BP Wrigleycast - Chicago Cubs News Bret Sayre

We take a look at our biggest disappointments and pleasant surprises of the season. The starting pitching has been bad. The bullpen has been good. The offense has not been good.

There's a lot of negative stuff to cover but the guys valiantly try to focus on the positive.

Can Theo Epstein keep the window of contention for this team extended for another few years? Ryan sure thinks so. But only time will tell...

And Joel is back with his patented 60 seconds with a former Cub.

The guys took a little time out on Memorial Day to bring you another episode of BP Wrigleycast. Ryan and Isaac welcome back Joel to the podcast, and they dive in head first with discussion about the Cubs' recent struggles in Los Angeles. They break down the poor hitting of Kyle Schwarber and Addison Russell, and later they talk about whether it would be appropriate to send Ian Happ back to Triple-A.

Ryan decides to wrap the show with a "Five Questions" segment, with interesting results. Please follow us on Twitter @BPWrigleycast and feel free to email any questions or comments to bpwrigleycast@baseballprospectus.com. And don't forgot to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes.

After a one month absence, Ryan and Isaac get together to chat about the recent HAPPenings with the Chicago Cubs. Jake Arrieta's strong start against Milwaukee is discussed, which leads into more trade discussions about starting pitching. The guys also discuss the hot bats of Ben Zobrist and rookie Ian Happ, and later go into some hypothetical scenarios where they both end up trading Kyle Schwarber off the roster.

Please follow us on Twitter @BPWrigleycast, and feel free to email any questions if you'd like it read on the show at bpwrigleycast@baseballprospectus.com. If you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, subscribe and give us a rating and review on iTunes.

Ryan and Isaac lead off discussing the recent struggles of John Lackey, including a few reasons why this could be who the 38-year-old pitcher is now. But are there any potential upgrades from within the organization or via trade?

Later, the guys discuss Jason Heyward's progress and just how valuable he can be to the team if his new-found power stroke is the real deal. A few laughs about Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot ensue, as well as a battle royale on the topic of the DH in the National League. Please subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes!

After an intro gone horribly wrong, the guys discuss the hot/cold offense and then move onto the pen, where a fantasy draft ensues. Who ends up with the more desirable pair of relievers? You'll have to tune in to find out.

We also take a look at the Pirates to determine if they'll be a serious challenger in the NL Central before delving into the lower velocity readings from starters. Is that a strategy or just an April fluke?

Real baseball that actually counts is back! The guys discuss what (if anything) has changed now that a World Series titled has been accomplished.

Then they discuss some quick hits from the early season. From Heyward's bat to Almora's glove, there are some early signs that everything is going to be OK.

Tommy Birch joins to give his thoughts on several players in Triple-A Iowa and which ones might have an impact this season or could just be fun to watch.