Cubs Talk Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 155: Checking in with Joe & Theo at the Winter Meetings Dec 12, 2018

Show notes

Tony Andracki goes 1-on-1 with manager Joe Maddon at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. The Cubs manager touches on his efforts to put art back into the game, his biggest challenge in 2019, the Cubs' sense of urgency and his thoughts about Matt Nagy and the Bears (:30).

Plus, we catch up with Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, who discusses internal team leadership, whether or not the Cubs are close to a deal, and how Maddon is changing up his coaching style (5:45).

Ep. 154: Hub Arkush on the 2015 Cubs vs. the 2018 Bears Dec 06, 2018

Show notes

On the latest edition of the Cubs Talk Podcast, Luke Stuckmeyer, David Kaplan and Pro Football Weekly's (and lifelong Cub fan) Hub Arkush discuss the similarities of the Cubs' 2015 team to the 2018 Bears.

:45 Memories of their first Cubs game

3:30 Discussions with Bears Chairman George McCaskey about being a Cubs fan

4:15 Similarities between 2015 Cubs and 2018 Bears

5:45 Bringing in Joe Maddon vs Matt Nagy

8:00 Trades for Jake Arrieta and Khalil Mack

10:30 Rookies becoming stars: Bryant & Schwarber vs Smith & Miller

12:00 Who does Eddie Jackson compare to on the 2015 Cubs

14:00 Who is the Kyle Hendricks (under the radar) player on the Bears this year?

16:30 What do the Bears have to do this offseason?

18:30 How the Cubs will proceed this offseason

20:30 Chili Davis' comments on how coachable the Cubs players are

Ep. 153: Brett Eldredge on his GLOW Live concert in Chicago and his love for the Cubs Dec 05, 2018

Show notes

On the latest CubsTalk Podcast, country music artist Brett Eldredge joins Luke Stuckmeyer and Kelly Crull to talk about his Glow LIVE tour coming to Chicago and his love for the Chicago Cubs.

0:58 - Brett on Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting ceremony on November 28th

2:19 - GLOW Live in Chicago December 5th at the Chicago Theatre

3:17 - What gets Brett in the Christmas spirit

4:16 - How 'Wanna be that Song' music video at Wrigley Field came about

6:03 - Brett's relationship with former and current Cubs players

8:45 - How good of a musician is Anthony Rizzo?

9:28 - Why Brett skipped the CMA Awards for Game 7 of the World Series in 2016

10:43 - Flashback to NBC Sports Chicago interviewing him immediately after the final out in Cleveland

13:03 - Brett remembers his first game at Wrigley Field

14:53 - Thoughts on the upcoming 2019 season

15:56 - Thoughts on being back in Chicago for GLOW Live

16:46 - Cubs home opener perfect time for a trip back to Chicago?

Ep. 152: Cubs Talk Podcast with Mark DeRosa Nov 30, 2018

Show notes

On the latest Cubs Talk Podcast, Luke Stuckmeyer and David Kaplan are joined by former Cub and current MLB Network Analyst Mark DeRosa.

01:08 - What does Mark see from this Cubs roster

02:30 - How difficult is it for a player to have to play multiple positions at the big league level?

06:10 - Is having too much talent an issue for Joe Maddon in terms of getting everyone playing time?

11:30 - Which Kris Bryant will show up in 2019?

13:30 - Is he surprised Joe Maddon is heading into the final year of his contract?

15:00 - Which former Cub does DeRosa think helped out Joe Maddon the most with other players

16:00 - Is a regular leadoff hitter overvalued?

18:40 - Are the Cubs still considered one of the elite teams in baseball?

Ep. 151: Bumgarner + Brewers = Big Problem? Nov 28, 2018

Show notes

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by David Kaplan and Tony Andracki to discuss all the latest Cubs news, including what the Madison Bumgarner trade rumors mean for the North Siders (:40), whether you’d rather have Josh Donaldson or Cole Hamels for one year at a similar price (5:00), the potential for a new hierarchy in the National League (7:30), the loss of Jesse Chavez from the bullpen (9:30), and the latest update on the Addison Russell situation (12:30).

Ep. 150: Giving Thanks to the Cubs Nov 21, 2018

Show notes

In this Thanksgiving-themed episode of the CubsTalk podcast, Luke Stuckmeyer, David Kaplan, and Tony Andracki discuss what they're most thankful for relating to the Cubs (1:00), with responses ranging from the upgrades at Wrigley Field to the hiring of Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon. Then, in a nod to Black Friday, our panel debates the best deals the Cubs have ever made (7:10), including trades for Sammy Sosa, Ryne Sandberg, Jake Arrieta, and more. Plus, Kap tells us how Harry Caray came to be the Cubs announcer after many years with the White Sox (15:00).

Ep. 149: Former GM Jim Hendry: ’Jim Thome.. I’m convinced today... he would have been a Cub’ Nov 19, 2018

Show notes

David Kaplan and Luke Stuckmeyer are joined by former Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry. In part 2, Hendry looks back at his favorite move he made as Cubs GM, on getting a World Series ring from the Cubs, and what future Hall of Famer Hendry was convinced could have been a Cub.

01:00 - How much pressure is put on a team after signing a big money free agent

02:30 - Why didn't it click with Kosuke Fukudome

04:00 - What was his favorite move he made as GM of the Cubs?

05:30 - What is the Winter Meetings like from a General Manager's perspective

09:10 - On signing Ted Lilly while Hendry was in the hospital

10:25 - On seeing the changes to Wrigley Field over the past few years

11:25 - On getting a World Series ring from the Cubs

13:30 - On one free agent he wished he would have signed

Ep. 148: Former Cubs GM Jim Hendry ’we had Baez ahead of Lindor in the draft’ Nov 16, 2018

Show notes

David Kaplan and Luke Stuckmeyer are joined by former Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry. In part 1, Hendry looks back at some of the players he drafted during his time with the Cubs and getting a deal done with Theo Epstein at the trade deadline in 2004.

00:45 - What he does now for the Yankees

02:30 - How involved is a GM with drafting a player

04:30 - Looking back at the drafting of Javier Baez

05:45 - What made Javier Baez so appealing as a draft pick

09:00 - Josh Donaldson moving to 3rd base after the Cubs drafted him

11:45 - On having to trade prospects at the trade deadline to put the team over the edge for a postseason spot

13:10 - Looking back at the 2004 3-way deadline trade that brought Nomar Garciapara to the Cubs

14:35 - On Willson Contreras' growth in the Cubs organization

16:40 - On going over budget to sign Starlin Castro

17:20 - Carlos Zambrano's growth within the Cubs organization

19:10 - How good could Gleyber Torres be?

Ep. 147: What would it take for the Cubs to trade Kris Bryant? Nov 13, 2018

Show notes

Luke Stuckmeyer, David Kaplan and Tony Andracki break down the Kris Bryant trade rumors..

01:00 - How much truth is there to the "Will Kris Bryant be traded" story?

04:25 - Is there any package a team could offer that would give the Cubs what they value Kris Bryant at?

05:35 - Who is the most untouchable player on the Cubs roster?

08:55 - Will Kris Bryant be in Chicago long enough to wear a Cubs hat if he makes it to Cooperstown?

12:00 - Is Nolan Aranado a match in a possible trade for Bryant

16:00 - If MVP is Bryant's ceiling, what is his floor?

17:00 - Any players who had a shoulder issue like Bryant had who never bounced back?

19:00 - Would a Noah Syndergard for Kris Bryant trade make sense?

20:20 - Could Josh Donaldson be a target for the Cubs?

21:00 - Is all this Bryant talk much ado about nothing

Ep. 146: Harper sweepstakes begin & Ryan Dempster talks all things Cubs Nov 08, 2018

Show notes

Luke Stuckmeyer, Kelly Crull and David Kaplan react to Scott Boras opening up the Bryce Harper sweepstakes, and debate whether Harper would be a fit for the Cubs at this point. Then, “the distinguished Canadian hurler,” aka former Cub Ryan Dempster, joins the pod to discuss a wide variety of topics, including Yu Darvish, the role of pitching coaches, and John Lackey’s retirement party.

1:15 – Scott Boras’ comments on Bryce Harper from the GM meetings

3:00 – If you were a player, would you want Boras to be your agent?

6:15 – Would you rather spend $300 million on an ace, or an everyday player?

7:30 – Ryan Dempster joins the pod

8:10 – Dempster discusses his former teammate, Yu Darvish

9:15 – Changing expectations for the Cubs

10:40 – Biggest needs this offseason

12:10 – The role of pitching coaches

14:00 – Do the Cubs need another superstar?

16:05 – How young players adjust to coaching staff upheaval

17:40 – Stories from John Lackey’s retirement party