← Dan Bernstein Unfiltered
Dan Bernstein Unfiltered
OFF THE IVY: Chicago Cubs SWEEP DBacks to win 11th straight game at Wrigley Field and 5th straight game overall
00:30:33
Loading summary
Transcript106 lines
- [00:01]
Matt Abatacoa
Insurance isn't one size fits all. That's why customers have enjoyed Progressive's name your price tool for years now. With the name your price tool, you tell them what you want to pay and they'll show you options that fit your budget. So whether you're picking out your first policy or just looking for something that works better for you and your family, they make it easy to see your options. Visit progressive.com, find a rate that works for you with the name your price tool. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates Price and Coverage match limited by state law,
- [00:32]
Dan Bernstein
the most important people shape your life through choices, gestures and the kind of impact you come to understand with time. Vitamix Blenders are created with that same intention. Timeless, enduring, and meant to stay with mom through whatever comes next. That's why Mother's Day isn't about more things. It's about choosing something worthy of her. This Mother's Day, give her the mother of all blenders. Vitamix Only the essential Liberty Mutual customizes
- [01:00]
Matt Abatacoa
your car and home insurance. And now we're customizing this ad for your morning commute to wake you up, which could help your driving. Science says that stimulating the brain increases alertness.
- [01:09]
Cody Delmendo
So here's a pop quiz.
- [01:11]
Matt Abatacoa
How many months have 28 days? What gets wetter as it dries? What has keys but can't open? Locks? If you don't want to hear the answers, turn off this Liberty Mutual AD. Now. 12 months. A towel piano. Enjoy being fully alert.
- [01:25]
Cody Delmendo
Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty off the Ivy A Chicago Cubs podcast with Dan Bernstein,
- [01:36]
Matt Abatacoa
Matt Abatacoa and Cody Delmendo on 312 Sports.
- [01:42]
Dan Bernstein
Off the Ivy on 312 Sports is brought to you by Chicago Window guys and Russ Armstrong. He's got a price match guarantee, you know. Call him at 843-029171 and check out his five star reviews@chicagowindowguys.com the Cubs are two games up in the Central right now. The Central that features all of these winning teams. It's the best division in baseball and it's led by the Cubs.
- [02:12]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah, they get the 8 to 4 win yesterday, Dan over the Diamondbacks. They take the the series in a sweep. They've won five games in a row, seven and three in their last 10. They're 14 and five at home, eight and seven on the road, 22 and 12 as you mentioned in first place, run differential 42, which is fourth best in the National League. They are two up on the Reds and two up on the Cardinals who are tied right now behind the Cubs. The Reds do come to Wrigley today to start a four game series. We'll get more into that later on as as we talk through off the ivy here. But Cody, let's talk about that 8 to 4 win yesterday as well as the Cubs sweep and fifth win in a row.
- [02:50]
Matt Abatacoa
Yeah, I believe it's 11 straight home wins now at Wrigley and I believe too this is like the best start they've had at home since 2016. Honestly it might be better than 2016 because I believe on Saturday I saw them put up a stat that said they started 14 and 5 and it marked the best since 2016 and maybe this is now the best. I don't don't take this for sure. This is just a speculation in my head right now. But yeah the they dominated the entire weekend. Like I don't think I through all three games. I maybe Friday because they the Diamondbacks did make a little bit of a comeback because of a Bregman misplay at third slash roles and giving up a three run homer. But other than that it was a pretty like I didn't stress at all this weekend and after the game yesterday I found myself sitting on the couch thinking like what is there to complain about with this team right now? There will eventually be things to complain about but I, I at this current moment I don't have a lot to complain about. You got great starting pitching this weekend. Three bounce back starts from Ray Boyd and Shodi Manago. The offense scored plenty of runs on Saturday on a day when the wind's blowing in, wind's blowing out. Yesterday you scored a lot of runs again. So you're finding different ways to score runs and it's not just via the home run ball which is to me is very important. And the bullpen did you guys predict a six out save from Jacob Webb on Friday and then a six out save from Ben Brown the next day. You know no one, no one had that on their bingo card for 2026 Cubs and I think the bullpen management from Craig Council continues to be his greatest strength since he has came here in my opinion. But so again just all around great weekend, another sweep and yeah, I mean they're rolling right now.
- [05:06]
Cody Delmendo
Other series wayne, you had 12 hits. Well I think you have seven guys now that have saves on this roster early on in the season. So we're 34 games in seven guys with saves, 12 hits. Yesterday as you mentioned five guys with with two hit games and as you mentioned only one home run from your Guy Moises by Esteros Only home run. Yeah. For, for the Cubs. But still love how they're, they're producing runs, getting guys on base. They lead Major League baseball with an on base percentage of.353. Uh, and that certainly is going to happen, which is going to help impact the RBI numbers. Dan, because you have more guys on base than any, any, any team in baseball right now, which is very important because that's how you score runs, Dan, is by getting extension.
- [05:43]
Dan Bernstein
I was going to say you could extend that out to run scored numbers too. Whatever secondary and tertiary statistics you want to feel like using that when you are not out 35.3% of the time, that is a, that is a recipe to score a whole hell of a lot of runs.
- [06:01]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah. With runners in scoring position, their batting Average is a team.253, which is 13th. And we expect that to come up a little bit where they finished top five last year. They have 415 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, which is tied for first with the Pirates. 88 hits is third. RBI is 125, which is fifth in baseball. Milwaukee leads with RBIs in runners in scoring position. Cody with 146. So kind of give you an idea where they're at. The cubs again at fifth with 125. So those numbers are really good some areas and other areas they'll, they'll bounce up where they finished last year. Top five, top three in most of those categories.
- [06:37]
Matt Abatacoa
Yeah, that. The Milwaukee stuff doesn't surprise me. They just, they're, it's like I call it the Devil magic. They just bunt you to death sometimes. And then they sometimes just putting the ball in play is all you need to do. Obviously we want to hit the ball over the fence because that's going to be the fastest way to score runs. But they, they hit like no homers last year and they still scored a ton of runs. It is fascinating in many ways. If you're not a Cubs fan and you see how they do things.
- [07:06]
Dan Bernstein
If you're a Cubs fan, the quality of ball and play matters too.
- [07:10]
Cody Delmendo
Oh yeah.
- [07:11]
Dan Bernstein
It's one thing to just say, you know, you could John Smoltz it up and just say like, you know, make contact. That's all you have to. Well, it really isn't, especially against the Cubs because the Cubs turn batted balls into outs unless those balls are hit in the air really hard. And even then, I mean, how many plays does Pete Crowe Armstrong have to make where based on the center field camera and Based on your well honed judgment of a ball leaving the bat from that angle. And you, and you say to yourself, oh, boy. And then he's just kind of gliding in to get it, just kind of coming over there like he's, he makes your brain work a little differently because of the things that he makes look easier than they should.
- [07:56]
Cody Delmendo
And you know what's exciting about PCA is we know that his offense production, or at least we hope he will improve as he gets better and better approaches at the plate consistently. But his defense will continue to improve as well, too.
- [08:09]
Matt Abatacoa
It is the best. He is the best defensive outfielder in baseball. Yeah, like, that's not even a homer.
- [08:15]
Dan Bernstein
That's best defensive player in baseball. Not just outfielder. He's the best single individual defender in baseball.
- [08:26]
Matt Abatacoa
The way you kind of described pca, Dan, it reminded me of. I could tell Marte, he's, he's off to a slow start, if you guys didn't notice this weekend based off of season numbers. And yesterday he hit one. He hit a line drive out to right center. And Pete didn't have to dive or anything, just went and got it like a line drive and could tell Marte's been struggling. And the broadcast showed him just throwing his helmet into the dugout on his way back in because he actually did something like he thought he did something right there, which he did. You want to hit the ball hard, right? But that it showed his frustration. But to me, it's just PCA will go get it wherever it's at. And that like whether the, the, the. A lot of people don't understand that the plays. There are so many plays that he makes where he doesn't have to dive or make some. What looks like an incredible play to go get a ball. It's because he's that good. And so a lot of fans don't understand that. And that's. To me, that is why PCA is, if not the best defender in all of baseball, the best outfielder in all of baseball.
- [09:38]
Dan Bernstein
If you want numbers to back it up. He leads all defenders in defensive runs saved with 10. The closest to him is Seattle second baseman Cole Young with eight. He also leads all individual defenders in defensive runs above average with 7.8. Bobby Witt Jr. Is second at 7.6. And then it drops to Cal Raleigh at 5.7. So it is. It's the eye test and so far it's the numbers that he is. I'm trying to remember who the old baseball player was whose nickname was Death to Flying Things, but that's pretty much what PCA is.
- [10:15]
Cody Delmendo
How does the, how does that adjusted based on position though too, Dan?
- [10:19]
Dan Bernstein
Well, you're going to get more credit for being a better defender at a more important position and that's why you'll see shortstops, catchers and center fielders generally near the top of that. It's great to be a good fielding first baseman or a good fielding left fielder. It just doesn't matter as much.
- [10:38]
Matt Abatacoa
Yeah, no, I generally agree with that. You want to have a good up the middle defense and that is what the Cubs have like two of the, two of the best defensive players. Well, three if you want to throw in Nico Horner, which you should. So three of the best defensive players in baseball up the middle. But PCA being the guy out now in, in center is, it really is a luxury. And, and, and, and, and I, I don't, I think a lot of casual fans don't understand that. They just look at his OPS right now and they think he sucks. Some, some fans.
- [11:08]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah.
- [11:09]
Dan Bernstein
You look at stupid fans and stop talking to them.
- [11:11]
Cody Delmendo
Yes. Just don't engage them. You mentioned Nico Horner. He's at a 2.1 war right now, which is best on, on the team. He leads with 26 RBI, Dansby Swans with 24 and Moises by Steros with 18. And yeah, we understand the, you know how I think our RBIs and that stat in the past was inflated as far as the value, the importance of it. We know what's more important now to look at when you're looking at individual players that make up a team. But I would have never thought at any point in this season with the guys that mash the ball like they do to have Nico and Dansby 1, 2 leading your RBIs for this roster. I think that will, will change. But we understand that it is a reflection of the guys getting on base in front of them. But a guy who's your leadoff hitter as well too, leading the team right now with 26 RBIs, Dansby with 24, who's batting towards, you know, 7, 8, 9 in that area. So I, I get the importance of it. I get the value of it. I get the reason why it happens. So we don't need to get into that kind of analytical discussion to it. But I never would have thought Nico would have been one with Swanson, two with the guys that mashed the ball on this roster right now.
- [12:16]
Dan Bernstein
That was a textbook example of inoculation right there. That was very, very well handled.
- [12:22]
Cody Delmendo
I don't Understand what you're, what you're saying, Dan, that was very. Well, this is the first time we discussed this.
- [12:26]
Dan Bernstein
Nicely turned.
- [12:27]
Cody Delmendo
Yes, sir.
- [12:29]
Matt Abatacoa
I'll just say that Nico the, the reason, obviously the reason that he is leading the team in rbis is because the bottom of the lineup has been really good overall. No matter whether it's Dansby, whether, you know, since Pete has been put down there.
- [12:44]
Cody Delmendo
He's down there. Yes.
- [12:45]
Matt Abatacoa
Or, or if it's Miguel or Carson Kelly, like Matt Shaw, like Babe Conforto. Right. Like those guys getting on, giving Nico the opportunity once the lineup turns over plays a part. But I mean this, this dates back to last year. This guy's been great with runners in scoring position for, for more than just this year. Dansby is a little surprising to me, but he's also like off to his best offensive season with the Cubs right now. Well, at least last I checked. Which was, I want to say it was Friday, Thursday or Friday. I checked, he had a 120 WRC plus going into this week, the weekend series against the Diamondbacks. And his like his career high in WRC plus is like 1. Like not even, not even 120. It's like 110 or 115, something like that. I'm pretty sure. And so to see him put out his. At this point, we'll see what happens as the season goes along. But to see him put together the kind of season he's putting together offensively in the eight or the nine hole, more often than not, that just shows how deep the lineup is.
- [13:53]
Dan Bernstein
So not to mention he's actually underperforming because his batting average of balls in play is only.224. Right.
- [14:02]
Matt Abatacoa
So he's.
- [14:03]
Cody Delmendo
Is it really?
- [14:04]
Dan Bernstein
Yes. So when you figure a regression somewhere to his 306 or even, even to league average around 298 or wherever it comes in, there's room to grow from that current 114 WRC plus.
- [14:18]
Cody Delmendo
That's great.
- [14:19]
Matt Abatacoa
And, and he's been walking a ton too. We've pointed that out in previous shows and he's. I don't know where his hard hit rates rank among league leaders right now, but I know for most of April he was among the leaders on the Cubs, at least in terms of hard hit rates. So he's doing all the right things. Dan point out that he's been unlucky. So yeah, like that. That's why I'm in a belief that like we could be getting his best offensive season to go with his, you know, already know what you're getting from him.
- [14:50]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah, for sure, right? Yeah.
- [14:51]
Dan Bernstein
His barrel percentage is at the highest number of his career anywhere. His is currently at a 12.2% barrel percentage. He. His hard hit rate at 48.8% is the highest ever of his career.
- [15:09]
Matt Abatacoa
There you go. So, yeah, go ahead, Matt.
- [15:13]
Cody Delmendo
One other note about Nico because I want to mention for this weekend because he did miss one game. He's pulled out of the game Friday with one of the oddest described injuries, the left sided neck stiffness. I was like, did I hear that? I had to rewind the tv. I'm like, yeah, she did say neck sided, left sided neck stiffness. All right, so he had a stiff neck. Like, I don't know, we have to describe it that way. So missed the one game, but he gets back in there and obviously no, no issues from that left sided neck stiffness, which was one of the most unusual things you're going to hear.
- [15:46]
Matt Abatacoa
Yeah, I think when I saw him make that defensive play yesterday on the infield pop up where like, I think it was Carroll who was stealing second at the same time. So he had to like run around and then run back to. To catch the pop up and then Carol didn't realize in time or he didn't know where the ball was. So he didn't get back to first in time for him to. He didn't have to make the jump throw, but he did because he felt like he just needed to. With Carroll on the basis, I'm. I'm guessing it's just one of the. More like I just laughed after he made the play because one, it's a wacky play that you don't normally see, but it's just, it's just Nico Horner, man. He. He is one of the smartest defensive players I've ever seen play play this game though. And he just, he. He does make defense fun to watch too. All three of those guys up the middle make defense fun to watch. And. Yeah. So Patrick Mooney had a great article on the Athletic this morning about Nico Horner and has some quotes from pca and PCA is talking about how he's his favorite player. And I love that. I love hearing like the quote unquote, star of the team, that like most notably known guy around the league, the guy that everyone talks about nationally that you know, you know, for opposing fans can rub people the wrong way because of, you know, whether it's whatever you, whether fans think he's overrated or whatever it is, the guy who's talked about the most, because Pete is. Pete is Petey. He's coming off a 30, 30 season. He, you know, was in the MVP race for four months last year. Nationally, PCA is the most talked about guy on this team. But Nico Horner, whenever I hear PCA talking about Nico Horner in that kind of way, to me is, is, is, Is. Is fun. And also just. It's nice to hear because Pete said something along the lines of like, he is the heartbeat of this team. And, And I've believed that for like two years. I love. I. As I've said before, especially during Nico's really like, hot stretch to start, the year kind of cooled off a little bit, starting to heat back up again. But when he was like leading the league in OPS or whatever it was, it was nice to see him get some national attention because I felt like he didn't get a ton of it. And this year he has been getting it so far. And I know this article is from Patrick Mooney, so it's local, but I will continue to enjoy Nico Horner content that is. That is celebrating him because he is a very, very fun player to watch play baseball, man.
- [18:21]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah. And Cody, any. Any baseball fan who thinks that PCA is overrated, just. Just cut them out of your life immediately. Zero interaction. I mean,
- [18:33]
Dan Bernstein
hold on a sec. We need to suspend a lot of these things that Maddie, that you and I normally would say about. I don't know, about just basic human decisions to make you happier or unhappier. Cody doesn't think that way. He is. He is existing where he has chosen to. To that the exposure to this particular subset of the Cubs community and the baseball community is a constant and. Or a given. Which is fine, because if you want to be out there quixotically jousting with the stupid, go ahead.
- [19:11]
Matt Abatacoa
I don't.
- [19:12]
Dan Bernstein
That's all you.
- [19:13]
Matt Abatacoa
I don't, like, go out of my way to engage with these people. They find you. I'm just telling you what I see.
- [19:20]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah, I know, I know.
- [19:22]
Matt Abatacoa
On Twitter, it's. It's everywhere.
- [19:24]
Dan Bernstein
I get.
- [19:25]
Cody Delmendo
No, I get it, dude. And they find you. And. But like, for someone to think. And even if you're not a Cubs fan and if you just. You want to hate the Cubs, but to think that PCA is an overrated player. 3030 guy. Last year, as you mentioned, the best defensive player in the game, easily the best defensive outfielder in the game. The guy. He can change the. The complexity, the nature of a game by being on base.
- [19:48]
Dan Bernstein
All right, I have somebody for you, Cody, Because I was golf. I was golfing with my dad yesterday and sort of an apropos of nothing, he says to me, goes, explain something to me, will you? Oh, boy. I said, I said, sure. He goes, why is it that I've never seen Pete Crowe Armstrong do anything? Anytime he's up, he didn't.
- [20:07]
Matt Abatacoa
He hasn't watched in the last week
- [20:08]
Dan Bernstein
that I said, you're just. You don't watch enough. That's what I said. I said that is a statistical coincidence based on the fact that you simply don't watch enough. That's obviously what it is.
- [20:21]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah.
- [20:21]
Dan Bernstein
Because I don't, you know, I just said if you, if you watched more Cubs baseball, you wouldn't think that.
- [20:27]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah,
- [20:31]
Matt Abatacoa
he's starting to heat up, like with the bat. You know, we've been talking a lot about his defense in this episode. But yeah, since, since that second game in San Diego, he's been hitting the ball real hard. Came really close to hitting a homer yesterday, just foul. I think it was the second or third at bat.
- [20:47]
Dan Bernstein
But
- [20:49]
Matt Abatacoa
he hit a double yesterday and it was one of those that looks like a single, but because he's so fast, he stretched it into a double and you know, he had a good weekend overall. Him and Michael Bush had a great weekend overall.
- [21:01]
Dan Bernstein
Bush is stinging the ball.
- [21:02]
Cody Delmendo
Yep. Yeah.
- [21:03]
Matt Abatacoa
So Pete, Pete is, he is like the, the home runs that people are wondering where they're at. I, I think they're going to come and stretch us here.
- [21:13]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah, they will. That's. That's how, that's how baseball works. And it's come, like we talked about Dansby Swanson, where he's, he's playing great right now offensively, and it's going to even get better because you're going to have stretches like that. That's how the game works. Those home runs will start coming for Pete Crow. But also too, I think it's just a majority of the casual baseball fans, all they look at, it's. It's the highlight reels. You know, they turn on SportsCenter or the local news and you see this guy hit a home run and this guy hit a home run and the south side, you know, Murakami, he's just, I mean, hits the ball 65% of the time. He hits it hard and he's hitting tons of home runs. There's so much more to it than that. And that's what Pete Karlmstrong. That's why he does everything really well. And the power and the hits and the home Runs will come with it too.
- [21:53]
Matt Abatacoa
Yeah, speaking. You mentioned Murakami. I, I think that by the end of the year we could be talking about the AL and the NL Rookie of the year. Like Moises by steroids. Like even if he's just a dh, if he's hitting like this, like he went through an over 17 after the, after the grand slam and in San Diego. But he then what yesterday? Hits, hits. The two run homer, I think. And he had, he had a three hit game as well. Like this guy. I know, I'm. Let me, let me try and say this again. There will be some adjustment period because the league will indeed figure him out in some way. I just don't know how long it's going to keep him down. And if it's just an 0 for 17, great. But this guy is like top 10 in OPS.
- [22:43]
Cody Delmendo
He's a hitter, dude. I mean the, the guy's a hitter. It's just, it's that simple. And he's going to have those ebbs and flows of his season because that's how baseball works. But the guy is a hitter. This is what you're going to see with Moises Ballesteros. And it's, it's also interesting too with. We talk about PCA and the way they're hitting and scoring runs and averaging more than five runs a game. They're playing in the hardest field more consistently to hit home runs than any other field I mentioned. I text you the other day, Dan. Eight home runs taken away at Wrigley Field. That leads Major League Baseball. Yep.
- [23:13]
Dan Bernstein
And this week is going to be weird again. The weather this year has been absolutely bizarre in Chicago, particularly if it feels like the wind currents have been strange here. They have. And this week, even today's game, blowing out the next two games blowing in and then moderately blowing out on Thursday.
- [23:37]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah, it's gonna be like 30 degrees cooler tomorrow than it is today. I mean, it's just, it's stupid.
- [23:41]
Dan Bernstein
Okay, so we can declare that you think it's stupid, but the weather is stupid.
- [23:47]
Cody Delmendo
Is.
- [23:47]
Matt Abatacoa
I have, I have told my landlord that he can hold off on bringing the AC units. Like it's May, was May 4th and I still haven't installed the AC units yet. So, you know, well, it's gonna be
- [23:59]
Dan Bernstein
80 today, so you might be more comfortable heading to the, to the 640 start at the game. You know what's going to make you more comfortable when you're talking about what your, what your landlord wants. If you own your own property and you have A choice for windows. Maybe you're looking at your windows.
- [24:13]
Cody Delmendo
You know what? I would use windows. Yes.
- [24:14]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, windows are good because you know, they keep, they keep critters and, and things from coming into your house. People, you really should have good windows because that can help the rooms hold the temperature better. Good double paned, low emissivity, high tech windows. You know who has those? Russ Armstrong and Chicago window guys. I know because I have them in my house. And maybe you're looking around and you and your significant other and your family say we got to do this. We have to get windows, well, the most comfortable that you're going to be, not just afterwards, but during the entire process and lowering your anxiety and the whole thing. Trust me on this because that, that is always an issue when I'm worried that am I getting the best deal? And I hear all these things Russ is going to explain to you when he comes to the house, what's real, what isn't. He can look around and he can give you a reasonable price and not make you sit through a two hour presentation and these long pitch meetings. He's a regular guy who is going to make the windows at his factory here in Chicago and take away a lot of that anxiety. It's just easy to know you're getting the best windows at the best price from the owner of the company. Call him 847-302-9171. Check out his five star reviews at ChicagoNowGuys.com and if you want to get quotes from these other companies, that's fine. You can get the numbers, Russell. Crunch all those numbers and, and work that price match. But he also has his own crews do all the installation, all the measuring. The people in and around your house are not random third party people. They're, they work, they might be party
- [25:50]
Cody Delmendo
people, but they work in the house
- [25:53]
Dan Bernstein
and they don't stop. But Russ Armstrong's people work for him. So he, you just have some extra peace of mind knowing that don't wait, give him a call. 847-302-9171 chicagowindow guys.com all right, Cubs and
- [26:08]
Cody Delmendo
Reds open up a four game series today at Wrigley. You have Chase Petty on the mound for the Reds. Edward Cabrera taking the bump for the Chicago Cubs. As we mentioned before, 22 and 12. The Cubs in first place, two games ahead of the Reds and the Cardinals. What do we know about Chase Petty? Cody, those are hard.
- [26:28]
Matt Abatacoa
Well, I was, you know, as a real sicko that I am, I was online looking at Chase Petty, Minor league highlights, pictures. Yeah. And this guy throws gas. He throws upper 90s can touch. I think I, I saw a highlight where he touched 102. He's got a change up that I think is. He uses that fastball to establish and then you. And then goes change up or a way to lefties to get the strikeouts that way. He does have a high strikeout raise caper. 9 coming into this year is over 10. His flaw, and it's not surprising since he is a young player, is that he's walking. He walks a lot of guys and that's not a good recipe when you're coming to Wrigley Field with the wind scheduled to blow out today and going up against one of, if not the best offensive lineup in baseball to make your season debut. Did debut last year, but only through like six innings and it wasn't even in one appearance. It was like multiple appearances. So interested to see how he does at Wrigley tonight. But the conditions don't, they don't benefit him, that's for sure. But he can generate whiffs and if you're going to have success on a day like this or a night like this, generating strikeouts is probably going to be his best way for success. Considering the Reds defense, I don't know where it ranks this year, but I know with this core of players that they have, it hasn't necessarily been great in the past. So I guess we'll see how that goes. I just think if the Cubs are able to get this, to get this guy's pitch count up because of walks or, you know, just deep counts like they have been all season, then to get into that Reds bullpen early will be a, a good, a good way to take this series. And you know, I don't know if they're going to sweep, but I, you know, it's the first divisional series of the year. If you want to win the division, you need to win your divisional games. And I know the Reds didn't have a good series against the Pirates this weekend, so hopefully that continues against the Cubs here on the road.
- [28:34]
Dan Bernstein
Chase Petty last year pitched in three games, a total of six innings, and he surrendered four and a half home runs per nine innings. And he averaged 12 walks per nine innings. That led to an ERA of 19.50. And his home run per fly ball rate in the majors is 33.33.
- [29:02]
Cody Delmendo
Wow.
- [29:02]
Dan Bernstein
So one one of every three fly balls he's given up has left the yard.
- [29:07]
Cody Delmendo
Yeah, well, we know it's gonna be a Little bit harder at Wrigley, but the wind blowing out tonight. So that'll be a positive for. For both teams. I don't. I was. I'm gonna assume that you guys didn't see this article on ESPN. It talked about giving grades for all 30 teams in major League Baseball. I want you to guess based on this description what the Cubs grade was. Okay. The sign of a good team is one that has a robster roster depth to overcome slow starts and injuries. That has been the case with the Cubs. Michael Bush was the Cubs best hitter last season. He hit.173 without a home run in his first 22 games. Say a Suzuki sat out the first 12 games. Pete Groh Armstrong hit one home run in his first 29 games. Closer Daniel Palencia went down early because of a lat strain. Despite all of that, the Cubs are still averaging more than five runs. And manager Craig Counsel has expertly managed the late game bullpen with seven different relievers picking up saves. Kate Horton, season ending injury was a huge blow to the rotation and the Cubs don't really have an ace. But the expectations should be high for this team. So based on that description, what's the Cubs grade? 34 games in. What would you think the author of that description, what grade would he give the cup? Who wrote was showing field on espn? No, no. National writer.
- [30:25]
Dan Bernstein
Jesse's a national writer.
- [30:26]
Matt Abatacoa
Okay.
- [30:27]
Cody Delmendo
Well, I. But I mean, but Jesse's close to my heart, so I think a B plus.
- [30:35]
Matt Abatacoa
I'll go A just to be different.
- [30:37]
Cody Delmendo
All right, well, right in the middle. A minus. So good guesses both of you guys. Yeah, no, that was very good. Very good. I was. I was surprised because sounded. I meant like. I thought the minus was a little necessary because it was really, really throwing a lot of flowers and bouquets at the Cubs and what they've done with a lot of guys not producing early on and the managing job of Craig Counselor with all these injuries, I just thought the minus was a bit. A bit unnecessary and rough. So good. Good guesses.
- [31:02]
Matt Abatacoa
That 7 and 9 start really bothered them.
- [31:05]
Cody Delmendo
Oh, yeah. No, I mean. And look what's happened since then.
- [31:09]
Matt Abatacoa
I know, I know. It's what they've won 14 of 17, I believe is what it is.
- [31:15]
Dan Bernstein
Right?
- [31:15]
Matt Abatacoa
I believe that.
- [31:16]
Cody Delmendo
You know, so they were seven and nine and now they're 22 and 12. So that's 15 and three.
- [31:21]
Matt Abatacoa
Yeah.
- [31:22]
Dan Bernstein
Cubs and Reds this week for four. We'll see how Wrigley plays, see if the Cubs can keep it up. You know that every morning you should tune in right here as we catch you up on everything you need to know for the day about your Chicago Cubs. Cubs and we on off the Ivy have been brought to you by Russ Armstrong and Chicago window guys, 847-302-9171 here on 312 Sports off the Ivy, a
- [31:52]
Matt Abatacoa
Chicago Cubs podcast with Dan Bernstein, Matt Abaticola and Cody Delmendo on 312Sports. Everybody talked about it since I first moved to Oregon. The big one. The earthquake that trashed the whole West Coast. Total destruction.
- [32:11]
Dan Bernstein
Officially calling it the largest natural disaster in American history. I just didn't know what would help me next.
- [32:17]
Matt Abatacoa
So I took it all. Even the gun. It was time.
- [32:22]
Dan Bernstein
Cielo American Afterlife presented by Pair of Thieves, the number one fiction and drama podcast in America. Listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts available now. Warning the following ZipRecruiter radio spot you are about to hear is going to be filled with F words when you're
- [32:40]
ZipRecruiter Ad Voice
hiring, we at ZipRecruiter know you can feel frustrated, forlorn, even, like your efforts are futile. And you can spend a fortune trying to find fabulous people, only to get flooded with candidates who are just fine. Fortunately, ZipRecruiter figured out how to fix all that, and right now you can try ZipRecruiter for free at ZipRecruiter.com Zip with ZipRecruiter you can forget your frustrations because we find the right people for your roles fast, which is our absolute favorite F word. In fact, four out of five employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day.
- [33:16]
Cody Delmendo
Fantastic.
- [33:18]
ZipRecruiter Ad Voice
So whether you need to hire four, 40 or 400 people, get ready to meet first rate talent. Just go to ZipRecruiter.com Zip to try ZipRecruiter for free. Don't forget that's ZipRecruiter. Com. Zip. Finally, that's ZipRecruiter. Com. Zip.