Matt Shaw has a 2nd baseman’s arm. He doesn’t have the arm strength to play 3B. Cubs traded Chris Morel away for Paredes to stabilize 3B. If you throw Shaw at 3B you’re basically going back to the Morel st 3B days. Cubs better figure something out because you can’t have GG 2B & SS but a butcher at 3B.

I’m okay with Sammy being back, and I’m sure he regrets that last game. BUT, he cheated. He should be the least of former Cubs player. I don’t want him to be a big deal.

Thanks so much for this interview. I love Justin. I’m really happy he’s a Cub. I’ve only just started following The Setup Man-I love intelligent podcasts. I’m 76 next month, and my earliest memory of the Cubs is of my Mother ironing and watching the Cubs on WGN (I think). I was about 5 years old. So a long time Cubs fan. I fully expect the Cubs to win the division in 2025. I thought they were a better team in 2024 than they showed. I’m very optimistic for 2025.

Nothing would make me prouder than if the Cubs would be the first team to stand up for what is right and give this man another chance! I guarantee he will be a different person after everything he has been through.

some MLB team please sign a one year deal Prove it deal.. Trevor would most likely offer a money back guarantee

Sign him...the cubs could use him and a little personality too

The key to this season is pca and amaya stay solid offensively like they did from july on if they do they make playoffs if not itll be another long year just my opinion

Why u wanna trade Nico so bad it’s stupid

Just a playoff bullpen would of given the Cubs 95 wins lol not that far off guys.

Dude... Whatever happens, don't trade Nico...

It took 4 years after the big trades and finally the Cubs farm system is very good with a solid MLB team on the field, this is the year Jed should be going for it, and he was correct to wait until now.

PR nightmare

I was over it about 3 months ago 😂

Is their something wrong with the farm system ? Your big worries are having a utility guy for third and a guy to play 2nd for 2 or 3 weeks. You guys ever heard of James triantos or Louis vazques. We don't need to sign a guy like that get a closer

I would be fine adding Bregman but only after we add another starter and a closer. Shaw is a heck of a ballplayer and will be just fine.

Ginger is a disgrace to Cubs baseball

Kim will be out even longer than Nico. Also if they signed him id put him at 2B and Shaw at 3B. I would just stay away in general as Nico is a better offensive player

It was a good point made about Morel. But I believe it wasn’t just that the defense was so bad. He was not hitting well either. However, it took ridiculously too long for cc to get him out of the cleanup spot. The person hitting ahead of him was getting nothing good to hit for almost 2 months. Which goes back to the point about urgency. Counsell and Jed let that go in WAY too long. It’s just one of many examples like this from the team last year.

Boog sounded like a company man in that interview. Like the spokespeople who are telling the public that there’s nothing to worry about with the drones, even though they don’t know what they are. Basically-There’s nothing to see here, and you don’t have the same access that I do so don’t worry about it anyway….

When is Cade Horton going to make his MLB debut? How close is he to being ready?

Let’s see how he handles spring training…..one step at a time.

Great stuff, guys. I wish I could make it to Cubs Con. I will be moving back to Chicagoland this coming year. Hopefully, can I catch you guys at the 26' Con.

Bo Bichette is a very intriguing idea. He's young, but just had a really bad year. I'd definitely take a flyer on acquiring him.

I am "Locked on Cubs"

Love his accent!

He's a bad mofo , Let's go big this year

It's either bregman at 3b or Shaw. If Hoerner goes to Mariners with others for L Gilbert (nico has a higher war) that signals they are signing Bregman. I believe the story that JED told Boras that after he deals Belli that they will talk Bregman

What about Gage Workman?

Ryan feltner from Colorado they should check in on for the rotation. He has the stuff as far as pitching that the cubs love, he has 4 years of control so he probably wont be the cheapest to acquire but he is cheap as far as salary and you get him away from Colorado he is easily a sub 4 era guy

<3

Sam looks fried Trying his hardest to stay Serious 🤣

Matt Shaw played 3rd base mostly last season…how was he graded defensively?

Would Sonny Gray be available? I mean the Cards are rebuilding, we hate them I know, but Sonny Gray is really good…

Not only did the Cubs start in Baltimore in the 2nd half of 2017 but I believe it was the Cubs debut of Jose Quintana. 8 scorrless innings.

Its Human Nature related depending on their status at a certain time.

Free trev

See ya at Cubs Con 2025💙❤️

I think the Cubs go into the spring training with Shaw and Gage Workman competing at 3B. Maybe even BJ Murray if they need to start Shaw/Triantos at 2B to fill in for an injured/traded Hoerner. (I have no delusions that BJ is a long term solution, but maybe he's adequate as a cheap stopgap.) Bo Bichette is OK, but that's assuming he _fully_ rebounds from injury. But even if you trade away whatever it takes to get him from the delusional Blue Jays who think their window is still open, 1) you're still paying him almost $18M for 2025, 2) he's a rental, 3) his power has regressed every year since his first full season, and 4) defensively we're talking about a guy who put up a -16 DRS in 2022--that's Christopher Morel levels!

Workman & Vazques are both VERY good defenders at 3rd base. Vazques is a great SS so 3rd will be no problem. Id prefer they put the 5+ million towards the Bullpen instead of bench pieces that can be filled by waiver claims & DFA's

what’s the difference between shaw at 2 or 3? either way he’d be immediately thrust into a starting role and i’d rather have nico than paul dejong. i still think keep nico at 2, sign dejong as a stopgap guy until Shaw is comfortable to handle everyday 3b. every team needs a Nico Hoerner he is a straight up BALLPLAYER do not get rid of him. trade some of our vast unproven far system for somethin not Nico who is a proven quality bat and gold glove

The cubs showed no urgency to move Morel down in the order in May and when they did it was to the 5th spot while I was thinking bat him 8th or Iowa. This year there are better options for third. Play Shaw at third, but have a backup. Maybe Triontos or a veteran. Where is Bote?

The correlation between the Cubs winning and Morel leaving is bogus. Many guys weren't hitting. Gomes and Wisdom were hopeless. Dansby was doing squat. Amaya and PCA were hitting poorly. They made adjustments and Pete and Miguel looked vastly improved at the plate. Dansby really picked it up post all star break. Dumping on Morel is pretty unfair. He DID hit 18 homers for the Cubs last year. Kyle was brutal before he pushed Reset. The bullpen was a trainwreck early. Adbert didn't have it and "No Mas Cuas" and "Heart Attack Hector" were no solution. The injuries to the pitching staff were mind boggling. You are correct in that Jed didn't have a Plan B in place in case Adbert did not come back in top form. A top notch closer might have saved 5+ games in the first half. Morel was hardly the issue.

people keep blaming hitting for the problems in early 2024. I rather think it was more obvious--alzolay, morel, hendricks, cuas, gomes, amaya, pca were all zeroes in their respective defense or offense roles. Neris > Alzolay an ultimately Hodge > Neris, Hendricks improved, Amaya improved, Bethancourt > Gomes, Miller > Cuas, PCA improved. In the case of Amaya and PCA, it WAS hitting. But mostly it was defense that was the problem that got fixed.

You are right Sam

I’d like Arenado

I'm glad you're countering boogie's points and doing it profesionally. but I would have disagreed with him right to his face. But I understand why you wouldn't have been stern right back at him. I mean you have to be polite, when access is more important than telling off a blowhard like boogzies.

Great crossover pod!

Sign Bauer! Let the Duke Lacrosse Case serve as an example of how people lie and the public can get it wrong.