Cubs Talk Podcast

Kaplan vs Wittenmyer: Were the Cubs right by trading Bryant, Rizzo, and Baez?

Come one, come all to see a fierce bout of competitors. In one corner, David Kaplan. A man whose takes have scorched the earth. And in the other corner, a beat writer's beat writer, Gordon Wittenmyer. The two duke it out on if ultimately was it the right decision for the Cubs to let go of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javy Baez. Let the debate BEGIN!(3:00) - Looking at the seasons Bryant, Baez, and Rizzo are having now, did the Cubs make the right decision?(10:30) - Did the former core produce towards the end before they were traded?(14:00) - Are the Cubs healthier now than before the trade?(17:00) - Are the next 3 years going to be successful for the Cubs?

Jed Hoyer speaks on the state of Cubs, Willson Contreras, and Ed Howard’s injury

Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer speaks to the media to discuss the season so far. David Kaplan, Gordon Wittenmyer, and Tim Stebbins react to the comments made by the Cubs executive. They react to Jed's updated news on Cubs prospect Ed Howard, Jed's comments on the future of Willson Contreras, and a lot more.(1:45) - Jed Hoyer gives update on Ed Howard(6:20) - Will Jed trade Willson Contreras?(10:35) - Are the Cubs starting to figure it out?(15:46) - Will the Cubs trade Stroman back to the Mets?

Christopher Morel and Brandon Hughes surprising debuts

The Cubs have a couple of new faces and they certainly made their presence known. Christopher Morel and Brandon Hughes help the Cubs pick up a 7-0 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tim Stebbins and Gordon Wittenmyer break down the Cubs' two newest players and what they see going forward from them. They also discuss the future of red hot Willson Contreras and the injury to Cubs prospect Ed Howard.(2:00) - 2 surprising debut's for the Cubs(12:00) - Brandon Hughes might have had the story of the night(16:36) - What will become of Willson Contreras?(33:13) - Ed Howard injures hip

David Kaplan’s plan to fix the Cubs

It sucks when your team is in a rebuild. Can it go faster? David Kaplan has a plan that will get the Cubs back to being competitive but could it work? Kap, Gordon Wittenmyer, and Tim Stebbins discuss the current state of the Cubs and debate is Kap's plan should be the direction the Cubs go in to get the Northsiders back in contention for the division and a World Series. (1:30) - Recapping the recent Cubs games(4:00) - Kap saves the Cubs(14:40) - Will getting 2 star players fix the Cubs?

What is the core of this Cubs team and how fast do they have to win?

The Cubs are in a transition phase and looking to see how they will compete and who they will compete with going forward. David Kaplan, Gordon Wittenmyer, and Tim Stebbins discuss who are the core players on this team, will they be kept or traded, and once the core is decided, how soon with fans be expecting them to compete for the division and for a World Series.(2:00) - Will the Cubs win 70 games this year?(4:30) - Who are the core players for this team?(14:00) - How soon are the Cubs expected to compete and end the rebuild phase?

Seiya Suzuki struggles, Cubs drop Sox series, and preparing for the Dodgers

The Cubs have hit a slump after dropping the series vs the White Sox. Can they get it right before playing the World Series favorite Los Angels Dodgers? Tim Stebbins and Gordon Wittenmyer discuss the slump of the Cubs and Seiya Suzuki and what they need to address to fix their issues. The guys also discuss Craig Kimbrel coming back with the Dodgers.(1:40) - Cubs continue downward stretch after loss to the White Sox(7:00) - Seiya Suzuki struggles(15:00) - Should fans be worried about Kyle Hendricks?(22:20) - Will Kyle Hendricks be on the trading block?

Dylan Cease trade review, crosstown series, Ian Happ and Willson Contreras trades

The annual tradition of Cubs vs White Sox began this week with both teams having similar records to begin the season. Where are both teams trending? David Kaplan, Gordon Wittenmyer, and Tim Stebbins discuss the two Chicago squads and review the trades between them, and debate if the Cubs will regret losing Dylan Cease even more than Eloy Jimenez. Later, they also discuss the possible trade scenarios for Ian Happ and Willson Contreras.(1:50) - Where are the two teams trending so far this season?(8:15) - Which is worse for the Cubs letting go of Eloy or Dylan?(14:00) - Breaking down the Cubs roster(18:20) - What does the future look like for Ian Happ and Willson Contreras?(26:54) - Bold predictions for the cross town series

Kris Bryant on why he chose the Rockies, and the truth about his Cubs career

David Kaplan has long said that Theo Epstein and the Cubs made an offer to Kris Bryant to have him stay, but Kris hasn't confirmed this. On this pod, Kap and Gordon discuss the ending to Kris Bryant's career as a Cub and if something could have been done to keep him. Later in the pod, Gordon Wittenmyer does an exclusive 1-on-1 with Kris Bryant about why he chose the Rockies, how his career ended in Chicago and could something have been done to keep him here.

Seiya Suzuki quickly becoming a fan favorite amidst Cubs struggles

The Cubs are struggling right now but star rookie Seiya Suzuki is growing in popularity with the Northside fans. David Kaplan, Gordon Wittenmyer, and Tim Stebbins discuss Suzuki's recent play and how he's gaining popularity among Cub fans. The crew also breaks down the team's recent struggles, what they think Jed Hoyer will do with the roster this year, and if they think Willson Contreras will be traded.(3:12) - Seiya Suzuki is the most popular Cub this season(8:10) - Cubs are trying to find their footing after a good start to the season(14:32) - Have there been any surprises so far this year?(17:00) - Will the Cubs trade Willson Contreras this year?

Can Cubs add star talent Rōki Sasaki and are the Cubs better than we thought?

The Cubs are still above .500 and look like a real solid team, can they keep it up, and if they can, will they be better than we all expected? David Kaplan, Tim Stebbins, and Gordon Wittenmyer discuss the current play of the Cubs and will they surpass expectations, and do they have enough in the entire organization to be a winner in the next couple of years. They also discuss the possibility that the Cubs can add another Japanese prospect in star pitching talent Rōki Sasaki.