Monday Morning Cubs Show

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

  1. 1D AGO

    We Sucked Against The Nationals + Breaking Down Nico's $141M Contract

    We react to the Cubs dropping the opening weekend series and sort the real problems from the stuff that will fade once the season settles. We also dig into the Nico Horner extension and what it signals about the Cubs building around defense, payroll, and pitching to contact.  • opening weekend recap and why 1-2 feels so familiar  • quick schedule check with the Angels at Wrigley and Cleveland ahead  • Cade Horton’s efficiency and why his style is so hard to face  • Ian Happ’s hard contact and handling a bigger lineup role  • missed chances on Sunday and frustration with solo homers  • Wrigley Field beer prices and the pitch clock concessions theory  • early read on Alex Bregman’s dugout vibe and on-field look  • Nico Horner’s six-year deal and how service time changes player pay  • why elite up-the-middle defense supports pitching to weak contact  • Shota Imanaga watch and why the whiffs matter  • Miguel Amaya versus Carson Kelly and the odd batting order usage  • whether Michael Bush belongs in extension talks  Guys, don't forget, tune in on Friday's show  Make sure you leave a five star review Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    51 min

  2. 4D AGO

    Opening Day Review + Nico Hoerner And PCA Extensions

    Getting smoked 10-4 on opening day messes with your head, especially when the opponent is a team you think you should handle. We talk through how to process that kind of loss without spiraling, what actually decided the game, and why the only real response is simple: take the series. That mindset is the difference between following baseball like a daily panic test and following it like a season-long story where the truth shows up over time. Then the conversation turns to the news that actually reshapes the Cubs’ future. Nico Hoerner gets extended, and I dig into why his value goes way beyond a box score: elite defense up the middle, smart baserunning, low strikeouts, and an everyday mentality that sets a standard. If you’ve ever wondered what “clubhouse leadership” looks like in modern MLB, Hoerner is the cleanest example. Stability matters, and locking in the middle infield takes a huge problem off the to-do list. And the headline move: Pete Crow-Armstrong signs for $115 million. I break down why that number surprises me, why it can be a massive win for Jed Hoyer, and how the weird reality of league-minimum years changes what “getting paid” means for a young star. We also hit early lineup construction questions, what changes when Seiya Suzuki is out, and who I want in that crucial third spot when the lineup is whole. If you’re locked in on the 2025 Cubs, subscribe so you don’t miss the Friday rhythm, share this with a Cubs fan who’s already overreacting, and leave a quick five-star review if you’ve got a second. What’s your grade for the Nico and PCA extensions? Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    30 min

  3. MAR 23

    Alex Cohen Interview + Cubs Opening Day Preview

    Opening Day is days away, so we bring Marquee play-by-play broadcaster Alex Cohen on to put real numbers behind our 2026 Cubs predictions and the storylines that can drive a division run. We also react to late spring news like Seiya Suzuki’s likely IL stint and what it means for roster decisions right now.  • Alex Cohen’s path from the Iowa Cubs to Marquee and what availability and relationships change in a career  • Seiya Suzuki injury update and how an IL move reshapes the bench options  • Javier Assad versus Ben Brown as a role and development debate  • 2026 Cubs win total predictions and why pitching depth changes the ceiling  • Michael Busch as home run leader and the importance of his splits versus lefties  • Nico Hoerner runs scored and stolen base outlook in a contract season  • Pete Crow-Armstrong growth case through home runs plus steals  • Cade Horton innings target and the ace mentality discussion  • Justin Steele win total expectations once he returns  • Daniel Palencia save totals and what makes closer stability rare  • Craig Counsell ejections and how fire shows up in modern managing  • Alex Bregman workload planning with DH days and Matt Shaw’s multi-position role  • Broadcast prep routines plus how to build better on-air chemistry  • The no-hitter story and how announcers handle pressure midgame  • Plans for additional programming and quick-hit game reactions  Check it out on Amazon.com for all your fulfillment needs  I should have an opening day recap show available Thursday midnight  Just keep your eyes peeled for this stuff  Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    1h 28m

  4. MAR 16

    Team USA Beats The Dominican Republic And Preparing For Opening Day 2026

    A snowy March morning and suddenly everything feels close: Opening Day, a season with real expectations, and a World Baseball Classic that looks like October baseball. We’re coming in hot with reactions to Team USA’s 2 to 1 win over the Dominican Republic, including the “ball or strike” moment that decided the ending and what it says about the current state of the game. It’s the perfect mix of modern baseball trends and old truths: solo shots, piles of strikeouts, and the idea that with two strikes you still have to fight. From there we bring it back to the Chicago Cubs. Pete Crow Armstrong keeps showing why his defense plays bigger than the highlight reels, and the WBC stage is basically a spotlight built for his speed, confidence, and edge. We also talk through the one moment that took the air out of the room for Cubs fans: Seiya Suzuki’s injury scare, why it feels uniquely damaging, and what the lineup loses when that right-handed thunder isn’t there. Then we roll into Ball Or Strike and the spring training stack: Daniel Palencia’s closer path, why Moises Ballesteros is getting real national breakout buzz, and how Matt Boyd becoming the Opening Day starter is a win for the Cubs pitching development machine. We finish with a rapid pitch clock on Ben Brown, Jameson Taillon worries, Eddie Cabrera’s rotation slot, and Matt Shaw trying reps at first base. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan, and leave us a Spotify review to help us climb back to five stars. Thanks for tuning in! - Carl & Mahoney

    1h 5m

  5. MAR 9

    The Big Cat Interview: Wrigley Takes, Nostalgia, And 2026 Predictions

    A good Cubs season starts long before the ivy turns green. We kick things off with the signals that actually matter in March—Matt Shaw holding serve while learning another position, Dansby Swanson finding rhythm, and fringe bats pushing for a real job—then thread those details through a bigger, brighter picture of what this team can be when the games start to count. With Dan “Big Cat” Katz in studio, we revisit the jolt of 2015 and Arrieta’s absurd heater, not just to bask in nostalgia but to draw a blueprint: conviction, roles that fit, and a crowd that makes every pitch feel heavier. From there, it’s all about levers. Seiya Suzuki’s WBC swagger looks like more than a weekend mood; if he stays upright, a career year is on the table. Alex Bregman brings everyday certainty—long counts, hard contact, and respect from every dugout—that travels in cold weather. And PCA’s first-pitch aggression isn’t recklessness; it’s intent. Craig Counsell’s calm, relentless bullpen management gets its due, because it turns thin nights into chances and chances into wins. The key variable? Justin Steele. If he returns at full throttle by early summer, he becomes the deadline addition everyone begs for without the prospect tax, sliding Shota into a truer role and letting Cade Horton’s innings pop on a smart leash. We don’t dodge the uncomfortable parts. Tom Ricketts clears Chicago’s owner bar but still leaves ambition on the table for a franchise that should play in the deep end more often. We stack 2016 vs 2026, position by position: the old rotation still rules, but today’s group has a path to echo that dominance if Steele anchors and the lineup’s contact profile holds. Along the way, you’ll get Wrigley lore, the 50-50 obsession, foul-ball nerves, and the eternal hot-dog debate—because the little rituals matter as much as the big swings. If you love smart Cubs talk with heart, this one hits the sweet spot. Subscribe, share with a fellow maniacs, and drop your win total prediction—we’re calling 95 as the number to beat. Want more of these deep dives all season? Follow, leave a review, and tell us the one matchup where 2026 beats 2016. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    1h 47m

  6. MAR 2

    Dear Marquee: SHOW THE GAMES + PCA Profile + WBC Preview

    The countdown to baseball gets real, and we can feel it. We kick off with that opening day itch, then tackle the story Cubs fans won’t stop talking about: why Marquee’s spring training blackout stings and what it says about priorities. From there, we dig into the roster choices that actually move the needle—how the Tyler Austin injury complicates first base platooning, whether Michael Busch can hold his own against lefties, and what internal options or short-term pivots make sense without overpaying for a name. On the mound, we draw a hard line between excitement and urgency. Justin Steele is officially cleared—no setbacks, no shortcuts, same timeline—and that’s a win for October thinking. Let him ramp right and peak in mid-summer. Meanwhile, Shota Imanaga’s velocity is up and the contact has been loud. We explain why the velo matters more than spring results, what to watch in his tunneling and rhythm, and how a back-end role paired with a chip-on-the-shoulder season could be a quiet edge. Then we open the PCA file. His Chicago Magazine profile was raw and unfiltered—F-bombs, pressure, vulnerability, swagger—and it raised real questions about mindset and maturity. We separate signal from noise: the tools are elite, the adjustment is mental, and leadership around him matters. That’s why the World Baseball Classic arrives at the perfect moment. PCA and Alex Bregman will share a clubhouse with the game’s best, learning how to channel fire without pressing. We also spotlight Cubs across the WBC (USA, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama), the injury calculus versus real-game value, and how short, high-leverage reps can accelerate development better than backfields ever could. It all adds up to a clear thesis: depth to weather April, patience to get healthy, and a runway to hit stride when it counts. If you’re fired up for meaningful baseball, you’ll feel right at home here. If you enjoyed this, follow the show, rate us five stars on Spotify or Apple, and share it with a Cubs fan who needs that opening day jolt. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    59 min

  7. FEB 23

    Cubs Sign Michael Conforto + Breaking Down 2026 Promotional Giveaways

    One calm spring can set the tone for a wild summer. We zoom past box score buzz and dig into what actually matters for the Cubs: defined roles, smarter rest, and a roster that doesn’t need March miracles to look like a contender. We start with Michael Conforto’s fit—why a bat-first, lefty-heavy profile paired with playable defense could be the right lever against right-handed pitching—and how that decision intersects with Chas McCormick and Matt Shaw in right field. The focus isn’t on who has the hotter week; it’s on which mix safeguards run prevention while adding thump without breaking the defense. Then it’s the Moises Ballesteros conversation. Few rookies step into a near-everyday DH role, but his bat-to-ball skill and zone feel make him an outlier. We talk through why missing a little early-camp time isn’t a crisis, how a steady DH plan protects Seiya Suzuki’s soft-tissue risk, and the ripple effects of rotating off-days to keep legs fresh into September. We also flag the one real stress point: first base depth. Michael Busch can hit, but someone has to carry the righty split when lefties stack up. Enter Tyler Austin, fresh off a KBO power binge. If that pairing stabilizes, the rest of the lineup plays to its strengths: Horner’s efficiency, Swanson’s bounce-back path, PCA’s range, and a bullpen core deep enough to shorten games. We round it out with World Baseball Classic tradeoffs, why veterans benefit more from structured ramps than patriotic adrenaline, and how league-wide parity means there are fewer “easy” series. Bonus: a rapid-fire tour of the best promotional giveaways this year and a heads-up on special ticket rules so you don’t miss the items you actually want. The through line is simple: prioritize health, lean into leverage matchups, and trust the roles. That’s how you build toward a 96-win reality rather than chasing spring mirages. If this breakdown hits your baseball brain, tap follow, share it with a Cubs friend, and drop a five-star review on Apple or Spotify—tell us your biggest opening day concern. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    53 min

  8. FEB 16

    Building Chicago’s 2026 Batting Order And Reading Spring Signals

    What if the smartest Cubs lineup starts with simplicity? We kick off by pushing past spring training mirages and get practical about how Chicago can score more often with a clear, repeatable batting order. No fluff, no inside jokes—just a build that stacks on-base skill at the top, unleashes real power in the middle, and keeps pressure on pitchers through the final out. We anchor leadoff with Michael Busch, who brings consistent OBP against righties, then slot Nico Hoerner in the two-hole to maximize contact, speed, and opposite-field work that turns singles into traffic. From there, we hand the keys to Seiya Suzuki at three—when healthy, his swing has true middle-of-the-order thunder—and we challenge Pete Crow-Armstrong to own cleanup with intent: accept some whiffs and hunt damage. Alex Bregman fits as the five who cleans up chaos with veteran discipline and gap power, while Ian Happ at six gives the bottom third a second OBP engine. Moisés Ballesteros, Dansby Swanson, and the catcher spot round it out with sneaky pop that flips innings and keeps the lineup loop dangerous. We also zoom out to tackle the narratives shaping fan expectations. Prospect hype is fun, but we right-size roles for arms like Jackson Wiggins, emphasizing command growth, innings limits, and the difference between spring sizzle and summer value. We dig into why contract-year urgency can sharpen decision-making without turning players into someone they’re not. And we sort through the new pitch challenge system, arguing the real edge will come from smarter dugout choices, not just raw zone changes. Looking for matchup tweaks? We’ve got them without chaos: against lefties, DH Seiya and explore Matt Shaw in right field to give his bat meaningful reps under Bregman’s mentorship. The theme carries through—clarity over churn, roles over noise, production over wishful thinking. If Busch and Hoerner keep setting the table, and if Seiya and PCA are allowed to chase slug without micromanagement, this offense can score in bunches. Enjoy the episode? Tap follow, share it with a Cubs fan who loves lineup talk, and drop a quick review. Tell us your 1–9 and who you’d trust in the three-hole—let’s see your card. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

    51 min
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5
out of 5
153 Ratings

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Carl + Mahoney
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    94
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Monday Morning Cubs Show
  • Show Website
    Monday Morning Cubs Show

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