Brewers with a 4-game series kicking Thursday. We’ll preview the series at Wrigley North in the 1st segment and hit a few Cubs bullets in the 2nd segment before wrapping the show up with some NL Central talk.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We bring back Ryan Davis to vent some of his frustrations with the Cubs while also pointing out some of their major successes this season. We talk about the Cubs good fortune against elite pitchers, what the future may hold for Joe Maddon and this Cubs roster, and finally preview this weekend series against the Brewers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs jump out to a 10-1 lead in by the 3rd inning and then spent the rest of the game trying to find to lose it, finally winning 10-7 last night over the Mets. We’ll recap last night's win in the 1st segment and preview the series finale against the Mets as well as touch on the NL Central in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yu Darvish and the Cubs take game one of their series against the Mets 5-2 behind Javy Baez’ bat and the arm of Darvish who registers his longest career start as a Cub. We’ll breakdown the Tuesday night win in the 1st segment and then preview the Wednesday night match and wrap the show talking about the NL Central.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s show, we welcome on Tony Andracki from NBC Sports Chicago to help us see what went wrong with the Cubs this weekend against the nationals, being swept on Player’s Weekend. We’ll recap the games in the 1st segment and then talk with Tony in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve got two games to recap as the Cubs pull off the sweep of the Giants, winning Wednesday night’s thriller 12-11 and holding onto a 1-0 win Thursday afternoon to finish off the Giants at Wrigley. We’ll recap both games in the 1st segment and then touch a few Cubs bullets to wrap up the show in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony Rizzo and the Cubs were back home Tuesday night for some much needed home cooking, smashing their way to a 5-3 win over the Giants. We’ll recap the Tuesday night win and more in the 1st segment then preview Wednesday night’s game and touch on the NL Central in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 The Cubs are returning from a so-so road trip that seemed worse than it was, we’ll recap the road trip as well as some roster moves in the 1st segment and then preview the Cubs series with the Giants along with touching on the NL Central standings in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs wrapped up their series with the A’s winning 10-1, we’ll recap the win in the 1st segment then preview the 10-game road trip that starts with a four-game series with the Reds in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday’s game wasn’t nearly as fun as Monday’s as the Cubs lose 11-4 to the A’s, we’ll recap the Tuesday night clunker in the 1st segment, preview the series finale this afternoon in the 2nd segment, and touch on a few Cubs bullets to wrap up the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve got a fun Monday night win to cover as the Cubs hold off the A’s in a dramatic 6-5 win, we’ll recap the win over Oakland in the 1st segment and then preview Tuesday night’s match-up and recap the night for the NL Central in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’ve got a Cubs sweep to talk about as the Brewers come to Wrigley and lose three straight games this weekend. We’ve got tons to talk about from the weekend in the 1st segment and preview the upcoming series with the A’s, hit on some cubs bullets, and take a look at the NL Central standings as we wrap the show in the 2nd segment  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve got a Cubs win to recap! We’ll go over the 2-0 win for the Cubs over the Cardinals in the 1st segment and then preview Thursday’s match-up between Jon Lester and Jack Flaherty and wrap the show taking a look at the NL Central.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve got a wild trade deadline to recap as the Cubs have added a few pieces (Nicholas Castellanos, Tony Kemp) and move some others (Martin Maldonado, Carl Edwards Jr.). We’ll recap the deadline moves in the 1st segment and then recap the Cubs 2-1 loss to the Cardinals Tuesday, preview Wednesday’s game in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re diving right into some deadline talk with Tom Loxas of the Beers and Beat guys Podcast. We’ll recap the weekend series with the Brewers and preview Tuesday’s match-up with the Cardinals in the 1st segment, then we’ll talk with Tom about the Cubs plan with the deadline just a day away,  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve got a very special guest in David Kaplan on the show today. We’ll breakdown Wednesday afternoon’s win over the Giants and then The Kap man joins me today to talk about potential trade targets for the Cubs, Addison Russell being optioned to Iowa, and what the team’s biggest need is.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, we recap the extra-inning loss against the Giants and go over some of the Cubs struggles in the 1st segment and then preview the series finale in San Francisco before we wrap the show up taking a look at how the NL Central did Tuesday night.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re recapping the Cubs tough 5-4 loss to the Giants Monday night. We’ll go over the series opener against the Giants in the 1st segment and then preview Tuesday night’s match up featuring Yu Darvish vs Madison Bumgarner in the segment and wrap the show taking a look at the NL Central. Sean's MLB Power Rankings: https://fansided.com/2019/07/20/mlb-power-rankings-every-teams-plan-of-attack-before-the-trade-deadline/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re recapping the Cubs homestand and preview tonight’s series with the Giants in the 1st segment then touch on a few roster moves and trade rumors as we move closer to the July 31st trade deadline, then wrap up the show with the updated NL Central standings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’ve got an incredible game to recap as the Cubs come from behind to beat the Braves 9-7. We’ll breakdown the Cubs big comeback, which includes Craig Kimbrel’s debut, in the 1st segment and then preview the weekend series with the Reds and touch on a few Cubs bullets before wrapping up the show  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re talking about the Cubs 5-3 loss to the Braves, we’ll recap the game in the 1st segment and then preview Thursday’s homestand finale and touch on a few Cubs bullets - like Craig Kimbrel being called up, in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re recapping the Cubs late 3-2 loss to the Braves Tuesday. We’ll go over Tuesday’s loss and then preview the Wednesday game, take a look at the NL Central, and hit on a few Cubs bullets before wrapping up the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’ve got a win to recap as the Cubs bats come against the red-hot Braves. We recap game one of the series and touch on this past weekend in the 1st segment then preview Tuesday’s match up and hit on a few Cubs bullets to wrap up the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’ve got a Cubs win to discuss, as the Cubs beat the Mets 7-4. We’ll recap the game and Adbert Alzolay’s debut in the 1st segment and then preview the rest of the series in the 2nd segment, touch on a few cubs bullets, and wrap the show up with some Cubs bullets.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re recapping the Cubs split with the White Sox in the 1st segment, previewing their series with the Mets in the second segment, and we’ll also touch on a few roster moves as Adbert Alzolay is officially on the Cubs 25-man roster.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re previewing the quick two-game series with the White Sox as the crosstown classic returns to Wrigley Field. We’ll talk all things South-Siders in the 1st segment and then touch on a few Cubs bullets and see how the teams that played from NL Central did last night.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re recapping the Cubs rough 2-5 road trip facing the Rockies and the Dodgers. We’ll cover the talking points from their games out west in the 1st segment and hit on a few Cubs bullets in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re recapping the Cubs 5-4 loss to the Rockies in the 1st segment, previewing game two of the series in the 2nd segment as well as hitting a few Cubs bullets.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we recap Thursday’s 3-1 loss the Rockies in the 1st segment and in the 2nd we’ve got news from Craig Kimbrel’s presser at Wrigley and what the plan is before he starts closing games for the Cubs, and of course, the Cardinals are back in town for a weekend series at Wrigley Field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we welcome on Michael Ernst from Cubs Den to give us his thoughts on the MLB Draft and who his favorite picks were. We’ll talk to Michael in the 2nd segment, but in the 1st we’re recapping the Cubs first two wins over the Rockies in this weekday series.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are previewing the Cubs Tuesday matchup with the red-hot Rockies, who are winners of 9 straight games. We’ll take a look at the Colorado series in the 1st segment and then recap the Cubs 1st and 2nd round picks in the MLB Draft last night and touch on a few bullets before wrapping up the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’ve got a lot to cover as we’re recapping the Cubs stinker of a series in STL, as the struggling Cardinals managed to sweep the Cubs. But in better news, we’ve also got Monday’s make-up game to get to as the Cubs rebound in an 8-1 win over the Angels. And finally, we’ll wrap the show hitting a few Cubs bullets, preview the MLB Draft, and take a look at the NL Central standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are previewing the Cubs and Cardinals series as the North Siders head to boring St. Louis for the first time this season. We’ll preview Friday’s game and take a quick look at this weekend’s match-ups in the 1st segment then talk about the newest Chicago Cub - Carlos Gonzalez and other bullets in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re recapping the final two games of the Astros series as the Cubs finally end their losing streak. We’re recap these two games in the 1st segment and then hit on a few Cubs bullets and take a look around the NL Central before we wrap the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re recapping a strange 6-5 loss to the Astros and we’ll touch on the weekend series with the Reds in the 1st segment. In the 2nd, we’ll preview Tuesday’s match up with Houston, touch on a few bullets, and take a look at the NL Central.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are recapping the Cubs extra-innings loss to the Phillies as Jake Arrieta made his return to the mound at Wrigley where he faced off with the guy the Cubs replaced him with, Yu Darvish. We’ll recap the big Monday game in the 1st segment then preview Tuesday’s game as well as take a look at the NL Central standings in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are recapping the last two losses for the Cubs against a Reds team that isn’t so easy to beat up anymore, we’ll breakdown the two losses in Cincy in the 1st segment then preview the Nationals series that will have some excellent pitching matchups, hit on some Cubs bullets, and wrap the show with a look at the NL Central. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’ve got a dandy of a game from Kyle Hendricks to go over as the Cubs righty went 8 strong innings, allowing just three hits and picking three hits himself! We’ll recap Tuesday’s game in the 1st segment, preview Wednesday’s game as well as hit on some news on Ben Zobrist and his absence from the team.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are recapping the weekend series win over the Brewers and later we’ll preview the Cubs first series with the Reds, which starts Tuesday night.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’ve got another walk-off win to breakdown as Jason Heyward beats the Marlins in the 11th with a solo shot, we’ll recap Wednesday night’s game in the first segment, preview Thursday’s game in the 2nd segment as well as touch a few bullets and take a look at the NL Central standings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re recapping the Cubs walk-off win over the Marlins that saw Kris Bryant tee-off on a 3-run homer in the 9th to win the game. We’ll recap yesterday’s excitement in the 1st segment and then preview Wednesday’s match as well as touch on a few bullets before we wrap up the show with a look around the NL Central.  Clips of Jon Lester speaking are courtesy of NBC Sports Chicago  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are recapping the Cubs 6-5 lose to the Marlins on Monday night as Pedro Strop and the bullpen blows a 1-run lead in the 9th inning. We’ll breakdown Monday’s loss on the first segment and then preview Tuesday’s match with the Marlins as well as take a quick look at the NL Central standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode we’ve got a Cardinals sweep to recap, so I bring on Bruce Miles from the Daily Heard on the show to get his thoughts on the Cubs after they claimed sole possession of 1st in the NL Central, but first we’ll recap the series, preview the Marlins and then throw it to Bruce and myself in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are previewing the Cubs first weekend series with the Cardinals of 2019. We’ll preview all three games, including Friday’s 1:20 start, in the 1st segment, then take a look at this rivalry in the 2nd segment as well as hit on few Cubs bullets and the NL Central standings before we wrap up the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are recapping the Cubs 11-0 win over the Mariners as they sweep the 2-game series and head back home with a 4-1 record on the 5 game road. We’ll recap all that and more in the 1st segment, and then touch on a few Cubs bullets before we wrap the show taking a look at the NL Central standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are recapping the Cubs 6-5 win over the Mariners. We’ll talk about Cole Hamels' day, the bullpen holding things together, and Kyle Schwarber’s dinger in the 1st segment and then preview tonight’s game, check on the NL Central standings, and touch on a few bullets before we wrap up the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are recapping the Cubs series against the Diamondbacks as they took two of three from the Dbacks and ended their 5-game winning streak. In the 2nd segment, we’ve got a few Cubs bullets to attend to, like the I-Cubs scoring 15 runs in the 1st inning of their game Sunday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode we are recapping this past weekend’s series win over the Diamondbacks in the 1st segment and then we’ll preview tonight’s matchup against the Dodgers and hit on a few cubs bullets before wrapping in the show in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we are recapping this past weekend’s series win over the Diamondbacks in the 1st segment and then we’ll preview tonight’s matchup against the Dodgers and hit on a few cubs bullets (SPOILERS: it involves Mike Montgomery being traded) before wrapping in the show in the 2nd segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean talks with Tony Andracki from NBC Sports Chicago on the Cubs bullpen, whether Jason Heyward can sustain his early season success, and what the plan is for Addison Russell in 2019.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re breaking out the brooms on today’s because the Cubs have swept the Marlins. We’ll breakdown Cole Hamels' performance and another big day from Daniel Descalso in the 1st segment, preview Friday’s game against the Diamondbacks and take a look at the NL Central standings to wrap the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode we’ve got another win to break down as the Cubs beat the Marlins 4-0. We’ll talk Quintana and his great start today, preview the series finale against the Marlins and touch on a few Cubs bullets before we wrap the show with a look at the NL Central.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode we’ve got a 7-2 Cubs win to breakdown against the Marlins. Sean recaps that win, touches on the two games from the Angels from this past weekend, then previews Tuesday nights game featuring Jose Quintana on the mound and wrap the show with a look at the NL standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode we’ve got a Cubs win to talk about! It took awhile with about an hour long rain delay, but the Cubs hold on to a 2-0 win over the Pirates thanks to Jose Quintana! Sean recaps the game in the first segment, preview the Cubs Friday afternoon game with the Angels, and gives a quick update on the NL Central standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode we’ve got a cold 5-2 loss to the Pirates to discuss. Sean recaps the game in the 1st segment, previews Thursday’s series finale with the Pirates and takes a look at the CF position as Albert Almora struggles while Happ works on things in Iowa - we’ll discuss that and go over the NL Central standings in the second segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean recaps the Cubs home opener as they beat the Pirates 10-0, we’ll discuss the nice run the bullpen has been on recently and how strong the Cubs offense has been in the 1st segment. And in the second segment, Ken Rosenthal talked about the Cubs thinking about selling? - it sounds crazy, but I’ll explain more later. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean breaks down the Cubs series loss to the Brewers and finds the positives for a team that's struggling to find consistent pitching. Later, we preview the home opening series withe Pirates, as Jon Lester faces-off with Jameson Taillon on the mound.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode Sean breaks down sadly another terrible loss for the Cubs, recapping Thursday’s 9-4 loss in the first segment. Later, he previews this weekends Brewers series and go over the NL Central standings in the second segment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean's got another disappointing Cubs loss to breakdown as they drop Wednesday game 6-4. He discusses the bullpen issues costing the Cubs another win in the 1st, previews the final game of this series, takes a look at the David Bote extension and if we can expect more extensions to come this year in the 2nd segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode Sean attempts to recap the Cubs ugly 8-0 nothing loss as the defense commits 6 errors against the Braves. Later in the second segment we’ll hit on a few bullets, check the NL central teams and wrap up the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nn today’s episode Sean recaps this weekend series with the Rangers, that saw the Cubs score 28 runs but still come away with two losses. Sean breaks down the pitching issues in the first segment, takes a look at what was working in the second segment, and wraps the show up a quick preview of the Cubs series with the Braves and some early NL Central standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan recap the Cubs Opening Day win over the Rangers, going over Baez' two home runs, Jon Lester's strong start, and the strange bullpen decisions late in the first segment. In the segment, the guys preview Saturday's start featuring Yu Darvish and Edinson Volquez facing off on the mound and recap the Brewers win over the Cardinals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean previews the Season opener against the Texas Rangers. Sean goes over the pitching match-up, some key players to watch, and wraps the show with a few bold predictions for the Cubs in 2019.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s show Sean dives into the Kyle Hendricks extension as the Professor will be sticking around in Chicago for another four seasons. The final roster spot came down to two lefty relievers, Randy Rosario and Kyle Ryan, Sean shares his thoughts on the Cubs pick and more in the second segment. And Cubs also agreed to a minor league deal with reliever Junichi Tazawa, who the Cubs had just released a few days, despite his strong spring.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan sit down with Locked on Reds host Jeff Carr as he shares his thoughts on the Reds improved roster and what he's expecting from the club in 2019.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan discuss the Cubs decision to send outfielder Ian Happ to the minors despite his upside and share their thoughts on the surprising move. Later, the guys take a look at the bullpen (recorded before Duensing was officially designated for assignment) with only a few spots open.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan tease their new YouTube Channel, Talking Cubs, by sharing two of their player previews on Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Hendricks as the two go through projections for each player and give their thoughts on what to expect from both in 2019.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean host the show solo today talking about the major headlines from Spring Training so far, Nico Hoerner showing out in Mesa, Tyler Chatwood being able to throw strikes, and Kyle Schwarber getting back to his roots with his swing. Later, Sean hits on a few Cubs bullets and how FA reliever Craig Kimbrel could reportedly wait until June to sign with a team.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan discuss some Spring Training notes on Darvish's first Spring start, an injury update on David Bote, and Ben Zobrist is finally in camp. In the second segment the guys discuss Kris Bryant's comments about his trying 2018 season and how's he's using negative criticism from last season as motivation for this year (spoiler alert: KB is mad and ready to take it out on some baseballs). And finally, Sean and Ryan discuss the latest Bryce Harper rumors - which sorta involve the Cubs but don't get your hopes up, and MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo has high-hopes for 19-year-old OF prospect Cole Roederer.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan hit on the latest Spring Training notes including Yu Darvish throwing left-handed, Ian Happ is pushing for more playing time at 2nd this year, and we have a projected starter for Saturday's exhibition game with the Brewers. In the second segment, the guys go through Dan Szymborski's Cubs ZiPS projections on Fangraphs for the new season and point out a few head-scratching numbers. And finally, the guys wrap the show with a few Cubs bullets and Manny Machado is officially a member of the San Diego Padres.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean welcomes on David Kaplan to get his thoughts on this treacherous Cubs off-season covering a slew of topics from Addison Russell's impact on the season, Tom Ricketts and the budget that lacks funds, and Kap share's his high expectations for Javier Baez in 2019.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan question the sincerity of Addison Russell's first in-person statement to the media since his domestic violence suspension, discuss the impact a rebound season from Tyler Chatwood or Jose Quintana could bring to the Cubs in 2019, and new reliever Brad Brach's comments on the current free agent process in the 1st segment. Later, Ben Zobrist's arrival to Spring Training has been reportedly delayed for personal reasons, but rumors are out there saying the Cubs are engaged with free agent reliever Craig Kimbrel and Zobrist may need to be moved to make the deal work for their budget. Speaking of the budget, Tom Ricketts gave his state of address talk to the team and later spoke to the media, explaining the team "doesn't have anymore money" as their reason for not spending this off-season. And we wrap up the show with a few Cubs bullets.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Season 1 finale of Locked on Cubs, Sean and Ryan dissect the Cubs current roster as pitchers and catchers prepare to report to Spring Training Tuesday for the Cubs. Later, we dive into the PECOTA projects, who are seemingly bullish on the Cubs in 2019, and Yu Darvish throws 45 pitches off the mound - all signs point to Darvish being back and ready to contribute. And finally, we wrap the season with some Cubs bullets on playing in London and Anthony Rizzo's AMA on Reddit.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan discuss the Joe Ricketts email leak and how terrible of an off-season it has been for the Cubs front office and ownership group. Later, Ryan goes over his latest article from Forbes where he gave his five Cubs most likely to make their debuts in 2019. And we wrap up the show hitting on the latest Bryce Harper rumors, that Giants are interesting in outfielders (which means Jason Heyward has come up in trade rumors), and the MLBPA has proposed a rule change that would bring the DH to the National League.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan address the latest Bryce Harper rumors as the superstar free agent starts to make secondary visits with teams, including the Padres, who have emerged as a late contender for Harper. Later, Ryan got the chance to talk with former Cubs pitcher Micah Bowie who is struggling to be disability through the MLBPA despite only being able to use 8% of his lung capacity due to complications with a spinal cord stimulator. Finally, we wrap up the show with MLB headlines from this week and hit on a few Cubs bullets. Ryan's story on Micah Bowie for Forbes If you'd like to help Micah Bowie, you can donate to the Association of Professional Baseball Players of America and add a comment that you'd like the money to go to him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan discuss the latest rumor surrounding Ben Zobrist as according to the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays see him as a potential fit for their roster. Later, Ryan wrote about Theo Epstein's bullpen bargain shopping for Forbes, we talk about how it's not as crazy of an idea as it sounds. And finally, we wrap the show going over some of the headlines from this weekend and other Cubs news. Ryan's Forbes story on Tampa Bay wanting Zobrist back Another Forbes story by Ryan on Theo Epstein's approach to building his 2019 bullpen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean welcomes on Tony Andracki of NBC Sports Chicago to fill-in for Ryan Davis today as the two discuss the Brach signing and how it helps give a bullpen with serious questions a much-need face lift. Later, the two debate on whether or not a David Bote trade makes sense for the Cubs, as the young infielder has been linked to the San Diego Padres. And finally, we wrap the show getting Tony's thoughts on the Hall of Fame inductees and Ichiro coming back to Seattle on a minor league deal.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan takes us through the 2019 Cubs Convention with Sean, recapping the main stories from the event, responses to the tighter than expected budget, and Addison Russell's second chance with the club. And finally, we'll wrap the show recapping the weekend's biggest stories across the MLB.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re going to dissect Joe Maddon’s comments about the Cubs chances of signing Bryce Harper - SPOILER ALERT it’s bad. Later, Cubs Convention is this weekend so highlight all the things to look forward to if you are going to be in attendance. And finally, we’ll wrap the show taking a look at the national story lines across the MLB and some quick Cubs notes.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean hosts solo recapping the Cubs arbitration deals, including Addison Russell's new deal for 2019. Later, Sean shares his thoughts on a potential David Bote trade that would send the infielder to San Diego and gives Cubs fan one last glimmer of hope in landing Bryce Harper or Manny Machado this off-season as the two top free agents are expected to sign soon. And finally, we recap the signings for this past weekend and discuss Kyler Murray heading to the NFL draft despite being drafted in the 1st round by the A's in last Summer's MLB Draft.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan breakdown the latest Cubs money issues as reports circulate saying the front office would need to move contracts just sign a reliever. Later, Cesar's Palace released their Over/Under's for all MLB teams, the guys take a look at the Cubs and the other NL Central teams projected standings for 2019. And finally, we wrap the show up going over all this weeks Cubs stories and headlines.  If you're planning on seeing the Cubs this Spring Training head to https://arizonatourism.com/springtraining for all the other exciting, warm events Arizona has to offer!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan breakdown the latest moves across the MLB including Andrew Miller signing with the St. Louis Cardinals and Troy Tulowitzki heading to the Bronx to play for the Yankees. Ryan was able to sit down with Kelly Wallace, a friend of the podcast, who recently interviewed Addison Russell's ex-wife Melissa Reidy. And finally, we wrap the show talking about the latest reports involving Bryce Harper and Manny Machado - which includes two teams willing to offer Harper a 10-year-deal.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan breakdown the Daniel Descalso signing and profile what his potential role will be for the Cubs in 2019. Later, the guys bring on Cubs reporter and Senor Digital Producer for NBC Sports Chicago, who just spent the last week in Las Vegas during the MLB Winter Meetings. And finally, we wrap the show discussing Robert Manfred's comments about the the current state of free agency being a "good thing" for baseball and the Cubs are reportedly close to leaving NBC Sports Chicago to start their own TV broadcast company.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan try and find the silver-lining on the Cubs walking away from the Winter Meetings without any major signings and look at some of the other names we like besides Bryce Harper. Later, we discuss the idea of Manny Ramirez as the Cubs new bench coach and also narrow down the teams we think should or are still in on Bryce Harper. And finally, we take a look at the newest Baseball Hall of Fame elects in Lee Smith and Harold Baines.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan discuss the rumors surrounding the Cubs and Bryce Harper as the Winter Meetings get underway this week. We also debate whether or not former Cubs catcher David Ross makes sense as the team's new bench coach. Cubs were linked to RHP A.J. Ramos, Ryan gives us his thoughts on what Ramos brings and if he could be a potential fit. And finally, we wrap the show trying to make a Ben Zobrist trade make sense for the Cubs.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan welcome on Michael Ernst of Cubs Den to get his thoughts on the Cubs farm system and to share a few of his favorite bullpen arms in the Cubs minors that could make an impact in 2019. Later, we discuss the MLB considering making changes to shifting on what kind of impact that may make for teams if they do decide to limit shifting. And finally, we wrap up the show talking about the Cubs latest news and off-season rumors.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan breakdown Theo Epstein's decision to tender a contract offer to Addison Russell and what that means for the Cubs shortstop's future. Later, we discuss the J.T. Realmuto rumors that involve Willson Contreras being moved. Also, Ryan wrote his first article for Forbes this week on whether the Cubs need to improve their bullpen or offense. And finally, we wrap up some of last week's moves including the Tommy La Stella trade the coaching staff moves.  Ryan's first story on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryandavis/2018/12/03/the-cubs-biggest-free-agent-additions-may-not-be-on-offense/#54b2f73f3330 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan welcome Cubs TV play-by-play announcer Len Kasper on the show to give us his thoughts on how the 2018 season ended for the Cubs, discuss some free agency, and his outlook for 2019 for the Cubs.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The GM Meetings wrapped up this week, so we grab Tony Andracki of NBC Sports Chicago who was there in Carlsbad, CA to give us the latest Cubs reports and rumors that sprouted from the meetings. We talk to Tony about the Cubs lack of financial flexibility, their chances of signing Bryce Harper or any top free agent this winter, and Tony closes the door on any Kris Bryant trade rumors for 2019.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan discuss the latest free agency buzz as Theo Epstein and the Cubs reportedly won't be spending money, Ryan debunks this theory. Later, the Cubs reportedly haven't made a decision on whether to move on from Addison Russell or retain the shortstop as he deals with domestic violence allegations that have him serving a 40 game suspension to start 2019. And finally, we get to Cole Hamels option being picked up, Anthony Rizzo winning his 2nd Gold Glove, and Javier Baez being named an NL MVP finalist.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean welcomes on Locked on Cubs minor league corespondent and regular contributor to Cubs Den, Tom Usiak, who shares his thoughts on the Arizona Fall League, points out some key prospects to watch in 2019, and tells us who he thinks can make an impact for the 2019 Cubs.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean welcomes on Evan Altman of Cubs Insider to give his thoughts on Bryce Harper reportedly picking a team (except it's a joke?). Later, we get Evan's thoughts on trading Jason Heyward and what it would take for the Cubs to realistically part with the most expensive Cubs in team history. And finally, we take a look at the 6 Cubs players who officially became free agents and Evan shares his favorite sneaky acquisition of this off-season for the Cubs.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode 151 of Locked on Cubs, Sean welcomes on Jared Wyllys (NBC Sports Chicago, Sporting News, Chicago Magazine) and Ryan Davis (Bet Chicago, NBC Sports Chicago, the Athletic, Sporting News) talking some defense as Javier Baez alongside Jason Heyward and Anthony Rizzo were all nominated for Gold Gloves, while Willson Contreras was snubbed - but Yadier Molina made the list. Later, we discuss the big news dropped on us by Bruce Levine of 670 the score saying Bryce Harper to the Cubs is inevitable - we discuss Harper, Machado, and how some believe the Cubs won't even talk to either. And finally, we wrap the show with one out-of-left-field free agent we think the Cubs should consider.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Girardi wants to come to Chicago, and with Joe Maddon playing out the final year of his deal without any extension talks at the moment, people are speculating like crazy. Later, we take a look at the Cubs AFL players, focusing on Nico Hoerner and what his future may look like with the Cubs. And finally, we’ll do a quick preview of game one of the World Series between the Dodgers and Red Sox - a team the Cubs are trying to model themselves after.  Music: "Chicago" - Joe Bagale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cubs off-season target Manny Machado makes waves on social media for the wrong reasons...kinda, but should that scare away the Cubs from Manny? Later,  NBC Sports Tony Andracki wrote a story about one of the most underrated storylines of the off-season thus far. And apparently Ben Zobrist misses Cubs baseball as much as we all do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean dissects the hiring of former Cubs minor league hitting coach and Rangers major league hitting coach Anthony Iapoce. Later, Sean discusses the comments made by recently fired Cubs hitting coach Chili Davis, who admits he struggled to get his message across to everyone in the Cubs locker room. And finally, we take a look at all the Cubs front office and coaching staff being considered for other jobs and Sean gets to gush about Sonny Gray trade rumors once again.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan recap the Cubs 3-1 stinker against the Brewers that cost them the Nl Central division crown. We dive into the offensive struggles and try and find something positive for this Cubs offense that continues to cost this team wins. And finally, we preview Tuesday's Wild Card game against the Rockies, featuring Jon Lester and Kyle Freeland.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Ryan recap the Cubs 10-5 win over the Cardinals which forced a tie-breaking game 163 with the Brewers for the NL Central lead. We take a look at the Cubs bullpen and who we'd add to this postseason roster in the segment. And wrap the show previewing game 163 and what the Cubs need to do to win this game.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean recaps the Cubs 3-0 win over the Pirates as they split their four-game set with Pittsburgh. We breakdown Jon Lester's strong performance on the mound and his role in the offensive production. In the 2nd segment we address the Addison Russell situation as the shortstop was officially ruled out for the rest of the regular season as the MLB extended his administrative leave midst their investigation into domestic violence case involving Russell's ex-wife. And we wrap the show up taking a look at the National League standings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean recaps the nail-biting win 7-6 win over the Pirates after leading at one point 6-1, we take a look at some of the key performers from Wednesday night's win. Later, we get an update on Kris Bryant's wrist and Pedro Strop throws from a mound. And finally, we wrap the show taking a look at the NL Central as the both the Cubs and Brewers clinch a playoff berth tonight but are still in a dogfight for the divisional crown.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean brings on Ryan Davis to vent about the Cubs offense struggling to support Cole Hamels, as the veteran bounces back but still lose 5-1. Later, the two talk about Kyle Schwarber and the Cubs need for someone like him to get home before the playoffs. Sean gives his thoughts on Javier Baez's MVP case and we wrap the show taking a quick look at the tight playoff race as the Brewers continue to hang around in the NL Central division fight.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean recaps the Cubs 9-0 loss to the Diamondbacks as Cole Hamels finally  has a poor outing in a Cubs uniform, but after 30 straight games they finally get a day off Thursday. In the second segment, Sean talk about Pedro Strop possibly returning before the end of the season and then highlights an excellent article by NBC Sports Chicago analyst Doug Glanville on the Cubs being the favorite in the National League because of their ability to grind through a season and win games. And finally, Sean takes another look at the NL Central standings as the Brewers creep closer with only 10 games left in the season.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean recaps the Cubs 9-1 win over the Diamondbacks, which was fueled by Javier Baez and Daniel Murphy home runs, and then previews the series finale with the Diamondbacks featuring Cole Hamels against Robbie Ray. Later, we take a look at the Cubs potential postseason bullpen without Brandon Morrow, as the Cubs closer was shutdown for the season Tuesday afternoon. And finally, we run through the NL Central and Wild Card standings to finish out the show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean recaps the Cubs 5-1 win over the Diamondbacks as the offense finally breaks out and Kyle Hendricks has his best outing of the year. Later, he preview's Tuesday's game against Arizona and takes a look at the Cubs struggling offense and why things my finally starting to click at the plate. And he finishes the show taking a look at the NL Central and Wild Card standings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs came into the their three-game set with the Brewers playing well, but they didn't play so well on Monday night. Cole Hamels had another solid game, but the offense couldn't hit Zach Davies in his return from the DL and several small errors doomed this game. The Cubs lost, 4-3. Sean Sears and I talked about that, today's game, and a crucial decision by Kris Bryant on the last play of the game. In the second segment, we talked more about Hamels vs. Davies and some comments from Hamels that were ... interesting. In the final segment, we talked about the NL Central and cast our unofficial NL MVP ballots.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s show, we’ll quickly go over the weekend games and highlight the excellent pitching from Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester, and Jose Quintana this weekend. In the second segment, we’ll preview this week’s series with the Brewers and talk a little about Javier Baez's season and why it’s so special. And finally, we’ll wrap the show taking a look at the NL Central and I have a few notes on new Cubs catcher Bobby Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs had a short layover in Atlanta on their way to Philadelphia, and they picked up a win against the Braves. Mike Montgomery was excellent for the first few innings but ran out of gas in the fifth, giving up four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings with six strikeouts. The Cubs' bullpen -- even Brandon Kintzler! -- combined to shut the Braves down the rest of the way, and Chicago pulled off a 5-4 victory. Sean Sears and I talked about that in the first segment, then looked ahead at tonight's game against the Phillies. In the second segment, we talked about a variety of little topics: The Bobby Wilson trade, Kris Bryant, Terrence Gore, and Jason Heyward's hamstring injury. To finish things out, we talked about the NL Central and updated the standings. I even did some math to explain just how hot the Cardinals would have to finish the 2018 season to win the division. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs finished out a win in their suspended game from Tuesday, but lost the highly anticipated Jason Vargas and Alec Mills matchup. The Mets jumped on Mills early with a first inning grand slam and won the game, 10-3. Sean Sears and I talked about that, plus whether or not Mills might get another start. We also gave a quick Kris Bryant update in the first segment and reminisced about a special Cubs anniversary. In the second segment, we talked about Brandon Kintzler. Wow. He is pretty, pretty, pretty bad. But in addition, could there be one open bullpen spot for a potential postseason run? In the final segment, we updated the NL Central standings and talked about Josh Donaldson going on waivers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs played the Mets last night, and the pitching matchup of Cole Hamels and Jacob deGrom did not disappoint. Unfortunately, rained washed out the 1-1 tie in the top of the 10th and caused the game to be suspended. The two teams will finish out the game today at 12:00 pm CST, with today's game to follow at 1:20 pm (or 45 minutes later). Sean Sears and I previewed the pitching matchup. In the second segment, we talked about Kris Bryant's rehab at Triple-A and pulled a few interesting quotes from Bryant via the Des Moines Register's Tommy Birch. In the final segment, we updated the standings (for now) and looked at the Brewers' woeful pitching situation. I finished things out by unfairly quizzing Sean about games from before he hit puberty.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 On episode 134 of Locked On Cubs, Sean Sears brings on fellow NBC Sports Chicago writer Tony Andracki to the show to get his thoughts on the Cubs 7-4 win over the Mets. The two preview tonight's match-up featuring Cole Hamels for the Cubs and potential NL Cy Young candidate Jacob deGrom for the Mets. Later, Tony and Sean preview what the Cubs postseason could potentially look like and take a look at how Kris Bryant finds his way back to the Cubs roster. Finally, we wrap up the show by taking a look at the NL Central standings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs swept the Reds in a four-game series at home for the first time since 1945. That seems noteworthy. Sean Sears and I discussed what went well in their last few games, including a lot about the pitching. Alec Mills was outstanding in his first big league start, and the Cubs are going to give him another shot in the rotation. In the second segment, we gave some injury updates on Kris Bryant, Brandon Morrow, and others. The Cubs could be in really good shape once September starts, if all goes as planned. Later in the second segment, we talked about a handful of pitching prospects that have really stepped up and played well this year in the minors. So much so, that dare I say the Cubs have more pitching prospect depth than positional depth? In the final segment, we updated the standings and issued a minor correction from a previous podcast.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs got a complete game performance from Cole Hamels in their 7-1 win over the Reds on Thursday night. I went solo on this episode of Locked On Cubs to talk about that, Javy Báez's big homer, and much more. I recapped the game in the first segment before looking ahead to today's matchup and reminiscing about great Cubs mid-season deals of the past. In the second segment, I looked at that great Báez homer and had some fun with audio of great and memorable home runs of Wrigley Field history. In the final segment, I briefly looked at the NL Central standings and the important games Friday night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's mostly good news for today's episode of Locked On Cubs! The Cubs won 8-2 over the Tigers on Wednesday night, getting a solid start from Jon Lester and three home runs from the offense -- two of which happened with runners on base. Sean Sears and I talked about that before previewing tonight's game against the Cincinnati Reds. After the Reds the Cubs will play the Mets next week, but could this stretch be tougher than it appears? In the second segment, we discussed a few items of note from Jed Hoyer's recent appearance on 670 The Score in Chicago, a little about Duane Underwood, and answered a question from a listener. In the final segment we discussed the NL Central, Brandon Morrow falling into the Springfield Myster Spot, and just about anything else that popped into our heads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First things first, the Cubs lost again on Tuesday night -- their third in a row. The offense hit a solo homer, as per usual, and Kyle Hendricks tossed a solid seven innings in the 2-1 Tigers win. Sean Sears and I talked about that in the first segment before breaking down the big news: Daniel Murphy is now a Cub. For baseball reasons, there is a lot to be happy about with this trade. For other reasons, there is a lot to be unhappy about. We went in depth on both. In the second segment, we talked about the expected but still disappointing news on Yu Darvish being shut down for the rest of the year. In addition, we pontificated on who may be starting in Mike Montgomery's spot on Friday against the Reds -- maybe Montgomery, himself? In the final segment, we looked at the NL Central standings and expressed our inherent fear of the Cardinals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Monday was the Cubs' last off-day for a while, so today's podcast is another question and answer type of thing. Sean Sears took this one on his own, first looking at tonight's pitching matchup with the Tigers. Kyle Hendricks is on the mound for the Cubs against veteran right-hander Jordan Zimmermann. From there, Sean fielded questions about Yu Darvish and what a miracle return might look like, the trade value of Addison Russell, and what the team's Achilles heel might be in the postseason (should they qualify). Thanks for the great questions, everyone! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs split with the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend, and really that's the good news. The offense mustered just one run in each game, and the Cubs won the first two games of the series 1-0. Sean Sears and I talked about the series and we previewed tomorrow's game against the Detroit Tigers in the first segment. In the second segment, we went over the bad news on Yu Darvish and talked about what options the Cubs may have remaining. Later, we discussed Addison Russell's injury and why the Cubs are so reluctant to use the 10-day DL. In the final segment, we did a rundown of the NL Central and talked briefly about how the Cubs will fill Mike Montgomery's shoes in his next rotation turn now that he's on the disabled list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 on Thursday night, thanks to an Ian Happ home run and an excellent performance from Jon Lester. To be honest, he really needed that. Maybe we really needed to see it too. I went solo for this podcast, since Sean Sears disappeared on me. I previewed tonight's game in segment one, followed by a question from a listener on Cole Hamels. Should the Cubs pick up his option for 2019? In the second segment, I discussed Lester's start and decided which teams I think would be bad for the Cubs to face in either the NLDS or the wild card game. In the final segment, I recapped the action of the NL Central yesterday and updated the standings. If you're interested in my story on Bryce Harper and the Cubs for Bet Chicago, you can click here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat the Brewers 8-4 on Wednesday, splitting their two-game set and keeping Milwaukee at three games back. But they're not the only team in the NL Central that the Cubs have to worry about these days. Sean Sears and I recapped the game, looked ahead to tonight's game in Pittsburgh, and chatted a little about Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester going in opposite directions. In the second segment, we talked about Steve Cishek and how he is the MVP of the bullpen. Might he be the guy Joe Maddon uses to go multiple innings in the postseason this year? In the final segment, we recapped the NL Central and updated the standings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can we get a do-over? Jose Quintana gave up a homer to Lorenzo Cain on pitch No. 2 of the ballgame yesterday, and that was it. He allowed a couple more home runs to Ryan Braun for good measure, and the Cubs lost 7-0. But first, Sean Sears and I talked about Anthony Rizzo and moving back down in the lineup. Then we looked at Quintana and some of his pitch usage changes and gave another update on Yu Darvish. In the final segment, we looked around the NL Central and chatted more about those pesky St. Louis Cardinals. We have a contest winner! Be sure to listen to the end to find out details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the Cubs were off again yesterday, Sean Sears and I fielded a few more questions from the listeners on today's podcast. But first, we looked ahead to today's pitching matchup between the Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers. Who has the advantage? After that, we looked at how the Cubs might be able to rest in September. In the second segment, we took questions regarding bat flips and Kris Bryant's return from the DL. Last, we looked at yesterday's games in the NL Central, discussed the suddenly dangerous Cardinals, and learned a little about architecture.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat the Washington Nationals on Sunday night, winning 4-3 with a dramatic, walk-off grand slam from superstar third baseman David Bote (audio courtesy of WSCR and Randall Sanders on Twitter). Max Scherzer and Cole Hamels were the big story of this game, going pitch-for-pitch against each other and treating fans to an outstanding duel. Sean Sears and I discussed Hamels in the first segment. In our second segment, we looked at Bote and his historic slam. With Kris Bryant still without a timetable for his return, could Bote be pushing his way into the everyday lineup? What could that mean for the struggling Addison Russell right now, and then again when Bryant does return? In the final segment, we looked at the NL Central and talked about the suddenly red-hot Cardinals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Cubs off on Thursday, Kelly Wallace of Expanded Roster sat in for Sean Sears on this Friday podcast to help me with the mailbag. First, we looked ahead at today's game with the Washington Nationals and discussed a roster move. Does Jorge De La Rosa have anything left to offer? In the second segment, we went head-first into questions about Jim Hickey, pitching development, and more. In the final segment, we looked around the NL Central -- including a satisfying Brewers loss -- before answering a question about Addison Russell's power. We finished with a question about hot dog condiments, and Kelly shared an awful pizza opinion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs finished out their series with the Royals on Wednesday night, and the good news is that they took 2-of-3. The bad news, however, is that they lost 9-0 last night and got outscored 10-8 in the three-game series after being outscored 24-17 by the Padres in that four-game set. This team is not trending in the right direction heading into their next five games against the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers. Sean Sears and I broke it all down in the first segment. In our second segment, however, Sean and I discussed some positive news on Yu Darvish and Brandon Morrow. They still have no timeline on either pitcher, but it's easy to set up in your mind how Darvish is back on the mound for the Cubs at the beginning of September. On the downside, there's no news on Kris Bryant. Also, we struggled to find nice things to say about Addison Russell other than his range at shortstop. Listen to the end, because I gave details on how you can win Cubs tickets! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs won another game in Kansas City, beating the Royals 5-0 in the second game of the series behind a strong effort from Mike Montgomery and another great day at the plate by David Bote. In the first segment, however, we talked about tonight's starter, Jose Quintana, and his importance to the team going forward. In the second segment, we got back to Bote and his unexpected rise to prominence. It even reminds me of another successful NL Central team that is known for pulling quality players from the late rounds of the draft. In the final segment, Sean Sears and I quickly took a look at the NL Central standings before discussing a pair of videos I found after looking back on our Angel Hernandez conversation. The first is related to that famous 2001 game featuring Steve McMichael's ejection, while the second, well ... just check it out on your own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat the Royals on Monday night, gaining a half-game in the standings over the idle Brewers. That's the good news, but the bad news is that they weren't able to get much going offensively against Jakob Junis. A home run in the sixth inning by Javy Báez broke a tie, and a strong effort from Cole Hamels allowed the Cubs to cruise to a 3-1 win. Sean Sears and I discussed the inconsistent offense in our first segment. In the second segment, we looked at how the guys who have been carrying the team recently are the ones on the wrong side of 30. In our final segment, we chatted about the NL Central, updated the standings, and discussed some of our dream World Series matchups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs split with the San Diego Padres this weekend, and oh boy was that not fun. They were outscored 24-17 in the series and now head to Kansas City to take on the Royals -- who may in fact be the worst team in baseball right now. After talking about the Padres series and the fans in our mentions on Twitter in segment one, we moved on to Royals chat in our second segment. We also talked a bit about Kris Bryant's injury and why it has us on edge before moving on to the final segment, where we looked around the NL Central. Good news! The Brewers will have to fend off the powerhouse Padres for the next three days. This certainly will go well for the Cubs! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After my proclamation that the Cubs needed to go at least 5-2 over their seven game stretch against the San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals, they kicked things off by dropping the first game, 6-1. Sean Sears and I discussed that, today's game, and more in our first segment. Brandon Morrow picked up a baseball and threw some "pitches" yesterday, but not much else has changed on that front. In segment two, we took Joe Maddon to task for a decision both of us find to be indefensible. How do you pull Mike Montgomery after 5 1/3 innings and 79 pitches if you let him bat in a crucial spot the inning prior? In the final segment, we looked around the NL Central and spent a few extra minutes bemoaning Thursday night's loss to the Padres. Can't the Cubs just start a run of consistent, good baseball? Please? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs won in Pittsburgh last night, and Cole Hamels was impressive in his debut. Sean Sears and I talked about that game, why it was important, and why it's even more important that the Cubs perform well over the next week. In the second segment, we took a look at the MVP candidacy of Javier Báez. Where does he fall in the rankings? Who are the favorites, as of right now?  In the final segment, we talked a little about the NL Central standings and discussed an MLB poll regarding the National League MVP race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lost a frustrating game last night, with Addison Russell being called out at third base via replay. That took the potential tying run off the bases in the ninth inning, and the Cubs lost 5-4 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cole Hamels makes his Cubs debut tonight, but the even worse news is that the Cubs and Brewers are now tied in first place. Sean Sears and I play the wet blanket in our outlook on how the rest of the season could play out. In the second segment, we talked about the good news of the day: The Brandon Kintzler trade and a positive injury update on Yu Darvish. In the final segment, we updated the standings and chatted about the upgrades the Brewers made to their roster. This could be a tough battle to the very end, and that's not good for the Cubs' World Series hopes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm back with Sean Sears for this Tuesday edition of Locked On Cubs, after both of us slept through our Monday recording time. We talked about the events of the weekend, including Kyle Hendricks' excellent start on Sunday, some Yu Darvish chatter, and the Cole Hamels deal. Was Alex Rodriguez off base with what he said about Darvish on ESPN Sunday night? In the second segment, we looked at the rumors surrounding the Cubs at the trade deadline. They've been said to be looking for a controllable starting pitcher, but how realistic is that? About as realistic as trading for Bryce Harper -- who also happens to be available. In the final segment, we quickly updated the standings in the NL Central. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The good news, which we start with in our first segment, is that the Cubs beat the D-Backs behind a strong effort from Jon Lester on Wednesday. Sean Sears and I break down why the start from Lester was so encouraging, and we look ahead at the series finale with Tyler Chatwood on the mound. But in the second segment, we react in real-time to the news of the day: Kris Bryant is headed back to the disabled list. In addition to Bryant talk, we chat about David Bote and possible trade targets that remain for the Cubs. Could they trade for a starter and a reliever from the same team? (We mention Seung-Hwan Oh as a possible target in the second segment, but later confirm that he was traded on Wednesday). In the final segment, we looked around the NL Central and updated the standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks yet again last night, this time being shut down by Clay Buchholz -- yes, him. Sean Sears and I break that down in the first segment and talk a little bit about what has truly ailed the Cubs, which is their starting pitching and the Kris Bryant shoulder injury mismanagement.  In the second segment, we played around with trade proposals from the listeners via Twitter: "Who Say's No?" Without spoiling anything, most of these trades were a bit light on the Cubs' end of things. But still a lot of fun conversation! Sean and I finished out the third segment by talking about yesterday's action in the NL Central and updating the standings (apologies for the occasional audio problem, it gets better). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The bad news is that Monday night's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks was over before the Cubs even came to the plate. But the good news, if you can call it that, is that Joe Maddon had a little fun with Anthony Rizzo -- who made his pitching debut in the ninth inning. Sean Sears and I looked back on what went wrong for the Cubs in the first segment. In the second segment, we took a deeper dive into the phenomenon of position players pitching. Is it a good idea and could it expand even further? In the final segment, Sean and I looked at the NL Central and recapped a rough loss for the St. Louis Cardinals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I was unable to be on this episode of Locked On Cubs, so Sean Sears graciously took care of this one on his own. First off, he looked back on the five-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals and shared some of his experiences from the ballpark. Later, he went into detail on the kind of trade he thinks would be good for the Cubs to strengthen their roster. Finally, Sean previewed the series with the Arizona Diamondbacks that begins tonight and took a look around the NL Central. Spoiler alert: The Cubs have a 3.5 game lead and the Cardinals dropped into fourth-place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of their five-game series on Thursday night, rallying from an early deficit to win 9-6. In the first segment, I looked back on that game for a brief moment and previewed the pitching matchup in Friday's game. In the second segment, Evan Altman of Cubs Insider joined me to talk more in depth about Thurdsay's victory, the Cardinals, Jason Heyward, and several other pertinent topics. In the final segment, we fielded a question from a listener -- that we pretty loosely answered -- and talked about a new addition to the bullpen. Welcome to Chicago, former Texas Rangers reliever Jesse Chavez! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs are back in action today, taking on the St. Louis Cardinals and their new manager, Mike Shildt. Sean Sears and I previewed the game, which Sean will be attending as credentialed media for the first time. The game will feature Kyle Hendricks against Carlos Martinez. In the second segment, we looked at a piece Jesse Rogers wrote for ESPN that tried to pinpoint what a Cubs trade for Jacob deGrom might look like. Is it more favorable than we originally thought? Given this new information, we came to the conclusion that the Cubs are definitely, 100% trading for deGrom. No question, done deal. In the final segment, we briefly discussed the results of a poll from the @LockedOnCubs Twitter account and I made puns relating to Brad Hand's name. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The All-Star Game is over, with the American League beating the National League 8-6. Javy Baez got a hit off Chris Sale, and Willson Contreras hit a solo homer. Sean and I briefly discuss the game, as well as Josh Hader's rough night, before going into some trade deadline discussion in the second segment (based on this story I wrote for Bet Chicago). In the final segment, Sean and I fielded a question from a listener regarding Victor Caratini and his future with the team. Will the Cubs go out and get a veteran backup catcher? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Home Run Derby did not disappoint. Javy Baez hit 16 home runs in the first round, but was out-dueled by Max Muncy of the Dodgers. Kyle Schwarber, however, put on a show that Cubs fans won't soon forget. Sean Sears and I broke it down in the first segment, and then looked ahead to Tuesday night's All-Star game. In the second segment, we talked more about the final round between Schwarber and Bryce Harper and entertained conspiracy theories. And in our final segment, Sean and I shared our top-3 moments from the first half of the season. No doubt, lots of mentions of Baez and the resurgent Jason Heyward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean Sears took on Episode 104 all by himself, looking back on the excellent weekend that was for the Cubs. Thanks to the hapless Padres and suddenly hot Pirates, the Cubbies have a 2.5 game lead in the NL Central on the Milwaukee Brewers at the All-Star break. Sean breaks down the Cubs' sweep over the Padres in the first segment. In the second segment, he looked ahead and Javy Baez and Kyle Schwarber in the Home Run Derby, as well as Baez and Willson Contreras taking part in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night. In the third segment, he took a look around the NL Central and the rest of the league, as well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs were off yesterday, but they still managed to gain a half game on the Brewers thanks to some help from the Pirates. Tonight, the Cubs begin the last series of the first half with a 9:10 pm CST start against the San Diego Padres. Sean Sears and I looked at the pitching matchup, as well as the dreadful Padres offense. We also added more to yesterday's conversation around Brandon Morrow, and in the second segment we discussed possible trade deadline ideas and a strong game at Triple-A by an old friend. In the final segment, we looked at the one NL Central game from yesterday and updated the standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lost to the Giants on Wednesday, and once again it was in walk-off fashion in extra innings. Mike Montgomery gave up four runs in the first inning, and the Cubs never fully recovered despite rallying behind homers from Jason Heyward, Javy Baez, and the freshly-returned Kris Bryant. But despite all of that, the Cubs tossed a whole lot of scoreless innings in the game -- which leads us into some bullpen chatter. Not only have the bullpen innings been really spaced out in recent weeks for the Cubs, the Milwaukee Brewers have really abused their best relievers this year. That might make for tired arms in August and September. We finished out looking at the action from the NL Central yesterday and updating the standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat the Giants last night, 2-0. That comes in large part due to a great start from Jose Quintana, who obviously heard us griping about his nibbling on yesterday's podcast. In the first segment, we talked a little about Q before looking ahead to today's rubber-match with the Giants and chatting about Mike Montgomery. In the second segment, Sean and I reminisced about Home Run Derby's of the past and looked ahead to this year's competition. Hint: Two Cubs will be taking part, and we're really excited about it. In the final segment, we looked at Tueday's action in the NL Central -- including a comeback for the ages and a big grand slam for a beloved former Cub. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lost to the San Francisco Giants late on Monday night, 2-1 in 11 innings. But the good news is that Kyle Hendricks pitched really well, harkening us back to the days of 2016 with his 89-mph fastball and slick changeup combination. In tonight's game, Jose Quintana will try to right the ship a little bit. I welcomed Sean Sears to the podcast to chat a little about Quintana's biggest problem so far this season. In the second segment, we discussed Hendricks and his game before looking ahead to the return of Kris Bryant and the weird way that the Cubs have been dishonest about his injury. In the final segment, we looked around the NL Central and updated the standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2018 All-Stars have been announced, and three Cubs have made the team. It shouldn't be much of a shock that Javy Baez, Willson Contreras, and Jon Lester will be representing the team. But were there other players with a case to be made? Maybe even a snub? Kelly Wallace joins me in the second segment to discuss, plus more Cubs chat. But I kick things off by recapping the action over the weekend against the Cincinnati Reds, and then previewing tonight's game against the San Francisco Giants. In the final segment, I went around the NL Central and updated the standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest episode of Locked On Cubs, I welcomed my good friend Evan Altman of Cubs Insider to discuss the Dexter Fowler drama. Fowler spoke about his happiness with the Cardinals, while Mark Saxon of The Athletic wrote an interesting story that includes some notable new information. We broke down all of that in the second segment, and later we also discussed the best MLB rivalries. Other than that, I looked ahead at today's matchup with the Cincinnati Reds and how the schedule shakes out leading up to and beyond the All-Star break. In the final segment, I looked around the NL Central and updated the standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Fourth of July, everyone! The Cubs won their game with the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, and I briefly recapped that in the first segment. After looking ahead at their matchup today, which begins at 1:20 pm CST, I welcomed Locked On Cubs contributor Tom Usiak to the podcast. We chatted a little about a recent story he wrote on catcher Miguel Amaya (which you can read here), as well as other matters of the minors. In the final segment, I did the usual Around the NL Central and updated the standings. The Cardinals seem to be falling out of the division race, so is this going to be a two-team fight to the end between the Cubs and Brewers? It certainly seems that way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I welcomed Sean Sears to the podcast for Episode 96, and in the interest of keeping Locked On Cubs more regular he's going to be a more frequent contributor. We started out by talking about the Cubs' matchup with the Detroit Tigers, featuring Kyle Hendricks against Michael Fulmer at 1:20 pm CST. In the second segment, we turned to St. Louis and discussed John Mozeliak's unfortunate comments about Dexter Fowler. Finally, we briefly recapped what happened yesterday in the NL Central, what the standings are heading into action on Tuesday, and a look at how each of us expect the top three teams in the division will finish the year.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs have scored 10 or more runs in four straight games, and amazingly, they're on a four-game winning streak. How about that? Included in the streak is a weekend sweep of the Minnesota Twins, which I recapped briefly in the first segment. In the second segment, I looked at a big international free agent signing (courtesy of Todd Johnson at Cubs Insider) and answered a few questions from the listeners. Is Albert Almora Jr. having the most underrated season thus far? Finally, I did the usual Around the NL Central segment and updated the standings. Things are finally starting to shake out how many of us thought they would. But will the Brewers stick with the Cubs all the way to the end? Could we see these two teams battling in the NLDS? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat the Dodgers in the finale of their road trip, finishing 2-2 in Los Angeles and 4-3 against the Dodgers overall this season. They broke out the lumber in the late innings after Clayton Kershaw left the game, dropping 10 runs on the Dodgers' bullpen. The Cubs return home today to take on the Minnesota Twins in a three-game set, and Mike Montgomery will start against Jose Berrios. Speaking of starting pitchers, the Cubs got some less-than-exciting news on Yu Darvish, which I discussed in the second segment. Could the team be looking at trading for a starting pitcher for a second-half push? If you think Jacob deGrom is headed to Chicago, I have some sad news for you: You're dreaming. I finished with the usual Around the NL Central segment to close things out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs finally won a game! It must've been related to the return of Locked On Cubs. Right? Anyway, they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers behind the left arm of Jon Lester and the hot bat of Javier Baez. After looking ahead to tonight's pitching matchup, I looked at the season Baez is having offensively and made a few comparisons to show just what kind of rare air we're talking about. Later in the segment, I looked at Brian Duensing and his performance this year. Spoiler alert: He has been really bad. In the final segment, I did the usual around the NL Central and updated the standings. Those Reds just keep sneaking up on the Pirates! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a brief hiatus (which I explain), I'm back with Episode 92 of Locked On Cubs. The Cubs have had a rough go of it lately, losing five straight games -- most of which were extremely winnable. Duane Underwood Jr. made his big league debut on Monday night, and overall he pitched pretty well against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be enough for win. The big news of the day was that Yu Darvish had a successful rehab start with the South Bend Cubs. By all accounts, he was commanding his pitches well and throwing strikes. But is everything good with Darvish? There may still be some gray clouds lingering over the Cubs' big-ticket free agent signing. In the final segment, I updated the standings and took a look at how the Cincinnati Reds have been doing lately. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs split their double-header on Tuesday with the Los Angeles Dodgers, setting up a rubber-match on Wednesday. Jon Lester will take on Ross Stripling at 1:20 pm CST, and that's the marquee matchup of the series. Both pitchers have been very good for their respective teams in 2018. I talked in depth about each guy in the second segment. Also in that segment, I took a deeper look at which Cubs players have a reasonable chance of making the All-Star team. Several Cubs have a strong case, but who might get left out in the cold when selections are made? The final segment featured the usual "Around the NL Central," with the updated standings as of the start of play on Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After taking 2-of-3 with the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend, rain and a power outage (how appropriate for this team) prevented the Cubs from even playing on Monday night. The game against the Los Angeles Dodgers was rescheduled for a double-header today, with the first game beginning at 12:05 pm CST. Tyler Chatwood will start in the day game, with Mike Montgomery starting in the evening game at 7:05 pm CST. I recently wrote about Montgomery for Bet Chicago, and you can read that story here. In the second segment, I talked a bit about some of the weird ways in which Joe Maddon is handling Pedro Strop this year. Also, could my biggest Cubs trade deadline target be off the table? What will they do now? In the final segment, I did a quick rundown of the NL Central and the (once again) first place Cubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is a mailbag episode, and oh boy was it necessary. Podcasting through a cold, I powered through the fact that the Cubs -- and the rest of the NL Central -- were off on Thursday. In the first segment, I previewed the weekend set with the St. Louis Cardinals that begins tonight. Jon Lester will face Michael Wacha. Later, I answered questions that included talk about MLB expansion, the backup catcher, and whether the Aroldis Chapman trade was worth it. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. I appreciate all the interaction, and if you sent along a question or topic idea that I didn't cover it's almost certainly because it's a topic I've hit on expans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lost the finale of their series in Milwaukee, dropping 2-of-3 to the Brewers. It was a 1-0 shutout, their second day in a row not scoring any runs. Mike Montgomery was excellent, but the offense just didn't pick him up against Jhoulys Chacin and the Milwaukee bullpen. The Cubs will go to St. Louis to begin a series with the Cardinals on Friday. In the second segment, I tried to be fair to Joe Maddon while examining some of his decisions in that 1-0 loss. There were two key moments: Pulling Monty at 78 pitches, and not pinch-hitting Kris Bryant in the ninth inning. In the final segment, I looked around the NL Central and updated the standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lost the middle game of their three-game set in Milwaukee, 4-0. Chase Anderson was brilliant for the Brewers, throwing seven innings and allowing just one hit to the Cubs in the shutout. Tyler Chatwood only walked two batters, but he made a few other mistakes and was generally erratic. He allowed four runs in five innings, throwing 97 pitches in the loss. The Cubs will try to take the finale of the series today with Mike Montgomery on the mound. For the second segment, I took suggestions from the fans on what I should discuss. I touched on those topics, plus a look at how some former Cubs are doing. In the final segment, I did my usual "Around the NL Central" and updated the standings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm back after missing out on Monday due to some power problems at home. But the good news is that the Cubs keep winning, taking 2-of-3 with the Pirates and winning Game 1 of a three-game set in Milwaukee. The latter victory vaults the Cubs into first place for the first time by themselves since 4/30. Jose Quintana was solid, while the offense did just enough to get it into extra innings. They pushed across five runs to win 7-2 in 11 innings, including an Anthony Rizzo home run. What has happened to Kris Bryant lately? I'll talk about that briefly, as well as why the Cubs' latest surge in the standings is coming at just the right time. They can't afford to let the Brewers get away from them like they did last season. Also, how fun would a Cubs-Brewers or Cubs-Cardinals postseason series be in 2018? I finished out by updating the standings and noting which team currently has the best record in the National League. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Arrieta returned to Wrigley Field this week, but that didn't stop the Cubs from taking two out of three games with the Philadelphia Phillies. Thanks to Jason Heyward's walk-off grand slam on Wednesday, the Cubs were in position to win the series with Tyler Chatwood on the mound on Thursday. Chatwood was wild once again, walking seven batters in 4 2/3 innings. But the Cubs pulled out a narrow 4-3 win. In the second segment, I did some fun with numbers. Anthony Rizzo has been hot, Kris Bryant's power has been turned off, and Ben Zobrist has been really good all year. Some of what the bullpen has done has been smoke and mirrors, however, and there are questions about whether the Cubs can continue to squeeze such great work out of their 'pen.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Things were looking dire for the Cubs on Wednesday, heading into the bottom of the ninth inning trailing 5-3. But notable late-inning hero Jason Heyward unloaded on left-handed reliever Adam Morgan, sending the fans home happy with a walk-off grand slam and a 7-3 win. Heyward has been really good since coming off the DL, and in the second segment I brought some key stats to note why he's a changed man in 2018. Can you imagine how good this offense could be if Heyward could even just be league-average at the plate? In the final segment, I brought up a very interesting stat in which the Cubs are now the very best in the National League.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nothing was going on with the Cubs on the diamond on Monday, but things were going on behind the scenes. It was the beginning of the MLB draft, and with the 26th pick the Cubs selected Stanford shortstop Nico Hoerner. I talked to a talent evaluator about what fans can expect from Hoerner as a prospect, and I passed on that knowledge in the first segment. In the second segment, I welcomed Kelly Wallace back to the podcast to help me answer a few questions from the fans. That ranged from the whereabouts of Eddie Butler to a little early trade deadline discussion. In the final segment, Kelly teased her new venture with Expanded Roster (click here for more info!) and I went into a little greater detail about my own thing with The Cloud City Chronicle.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs really have it rolling right now, winning four straight games in a road sweep over the New York Mets. They're now 17-8 since those two embarrassing back-to-back walk-off losses in St. Louis. I took a look back over the last three games and how the Cubs got it done. They won't play on Monday, but Jake Arrieta and the Philadelphia Phillies come to town on Tuesday. In the second segment, I looked at how important the pitching depth has been at Triple-A this year. Can the Cubs avoid taxing their bullpen in the second half? They couldn't in 2017, and we all saw what that meant in the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the final segment, I looked around the NL Central and updated the standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I have returned for a Friday episode of Locked On Cubs. The Cubs lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the finale of their three-game set on Wednesday (link to Kelly Wallace's article on illegal slides here), but bounced back on Thursday to take the first of a four-game series with the New York Mets. The final score of the game was 5-1, with Jose Quintana pitching well and taking the victory. Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward combined to go 5-for-10 with a homer and three RBI. In the second segment, I tackled Chris Gimenez's recent comments about Yu Darvish and took David Haugh to task for his disgusting, pandering, borderline irresponsible hot takes. In the final segment, I recapped the last two days for the NL Central and updated the standings heading into Friday's games. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Good news, everyone! The Cubs won in Pittsburgh last night, making it two straight over the Pirates and four of their last five. But that's not even the best news for the Cubs on Wednesday. The MRI results came back on Yu Darvish, and there is no structural damage. What does this mean for the rotation in the coming weeks? I broke it down in segment two, including a brief look at what Adbert Alzolay has going on at Triple-A these days. In the final segment, I looked around the NL Central and updated the standings. Be sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us questions and comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. We appreciate when you guys interact! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs took three out of four games over the long weekend, beating the San Francisco Giants twice at home and taking a Memorial Day matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates. There are a few things to go over here, including Tyler Chatwood's latest rough outing and Mike Montgomery's case for more starts. The Cubs play the Pirates again on Tuesday night, with Jon Lester taking the ball at 6:05 pm CST. In the second segment, I talked about those two things, the Anthony Rizzo slide at home plate, and the unsustainable bullpen usage. In the final segment, I did my typical around the NL Central and updated the standings. Through 50 games this season, the Cubs are on pace for about 91 wins. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments at lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I have returned to the podcast for Episode 78! Since the Cubs did not play on Thursday, I took a chance to do another look at the events of the seventh inning on Wednesday in my opening segment. There is one big thing that I had a problem with, and it's not new: Joe Maddon's refusal to bring in Albert Almora Jr. as a pinch-hitter for Jason Heyward. I brought out some numbers, plus a key example from 2017. In the second segment, I answered a question on the topic of potential trade targets. Spoiler Alert: They are scarce. Finally, I did my usual rundown of the NL Central. The Cubs are now 3.5 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and send any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Also, keep a lookout for @BetChicago1, which will be launching on June 1. I'll be contributing there as the lead on the Cubs and White Sox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corey Freedman of Cubs Insider and the Cubs Related podcast sat down in the hosting chair for Episode 77 of Locked On Cubs. He first recapped a frustrating 1-0 loss against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night, and in the second segment Corey looked at Jon Lester's performance in that loss. Lester went seven innings, allowing one earned run while striking out four batters. In the final segment, Corey spent some time diving into the seventh inning of the game ... mistakes were made. How much of a pass should Joe Maddon get? After all, flags fly forever. To finish things out, Corey updated the standings and discussed a little of what's going on with the other teams in the NL Central. You can follow him on Twitter @CFCubsRelated, and you can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs. Be sure to email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lost the opener of the short two-game set with the Cleveland Indians by a score of 10-1. Trevor Bauer was excellent for the Indians, while Tyler Chatwood couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with a baseball. No, really. Chatwood wasn't just missing with his pitches, but often missing by several feet. He walked six batters in the game, and it finally got the best of him. I went into further detail about my Chatwood concerns in my second segment. In my final segment, I looked around the NL Central and updated the standings. The Cubs are now three games back of the first place Milwaukee Brewers, tied in third place with the Pittsburgh Pirates. They're playing their final game of the season against the Indians tonight, with Jon Lester facing Adam Plutko. I'll be back with a podcast on Friday, and it follows yet another off day for the Cubs. So send me your questions for the mailbag! You can follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs or email questions and comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs will welcome the Cleveland Indians to Wrigley Field for two games, and it's the first time the Indians will pay a visit since Game 5 of the 2016 World Series. That game was started by Trevor Bauer, and Bauer will start again for the Indians on Tuesday night against Tyler Chatwood. That game will start at 6:05 pm CST, and I'll be at Wrigley on Wednesday doing a story for the Sporting News. In the second segment, I took more questions from the listeners since the Cubs didn't play on Monday. That includes a question about games that we know by a certain player's name and the two cities I would pick to place expansion teams for Major League Baseball. In the final segment, I updated the NL Central standings. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and send us your questions and comments at lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs took three out of four games in Cincinnati over the weekend, which is excellent news. But probably the best news is that both Jose Quintana and Yu Darvish pitched well, combining over the final two victories to pitch 13 innings with three hits allowed and one earned run. Just imagine how good the Cubs could be if Quintana and Darvish are pitching up to their potential! In segment two, I brought on Jeremy Deimer and Pat Nagle from the Wrigleyville Nation podcast to chat a bit more about what's going on with the Cubs. That includes a little chat about Albert Almora Jr. and his outstanding projections for the rest of the season. Finishing out, I did my quick rundown of the NL Central and updated the standings. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The final game of the Cubs and Braves' series in Atlanta was rained out, so the Cubs got the day off on Thursday. It's good that they're rested going into the series against the Cincinnati Reds, but the long-term effects are not so good. I looked at the upcoming schedule, and how this is going to change things in the second half for the Cubs. In the second segment, I took a handful of questions from the listeners. That includes some mascot chat, the most annoying habit of Cubs fans, and which starting pitcher I am most concerned with going forward. Be sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and send us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Also be sure to follow my new writing venture, @BetChicago1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs suffered yet another frustrating loss on Wednesday night, which is their third such loss in their last four games. The Braves won the game by a score of 4-1, putting up three runs in the bottom of the eighth on Carl Edwards Jr. What has happened to C.J.? Has he really turned a corner this season, or is he still going to go through stretches where he dominates and stretches where teams light him up? I brought out some stats in the second segment to compare the 2018 offense with the 2016 offense, and there are some surprises in there. What's not surprising? The Cubs have been extremely inconsistent on offense this season. As usual, I looked at the entire NL Central in the final segment, and I'm sorry to say that the Cubs were the only team that lost yesterday. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs broke their two-game losing streak last night against the Atlanta Braves, thanks to a two-run rally in the ninth inning. Brandon Morrow closed out a 3-2 Cubs victory. Yu Darvish had to leave after four innings in his return from the disabled list, but is it a big deal? I'll attempt to speak calmly about the early issues with Darvish. Tonight's game in Atlanta will be started by Tyler Chatwood, and in the second segment I have plenty to say about his performance thus far. I did a quick rundown of some Statcast numbers that I found pretty interesting, and then in the final segment I did the usual rundown of the NL Central and updated the standings. You can follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs or send us emails with comments and questions to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Please go leave us a nice review on iTunes if you already haven't, it really helps the podcast quite a bit! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Sean Sears (@seanrsears) of FanSided -- and now a writing contributor for Locked On Cubs -- once again stepped up to the plate to help out with Episode 70 of Locked On Cubs. He looks back at a frustrating loss to the Atlanta Braves on a hot day in which the wind was blowing out. It's easy to look back on the Jose Quintana trade in retrospect, but what is the Cubs left-hander doing wrong in 2018? Why has he been so much worse than his stellar career numbers? Looking ahead, the Cubs now travel to Cobb County for three more games with the Braves. In the final segment, Sean looked at the National League standings and where the Cubs sit in the NL Central. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us at lockedoncubs@gmail.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Episode 69, I wanted to give the fans a nice treat. Evan Altman of Cubs Insider joined me for my second segment to chat a bit about the Cubs, Triple-A depth, and the overall perception of Addison Russell. To close out the discussion, we teased an article I wrote for Cubs Insider that compared Cubs players with Marvel superheroes from Avengers: Infinity War. It's just for fun, but if you're a Marvel fan it's a must-read. Otherwise, the Cubs took two-of-three from the White Sox this weekend, and I spent the first segment looking back on that. In the final segment, I did my usual rundown of the NL Central and updated the standings. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Cubs having an off-day on Thursday, I took the opportunity to field more of your questions for Episode 68. There were some good ones! In the first segment, I talked a little about some hypothetical lead-off options and a recent hot-take about whether or not Kris Bryant is a superstar. Yeah, you can't make this up. A national baseball guy really did start this conversation. In the second segment, I took more questions. First, I blathered on and on about writing and why not to try to get into the sports writing industry. Later, I recalled my favorite player to interview and ranked the best Cubs playoff victories. Needless to say, they're all from this century. Be sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and don't be afraid to email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs finished out their sweep of the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, pounding starter Wei-Yin Chen and posting  a 13-4 victory. Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Addison Russell all hit homers for Chicago, and the main arms in the bullpen got some major, must-needed rest. So the Cubs are now 8-5 in their last 13 games despite an awful offensive stretch, which puts them on pace for 100 wins. Next up on the schedule is the Chicago White Sox. I spent the second segment looking back on the Crosstown Classic. Despite how many might feel, the Cubs and Sox are not rivals in any sense of the word. Maybe the fans have a rivalry, but that doesn't even really exist outside Chicago. At any rate, I looked back on some stats from the historical, head-to-head matchup, a few key moments in the series, and Cubs franchise leaders versus the White Sox. Be sure to send your questions for Friday's mailbag podcast to @LockedOnCubs on Twitter or lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat the Marlins for the second straight day, running their record to 7-5 in their last 12 games. But wins and losses aren't the only thing we're here to talk about. Tom Loxas of Cubs Insider joins me in the second segment to go over those Manny Machado trade rumors. Would it make sense for either the Cubs or the Baltimore Orioles to work out a deal? If so, who would have to be involved? In the final segment, I did my brief rundown of the NL Central and updated the standings. Jose Quintana will take on the Marlins in the finale of the three-game series on Wednesday, with the Cubs looking for a three-game sweep. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments at lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs are back in the win column, baby! Ian Happ hit two home runs, Kris Bryant crushed one, and Javy Baez hit a deep homer to center field in a 14-2 rout of the Miami Marlins. It really was exactly what the Cubs needed, with Kyle Hendricks tossing eight innings and giving the bullpen a much-needed day of rest. Jen-Ho Tseng will make his 2018 debut with the Cubs on Tuesday night against Miami. In the second segment, I looked at a piece that Patrick Mooney wrote for The Athletic on Adbert Alzolay, and I looked at what could be on the horizon for him (and the rest of the Cubs' bullpen) as the season moves along. There are some very good reasons to look to avoid burning out guys like Steve Cishek, and it has everything to do with October. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That didn't go as planned. The Cubs lost all three in St. Louis over the weekend by a combined four runs, including two walk-off losses that they lead with less than three outs to go. That brings the losing streak to five games, and well, things aren't going very well for the Cubs right now. They can't hit, they can't score, and it's no fun to watch. But otherwise, things are great. In segment two, I vented the frustration on behalf of Cubs fans everywhere. This is off script, people. Not only did I point out the biggest problem, I pointed out the biggest things that Cubs fans love to blame that really aren't the problem at all. Finally, I looked around the NL Central, updated the unfortunate division standings, and looked ahead at the Marlins a bit. Be sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments at lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's an off-day podcast, so I gathered questions from a Twitter AMA to entertain you. In the first segment, I jumped on some meatballs right down the middle. It's a little light-hearted, and a good way to kick things off. But in the second segment, I went at the really hard-hitting stuff. That includes a question about whether the Baltimore Orioles would actually be interested in a Manny Machado-for-Addison Russell type of deal. In the final segment, I looked at the one game from the NL Central on Thursday. The Cubs begin a series in St. Louis on Friday, with Jose Quintana facing Miles Mikolas. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs to take part in any future AMA's, and you can also email questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs lost against to the Rockies on Wednesday, dropping their three-game set and finishing the season series tied at 3-3. The offense failed them again, but this time the pitching was no better. On a day when the wind was blowing out, Rockies pitcher Tyler Anderson dominated while Yu Darvish couldn't keep fly balls to stay in the ballpark. The final score was 11-2, with solo homers from Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant accounting for all the Cubs' runs. I welcomed Kelly Wallace of Locked On Cubs back to the show to talk a little about Ian Happ in our second segment. Have the Cubs learned from their handling of Kyle Schwarber last year, and will they send Happ and his 46.1 K% down to Triple-A Iowa? I finished out by looking around the NL Central and updating the standings. You can follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Cubs are back in first place all on their own, which is where they belong. After winning four straight over the Brewers, the Cubs took Game 1 of a three-game home series with the Colorado Rockies. In the opening segment, I do a quick rundown of everything that has happened since last Friday. In the second segment, I opened talking about Adbert Alzolay and his excellent start at Triple-A Iowa on Monday evening. What could his role be in Chicago this season? After a few historical notes on Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, I took a look around the NL Central. The Cubs' 7-1 record has meant a lot in relation to the Brewers, who are now one game back of the Cubs. A special thanks to Sean Sears of FanSided for taking the reigns for me on Friday. I was in Chicago doing a story on the Brewers for The Athletic, so I appreciate him picking up my slack. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apologies for the late and rushed podcast today. I'm hopping a train and heading for Chicago, where I'll be (hopefully) getting a story on Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers. In the meantime, let's talk about a Cubs loss to the Cleveland Indians. Kris Bryant sat out once again, but is that cause for concern? Not yet, but maybe soon. Jon Lester pitched well again, becoming the first Cub to get through seven innings as a starter this year. I went into the Ian Happ problem, how things might shake out when Ben Zobrist comes off the DL, and a few notes on Yu Darvish throwing to Willson Contreras. I finished out with a quick look at what happened in the NL Central on Wednesday, but had to cut the podcast short when my train arrived a few minutes early. Sean Sears of FanSided will be bringing you Friday's podcast. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs got another victory on Tuesday, improving to 11-9 and breaking the latest curse -- being .500 at every interval. Take that, 10-10! Kyle Schwarber was one of the big heroes of the win, clubbing two monster home runs to right field. Tyler Chatwood also chipped in, giving the Cubs six solid innings despite walking five batters. In the second segment, I went a bit deeper into Schwarber's very good numbers so far in 2018. Unfortunately, Addison Russell hasn't been quite so good. But you might be surprised to learn about some of his peripheral stats. Finally, I updated the NL Central standings and teased a piece that I'll be writing for a new publication this week. For those of you that have followed along, my Jordan Hicks piece for Sporting News is now live and can be read here. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Cubs coming off (yet another) off day and Evan Altman coming off a long vacation, I thought it would be fun to have a chat with the Cubs Insider managing editor. Evan and I talked about the success of the bullpen to this point in the season, followed by a fun little game I invented specifically to make him look bad. In the final segment, Evan and I discussed some of the good and the bad of the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers, and which team we believe is the main challenger for the Cubs in the NL Central. As always, please be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs went into Colorado and took two out of three from the Rockies over the weekend, which is good! But Yu Darvish was stinky once again and Kris Bryant got hit in the face with a fastball, which is bad. At any rate, there is plenty of good stuff that happened since I last spoke to you. I did a quick recap of the last three games before taking a question from a listener on that weird situation on Sunday between Javier Baez and DJ LeMahieu. For my final segment, as always, I took a look around the NL Central and updated the current standings. The Brewers are on a tear, while the Cardinals just can't stop beating up on the poor Reds. The Pirates aren't doing so hot lately, having fallen out of first place. Be sure to send us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs not only played a game on Thursday, but they won a game! They beat the St. Louis Cardinals by a score of 8-5, with Jon Lester getting the victory and pitching well. Only a bit of a rough seventh inning from Eddie Butler was a black mark on this one. Javier Baez and Jason Heyward both had a couple of hits. The Cubs will travel to Colorado to take on the Rockies for a weekend series, with Kyle Hendricks opposing Jon Gray on Friday night. In my second segment, I welcomed Kelly Wallace of Locked On Cubs to chat about Ian Happ vs. Albert Almora in the outfield, as well as the breakout season of Baez. To finish things up, I took a look around the NL Central and updated the current standings. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With another slightly later release, I bring you Episode 53 of Locked On Cubs. This is not a drill, people; it appears as though the Cubs and Cardinals will actually play a game at 1:20 pm CST on Thursday. To start out the podcast, I chatted briefly about a story I was chasing at Wrigley Field on Tuesday and some of my interactions within the Cardinals clubhouse. Mike Maddux is an interesting dude. Next, I looked at Javier Baez batting in the second spot in the lineup for just the second time since 2014, and why he's having an outstanding season despite his deceptive .235 batting average. This is a major reach, but what if Baez were to actually reach the ceiling on his potential in 2018? I finished out the podcast, as always, by running down the action from Wednesday in the NL Central and I even added a brief look at the standings. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments at lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean Sears stepped in to take Wednesday's episode of Locked On Cubs, due to travel on Ryan's part. The episode kicks off with a quick rundown of the Cubs' 5-3 loss on Tuesday to the St. Louis Cardinals, following two off days that came thanks to some inclement weather. Next, Sean looked at Tyler Chatwood's start and his biggest problem -- Chatwood can't stop walking people. Finally, Sean took a look around the NL Central. A special thanks to him for helping out and keeping the podcast train rolling along while Ryan gets caught up after a trip to frigid Wrigley Field. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The good news is that the Cubs had a massive comeback on Saturday, beating the Atlanta Braves 14-10 after being down 10-2. The bad news? That's the last time the Cubs played, getting postponed for weather on Sunday and Monday. I briefly recapped the win on Saturday, then took a look at how the weather has effected the Cubs so far this year and what it may mean down the road. In the final segment, I took a look at the rest of the NL Central and previewed the upcoming games. This was a short one, because frankly there wasn't a lot of action minus Saturday's weird, rain-induced comeback victory. You can follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey, we made it to 50 episodes! For this one, I recapped a not-fun loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday. Kyle Hendricks pitched relatively well, giving up only a couple of solo homers. Justin Wilson, on the other hand, was not quite so good. The Cubs lost the game 6-1, and with it the series (2-1). But the big story from this series were some comments that Pirates manager Clint Hurdle made about Javier Baez and Willson Contreras not "respecting the game." I took a dive into what Baez did, how he responded immediately after, and why (even though most of what he said was right) Hurdle was wrong to say what he did. The TL;DR of it is there appears to be some resentment on the Pirates side of this rivalry. I finished out the podcast, as always, by quickly running down the action of the NL Central on Thursday. That was just one game, but in that game a position player struck out a St. Louis Cardinals star! If that's not worth sticking around for, what is? Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evan Altman of Cubs Insider joined me on this podcast to chat about the last two games for the Cubs -- one excellent win, and one somewhat frustrating loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs broke out the bats against Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, beating the Pirates 13-5. Javier Baez had his second consecutive two-homer game. Evan and I kicked things off in a negative way, chatting about things we haven't liked from the first 11 games. And is Tyler Chatwood the second coming of Jason Marquis? But this wouldn't be Locked On Cubs without a positive spin! In the second segment, Evan and I discussed the things that we have liked so far in the first 11 games of the year. Willson Contreras, Ben Zobrist, and Kris Bryant all make a cameo in our discussion. After we wrapped that up, I did a brief rundown of the action in the NL Central. As always, be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unfortunately, the Cubs and Pirates were snowed out on Monday. That kept the fans from getting to Wrigley Field for the official home opener, pushing that to Tuesday afternoon at 1:20 pm CST. In the meantime, I grabbed some questions from the listeners in an attempt to entertain you -- and really, myself too. First, I chatted a bit about Ian Happ and how much time he may have left in the leadoff spot. Next, I moved on to discuss Willson Contreras' Venezuelan League incident, the status of the Cubs' rotation depth at the moment, and whether or not peanut butter on a burger is acceptable. And at the very end, I announced the winner of our very first giveaway! Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apologies for the late start today, a nasty cold got in my way on Monday. Even still, I forged ahead to bring you episode 47. I started out by recapping the action of the weekend, in which the Cubs finished off taking 3 out of 4 from the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. But the situational hitting so far this season? It has been less than good. I took a deeper dive into some of the early numbers. I finished out the podcast by briefly recapping the rest of the action around the NL Central, including an incident with Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo and every Cubs fan's favorite catcher, Yadier Molina. Was the umpire correct in leaving Molina in the game? I make the case that he was. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a few days out in Las Vegas, I returned for Friday's episode of Locked On Cubs -- and just in time to recap the Cubs' first victory since the previous Saturday. In fact, the Cubs didn't score a single run while I was in Vegas. At any rate, they beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-0 behind Jon Lester on Thursday. In the second segment, I went over a handful of positives and just a few questions the Cubs have remaining after their first few games. Is Brandon Morrow really the right choice for closer? And is Ian Happ in a slump, or is it something worse than that? Finally, episode 46 closes out with a brief look around the NL Central. Thanks for listening, and be sure to subscribe and leave us a review on iTunes if you can! You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs, and you can follow me @RyanQDavis. Email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs came away with an Opening Day victory, beating the Miami Marlins 8-4. But that's just one small piece of the puzzle! There are plenty of things to talk about from game No. 1 of 162, and after I briefly recapped the Cubs' victory and looked at the rest of the NL Central I welcomed Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation to talk with me about those things. You may have noticed that Michael gained some exposure on Thursday for tweeting that he would jump into the freezing cold lake if Ian Happ led off with a home run. I got his point of view on how that all went down, and then we took a deep dive into the bullpen's excellent day, Kyle Schwarber's shaky defense, and things to get excited about with Jason Heyward. Please be sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's finally here! The Cubs play the Miami Marlins at 11:40am CST on Thursday, opening up what is sure to be an exciting 2018 season. In my first segment, I looked at the lineup for Opening Day and briefly previewed the rest of the series by looking at the starting pitchers the Marlins will send to the mound. In my second and third segments, I looked at a few questions from the listeners. The first regards my feelings on Tyler Chatwood, and the second is about Jason Heyward's playing time. Thanks so much for the questions, it really helped on the last two podcasts as we got closer to the season starting. Please continue to send questions my way throughout the year! Follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and be sure to send those emails to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With opening day just around the corner, I wanted to do something a little lighter. I appreciate everyone who reached out with some questions for me, and I answered two of them here. First, I recapped the final spring game for the Cubs and a couple of interesting notes, and then in my final two segments I briefly tackled questions from the listeners. I'll be back tomorrow with more of the same, so if you didn't hear your question get answered don't fret. I'll do some of them tomorrow ahead of the game against the Marlins, and then some others I might save for other times throughout the regular season. You can follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions for future mailbags to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's finally here! Locked On Cubs 38 welcomed Joel Reese, formerly of the BP Wrigleycast podcast, to preview the 2018 Chicago Cubs. Joel and I opened by looking at a laundry list of reasons to be excited about the Cubs this season, including their improved starting rotation. Next, we looked at a handful of things that have us slightly concerned. Joel and I finished out the podcast by doing a few over/under predictions, followed by win totals for each team in the NL Central. Will Kyle Schwarber hit 34 or more home runs? Will Kyle Hendricks set a new career-high in innings pitched? We're ready for the season to get started! Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and send any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back after the weekend with episode 37 of Locked On Cubs! After recapping the action, I looked briefly at how the race for the final bullpen spot is shaping up. In my second segment, I went over the biggest surprise of the weekend, which was that Victor Caratini is making the big league roster over Chris Gimenez. Although it's a bit of a surprise, I walked through what I believe the Cubs' logic is and why the move is pretty low-risk. Finally, I looked at the recent news with the Cubs' rivals, the Cardinals and the Brewers. The Cards are dealing with some injuries, while the Brewers have some serious rotation questions of their own. The Cubs preview show is still upcoming, but I went out on a limb and gave my feelings about how the NL Central is stacking up as we wind down to the end of spring training. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email the mailbag questions to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There was no game for me to recap, because the Cubs played late on Thursday night and the game began after I had recorded. So I pretty much just dove right into talking about the Cincinnati Reds, and for that I welcomed James Rapien of Locked On Reds and ESPN Radio. First, we talked the biggest issue for the Reds: Their pitching staff. Later, we chatted more in depth about Homer Bailey, Billy Hamilton, and a Reds prospect you'll likely see this season. James and I finished out doing our predictions, looking at a few over/under candidates, what might need to happen for the Reds to make the playoffs, and win totals for the NL Central teams. If you like what you heard, follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs. Please be sure to email any questions you'd like to have answered for a mailbag I'll be doing next week at some point to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs beat the Texas Rangers on Wednesday afternoon behind an impressive effort from former Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish. Kris Bryant hit his first home run of the spring, a three-run towering shot off Matt Moore, and the Cubs won 5-1. Just another spring day. The biggest takeaway here is that Darvish appears ready for the regular season. In my second segment, I welcomed Travis Sarandos of Brew Crew Ball (and various others) to look at the 2018 Milwaukee Brewers. We started off by talking about the starting rotation and narrowing down who might appear as the No. 4 and No. 5 starters. Next, we looked at the logjam of outfielders that all need playing time. Finally, Travis and I did the big finish: Over/under and predicting the wins in the NL Central. Please be sure to follow the podcast @LockedOnCubs on Twitter, and be sure to send any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our second NL Central preview, I welcomed Jason Rollison of Locked On Pirates. But first, I recapped the action from Monday night and Jon Lester's solid performance. He appears to be ready for Opening Day. Jason and I started off by discussing the Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole trades, and the players the Pirates received in return. Then, we chatted a bit about former top pitching prospect Tyler Glasnow. Can he ever make it as a starter or is his future in the bullpen? We finished out by doing a little over/under, discussing how the Pirates could manage to make the playoffs, and I put Jason on the spot to pin down win totals for each team in the division. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and send any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Don't forget to enter to win a mint condition Sammy Sosa rookie card and a watercolor of Wrigley Field! Details in the pinned tweet on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yes, those dreaded St. Louis Cardinals. In the first segment, I briefly recapped the action of the weekend for the Cubs before introducing my guest for the final two segments, Craig Edwards of FanGraphs. Craig and I chatted a bit about the Cardinals, their pitching staff, and some of the questions that remain. Like, why didn't they go sign a starting pitcher? Will their bullpen be good enough? In the final segment, I tossed some tough over/under numbers at Craig and put him on the spot to predict the win totals for all five NL Central teams. Sorry about any audio quality differences on this one, I recorded the segments differently. For next time, I'll try to keep it uniform! Thanks for listening, as always. Please follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It seems like we're saying goodbye to Cubs players more and more, here on Locked On Cubs. Today, it's reliever Justin Grimm. After a rough 2017 and a few bad appearances this spring, the Cubs decided to let him go now and open up some competition for the final roster spot. Or could it be two final roster spots? I examined some relievers that could be contending for the final spots in the bullpen, including one that I think most of us hadn't even considered. Eddie Butler, Dillon Maples, Shae Simmons, Randy Rosario, and even Alec Mills have a chance of coming out of spring training in the bullpen for the Cubs. Finally, I took a deeper look at Cubs non-roster invitee Ryan Court. He grew up a big Cubs fan, and just in general is a guy you want to root for. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs. You can also email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 31 of Locked On Cubs, I started by recapping the two games from Tuesday (or as much as I could of the second game). Willson Contreras hit a homer, Kris Bryant keeps getting on base, and Ian Happ did the thing against Madison Bumgarner again. And what if Tyler Chatwood actually is really good this year? In the second segment I briefly looked at a poll I ran on Twitter, which came with some interesting results. Finally, I discussed a piece I wrote for FanRag Sports in which I looked at the most underrated players on each NL Central team (you can read it yourself here!). I don't need to bog you down by discussing all five, but the player I chose for the Cubs is Tommy La Stella. If you like what you hear, please smash that subscribe button and leave us a review! You can follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and send us emails with any questions, comments, or inquiries at lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to episode 30 of Locked On Cubs! There was no game on Monday, but the Cubs are making up for it with two games on Tuesday. You can even catch one on television if you're lucky. I looked at the matchups for both games. Looking ahead, I talked about Addison Russell's solid but quiet spring and how much a healthy Russell can really be a difference-maker for the Cubs this season. Finally, I played around with stats. Hooray, spring training stats! But I also got sucked into looking at other stats while researching the spring stats, and I came up with a few good ones regarding active players. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to subscribe and leave us a kind review on iTunes. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs or email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Well, they've finally done it. Jake Arrieta is now a member of the Philadelphia Phillies after signing a three-year, $75 million contract on Sunday. I talked about that in episode of 29 of Locked On Cubs after I recapped the action of the weekend. Was there ever a real offer from the Cubs for Arrieta to turn down? Time for some myth-busting! After Arrieta, I recapped a piece on Jason Heyward that I wrote for FanRag Sports (which you can find here!). Finally, I laid out some interesting thoughts on Justin Grimm and who could be competing to steal that final roster spot out from under him. If you like what you hear, follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and see our pinned tweet for information on how to enter to win a mint condition Sammy Sosa rookie card. You can also email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Don't forget to subscribe on iTunes and leave us a review, as well!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to episode 28 of Locked On Cubs. For the final episode of the week, I welcomed my good friend Jared Wyllys of the Sporting News. Jared and I looked back on the action of the day, which saw the Cubs beating the San Diego Padres, 10-4. Tyler Chatwood had another fine start, and one of the more underrated story's of the spring is what an excellent No. 5 starter he could be in this rotation. After that, we chatted about things we've learned so far in spring training -- or probably more accurately, things we think are interesting. Is Ian Happ going to be stealing some playing time from Jason Heyward this year? Last, Jared and I looked at some recent comments from Houston Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel. Should fans be riled up that he thinks the Astros are better than the Cubs? Be sure to follow @LockedOnCubs on Twitter, and be sure to email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Also, check out the giveaway we have going on! Details in our pinned tweet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to episode 27 of Locked On Cubs. I took a look back at Wednesday night's game, in which the Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians by a score of 11-6 on WGN. Albert Almora Jr. hit a home run, as did Kyle Schwarber. Jose Quintana started the game and had an uneventful stint. Everything is starting to come together for the Cubs, who just need to stay healthy and continue the momentum rolling toward the start of the season. In the second segment, I looked at relief prospect Dillon Maples. He pitched against Cleveland on Wednesday, going one inning, no hits, no walks, no runs, with three strikeouts. Man, his slider/cutter/slutter is absolutely filthy, both from the eye test and from what is measurable. Last, I finished out talking about Jake Arrieta once again. Even with a full roster, at what point does it make sense for Arrieta and the Cubs to agree on a one-year deal? Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and me @RyanQDavis. We're looking to do a giveaway, possibly of my mint condition Sammy Sosa 1990 Upper Deck rookie card. It doesn't hold a lot of monetary value, but it's still kind of neat. So subscribe on iTunes and leave us a good review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm back again today with another short podcast, episode 26 of Locked On Cubs. I took a brief look at the debut of Yu Darvish with the Cubs on Tuesday, which also happened to be the game in which Ben Zobrist and Brandon Morrow would make their 2018 Cactus League debuts. The Cubs won the game, but most important is that Darvish looked good and has now taken his first step toward the regular season. In the second segment, I looked at an unfortunate injury to a former Cub. Travis Wood, who signed a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers this winter, tore his ACL earlier this week and got released on Tuesday. I chatted a bit about Wood and his tenure with the team (without even mentioning his catch in left field!), as well as what's going on with several other former Cubs. Finally, I briefly discussed the results of a Twitter poll. You can follow us @LockedOnCubs on Twitter or me @RyanQDavis. You can also email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com, and if you like what you hear please be sure to subscribe on iTunes and tell 100 of your closest friends to do the same. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm back this Tuesday morning with episode 25 of Locked On Cubs, talking about the Cubs' 3-1 record from Friday through Monday. What's most important, however, is looking at the red-hot Ian Happ, the ice-cold Jason Heyward, and the brand-new curveball of Kyle Hendricks. Don't forget that Yu Darvish is actually making his Cubs debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers, in a 2:05 pm CST start on Tuesday afternoon. Pitching prospect Oscar de la Cruz made an appearance for the Cubs in the ninth inning of Monday's game, and his stat line looked nice. However, there is one minor reason for concern. Will the 23-year-old have the breakout season that so many are hoping to see from him? Lastly, I looked back on Heyward. Sahadev Sharma wrote for The Athletic (subscription required) about his major decline in his first two seasons with the Cubs, and it's a glimpse at a bleak, dystopian future for Heyward. What would be good enough from the Cubs' $184 million man? If you like what you hear, please smash that subscribe button on iTunes. You can follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs or email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to episode 24 of Locked On Cubs! The Cubs played the San Diego Padres on Thursday, and Ian Happ hit his third home run of the spring! Unfortunately, Chicago suffered yet another tie. Insert joke about kissing your sister. Alec Mills pitched well in a spot start, with Yu Darvish on the mend from an illness. It appears that Yu is going to be okay, though. After recapping the game, I look forward to Friday's tilt between Jose Quintana's Cubs and Shohei Ohtani's Los Angeles Angels. I spent the next two segments looking at a few Cubs notes in Jon Heyman's Inside Baseball on FanRag Sports. He mentioned a few names that the Cubs liked as possible replacements for Joe Maddon -- someday. I gave my top-three, as well, but feel free to tweet @LockedOnCubs to tell me how wrong I am. Finally, I discussed Heyman's note about the Cubs and their level of interest in signing free agent reliever Greg Holland. Would it makes sense? Be sure to subscribe and leave us an awesome five-star review on iTunes! Also follow us on Twitter and email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to yet another episode of Locked On Cubs! I took a look back at the 4-1-1 spring Cubs' 7-5 victory over the Oakland A's, which included several noteworthy outings from key bullpen guys. Thursday will mark the spring debut of Yu Darvish, which is kind of exciting even if it's not really that big of a deal. Speaking of Darvish, Joe Maddon recently announced where the pitcher would fall in the opening rotation, so I discussed that briefly as well. Finally, I finished off with a segment on Jake Arrieta. Remember him? What's going on with Jake? I looked at the most recent rumors and harped on the team that I think is still the most likely to end up with him. If you like what you hear, please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and give us a review! You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and can email us at lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More spring training baseball to talk about! Okay, it's really not actually that interesting, but I run down the details of the Cubs' 9-9 tie with the Seattle Mariners. They came back in the ninth to force a tie! Mike Freeman hit a home run! But probably the most interesting thing involved in this one is reliever Brian Duensing's rare stat line. Moving on, I talked briefly about several of the writers at LockedOnCubs.com and how I can already see really positive signs for the upcoming season. Kelly, Sean, Joel, Tom, Danielle, and Austin are the well-balanced team I was hoping they would be, seeing the game from several different angles. Finally, I finished up this effort with a question from a listener regarding Albert Almora Jr. and by reading a handful of recent reviews on iTunes. Please be sure to go on iTunes if you haven't already and give us a rating and a review! Also follow along on Twitter @LockedOnCubs, follow me @RyanQDavis, or email any questions or ideas to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We finally have real, actual games to talk about! Well, spring training games, anyway. I welcomed my good friend Evan Altman of Cubs Insider to chat with me, and we pontificated on the start of spring training, the opening day starter, playing time splits, and more. For the final segment, Evan and I fielded a handful of questions from the fans. That includes some details on our budding bromance, and how we became inseparable besties. From there, things went south pretty fast. But those who stick around until the end will be rewarded with at least one good story. You can follow Evan @DEvanAltman and Ryan @RyanQDavis. The podcast is on Twitter @LockedOnCubs, and you can email any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello to my listeners from sunny Cape Coral, Florida! I wanted to record a short podcast for you on some recent topics, even though I have a bit of a frog in my throat (my apologies). First, I looked at Jake Arrieta having still not signed with a team, and some recent news from Jon Heyman on that front. Could Arrieta return to the Cubs like Dexter Fowler did in the spring of 2016? Next, I looked at a conversation going on around the J.D. Martinez contract with the Boston Red Sox, and why some Cubs fans think the team should've been more involved. I gave my opinion on whether that would've made sense,  whether they sign Bryce Harper or not. I finished up by looking a piece on Cubs Insider from Evan Altman which pertains to a tweak in Justin Wilson's delivery. If you like what you hear (despite the frog in the throat) be sure to subscribe and leave reviews on iTunes! I know we've received a few recent reviews, I promise to read those on an upcoming podcast. You can also follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email at LockedOnCubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pitchers and catchers have reported! But still, not a whole lot of new stuff to chat about. I took a look at six regression candidates, three negative regression and three positive. There are reasons to believe that Ben Zobrist and Jon Lester will be much better in 2018. After that, I took a look back on Jake Arrieta's career with the Cubs and counted down my top-5 Arrieta moments. I even pontificated on whether Arrieta receives proper appreciation for what he has done. Would fans have noticed his greatness more if he were a lone star on a bad team, like Sammy Sosa was? Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review on iTunes! As always, you can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any suggestions or questions at LockedOnCubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's happening! The Cubs finally signed Yu Darvish, landing the top pitcher on the free agent market for just six years, $126 million. There are also incentives that could take the deal to $150 million, as well as a no-trade clause and an opt-out clause after the second year. I brought back my good friend and former BP Wrigleycast co-host Isaac Bennett to chat about the newest Cub, as well as the state of their rotation and how it matches up against the other playoff rotations in the National League. Isaac and I finished out by discussing the bullpen and the potential 25-man roster heading into the start of the season. If you like what you hear, please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review! You can follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and send any questions or comments to LockedOnCubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I welcomed reporter and rising star Robert Murray of FanRag Sports on the podcast to chat about Yu Darvish, Jake Arrieta, and everything surrounding the Cubs and free agency. In our first segment, Robert and I chatted about the offers that are out there on Darvish and what might be the most likely scenario for the top free agent pitcher. Next, we looked at what the No. 1 backup option might be for the Cubs if Darvish gets away, as I seek validation on what I've heard about the Cubs and their preference for either Arrieta or Alex Cobb. Finally, I tried to pin Robert down with some free agent predictions. He gives me his locked up, definite, 100% sure-thing on where a handful of free agents are going to sign. It's can't miss podcasting! Please follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs, and don't forget to subscribe on iTunes and leave us some feedback. Any questions or comments can be emailed to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Guess what? Yu Darvish still hasn't chosen a team. So instead, I looked at the PECOTA and ZiPS projections and pointed to a few items of interest. Next, I looked at Justin Grimm's arbitration case and another comparable reliever that may set the precedent that decides the outcome. Finally, I looked at the one surprising prospect that got ranked in the top-20 on ZiPS' top-100 prospect list. Please be sure to subscribe and leave a review for us on iTunes if you're enjoying the podcast! Also be sure to check out the site at www.lockedoncubs.com, because our writers are starting to put together some good stuff. You can tweet any questions for the podcast to @LockedOnCubs on Twitter, and you can email us any questions or comments to lockedoncubs@gmail.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation joined me to talk about the latest Yu Darvish rumors, including that he apparently wants seven years and $175 million. Is that rumor intended to get more money or years out of the Cubs? We agreed on the Cubs being front-runners for Darvish, but what if they don't add him? Is Jake Arrieta or Alex Cobb the Cubs' official Plan B? We finished out with an easy final segment, doing a few over/under predictions. That ended up lasting around 30 minutes, and somehow delved into some discussion about just how great Kerry Wood was in his peak. Follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or comments to LockedOnCubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's still not a whole lot going on in Cubs news, so I took some inspiration from David Kaplan of NBC Sports Chicago and ranked the best and worst players since I became a baseball fan. After listing out all of those, I took a question from a fan regarding Alex Cobb and whether the Cubs should skip on Yu Darvish to ensure that they don't end up walking away from free agency empty-handed.  Rounding out the podcast, I looked back on the Alex Avila era with the Cubs. The catcher they acquired from the Detroit Tigers in the Justin Wilson deal signed a contract to be the regular starter for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and I wish him well. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email us any questions or suggestions at LockedOnCubs@gmail.com. Also be sure to leave us some positive reviews on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm back from my trip to Florida, but I'm somewhat disappointed in the lack of Cubs news to discuss. The Brewers did make some moves to improve their roster, but they still have a few more moves to make to catch the Cubs in the NL Central. I took a look what what the Cubs, Brewers, and the Cardinals need to do still this offseason, and also how many wins I see for each team as things stand right now. Finally, I talked about the writers you'll be seeing on the site and did a short introduction for each one. Some will be familiar names, some less familiar. I'm excited to have each one, and really wish I had the capacity to have brought on even more. You can follow us @LockedOnCubs on Twitter or email your questions and comments to LockedOnCubs@gmail.com. As always, please go on iTunes and leave a good review if you enjoy listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I jumped on a quick podcast to discuss the news of the Cubs signing catcher Chris Gimenez (which I pronounced incorrectly as hih-MEHN-ehz instead of JIH-muh-nehz, for some reason). Gimenez was a catcher on the Texas Rangers back in 2014 with Yu Darvish, so could this be a David Ross/Jon Lester kind of scenario for the Cubs? I also looked at Jason Heyward's comments about being the Cubs' 2018 MVP, and why that might not be as crazy as some think. Last, I answer a question from the fans and read more five-star reviews from iTunes. Thanks for sticking with me on this one, it was thrown together last minute and my voice was a little gravelly. Follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions or suggestions to LockedOnCubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jared Wyllys of the Sporting News joined me to talk baseball in episode 11 of Locked On Cubs. We started by dissecting a new Yu Darvish rumor and how it might impact Theo Epstein's pitching plans for the rest of the offseason. In the second segment, I tackled a question from the fans regarding prospects that could make an impact in 2018. I finished up by chatting with Jared about things that excite us about the upcoming season and the exciting growth I hope to see with the site this season. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs signed left-handed reliever Brian Duensing to a two-year, $7 million contract, and that constitutes major news. Which is kind of sad. But at any rate, it gives me something to talk to you about. Later, I answered a couple questions from the listeners, read a few of my early reviews on Locked On Cubs, and talked about the bright future that is ahead of us. As always, please feel free to send questions or comments to LockedOnCubs@gmail.com or tweet me @LockedOnCubs on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I went to the Cubs Convention this weekend, and finally we've been given some good stuff to talk about! There was no surprise Jake Arrieta or Yu Darvish announcement, but it was still a good time. First, I discuss Kyle Hendricks and a cool interview I did with him on Friday night at the media social event. I even tossed in a clip from that interview where Hendricks admitted that he's aware of the "Stoic Hendricks Meme" that has become popular among fans. In the second segment, I went into the interview I did with Jim Hickey (for a story you can read here). Hickey talked about his philosophy on pitching, his thoughts on the Cubs bullpen last season and their second half command problems, and what Cubs fans should expect to see with their most underrated signing: Steve Cishek. Finally, I gave my take on Tom Ricketts' Sammy Sosa comments and gave a rundown of the rest of the cool stuff I saw at the convention. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email them to me at LockedOnCubs@gmail.com, follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCubs, or follow me @RyanQDavis. Kyle Hendricks story at Sporting News. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once again, there is very little news to report on the Cubs front. With that in mind, I didn't bother to bring on a guest just to talk about The Simpsons, Star Wars, or whatever else interests me at the moment. I did, however, touch on Rene Rivera's deal with the Angels and the idea of re-signing Alex Avila. Later, I moved on to talk about reliever X-factors and the upcoming Cubs Convention in Chicago. There's a meet-and-greet that I and others will be attending Friday night, so join us if you're free! Thanks for listening, as always, and feel free to send any Cubs questions or topic ideas that you'd like me to cover to LockedOnCubs@gmail.com or on Twitter @LockedOnCubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evan Altman of Cubs Insider joins me once again to talk about the painfully slow offseason. The good news is that there are some recent Jake Arrieta rumors, as well as a conversation going on around Javier Baez. It has been said that the Cubs will need to trade from their positional depth to acquire pitching, but so far they've avoided doing that. Will the Cubs end up in a situation where they have no other choice but to make a deal? Last, Evan and I discuss the surprising results of a poll and a few of the trade options for starting pitchers. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to me directly at LockedOnCubs@gmail.com or @LockedOnCubs on Twitter. You can also follow me on Twitter @RyanQDavis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a major throwback, I welcomed my former BP Wrigleycast co-host Isaac Bennett to chat with me on Episode 6 of Locked On Cubs. We looked at the Wade Davis deal with the Colorado Rockies and whether the Cubs were right to stay away, then took a broader view at the Cubs bullpen going into next season. After discussing some pitchers the Cubs might want to sign, we gave our theories on owner collusion and why the offseason has been slow so far. Don't forget to follow along on Twitter @LockedOnCubs and email any questions to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There hasn't been a ton of credible Cubs rumors going around in recent days, with the whole world seemingly waiting on Yu Darvish. I picked a few questions sent along by the listeners to answer, including possible starting pitching trade options, the 2018 outlook on the Cincinnati Reds, and the next Cubs prospect that I expect to make it to the big leagues. If you want to send along a question or comment, you can follow me @LockedOnCubs or @RyanQDavis on Twitter or email at lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luis Medina of Bleacher Nation joins me for Episode 4 of Locked On Cubs. We kick things off by debating the Yu Darvish rumors and the dollar amount where he makes sense for the Cubs. Then, Luis and I get crazy! He proposed an "Addison Russell for Manny Machado" trade on Twitter, with mixed reactions. We talk about that, plus another seemingly fair fake trade for Machado. We finish out by tag-teaming an answer to a question from a fan.  Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs, where you can tweet us questions you'd like answered on the podcast. You can also email any questions to lockedoncubs@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 3 of Locked On Cubs, Tom Loxas of Cubs Den joins me to talk about Alex Cobb, the Cubs' other rotation options, the bullpen, and more. We briefly talk about the improvements that the St. Louis Cardinals have made and where the division stands today, as of the end of the winter meetings. Tom and I finish out by answering a question from a fan and doing some over/under. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnCubs, and me on my account at @RyanQDavis. Feel free to send questions or ideas for future podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I welcomed my very first guest to Locked On Cubs, Evan Altman of Cubs Insider. After some witty (OK, not that witty) banter, we discuss the Cubs latest free agent signing: Drew Smyly. Next, we move on to other winter meetings rumors and a brief discussion on rumor etiquette among baseball writers and reporters that aren't named Heyman, Morosi, Passan, or Rosenthal. We finished out with a question from a listener regarding punny baseball names. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the inaugural episode of Locked On Cubs! I start with a short introduction, then dive right into the good stuff. Part one features my thoughts on the risk involved with the Chatwood and Morrow signings. Then part two looks at what else might be happening for the Cubs at the winter meetings this week, and finally I discuss what the Cardinals and Brewers might be looking to do. This is my first ever solo podcast, so stick with me! I'll have frequent guests and will be working to make this better and better.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We welcome on Jeff Carr of the Locked on Reds show to share his thoughts on the 2021 Cincinnati Reds, where Jeff thinks this team will land in the NL Central standings, how their pitching is going to do without Trevor Bauer and key arms leaving their bullpen, and if Nick Senzel can finally figure things out in 2021! Plus, Jeff makes the comparison between the Cubs and Reds, pointing out that both teams are heading into this season not sure if they're truly going for it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cubs made the least surprising announcement of Spring Training Tuesday as Manager David Ross confirmed that Kyle Hendricks will take the mound on Opening Day for the Cubs. We discuss the Professor getting his second Opening Day nod in the 1st segment, touch on the possibility the DH could still return to the NL in 2021, and why the Cubs haven't signed any of their core players to a long-term deal yet (despite talks with Javier Baez apparently progressing). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cubs have made their 3rd roster cuts, so we go through the final roster projections in the 1st segment, discuss the bullpen and rotation decisions ahead for David Ross while also trying to resolve Adbert Alzolay's option issues, and we wrap up the show talking about the MLB Pipeline's top 30 Cubs prospects and some surprises on that list. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKED15 for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're joined by Jake Mastroianni, the host of the Locked On Brewers show, today to give us his thoughts on the 2021 Brewers, who are some players he's excited to see this season, what concerns him about the Cubs this season, and where the Brewers stack up against the rest of NL Central. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON20,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's the first of the Locked On Networks' Division Crossover series and this week we have Lucas Smith of the Locked On Cardinals show to share his thoughts on the Cardinals in 2021. We debate with team has the better player at each position, share what we think each of our team's biggest weaknesses and strengths is, and just relish in what is the best rivalry in all of sports! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode, Sean is joined by the four other NL Central hosts on the Locked on Network to discuss the upcoming 2021 season, where each team is trending before the season starts, some prospects to keep an eye on, and where each time will end up once the season is complete. This is part two of our conversation. Jake Mastroianni - Locked on Brewers - @ShortStopBall Ethan Smith - Locked on Pirates - @mvp_EtHaN Jeff Carr - Locked on Reds - @jefffcarr Lucas Smith - Locked on Cardinals - @ljfastball Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode, Sean is joined by the four other NL Central hosts on the Locked on Network to discuss the upcoming 2021 season, where each team is trending before the season starts, some prospects to keep an eye on, and where each time will end up once the season is complete. This is part one of our conversation with part two coming out Tuesday, March 2nd. Jake Mastroianni - Locked on Brewers - @ShortStopBall Ethan Smith - Locked on Pirates - @mvp_EtHaN Jeff Carr - Locked on Reds - @jefffcarr Lucas Smith - Locked on Cardinals - @ljfastball Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In an eye-opening discussion, Ross Jackson (Locked On Saints) Aaron Freeman (Locked on Falcons) Tony Wiggins (Locked On Jaguars) John Hickman (Locked On Texans) Chris Carter (Locked On Steelers) Keith Pompey (Locked On 76ers) Coty Davis (Locked On Texans) and Your Boy Q (Locked On Raiders) come together for a special Locked On Podcast Network Black Lives Matter Roundtable. These eight Locked On hosts share their first-hand experiences as black men in America. When was the first time they clocked racism in their lives? What are the pet peeves they experience as a black man? In the wake of George Floyd's killing, does this movement feel different than those of the past? What needs to happen for this moment in time to have a lasting impact on society and to result in real gains for social justice? And, will these experiences change the next generation?     We take a momentary pause in our daily sports talk for this revealing and important special podcast episode.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean brings on fellow Locked On podcaster Matt Peck from Locked on Bulls who was at the Cubs epic walkoff win at Wrigley Field Thursday afternoon. In the second segment we discuss the impact newly acquired starter Cole Hamels could have on this Cubs rotation that is desperately in need of some help. And finally we preview the Friday’s game against the Cardinals and talk our daily look at the NL Central.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Locked on Cubs, the daily podcast covering the Chicago Cubs as part of the Locked on Podcast Network.  With regular host Ryan Davis out for the day, contributor Sean Sears fills in once again to preview the weekend series with the Milwaukee Brewers while looking back at Thursday's game. Segment 3 is a quick look around the rest of the NL Central.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Locked on Cubs, the daily podcast covering the Chicago Cubs as part of the Locked on Podcast Network.  With regular host Ryan Davis out, Sean Sears takes over as the Cubs are coming off a rain out and day off.  Sean opens the show discussing the offense, which has struggled early this season. Are the mounting strikeouts really a concern? Sean digs into the numbers to find out how concerned Cubs fans should be. Segment 2 discusses the bullpen, specifically Brandon Morrow. With a series against the Milwaukee Brewers coming up, we should get a look at the new closer in his new role. Morrow doesn't have closing experience; will he be able to handle that pressure situation? Overall, it's a bullpen that looks good on paper, but will it live up to that this season? We'll need to see some high-leverage situations to fully determine that, which we could see against the Brewers.  The episode ends with a look at the NL Central and how each team stacks up a week into the season.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Locked on Cubs, the daily podcast covering the Chicago Cubs as part of the Locked on Podcast Network.  With Ryan Davis out this week, Brendan Miller of Cubs Insider fills in to discuss the latest happenings with the Cubs.  The episode begins with an evaluation of the Cubs starting rotation through the first round of the season. Brenden discusses his big takeaways with newcomers Yu Darvish and Tyler Chatwood, as well as Jose Quintana, Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks. What about the lineup? Much has been made about the strikeouts early in the year, but we discuss why that stat is a little blown out of proportion. But the lead-off spot and Jason Heyward's spot are worth a discussion, especially when it involves Ben Zobrist's playing time.  Addison Russell is coming off a down-year, but is the start of his season a sign of things to come? How has Kyle Schwaber's transformation looked so far? How will Ian Happ progress? Take a listen to the latest Locked on Cubs and get a reminder of how special this team can be.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Locked on Cubs, your daily podcast covering the Chicago Cubs as part of the Locked on Podcast Network.  With regular host Ryan Davis out this week, Matt LaCasse fills in to host Locked on Cubs. He reminds Cubs fans to take a deep breath. The beginning of the season hasn't been great with three losses to the Miami Marlins and Cincinnati Reds, but there's a lot of time left and plenty of talent around Chicago that we don't have to cancel the season just yet.  Also, we take a brief look at the upcoming series against the Milwaukee Brewers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Locked on Cubs, your daily podcast covering the Chicago Cubs.  With regular host Ryan Davis out this week, Sean Sears of FanSided is here to guest host and bring you into a new week, which is just what the Cubs need after their disappointing series in Miami.  The episode opens by discussing exactly what happened against those Marlins, as the Cubs split the series 2-2. Unfortunately for Chicago, the starting pitching didn't perform as expected, extra innings tapped the bullpen and the offense struggled to find ways to score when the ball wasn't going over the wall.  It wasn't all bad. Sean talks about the positives he's taking away from the series, as well as the negatives (hint: please be better, Yu Darvish and Jose Quintana).  The show concludes with Sean taking a look ahead at the brief stint against the Cincinnati Reds. With the Cubs struggling to open the season, a two-game series against the Reds might be just what the doctor ordered to get the North Siders back on track.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices