Will Jameson Taillon turn it around in 2024? | CHGO Cubs Podcast

The Chicago Cubs starting rotation has to replace Marcus Stroman, but that’s not the only question mark. Last offseason’s addition of Jameson Taillon had high expectations but landed in year one with mixed results. Is Taillon one of the sneaky x-factors for 2024? Plus, the latest on Shota Imanaga’s decision. Will Andre Dawson get what he wants in Cooperstown? Join Luke Stuckmeyer, Cody Delmendo and Ryan Herrera for the Tuesday January 9th edition of the CHGO Cubs Podcast!

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[Applause] [Applause] Yeah Hey Chicago what do you say it’s another beautiful day in the city of Chicago it’s raining it’s snowing it’s sleeing and the ceiling is dripping in our office and the Cubs still haven’t sign any but other than that saying there’s a chance something good could happen today

Uh Luke stuck Ryan Herrera Cody delmendo uh hi to everybody in the Live Chat best way to enjoy it make sure you subscribe to that CH Sports YouTube page so you don’t miss anything um yeah we’re going to talk a little imaga again today we’re going to talk about Jameson tyion we’re

Going to even maybe talk a little bit about Andre Dawson and if we have time we might talk about the guy that went swimming in the prob bash shops the Cardinal fan oh yeah prob bash shop I’m convinced he’s I’m I’m convinced he is a cardinal Pro Bass Shops right probass

Shops according to Luke stuck in Nashville probass sh uh Becky wants no h feeling still got the tea but hey better than yesterday so that’s that’s good credit to him yeah uh Godfather says we are close or Gary’s Gary’s telling Godfather we’re close here’s the deal nothing’s happened what

Are we now 35 days away with 323 days since the last uh since the last free agent signing Cubs convention’s getting closer Cubs convention’s getting closer few details on that on the internets today all the people that are going to show up for that that for those of you

That are worried miles Master bony will be there I was worried Cody was U make sure he was going to get that I was shaking I was it was the the number one thing there were one or two names on there I was like I don’t I don’t know I don’t remember that

Cub era I don’t remember that Cub era but that that’s always the case right like yeah well I still want to see more D le I saw Romas is gonna be there you know last Friday Cory and Brendan on their show were kind of just for like an

Hour just naming random Cubs and me the last like 23 minutes of their show maybe should do that I honestly thought about coming in here yesterday with that idea we could just kept playing it out like the way that that Cory and Brennan were where like they were talking about Paul

B at the end of their show PA Cubs Legend KO yes yeah Cory was talking about how he had to like this’s this like website called sparkel that puts a bunch of quizzes together and he had to email them he had to he went out of his

Way to email sporle to tell them they got something wrong about the 03 Cub season cuz it was something I think it was like Paul B made the last out or whatever o three and they had it as someone else so yeah we should do something like that yeah Coy Hill uh I

See uh dubs is excited about Coy Hill listen we could go we could do a thing remember when I would do the uh we’ve done it a couple years is this an act at uh laa paloa or is it a Cubs Prospect we could just do it as a former Cubs player

Former Cubs player because I we can go way back and not really know how far far back we’re going there so you colada might know but when I look at this list and I maybe this defines how big of a fan I am or not like am I supposed to know

Who I can’t I don’t even know if I’m saying his name right how’s it spelled his first name is Manny where is Trio Manny Trio yeah am I supposed too am I supposed to know who this guy no Manny Trio is like my childhood oh okay yeah I

Think I’ve heard the name I I have no idea who this guy is no and like is that make me a bad fan no no no no that’s like that’s like I would say Manny Trio was probably late 70s early 80s okay I’ve heard the name again I’m 32 folks

All right so I believe Andy pfco I don’t I don’t know Barb’s asking about Andy pfco that’s an old that was my aunt’s favorite player Andy pfco Barb’s got Manny Trio yeah Manny Trio Bas uh Kyle wants to know can we fix the leak in the roof no now George mwald

That’s a name there you go perhaps I know we’re going to talk about Andre Dawson at the end of the show but like of these guys on this list like who’s going to the Cubs Hall of Fame right like what they they’re supposed to like isn’t isn’t the way

They’ve been doing it they go going going by like decade yeah so like Mark Grace andon were in the ’90s right that’s why it’s taken a little while to get to Sam Sosa right but as Carrie played a lot like is AR romis Ramirez

Going in the sh like to me I I think he belongs in there right curious or yeah or Carrie Wood or Barb said to bring back Pete L Pete La there we go g get it out dead Lily I I don’t know like I dead

Lily it will be for me even though Sami s is not on this list which tells me he’s not going to go into the Cubs Hall of Fame this year uh which that’s a whole another rant I could go on for the thousandth time yeah I think Bruce miles

Will join us tomorrow to talk about that he’s on that committee so I just want to know I want to know what goes into the decision uhuh you know like what what’s their criteria for picking I think he’s going to tell us yes or no even though

We all think it’s no but I am curious how the committee forms their decisions on it there’s also a stunning lack of Tony Campana I know man I’m going to text or I’m going to message him on IG and be like bro I’ve been asking for you

To come like do you you just want to come with me one year like just roll up just hang around yeah walking around stunning lack of Tony campan and H Blanco but I think fan favorite man he was like he was no like he was no Juan Pierre but man he

Was a fan favorite he was a fan when this team was tanking he was a tank leading uh what does brags call it tank commander that’s how he mentions uh Nate Peterman as the tank commander you know when you look back at when the first tank you can you can thank guys like

Tony Campana and like Edwin Jackson for for helping us get Chris Bryant speak ju Pierre I think he played every single game in that 06 season when they only won 66 games look so your favorite nonb star yep 16 games is Tony Campana well you got to Define star like you talking

About like when you say star like would is not a star but I like I like a lot of gentlem wonderful gentle like a lot of cubs who weren’t All Stars though you know what I mean but like would you consider them a star like I I think even the loosest

Term of star so like somebody that wore a Cubs uniform but didn’t have like a huge Major League career that’s what we’re talking about Ronnie s Ronnie Sedano I didn’t like Ronnie sedo well I mean he was fine but I didn’t love him like I like Tony Camp yours was Ronnie sedo

Yours Tony campan and mine was this guy Mike Vil who would pinch hit like in the early 1920 maybe like 80 maybe something like 80 and I always thought he was going to hit a home run for some reason yeah see like Dave Kingman is too

Big of a name to say Dave Kingman because the guy hit too many home runs in basball yeah Mike Vil I don’t know he’s probably selling Insurance that’s a big Daryl Ward guy Daryl Ward really yeah yeah darl Ward uh Tony Kemp had his own day in

Oakland we know for me there’s just something about the guys who come off the bench and get the big hit who don’t have a massive role on the team all right so like Chris C Chris cogin Cogan’s a good one huge fan all right that’s why Mike talkman is my guy ree

Johnson was a good one oh re Johnson re Johnson re Johnson re Johnson Johnson was a good one I Catch Re Johnson was a fun player to watch like I’m thinking of the one in Milwaukee when he Prince’s Grand Slam see we’re doing the thing now all right well that’s another podcast

We’ll save literally doing the thing that Brennan and Cory were doing though Lord knows we’re going to need it next week if they don’t sign Bellinger by the Cubs convention we know we’re going to need this whole podcast so we’ll just Galvin says uh Randall Simon there you

Go that’s that’s a good one Mark D Roa Junior lake not not like a not the tier that we’re talking about excuse me Junior lake before the whole Joe Madden basically benching him because he celebrated the way uh whatever no no to Marlin bird no to Marlin BD Matt Caesar good

Guy Matt Caesar he’s supposed to be there yeah he’s gonna be there dude can paint dude can paint he’s good social content he shows you know he’s from the 16 team his Bat is it lives in a legendary lore you know see I think for

Me I think Mark D Roa and this is the last thing we’ll say on this I think Mark D Roa is too big of a name yeah yeah to say sort of just like another Cub right he was he wasn’t like the star of the team but he’s he’s a face of MLB

Network he had a pretty long side he had a pretty big fan base he he didn’t play with the Cubs long enough in my opinion I remember when they years May yeah it should have been longer um Cliff Floyd Another oh yeah Marque can you forget about Cliff Floyd

Forget about Cliff Floyd uh all right what where will Jameson tyone finish in that convers what could we be having the same thing conversation about jamus and tyone 15 years from now maybe I hope we don’t talk about him like we talk about uh Tyler chatwood oh well yeah you don’t want to

Go that direction he makes more money than Tyler chatwood so he has higher expectations I think he is better than Tyler chatwood uh but I think we all had pretty high expectations for Tyler chatwood when he came over and obviously his first year with the Cubs was awful so

It was not near like Ty’s first year was not nearly as bad as as um chatwood I think chw got paid more to who was the other pitcher that they signed significant amount they signed early on to a pretty large contract a veteran pitcher and he just never did anything who am

I yes Ed Jackson that’s what I was thinking like I said he was part of the tank commander man yeah Ed Edwin Jackson like you if we didn’t have Edwin Jackson we sure as hell don’t have Chris Bryan On’s going to no matter what happens

Will finish do we have do we have Kyle schwarber on this team if we don’t have Edwin Jackson like I I’m just saying like he came in Theo paid him a lot of money to suck like that’s what he was with the Cubs there was never a point

With Edwin Jackson as a cub where you were like this guy I trust him today fact that edin Jackson threw a no hitter is still kind of insane he 30 million he got like 50 what was his contract it’s been way too long 4 year $52 million

But what would that contract be now equivalent be now it would probably be more than what tyion got last year I would think right for sure 10 years later well it’s not like Edwin Jackson had a bad career he just had a bad he

Just was he was washed up by the time he got to the Cubs right but somehow after the Cubs he went on to pitch with like what two or three other teams felt like somehow other teams gave him a chance yeah um here we go we’re getting off on the

R i could do this all day this whole just naming dudes you know but the Jameson t I I think we could we could spend a week and we may do this anyway in the off season saying but I think we need to know who the roster is before they

Before we start going through the whole list but I think if you had to pick X factors to a cub season right last year we said Bellinger was the biggest X Factor because the ceiling was so high for what he could deliver he did turn out to

Be an X Factor they just didn’t make the playoffs because things didn’t happen but he was obviously an xfactor sure tyone I is still holds that we had these at least I had these expectations that he would be a possible two for the Cubs I didn’t

Know I I thought strowman was still the one I didn’t know where steel was going to slot in but I thought it was possible that tyone would be that number two now steel grabbed it right yeah and went with it and became the number one and tyion season didn’t and at the

End it wasn’t as bad as it was at times during the season because he did have some good starts I just look at him now and I say they have holes in their rotation because strowman’s gone they needed we thought potentially two starters in a perfect off season is what

You could add to this rotation tyon is still one of those guys that you could easily call an xfactor on this team yeah no I think and when we talk about right now like this rotation as currently constructed obviously Marcus strowman’s gone as currently constructed doesn’t feel like a upper tier rotation

You have Justin steel came up was coming off a top five finish but obviously like Kyle Hendricks is another year older next year um had a good season but had you know similar like Cody Bellinger right had a good season but had come off couple Bad seasons injury-plagued

Seasons right so you don’t know for sure um if the the things that Kyle Hendrick did to get back to where he was in 2023 well how long will that get how how much longer does a leash get for him now that he’s um proved he kind of was healthy

And and could pitch effectively and then you got young guys like Jordan Wicks who um you know potential for that still rookie sophomore year struggles Javier Assad you know had his um just I think I think some of his later starts aside you could see some um flaws in his game that

You’d hope he’d have to work on but um for the most part I think we sit here and look at this rotation as it’s not an upper echelon rotation um it doesn’t feel like a major strength for the team tyion looking more like he did in New

York more like the guy the Cubs thought they were signing when they gave him four years 68 million that would be really big for the rotation now do I think that’s enough for the rotation no um but I do think having him emerge is like a number two even or you know a

Really good number three I think that’s that’s hu and then also depends on what what they do the rest of the offseason when they do eventually sign someone right um but having him emerge and being a lot more consistent a lot more effective um you know the pitch mix

Works a lot better that’s I think that’s huge for the rotation and and when you’re talking about the in-house options yeah I would say he’s an x- Factor because the amount he’s getting paid to be one of their better starting pitchers um and then again what they

Think he can be when he’s pitching well and pitching effectively like that for me I would say as far as what they have on the the roster right now rotation wise he’s the X Factor because if he could be really good that is a big boost

For the rotation as a whole I think yeah I mean they obviously need a bounce back they need more of what they got in September all of next year um I think if you’re going into 2024 though hoping that he can even get to a number two

Spot in the rotation or form out to be that by the end of year I think that’s setting yourself up for failure I’m just asking for middle of the rotation guy I’m asking for number three I’m asking for number four uh and like a lot of people in the chat are mentioning like

I’m I’m I’m I’m going to put all my chips in on Kate Horton in 2024 and what I mean by that is I’m going to be optimistic that he can be that number two guy behind steel and eventually probably the number one in years to come

But I I that’s a lot of pressure to put on our guy who’s never pitched the major league level all this and that however probably the best pitching Prospect in all baseball I think at going into 2024 so I think I’m I think that it’s okay to

Have those kinds of expectations or or optimism but as far as tyone I think that if you if he just get does what he’s done throughout his career which is just be a really good middle of the rotation guy then like I’m fine with that I I I’m not I I just feel

Like if I ask for more I’m set myself up for failure two years in a row because last year I went into last season with optimism that he could be the best guy in the rotation and Not only was he not that he for three and a half months he was the

Worst pitcher in the rotation so I I’m just asking for him to get back to what he’s um known to be throughout his career and if he can do that I you know that definitely sets them up to have success and you know I feel like

Either way no matter where you look at on this roster if you’re talking about offense you’re talking about defense you’re talking about pitching this team’s going to be asking some of these young dudes to come up and and and and Blossom a little bit and like we were talking about New Year’s resolutions

Last week you know Ryan said you know Cubs need to hit on somebody these prospects so like I don’t think it’s I don’t think it’s a bad thing for me to say that I’m going to put more optimism in that than I am in jamus and tyion uh

You know being better than what I expect I my expectation for 2024 for Jameson tyion is just be who he has been throughout his career uh n’s asking if this is an emergency podcast no not yet no not yet not an emergency pod um I I would agree

That the I think the reason that we said they needed two starters was some of the disappointment in tyone not being able to figure out the fast ball and he was like listen I just whatever it is I I can’t I can’t figure it out during the

Season I love the fact that he went into the off season and right away he hit you know he showed on social media which is fine he showed that he’s putting the work in yeah that’s what more can you what more can you ask for after you give

A guy a contract I also think one of the things with tyion is just how open and and very like self even right after starts like we you know we talk to him even if it’s was a bad start we talk to him he’s very open and honest about his

Issues and very like as far as like self-reflection goes he knows just like it’s like I he’s like I don’t know what happened he’s like no I I I know what was going wrong do I know how to fix it right now no but I know what was so I

Think that’s beneficial for him and that he’s he’s the self-reflection part is so good for him I guess is the way to say like he he’s so good at self-reflecting that he immediately knows what his issues are he doesn’t necessarily have the answers right away and as you said

Like fixing all this stuff in game like trying to do that in between starts or uh in the season like that’s tough but when you get a full offseason knowing what was what was plaguing you knowing what your issues were if you can pinpoint them down and give yourself the

Whole offseason to work on them like that’s just huge just for that you know offseason pitching progression type stuff so um I think I think that part of it when I look at who Jameson T is and how he just understands what’s going right and what’s going wrong for him

Even if it’s right after a game I I mean I think that is where I look at I’m expecting a better season out of him a more consistent season out of himc just just because he knows what the issues were and he’s going to have a whole

Offseason to work on them now obviously you hope that new issues don’t emerge or the same issues start to pop back up for sure um but H having a whole offseason in the system with the cup and and being able to just work on the issues like with the fast balls you

Mentioned that were that was plaguing him I think that’s that’s going to be beneficial for him I mean it’s like a golfer right you go out on the golf course for all the people that are out there that the golf and it’s if I could just fix my putting this year I’m going

To be so much B I’m going to I’m going to pick up seven strokes and then your short game goes a little bit so obviously could that happen yes something tells me that the sample size of what tyone has done before mhm lets me believe in my heart

That you’re not going to get tyone from last year you’re only going to get a better version this season I’m not saying it’s going to be a number one or a number two I’m just saying I think the kind of roller coaster ride I think you’ll get a

Better season a more consistent season out of him than you did last year yeah and if you add somebody like in managa or Montgomery or Snell or whoever your dream is this free agent pitcher to rep replace strowman knowing that you have Horton coming up and Assad available and Drew

Smiley could be there for some starts and all of that tyone is still a guy that has that potential to really give you a huge boost in the rotation if you make those Right Moves here in the next5 days thing just don’t count on him to automatically be that well I think another

Thing that perhaps even I kind of just didn’t even take an account like despite the I don’t know the up and down year or the bad year I to me I year one of that contract it just it wasn’t good I just playing simple wasn’t good he got better

As the season went along he pitched well when absolutely needed him to sep in September like there was that there was a game against the Mets where it felt like they needed to win that game and like he had that start against the Yankees had the tyone Revenge game like

He had moments even earlier in the season there was just a lot of inconsistency and honestly the first two months of the year just weren’t good uh but through all that he still managed to pitch 154 Innings last year that that’s that’s pretty good in this in this day and age and

So he’s just got to stop giving up homers to left-handed hitters he was terrible against lefties last year right like we talked about that at ends so he’s got to stop doing that as much he’s got to even that out like I still think lefties will probably still hit pretty

Well of him but it can’t be you know lefties can’t have an Ops over a thousand for him against him for half a year right so I think that he’s got to he’s got to get better against lefties and he’s got to find a way uh to

Continue to just get outs and and and keep the team in games I was I was honestly probably his biggest thing like because even though he pitched 154 Innings it was CU he would suck the first inning or two but then somehow find it in inning two or three and still

Give you five or six and and it was just like you would watch yeah you would just watch the game and You’ be like how did he just go through the heart of a lineup and not give up anything else but then you get to the eight n hter hitters and

This guy is giving up tanks to dudes I’ve never heard of like or vice versa like it was one or the other like it and he would have starts where it’s just like the first two innings would not go well and then he would figure it out and

Still managed to just go deep in the game so David Ross didn’t have to go to his Bullpen every like really early every start you know so he just like you said you need you got to he’s got to be more consistent he’s got to be better

Against lefties uh and I those are two big things but as far as just like you know we’re talking about free agents they should sign and everything I mean do again 154 innings in year one made uh 29 starts like they had a minimum stint

On the I early in the year but that was it like he was there yeah it’s it’s like you need guys to to be available and he was available he was available and yeah it’s what we’ve all said you know it’s just being consistently better and you know it’s easier said than done

Of course especially from us sitting here on the set but like you know a guy that’s very routine Orient head who like you mentioned on social media you already see him getting after um and and and focusing on the things he needs to focus on this off season um you know

Just being consistent with everything not just on the mount end game like consistent um with his pregame work consistent with uh you know his in between work is consistent with the offseason right now like just a lot of I think that’s the main thing that’s the number one that’s the buzzword for me

With tyion in 2024 it’s just consistency because we didn’t see that enough last year until it kind of got too late in the season and consistency would mean a better season than last year yeah for sure so we’re all good with that um Alex

Says no bro is cooked uh evil wax hey I haven’t seen you in a while evil wax 73 says who would you rather have the top three uh rotation guys left Montgomery imaga or Snell I are you asking like if contracts were equal like which player

Would you rather have I mean Snell’s the most accomplished of the group yeah he’s also the most risky one we’re talking about inconsistency AG I I would I probably go Montgomery and somebody somebody in the chat earlier said I saw him against the Astros and was like that’s the guy I

Want yeah I was listening to Brenan actually had a good conversation about that with with snow and Montgomery and like imanaga and they did then I got distract I mean I would love to summarize it but then I get distracted when Brendon start talking about seam

Shifted wake um which yeah so like that like don’t get caught that just like I started like the don’t get caught in the the heat Maps yeah the Zack Alan AIS um hangover meme like all those all the numbers flying around but uh I do know he he was talking about with Montgomery

Like he obviously wouldn’t be opposed to signing Jordan Montgomery but like I I think he was talking about like a guy like imanaga would be his choice based on specific pitch doctor things that I don’t completely understand um I I mean I think with Montgomery I I think if if you’re basing

Like Montgomery versus Blake Snell I think Montgomery is probably like the safer more consistent option because but Blakes now just has the ability to be a s young guy he’s done it two years but it also took it also took him five years in between Sai Young so it’s like you’ve

Seen the inconsistency throughout his career season to season not that he’s always a bad pitcher like a really bad pitcher a really good pitcher I think his floor isn’t that bad but it’s also not as it’s it’s lower than you want or than you feel safe about but a ceiling is

Also really high but he’s also going to cost a lot you know he’s going to cost more money if the contracts were all equal it’s it’s an interesting the thing that makes me intrigued about Montgomery is that he’s just been consistent three consecutive Seasons like it’s not even

Like like with Blake Snell like what Ryan said like his sa Youngs it’s not like they’re happening back toback years or like two out of the last three or whatever he’s had up and down seasons and you just don’t know what you’re going to get from him in 2024 I don’t

Think also like we I’ve mentioned many times on here I mentioned in Twitter spaces that I’ve done like almost a almost a 14% walk rate last year like that’s bad and like that’s listen if you watch this team and I assume all of you in this chat did like you watch this

Team during the Golden Era with a lot of the pictures they had that walked so many dudes and how it came back to haunt them like it just scares me to have with someone who’s who who had a walk rate like that last year and it’s not even

The first season that he’s done that he’s he’s had other Seasons where he’s had high walk rates so yeah he strikes out a ton of dudes but he also walks guys I don’t know like it if the walk rate wasn’t so high I’d probably be a

Little bit more in on him but I’m it just the inconsistency and the walk rate is what scares me now between imanaga and Montgomery again like imaga is a risk in the fact that he just never never pitched here I take the guy I’ve seen right do well in the postseason but I

I’m but but they’re like if you you just look it at you know the type of pitcher imanaga is and the and what the experts project him to be it’s another version of Jordan Montgomery he’s not going to overpower you it’s not like he’s he gets a lot of ground balls like this

Like it’s absolutely not exactly what I want the Cubs to be getting in in in free agency or what I was hoping that the Cubs would be getting in free agency from the pitching side this winter but uh you know we are where we’re at and

They need a they need an arm and who knows maybe they can make whether it’s Jordan Montgomery or imanaga better great I don’t know uh but I Montgomery three consecutive Seasons 30 plus starts over 150 Innings pitched just came off the World Series all these like he’s he’s had success

He’s familiar with this division because he pitched with the Cardinals so so I don’t know man like I I’m I’m fine with either one of them uh I guess if you force me to choose i’ I’d say Montgomery but just and that’s just because I know

What I’m going to get more so out of him but no yeah I think I’m fine with either one of him orag excuse me yeah I don’t I don’t know who my prefer choice I think it just depends on what you want and what your level of um you know the the risk

You can take you know like how much how much risk are you willing to take on with a contract like that because like like I said Blake Snell the most like proven of the guys highest sealing potentially of the guys probably of the guys considering he has a two-time Sai

Young Award winner but he’s also going to cost you a lot more money you mentioned the walk rate we’ve talked about the inconsistency throughout his career like that that’s that’s risky right you know imaga agent as a risk what risk do you want I don’t know it just yeah it

Depends on what what your level of of the way willingness to take risks is going to be Gary says I won’t be happy when they sign imaga by Thursday and uh you’re incorrect Gary please just sign anybody’s all I’m asking for I’ll be happy if they sign I whoever I

Would be fine passing on Snell solely because I’m such a believer in Kate Horton Kate Horton can be your Blake Snell in 2025 he’ll make it I believe he’ll be here mid-season anyway I think Blake SN or I think Kate Horton can be what Blake Snell is in terms of

The strikeouts terms of being at top of the rotation what if we had two of those guys well if they if they give Blake Snell seven years 200 plus million then Cody Bellinger ain’t going to be here and I they ain’t going to they ain’t gon to their offense ain’t going to score

Any runs least that’s the way I look at it you that’s what we said last year I think they were like top ended up being top five or top three in run scored so just saying that literally in the last season saying that and that’s just me

Being a right but like that I view if they go and pay Blake snow all that money I don’t think Cody Binger is going to be here but who doesn’t like meatballs and who doesn’t like circus Sportsbook Cody I mean if you don’t like circus Sportsbook get out of my face get

Out of my face get the [ __ ] out of here brother uh I’m gonna convince you why circus sports book is awesome all right one reason they have tight moneyline splits all right games strive to be minus 110 split on circus Sports menu unlike other sports books which may use a minus 115

Or minus10 split circus Sports keeps his little money as possible on large Market bets especially compared to other books they do not limit players based on their winnings every player has the same limits unlike other books who do limit winning players they actually encourage betters to download and explore other

Sports betting apps available and compare the lines from each sports book I was doing so good on this other book that they Li limit how much I can you or how much I can bet um when I use their boost and it’s like limiting the the

Good things that Batman can do right so like for instance last night I bet I made a bet uh using a boost uh on this other book and it only let me bet $10 because I’ve been killing it on their book like they’re probably tired of me

They probably want me to leave uh and cira they just won’t do that because they’re the best so uh and finally the customer service is the best if you don’t like chat chat Bots then go to Circa that’s why I go to cira all right so all aspects of the app

Are being run by the same team that runs the main Circa sports book at Circa Resort in casino in Las Vegas the second greatest place on Earth behind Wrigley Field all right so download the circus Sports Illinois app at Circus sports.com Illinois apppp to sign up today also

Beyond the lookout for Circ events watch parties and tailgates if you are someone you know may have a problem with gambling call 1800 Gambler or visit or or text gb2 833 234 or visit are you really winning.com very nice uh Midtown Athletic Club has four Chicagoland locations Palatine in

The Northwest BBS banic bur in the NorthShore willbrook southwest suburbs and Midtown Athletic Club and hotel right in the middle of Bucktown over here in lak park now don’t forget Midtown Palatine has just had this big multi-million dollar transformation of the club it’s going to be complete here

Early in the year Midtown is now offering no initiation fees in January at banck bur Palatine and willbrook locations they have something for single people they’ve got something for families with kids if you’re looking to make those lifestyle changes early in the year this is the place it’s the

Nicest gym I’ve ever been in and oh the white fluffy towels did I mention the white fluffy towels in in their state-of-the-art locker room super luxury is the way I would describe it they’ve got yoga boxing cycling cross training group exercise and the best tennis courts in programming in the

Support they’ve got indoor outdoor tennis they got pickle ball paddle tennis USA professional quality all the way so head over to midtown.com chgo to tour the Midtown Athletic Club nearest you and yes you can go see there right there Cody is down what seven pounds seven pounds brother I stepped on

The scale again today didn’t lose but it didn’t gain could have been the time of day could have been the time of day going to the casino be water weight it’s like going to the casino and not losing any money like you know you went there

You had fun and and the month already is good yeah I blame the fact that I didn’t lose probably cuz I ate an entire pizza after the Bears ruined my freaking Sunday but you know what I I’m I’m okay with being at this at this level right

Now like I’m trying to get down 30 pounds by opening day like I can I still feel really good about that you got time anyway uh you know a lot of people in the chat were jumping ahead in our rundown they wanted to talk imaga and John Haymon and all the other people

That reported hey Cubs and Red Sox the only thing I’ll say about it is this and again I have nothing against him and I just want them to sign one of those three guys they need to add a starting pitcher yeah somebody has to sign and if it’s IM managa cool if it’s

Montgomery extra cool to for me but like here’s the deal everybody keeps saying imaga is off the list on the list it just depends on it’s all rumors right now guys it’s all rumors how many times did the the stuff with the Giants CH changeed yesterday it’s like it’s just

Been like very like I referenced yesterday like snip snap snip snap Michael and Jan at dinner party in the office like because last night someone a reporter out of Boston said that they were out on imaga then Haymon tweets this morning that it’s Cubs Red Sox and five other suitors including the Giants

Then he quote tweets himself like an hour later and says now I’m hearing the Giants are now out of it so it’s like didn’t someone who said yesterday the Giants were like emerging as the front runner wasn’t oh fand yeah aess lot of conflicting reports

On I don’t know I don’t know what to think but you hav the one thing haven heard now we’re going to know two days from now what it is the one thing though for sure is that the Cubs there’s nothing related to the Cubs have come out related they haven’t no one said

Anything like if they have emerged as the favorite or or anything except for that one article out of Japan that said that the Cubs were less likely to to land them now or something which then was like refuted when Nightingale said that the Cubs are you know right there so I I I

Don’t know I didn’t mean to interrupt you sorry is it fun to watch the tea leaves and and see where the chips fall let’s just hope something happens by Friday come on Barb Barb asked if Umaga is any good she never heard of him Umaga

Is a isn’t that a wrestler he he’s the late WR late WWE wrestler yeah former champion no longer with rip Alex uh says I hate says Luke hates imanaga just like Cody hates PCA these are facts not an agenda You misspelled facts it’s fax and

Don’t let him get in the way of a good story yeah it’s FX Brother come on Alex speaking of Umaga never mind I I’ll say that for never mind okay I just I got WWE on the brand now after that one so but I won’t take us down a a wrestling

Rabbit Hole I won’t D maybe maybe at the end of the show but not know I won’t derail it right now while we’re talking about eaga does the guy from Real World still wrestle real world yeah The Miz The Miz oh yeah The Miz yeah all right I’ll just

Do I’ll just do it right now CU because all right go ahead Alex Alex lente I think his name is um said in the chat if Jed doesn’t do anything I’m gonna do a uh I’m gonna do a real good WWE move on him or something like that WWE finishing

Move so I’m like if I were to do aing finale if I were to do a WWE finishing move on anyone it’s probably a swan bomb Oh okay not the DDP from the Hardy Boys Diamond Page Diamond Cutter no gonna do the rock bottom or stone cone stutter

Choke slam Tombstone P did hul did Hulk Hogan have one I mean he always it was the it was the leg drop the leg drop leg drop so lame or and he would do like the well I don’t know if that was like his finishing move but like the the like the

The the boot what did Andre Andre the Giant do I don’t know just be a giant I’m too too old old anyways swan Tom B is one of the more electrifying like moves I used to do that like I had a little headboard on

When I was a kid on my bed and I would do it onto my bed and I remember I broke one of the the the one of the little the wood planks that go underneath the you’re like a Bill’s Mafia yeah well it broke and it snapped and like only like

One or two of them snapped and so I just never told my parents I like Shane’s comment he says RKO Jed like out like RKO RKO out of nowhere RKO out of at spring break 2014 I got RKO into a out of nowhere more you know yeah what does

That mean it’s just Randy Orton’s move man I don’t even know how you describe the RKO the RKO you just know what it is it’s like the stone stunner except you land on your back and the other guy lands on his stomach that’s what about uh Goldberg is he still wrestler he’s

Long gone he’s long gone he he’s never coming back Goldberg I don’t think so he was a big deal he was a champ wasn’t he he’s just old yeah he’s just old like I mean the rock came back and he’s like 51 years old bro that’s old okay what a shot that was

Unbelievable you what we got nothing going on and he talks about that oh man the rock is old 51 and he looked me dead in the eyes he he stared me down right across just like he was just doing beams right out of his eyes and lasering me to

Death you’re probably a big fan of the Macho Man elbow dve weren’t you oo yeah there you go that was awesome that that was way better than my impression I can’t Ry Macho Man I believe is he from the area I think right he’s in the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in

Downtown Chicago is he really yeah for sure Randy PFO I know Cory when he listens to this he’s going to be he’s going to be electrified he loves wrestling snpp it to a slim gym yeah brother oh he went to doners Grove North I didn’t know that you guys don’t know

Anything about well he was he went he what did he move to Illinois for high school cuz he went to Grover Cleveland Middle School whoever that is that I don’t know I don’t know the Middle School zville Ohio all right sorry for anyways sorry for derailing this show got a little bit

Off Rel we got we got our second thumbs down based on that in relation I did watch Armageddon 2004 last night as I went to sleep so this is where I’m at in the offseason 2 Guys there’s not nothing else to to talk about tell Luke to never do that again

Saying this with love Alex says Alex just is on my case Greg says we have officially derailed oh months ago we started the show with name and former Cubs that no one remembers and talking about WWE talks have done to us what the Cubs have done to us uh I

Saw somebody earlier in the chat asking about Cubs convention and will the beer bat be making an appearance would you sign if if someone asked you to sign their beer bat would you do it at Cubs convention I mean I guess I in a way I

Think it’s kind of I think it’s kind of weird but at the same time like I do it why not how good is your signature not great yeah you guys practicing I guess I should start practicing before I go to Cubs conon on Friday there has been a

Lot of questions too on if we’re going to be live at Cubs convention and we will not be live at Cubs convention alive we were hopeful this year we were hopeful but we’re going to do a bunch of pre-recorded stuff that will be sent out throughout the week though but either

Way like I know I’ll be there Friday for like opening ceremonies and that would be we’ll all be there on Saturday too we’ll all be there yeah should be fun yeah I know uh Godfather said he’s going camping yeah said he can’t deal with the rah rah yeah that’s the most unsurprising

Godfather thing to ever be said I’ve never been less surprised so back to imaga uh so do you buy any of what you’re like I mean the chat was all fired up like waiting for breaking news to to come in and this is happening and do you believe any of it what I

Believe some of it I believe they’re not out on him that’s all I can that’s all I believe just with how much oh for starters I don’t think we’re going to get an answer till Thursday since that’s when his posting date or the posting window is that four o’cl Thursday I

Don’t remember exactly the timing Cody you know the time don’t you 4:00 Thursday so 5:00 Eastern I don’t think we’ll have an answer before that or like long before that deadline um and I don’t I definitely don’t buy the Cubs are out considering we’re still hearing like oh

NOP they’re actually in like I don’t know I don’t know who I I can’t based on reading the te Le I can’t tell you who the front runner for imag is but it does feel like it does feel like the Cubs are still I feel like he hasn’t signed

Because they’re asking for too much it’s potential yeah that that’s my that’s my conspiracy like 10 foil hat theory is I I I feel like he would have already signed but they’re trying his agent and him are trying to get him over $100 million contract and I don’t think

Anyone wants to do it so we’ll see on Thursday I don’t think anything will be any different tomorrow when we come in here and talk about him for the you know 10th time but I think it has to do with him asking for too much and at some point they’re going to

Have to come down because he’s got a sign before 4:00 on on Thursday so I think that the Cubs are his likely or I think the Cubs are the situation he wants to be in if I had to if I had to guess like money aside and everything I think the

Cubs are the team that he wants to be at be with you know seya plays here it’s a Japanese player um not I mean what the I think the Giants and the Red Sox both have yeah the giant or Red Sox have um y Yoshida and the Giants I mean they

Signed that Korean guy but I think they have someone else like an actual Japanese player too um on the Giants yeah don’t they didn’t they sign Yung hul Le they just signed him yeah he’s Korean and I’m trying I thought that maybe they had a Japanese

Player too but either way like I don’t know the the Giants are probably attractive to him because he’s they’re on the west coast but I think as far as like a team that’s ready to perhaps be winning of these teams that are interested in him I think the Cubs are the better situation

Why would you want to go play with the Giants and have to go up against your friends in Yamamoto and and and Otani the same in well in in that division the Red Sox they’re they’re in the they’re in a very competitive AL East the angels I mean he had to talk to

Otani a little bit and being like yo man what’s this organization like and they’re like and otani’s like this place sucks and so when you look at the Cubs you look at the future they got coming up you look at the you know it’s got a friend there feels like an easier scenar

Like an easier place to perhaps win too with the division I just think the situation is a lot better for for him with the Cubs than anywhere else of the teams that are interested in him no I I I think that factors in is is you know

Who’s who’s in a good position to actually be a good to actually be contending for something this off season um I think the Cubs still are in a good POS I think they the the foundation of the team is there and you’d obviously like them to have or to to end this

Offseason having brought in vet veteran free agents or if they trade for someone right but that’s like to build on top of the foundation they already have and guys like Dansby and Nico and even seya and the pitch guys in the pitching staff um so but but I do think they they do

Have a good foundation for winning on this ball club and if someone like imanaga cares about that I think that’s something he’d consider now as you mentioned there’s other things like the Giants play on the west coast other teams have more have other money they could offer them especially if they’re

Willing to pay more than the Cubs do right like things like all that all that factors in um but if we’re talking about the teams that are left and who’s more positioned to actually be um you know compete for something make the playoffs make a run I think the Cubs just based

On the foundation they still have to do more don’t get me wrong but based on the foundation they have do have themselves in a position where if they bring in the right Talent they will be or they should be a real Contender for the division I don’t know I wouldn’t say World Series

Contender but real Contender to make the playoffs and and maybe make some noise when they get there uh I see we’re being trolled by a couple Brewers fans I saw a Cardinal fan in there too yeah what happened well it’s good to know that they have the internet in Wisconsin now

So we’re and don’t forget to give us a like if you see the lower bar dial Up’s working so that’s good yeah throw like on here if you’re going to troll us speaking of electricity Cody it’s getting easier for businesses to switch to electric vehicles that’s something we

Can all get behind for the health of the planet and for the well-being of all of us who share it yeah Luke the electric grid is evolving to meet your cleaner energy needs as we all move with confidence towards an electric tomorrow whether you have one delivery van or a

Whole Fleet of shipping trucks ComEd can help guide you to make the changes that make sense so what should business owners do Cody well Luke Ryan the chat you all need to go to comed.com clean to learn more about the resources Fleet rebates and infrastructure incentives available to help businesses

Go electric if you own a business don’t wait Luke start making your plan today to switch to electric vehicles good for business good for the planet good for all of us go to comed.com clean just to clarify did you say comed.com SLC yes I did comed.com clean Luke open

Those ears brother got to get him cleared out I got a lot of wax getting older did you say comed.com CLE I did say comed.com clean so go now and see how going electric connects us to a better way of doing business and a better future for generations to

Come uh Ryan have you noticed the the sweet things we got from FCO on the set here look at it Arch sets I have those are I threw in a good way I threw in slack on Sunday for like someone who was going to be here which obviously I knew there would

Be because the Bears played on Sunday I threw it in slack and and I asked hey can someone take a picture of the the bobbleheads because it was National Bobblehead Day oh yeah and I was going to put it on our Twitter account and then no one did and you know what very

Big of me to not come in here and complain about it credit to me yeah bigway blame brags Brown bobblehead on their website at folco yeah no like folo love FCO um get fitted out in the best sports gear around hoodies shoes signs bobbleheads and everything in between if

You’re on our YouTube right now like Sarah is going down the list is that Charlie Brown yeah Charlie Brown brother head bobblehead F’s got great stuff if you’re not on YouTube if you’re listening to us on the Pod go check out YouTube or go to foco.com but it’s

Almost baseball season fco’s got aloha shirts which you know I love I love me a nice Hawaiian Aloha shirt they got straw hats polos bags everything you need for a Cubs game they also got the set decorations as Luke mentioned FCO has donated a few awesome pieces for our

Sets so go show them some love check out foco.com or click the link in the description below for all non pre-sale items use the promo code ch10 for 10% off love fuo hell yeah bro I wonder what their number one selling Cubs item is I saw has to be the Bobble match Bobble

Think it’s the bobbleheads I saw Crocs on there a lot of people love the Crocs I’ve never worn Crocs but I saw them on there and I thought has some of the most unique bobbleheads I’ve ever seen though that’s why I feel like they’d be really popular but like one item what

Bobblehead would it be right so I don’t know just maybe it’s the Charlie Brown one oh Charlie Brown’s different it is different different I really love the overalls how many beers can fit in the overall 11 is 11 11 allegedly I don’t remember exactly what it was but don’t let the

Facts you know what’s going to be my hardest thing is that going to Cubs con and not drinking that will be probably my hardest thing this weekend cuz I’m I’m I’ve done very well at dry January to this point oh I forgot that I was I

Went to Cody’s last night to watch the national uh championship game with my friend Kate and I didn’t have a beer I drank water the entire time water credit to me wow it was I mean this is this is new new territory for me man if you keep drinking water instead of

Beer you will reach your goal of 30 in two months easy that’s that’s what I predict okay if you drank only if you if you went dry February too I bet you you hit dry dry pre January Fe yeah dry if you went dry until opening day I bet

You’d be down 30 Easy by opening day that’s kind of the thought in my head it’s just not an easy thing for me man I’m not saying it’s easy it’s not easy just water oh yeah yeah water because you can’t replace the beer with like yeah Pepsi or Coke maybe a few

Ginger shots here and there would be good I Ginger Ginger shots like just Ginger it’s not out yeah just Ginger it’s good for the soul good for the stomach are you liquefy Ginger yeah got you don’t do Ginger shots it’s really good for your digestive system good for

The immune system what is this a Trader Joe’s deal they do sell at trer Jo on Tik Tok sense our good friend Max Bane gave me a good uh protein drink like idea that I could use making or I could make with my blender that everyone is so

Fascinated about me having a blender so I’m going to give that a shot so saw a couple uh articles post whatever you want to call him on the internet talking about Andre Dawson and the cap thing how it’s not going to happen just not likely going to happen I

Just what I don’t understand about it is if a play why why won’t they just let a player pick pick what they want on the plaque I don’t I know it changing it would open it up to somebody else wanting to change it if he’s asking for

It once and he’s not you know it’s not like a player’s changing it back and forth four times to try and monetize it somehow like just let him wear whatever cap he wants on the plaque what’s the what’s the point yeah why is why baseball makes everything so ridiculous bball Hall of

Fame just so stuck up for real just kid like I love it it’s the best one of all the hall of fames but just vied by the hall of the Hall’s board of directors I think in March so it’s nothing’s official right now but everybody that’s

Heard about it is like this ain’t going to happen they don’t change their mind question related to Andre Dawson in general so the Expos which is that is that where most people think he yeah I mean he he played I believe 11 years for the Expos and six

For the Cubs right he spent most of his time with the Expos he won his MVP with the Cubs that’s fair okay he wants to go in with the Cubs the Expos don’t exist anymore right but the thing is is like the Expos they move to Washington right

Right do like do the Nationals even acknowledge him at all like because like there it’s almost like uh I don’t know like I’m trying to think of another team that moved to another city like I mean when the Dodgers were in Brooklyn and then went to LA like when the Dodgers

Were in Brooklyn that’s where Jackie Robinson played with them right like and they obviously Jackie Robinson is a much bigger figure than Andre Dawson blah like obviously like I’m not I’m not arguing I’m just saying that like they acknowledge players that played in Brooklyn for their their organization

The Nationals don’t even I don’t think they have acknowledged anything related to Andre Dawson ever no I I don’t I don’t know but I I don’t know if they do obviously I am not I’ve never seen seen them I just don’t understand what what’s the big deal about taking down a little plaque

On a wall and be like hey let’s redo this right he wants the Cubs he always wanted the Cubs we forced him to take the expose right pandering the people in Montreal I just don’t know why you pooped on them already by leaving I just don’t know why yeah I don’t know why

Players just aren’t allowed to make their I know like now the thing is I think it’s a collaborative effort for it um but when obviously when Andre Dawson was elected it wasn’t that way I don’t know I I I do think it should just be the Player’s Choice who who who do you

Feel which team do you feel represents what you want to represent present you in the Hall of Fame right like what I don’t know why that’s not the thing it feels like it should be so if Andre Dawson wants to go in as a cub because

That’s where you know he want MVP with the Cubs and and that’s where he felt like I don’t care what the reasons are but even what I’m saying is like those are his reasons like and he wants to go in as a cub then I don’t think it should

Be an an issue right so um or you just do what like the NFL doesn’t have logos or anything on there right like other sports I isn’t that what it is like other sports don’t have any um logo or anything to like like they just show the guy’s head in the jacket

Like the NFL I believe could you do that you just start doing that so you’re not this isn’t a big deal it shouldn’t be a big deal is my main point but like how do you stop it from being a big deal because it it I mean I don’t but yeah I

Do fall on the side seem lame that the guy’s alive and wants something is one of your hall of famers why wouldn’t you respect his wishes I do fall I do fall side that Andre Dawson should be able to pick what team he wants to yeah or they

Don’t have a statue forw know be on his Hall of Fame plaque uh anyways real quick before we go because we have one minute better story this week the airplane door falling off for the guy swimming in the uh fish tank I think the I think the

Airplane door Pro Bass shs because I don’t know if it was ever verified but they said that the people that would have been right next to that door missed their flight I I saw I read that some kid’s shirt got sucked off and went out

The door kid didn’t go out the door but his shirt flew out but what I’m saying is like apparently the people that should have been right sitting right there were like they they missed their flight that day or something angel watching over that day say I don’t I

Don’t know I I don’t know if that was ever completely on exit Rose the extra leg room now hon I don’t know if that was ever verified but I but I saw that on Twitter and I guess I can’t you know I shouldn’t believe everything I read on

Twitter right but um that’d be a that’d be a crazy story if it’s true now I’m I’m an exit row guy but now I’m an exit row aisle oh I’m absolutely an aisle no matter where I’m at oh I I I enjoy sitting by the window

Yeah cuz you can lean on it seats for life either way but like I I I don’t like sitting by the that random door like that’s in the middle of the plane that has like one seat by it that’s a no for me D dub says the guy jumped out of

That fish tank and knocked himself out I think that was the story I didn’t I didn’t look too far into the story I know is we got it was cold all I know is it was a cold fish tank that Cardinal fan was very cold brother very cold very

Cold prayers but it’s pretty funny so I’m not sending him thoughts PR what you call it pass bro shop BR Bass Shop when we W when we were walking to to the bass pro shops in Nashville at winter meetings man like what was that a journey that was such it it was

Literally took Cody and I an hour and a half to walk into this place we walked in and guys were looking to buy guns hanging on a shelf and I was like let’s get out of here Jake was call like Jake asked us to go pick up something there

Said it was like a 7even minute walk it legit took me and Luke at least 30 to 45 minutes to get to this Bass Pro Shops to pick up one little electronic thing that Steven could use that way two RS over from all the handguns and rifles were

Hanging on the hooks somehow what this electronic piece of equipment we needed was at a Bass Pro Shops uh anyways what a moment that’s probably my favorite part of the offseason not really but like that walk yeah that walk at least cuz it was we they were friends

Made along the way me and Luke got to know each other on a deeper level that day right I’ve got a callus on my foot from that and we walk so far thinking about how much we walked hurts my feet no doubt anyways thanks for checking out

The chgo Cubs podcast we’re back live at 130 tomorrow we’ve shifted our time from 1:20 to 1:30 just to make it easier because the Bears guys just like to talk a lot so we’re going we’ll be back tomorrow Godfather you’ll be you can come back at 1:30 tomorrow and tell us

Exactly how you feel bro Barb 130 live live tomorrow where all of you can come and yell let it all out yeah and if the Cubs win the World Series the godfather has offered to swim in the tank oh at a local probass shop okay at a local I

Believe there’s one on your way out to Crystal Lake anyways thanks for checking out the show uh until tomorrow at 130 fly the W we like the May