The Lovable Reunion - NEVER HEARD 2016 Cubs stories, BIGGEST PLAY of Game 7 & HATING the Cardinals

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

"The Lovable Reunion – NEVER HEARD 2016 Cubs stories, BIGGEST PLAY of Game 7 & HATING the Cardinals"

Original Air Date: May 13, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode brings together key role players from the legendary 2016 Chicago Cubs for a candid, hilarious, and moving reunion. Hosted by Anthony Rizzo and David Ross ("Riz" and "Rossi"), with guests Matt Caesar ("Cease"), Chris Coghlan (CC, Cogs), and Albert Almora Jr., the conversation dives into untold stories from the 2016 season, the team’s unique chemistry, overcoming adversity, and the inside scoop on the biggest plays and the deep-seated rivalry with the St. Louis Cardinals.

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Main Discussion Themes

1. The Unsung Heroes: Role Players and Team Chemistry

• The discussion centers on how the 2016 championship wasn’t just about the stars—it was a total team effort.
• Each guest shares how self-sacrifice, hard work, and genuine friendships powered the team.
• The group stresses the importance of leadership at every level and making young guys feel comfortable and unafraid (02:48 - 08:13).

Notable Quote

“It doesn’t matter if you’re number one guy on the roster or number 25 guy on the roster. Everybody’s family here.”
— Albert Almora Jr. (03:32)

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2. Culture Shift: From Losing Teams to World Series Champions

• The transformation from a struggling, leaderless squad in 2014 to the powerhouse in 2016 is recounted.
• Stories about instances that became turning points for the team’s culture—especially their "hatred" and respect for the Cardinals (08:25 - 12:27).
• The importance of accountability, veteran leadership, and positivity is highlighted, along with stories of clubhouse pranks and "ribbing" that bonded the group.

Notable Quote

“I hated the Cardinals. They’d want to hang out, give you a hug, and then kick your teeth in.”
— Chris Coghlan (08:37)

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3. Behind the Scenes: Friendships, Plane Rides, and Life Beyond the Diamond

• The hosts and guests share legendary tales from plane rides, road trips, and dugout hijinks—including David Ross tossing his gum to fans (30:43 - 33:12).
• Off-field team events and how families were part of the experience are emphasized, painting a picture of a genuine brotherhood.
• Reflecting on being traded, sent down/up, or taken off the roster, and the emotional toll and resilience required.
• Stories like Chris Coghlan being traded for Dexter Fowler, only to return later, showcase the volatility of baseball careers (19:33 - 23:45).

Notable Quote

“When you get traded, you get rocked quick. You’re moving to Oakland. We just went from first place to last place—baseball.”
— Chris Coghlan (21:58)

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4. The Postseason: Mindset, Moments, and THAT Rain Delay

• A deep dive into the 2016 playoffs, especially the World Series comeback against Cleveland.
• The unique challenges and opportunities for bench/role players in big moments and how they handled roster moves.
• Detailed storytelling about the emotional swings in Game 7, the rain delay, and how Jason Heyward’s fabled speech in the weight room reset the team’s energy and belief (45:29 - 53:41).

Notable Quote

“As loud as the stadium was, the dugout… you could hear a pencil drop. We were ghosts in that dugout.”
— Jason Heyward (50:31)

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5. The Biggest Play of Game 7: Almora’s Tag Up

• In-depth breakdown of the pivotal play when Albert Almora Jr., pinch-running in the 10th, tags from first to second on a deep fly ball, setting up the game-winning run (53:53 - 57:35).
• Almora explains his mindset and nerves:

  “I remember being the most nervous I’ve ever been on a baseball field. On those four steps getting out to the field, I was like, oh s***.”
  — Albert Almora Jr. (53:56)

Notable Quote

“Being able to do that at 22 years old as a rookie is insane. That’s not how we’re taught to play. Your instincts took over, got you to second, and the rest is history.”
— Anthony Rizzo (56:01)

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6. Personal Stories and Rituals: The Power of Connection

• The power of small, full-circle moments: Rizzo’s late postseason hot streak started after switching to Matt Caesar’s bat (58:37 - 61:36).
• The intersections of character, sacrifice, mentoring, and superstition.

Notable Quote

“If we didn’t work out together, if we weren’t comfortable and we didn’t build that relationship, I’m not touching your bat ever. All these things have to come together for us to win.”
— Anthony Rizzo (61:23)

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Memorable Moments and Quotes with Timestamps

• The importance of inclusion for young players:
  “He sat right next to me at my locker and was like, ‘I don’t care if you’re a rookie...you’re here to help us win. Be yourself and just don’t play with any pressure.’ It really impacted my career.”
  — Jason Heyward recalling David Ross’s mentorship (04:55)

• Clubhouse dynamics:
  “We did such a good job… welcoming, but still ribbing… the younger guys could come and feel comfortable. That’s so important, because you’re so insecure when you get up there.”
  — Chris Coghlan (07:20)

• Cardinals rivalry:
  “I hated the Cardinals… I didn’t even want to see them in our locker room... and then it was finally with the Reds when he threw at you twice...”
  — Chris Coghlan (08:37)

• Final play-by-play of Game 7’s turning point:
  “I remember being the most nervous I’ve ever been on a baseball field… but once I got on first, I thought, this shit’s pretty cool, huh?”
  — Albert Almora Jr. (53:56)

• The rain delay and Heyward’s iconic speech:
  “I go, ‘So this is what it’s like to be a Cubs fan?’”
  — Jason Heyward, on feeling the weight of the “curse” after Rajai Davis’s home run (50:16)

• Small details matter:
  “Every little detail… the biggest games of your life, you learned that a long time ago in player development... And you tag up and go, and then they walk Riz, and then Zo and I...”
  — David Ross (56:22)

• On being forever linked as champions:
  “Winning in 16 forever links us… The bond and friendship I have with my teammates from 2016 is everything.”
  — Anthony Rizzo (63:19)

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Key Segments (Timestamps)

• [02:09] — Introductions and setting up the reunion; roles of the guests
• [03:32] — Team chemistry, mentorship, and the importance of everyone’s role
• [06:35] — The shift in clubhouse culture, positive veteran presence
• [08:25] — Hating the Cardinals, rivalry stories, and tone-setting fights
• [19:33] — Coghlan’s emotional story about being traded and the realities of baseball careers
• [30:43] — Off-field hijinks, memorable behind-the-scenes stories
• [35:01] — World Series roster dynamics, selflessness, and the bittersweet side of October
• [41:14] — 2016 postseason battles, pinch-hit moments, and locker room drama
• [45:29] — Game 7: The Rain Delay, Jason Heyward’s speech, and the emotional turning point
• [53:53] — Play-by-play breakdown: Almora’s legendary tag up from first to second in the 10th inning
• [58:37] — Rizzo’s hot streak and switching to Matt Caesar’s bat
• [63:19] — Closing reflections on their special forever bond

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a deeply personal, funny, and revealing look at the “other guys” behind a legendary team. In a sport that often spotlights stars, these Cubs share what made their run magical: trust, honesty, inclusivity, and relentless belief. For any baseball fan—or anyone who loves underdog stories—it’s a celebration of why the 2016 Cubs will always be cherished as one of the most lovable teams in sports history.

Transcript

[Podcast Host (Guaranteed Human)]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[Robert Smigel]

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy. Not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week. My guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter.

[Isaiah Thomas]

Where does your group perform?

[Anthony Rizzo]

We do some retirement homes.

[Robert Smigel]

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Timbo (Sports Slice Host)]

Last night a blown call changed the game. This morning the Internet lost its mind and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source. The athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports slice on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or where you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice Life 12 and the TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

[Podcast Host (Guaranteed Human)]

Why are we all so obsessed with romance on the Radio 831 podcast? Join us, Sanjana Basker and Tyler McCall as we unpack all the trending tropes, buzzy adaptations, booktok drama and celebrity love stories with hot takes and sharp guests. Each episode digs into what these stories reveal about desire, fantasy, identity and how we love. Now listen to the Radio 831 podcast on the iHeartrad radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[CJ Toledano]

What's up, fam?

[Isaiah Thomas]

It's Isaiah Thomas and I'm CJ Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs.

[CJ Toledano]

We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season and I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was firmly.

[Isaiah Thomas]

You just understood.

[CJ Toledano]

That's how personal it get.

[Chris Coghlan]

Wow.

[CJ Toledano]

Then after that game seven, Marquis coming to you, he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball.

[Isaiah Thomas]

So listen to Point game on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Anthony Rizzo, David Ross, Matt Caesar, Chris Coglan, Albert Almora. Take one. Welcome back to another episode of the Lovable reunion podcast. Today we have three very special guests. Matt Caesar, Chris Coughlin and Albert Almora. Three huge parts of our team. More on the role side, more not on the everyday side. So it's going to be fun to be able to pick their brains and see their vision of what 2016 looked like and relive the memories. Fellas, welcome to the show.

[David Ross]

Yeah, buddy. More relatable to my role than Riz's everyday role. We're going to talk about. We're going to talk about what it's like to grind and not make a lot of money and. Yeah. And try to be a part of,

[Anthony Rizzo]

I think, Cease.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

It starts with you.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You were here. When did you get drafted? 2012. 10.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And me and CES and I were workout partners. Every spring, what like 5:36am Grind. Cease would push me every day in the gym. He's in peak shape.

[David Ross]

Still on that grind. You're still on that grind, Animal? Yeah.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah. I mean, I think it was you pushing me as well. I mean, you came up and I remember. What was it, 2014. You came over. When did you come over?

[Anthony Rizzo]

2012.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

2012. Yeah. Dominated AAA. I mean, I remember deadlifting the house with you doing pull ups. Yeah. I mean, it was just, you know, it's so relatable now because you're always looking for a workout partner. And I think that's what makes people better, that's what made our team better, is because everybody was there trying to get better. They knew their role and they just wanted to be the best at the role. You know, one of the thing that Lester said to me one time was like, you know, it doesn't matter if you're number one guy on the roster or number 25 guy on the roster. Everybody's family here. And I think that that is a real testament to why we won and why teams do win.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah. That's what we've been talking about a lot is every single piece of the puzzle is a reason we won. Without every single person, there's no way we win. And I mean, each one of you probably got. I think you may have gotten the most at bats that year in 16, 200ish.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

CC, you got traded over at the deadline. Al. You had, you're a rookie, you made

[David Ross]

your debut, but you were missing. They brought you back.

[Chris Coghlan]

No, that is. That was awesome. Stinks and then it was awesome. It was so depressing. But then I was so happy when I came back.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Al, when you're a rookie.

[Jason Heyward]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You drafted in the first round, young out of high school. You get called up to this team. What are you thinking? Because you're coming into the big boys, right? We're steamrolling everyone.

[Jason Heyward]

Yeah. I mean, it all. So coming into the show, you're. You have this perception of, like, hey, you're a young guy. Like, stay quiet, Stay to yourself. Like, don't do anything. You know, just play baseball and go home. And I actually shared this story with Rossi yesterday, that one of the first moments that impacted me in the league was first day, first game. He sat right next to me in my locker, and he was like, hey, I don't care if you're a rookie. I don't care if you have 10 years in the show. Like, you're here to help us win. Be yourself and act like yourself and just don't play with any pressure. And that took so much off of me, and just let me be me and I'm quiet on its own, but it just let me just go out there and not be afraid to make mistakes. And it really impacted my career. Yeah.

[David Ross]

He said that means a lot.

[Anthony Rizzo]

That's cool. Damn, look at you, partner.

[David Ross]

It's early. I gotta throw. Choked up earlier this morning, Al telling me his feelings.

[Anthony Rizzo]

When I got called up in San Diego, I had some veterans that were the complete opposite of that. And I stunk in San Diego. My time in San Diego stunk. And I said to myself, I'll never be like that as a veteran. You had some good stories of veterans, too. Cc, cc, Black coffee. We'll get into those stories.

[Chris Coghlan]

You already. Everybody knows who that is.

[David Ross]

Who's that?

[Anthony Rizzo]

We'll get it. So here in Ross, he said, when I get called up to Chicago, Brian Dempster does the same exact thing to me. He goes, hey, man, we stink. Like, we're on our way to losing 100 games. And he's like, but you're here to help us win. And you be you and don't change a thing. Like, exactly what you said verbatim. And that helped me. So hearing that from you as well,

[David Ross]

and over the journey of my career, too, like, coming up and the oldest guy in the room. Right. Certain guys were hard on you. Certain guys were your friend. But the more I was in the league, you learned, like, we need everybody to win. Like, so I want the. I want the guy that's the most insecure to feel the most comfortable so he can have his skill set and help us win ball games.

[Chris Coghlan]

And you're a better.

[David Ross]

I was a better player. I was more comfortable as we all are, right? And you turn into a kid again. So having that pressure of, like, you know, trying to perform for your teammates or other sorts of stuff outside of just caring, you realize doesn't help anybody. So that was. That was a lot learned because of how, you know, you get treated early on from some other guys, and you're like, you still look back like, I hated that motherfucker, you know?

[Anthony Rizzo]

Oh, dude, there's some guys that we

[Chris Coghlan]

hated a lot different, too. Like, the game changed so much, but I do think on the teams I played on, it was for sure really cool. I thought we did such a good job. Welcoming, but still ribbing and never. But not like, hey, Cece, I'm a freeze your suit and cut your suit up, and you're not going to get your clothes, shaving cream, your shoes, and like, hey, me, get in the back and dress like a chick. Go serve everybody stuff. And you're like, bro, we're like, ribbing somebody on the mic, and that's like, ribbing. But it was really good. I thought it was such a good cadence and balance at the same time, where the younger guys could come and feel comfortable. That's so important. So important, because you're so insecure when you get up there. Like you said really well. And I think all of our guys that were older made people feel comfortable, and the young guys balled out.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Well, I don't know how insecure you were. You were in the rookie of the year, so.

[Chris Coghlan]

Well, I was in the beginning, that's for sure. I sucked in the first time.

[David Ross]

Maybe we should have been an asshole to you.

[Chris Coghlan]

I had plenty of that from you, Rn, So we were good.

[Anthony Rizzo]

So, Cece, you were here in 14 when we got into that scuffle with the Reds, and we were talking about it, just how. How that through your vantage point. What. What was that all about?

[Chris Coghlan]

Well, listen, we sucked, okay? And I've been on some sucky teams, and I was like, I'm so tired of sucking. And it was tough. You know, there's an evolution for me. I wasn't a dude. It was my first year over here, you know? But then once I was playing every day, you know, my personality injected in. Um, and we just lacked leadership. You know, you were there, but you were young. You were still developing. You were the dude on our team. We had a couple other guys, but we didn't have that, like, veteran, no frills. And what I know about sucky teams is they lack leadership. They don't have a tone setter. Personality to be able to say, this is bs. We're not putting up with this. Y' all need to toe the line and stop acting like cupcakes. And so, man, when we were getting drummed, I hated. I hated the Cardinals. And I hated. They would just come up and want to hang out and come give you a hug and whatever and then kick your teeth. I'm like, I'm so tired. I don't even want to see those guys. I don't even want to see them in our locker room. I don't even want to go shake their hand. And the. And then it was finally with the Reds when he threw at twice.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Well, it was over his head twice.

[Chris Coghlan]

Yeah. And I still remember we were so pissed. And then, like, I. I just lost it, and you lost it on a whole other level. But. And then when I got out to left field and we were like, gloves were off, I was. I still get jacked up telling the story.

[David Ross]

I.

[Chris Coghlan]

It was a moment for me that. It was like a tone setter that I'll never forget because it was like, we're not going to keep sucking. I felt that after that, I'm. We're not going to get punked around anymore. And then 15, we go get some dudes, and then. Then the story, the narrative starts changing, and that's just a big moment for me, you know, from 14 to 15, and then obviously 15.

[Anthony Rizzo]

16.

[David Ross]

Was there a time in 15 that you guys remember? It's like, oh, we're good. And I know you didn't get up till 16, but, like, 15. Do you remember that switch when we started rolling?

[Chris Coghlan]

I did. I just. Maybe because I hated the Cardinals so much that it was like. And it was a respect for him, you know, it was like, they were the big.

[David Ross]

They're the big boy in the.

[Chris Coghlan]

They were. They earned it. Right? Like, I mean, you get mad respect. I mean, I'm friends with dudes on that team. I mean, I didn't even want to see them because I was like, I remember when you said, hey, bro, Cece, we wear blue. We don't wear red around here. You remember that?

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Oh, yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

And I was like, all right, we're moving the train. We're moving. People are starting to notice little things about winning that nobody ever noticed in 14. And I think when we beat the Cardinals a couple times, it was no biggie to them because it was a regular season, but in my mind, they can't beat us. And I. And then we play them in the division, it was like, I Can't wait to play the Cardinals.

[David Ross]

I remember, I remember Joe saying, taking. You got to take the ball back. You know, I mean, you go on the playground, got to go get the ball back when you want to play. He was referencing St. Louis and to your point, Riz told a story about, you know, the Cardinals coaches and guys coming into the weight room, huggy and all friends. And then we started kicking their butt,

[Anthony Rizzo]

second half of 15, and all of

[David Ross]

a sudden they're not showing up.

[Chris Coghlan]

That's right.

[David Ross]

Nobody says hello. Yeah, okay.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah, it sees. You were.

[David Ross]

I mean.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah, I mean, dude, when I think of Cubs, Cardinals, I just. I think about you screaming the locker room like, cubs, cars.

[Chris Coghlan]

Cars, man.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, dude, 15, it was. Was a death, like, from being there from. From like the Jim Hendry's perspective. Yeah. To get.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Cause Jim Hendry drafted you, right?

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Correct. Yeah. So it was like a complete, you know, 360 change, and the culture just changed. And I think it really started with you. And then for 15, I remember, like, you know, Arrieta just fucking dominated.

[Chris Coghlan]

Dominated.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

And it was like, we're winning every game.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

And it just. Every game, like, you know, he's gonna go and he's going nine innings and he's throwing a two hitter and we're winning. Didn't matter. And I feel like just people started to, like, buy into, we're winning every game. And like, I remember Rossi, we'd be coming in because my locker was right there. If we lost, it was like, it, we're going to win tomorrow. And there was never a point in my. My career, 14, 15 and 16, when I, when I thought we were going

[Anthony Rizzo]

to lose a game, I thought that was the important.

[David Ross]

The good teams I've been on. And we had that in Chicago and I took that into managing. Was like, we slept fine because we didn't beat ourselves. Right. We may have. We may go. We didn't get the big hit or we may get out pitch one one day. But it was like, oh, we'll be back tomorrow because we've got Lester Arietta. Yeah. Hamill, you know, the boys are coming back. And I thought that was such a good thing that I learned later in my career, too. It's like, yeah, And Joe, we were talking yesterday about his 20 minutes. You know, lose hard, win, win hard, and then move on. Right. And the good teams I've been on, it's just like, yeah, we did. As long as we don't beat ourselves, we'll be back the next day doing it.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Doing the same thing. And I think it starts from the top. You, as a leader, you know, Lester Lackey, you. You guys not beating the team up because we lost.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Helps everybody be like, so what? We'll get on tomorrow, you know? And that's. That's why you win.

[David Ross]

You forget, as a veteran, how much impact. Like, looking back when y', all, you guys tell these stories, bro, that. I used to say that when I address the team every spring training, like, the one thing I remember from retiring was we would go and I would see guys around, and they would never talk about the big hit or the big pitch. Right. We'll talk about those today.

[Anthony Rizzo]

How is that guy?

[Chris Coghlan]

How.

[David Ross]

Yeah, how is he? Yeah, how is he?

[Anthony Rizzo]

He's a good teammate.

[David Ross]

This guy affected. He affected my career this way. He bought me a suit. He took me to dinner. He told me how to be a big leaguer. Like, that's the stories people tell. And I would tell my team that, like, that's what your responsibility is really going to be as veterans, because everybody's watching, and you can impact somebody and let them have a long career.

[Anthony Rizzo]

When I got. When I got traded to New York, you know, here I'm. I was here for so long, and I was. And if there was a problem with anything on or off the field, I was the one who went to either the front office or vj, whoever, and had to be the bad guy. Right. So I get traded over to New York, and my first day, we're stretching on the line of Brett Gardner is just ripping someone on the Yankees staff for, like, the music wasn't loud enough at BP or something. And I just sat back. It was like my first home game in New York, and I was so relieved and happy to just love doing that.

[Chris Coghlan]

What are you talking about?

[Anthony Rizzo]

No, I loved it, but I loved seeing someone else do it. And I was. I loved being back behind the scenes in that role and just seeing it, it was so relieving for me, like, seeing a veteran like that take control other people.

[David Ross]

Well, the accountability was what we had in that team, Right?

[Chris Coghlan]

Yeah.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

And it starts. It starts from the top, goes down to the bottom, for sure.

[Chris Coghlan]

I want to tell you this one story. You're talking about 15. You just made me think about darn Cardinals again. But one of my favorite stories with you, there's several of them, but you. You know what I'm talking about. When we had to go to that event, who.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Oh, yeah, it was. Was it Jason Mott's event?

[Chris Coghlan]

Yes. I mean, lack. Yes, yes. Listen, listen. It's a great story. So, you know, the bear's just, you know, he's in there and they put that, like, pad on you, you know, that, like, pad.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And Lackey, John Lackey had fucking drilled me the night before on purpose. On purpose. And we retaliated, right? I think Joe said we were going

[Albert Almora Jr.]

to hit him twice or something like that.

[Chris Coghlan]

It's great because he wish Lackey was here right now in the room with this story.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Well, the thing is, I. I don't have a single hit off John Lackey. Like, he dominates me. But at the time, we were still figuring out that I couldn't hit him and his pitch count was high, and he fricking drilled me right in the sweet spot. And I was hurting.

[Chris Coghlan]

So when you get drilled right there, you can't, like, extend your arm all the way because there's too much swelling. So he's got his pink pad on, you know, and. And we're like. I'm like, riz. He goes, bro, he's taking it off. He can't swallow. And I'm like, bro, what are you doing? We gotta play tomorrow, right? He's like, I can't let Lackey know that he drilled me. And I'm wearing his big. Screw that guy.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I couldn't show a sign of weakness.

[Chris Coghlan]

I said, I knew. I love the bear. This guy's ripping the pink pad off just for an event so he doesn't show any weakness. We were in the, like, taxi. Show no weakness.

[Anthony Rizzo]

CC Jason Mott did a. A cornhole event, I believe, and that was still earlier in 15 where they were still kicking our ass.

[Chris Coghlan]

Yeah, I didn't even want to go.

[David Ross]

We didn't want to go.

[Chris Coghlan]

We're like, why are we going? It was ma.

[David Ross]

Jason Mott came from there.

[Chris Coghlan]

Yeah, it was really, you know, he was kind of the bridge. But it was like, why are we doing this? And we're doing it for a good cause. But we were like, we got to do this with the Cardinals.

[David Ross]

Let's Fast forward to 16. I want to think about that team. And the first thing that comes with the memories, the stories you tell your friends about that 16 team. What are they start with you, Al?

[Jason Heyward]

Just a family. It's just being so close knit. You guys playing freaking Mario Kart, like in. During the World Series, I always tell the story of you guys. Big league. What's it, Vince Vaughn or Vince? Remember when he showed up to the. He showed up to the club, he said, what's up, guys? And everybody's Just locked in. I was a young guy, just looking. I'm like, holy shit. And then Riz got up after the game. He's like, let me go say hi to Vince. Let me go say what's up. It was things like that, just how close knit we were and how we really cared for one another, care for each other's families. Like, that was huge, man. Like being a first year guy just got him married, having a kid.

[David Ross]

And then your dad was going through some stuff.

[Jason Heyward]

Yeah, he had prostate cancer at that time. And yeah, just seeing how much everybody cared and was really in it for the right reasons. And there was, you know, being on different other organizations and seeing how guys go about their business where they, they're pros, right? They just go in, but they work and they go home. But the Cubs there guys were staying after the games. We were even with losses. We'll have little light music playing, like knowing that the next day we're going to come on and beat everybody's ass. Like, it was things like that that really sat with me and all. And I wish I would have got to really experience winning a year or two after feeling losing, what it is like to lose, getting into it and winning our first all you do. That's all I knew. I was like, we're going to win every year. We're going to come in 17, we're going to beat the shit out of everybody and then we lose and we see how that feels and like how, you know, we're not going to see each other. A lot of guys are going different paths, like, so I wish I would have got to experience that a little later in my career, but nonetheless, like, what a great experience, what a great team.

[David Ross]

What about you, Cease?

[Albert Almora Jr.]

I mean, the same thing, man, that's. I literally tell everybody all the time that we were family. Like, we didn't just show up to the ballpark. We did stuff outside the ballpark, like with the families too. It wasn't just like, you know, the boys going out, it was, hey, bring your family, bring your kids, you know, And I just think that's, that's what separates the good teams from the bad teams is like, yeah, it is your job, it's work. But I mean, you can, you can be a family outside of it too.

[David Ross]

It's like Cogs you got, you got kind of the shaft. We're all excited that Dex is back and Cogs is out the door. Right? Like, I mean, to start and then you come back to somewhere you'd been for a while and get to get on that run.

[Chris Coghlan]

Like I said, there were so many emotions for that. I don't know if you guys probably remember. So, yeah, there was such a unique time because I just gone with Theo on, like, a walk to, like. And he's, like, trying to feel me out, and I'm thinking, what? I've never. What are we going on a walk? I'm, like, stretching at 6 in the morning. He's like, hey, can I talk to you? He's like, we'll get it after you work out. And I'm like, no, I'm pretty sure. Let's just go. I've been around the block. What are you doing here?

[David Ross]

Leave me with that.

[Chris Coghlan]

It's six in the morning. I'm not starting my morning. This is in 16. This is spring training. Like, we're about to start spring training the first day we get decks. So he pulls me. This is two days before. I was early at camp. I kind of wanted to always be ready. And so we go for this walk, and we have the talk. I won't go through all the details of that one, you know, but I'm like, yeah, man, I'm. Whatever I got to do, you know? And I hadn't really given my heart to another organization because I got cut in Miami. My heart when I gave so much, when I had all those surgeries. And so I swore I was never going to do that again. I was always just going to look out for my career and play for the boys and my family. And I was like, yeah, I'm cool if I need to be the fourth outfielder. Well, sure enough, the next day, they pulled me off Stretch, you know, And I'll remember this. Y' all were all. And I was excited for Dex, too, but so I had texted Dex two days before or one day before. I'm like, hey, man, hang in there. Because he had gotten the arbitration. And sure enough, we get Dex, Right? Dex is kind of, like, being a little bit, like, vague with me.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah, same that time, bro.

[Chris Coghlan]

And I'm like, what's the deal? So they pull me off Stretch, and they call me in, and I'm like, what the heck? I get traded. I'm like, really? I don't want to say devastated, but I am, like, really hurt and bummed because I'm like, I'm never going to win a World Series. That's. That was what I said. My first reaction. I'm like, what, are you kidding me? I just told you I would play. I would go the fourth outfield. Like, well, you'll find out. So when they. When he. When. When they pull me in, I was just like, oh, my gosh. And then we walk out of the meeting. I'm like, oh, wait, who did you trade me to, Athletics? I'm like, I'm. Everyone's gonna hate me. The cards and the athletics hate me. I'm like, the athletics? Are you kidding me? They suck. And he's like, we think you'll get more playing time. See you later, you know? And I walk out, and here comes Dex. And I hadn't put it together. I just gotten fired, right?

[Anthony Rizzo]

And.

[Chris Coghlan]

And I'm like, dex, what's up? What are you doing here? And he looks at me, and I'm like, oh, that's the news I'm supposed to find out. And I'm like. I'm like. He's like, kind of not. He can't look me in the eye, right? Cause he already knew what was happening.

[Jason Heyward]

Yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

I'm like, hey, man, you didn't do anything. It's all good. I'm happy for you and your family. I get to my locker. They had already cleaned up my whole locker. Dex is already in my locker.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I'm like, no.

[Chris Coghlan]

I look at Danny. I'm like, danny, who's in my locker? He goes, oh, Dex. I'm like, danny, I haven't even gotten fired two minutes. I got nothing in my locker. He goes, well, your boxes are over there.

[Clifford Taylor IV]

I'm like, my boxes?

[Chris Coghlan]

Can I get dressed? I'm still in the same outfit.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's a lot easier to talk about 10 years later.

[Chris Coghlan]

It is. And I walk back out. And now I walk out of the locker room, and here comes Dext and Theo walking together. I'm like, the guy just fired me.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Everyone's all humpy dory.

[Chris Coghlan]

Everybody's happy. The news is everywhere. So I shower. I'm by myself, shower, and I get out, and it's all in the news. Everyone's excited, and I'm happy for every one of you guys and the whole team. And I'm like, wow, this is so sobering. Like, I was there, and now I'm not. And now I'm getting a taxi with my boxes, and I got to call my wife. I just got fired, and we're moving to Oakland. Like, we just went from first place

[Albert Almora Jr.]

to last place baseball.

[Anthony Rizzo]

So that's a good stuff. That's a good kind of tale of baseball in general, because someone's getting called up, someone's losing their job at all times. And as a professional, you have to balance that because as excited as we were for decks and oh, we're also losing a brother, that his whole family's about to get rocked. Right? Like, that's what people don't understand. Getting traded, you get rocked quick, you know, getting sent down like you're part of the team.

[Robert Smigel]

Especially pitch another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy. Not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier this week. My guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Who's the worst singer in the group?

[Anthony Rizzo]

The worst?

[Robert Smigel]

Yeah, Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge

[Chris Coghlan]

donation to the group?

[Albert Almora Jr.]

To the group, the Yard Birds.

[Chris Coghlan]

Right?

[Timbo (Sports Slice Host)]

That's the name.

[Robert Smigel]

The Harvard Yard.

[Chris Coghlan]

But they're open.

[CJ Toledano]

If you have a name suggestion.

[David Ross]

We're open.

[Robert Smigel]

Since you guys are middle aged, one

[Chris Coghlan]

erection,

[Robert Smigel]

listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Chris Coghlan]

Humor me.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I need some jokes to make me seem funny.

[Timbo (Sports Slice Host)]

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the Internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source. The athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions. The stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight reel. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls. We break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports slice on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice Life 12 and the TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

[Clifford Taylor IV]

What's up, guys? This is Clifford Taylor IV and on my podcast, the Clifford Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff like being an Internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker. This linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

[Chris Coghlan]

What?

[Clifford Taylor IV]

Time out, quarterback on offense.

[Chris Coghlan]

Blue 42.

[Clifford Taylor IV]

Hey, Rhett, my mama wants you to wave at her.

[Chris Coghlan]

What?

[Clifford Taylor IV]

Where's she at? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jared Adonno]

Hey, I'm Jared Adonno. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out help on the Internet.

[Chris Coghlan]

Help. Somebody, please.

[Jared Adonno]

But there's so much more to me than that. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Psych. I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Cream of chicken soup.

[Clifford Taylor IV]

Hey, Cream.

[Jared Adonno]

Cream of chicken soup. This is help from a hypocrite. The worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to help from Hypocrite as part of the Mike Kultura Podcast Network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Podcasts.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Right. You. You've guys been up and down a few times, right? You weren't eyes up and down as much.

[Chris Coghlan]

I went. Yeah, I went down twice.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah. 15. I was up and down nine times.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Nine times.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

So it's like, yeah, they did something.

[David Ross]

You can't even do that anymore.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Well, because of me, it's.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Wow.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah. So it was like every. Every two, three weeks I was up and down.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah. So, like, you're excited for someone to get called up and then you see someone getting sent out. So it's like, these emotions are crazy. But speaking of that, you guys were with us for the most part. You got called up, but you were with us all year in 16, right?

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I think you got sent down once.

[Jason Heyward]

No.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And speaking of roles and being happy for guys at the deadline or during July, we. We get you back, cc and you guys, that's going to cut from your playing time, right? We're getting another outfielder. It's like, how do you handle that? Because you weren't already playing every day, you were getting decent at bats, but you weren't everyday guys. And then we bring in another guy. You're like, what the. Like, how do you handle that? Because it's not easy, right? It can't be easy.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah. Personally Well, I mean, it's not, it's not cogs.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Of course, it's no one's fault.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah. So it's like, you know, you gotta control what you can control. And I think one of the things that I always kind of hung my hat on was just working hard and trying to do things right. I stayed in my lane. I didn't really, you know, around or do anything out of the ordinary, like got my workouts in, got my training in, took bp, shagged hard. You know, when I played, got the opportunity, I just tried to ball out. So control what you can control and

[Anthony Rizzo]

you're the man on the bench, you would ski.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

It's just, you know, you got to be positive because you want to be, you want to, you still want to win and you don't want to be a cancer in the organization because one, nobody likes you and.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

And two, you just don't want to bring the team down.

[David Ross]

I think that's one of the hardest things to do though, as a young guy, especially when you have expectations or high round guys, you want to come in, you really want to play. And also it's not, it may not be your time yet, you know, and being patient in that and continue to work hard and not well.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah, the competitive edge. I mean, I still always think that I'm. Because I put in the work, that you always think that you're better than people because you're like, man, I should

[Anthony Rizzo]

be playing on the bad teams. Yeah, bad teams. You have the guys that are bitter that.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Correct. Everyday. Exactly.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Right.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And I, I play with a lot of guys like that and there's no disrespect to them.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

But then when you get on the good teams, you know, you weren't young, like, maybe young service time, but you were in the big leagues in 14, up and down. 14, 15, 16. So yeah, you were younger.

[Jason Heyward]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Did you know any better? Like what was your emotion?

[Jason Heyward]

I was so, you know, oblivious to it all. I was just happy to be and try to help whenever I get the chance.

[David Ross]

Like, I knew that you're stage one with, with Joe. Remember Joe?

[Jason Heyward]

Happy to be there.

[Chris Coghlan]

Happy to be there.

[Jason Heyward]

But, but it really, I, I knew that 16, there was something special going on. Remember I got called up when, I think when Solaire something hurt his hamstring in June and like I knew I was going to be there for a time or a limited time and I just wanted to, you know, take the most of it and, and try to, you know, do my best and be prepared But I knew what was going on. We were, like, 20 games up in the. In the division at that time. I just wanted to help and not, you know, mess anything up, but. But I. I knew that I was going to be a role player that year. I wasn't. Even though, as an athlete, like, you know, Cee says, we know we could play. We know we could be in there every day. But I was just taking it all in and just helping as much as I could.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah. What? Give us some of your guys. Favorite things that pop to your mind when you talk about, like, plane rides, bus rides, behind the scenes.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Do you remember when we were driving and the girl had a cast on?

[David Ross]

Yeah. I tell that story, and nobody knows that. I'm so glad you brought that up.

[Chris Coghlan]

Dude.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

That was, like, from dinner. Yep.

[David Ross]

Oh, my gosh. We're jammed into a mini. A taxi minivan, and there's, like eight of us in there. Big.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

I mean, we were in Colorado. I think we went to Elways, I think.

[Chris Coghlan]

Yeah, that's right.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

That's right.

[Anthony Rizzo]

That's right.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

I guess I'll tell the story. So this.

[CJ Toledano]

We were.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

We were like, yeah, in a car, and there was a girl next to us. I don't know if she had a cast on, and her hand was like this. And Rossi gives her, like, she had.

[David Ross]

We were next. I rolled down the cab window, and she had a cat. You know, she had her whole wrist cast, so it's like, you know how it goes over here? And she had it on the edge and was holding the steering wheel like this. So I roll down the window, and I get her attention, and she, like, looks, and I'm like,

[Albert Almora Jr.]

dude, it was like, we made it funny. It was the most random thing ever.

[Chris Coghlan]

Like, I believe you remember that.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

So good. I mean, dude, it's just. It puts into perspective. Everybody's just normal people. Right. Like, you know, and I. People don't look at it like that, but I don't know.

[David Ross]

That's a good one.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah, that's a good one. I think there was one more. Was. I always tell the story about the gump when.

[Chris Coghlan]

Oh, with the fans.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah. So, you know, we were slapping everybody's high five. High five.

[Anthony Rizzo]

After a win.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

After a win. Yeah. And, you know, I was a bench player, so I'm always at the end. Rossi wasn't catching that day, and we

[David Ross]

stood next to each other a lot on the bench, so we sat together,

[Albert Almora Jr.]

and he's like, hey, hey, Cecil, watch this. He spits his gum out.

[Chris Coghlan]

He throws it.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

He throws it to the fan's like, get up. Like, dude. He's like, they love us here.

[Anthony Rizzo]

They love us here.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

It was incredible.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It was incredible.

[Chris Coghlan]

That was the old duck out too, where you're like, right next to the person. They can, like, catch it in their

[Albert Almora Jr.]

mouth or, like, feed the animals. Feed the animals.

[Anthony Rizzo]

There's so many things that go on behind the scenes that just no one knows. Camera, even if the camera.

[Chris Coghlan]

I love that memory.

[David Ross]

That's great.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Real gum. Took it out of his mouth, tossed it. I don't know if the guy threw it in the his mouth or not, but he. He caught it and he was like. I'm like, this is. This is the greatest thing I've ever seen.

[Chris Coghlan]

He's so happy he's got a piece

[Albert Almora Jr.]

of gum out of David Ross's mouth. He's like, he's pumped about it.

[Jason Heyward]

I. I like the plane. Love the plane rides, especially as a young guy. We had the beer, carrying the beer. And then the back of the plane was you, Les Lack, and all those guys. And I, you know, I would sit on the front. I would sit behind you. It was kbu and then me. And then I. Whenever I hear Lester, you know, I'll be here. And I would just want to go back there and just want to be in the back with the guys. And it's a lot of experience back there, you know, and even as a younger, I wanted to see how. How they acted, how was the show, how was it being in the show? And yeah, those. Those are the memories that you take with and just the plane rides, the bus rides, the picking on, like, you know, the. The mic stuff.

[David Ross]

The mic stuff's fun.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

Good, good, good. Mike, guys, like, always. Always key. Always key freaking.

[Jason Heyward]

Fellas, fellas, fellas.

[Anthony Rizzo]

That was like Johnny Lester, he stole us from Ortiz.

[David Ross]

That was Ortiz in Boston. Keys would get on there in his Latin act like, fellows, fellas, fellas on bus rides.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Whenever we're traveling and when we land

[David Ross]

in the city, when we land in

[Anthony Rizzo]

the city, sometimes on the way, but there's always a mic guy on the bus. So John Lester was our guy. And. And John had to get some liquid courage to really get going when he was going. It was. It was must watch entertainment.

[Chris Coghlan]

It was a light show.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And we had Miguel Montero in the back, like, doing it, running his part. We had the whole. The whole cast of character. No one was safe.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Nobody.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And. But John on the mic was. Was incredible.

[David Ross]

It's funny how you talk about that, Al. Like you. As your career progresses, it's nice to be a veteran when you start to get creep back on a team and you get to the back of the plane like that is. It's a real status thing, right. That nobody ever talks about, but you have to pick your own seat. Unless, I mean, you sat up front,

[Chris Coghlan]

go in the back.

[David Ross]

Huh?

[Chris Coghlan]

You couldn't go little deep.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Little deep.

[Chris Coghlan]

There's a couple reminders. You, you threw some breadcrumbs. Little deep.

[David Ross]

Little deep. Joe would come back.

[Chris Coghlan]

I'm like, little deep.

[David Ross]

Y. Madden, you're a little deep.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Let's get, let's get to the World Series. Yeah. I mean, we rolled through the playoffs. We have this amazing team. We get to the World Series. Really three different scenarios here all in one. You got left off the roster and you were chapped, I remember. And I was chapped for you because you were such a big part of our, of our culture, of our team. Right. And you're on the bench the entire time being like the best person there is. That's why everyone loves you.

[David Ross]

You didn't change a bit. That's the, that's.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

That's hard to do. That's. You know, what am I going to do?

[David Ross]

Right.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Exactly.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Am I going to be a.

[Anthony Rizzo]

No, no.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

I want my team to win.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Exactly.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Like.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Even though I wasn't on the roster, you know, I still.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You were every bit on that roster.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

Like, I want to say something real quick because you really were like, I'm going to get sentimental, but it is really cool to see. It's so rare, you know, like for yours because you like changed your swing that year. You were hitting some pumps. You were a different dude offensively. And to see you do that and then it is so hard. I can't imagine I wasn't in that shoe, but I. Mine was different. But like you were a pro, pro dude. And that you deserve mad respect for that. Just the genuineness that you. It shows heart and your character.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's that South Jersey. And I'm thinking about, you know, real

[Albert Almora Jr.]

like, here's, here's like a stat and I'm not a stat guy, but I, you know, led the league and pinch hits off.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yes.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

At the All Star break, bro, you

[Anthony Rizzo]

were like our best. You and Lello.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

So I don't know.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

Right.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Like, am I better?

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Obviously I wanted to play and. But you know, I wanted to play.

[David Ross]

But I think too, what's cool about this room in this group is like everybody recognized that. And the fact that like, if I look back and people ask about you. This is you right here. Every day, you're the same way now. I follow you on Instagram every morning. You're homework and grinding and my inspiration.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah, I just.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

I think it's. It's really, you know, like, I just want to be consistent and I don't want my career, my life to go down right. Like, my first 33 years of my life was a fucking really special time. So, you know, as I'm growing older, fans, your kids, friends, like, I want them to see, like, wow, that that dude is fucking still doing it, right? And I want to do that because I don't want the kid down the street that wants my autograph when I'm 45 years old and we're doing the 20 year anniversary and I look like a fat slob. Be like, wow, that dude was a really good athlete. You know, I want to be able to, like, show and it's. And lead by example, right? Like, what I tried to do on the field, like, I want to do that forever.

[Chris Coghlan]

Yeah, you.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Well, you always have. You always.

[David Ross]

I was working out a little extra hard just for this reunion because I'm like, okay. I don't want the boys to be like, oh, Ross,

[Albert Almora Jr.]

you think about it like, you. You're. You're at the. The peak performance. You're the highest level. Why, like, not be. Be at that or close. Yeah, sure. You know, you can.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Al You. You're on the roster, right? And then Cece started game one. Started game one, which is again, in baseball. You're pumped, bro. You're starting game one of the world's two Chicago Cubs. But you're also starting for our. Yeah, our guy, right? J. Hey. Who was the right fielder?

[Chris Coghlan]

It was so.

[Anthony Rizzo]

That was a very. I remember when Joe pulled that trigger and started you game one, it was like, whoa, right? And it was like, you're excited, you're happy. There's also like, oh, J. He's not playing. Jay. He's played like, J. He just signed the big deal. Yeah, he's one of our guys.

[Chris Coghlan]

It was. It was hard because they were texting me. I'll give you insight. It was Davey, you know, and he's texting me. He's like, hey, you're going to start game one. This is before, you know, how we send the lineup.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

And I'm thinking like, hey, no, like, what I mean, I'm like, my role was like, to pinch hit and like, the pitcher come in and then I walk off or like, I will walk. That was kind of like, yeah, My role, right? I'm not clowning it. I mean, that's just really what I was there to do.

[David Ross]

I understood that every piece matters, so.

[Chris Coghlan]

So I'm like, okay. And again, the dog in me is like, oh, I can't wait. Right? Like, I'm like, yeah, I'm gonna shock the world. These guys are gonna go, who's this clown star? What happened to J. Hayes? He, like, lost his arm. And then I felt for J. He. Cause everyone did. He was. That was a tough year. You want to talk about another guy with character that posted under tremendous pressure and weight, didn't have the year. Mad respect for that character that he just toed the line. And then I was like, where am I playing? He's like, left field. And I'm like, okay, cool. Five minutes later. Hey, what do you think about playing right field? I'm like, are you kidding? I haven't played. I hadn't started. I don't know how many days it's been. What is it, like, 30 days between. Like, I don't even know. It's probably been two months since I started a game. And I was like, yeah, where? Wherever you want to play me, right? He's like, well, Zo wants to play it. Stay in left. I'm like, yeah, I'll go play, right? I don't know. The last time I played right field, I was like, whatever, dude. I'm ready to roll. And then I got. Yeah, 100%. I just kept saying, doc used to tell us all the time, when you get scared, it's the same emotion as being excited, but they manifest two totally different ways. And so when you feel that butterfly, antsy feeling, just tell yourself how jacked up and excited you are. And I started doing that in 15, and, like, it changed my career.

[David Ross]

Like, wow.

[Chris Coghlan]

I couldn't swing at the first pitch of a ball game when I'd lead off because I was afraid to get out for seven years, I couldn't do it. Go, look. It's just pump, strike one. And I had to go say that story. And then I hit one, and I'm like, like, oh, my gosh, this thing works. So that's why I just kept telling myself every three seconds, I'm excited. I'm excited, I'm excited. Give it to me, please. Hit it to me.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Meanwhile, it's, like 20 degrees in Cleveland. It was freezing, the wind swirling. Fans are crazy. We. We go down three, one, right? And everyone, this is why I. We love doing this, is because people want to talk about 16 KB won the MVP. Lester's finished second in the CY Young.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Right.

[Anthony Rizzo]

We have a lot of big names, but without the role of. Seriously, you three in particular. Solaire as well.

[David Ross]

I'll throw myself in that boat.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah, you're in that boat, too.

[David Ross]

Yeah, I was a role player. I played once a week.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And you know what, bro? You were a role player who taught

[David Ross]

a lot of guns. No, I just mean, like, I can relate to that, how hard it is to pinch hit, to not play for a month. And, you know, I had.

[Chris Coghlan]

I had four days off, and if

[David Ross]

Lester sucked, I came out in the third, you know, like, no, get your bat out of there, buddy.

[Anthony Rizzo]

We had. We had Tommy Listell on the team. Tommy quit at some point during the.

[Chris Coghlan]

Oh, my gosh.

[Anthony Rizzo]

They sent Tommy down, which was bullshit, right? We were pissed that they sent Tommy down because it was for. It was like a paper move, and they needed a spot, and Tommy Listell had an option, and Tommy was like that. Like, I'm your. It was. It was you two that were like, yeah, righty, lefty. He was righty. Tommy was the lefty off the bench. And we. They banged off the bench. They were our guys. So when they sent Tommy down, Tommy was like this. I'm going home. And, like, Tommy went home. I remember I was so mad that they sent him down, and then I was so mad at Tommy for. For, like, quitting on us. But in the end, he didn't quit on us. He was just. He was so upset.

[Jason Heyward]

I was in Triple A when that happened, and I remember texting Tommy, hey, you know, it's not that bad down here, you know, Come hang out. We'll grind, you know?

[Chris Coghlan]

And so I had come back. I'd gotten. What did I have? I had no bleak in New York. I shouldn't have kept swinging, and I was an idiot. But anyhow, so I come back, you guys have been hitting off the bench, and I. I don't know what's gonna happen. I'm just taking. Doing my thing.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Oh, is that when Tommy got. Yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

So I come. I come back.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Oh, so great for.

[Chris Coghlan]

For you, Rossi. You'll get a good laugh out of this. So I come back, and then I see the news, and it's the same thing, right? I've been on the other side of that coin, like, so many times. And I know people. All of us are so tight. It's like, we got. I mean, we were the best in the world because we had so much talent, right? And it was like, man, you only got 25 spots. There's only so many roles. So he gets sent down. And I felt the same way. I felt bad. I texted him. But then I was like, the quitting thing, really, really. I've never seen that. And that really bothered me, so. But I was in a really tough situation because I was the cause of it. So we're playing the Mariners the first game and Joe hits me lead off. And do you remember we had a scouting. Do you remember this? So we finished the scouting thing and you come over and we're walking out of the room. I hadn't been there 20 minutes. And he pulls the Rossi, right? Hey, Cox, come here. He goes, if you screw this up, he's mother, right? He's mother. If you screw this up. We just sent a really good guy down. You better get your stuff together. Do something. I want to punch him in the face. I'm dead serious. I come back and ain't many times I wanted to go toe to toe with him. And I was like, are you really coming at me like that right now? And so we play the game. I go, I think it was 2 for 4 with a walk. I hit a two run single. We win the game. And you're like, great game. I'm like, bro, fricking don't talk to me for like three days.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Don't talk, bro. I had a. When I got traded, when I got traded here, Andrew Cashner, who I got traded for, was throwing like throwing 100 in San Diego. And Jeff Baker goes, hey, Riz, you better fucking pan out because Kashner's over there in san Diego throwing 100. And I to this day remember that. But Tommy ended up addressing the team when he came back and was just like, he went through his own personal thing. And Tommy's one of my favorite teammates I ever had.

[David Ross]

It was a big deal. We had team meeting. It was a big deal. It was like a lot of turmoil. Remember that?

[Anthony Rizzo]

That was within the season, within the greatest season of like the history of this organization, right? So we. We go down three one, right? Where. Where do you guys feel like we have? We can win this? Like, where is your guys motivation? Because not being the everyday guy, are you guys just like, like, do you feel help? What?

[Chris Coghlan]

For me, when we went down 3:1, I said to you, I was like, man, these movers have been asking me when to come pick Mike stuff up. Now I know when to send them because we're winning this thing. Do you remember when I told you that?

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

When to come grab my stuff? Because we're going seven boys and winning.

[Anthony Rizzo]

So we're down three one. We win game five, we go into game, we roll in game six, we go into game seven. Let's get right to the rain delay. Where, where are you guys at? Raja hits this home run, right? All these emotions, worried. I know where I was at on first base. Where are you guys at on game seven after Raja hits the home run? What's going through your minds?

[Albert Almora Jr.]

I mean, I like when they took Hendrix out, I was like, what the fuck's going on? So like that's, that was like my, that's where my head was at. And you know, I. That's where I was.

[David Ross]

He led the league in ERA that year.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah, I know. And he like dealt. And I know there was like, there's like statistics.

[Robert Smigel]

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier this week. My guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Who's the worst singer in the group?

[Anthony Rizzo]

The worst?

[Robert Smigel]

Yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

Me.

[Robert Smigel]

Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents are made a

[Chris Coghlan]

huge donation to the group?

[Jason Heyward]

To the group.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

The Yard Birds. Right?

[Timbo (Sports Slice Host)]

That's the name.

[Robert Smigel]

The Harvard Yard.

[Chris Coghlan]

They're open.

[CJ Toledano]

Do you have a name suggestion?

[David Ross]

We're open.

[Robert Smigel]

Since you guys are middle aged, one erection. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smal and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Chris Coghlan]

Humor me.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I need some, some jokes to make me seem funny.

[Timbo (Sports Slice Host)]

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the Internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source. The athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions. The stuff nobody gets to hear year the laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight reel. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls. We break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports slice on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo, slice Life 12 and the TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

[Clifford Taylor IV]

What's up, guys? This is Clifford Taylor the fourth. And on my podcast, the Clifford Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff, like being an Internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game, this linebacker, you know these kids. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

[Chris Coghlan]

What?

[Clifford Taylor IV]

Time out, quarterback on offense, blue 42.

[David Ross]

Hey, ref.

[Clifford Taylor IV]

Mom, I'mma want you to wave at her.

[Chris Coghlan]

What?

[Clifford Taylor IV]

Where's she at? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jared Adonno]

Hey, I'm Jared Adono. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out help on the Internet.

[Chris Coghlan]

Somebody please.

[Jared Adonno]

But there's so much more to me than that. I'm an actor, I'm a comedian. And recently I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Psych. I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Cream of chicken soup.

[Clifford Taylor IV]

Hey, cream.

[Jared Adonno]

Cream of chicken soup. This is help from a hypocrite. The worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to help from Hypocrite. As part of the Mike Kultura Podcast Network. Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,

[Anthony Rizzo]

or wherever you get your podcasts that go through.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

You know, third time through, like 4:1, right?

[David Ross]

Yeah, yeah. Till I got in and it up.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

So, yeah, that. That was kind of where my head was at. And then we get to the rain delay and. And yeah, I mean, I think j. Hey was just speaking his mind, what everybody thought.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Wanted to win for the boys. That's.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Do you guys ever think of a curse or any of that pressure?

[Jason Heyward]

As soon as Roger Davis hit it.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Jason Heyward]

I go, so this is what it's like to be a Cubs fan.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Like,

[Chris Coghlan]

yeah, I love it.

[Jason Heyward]

12 year old guy, I was like, we're up through seven. What, seven to three at the time, whatever. And then he hits the homer.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

And I.

[Jason Heyward]

As loud as the stadium was the dugout. You could Hear a pencil drop as

[Anthony Rizzo]

loud as we were ghosts in that dugout.

[Jason Heyward]

I heard Rob's just rising, just yelling, and I'm just like, no way. Like, no way. We're about to lose around. And then, yeah, the rain delay. And I'm walking in right before, you know, J calls all the guys into the weight room. Davey pulls me aside, and he's like, hey, when we pick this back up, Schwarber's Schorber gets Schorber hits a double. His initial, you know, plan was like, hits a double, you're gonna pinch it. If it's a base hit, he's gonna stay out there. So, like, all right, I'm. I'm walking into the weight room as J. He's like, all right. And then Davey wants to walk in, and he's like, no, no, no. Remember?

[Chris Coghlan]

I remember that.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Jason Heyward]

It's just the boys.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Jason Heyward]

And I was like, oh. And then seeing Chappie in the corner.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Oh, Chappie's emotional.

[Chris Coghlan]

And I'm like, I went.

[David Ross]

Got him from the bench, Mary. He's the only one miss. I went and got him from the bench. I got to the bench, and he's sobbing on the bench with his head. I'm like, you know, he never showed that kind of emotion. And this giant of a man, I'm like, yeah, I'm going to chill thinking about it. I'm like, bro, come here.

[Chris Coghlan]

We're not even.

[David Ross]

We're not even sniffing this game if you're not on our team, you know?

[Chris Coghlan]

Right?

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

I felt like it was the greatest thing because when we. When he did it and I said, I say something to J. Hey, I randomly saw him in Jackson Hole and said the same thing, like, years ago. It was like, bro, it was just so well timed and authentic in J. Hey. With everything that J. Hey had going on, just him, the layer of the team, of course. But, like, it was so authentic again and genuine that it was like. And I get shivers every time. Sometimes I get choked up because, like, when you see Chappie and you're like, dude, this guy is the man. He was gained everything. I mean, he's got no more bullets left. The guy hits three. Hits a round ball, round bat off a round pole. 350. It's like. And then we went out there and thumped him, and it was like, amazing. But I did have the emotion when he hit it off the thing. I vividly remember LeBron James jumping up and down.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Like.

[Chris Coghlan]

And I'm like, I freaking hate the Cavs. Right? And I'M like. And the next thing I thought is my jaw was like this as he was running around. And I remember the cameras. I'm like, if they catch a glimpse of my jaw, I literally was thinking, this. This is going to be on the front page or something. I look like an idiot. And then I was like, then the rain delay happened, and then it kind of reset.

[David Ross]

We need to get a list of teams. You actually like organizations, so there's a lot that you do. Yeah, yeah, yeah, There you go.

[Anthony Rizzo]

But, bro, the biggest. The biggest. The biggest play in the World Series, in my opinion, other than Chappie getting through the ninth on the offensive side, is you, Albert.

[David Ross]

You got to walk us through. I've thought about this so many times.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Paint the picture of.

[Chris Coghlan]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

I mean, Schwarbs gets on.

[Jason Heyward]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

And you pinch run for Schwarbs.

[Anthony Rizzo]

So 10th inning. 10th inning, game seven of the world Series.

[Jason Heyward]

I'm in the. You know, I see Schwarbs on. Lead off, Rock leading rocket. No, but it wasn't a double, right?

[Anthony Rizzo]

So you're like.

[Jason Heyward]

I'm like, oh, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not there yet. But I'm like. I'm, like, peeking over.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah, that's.

[David Ross]

The manager changes his mind.

[Jason Heyward]

You're like, right away, we got to get over.

[David Ross]

Yeah, the manager does change his mind.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

That's like. That's a different, like, story, too, because now you're. You're like, oh.

[Jason Heyward]

But I'm like, that's a different. I'm seeing him on first, and I'm peeking over at Joe, and he's talking to Davey, and you. You could, like. I could read his lips. And he said, almora. And then as soon as he said that, Davey turns around, looks at me, we lock eyes, and he's like, go. I was like, oh, shit. You know what I mean? It's game seven, Ty game. We're in extras. Like, I remember being the most nervous I've ever been on a baseball field. On those four steps, getting out to the field, I was like, oh, shit. I didn't even want. I didn't want to trip. I just wanted to get the first. The moment I got the first, and I looked around, and I saw, like, the stadium packed to the gills. That's a big stadium that holds a lot of people. And Nap was on first, and Hider's there.

[David Ross]

Did Hyde tell you anything?

[Jason Heyward]

I don't remember, honestly. No. I think he was like, just don't get picked off. I think what's going through My mind as well. But I remember making a comment to Nap saying, this shit's pretty cool, huh? You know, like, trying to calm myself down, like, through, you know, through little comments here. And he didn't say anything.

[Robert Smigel]

Anything, bro.

[Anthony Rizzo]

He was a kind of a mute over there, too.

[Jason Heyward]

He didn't say anything. And when he didn't say anything, he was locked in.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

All right.

[Jason Heyward]

Like, it's, It's.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's on.

[Jason Heyward]

So. Yeah. And Shaw was pitching. He picked over a couple times, and KB Was hitting. And I, you know, I knew I wasn't going to steal. I looked over to second base and it looked 100ft away.

[David Ross]

It looked so far.

[Jason Heyward]

And so when he hit that fly ball, obviously no outs were taught to tag. But in that moment, I was more reading Davis the way he was coasting to the ball. And as an outfielder, like, I know when that's happening, it's either a homer. Like, he's either. It's either going to be over his head or for a homer or he's going to make the play because he wasn't full.

[David Ross]

I thought KB clipped it when he hit it.

[Anthony Rizzo]

If that's. If that's an hour earlier or earlier, it's over those bushes. Yeah, he crushed that bush because the wind turned around. It started blowing in of front from there.

[Jason Heyward]

So it was a. It was when I knew it was either going to be a homer or caught, I was like, I got to get back because if it's caught, I got to be on second. And if it's a homer, like, he's going to break and we're going to jog together and it's going to be sick. So, yeah, I just went back.

[Anthony Rizzo]

To be able to do that at 22 years old as a rookie is like, insane. And what people don't understand at home is that's not how we're taught to play. You're taught to go halfway three quarters, and then you go tag up with no outs at first base, but your instincts taken over, got you to second, and then the rest is history.

[David Ross]

Well, and that's why I think it's so important. Every little detail, we talk about that when you. The biggest games of your life and the fact of you learned that a long time ago in player development and why coaches are important and why, you know, learning throughout and growing and seeing certain moments, and you go and you do that like, I wasn't even thinking. I was thinking about the homer. I wasn't even thinking about that. And you tag up and go. And then they walk Riz.

[Jason Heyward]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

And then Zo and I.

[Jason Heyward]

When. So I tag up and I get the second, and obviously, I felt so long to get there, and then I slide. And Lyndor just, like, kept trying to, like, tag me and tag me just to, like, you know, he wanted me to, like, to step off in that excitement. And I've made sure I was like, I gotta have both of these. But I knew what was gonna happen. They were gonna walk you to face Zoe. And Zo was the hottest hitter in that whole series, you know, And I know a little bit. I know play with Lindor a little bit in high school with one of those USA teams. I look back at him, I go, this is a bad decision because, you know, to walk him and to face Zo. And he was also very quiet. Didn't say anything to me, and, yeah, the rest was history.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Damn. That's. I mean, that's. Well, that's the little. That's what we talk about. And we.

[David Ross]

Such a big deal.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's been the theme of everyone. We've got.

[Chris Coghlan]

What were you thinking when you went. When that happened? Right. When he finishes tagging, you're walking up. You want to be the man. You want to get.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I'm starting going through my whole data. Data, mine.

[Chris Coghlan]

Well, give it to me. I want to hear it.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I'm like, all right. Are they going to pitch to me? If he does pitch to me, he's going to be aggressive with me. Am I swinging early? I know he throws the cutter.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And he likes to do it. Do I swing early? The situation is there's one out, maybe. So I'm running all these numbers through my head as I'm taking that little walk to the dugout. And I'm like, they're probably going to walk me, but I can't show that they're going to walk me. And I get up there, I'm like, all right, I'm just going to take my bat and drive this run in. The next thing you know, I see the four, the intentional walk. I'm like, right. Like game seven of the World Series, which you dream of. Yeah. I selfishly wanted that moment.

[David Ross]

Yeah. When you were locked in and you had a home run the night before, like. Yeah, you were. You were swinging it good.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah. Well, we didn't even get into this. Which we need to pivot. Game 4, 3 or 4 of the NLCS. I was. I was stunk in the DS. I was irrelevant. The first three games of the DS. I also. Or CS. I also stunk. I was Irrelevant to our team. I was just playing defense, and I switched over to the Matt Caesar bat.

[David Ross]

Remember that?

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah, that. Literally, like, I got hot with that.

[David Ross]

It was a 33 and a half.

[Anthony Rizzo]

33 and a half. 31. Well, I think.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

I think you did that, like, during the season.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I've done it well, because with. So I would choke up with two strikes. So instead of choke when I. My swing got long, I would go to your bat because it was shorter. Yeah. So I would keep me tighter. But I. I switched to your bat, and I took off in the playoffs, and I rode that the whole way. I remember Ken Rosenthal asked me in the World Series, hey, I noticed you're using a different bat. And I told him the story, but I was like, ken, please do not break this. Because, like, I don't want them to know I'm using something shorter because I don't want them to adjust their. Their scattering points. And, like, that's what I believed. I, Like, I literally believe. I didn't use your bat with your name on it. If it had my name on it.

[CJ Toledano]

I did.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I did it.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

I think World Series, it was like, you know, just the fact that you change something up, you know, helps put something in your. Your brain.

[David Ross]

It's funny how mental.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah. Yeah, it really is.

[Anthony Rizzo]

But, bro, that bat was like.

[David Ross]

And then you went off.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah, I went off, hit homer in the. I hit a homer with it in the cs. I rolled in the World Series. But if I don't switch to the Matt Caesar model Maruchi bat, I. You say you still have it under your bed?

[Albert Almora Jr.]

KB 117? Yeah, I have it under my bed in case I got any intruder signature. I got him.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Was it for that Christmas you signed me one?

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah, your dad had me. Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You signed me a bat for Christmas. I still have it at the house.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

There's. There's a lot of, like, coincidence as with that, too, because that was the. Which is. This is just crazy. The same day that my second E60 came out was the day you switched to the bat.

[Anthony Rizzo]

No.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah. And so did that. That recoup of the recap of the bone marrow donation. They almost kind of, like, did it around 2016 season, and then they released it that day, and then you changed your bat and went off. So, like, that's. I. I just really don't think that there's things like, full circle. Yeah, yeah. It's wild, you know, because you battle and survive cancer. I donated bone marrow to help somebody survive cancer. On that day that it was released, you Changed your bat.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Damn. I didn't know that. Yeah. And wow.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

You went off so it's like, I don't know.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Well, it's the power, too, of like Zeus.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Our friendships thinking about it, our friendship working out. Like, if we, if we didn't work out together, if, if we weren't comfortable and we didn't build that relationship. I'm not touching your bat ever. You know what I mean? It's like all these things have to come together.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

For us to win and, and then we do.

[David Ross]

And. What are you guys thinking? Al? You score that run, we win. We got a little hairy, but they got one back. M gets that big hit to give us the second one. Right.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

He'll let you know.

[Chris Coghlan]

I don't think I agree.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Even that grand slam and like, that's. Yeah, that's huge.

[David Ross]

That was one of my favorite moments of the season. That grand slam he hit was epic. With all the chess match with Joe and Dave Roberts and bringing Blanton and Switch again. And one of the loudest I've ever heard.

[Chris Coghlan]

Was it 12 or 02?

[David Ross]

Think it was 02?

[Anthony Rizzo]

02.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

I was hitting and I was wanting the same spot. I'm like, oh, my gosh. I'm, I'm gonna, I'm gonna get my glory. This is great.

[David Ross]

I love, I love your mental.

[Chris Coghlan]

Talk to yourself.

[David Ross]

This is me.

[Clifford Taylor IV]

I'm gonna do it.

[Chris Coghlan]

I'm gonna do it. No, you're good. And then Mickey hits the Gram song. Like, that's such a better situation.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

Oh, yeah. No, dude, Miggy came up so big for us, and I feel like he does, he does well.

[David Ross]

And I, from a catcher standpoint, and I can't wait to talk to Miggy because just all the catching side of it. But the fun thing for me is, like, when I came out of the game, I got, I walked, got pitched, hit four, and then he came in the game and got chappy through that ninth. And he spun it a lot, right. He spun, he spun my gun like he was in there and locked in. And it just shows like, like we, we used on our 25 man roster, I think we use like 24, 23 from, from a position player standpoint. So. But yeah, I, I, I go back to, to, to Miggy getting those outs. From a catcher standpoint, I was like, oh, he's a perfect fit right now. Even though you don't want to come out of the game, you're like, oh, this worked out perfectly because how he called his game so much differently than

[Anthony Rizzo]

I did use Chappie there. There's been so many teams throughout our careers right where it was a great team, special team, a lot of memories you make go down the roster of guys we've all played with, right? Oh, this guy was a great dude. I miss this guy. But winning in 16 forever links us. And no matter where we are in life, no matter up, down, high, low, whatever, we're always going to be linked because we won. And that's the coolest part about winning a championship that I, I don't think you realize until you win. Like all the guys I played with before this, I love to death, right? But the bond and friendship I have with my teammates from 2016 is everything.

[David Ross]

It's family.

[Anthony Rizzo]

We appreciate you guys coming on and joining the pod and can't wait for this to release.

[David Ross]

We'll party a little bit tonight. Oh, yeah.

[Chris Coghlan]

Yeah, man.

[David Ross]

Thanks, boys.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's a wrap.

[David Ross]

All right. That was nice.

[Albert Almora Jr.]

That was awesome.

[David Ross]

Story.

[Robert Smigel]

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Leslie Letterman help make you funnier this week. My guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter.

[Isaiah Thomas]

Where does your group perform?

[Chris Coghlan]

We do some retirement homes.

[Robert Smigel]

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Timbo (Sports Slice Host)]

Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the Internet lost its mind and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. And every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source. The athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports slice on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice Life 12 and the TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

[Podcast Host (Guaranteed Human)]

Why are we all so obsessed with romance on the Radio 831 podcast? Join us, Sanjana Bhaskar and Tyler McCall as we unpack all the trending tropes, buzzy adaptations, booktok drama and celebrity love stories with hot takes and sharp guests. Each episode digs into what these stories reveal about desire, fantasy, identity and how we love now listen to the Radio 831 podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[CJ Toledano]

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas, and I'm C.J.

[Isaiah Thomas]

toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the Playoffs.

[CJ Toledano]

We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season, and I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was fine.

[Isaiah Thomas]

You just understood.

[CJ Toledano]

That's how personal it gets.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Wow.

[CJ Toledano]

Then after that Game seven, Marquis coming to you, he's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball.

[Isaiah Thomas]

So listen to Point game on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Host (Guaranteed Human)]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.