How The Cubs Hit Rock Bottom And What Comes Next

Athletics Recap + Giants Preview + Slug% 101

A single insane ninth inning can make you feel like the Cubs are turning a corner, and five minutes later you’re right back to asking what’s broken. That’s the push and pull we’re sitting with after the Athletics series: a needed win, a shaky foundation, and a weekend set at Wrigley Field against a Giants team that’s somehow playing even worse lately. With a big chunk of remaining games coming against under-.500 opponents, the next few weeks aren’t just a schedule break, they’re a decision point for how we should judge this roster.  We also get specific about what fans argue over every day but rarely define clearly: slugging percentage. I walk through the simple math, the real-life meaning, and the benchmarks that separate “fine” from “weak” from “unplayable” for everyday MLB hitters. Then we put names on it, starting with Alex Bregman’s early-season slug and what it implies when you’re paid like a centerpiece and hitting in the middle of the order. The 2016 Cubs come up as context not for nostalgia, but to show how much lineup damage used to exist and how rare it feels right now.  From there it’s the rest of the state of the team: Shota Imanaga’s sudden crash, a bullpen that feels faceless, PCA’s potential spark, Michael Busch’s heater, and why I’m setting a June rule to focus more on position players than pitching. We also address the uncomfortable chatter about Craig Counsell and what it even means to “blame the manager” in modern baseball, before closing with a Giants preview including what makes Robbie Ray difficult and why this series needs to go the Cubs’ way. If this helped you see the Cubs with clearer eyes, subscribe, share the show, and leave a review. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

Good, Bad & UGLY: Breaking Down The 2026 Cubs On June 1st

Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

A Vegas Hotel Room Rant After The Cubs Get Swept Again

Seven straight losses can make a season feel like it’s slipping through your fingers, and that’s exactly where our heads are as we record solo from a Las Vegas hotel room on Memorial Day weekend. The Cubs just took another beating, and we’re not pretending it’s fine because the calendar says May. We’re talking like fans who’ve watched this pattern before: hot streak, cold streak, repeat, and somehow the same problems keep showing up when the pressure rises. We dig into why this skid feels worse than “bad luck,” from the lifeless at-bats to the lack of urgency that shows up in approach and execution. We get into lineup decisions like PCA hitting leadoff, what his current profile suggests, and why “walk rate” doesn’t fix an offense that can’t slug. Then we go straight at the leadership questions Cubs fans are asking out loud now: what Craig Counsell should be delivering at a top-of-market salary, what accountability looks like during a collapse, and why the fan base is running out of patience with the same explanations. We also connect the meltdown to bigger roster-building issues: pitching injuries, thin depth, and the uneasy feeling that the farm system and front office plan aren’t producing enough quick answers. Finally, we look ahead to the only kind of hope that feels tangible right now: a real stretch of decent baseball and a trade deadline that actually changes the shape of the roster. If you’re feeling angry, exhausted, or weirdly curious about how bad it can get, you’re not alone. Subscribe, share this with a Cubs fan who’s suffering too, and leave us a rating and review so more people can find the show. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

How The Cubs Hit Rock Bottom And What Comes Next

The Cubs just went 2-9 over their last 11, and if you feel like you’re bouncing between rage and denial, you’re not alone. We sit down on the off day and get honest about what’s happening, why it feels so bad, and how to stop spiraling before the weekend. This is a fan’s-eye view of a team that can look talented on paper while still getting embarrassed in the moments that matter. The biggest storyline is the Cubs starting pitching injuries and the chain reaction they trigger. When the rotation thins out, the bullpen turns into a revolving door, call-ups feel interchangeable, and the margin for error disappears. We also talk about trust, transparency, and why fans get so cynical when injury news feels vague. From there, we dig into the deeper fear: if the organization can’t keep arms healthy or develop enough impact pitching, how do you build a team that survives October? We also hit the stuff everyone argues about: PCA’s trash talk and why it lands differently when the team is playing sloppy, plus the Cubs runners in scoring position problem and what “clutch” really looks like when you break it down into mechanics and approach. Then we take a hard look at Cubs trade deadline reality in late May, when there are barely any sellers and every phone call comes with a tax. We end by turning the page toward the Astros series and a 25-game plan to stay afloat until the calendar, the standings, and the market finally loosen up. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan who’s losing it, and leave a five-star review on Spotify or Apple so we can keep building this community. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney

Cubs Lose Crosstown Classic + Heavy Brewers Mailbag

Two 10-game win streaks can make you feel invincible. A 2-6 skid can make you question everything. We’re sitting right in that uncomfortable middle ground where the Chicago Cubs are still in first place, but the cracks are showing, and fans are (fairly) loud about it. We talk through the Crosstown Classic fallout, the Atlanta frustration, and why a single late homer can swing the mood of an entire week. Our big question is simple: are we actually panicking, or just finally seeing the flaws that winning hid? We go ball or strike on the “panic button,” debate whether burnout is real, and then zero in on what matters most with the Milwaukee Brewers coming to Wrigley. Shota Imanaga has to set a tone, Ben Brown’s matchup has real theater, and Eddie Cabrera needs a step forward, because the Cubs can’t afford short starts with this bullpen. Then we hit the mailbag: runners in scoring position, whether Craig Counsell should mix up the top of the lineup, what to do with Pete Crow-Armstrong’s spot in the order, and why “spark” changes don’t always fix the underlying problem. We also get blunt about bullpen trust, Phil Maton’s missing breaking ball, the lack of homegrown power arms, and how injuries are pushing the front office toward trade deadline moves that might come earlier than anyone wants. Subscribe for the Friday follow-up, share this with a Cubs fan who’s spiraling, and please leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so more maniacs can find the show. Thanks for tuning in!  - Carl & Mahoney