Monday Morning Cubs Show

Carl + Mahoney
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A show every Monday morning about the Chicago Cubs from Carl and Mahoney.

  1. 2D AGO

    Cubs Are Rolling w/ Special Guest “The Lizard King”

    If you’ve been waiting for the moment when “the Cubs are good” turns into “the Cubs are scary,” this is that moment. We’re recording on a Sunday night because Wrigley is electric, the wins keep stacking, and the conversation has officially shifted from surviving April to building a roster that can win in October.  We start with the hot streak and the uncomfortable question that suddenly feels fair: is 100 wins actually on the table? From there, we get specific about what a true contender still needs at the MLB trade deadline. We talk “structure breeds creativity” and why Jed Hoyer has to hunt for a front-line starting pitcher for a playoff series, not a convenient innings-eater. Then we zoom into the lineup, where flexibility matters, and make the case for a right-handed bat who mashes lefties and gives Michael Busch the right kind of rest.  Our first-ever Maniac of Merit guest is the Lizard King, our Des Moines source and resident truth serum. With him, we run Baller Or Strike on everything from Ben Brown earning real high-leverage trust, to Craig Counsell’s bench leverage, to Moises Ballesteros’ role as an impact big league hitter (and why we want to keep him away from extra catching risk). We also hit the bigger picture: why Alex Bregman’s presence changes the professionalism of the clubhouse, and what that means for a long season.  If you ride with the Cubs, you’ll leave with clearer expectations for the Reds series, sharper opinions for your group chat, and a better sense of what a World Series path actually requires. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review on Spotify or Apple so we can keep this thing rolling. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    1h 25m

  2. 5D AGO

    The Cubs Can Win 100 Games If The Plan Holds

    19-12 changes the tone, even if you are scared to admit it. We are past the point where every Cubs fan conversation has to start with what might go wrong, because the last few weeks look like a team playing with real authority. So we take the big question head-on: are we ready to recalibrate from a 96-win hope to a 100-win expectation, and start talking like an NLCS contender instead of a pleasant surprise? The Justin Steele setback is the gut punch, and we do not dodge it. We talk through what a rehab setback means in the real world, why blaming the Cubs training staff is too easy, and why the right move is patience rather than a panic trade. The rotation still has paths to “good enough” through May if the offense keeps thumping and the defense keeps turning contact into outs. Then we get into the part that actually decides October: the trade deadline plan. We lay out why calling up every hot Triple-A name is not the answer, how guys like Pedro Ramirez and Kevin Alcantara fit better as trade chips, and why stashing prospects can increase value when the market finally sets. We also check the lineup spot by spot, explain why there are no obvious everyday holes, and spend real time on the bullpen, including why Ben Brown’s pitch mix and mindset shift could turn a messy April into a huge September advantage. If you want smarter Cubs takes you can use at the bar, with your group chat, or in your next trade debate, hit play, subscribe, share this with a fellow Cubs fan, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    54 min

  3. APR 27

    Stinky Cheddar On A West Coast Road Trip w/ Special Guest CB (and a Bonus Bears Draft Recap)

    The Cubs finally cool off after ripping off 10 straight, and we’re not interested in a Dodgers-series meltdown. We’re interested in what the last two weeks reveal: the vibe is back, the offense looks real, and the city is paying attention again. Our guy CB joins us to talk through what’s sustainable about a 17-11 start and what still feels like it’s waiting to explode. We keep coming back to two names. Moises Ballesteros looks like a natural hitter in a way you don’t need stats to understand, which kicks off our debate about batting him second and letting him hunt fastballs behind Nico Hoerner. Then we go all-in on the Nico MVP chatter, from impact defense to “pro at-bats” that show up every night. We also hit the trickier roster questions: Michael Busch vs lefties, Seiya Suzuki’s return changing the middle of the order, Pete Crow Armstrong’s strikeout problem, and whether Matt Shaw is getting enough consistent run to stay sharp. The dark cloud is the Cubs pitching injuries, especially in the bullpen. We read through the IL reality, ask whether it’s bad luck or something deeper, and talk about what Craig Counsell can realistically patch together while the schedule gets tougher. From there we peek ahead at trade deadline pitching targets and even indulge the big dreams, then we wrap with a quick Bears draft detour on speed, scheme fit, and why fans overthink mid-round picks. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs friend, and leave a five-star review if you want more Monday and Friday drops. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    1h 14m

  4. APR 24

    THE CHICAGO CUBS WIN 9 STRAIGHT!!!!

    Nine wins in a row will make you believe, but the real story is how the Chicago Cubs are doing it. I’m sick, I’m dragging, and I still can’t stop talking about this team because the baseball is that good right now: balanced offense, real lineup depth, and a vibe that feels like more than a random April heater. We start with the Phillies sweep and the moment the season flips from “uh oh” to “watch out.” Then I dig into the two biggest lineup swing factors, Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong. If Busch starts handling left-handed pitching, the entire batting order gets longer and tougher. And when PCA sits, it raises a real question about roles, rest, and how much elite center-field defense should stay on the field. Along the way, I break down what OPS+ and wRC+ actually mean in plain terms so the stats match what your eyes are seeing. The Dodgers are next, and I’m not here for the endless whining about payroll. Los Angeles is the standard because they’re smart, prepared, and ruthless about building winners. That’s exactly the kind of opponent a contender should want. I also hit rotation confidence levels with Shota Imanaga, Matt Boyd, and Eddie Cabrera, plus the ongoing trust debate around Ben Brown and why a great changeup can be the ultimate equalizer. If you’re enjoying the run, make it official: subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan, and leave a five-star review on Spotify or Apple. What’s your ideal Cubs batting order heading into LA? Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    51 min

  5. APR 20

    Episode #100 - WE ARE ROLLING

    Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    1h 18m

  6. APR 16

    Phillies Recap + Mets Pitching Scouting Report

    The Cubs are 9-9 and the mood swings are already doing midseason numbers. I’m solo today, trying to keep it tight, and I start with the thing that actually keeps you sane over 162 games: stop living and dying on every pitch and start measuring the season by series. The Phillies set gives us the perfect example, from an ugly start to a loud offensive response that reminds us what this lineup can look like when the at-bats stack. Then we get into the headline: Shota Imanaga. I walk through the contract and qualifying-offer weirdness and why it might have lit a real chip on his shoulder. The early returns are nasty: command, strikeouts, and the kind of presence that changes how you talk about rotation injuries and trade deadline urgency. From there, Nico Hoerner’s leadoff run becomes the engine for everything, and we talk about what’s working when the Cubs face different types of left-handed pitching. The back half is a full Cubs vs Mets preview at Wrigley Field: three day games, weather and wind, and a Mets team dragging an eight-game losing streak into Chicago. I break down the Mets pitching matchups, where the Cubs have an edge, and the roster question that won’t go away: what do we do with Michael Busch against lefties, and how fast should Moises Ballesteros earn more reps? Subscribe so you don’t miss the 100th episode, share this with a Cubs fan who needs a reset, and leave a quick review so the show keeps growing. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    1h 10m

  7. APR 13

    The 2026 Cubs: A NEW HOPE w/ Joey Mulinaro

    A 5-0 hole in the second inning usually feels like a death sentence, and with how the Cubs have looked early, it also feels like a shortcut to a bad mood for the rest of the day. Then Sunday happened. We talk through the comeback win that stopped the bleeding after a frustrating Pirates series, why it genuinely felt like our “mentals” got saved, and what it would actually take for momentum to become real instead of just a nice Sunday memory. From there we get honest about the bigger anxiety hanging over a 7-8 start: the schedule gets harder fast. We head into Philadelphia, we’ve got the Mets coming, and the Dodgers are on the horizon. That’s where the Craig Counsell conversation hits, because the team still feels too quiet, too flat, and too reliant on “it’ll turn around” without showing us the spark first. Joey Molinero joins us and brings the perfect comp for Cubs expectations right now: The Last Jedi. Big hype, early warning signs, and the fear that you might wake up in June and realize you’ve been telling yourself stories. We also run a full slate of Ball Or Strike on the stuff Cubs fans are arguing about every day: Matt Shaw playing first base in extras, Pete Crow-Armstrong struggling vs lefties and whether he should hit ninth, Miguel Amaya potentially moving up in the lineup, and the Michael Busch alarm at first base. We hit the bullpen health, Ben Brown’s wild pitch problem, and why roster depth suddenly feels thin. We even detour into Marquee broadcasts, commercials, and why the Ross and Rizzo podcast is a reminder of what the 2016 Cubs had that this group still needs. If you’re watching every night and feeling every swing, you’ll feel right at home here. Subscribe, share the show with a fellow Cubs fan, and leave a review so more maniacs can find us. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    1h 21m

  8. APR 10

    Cubs Heat Check: 6-6 + Pirates Preview

    Six and six can feel like nothing, until you realize it’s two games away from a totally different season. I’m coming off an off day with a notebook full of numbers, a head full of lineup questions, and one big reason to breathe easier: Seiya Suzuki is back. That one change adds real fear to the middle of the order, pushes everyone into better roles, and gives the Chicago Cubs a much cleaner path to consistent offense as the schedule settles in. We also get practical about the Pittsburgh Pirates coming to Wrigley Field for three straight 1:20 starts. I walk through expectations for winning a series without falling into the “we have to sweep” trap, then zoom out to the bigger conversation Cubs fans are having everywhere: do we need to trade for starting pitching right now? With rotation injuries, uncertain timelines, and too many unknowns in both the majors and the minors, I lay out why an early April pitching trade is usually the wrong move and what information we still need before the front office should even pick up the phone. From there it turns into a celebration of what’s actually working. Nico Horner’s start is absurd in the best way, and it makes his extension look like a masterclass in roster building. I also hit a few under-discussed “signs of life,” from slumping bats that should normalize to the catching battle, and I finish with a blunt message for anyone using Ian Happ as a punching bag without appreciating the value he brings. If you ride with this team all summer, subscribe so you don’t miss the Monday recap, share the show with a Cubs fan who lives in the group chat, and leave a five-star review to help us keep building the community. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    1h 13m
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5
out of 5
162 Ratings

About

A show every Monday morning about the Chicago Cubs from Carl and Mahoney.

Information

  • Creator
    Carl + Mahoney
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    104
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Monday Morning Cubs Show
  • Show Website
    Monday Morning Cubs Show

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