Cubs Talk Podcast

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by David Kaplan, Kelly Crull, and Tony Andracki to diagnose what's going wrong for the Cubs. The quartet discuss the team's playoff chances (1:30), what area of their game bothers them the most lately (5:45), what can be done trade-wise to help right the ship (11:00), and whether Joe Maddon's seat is becoming a little warm (18:00).

In this jam-packed episode, Jason Heyward speaks with Kelly Crull about the Cubs defense and how he helped recruit Craig Kimbrel (1:20). Then, David Kaplan catches up with David Bote about his ever-changing role with the team, as well as how much fun he has watching Javy Baez (7:10). Finally, Luke Stuckmeyer welcomes new Cubs draftee Tyler Schlaffer to the show, and the Homewood-Flossmoor product discusses his emotions upon being picked by the Cubs and much more (14:00).

Luke Stuckmeyer sits down with legendary broadcaster Bob Costas to re-live his call of "The Sandberg Game" in 1984, plus a whole lot more including the impact of NBC's Game of the Week (2:30), how baseball was different in the '80s (5:00), the reason why Ryne Sandberg was not initially named the Player of the Game on June 23, 1984 (12:45), and how baseball fans missed out on potentially classic World Series matchups in both 1984 and 2003 (15:30).

In the second part of our interview with Ryne Sandberg, the Hall of Famer talks the legendary Bleacher Bums (3:20), the increased media attention after his epic June 23rd game in 1984 (7:00), his 1st home run off Bruce Sutter (11:00), and his 2nd longball that improbably tied the game again in the 10th inning (16:30), as well as all the craziness that followed once the game ended.

Luke Stuckmeyer sits down with Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg for a wide-ranging conversation centered around the infamous "Sandberg Game." Ryne gives insight into his feelings upon being traded to the Cubs (2:00), and discusses the reason he ended up with the #23 (5:00), plus how the 1984 season changed everything and raised his personal expectations sky-high (9:00) and the "Daily Double" dynamic between him and Bob Dernier (16:00).

35 years ago, Ryne Sandberg put on a performance for the ages, hitting game-tying home runs in the 9th and 10th innings against the Cardinals and Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter. Luke Stuckmeyer takes us through highlights of that day's broadcast with insight from Sandberg himself, broadcaster Bob Costas, Tribune beat writer Fred Mitchell, and Dave Owen, who walked off the game in the 11th. Sandberg, Costas, and company discuss the meaning of NBC's "Game of the Week" (5:00), Sandberg's surprising inspiration for that game (8:30), the utter dominance of Sutter's split-finger fastball (14:30), and of course, the two legendary game-tying home runs (18:00 & 26:30)

Craig Kimbrel talks after arriving in Iowa. Plus, Luke Stuckmeyer gets an update on Ian Happ from manager Marty Pevey and sits down with pitcher Dillon Maples. 1:15 - Craig Kimbrel speaks with media 8:53 - Manager Marty Pevey on Ian Happ 13:08 - Dillon Maples sit down interview.

Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki check in from Wrigley Field after the Cubs split the first leg of the Crosstown Classic with the White Sox. Kelly & Tony discuss the breaking news of top pitching prospect Adbert Alzolay's promotion to the big leagues and what his role could be with the Cubs (2:15), and assess where the Cubs stand as they continue their long homestand, including the recent offensive downturn and Yu Darvish taking a step forward (7:30).

Luke Stuckmeyer and producer Eric Strobel welcome Frederic, aka the Cubs' unofficial Director of Morale. Fred takes us through the origins and growth of his fandom and social media persona (1:30), before discussing how Jake Arrieta's dominance announced the Cubs as contenders (7:30) and the now-ubiquitous hard hats in the bleachers (16:00). Finally, Fred and the guys talk about this year's team, including the lack of strikeout stuff on the pitching staff (22:30) and the unicorn that is Javy Baez (30:00).

Kelly Crull sits down with Cubs reliever Brandon Kintzler, and the veteran right-hander covers many topics, including his ongoing prank war with fellow reliever Steve Cishek (2:50), his growing role as a leader and mentor inside the clubhouse (4:00), and Tommy Hottovy's impact on the pitching staff so far (10:30).

Luke Stuckmeyer, David Kaplan, Tony Andracki, and Kelly Crull get together to discuss and debate everything going on with the Cubs. Topics include the squad's struggles on the road this season (2:30), Steve Cishek's weird injury and his playful relationship with Brandon Kintzler (8:45), how many Cubs could end up in Cleveland for the All-Star game (12:45), and Kyle Schwarber's performance in the leadoff role (17:15).

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by The Athletic's Jon Greenberg to discuss his new book, "If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Chicago Cubs Dugout, Locker Room, and Press Box." Jon shares a great deal about the book, including why he decided to start it at the 2004 season (3:45), the antics and hilarity of the Lou Piniella Era (7:30), why 2013 could be viewed as a turning point in the franchise's quest for a World Series title (12:30), and wraps up by discussing how much The Athletic has grown since its inception in 2016 (17:30).

In a jam-packed episode, Kelly Crull catches up with David Bote after his record-setting 7 RBI performance earlier this week against Colorado (1:20) before also chatting with Carlos Gonzalez, who had quite an eventful first week with the Cubs (6:40). Then, Leila Rahimi talks with Peter Gammons, who discusses the Cubs' 2019 draft class, the tough NL Central, and his Hot Stove Cool Music fundraiser (12:00).

Hear the entire press conference from Friday at Wrigley Field, where Craig Kimbrel met the media for the first time as a Cub alongside Theo Epstein. Kimbrel discusses his workout regimen while he was unsigned (2:30), which current & former Cubs helped sway him toward Chicago (8:20), what a realistic timeline for his debut will be (12:30), and why he's excited to pitch in front of the Wrigley Field crowd (23:00).

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by MLB Network's Dan Plesac to discuss whether this move makes the Cubs favorites in the NL Central, and the mental makeup of closers (1:00). Then, Luke welcomes David Kaplan and David DeJesus to debate where Kimbrel ranks among active relievers and what the Cubs' ideal bullpen looks like moving forward (10:00). Finally, Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki chime in from Wrigley Field on how the clubhouse has reacted to the Kimbrel news and what a realistic timeline is for Kimbrel to join the team (19:30).

Get to know the hosts of the new NBC Sports Chicago show "Outside the Ivy," as David Kaplan goes in-depth with Michael Cerami, Danny Rockett, and Luis Medina. The guys detail how their paths brought them to this point (1:30), the depth of the Cubs' fan base both online and off (5:00), when they all knew that Theo Epstein's grand plan was going to work (10:00), and Kap's surprising connection to one of the Outsiders (15:45).

Luke Stuckmeyer, David DeJesus and Doug Glanville talk all things Craig Kimbrel after a rumor-filled weekend about the free agent closer. First, Doug and David share memories of their respective draft days as the 2019 MLB amateur draft gets underway (1:20). Then, the guys discuss how badly the Cubs need to be in on Kimbrel (6:00), why the Cubs need to take advantage during a win-now season (9:00), what makes Kimbrel one of the best closers in MLB (12:00), and why Kimbrel remains a free agent (14:00).

Hear Albert Almora speak about Wednesday's foul ball incident (1:20) before Luke Stuckmeyer, Doug Glanville, and David DeJesus discuss the nuances of the league's safety problem (6:30), the Iowa Cubs already planning to extend their netting next season (10:00), and if either David or Doug ever worried about their safety while they were playing (12:00).

In this special edition of the podcast, we dip into the archive to bring you an epic comeback from 11 years ago. Re-live the May 30, 2008 game against the Rockies, including commentary from Mark DeRosa, who hit the decisive homer late in the game. DeRosa discusses how the wind played such a crucial role that day (1:30), the mindset on the bench after going down 8 runs (3:30), and what was running through his mind during his final at-bat (8:45). Also included are DeRosa's postgame comments from the 5/30/08 broadcast (11:45)

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by David Kaplan and Tony Andracki to give a progress report on the Cubs at the 1/3 mark of their season. The trio discuss the many positives about the team so far as well as the starting rotation (1:15), the areas where the team needs to improve (4:00), the price to acquire an impact bullpen arm (9:00), and the Tyler Chatwood closer experiment (12:00). Then, the guys marvel at the kids of former MLB players like Vladimir Guerrero and Craig Biggio starting to enter the big leagues (15:30).

Kelly Crull goes 1-on-1 with the Cubs' Kyle Ryan and covers a lot of ground with the lefty reliever, including whether he feels established with the team yet (1:30), how his experiences with the Tigers earlier in his career shaped the pitcher he is today (3:00), and how the dynamic in this season's clubhouse and how a veteran like Brandon Kintzler helps Ryan out (5:15).

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by the Cubs Postgame Live team of David Kaplan and David DeJesus to break down all the various redemption stories on the 2019 Cubs, ranging from Kris Bryant returning from an injury-plagued campaign to Tyler Chatwood becoming a legitimate weapon out of the bullpen (1:00). Then, the guys discuss how well Kyle Schwarber is performing out of the leadoff spot over the last week (11:45).

Hear from Jake Arrieta after his first start as a visitor at Wrigley Field, including his thoughts on facing his former teammates and the standing ovation he received during his first at-bat (1:30). Then, Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by MLB Network's Mark DeRosa to discuss the Cubs' leadoff spot, the team outperforming expectations so far, and much more (8:15).

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by NBC Sports Chicago Cubs producers Eric Strobel and Nate Poppen to break down Monday night's big matchup between former Cub Jake Arrieta and Yu Darvish. The trio discuss the history and dynamics behind the matchup (2:00), the statistical comparison between the two pitchers over the past two seasons and their potential going forward (4:00), the difference in mental makeup between Jake and Yu (11:00), and Jake's massively important place in Cubs history (17:30).

Luke Stuckmeyer, David Kaplan, Kelly Crull, and Tony Andracki discuss the similarities between the red-hot 2019 Cubs and 2016 World Champions. Chief amongst those parallels are the superb performances of Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester, as well as the entire pitching staff (2:30). Also similar are MVP-caliber play from Kris Bryant, and a resurgent Willson Contreras (12:45). Finally, the panel discloses one area where the 2019 team comes up short: defense (18:15).

Get to know David DeJesus: Luke sits down with the Cubs Pregame/Postgame studio analyst to discuss baseball, life and... "Survivor." 0:33 - David grew up in New Jersey, so was he a Mets fan or a Yankees fan as a kid? 1:31 - Originally drafted out of high school, David decided to go play college ball at Rutgers. 4:40 - David discusses when he started playing baseball in the backyard with his dad. 8:11 - DeJesus also played soccer growing up. He and Luke talk about specialization in youth sports and how that can lead to too much pressure for some kids. 10:21 - David talks about hitting golf balls (with a baseball bat) in the basement with his dad. 13:23 - DeJesus talks about his passions and interests away from baseball and how he got into television in the first place. 19:14 - David eats very healthy. But he reveals his "cheat foods" when pressed by Luke. 22:04 - DeJesus reveals that he was recently asked to be on "Survivor," but he turned it down.

Cubs even the season series with the Brewers after Sunday night's win and are off to Cincinnati followed by a weekend series in Washington D.C. Kelly Crull and Jared Wyllys break down the Brewers series and preview the Cubs next opponents in the Reds and Nationals. Later in the podcast, Kelly sat down with Willson Contreras who has been on a tear as of late, already matching the 10 home runs he hit in all of 2018. 1:00 - Kelly and Jared recap the successful homestand. 3:15 - Tyler Chatwood has begun to turn his season around after great outing on Saturday. 7:18 - Defense has been on point as of late. 11:54 - Off-days are few and far between as the season continues to roll, how will Joe Maddon shuffle the lineups vs. the Reds and Nationals? 14:28 - Kelly goes one-on-one with catcher Willson Contreras to recap his impressive 2019 to this point and how this team compares to 2016.

In this jam-packed episode, Luke Stuckmeyer catches up with Christian Yelich to get the reigning MVP's thoughts on the Cubs-Brewers rivalry and his new piece for The Players' Tribune (1:30). Then Kelly Crull gets the inside story from Taylor Davis on how his friends and family reacted to his huge grand slam last weekend (8:00) before producer Eric Strobel interviews former Cub Carlos Pena about Joe Maddon's unique managerial style, and how his former teammate Yu Darvish can unlock his vast potential (12:45).

On the heels of Addison Russell coming back from his suspension, our NBC Sports Chicago team covers all the angles of what his return to the Cubs means going forward. First, hear remarks from Theo Epstein and Russell himself prior to his first game back with the Cubs (1:30). Then, Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by David Kaplan and David DeJesus to debate whether bringing Russell back at all was the right move, as well as whether the team might still move on from the infielder in the future (7:00). Then, Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki describe the reaction Russell's debut garnered at Wrigley Field, and discuss how this entire process could be a positive in the long run (17:00).

Ben Zobrist fields questions from Cubs fans, David Bote talks about all the hard work he does before the game starts, and Starlin Castro remembers the feeling of making his Major League debut 9 years ago. 00:45 - Luke 1-on-1 with Starlin Castro Topics: Anniversary of MLB debut (May 7, 2010), Looking back on his time with the Cubs, and what he thinks of Anthony Rizzo still using his walkup song. 6:31 - Ben Zobrist Q&A with Cubs fans. Topics: What went through his head when Rajai Davis hit that home run off Aroldis Chapman in game 7, What it was like to drive in the most important run in Cubs franchise history, and what is the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked him to sign. 16:29 - David Bote 1-on-1 with Kelly Crull Topics: Bote's work ethic and his pregame routine with Brian Butterfield, being prepared to play multiple positions every week, whenever asked.

In a special episode, we celebrate the 21st anniversary of Kerry Wood's record-setting 20-strikeout performance with an audio retrospective of that historic game. Hear all the key calls as they were broadcast in 1998, as well as commentary at key points from Kerry himself as he watched the game with us two decades later. 1:50 - Start of WGN broadcast of Cubs vs. Astros at Wrigley Field on May 6th, 1998 3:38 - Ricky Gutiérrez spoils the no-hitter in the top of the 3rd on controversial play 4:53 - Wood throws two nasty sliders in the 4th to get Jeff Bagwell to strikeout 7:32 - Wood gets strikeout number ten and eleven 9:23 - Rain begins to fall in the 7th inning, giving Wood a slight edge against the Astros hitters as he strikes out the side 14:56 - 9th inning begins as Wood is set to make history 17:20 - "Here comes the hook!" - Chip Caray calls the historic 20th strikeout of Kerry Wood 18:39 - Wood recalls his nervous interview with Steve Stone and Chip Caray after the game

Tony Andracki and Cam Ellis recap the weekend at Wrigley where the Cubs swept the Cardinals in dominating fashion to move into first place in the National League Central. Also, Kelly Crull goes 1-on-1 with former Cubs “you go, we go” leadoff hitter, Dexter Fowler.

After Kyle 'The Professor' Hendricks lived up to his name tossing just 81 pitches to complete a shutout vs the rival Cardinals. Hear Hendricks and Maddon's postgame comments after the Maddux like game. Prior to first pitch, Luke Stuckmeyer sat down with Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong who is off to a good start in St. Louis and grew up in the area, attending Illinois State University. Last but not least, Luke sat down with Fergie Jenkins who gave a great story about the late Ron Santo. 1:20 - Paul DeJong interview 6:10 - Hendricks interview with Kelly Crull postgame 7:40 - Maddon postgame on Hendricks 9:55 - Fergie Jenkins interview

Luke, Kelly and Tony talk about the Cubs resurgence on offense and in the bullpen. Other topics include Addison Russell's role, or lack thereof, and if his days as a full-time player are already over. Plus they play a game of "Cubs Stock Watch." 0:00 - Cubs blooming heading into May? A chance for the offense to reach full potential in 2019. 2:45 - What would be Addison Russell's role if he returns to the big league club? Could the door be closed on Russell being a full-time player with the Cubs? 9:52 - Bullpen goes from huge question mark to best in baseball, but there are some tough decision to be made pretty soon. 16:20 - Cubs 'stock watch': Time to sell on Brandon Morrow? Whose stock are you buying? Bryzzo, Darvish or Schwarber. Buy or sell? Heyward or Maddon.

Luke Stuckmeyer and David DeJesus break down the first month of the Cubs 2019 season. Is the offense "fixed"? How safe is Joe Maddon's job after 26 games? Plus, Luke and Kap chat with Les Grobstein about Lee Elia's epic rant from April 29, 1983 (which we play in its entirety) :23 - Cubs finally coming together, right in the thick of the N.L. Central Division 1:10 - Is the Cubs offense "fixed"? 2:20 - David Bote coming through as a big piece that gets big hits. 3:30 - Ben Zobrist pulls a "Rudy" and asks Maddon to start Bote in his place. 6:01 - Javy still being Javy. Baez is having a better season than 2018. 8:00 - A look at the N.L. Central. The Cardinals bullpen is getting pretty taxed right now. 9:45 - Cubs offense could be special once "Bryzzo" breaks out. 10:53 - The entire "Lee Elia" rant from April 29, 1983 (bleeped) 14:00 - Les Grobstein joins Luke & Kap to talk about Lee Elia's epic rant. Les was the only person who recorded the rant. 15:26 - How did Elia not get fired after the rant? Les tells a story about Dallas Green's reaction to the rant. 17:15 - Les explains why Elia was mad in the first place, and what question was asked that set him off on his tirade.

Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki discuss Lester's return, the upcoming road trip, plus Addison Russell talks about his suspension. 01:00Lester looked good in his return to the rotation 03:30Bullpen getting help from unexpected sources 05:00Was Almora's hair the reason he wasn't hitting homers? 06:45Kris Byrant looking better at the plate 09:30Cubs get ready for game at Arizona and Seattle 10:30Addison Russell's future with the Cubs 18:30Will Russell be with the Cubs on May 3rd when eligible?

Luke Stuckmeyer catches up with former Cub Rick Monday on the anniversary of his infamous flag-saving episode at Dodger Stadium in 1976 (2:15). Rick takes us through the entire incident, and gives some insight into why he felt compelled to act on that day 43 years ago. Then, we'll hear from Joe Maddon on what to expect from Jon Lester's 1st start since April 8th (10:40) before Luke is joined by David Kaplan to discuss Lester's return to the rotation after over two weeks on the Injured List (11:30).

On the latest Cubs Talk Podcast, Luke Stuckmeyer talks with Tyler Chatwood, Kelly Crull catches up with Yu Darvish, and David Kaplan and David DeJesus weigh in on the starting rotation. 01:00 - Tyler Chatwood on his outing on Sunday 02:25 - Chatwood on difference from last year 6:00 - Yu Darvish talks about his season so far 7:15 - Joe Maddon thinks Darvish has another gear 8:00 - Why the starters have been so good lately 9:30 - What adjustments has Tyler Chatwood made on the mound this season? 11:20 - Could Chatwood be effective out of the Cubs bullpen? 12:00 - Is Darvish making progress?

Kelly Crull and Tony Andracki break down the Cubs’ series win over the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field, which capped off with yet another David Bote walk-off and a surprising performance from Tyler Chatwood. They also break down where this Cubs team is at as they get set to welcome the high-powered Dodgers offense into Chicago later in the week. :30 – The Kelly Effect 1:00 – David Bote’s wild ride 2:00 – El Mago’s magic pays off for Cubs yet again 3:30 – Bote’s adjustments 6:40 – Chatwood’s big day 8:50 – What’s next for Chatwood? 10:10 – Lester’s return is right around the corner 11:30 – Cubs pitching firing on all cylinders 12:00 – Did Kap jinx Strop? 13:30 – Dodgers pose a big challenge for Cubs pitching staff

Luke Stuckmeyer takes a trip down memory lane on the 3rd anniversary of Jake Arrieta's no-hitter against the Reds in Cincinnati. You'll hear all the biggest calls of the game from Len & JD, plus Jake's immediate reaction after tossing his second no-no in a span of 11 regular season starts.

Luke Stuckmeyer and Chris Kamka go through some fun and perhaps meaningful numbers through the Cubs' first 17 games, including good trends for the starting pitching and puzzling numbers for Kris Bryant & Anthony Rizzo (1:30). Then, David Kaplan catches up with former Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano, who discusses his comeback attempt with the Chicago Dogs, his accomplishments while he pitched for the Cubs, and his newfound commitment to his faith (10:30).

Former Cubs TV analyst Todd Hollandsworth talks with Luke & Kap and gives an outside perspective on the 2019 Cubs. 00:00:46 Holly talks about being in the the TV booth and on the road every day with the Marlins. 00:01:51 Todd shares his thoughts on the 2019 Cubs and how the team was built through the draft. 00:04:03 Holly breaks down Jose Quintana's recent run of great starts. He Also talks about Yu Darvish and if what we saw Monday was for real. 00:05:37 Todd talks about the N.L. Central. Draws similarities to the N.L. East. He says the Cubs still win the division - IF they pitch. 00:08:05 Holly shares his thoughts on former Marlin Christian Yelich and his dominant start to the 2019 season. 00:11:09 Todd talks about the "Yelich" trade and how the deal has worked out (so far) for the Marlins. 00:13:17 Holly discusses Javy Baez sliding into second base and the replay review system in MLB. Where do they go next? How can MLB fix the problem with aggressive base-running vs. being too cautious when sliding.

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by David Kaplan and David Haugh of 670 The Score and the Chicago Tribune to discuss what player they are most worried about at this point in the season (1:30), if there is any issue with Kris Bryant not pinch-hitting on his off day last Saturday (3:30), whether or not Jason Heyward can keep up his hot hitting (7:00), and how Tiger Woods' Masters victory compares to the Cubs' 2016 World Series title on a national scale (12:00).

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by former Cub and 2016 World Series Champion Tommy La Stella as he returns to Wrigley Field as a visitor with the Angels, and the utility infielder discusses the good memories of his time with the Cubs and much more (:45). Then, Luke is joined by David Kaplan and David DeJesus to break down the Cubs' rotation stepping up with Jon Lester on the injured list (6:00) before hearing from Joe Maddon on Mike Trout's place as perhaps the face of MLB and the best player in the game (12:00).

Luke Stuckmeyer and David Kaplan discuss the Jon Lester injury situation and what his absence will mean to the rest of the rotation (2:00), the bullpen bouncing back after their horrible start to the season (5:15), the red-hot bats of Willson Contreras, Kyle Schwarber, and Jason Heyward (9:00), leaving Ben Zobrist in the lead-off spot (13:00), and the struggles of Kris Bryant (15:00).

On the latest Cubs Talk Podcast, Tony Andracki and Kelly Crull break down the opening road trip of the season, Kris Bryant's struggles at the plate and look ahead to the home opener 00:45Recapping the series against the Brewers 03:00Sunday's game was more of what you expect a Cubs-Brewers game to be like 04:00Kyle Hendricks' struggles early on 06:00Bryant's struggles at the plate of late 14:00Willson Contreras playing well through the first 9 games 17:00Javy Baez' comments on knowing the Cubs will have their haters 20:00Rizzo keeping the team loose off the field 22:00The team's mindset after starting 2-7 24:00Lester getting the start in the home opener

Luke Stuckmeyer catches up with David Bote, Kyle Schwarber & Gordon Wittenmyer as the Cubs and Brewers face off for their first series of 2019 01:25 David Bote on Brewers series and importance early in season 02:15 Bote on controlling what we can control 03:32 Bote on his new contract, staying with Cubs 04:45 Bote on lineups, approach day-to-day 05:30 Bote on his teammates, helping when guys are struggling 06:30 Schwarber on Brewers series, excitement 07:53 Schwarber on last season, 1 game short, every game counts 08:53 Schwarber on teammates picking each other up 09:45 Schwarber on slow start. Not a panic, hit the reset button 10:34 Luke talks with Gordon Wittenmyer from the Chicago Sun-Times 10:55 Wittenmyer on panic in April. Adverse conditions in Atlanta. No broad judgements yet 12:09 Wittenmyer on Brewers, possible regression. Starting to build a big hill to climb 14:14 Wittenmyer on Christian Yelich and his ascent to MVP status 14:49 Wittenmyer on Yu Darvish’s 1st start vs. 2nd start. Still a long time to silence critics. 16:38 Wittenmyer on Cubs “Must-win” mandate. Not a 1-way street. Pressing because results are not there yet. 18:04 Wittenmyer on Cubs pressing and feeling pressure after winning a World Series.

Luke Stuckmeyer is joined by Ernie Banks biographer Ron Rapoport to talk about his new book "Let's Play Two: The Legend of Mr. Cub, the Life of Ernie Banks." The pair discusses Ernie's early life in Dallas, TX (2:00), his fabulous wasted season for infamous 1969 Cubs team (10:00), Ernie talking trash to Willie Mays at Wrigley Field (13:30), who the next Ernie Banks might be today (15:00), and the contrast between Ernie's happy disposition and his complicated private life (19:30).

Luke, Kap & Kelly talk through the Cubs first 4 games, when to "pull the plug" on the bullpen, and what's changed with Kyle Schwarber in 2019. 00:00:22 Luke: When is it too early to panic? 00:00:40 Kap: What was the biggest concern we had going into this season? The bullpen. And it has reared it's ugly head and it looks awful. 00:02:00 Kelly: I don't like that some guys have built-in excuses already. 00:03:25 Kap reads off the list of positive signs for the Cubs. IE: Bryant/Schwarber/Baez/etc. 00:06:08 Looking at the bullpen. Solutions outside of signing Craig Kimbrel. How long do they give this bullpen as it's currently constructed? 00:08:28 Breaking down C.J. Edwards struggles and if he would/should be sent down at some point if he continues to struggle. 00:11:00 Tyler Chatwood. What if he's just a 1-inning pitcher now with his massive contract? 00:12:37 Kyle Schwarber looks great early on. Hes says he's back to the "squatty" guy he was and not over-thinking things at the plate anymore. Does he need to be in the lineup every day? 00:18:10 Ronald Acuna Jr.'s new contract and what it could mean for any possible Kris Bryant/Javier Baez extensions. Kap thinks both Bryant & Baez will be extended before hitting free agency. 00:21:30 Expectations for the Cubs record when they return home from Milwaukee next week.

On the latest edition of the Cubstalk podcast David Kaplan, David Dejesus and Doug Glanville discuss the Cubs opening series in Texas and look ahead to Atlanta. 1:00 Bad start for Yu Darvish 2:30 Concern over Carl Edwards Jr 4:15 A dangerous look in Kyle Schwarber’s eye 7:30 New rules in Cubs clubhouse 10:15 why not winning another world series would be a failure 12:30 baseball’s watchability