Cubs Cards Cast

Dan and John talk about fast approaching 2021 season in the first podcast of the year. The Cardinals picked up Nolan Arenado and not much else in the off-season. The Cubs cut their budget then loosened the purse strings later in the winter. Prediction sites aren't impressed with the Cardinals, Cubs, or the Brewers. Who will rise above expectations?

Dan and John talk about possible pick-ups in 2021 for their respective teams. Dan says George Springer would be ideal and John has LeMahieu in his sights. Both hosts are not confident their teams will be as aggressive as they should be.

Dan and John talk about the extraordinarily fast exit from the playoffs of all 4 NL Central teams. Each one was shut out in the elimination game. The hosts give some early clues about what the Cubs and Cards need to do to improve in 2021.

Dan and John spend lots of time commenting on how futile most major league hitters have been during this Covid season. The Cubs are in the playoffs and the Cardinals have a solid chance to make it as the regular season winds down this weekend.

Dan and John talk about the last 10 games of the regular season in this bizarre virus season. Cubs are in and Cardinals need to finish strong to make the playoffs. Jason Heyward has been the big surprise for the first-place Cubs.

Dan and John resume their show with a look at the last three weeks of a wacky season. For the Cubs, it's tough opponents. For the Cardinals, it's double-headers galore.

Dan and John talk about the strangest Cubs-Cards series ever. A five-game, double double-header fest featuring Cardinals pitchers nobody's heard of, and Cubs being the road team at Wrigley Field. All in all, the Cubs took 3 of 5. 

Dan and John do a joint podcast with Ron and Pete from Team of Rivals podcast. Right before "air time," we all learned a new positive test result postponed tonight's Cubs-Cards matchup and threatens to wipe out the entire series. 

Dan and John talk about the opening of the weirdest season ever. But one thing seems normal about 2020 -- the Cardinals have trouble hitting and the Cubs' bullpen is a hot mess.

Dan and John talk about the resumption of MLB in the strangest season ever. Lots of questions, few answers. But both hosts are glad we are talking about Cubs and Cardinals and not Covid-19.

Dan and John decide, now that Spring Training is underway, that it is possible both the Cubs and Cards might be better than we think in 2020. The co-hosts project what might go right this year.

Dan and John come to the simultaneous realization that their respective favorite teams are probably done improving their squads during this off-season. What does this mean heading into spring training?

Dan and John discuss whether the Cardinals or Cubs can acquire Rockies' superstar Nolan Arenado, and, if not, what changes are still to be made heading into spring training next month.

Dan and John try to decipher the wildly different paths the Cardinals, Cubs and Brewers are taking in the off-season. Each team has a different financial model they are following that explains their actions or inactions.

Dan and John start discussions of what the Cards and Cubs will look like in 2020. Neither of them is overly optimistic that their team's FO will make dramatic improvements over the winter.

Dan and John talk mainly about the Cardinals' 5-game NLDS victory over the Atlanta Braves and the upcoming NLCS between St. Louis and the Washington Nationals. Both say the matchup is fairly even, with the Cardinals having a better balanced squad and the Nats the better stars. They also talk about the Cubs' managerial search.

Dan, John, and special guest Ben Rosario, a nationally known elite distance runner and coach and lifelong Cardinals fan, discuss the Cardinals exciting game 1 comeback win against the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS opener in Atlanta. John, meanwhile, starts the off-season dialogue on why Joe Maddon was let go and what it means for the Cubs' future.

Dan and John talk about the dramatic last week of the season as the Cubs totally collapse and miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014. The Cardinals and Brewers, meanwhile both make the playoffs and will decide the last weekend who wins the division and who is a wild card. For the Cubs, expect manager Joe Maddon to be let go and big changes to be made to the roster in the off-season.

Dan and John talk about last night's dramatic Cardinals victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. After the Cards blew a 4-1 lead, Matt Carpenter's 10th inning homer off Craig Kimbrel was the difference. The Cardinals lead the division by 3 games over the Brewers and 4 over the Cubs with 9 games remaining. Six more games remain between the Cubs and Cardinals.

Dan and John both lack confidence in their respective teams as they head toward the last two weeks of the season. Dan says despite the Cardinals' 4-game lead, their schedule is brutal. John, meanwhile, says his team is brutal. A four-game showdown looms next weekend at Wrigley.

Dan and John do a shortened edition discussing the Brewers' dramatic series victory over the Cubs in Milwaukee that give that team life and extended the Cardinals' NL Central lead to 4.5 games. With only 20 games remaining, the time is now for the Cubs to take advantage of a softer schedule to climb back in the division race.

Dan and John talk about about the tight race in the NL Central as the Cardinals pull in front with a surge and the Cubs answer to stay close. In the next 10 days, the Cubs and Brewers meet 7 times. For the defending champion Brewers, it is make or break time.

Dan and John talk about the Cardinals and Cubs hot streaks since the All-Star break and how the NL Central is becoming a two-team rather than a three-team race. At least for now. Both co-hosts acknowledge the Brewers have time to turn it around. Meanwhile, the Cubs and Cardinals 7 remaining head-to-head games loom large.

Dan and John talk about the rollercoaster Cubs and Cardinals, trading alternate hot and cold streaks as the NL Central race remains in a dead heat. The co-hosts also try to explain the inexplicable Cubs' home-road splits and the titanic grand slam by Bryce Harper that cemented a Phillies sweep and made the Drudge Report.

Dan and John talk about the Cubs best week of the season, going 6-1 while their chief rival Cardinals were 0-5 on a disastrous West Coast trip. Now, the Cards schedule turns more favorable while the Cubs hit the road. If the Cards can't trim the lead, the race may be over in the NL Central.

Dan and John talk about the most eventful week of the season to date. The Cubs lose showdown series' to the Brewers and Cardinals on the road but make the most trade deadline moves compared to their rivals. The Cardinals, meanwhile, stand pat as fans howl at the front office for its inaction.

Dan and John discuss the most crucial juncture of the season so far, as the red-hot Cardinals catch the Cubs at the top of NL Central. The Cubs, Cardinals and Brewers play each other in the next 10 days as each team tries to improve itself at the trade deadline this week.

Dan and John talk about the promising starts both the Cubs and Cardinals had after the All-Star break. What was a five-team race in the NL Central is back to a three-team competition as clubs look to bolster their rosters at the upcoming trade deadline.

Dan and John talk about the 2nd half the season, which starts today, amid heavy trade talk for both teams. For the Cubs, it is go for broke with a closing window of opportunity. For the Cardinals, it is escaping a four-year cycle of mediocrity. 

As MLB nears the All-Star break, only 3.5 games separate the first and last place teams in the NL Central. In other words, nobody's in and nobody's out at mid-season. This creates more excitement in more places but anxiety is rampant in Chicago and St. Louis, where fans were expecting better results by now.

Dan and John talk about the dramatic changes in the bullpens of their respective teams -- the Cubs add Craig Kimbrel just as the Cardinals lose Jordan Hicks to season-ending surgery. Certainly looks more optimistic at the moment in Chicago than St. Louis, but the season is only half over and many more twists and turns remain.

Dan and John talk about the continued stalemate in the NL Central, with the Cubs, Cards and Brewers within 3 games of each other. John, however, believes the Cubs are about to take off with the addition of pitcher Adbert Alzolay. Dan has some proposed roster moves for the Cardinals to shake them out of their mediocrity. 

Dan and John talk about the Cubs sweep of the Cardinals at Wrigley Field and the Cardinals' continued struggles. Both agree now that the hockey season is over, STL fans are about to turn up the heat on the Cardinals' struggling front office.

Dan and John preview the third Cubs-Cards series this year -- a three gamer at Wrigley. Both previous series were swept by the home team, including last weekend's Cards' sweep at Busch Stadium. For the record, Cards fan Dan is predicting a Cubs sweep. The "trip" reference is Stanley Cup related, as St. Louis is more interested in hockey than baseball at the moment.

Dan and John talk about the Cardinals' continued struggles, particularly with starting pitching. Dan says he'd rather watch hockey right now. John is happy with the Cubs pitching and says he doesn't want the team to sign Craig Kimbrel. Both co-hosts express their admiration of Manny Trillo.

Dan and John discuss the Cubs relatively good stretch and the Cardinals slump while weighing in (negatively) on the news that the Cubs-Cards will be playing 3 games next year in London in July. What is the point of depriving Illinois and Missouri of three games of the best rivalry in baseball?

Dan and John discuss an eventful week: Cubs sweep Cardinals and Addison Russell returns to the fold. Also, the resurgent Milwaukee Brewers head to Wrigley for another NL Central showdown. 

Dan and John talk about the first head-to-head meeting of the Cubs and Cardinals -- a three-game set at Wrigley Field starting today. Both teams are red-hot and occupy first and second places in the NL Central. The anticipation level is high and so is the pre-game trash talk. 

Dan and John talk about the shifting NL Central, where the Cardinals and Cubs have reasserted themselves for now at the top while the Brewers take a step back. Is this the new realignment or just a temporary situation?

Dan and John talk about the Cubs sweep of Miami this week and the Cardinals' Yelich problem. The upshot is that the NL Central race is tightening up, with all except the Reds within shouting distance of first place.

Dan and John talk about the big news of the week -- the Cardinals improbable 4-game sweep of the 8-2 Dodgers, who looked going in to be the best team in baseball. Does this mean the Cardinals are the new favorites to win the NL Central. Not so fast say the hosts. The Cubs, meanwhile, treaded water with a 3-3 week.

Dan and John talk about the first week of the season -- the Cardinals 3-3 start and the stunning 1-5 early record of the Cubs. Those losses were mainly attributable to a bullpen that was epically horrible. The Cubs have a chance to redeem themselves this weekend as they travel to Milwaukee to take on the red-hot first place Brewers.

Dan and John open the fifth season of Cubs Cards Cast vowing to not brag about their teams' pasts and instead focus on 2019. Quite a battle is expected in the NL Central. National experts are split whether the Cardinals, Cubs or Brewers will win the division and so are the co-hosts, as you might expect. Also, each host gives their predictions on surprise players this year.

Dan and John talk about a bizarre off-season in which star players remain unsigned, the Cubs had one off-field issue after another and the Cardinals refused to flex their payroll muscle. As spring training begins, it looks like the most balanced and competitive NL Central from top to bottom in years.

Dan and John rejoin the baseball conversation with a discussion on the strange off-season, where both the Cubs and Cardinals are making fewer moves than expected, and Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are still unsigned. All this portends a tighter and more exciting 2019 in the NL Central. The co-hosts will return on a regular schedule in a few weeks once spring training is underway.

Dan and John talk about the bold trade the Cardinals made for Diamondbacks superstar 1B Paul Goldschmidt and how it tightens the talent level in the NL Central. They also talk about the Cubs' puzzling off-season so far, where disarray abounds. They also agree that neither team is likely to acquire Bryce Harper.

Dan and John zero in on the Cardinals off-season. Dan concludes that both the Cardinals and Cubs need Bryce Harper and that the Cubs' FO led by Theo Epstein is likely to prevail over the Cardinals' FO led by John Mozeliak. Dan and John also talk about other moves the Cardinals should or might make.

Dan and John talk about the Cubs off-season in some depth. John believes it's almost certain the Cubs will set their sights on FA Bryce Harper and note that Theo Epstein almost always gets his man. In an increasingly competitive NL Central, that would certainly rearrange the balance of power more in the Cubs favor.

Dan and John talk about the shocking end of the 2018 season, especially for the Cubs, who led the division on Saturday and went home on Tuesday. The Cardinals also saw their playoff possibilities evaporate with a horrible final week. Already, the co-hosts are talking about moves each team needs to make for 2019.

Dan and John discuss the final two weekends of the season as both the Cubs and Cards try to pin down playoff berths. Cubs are a virtual lock for the playoffs and are nearing a NL Central title. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are holding on to a slim lead for the second Wild Card spot.

Dan and John talk about the exciting NL Central race heading into the final two weeks. The Cubs are narrowly holding onto a 1.5 game lead over the charging Milwaukee Brewers with the Cardinals still hanging around hoping for a Wild Card. The co-hosts also talk about the game they attended this week at Wrigley and both agree Lorenzo Cain should be the NL MVP.

Dan and John talk about the sizzling Cardinals and Cubs, heading down the stretch in the NL Central. John believes the Cubs will win the division crown and Dan is not so sure. The co-hosts also talk about a bad rumor or two and ruminate on the schedule in September.

Dan and John talk about the tightening NL Central and the prospect that the Cardinals actually have a shot of displacing the Cubs as division champs. However, that possibility is a lifetime away in baseball terms as a tension filled September looms. To prepare, both teams made important roster moves.

Dan and John talk about the Cardinals' 8-game winning streak and whether the team's improved play under manager Mike Shildt is sustainable the rest of the season. They also talk about the Cubs' positioning for the stretch run, with pending returns of Yu Darvish, Kris Bryant and Brandon Morrow.

Dan and John talk about the competitive NL Central race, where the resurgent Cardinals are threatening to climb back into the race while the Cubs and Brewers battle it out for first place despite major pitching flaws. Can Yu Darvish's expected return turn the tide for the Cubs?

Dan and John continue to talk about the Cardinals hemorrhaging play as the team reshapes its bullpen and ponders whether to buy or sell at the trade deadline this week. Meanwhile, on the North Side of Chicago, the Cubs acquire Cole Hamels and look to add another reliever as expectations grow for another NL Central title.

Dan and John talk about another bombshell week of news, primarily in St. Louis, where the front office fired manager Mike Matheny and replaced him with Mike Shildt. Will the Cardinals buy or sell at the deadline? Meanwhile, in Chicago, the Cubs continue to roll and ponder their own trade deadline acquisitions -- probably to a questionable pitching staff.

Dan and John talk about the continuing turmoil surrounding the St. Louis Cardinals, in particular two news reports that we flagged as dubious and were subsequently debunked. The Cardinals real problem is their mediocre performance and a fan base that is demanding better. Meanwhile, in Chicago, things are calmer but Cubs fans have concerns about their pitching and wonder about Anthony Rizzo's slump.

Dan and John discuss the kerfuffle over Cardinals' president John Mozeliak's bizarre comments about Dexter Fowler, questioning his effort level. Cubs' manager Joe Maddon jumped in to defend Fowler and twist the knife. Meanwhile, the Cubs win six in a row and Cardinals rebound on the West Coast after being swept by the Braves at home.

Dan and John talk about the roller coaster NL Central, where the Cardinals, left for dead a week ago, revive their fortunes, and the Cubs, seemingly inevitable division winners, show signs of trouble ahead. What seems certain is there are lots of twists, turns, and dips ahead this summer for the Cubs, Cards and Brewers.

Dan and John talk about the Cardinals horrible stretch of baseball, where losing and bad defense has become commonplace. Will the FO make dramatic moves or is this the plight of the 2018 team? Meanwhile, the Cubs are holding steady and playing solid baseball but are there issues with the pitching going forward?

A special treat this week. Dan and John are guests on the Team of Rivals podcast, another Cubs-Cardinals rivalry podcast. We are posting the podcast on the eve of a big showdown series this weekend at Busch Stadium in steamy St. Louis. Thanks to Ron and Pete for inviting us to their show!

Dan steers the podcast solo in a shortened edition as he recaps an eventful week in Cardinals Nation. Young phenom Alex Reyes is out for the season again with a lat injury and Redbird legend Red Schoendienst passes away. Meanwhile, team flounders in early games in soft part of the schedule.

Dan and John talk about each of their favorite teams obvious weakness so far in 2018 -- for the Cubs it is starting pitching and the Cards have a leaky bullpen. How each team goes about its repair business might decide the NL Central. And then there's the Milwaukee Brewers, who are sailing along in first place.

Dan and John discuss the intriguing possibilities both the Cubs and Cardinals will escape their relative mediocrity this season. For the Cubs, it might be a Manny Machado trade, or a resurgence of their starting pitching. For the Cardinals, it is the return of Alex Reyes. 

Dan and John talk about the NL Central at the quarter-pole of the season. The Cubs are worried about their starting pitching, particularly Yu Darvish, whose nickname could be "75 and sunny," referring to his lack of resilience.  The Cardinals are perplexed by their struggling offense. Both teams have bullpen concerns. And the Pirates and Brewers are surprising everyone.

Dan and John talk about the Cardinals sweep of the Cubs at Busch Stadium last weekend, the injuries and illnesses of Carlos Martinez, Yadier Molina and Yu Darvish and speculate on whether either team will trade for Manny Machado.

Dan and John talk about upcoming showdown series between the Cubs and Cardinals in St. Louis this weekend as well as the early-season troubles of Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish and the possibility of either team trading for rental superstar Manny Machado.

Dan and John discuss their teams' strong weeks and they also delve into head injuries to Kris Bryant, Tommy Pham and how they reacted quite differently. They also talk about whether Yu Darvish is mentally tough. 

Dan and John explore the first series between the Cubs and Cardinals, which ended up in a 1-1 split in frigid Wrigley Field. The getaway game victory by the Cubs cooled off the red-hot Cardinals while maintaining the Cubs win-one, lose-one early season pace. The hosts also talk about Mike Matheny's bullpen usage.

Dan and John talk about the Cubs and Cardinals upcoming showdown next week at Wrigley as both their teams try to break the bonds of mediocrity so far this young season. Is a brawl imminent? They also discuss Pirates' manager Clint Hurdle's diss of John's favorite player, Javier Baez.

Dan and John analyze the first full week of the 2018 season with John still highly confident despite the less-than-stellar start the Cubs were hoping for and Dan seeing positive signs for the lower-expectation Cardinals. Both agree there are warning signs ahead for the Brewers. John's wife Kathy, a Brewers fan, makes a guest appearance.

Dan and John kick off another season of podcasting with reviews of spring training, analysis of first games for both teams and predictions for the season ahead. Let's just say the expectations are sky-high on the Chicago's northside and a bit more tempered under the Arch in St. Louis. 

Dan and John begin a new season of podcasting and wonder right away whether anything has changed in the NL Central since the Cubs won the division in 2017. The Cards made an early splash acquiring Marcell Ozuna and the Cubs responded a few days ago with the signing of Yu Darvish. Can anyone dethrone the Cubs in 2018?

Dan and John talk about the Cubs 4-1 series loss to the Dodgers and what it means for the future of the young team. They also start to look forward to a fascinating off-season for both the Cubs and Cardinals as the balance in the NL Central teeters based on the front office moves of both teams in the coming weeks.

Dan and John talk about the wild, long, epic game 5 battle between the Cubs and Nationals that the Chicago team somehow held on to win. Now it is on to the NLCS against the mighty Dodgers for the Cubs and both hosts have their predictions ready.

Dan and John disagree on who will win the NLDS. John picks the Cubs in 5 and Dan predicts the Nationals will prevail in 4. The hosts give the rationale for their prognostications and Dan talks about his blog post on how the Cardinals should reshape their roster in the off-season.

Dan and John talk about the Cubs clinching victory Wednesday over the Cardinals that sealed the NL Central title for the 2nd year in a row. They also began to preview the Cubs matchup in the NLDS against the Nationals and the Cardinals offseason, where the front office has plenty of work to do.

Dan and John talk about the last 10 days of the MLB regular season as the Cubs try to hold off the charging Milwaukee Brewers and the lurking St. Louis Cardinals. John predicts the Cubs will win the NL Central while Dan thinks the race will tighten further down the stretch. We'll see who's right next week.

Dan and John talk about the final three weeks of the season as the Cubs, Cards and Brewers will play head-to-head games within the NL Central. John thinks the Cubs will win the division but it will be a rocky three weeks. Dan believes any of the three teams can still win it.

Dan and John note the Cubs strong week as the defending champs continue to take control of the NL Central. The hosts vehemently disagree on how good Javy Baez is and discuss previous predictions about players on the Cubs and Cardinals.

Dan and John talk about the topsy turvy NL Central race, where the Cubs have finally edged away from the Brewers and Cardinals after capitalizing on stretch of weak opponents. The Cardinals, meanwhile, continue to shuffle players from Memphis and despite the mediocre play are slowly sorting out things in advance of an off-season roster revamp.

Dan and John talk about the latest developments in the NL Central, including ejections of managers Mike Matheny and Joe Maddon in ninth innings of separate games and respective bullpen implosions. Bottom line is Cubs have a narrow lead over the Brewers and Cardinals as the race heads toward the final six weeks of the regular season.

Dan and John try to explain the unexplainable -- how the ragtag Cardinals, written off for dead, are nearing the top of the NL Central. The Cubs, meanwhile, who soared after the All-Star break, are back in a muddling mode as they near an easier part of their schedule later this month.

Dan and John discuss the trade deadline and the Cubs flurry of moves contrasted with the Cardinals inactivity. Are the Cardinals just bad at making deals or are they waiting for the off-season for roster surgery? The Cubs, meanwhile, appear poised for another World Series run.

Dan and John talk about an eventful week for both the Cubs and Cards as the Cubs continue to thrive after the All-Star break and the Cards catch a fresh wind from Memphis call-ups. They discuss each teams' possible trades as the deadline looms several days away.

Dan and an ebullient John talk about the Cubs six-game winning streak after the all-star game and whether it means the team will roll over everyone in the NL Central or revert to middling form. For the Cardinals, the puzzlement continues over a strange roster that even the GM can't figure out how to fix. The hosts also preview the big Cubs-Cards three-game series this weekend in Chicago.

Dan and John start podcast minutes after Cubs announce first trade deadline deal in MLB, acquiring Jose Quintana from the White Sox for the Cubs top hitting and pitching prospects. The move shakes up the uncertain NL Central picture and puts the ball in the courts of GMs from the Brewers and Cardinals to respond with their own moves.

Dan and John discuss the constant lineup shuffling for the Cardinals and Cubs well into the season. Both teams are clustered near .500 and in search of the key to unlock the highly winnable NL Central. The reality is both teams will be making significant changes to the roster later in July as the trade deadline approaches.

Dan and John talk about an eventful week off the field for the Cubs and Cardinals, as the Cubs DFA a veteran catcher for mouthiness and the Cards call up a beefy hometown slugger to spark lineup. The moves didn't have an immediate impact as both teams finished the week 3-4 as they head toward the All-Star break and larger moves.

Dan and John review another mediocre week for the Cubs and Cards and zero in on the controversy surrounding the Anthony Rizzo slide play at home plate. They also discuss the trade deadline, Jake Arrieta's latest excuse, Javier Baez' photo shoot and Tommy Pham's unusual outlook. Former Cardinal and Cub Ken Reitz also was discussed as he has become a social media focal point for some Cardinals fans.

Dan and John are more gloomy than usual as both their teams find themselves below .500 in mid-June. The bright side is the poor place of the NL Central, which gives both teams the opportunity to remain in contention. Both co-hosts agree their respective general managers better get busy at the trade deadline to improve the rosters.

Dan and John continue to talk about the putrid NL Central and specifically the Cardinals 7 game losing streak on the heels of the Cubs 6 game skid. Is anybody capable of taking charge in the division or is it going to be a scrum until September?

After a brief climb to first place, the Cubs got swept by the Dodgers and Padres on the West Coast and stumble home to face the slightly less stumbling Cardinals. It will be the first meeting of the rivals this year at Wrigley Field. Will either team wake up this month and take charge of the weak NL Central?

Dan and John continue to puzzle about the topsy-turvy NL Central, where the Cubs have regained first place after a brief stay by the Cardinals and Brewers. Tough games ahead for both teams before the all-star break as major moves loom.

As the Cubs and Cardinals prepare for a showdown series in STL this weekend, all of a sudden the Cardinals are red-hot and in first place in the NL Central and the Cubs are .500 and in fourth place. Will these surprising results flip around soon or is there something different about 2017?

Dan and John agree that the Cubs starting pitching woes is the biggest story of the season so far for the two teams. John even goes so far to predict the Cards will pass the Cubs in the NL Central standings by next weekend.

Dan and John continue to debate whether each team's relatively mediocre Aprils is a sign of anything to come. John says Cubs will get better and Dan says the Cardinals might surge past the Cubs in May.

Dan and John debate which team is more in danger of slippage. John sees the Cardinals with a weak lineup and Dan notes the Cubs' pitching already showing signs of substantial regression. 

Dan and John spar in wake of Cubs solid start and Cardinals sputtering out of the gate. John even makes up a narrative so he can rub in that his team won the World Series last year. The hosts look ahead to interesting games for both teams over the Easter weekend.