Dan Bernstein Unfiltered

Episode: Cubs lose game 2 in Milwaukee
Date: October 7, 2025
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the Cubs’ crushing loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the NLDS. Dan and Matt break down the recurring offensive failures of the Cubs in the playoffs, Matt’s firsthand account from American Family Field, and a broader look at organizational shortcomings. There are spirited riffs on ballpark environments, fan culture, and the brewing frustration among Cubs fans. The episode blends sharp analysis, personal anecdotes, bitter humor, and classic “meatball” Chicago sports talk. Notable non-Cubs segments touch on the Bears’ upcoming challenges, a hilarious Monday Night Football play, and the North Carolina Belichick coaching mess.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cubs Playoff Woes and Breakdown of Game 2

• Chronic Offensive Ineptitude:

  • Dan laments nearly a decade of the Cubs’ postseason “offensive anemia.”
  • “Almost a 10 year postseason run of offensive anemia...the Cubs have really tortured you with the inability in the postseason to score.” (01:00 - 05:17)

• Game 2 Recap:

  • Cubs led 3-0 after Suzuki’s towering homer, only to fall apart after Andrew Vaughn’s game-tying home run and a solo shot by Contreras.
  • “Suzuki hits a ball above the strike zone. 440ft, and you’re thinking, all right, three, nothing. And then, of all people...Andrew Vaughn.” (02:52 - 04:09)

• Matt’s In-Stadium Perspective:

  • Attended in Milwaukee, describes the visceral fan atmosphere, the sick feeling as home runs left the yard, and being surrounded by Brewers fans.
  • “There really isn’t anything better from a visual standpoint than a perfectly manicured baseball field...God, I wish the Cubs had something like this.” (07:49 - 08:29)

• Frustration with Vaughn and Contreras:

  • Ex-White Sox (Vaughn) thriving for Brewers, ignites particularly raw reactions.
  • “Andrew fucking Vaughn. I mean, the guy, he’s...got an OPS of almost a thousand with the Brewers.” (04:40 - 05:00)
  • “And then he’s, you know, he’s obliged to give up the solo home run, of course, to Contreras, too. I just...I want to take a baseball bat to—” (06:56 - 07:09)

• Cubs’ Playoff Scoring:

  • Dan runs the numbers: Cubs have scored four runs once in 18 postseason games since winning the World Series.
  • Matt: “They’re scoring three or less, almost every single game in a large sample!” (05:39 - 05:45)

2. Organizational Analysis & The Velocity Gap

• Bernstein’s Theory — Lack of Velocity:

  • Points to Cubs’ habitual absence of high-velocity arms, both in starting rotation and bullpen.
  • “Wherever the league has been, the Cubs have been behind the curve when it comes to starting pitching velocity and bullpen.” (19:23 - 19:58)
  • Cites stat: This postseason has more 100mph+ pitches than ever before. (20:01)
  • “Other teams don’t react to ‘oh, my God’ when the guy throws 100. Yeah, you’re supposed to throw 100.” (19:44)

• Hitting Approach and Roster Critiques:

  • Matt slams uncompetitive at-bats, mentions Peter Armstrong looking overmatched, and new acquisition Kyle Tucker being invisible.
  • “If Kyle Tucker’s not good enough to play right now...he should just sit. He should just sit because his swings didn’t look good.” (22:44)
  • “They have zero confidence. It just...It shows that even up 3, nothing. They just don’t feel like they’re going to win the game.” (23:12)

• Defense & Bright Spots:

  • Praise for Pete Armstrong’s defense, possibly best CF in MLB, but offensive struggles overshadow.
  • “He’s the best center fielder in baseball...And they might have the best defense up the middle.” (29:48 - 29:54)

3. Ballpark Culture & Milwaukee Rants

• In-Depth Ballpark Comparison:

  • Matt extols Milwaukee’s American Family Field, but jabs at its “minor league” feel and blames Brewers fans for their “provincial” behavior and rally towel overuse.
  • “It feels very minor league-ish when you’re at games...” (08:36)

• Rant on Trevor Hoffman’s Participation:

  • Irritated that ex-Padre Trevor Hoffman was included in Brewers’ pre-game ceremony.
  • “You’re fucking Trevor Hoffman. You’re a San Diego Padre. You’re not a Milwaukee Brewer. You’re not, so shut up.” (11:04)

• Food & Amenities Envy:

  • Matt (mock-angrily) gripes about Brewers’ food, drinks, and stadium quality.
  • “I don’t like that they have a taco bar where you can make your own Nacho bowl and it’s fucking delicious. I don’t like it at all.” (12:59)

• Crowd Composition:

  • Surprised by the lack of Cub fans; playoff tickets much harder for visitors to get.
  • “If I saw 100 Cub fans the entire time we were there, that may be a stretch.” (34:09)

• Self-Deprecation & “Meatball” Sense:

  • Dan teases Matt about secretly loving the Brewers.
  • “I think you secretly like the Brewers.” (12:58)

4. The Bears: Resetting Expectations Amid Schedule Changes

• Cautious Take on NFL Scheduling:
  • Dan warns against overreacting to preseason schedule releases due to inevitable QB/injury chaos:
  • “Never draw sweeping conclusions from an NFL schedule before you know who’s hurt.” (01:00 - 01:55)
• Bears Post-Bye Outlook:
  • Framing the next games as “make it matter” after bye, importance of showing growth, possible lineup changes, and reflected on the self-scouting that’s happening in the bye week.
  • “It is important for them to come out of the buy and do something other than other Bears teams have done out of the buy. Make it matter.” (40:54)

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Cubs Meltdowns

• “Another kick in the crotch for your Chicago Cubs.” — Dan (02:52)
• “And then Andrew fucking Vaughn, and it’s three-three.” — Matt (06:56)
• “Their offensive constipation for the last decade is almost remarkable.” — Dan (05:17)

On Brewers Fans and Ballpark

• “It's like a minor league environment in Milwaukee. You act like a minor league baseball team.” — Matt (08:43)
• “They all stand up and wave these fucking towels, like sit down and watch the fucking game. Bunch of hillbillies.” — Matt (12:21)

On Organizational Missteps

• “If I had to boil this down to one thing...the Cubs have been consistently lacking and going up against what other teams have that they don’t. I think it has been a lack of appreciation or respect for velocity.” — Dan (19:23)
• “This is why you have Kyle Tucker. You are in the NLDS. And now it was time for the guy who’s supposed to be your best player to be your best player. It turns out Peter Armstrong was your best player. And he’s disappeared, too.” — Dan (29:29)

Humor, Rants & Color

• “I'm just so bummed out by those games. It's just. It's awful. It's awful to watch.” — Matt (28:43)
• On Brewers’ offensive reliabilty:
  • “You start to feel like every Brewer plate appearance is going to just pain your ass.” — Dan (31:16)
• “That minor league team is kicking your ass up, down, and sideways.” — Dan (09:02)

Notable Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:08–01:55 | Cubs’ playoff failures; Brewers are just better | | 03:58–05:17 | Suzuki, Vaughn, and emotional rollercoaster of Game 2 | | 07:49–09:02 | Stadium experience at Milwaukee; fan & culture comparisons | | 19:23–21:01 | Cubs’ organizational philosophy: Lack of pitching velocity | | 22:44–23:12 | Cubs’ poor at-bats, confidence, and missing pieces | | 29:29–30:24 | Key acquisitions (Tucker) disappearing in the postseason | | 31:16–31:55 | Brewers’ relentless offensive approach; Cubs’ contrasts | | 34:09–34:28 | Fan base breakdown at road playoff games | | 40:54–41:43 | Bears’ bye week mindset; “Make it matter” challenge |

Sidebars & Tangents of Note

Football Diversions

• Monday Night Football Play of the Year:

  • Laughter over Trevor Lawrence’s stumble-fall-getup-run TD for the Jaguars.
  • “Might be the funniest game-winning play I’ve ever seen.” — Dan (43:03, see full discussion 42:56–45:53)

• Broadcasting Quality Bit:

  • Praise for Jason Benetti, Greg Olsen’s NFL broadcasts — lamenting homogenization of play-by-play voices. (48:19–49:58)

College Football Sideshow

• UNC/Belichick Scandal:
  • Brief on WRAL’s reporting about turmoil in the University of North Carolina football program under Bill Belichick. (53:23–55:05)

Overall Episode Tone & Language

This episode is deeply expressive, punchy, and fully in “meatball” mode: lots of passionate, sometimes profane rants (“Andrew fucking Vaughn”), gallows humor, fan envy, ballpark banter, and self-mockery. Dan delivers analysis with context and wit, while Matt channels the raw exasperation of a die-hard fan.

Summary for New Listeners

If you missed the episode, here’s what matters:
The Cubs, again, have profoundly disappointed in the postseason, falling to the Brewers and exposing long-running organizational issues—from timid bats to a chronic shortage of power arms. Bernstein and Abbatacola dissect not only the game but a decade of playoff pain, with Matt’s firsthand Milwaukee dispatch providing color and catharsis. The Brewers, like it or not, just have the better roster right now. There’s hope, if slim, for a turnaround at Wrigley, but the Cubs’ pathway forward will demand a philosophical reset on player development.

Memorable Quote:

“There are a few things worse. And the Cubs have really tortured you with the inability in the postseason to score. And their offensive constipation for the last decade is almost remarkable.”
— Dan Bernstein (05:17)