Monday Morning Cubs Show

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

  1. 5d ago

    Ball or Strike: We Need To Wear Pinstripes Every Game

    A Super Bowl champion running back calls you up, then tells you he just wants to talk Pokemon cards. That is how our week starts, and it somehow fits perfectly with the current Cubs season: electric, improbable, and a little bit unhinged in the best way. Carl breaks down the quick-hit Nashville trip that turned into meeting Leonard Fournette, hearing how deep his Pokemon collecting goes, and why creative work and real sponsors can keep a show alive when everything feels shaky. Then we lock back in on what you came for: the Chicago Cubs playoff push and the stuff that actually decides October. We love this lineup. We love the defense. We cannot stop talking about Pete Crow-Armstrong, and we get into a real debate about what “peak” means when you compare PCA’s all-around game to the best of Sammy Sosa. We also talk about Alex Bregman as the steady hand near the top of the order, plus the sneaky October paths for Pedro Ramirez and a potential Matt Shaw moment. But we do not dodge the problem: the Cubs bullpen is the biggest reason trust gets fragile fast, especially when you picture a postseason matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers. We talk wild card positioning, why hosting at Wrigley Field matters, how Dansby Swanson’s return impacts everything up the middle, and we even make the case for going full pinstripes because baseball is still a vibes sport. If you like Cubs podcasts with real opinions and zero gambling-promo nonsense, subscribe, share this with a Cubs friend, and leave us a review so we can keep building this thing. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

  2. Sep 7

    Labor Day Special Episode: A Chicago Sports Guide To How Much Our Bullpen Sucks

    The Cubs are doing something that should feel impossible: pairing a top-tier offense with elite defense, then turning around and making every late lead feel like a coin flip. On a Labor Day morning, we sit down as Cubs fans and talk through that emotional whiplash the only way we know how: a little neighborhood banter, a little scoreboard reality, and then a hard look at what actually wins in October. We give Pete Crow-Armstrong his flowers as the kind of athlete who changes a franchise’s ceiling, then we dig into the lineup’s surge with real context. Alex Bregman’s run, Nico Horner’s consistency, and the Cubs’ second half wRC+ paint a picture of an offense that travels. From there we go straight to the “ball or strike” segment, where we lay out the high leverage numbers, platoon splits against righties and lefties, one-run game results, and why the stats say this team is built to win tight games. Then we address the thing every Cubs conversation circles back to: the bullpen. We don’t sugarcoat it, and we don’t pretend it’s a minor flaw. We talk roster construction, why it feels like a whole phase of the game is missing, and what that means when the Brewers series looms and the Phillies are chasing. We also compare schedules down the stretch and preview the kind of left-handed pitching matchups that could define a playoff series. If you’re tracking the Chicago Cubs playoff race, Cubs bullpen concerns, or Cubs wRC+ trends, this one gives you both the numbers and the gut-check. Subscribe, share this with a fellow Cubs fan, and leave a review with your best real-life analogy for this bullpen. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

  3. Sep 4

    The Cubs Could Have Swept Milwaukee But The Bullpen Made It Messy

    A series win can still feel like a loss when you know you had your foot on the Brewers’ throat. That’s where our heads are today, and we’re not pretending otherwise. We talk through the Cubs vs Brewers frustration, the blown chances, the late-inning chaos, and why a team that looks like a contender can still leave you steaming before the first sip of coffee. Then we slow it down and get precise about what’s real and what’s just noise. We unpack the “should have swept” instinct versus the more honest “could have swept” reality, especially when you steal a win scoring two runs. From there, we make the case that the foundation for an MLB playoffs run is still sitting right in front of us: Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes at the top. We get into how we’d line them up in October, why Game 1 logic is not the same as a one-and-done scenario, and what kind of tone-setter you actually want early in a series. After that, it’s the stuff fans argue about all night: the Cubs bullpen, the moments that scream lack of execution, and the bigger question of responsibility. We also push back hard on lazy Michael Busch takes by adding context around left-handed pitching, lineup trust, and what it means for roster flexibility across a long season. And yes, we go straight at Craig Counsell, because when the roster is this good, the leadership conversation gets loud fast. If you’re riding the same highs and lows, hit play, then subscribe, share the show, and leave a review so more Cubs fans find us. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

  4. Aug 31

    PCA is the MVP + Full Brewers Preview w/ Special Guest CB

    The Cubs are getting worked over by the Reds, the bullpen feels shaky, and the calendar is about to flip to September. That is exactly when we needed to sit down and ask the question nobody wants to answer: is there still a real path to catching the Brewers, or are we just doing math to protect our feelings? We bring in Mahoney and CB for a roundtable that starts with the fun stuff and quickly turns into the big stuff. We hand out our weekly Thirsty Vaquero awards, then zoom in on the story of the season: Pete Crow-Armstrong playing like an MVP and making historic noise, especially with the way he’s crushing left-handed pitching. From there we hit a few “ball or strike” calls that matter in October, including how much credit Craig Counsell deserves for the environment, and whether a season with a superstar this good has to end deep in the playoffs to feel right. Then we get specific with a full Cubs vs Brewers series preview at Wrigley Field, breaking it down by position groups: starting pitching matchups, bullpen trust, catching depth vs top-end talent, corner infield advantages, the middle infield questions with Dansby Swanson out, and why the Cubs outfield feels like the clear strength. We also talk hard lineup choices like Ian Happ vs Tyrone Taylor against lefty starters, plus what Seiya Suzuki’s future might look like after a quietly huge year. If you love smart Cubs talk with honest nerves and real scouting, hit play. Subscribe, share the show with a fellow fan, and leave a review, then tell us your prediction: do the Cubs take three of four, or is that wishful thinking? Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

  5. Aug 28

    Bullpen Special Edition: Let's Get Deep

    The Cubs don’t need more vibes right now. They need answers in the late innings, because a good lineup and a strong rotation only matter if you can finish games. I’m Carl, and this Friday solo is me getting specific and tactical about the one part of the roster that still feels unsettled: the bullpen. I walk through the simplest question that keeps coming up when the game gets tight: who takes the ball in the ninth? My stance is clear. If Daniel Palencia is healthy enough to be on the big league roster, he’s the closer immediately, and he should be used like one. From there we build the rest of the plan like a real-world puzzle, using a clean “seven outs” framework after your starter and your ninth-inning guy are accounted for. Then we sort the names that could decide September and October at Wrigley Field: what Jacob Webb’s season means if he’s pushed back into a better role, why Shelby Miller’s return could bring the kind of dominant outs the bullpen needs, how Hobie Milner changes the lefty picture, and why Justin Steele fits best as a targeted, high-leverage weapon based on rehab progress and pitch counts. I also draw a hard line between hope and reality when it comes to prospects and control, and I explain why some “easy fixes” are not fixes at all. I close with a quick, serious reminder about staying grounded and watching our language, because this community matters more than a bad week of baseball. If this helped you think clearer about the Cubs bullpen plan, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more Cubs fans can find it. What’s your ideal 7th and 8th inning combo? Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

  6. Aug 24

    Cubs In Trouble? Do Not Buy The Myrtle Beach Timeshare

    Two walk-off losses can make a good team feel shaky fast, especially when they land late and ruin your night. Then the Cubs turn around and hang 19 runs like nothing happened. That swing is why we hit record, because it forces the real question: are we watching a contender with bad breaks, or a team that can’t get out of its own way? We talk through how we’re reading the weekend, why process matters more than a single blown save, and what a 19-2 win actually tells us about this group.  The standings talk gets spicy: we’re still chasing the Brewers in the NL Central, and we’re also trying to hold the top wild card spot with the Phillies getting hot. We break down what “scoreboard watching” should and shouldn’t do to your brain, why hosting at Wrigley Field could be the difference in October, and why we don’t want excuses about lineups or vibes when the roster is loaded with real talent.  Then we get into the pitching picture that decides everything. We cover bullpen roles with Jacob Webb and Daniel Palencia, plus the late-season reinforcements everyone’s tracking like Justin Steele and Ben Brown. We also hit the Danzby Swanson injury fallout and the Nico Hoerner plus Pedro Ramirez infield shuffle without pretending it’s a 1:1 replacement. Finally, we air out the frustration with Javier Assad getting optioned and what that says about how organizations treat reliable arms.  If you ride with the Cubs, you’ll feel this one. Subscribe, share the show with a fellow fan, and leave a review so more maniacs find us before October hits. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

  7. Aug 21

    Ball or Strike: Your Uncle Gary Is Going To Prison

    Five games back can feel like nothing or everything, and right now it feels like everything. We’re locked into the NL Central race, refreshing Brewers scores, and asking the only question that matters for late-August Cubs baseball: do we actually have a path to catch Milwaukee, or are we just entertaining ourselves? We dig into the roster the way real fans do, with equal parts love and obsession. Pete Crow-Armstrong gets the spotlight as a true headline player because the speed, defense, and swagger are changing games nightly. We also give flowers to the “memory makers” like Javier Assad for underrated run-stopping work, and Nico Hoerner for quietly doing second-half damage while the broader conversation looks elsewhere. Along the way, we hit the bigger theme: enjoying the regular season without letting October anxiety steal the fun. Then we get serious about what shifts a season. Dansby Swanson’s oblique injury isn’t just a lineup swap, it changes the entire feel of the infield and what the pitching staff can attack. From there, we pressure-test an October rotation built around Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes, talk playoff seeding and why the top wildcard spot at Wrigley matters, and map out how the bullpen looks if Palencia locks down the ninth. We even take a detour into the Dodgers money noise, just long enough to remind ourselves to stop staring at other teams and handle our business. If you’re riding with this Cubs team, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more fans find us. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

  8. Aug 17

    Cubs White Sox Series Preview With A Pitching Reality Check

    Dansby Swanson goes down and the whole Cubs machine suddenly feels less flexible. That’s where we start today, because losing two to the Cardinals is annoying, but losing the shortstop who anchors preparation, positioning, and pitcher confidence can change the shape of the next month. We talk through the real ripple effects: Nico Hoerner sliding to short, Pedro Ramirez taking on more responsibility, and Craig Counsell losing the lineup and rest-day “sauce” that helps a good team stay fresh and win series after series.  We also sort the weekend honestly. Joshua Baez doing something no one in MLB history has done is the kind of baseball chaos you almost have to respect, even when it hurts. But then we get into the stuff that decides October: starting pitching choices, Edward Cabrera’s struggles, and why the front office still has to evaluate upside instead of only reading the box score. From there we project where Kevin Gausman, Shota Imanaga, Matt Boyd, and especially Clay Holmes fit, including why the cold-weather version of Holmes could be a nightmare if the Cubs manage his workload the right way.  Then we pivot to a real Cubs vs White Sox preview built on identity and matchups. We break down how the White Sox build their lineup, why certain hitters live with swing and miss to get to damage, and how isolated power helps you spot the danger pockets fast. We also call out the names you need to know before first pitch, including Chase Meidroth, Murakami, Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery, and Randall Grichuk’s lefty-crushing profile, plus how Chicago’s outfield defense plays at Wrigley.  If you’re watching the series, this is the roadmap, plus a reminder: respect the opponent, but don’t forget the Cubs are better across the field when they play their game. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan, and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple so more maniacs find the Monday Morning Cub Show. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

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About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Carl + Mahoney
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    137
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Monday Morning Cubs Show
  • Show Website
    Monday Morning Cubs Show

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