Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - 5 On It & Cubs still have interest in Zac Gallen (Hour 3)

Episode Date: February 10, 2026

In the third hour, Leila Rahimi, Marshall Harris and Mark Grote discussed a variety of sports topics in the 5 On It segment. Later, they discussed the Cubs’ interest in right-hander Zac Gallen, who remains a free agent as spring training is upon us.

The score. It's time for five on it. Rahini Harrison Rooney. Bring you five topics on their minds today. On 104-3, the score. I got five on it. Number one. Illinois lawmakers and the bears are reportedly close to a deal on public infrastructure funding

and property tax legislation tied to a proposed Arlington Heights Stadium with the team pledging to cover construction costs. Governor J.B. Pritzker says talks are ongoing in any agreement must protect taxpayers while lawmakers continue working through details like ticket affordability and tax certainty. Indiana has advanced its own stadium proposal to lure the bears adding pressure as its legislative session nears an end through Illinois, though Illinois leaders say they're not negotiating out of competition. Thanks to Fox 32 for all those details I'll just laid out for you there.

So here's the question. On a scale of 1 to 10 on the BS meter, where do you rate the idea that Illinois lawmakers are not all of a sudden upping their game because of Indiana. Well, that's what we need clarity on, right? So when Cam Buckner says in his story, we're not in competition with Indiana, well, the Bears made you guys somewhat in competition. So what does that mean when it comes to the discussion about the tax rate? What does that mean as far as what the Bears want?

Here's the other part of this. If the Bears have to give up more than they wanted in this deal, if they're like, okay, we'll stay in Illinois, okay, we'll go to Arlington Heights, you know, to that place we got. I don't think we're going to hear that from the Bears, you know, so. They're going to spin it differently. Correct. So I don't, I think at this point it's really, what is the property tax discussion going to look like? What are the rates that you're trying to negotiate do?

Like, what do those do? How much profit should the state get from this? And profit's not the right word. How much should the state get as part of their taxing entity share? and then where does that go from here? So really it's a question of again, who pays, who loses, who benefits? Does the state of Indiana lose,

even though they decided to go full steam ahead with this? Does the state of Illinois lose the bears? Do they think they're not losing because they don't want to pay for this? So those are the questions that I think we further need answered. All of this, by the way, should have happened three years ago when they bought the property or before.

Just to reiterate. But, you know, that's not an option right now. So what's your number? The number on the meter? BS meter. B S meter. Trademarked. It's very important. We need a number.

I mean. Where do you rate the idea of Illinois lawmakers are not all of a sudden up in the game because of Indiana? I don't know. Five. Okay. It's a neutral for me.

Like either the bears could be wanting to come to the table. Like them saying they're covering all of the property costs given that at one point the difference in that was several billion dollars. I think that that's a fair trade. on a scale of 1 to 10 on the BS meter, trademarked. I rate the idea that Illinois lawmakers are not all of a sudden upping their game because of Indiana at a 9.5 because there was no rush.

There was no impetus. There was nothing moving this thing forward. There's a reason that shovels weren't in the ground in 2025, and that's because Illinois was like, yeah, you guys got to come back to the table with something better. And they did. They came to the table with an offer from Indiana. that apparently has an expiration date

end of this month. So now they're moving. So that's the BS meter is at 9.5, Grody, because you know what? You wouldn't be moving this quickly, Illinois lawmakers, if this wasn't something that was contesting what you're trying to do, which is wait for the bears to say they'll pay for everything

except for infrastructure. It's a 10 on the BS meter. Very simply, one sentence. The Bears in the state of Illinois have been meeting regularly since December when the Bears put out the press release that they were interested in building a stadium in Hammond, Indiana. Don't forget about the photos. The photos. Those really set it off. Roger Goodell.

By the way, he visited Arlington Heights as well. But it was just the Indiana did it better in terms of publicizing where they were looking. And they put their money where their mouth was. They sure did. When you decided to create a bond issuing authority and you put the law to it, then the net shows how serious you are. The House didn't vote on anything, but the Senate said, yeah, let's do this. because it's their bill. Illinois State rep, Cam Buckner, will join Spiegel and Holmes this afternoon at 4, so more stadium discussion to come then. Number two.

Do you think this idea from Packers Pass rusher, Micah Parsons, could actually work for the NFL? This is on Front Office Sports. I almost think we should create an international team. I know it would be uneven in divisions, but I look at it like, make it like the Notre Dame of the NFL. I'll be the first one on board to go over. So Michael Parsons with front office sports, what do you think of this whole international team idea? Okay.

I don't hate it. Is that wrong? Micah, right there in that soundbite, said he'd be glad to be a member of that team. Yeah, I think there are actually a lot of people would probably want to play for the team. But then does the international team really just not deserve any home?

Like, at some point you need some regularity with your life. You know, you have to, like, know where you're practicing each week and, like, have some routine, some routine, right? Like, that's the whole point of football teams is to provide schedule and routine, bears. So they don't have a home base, or they just come together? Well, he said it's like Notre Dame. So I guess they have a home base.

I assume they'd be independent. But, like, they're always traveling to other places? Like, do they have their own home stadium? Maybe it's every year or every three or four years you move the location. Now, I understood that Notre Dame has its own home stadium. I'm not saying that. I'm saying like the concept of them being independent. Yeah, like what's their home then?

Like where do they practice? Pick a city. Pick an international city that's had longstanding ties to the NFL. Do you have the vote on that? It'll be like the Pope. Or we don't vote on the Pope, but I'm saying like anybody in the world could be awarded the team? Yes, I think that it's more like an expansion team situation. I'm old enough to remember people saying the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to go to Europe. Yeah.

London's team. Yes. So that's what I'm saying. Does London want the Jack? Jacks come up a very good year. They like the owner. Yeah. Shot Khan.

Yeah. They have like a very good relationship. So I think this is somewhat doable. Maybe not in the way that Michael Parsons is thinking about it, but certainly if a team decided to move. Now, expansion, you wonder how Roger Goodell looks at this. I mean, I'm old enough to remember when they came up with NFL Europe. It's kind of like this minor league system, which also was supposed to get.

Europeans more excited about American football. I like the idea. The RY and Fire. RIP to the Ryan Fire. Very popular team. The only NFL Europe team I can remember. But understand this. This is the goal.

Bad Bunny was out there, bad bunny in for a reason. They want this thing international. And it may take close to the next decade, but I expect between half decade to a decade, there will be an international franchise somewhere. Yeah, I think that there would be a team in London. proper before there would be an international team. I feel like that's a plausible direction.

I don't know if it would be Jacksonville necessarily relocating. I doubt that. Maybe they would just make a whole new team there. But I could see that happening. The international thing is definitely intriguing, but does not feel plausible, like, in a real estate. Look, we got our hands full with Bears, too, as well. We can't be thinking about another team to put together.

Bears, too, will play anywhere the stadium is built. They are ready. Bears 2 would probably play Hammon. Saving all of their own money. Bears 2 doesn't care. Bears 2 might even play in Kenosha. They've been camping out in Hamon. Trying to get Bears' leftovers.

We'll be out there. Bears 2 will have cheerleaders. We're Bears too. And maybe some of the inappropriate names are you guys suggested. Bears 2. Number 3. This is 5 on it on 104 3.

The score with Leila Rahimi, Marshall Harris, and Mark Grody. Here's question number 3. Which Cubs player do you think has a higher likelihood of signing a contract extension this spring, second baseman Nico Horner or outfielder Pete Crow Armstrong, aka PCA.

Well, if it is in part two of the discussion that plagued our lives last year on the midday show, I look at Marshall with a smirk, and he looks back at me with a smirk. It was the extend PCA conversation. He deserves all this money, and the price went way up, and then the price went down.

And now I don't know what the price is. It might even be taken off the board and trading, yes, sir? Let's not forget the time last season that PCA rounded the bases doing the make-it-rain symbol as he crossed the second base. That was first-half. First-half PCA was a good, a good, first-half. First-half PCA is a good... He didn't have any spots to pull it off in the second half. But what about the totality of the season, Nico Horner, A?

Especially with his name being brought up by all these other teams. These other teams want him. They told you that your guy has... value. And this is a guy the Cubs drafted and developed. So it would make sense that Nico Horner may get the extension before PCA

does. But what if first half PCA comes back in the chat? Then we have a whole other discussion. If first half PCA comes back in the chat, it's all good because spring will be over. So I think Nico Horner is the answer here because I think

the Cubs are much closer to making a decision on whether they really want keep him beyond this year. And I don't think either of these things are likely to happen during spring training, but if I had to pick one, it's got to be Nico Horner, mainly because I don't think Pete Crowe-Arpsong has signed anything. He's like, let me run back that first half from last year and get my money back up, and then I might agree to a deal.

But if it's not starting with nine figures, I don't think PCA signing. So we're doing this with the idea that they can't possibly give extensions to both of these guys because I think that they are more interested in the future of and the projection of Pete Crow Armstrong because Pete Crow Armstrong has superstar

potential. We saw it in the first half, right? Nico Horner does not have superstar. He's a very good baseball player. And maybe that's what PCA turns into. Who knows what he is? But I would almost still say that the Cubs would invest

in, give an extension to Pete Carr Armstrong before Nico Horner at this point, just on their projections. And I'm also calculating the possibility that Nico Horner gets traded eventually. And I don't want that, but that's, you have to listen. Jed kind of backed you up on inside the clubhouse with our friends David Hahn, Bruce Levine. Jed Hoyer did back you up on that. He's like, it's my job to listen. That's all I've said throughout this whole process.

And I'm like, is it really, Jed? Is it really a job to listen? And it's hard. And it's hard. 100% is his job to listen. We have a relationship with Nico Harner, so that makes it even more difficult. He has. He has. He's a staple on the afternoon show all of that, but let's not get silly.

You have to listen to the offers, and if they blow you away, you take them. Now we got people moving all the teams to other places. I love the concepts of A, where you want to build your stadium, B, what you're calling the new honeybears, and C, which teams are you moving where? This is very compelling to me as listener feedback. Number four. We bring you all the hot button issues on Rahimi Harrison Crotty, including this question, former White Sox shortstop, Alexi Ramirez.

Lexi! Yes! It's set to become the oldest player in world baseball classic history when he suits up for Team Cuba at the age of 44. What retired former White Sox or Cub would you most want to see come out of retirement for the WBC? So let's be real, guys. I think there's people out here with actions to grind who want to remind you who they are.

So the list starts for me with Frank Thomas. Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank. Frank Thomas is 57 years old. But Frank Thomas looks like he can still hit that ball a long ways. Remember, he's a contact hitter who just happens to hit line drives that go out. of the park. I love the idea of seeing Frank Thomas on Team USA.

Let's go. That's a hard answer to top because also just like you, Frank, ages and reverse. Like Frank is aging at a perfectly normal rate. No, on, you're all your friends joke with you about aging and reverse. You know this. And Frank, Frank also is ageless. And after, uh, after his response the other day on the internets to Alec, I have a feeling that Frank probably has a few good home run.

left in the tank. If there's one thing I know about Frank, he can still put contact on a ball, there's no doubt. I just want to introduce that the best insult that I've ever seen came from Frank Thomas on Twitter last week when he said to someone,

you plant! I will now be calling people plants. Call him a plant. You plant. Yeah, he was, just like everything else he does. Frank was Hall of Fame level at his commentary online for sure.

We always have time for Frank. I work with a man for many, years. If he ever wants to talk to us, it's always there for him because that's what he deserves. So Frank Thomas, I think, is like the easy number one answer. Like, just for fun, just to enjoy my life. I will go back and look at Frank Thomas's stats. And the sad part is his OPS during the strike shortened season. That's the one that's the most tragic because of what the socks were doing that year. But in the meantime, Frank could still put a hurt on a ball. So here's where I'm intrigued and just travel with me on this path real quick. How old do we really really? How old do we really?

think Ruben Sierra is. Oh, wow. He's listed at 60. He's got to be 70. Exactly. And Ruben Sierra did play for the White Sox in 2008. So I nominate Ruben Sierra, if nothing else, so we can figure out how old he really is, if we're ever going to find out.

I'm pretty sure Rubin is timeless. So I would be willing to, like, see how old Ruben Sierra really is. Or if he's still got anything left in the tape, because I, think the man is timeless and also doesn't age. So Ruben is my guy. I submit Ruben Sierra for the discussion. The four-time All-Stars, Silver Slugger, ALRBI leader. He's also in the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame for whatever that's worth,

which at the time was not much because it was like Rubin and Juan Gonzalez and some other dudes. Boba Chet's dad. You got the idea. Nolan Ryan, obviously. That's all. I'm going to go with in that same vein in a. Lexi Ramirez's teammate. Let's see Pauly out there.

Let's see Pauley Canerco get up and go. Let's see what he's got. An honorable mention to, this doesn't just be White Sox, right? No. Carrie Wood. Carrie Wood. Carrie Wood still looks like Carrie Wood.

He does. You know, like he always just looks like Carrie Wood, tall, skinny guy. And does he have the arm? It would just be, it would be very interesting. Wait, isn't he like, just for the love of the game and out at Newtrier? Isn't he like an assistant coach at New Trier?

Maybe, I'm not sure. Do those kids even know how good they have it? They don't. Spoiled North Shore. What was it? Frat Boys? That was a Parkins thing. Parko.

He went to Newtrier, didn't you? I know. So, yeah. Number five out of nine on 104. We haven't had our first spring training game officially yet, but there's already been an error in honor of the White Sox, misspelling Wunitaka Morikami's, name at his spring training locker.

What's the worst way someone messed up your name? Well, having the name Leila Rahimi growing up was not the easiest, especially in suburban Dallas, Texas. So I got a lot of variations. Is it Leela was usually the most common? Substitute teacher. Everybody in the class would say it's Leila. I just stopped answering because, you know, your friends help you out.

But Beela was probably the worst. And I also say it because it's not like, it was bred by somebody who had read my name like multiple times a week in school. And I'm like, how did you call me Bayla? Bela? Also, in the spirit of messing up names, I was thinking of Steve Bouchel and not Dante Bouchette. Sorry, the brain is reloading. Football brain is reloading to baseball brain and it's a transition.

But the point is, yeah, Bela, which I still laugh at. I got the mispronunciations, but what's the way, worst way they misspelled it. Bayla with a B? Like they just wrote down. Oh, they heard Baila? Like you said Lela and they heard Baila? Mrs. Krep, who used to read the announcements and attendants and all this other stores.

She was the school secretary. And somehow, after reading my name hundreds of times in this point, called me Bela. And that's the best. Like, I can't top that. Oh. Again, that was just mispronerationation. I was looking for the spelling because that's, but. No, the way they messed up my name.

Bela. But so the spelling for me, and I looked at it, I was like, this is what, like, you know, you go to a coffee shop, whatever. Yeah. Sometimes they write your name on stuff. Right. And it was M.E.R. C-H-A-L. Merchal.

Merchal. Merchal. I was like, you know, I have my stuff, so I'm happy. But I was like, how did you hear Marshall and write that? Merchal. Maybe that's what it was. Is it child or chal at that point? I don't even know.

I don't speak enough Spanish. Medchal? I can't do the R on the tip of my tongue. I have to do it at the back. Merchal? You know, I can't roll anything. I mean, the only way my name gets mispronounced constantly growing up

was Grope because my name is spelled GR. Yeah, yeah. Mark Rote. A lot of people say Mark Rote. But Chack made it famous, of course. So, yeah, most people do not. It's G-R-O-T-E, so people are afraid to use the long E. So a lot of groat going on in my life.

It went fine. I am Groot. Yes. Ryan after Sandberg. I was called Renee. No. Oh. And another text of clarity.

North Shore Winnetka frat boy. That's what it was. Ah. I think it was a caller. It was a list. Yeah. Yeah, we got Tammy back. He can confirm.

Thank you, Tanny. Oh, yeah. Sweat that one out. I forgot that everybody always used to assume I was Leah Remini. And I would get a lot of social media posts. And they were like, shut up and go back to Scientology. And I was always like, still not Lear Remedy. Did you get Princess Leila?

No. No, no, no, I mean, no, there were jokes about the first syllable, my first name being Lay. But Mark wrote is my favorite. Are you with the score? Yeah, you heard it right there. You heard an example of how exactly how my name is occasionally mispronounced. I feel so bad for him.

You're famous now. Now people know me. Give me my long E. Yo. Yeah. Well, he didn't want to do. Accentally. Excellent egg you.

Mark Grote. Mark Grote. I think the actual German, it's a German name is Grota. Grota is the actual way that they say it. I think it is. Yeah. That's it. Yeah.

I prefer Grote. Coming up next. next on Grota, Mertz Charle and Bela. We are going to talk about an addition to the Kale Williams-Drake-May discussion we had yesterday. If Caleb Williams were Drake May for the Patriots in the Super Bowl, would he have done better? I say yes. Kurt Warner chimed in.

Okay, so a guy who's played quarterback in the Super Bowl. Okay, fine. We'll listen to him. Next. North Shore Winnetka Frat Boy. Rahimi Harris and Grody. Midday's 10 to 2. on 104-3 the score. He's at his own 44. The New England quarterback's second down and three in the gun,

winds up long pass down the middle. It's intercepted at the 30-yard line. Coming up the middle of the 40. With the return right here now, it's Julian Love. He's out of bounds on the air sideline, going into Patriot territory, and he's knocked out of bounds about the 32. It's the second turnover by the second year.

Patriot quarterback, great name. And another great start for Seattle Deep in Patriot Territory here in Super Bowl 60. That is our friend Kevin Harlan on Westwood One. This is Rahimi Harrison Brody on 1043 the scorers. We like to call ourselves Bela Mercal and Grote. People get our names wrong. Whose name we don't get wrong? Caleb Williams.

Drake May. Sam Darnold. Drake May did not have a great. day. Now, we know that he said that he got a shot in his shoulder, his throwing shoulder before Super Bowl 60. Seattle beat the Patriots

29 to 13. May had a rough first half to say the very least. 18 net yards passing. He was sacked three times in that first half for a loss of 30 yards in case you're wondering how that number came to be. He ended up with 295 yards

passing. Two touchdowns, two interceptions, sack six times. and also had a fumble. We talked about how Drake May and Caleb Williams, both in the same draft class, are always going to be linked, especially when Drake May came so close to becoming the league's MVP. That was not the performance we saw in the Super Bowl,

and I tend to think that Caleb Williams would have done a better job for the Patriots under duress from that Seattle defense in the Super Bowl. Just to make sure everybody's clear, let's go around the horn and reset our opinions when it comes to that before we bring in another voice. What opinion specifically are you asking for? Because I don't want to get this wrong. Do you think Caleb Williams would have fared better than Drake May did as the quarterback

for the Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday? The answer is yes, but I don't know about how much. I just, I think his escapability, one, and his propensity to make the big play, too, would have had him fare better. I just don't know that that meant that they would win or anything. I just think he would have looked better than Drake May. He would not have taken six cents. The Patriots were dying for a big play, a big throw.

And I know they had the Mac Hollins play, which was ahead of the touchdown. So you started to get it. That's the Caleb Magic, though. He would just come on. He would make big throw after big throw. The answer, Leila, is yes, I think Caleb Williams could have fared better than Mr. May. This was also a question that was not just asked by us, but probably anybody who's paid attention to the draft class of 2024. conversation. And that included

our afternoon show, Spiegel and Holmes. So they decided to take it up with a guy who's played quarterback in a Super Bowl in one. That seems reasonable. Seems like a good idea. Credibility is set. Yes. Also played in Super Bowl and lost. That too. And has observed Caleb Williams

and Drake May extensively. Kurt Warner. So he was asked could Caleb Williams, does he think could he have done a better job in the Super Bowl on Sunday? I do believe Caleb probably would have struggled if he had to play the same kind of game as Drake May through those the playoffs. I think the beautiful thing about Chicago was they didn't force you know Caleb to have to play that way. They were a run first team and allowed him to be a

complimentary piece, which is huge. It's very much what Sam Darnal did most of the year. Drake May had to carry that team most of the year. They could get some home runs with their running back at times. But a lot really. foul on Drake to have to carry them more in the dropback game. And that's a tough place to play against really good teams. And that was for the majority of what they had to do yesterday was drop back. And that's tough against good defenses when you can't bring everything to the table. I think the other thing is, you know, Caleb's ad lib, although Drake is good in that area, you know, Caleb's ad lib is special, you know, the kind of throws he can make with pressure

in his face, the ability to elude that pressure and create also gives him, you know, an advantage over, you know, more of a pocket passer like Drake May is. And so you should feel very good about where Caleb's at. But again, I'm not a guy that likes to do the, oh, you know, let's compare this to this. And, you know, I hear people now saying, oh, this is why Matthew Stafford should have been the MVP because look what he did against Seattle's defense and look what Drake May did. And there's too many things that aren't apples to apples, that if we're just going to say, oh, let's just throw this against this and let's, you know, show this.

guy against these guys because matchups and styles are so important when you're playing against different teams. And, you know, one quarterback may not be as good, but their style or their matchups may be better against a good defense. And now they look better against that defense. And we want to go, oh, see, he's a better player. It doesn't always work like that. And so you have to watch snap by step, play by play of all these guys and who they are, and then make your assessments from there. But I mean, I think New England should be, you know, over. over the moon with what Drake made did this year, his growth, what Josh McDaniels did with him.

They just ran into some better teams than they were offensively, and it happens. I think Chicago should be over the moon with what you guys accomplished. And you guys are, both these teams, I think, are ahead of schedule, and their young quarterbacks made huge improvements in year two. So fan bases should be excited about both,

but we always just have to be cautious, because you know, you have to know who players are or, you know, Matthew Stafford, Fuginacua and Devante Adams, you know, whereas, you know, Drake May doesn't have those dudes against the dudes, you know, from Seattle. And so there's just so many things that aren't apples to apples when we try to compare things like that, that you try to just look at situation at hand, what's going on, what this player is and has done, and make your assessments from there.

You know what? I agree with Kurt Warner specifically about his apples to apples warning and the comparison. That's why I said I think he would have been better, but I'm not. I was like, I don't know how much better he would have been because the weapons at his disposal or not the weapons that he had at his disposal in Ben Johnson's offense. And Ben Johnson is a different type of play caller than Josh McDaniels. And so all those things lean to, I know he is better on his feet as far as escaping the sack. The sack numbers are ridiculous.

And he takes way better care of the football than Drake May. And he makes bigger plays more often than Drake May. And fourth quarter, Caleb is a thing. but still very different situations to be championing that not great Patriots offense and the Bears offense, which was one of the better ones in football. Kurt didn't really want to play our sports talk radio game, did he? No. That's what I got out of that.

Would you like to play a game? Shall we play a game? Thank you. Two versions of that. Look who's getting the quote wrong now. It's me. You got one of them right, actually. One is a saw derision.

Right. And one is the war games. Right. The war games the original. Matthew Broderick, right? From the 80s. Yeah, you're not responsible for knowing that this is where Layles just a little younger than us. I got showed war games in, I think elementary school.

Okay. They're like, see kids, see what that computer and that internet does. TRS 80, man. You joke around. And the next thing you know, you're starting wars with other countries. And I was like, God, I can't be around that internet. I'm going to stay on my Apple 2E and play this Oregon Trail. Shall we play?

Oregon Trail. Oh, the Oregon Trail. Don't die of dysentery on me now. Oh, man. So good. There was a higher likelihood of me dying from dysentery than starting World War III. Yes. Fair.

So other than Kurt, not really wanting to play the game, but playing the game as best as he could, the one thing that I would say, and he mentioned the ability to run, I know you mentioned that, too, Marshall. That's a huge deal in all of this. And I know Drake May could run as well, but I don't know that there's any quarterback this year, who was as elusive, who was as escape artist as Houdini as Houdini as Caleb Williams was this year. I'm not saying that Seattle doesn't get to them, but maybe three times instead of six times. I don't know.

There were some unchecked blitzes, too, that were run by the Seahawks. Yes. As we've discussed ad nauseum here, whether it be Caleb Williams, Justin Fields, Mitch Trubisky, name your pick. Whose job is it to slide protection? Whose job is it to check that blitz? Whose job is it anyway? Can't wait to see the next episode. Good idea.

True carrying numps. Wayne. Yes. But like whose job is it to make sure that that bliss is picked up? And it's hard to, it is hard to divorce Caleb Williams from Ben Johnson in this conversation. But it is not hard to call out Josh McDaniels for me in this conversation. He is not getting enough.

He is your pet project. Listen, she's like, I'm going to cut out a piece. She's like, I'm going to cut out a piece of this blame pie. I'm going to keep it the slice and I'm going to get the rest of the pie to Josh McDaniels. Something tells me not only am I the only one doing that, but some of his former players may also have been doing that a time or two. Let's remind you of his time with the Raiders. Okay, so the point being, if you're assistant of the year and you've been out this a long time,

you get the benefit of the doubt, then maybe the play calling stands to be discussed as well. But do I still think Caleb Williams would have gotten out of it differently? Yes. I think he knows how to escape that kind of pass rush better. Did it all year. The better question becomes, what does he look like against the Seattle defense? and that's what we're all trying to figure out because now it will happen next season.

On opening night. Opening night, Thursday night football. We don't know that. That is the wishful. That's my wish. That's the wishful projection of Bela, Mercal, and Grotha. As long as we're not doing 2019 buildup

all over again. Get it right this time. It's the new bears. Is it the new bears? Wait. So now the conversation, remember it was like, oh, the season feels like 2018. Yeah. I'm not doing that anymore.

So you've moved on to... Broken free from the chains of 2018. But now it's 2019. But this team, this team won a playoff game. Now all they got to do is not screw up the lid lifter to the season. And I'll be happy. I will be complete. I'm going to die laughing when this game is the last game of the season.

The Seattle game. Yeah. It better not be the last game in the season. And the number one, then the first in the season opener is going to be Team Baltimore. Team Baltimore is a reference to Team Baltimore. which is what George McCasky calls the Packers in his interview with Jared Payton. You got all that? We shall not say that name.

We shall not say that name. Jared, I know you don't say that name. None of us says that name. Team Voldemort. Really sounds like you're developing a George McCaskey impression. Yeah, you're catching up with everybody else. You're workshopping it. Yeah.

Yeah, I am. I'm just throwing just little bits and pieces, just trying to get the rhythm right. Talk to us, George. We'll tell you that you should have pushed the photo box. or out of the way. Talk to me. Talk to me. You know that one song? Yeah, it's a good song. It's a really good song. Be the man I need or whatever. She won best new artists of the Grammys the other night. Be the man we need. It's just a simple, beautiful song. It really is.

I love that. I love that for us. Me too. You know what I don't love? I saw a report come across the way from somebody who's broken news before about Zach Allen. And if this is the case, then that's not good for the Cubs because I wanted him to get them to get him. So let's discuss that and more next. and Lovie Smith doing the whole good, better best thing, and saying bleep the Packers. Come on, guys, good better best. Never let it rest. I'll see you on Tuesday.

Middays 10 to 2 on 104 3, the score. There's a deep fly ball to left center field. It's got a chance. It's gone. Matt Shaw, Cubs late 6 to nothing. That is courtesy of Pat. Matt Hughes, whose voice you will hear soon. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104-3 The Score.

And a little bit more on Matt Shaw in a second, because that is also a topic that was brought up by one, Bruce Levine. But there is some, there's some development regarding, I don't know if it was a proclamation, Bruce made. As much as it was, be on the lookout for this. Bob Nightingale. the dark angel of White Sox news talks are heating up for Zach Gallin the best remaining free agent on the market

team showing the most interest San Diego Padres Baltimore Orioles Chicago Cubs Arizona Diamondbacks a likely story he could just go back to the diamondbacks is this like when Ahoyanos

just went back to the reds No so the word was that he wanted a three to five year deal. And he got to free agency and guess what? Nobody was out here trying to give him a three to five year deal. Got any more of those three to five year deals. They in fact have not had any more of those three to five years deals.

And then he starts looking around. And I guess the idea is, well, if nobody's going to give me what I actually want, why not just stay in Arizona where I'm already comfortable and roll into the 2027 work stoppage season with one strong showing to get my money on the backside if there's no, you know, salary cap, which precludes me from getting the money I think I deserve. I like it because it's swimming downstream. Wouldn't doubt. Do nothing.

Yeah. No, I'm with that. Although some people would say if you do nothing, you're already moving backwards because the way time move forward. The 30-year-old Kyle Mooney looking, Zach Allen. Look up Kyle Mooney, former SNL guy. He does those hilarious interviews at stadiums and whatnot. looks just like you're so right i don't know it i know i didn't even need to look at the i didn't even

need to do the side by side like yes yeah right i was looking at the picture i was literally on jack ellen's baseball reference yeah i was like who does this guy look like and then you mr mark groie oh yeah i see it yeah he looks like a lot and kyle mooney is hallelujah he read my mind grody that's i was like flabbery yes i was like what the year in my head if you like sports humor you've got it with kyle mooney is that gallon hilarious i don't know about that but Remember that one time we had Bruce on? I don't remember if we were all three together or not, but we asked the question of Justin Steele.

And I asked Bruce, I said, when Justin Steele comes back, who will have been the ace of the team? And he said Zach Gallen. He said Zach Gallen. And then he starts throwing around terms like six-man rotation. Yeah, he did. I enjoyed that part of the conversation because I think that's what the Cubs should do. But there goes Bob Nightingale, just swooping in.

Swooping in to let you know that other teams are part of the discussion. Dang. There's one thing that Bruce Levine did report on that I think is also very worthy of discussion. The biggest question we've had since the Cubs signed Alex Bregman is, where's Matt Shaw going? How are they going to manage his at Bats? They want to get him regular at bats. Well, how about this from Bruce Levine this morning on Mully and Haw? Is Matt Shaw possibly a candidate to start opening day in right field? If you can tell me that they're going to face a left-handed pitcher, I can probably say yes, right? Because there's going to be some platooning going on.

I mean, look, Biasteros is considered an important part of this offense going into 2026. That is DH. That is left-handed bat. But when you're facing a left-hander, that dynamic changes. I'm expecting Suzuki to go back and be the DH those days, or it can be Shaw, and then Shaw in right field. So, and, you know, again, Alcantra is being missed and dissed right now by me, but I just, you know, I don't see him as making it ahead of Shaw. The big story, as you just pointed out, David, is going to be Shaw in spring training, and whether he can handle three. three or four different gloves. Is that Bruce's hip-hop album, missed and dist?

Is it bad that made me slightly uncomfortable when I heard him say it? I was like, not cringe-worthy, but just like, just a little, like I had a little something in my eye when he said it. At least he acknowledged Sandy Alcantara in the discussion. Kevin. Kevin. Sandy would be nice. Sandy is definitely, yeah, let's be honest.

That is a 40 and slip on my part. I would like to acknowledge Sandy Alcantara as a Cubs pitcher, even after the. they've made all the additions. They've got Edward Cabrera. They did not get Sandy. No, they got the actual ace of the staff. But, you know, I want more. More.

So, speaking more, the Matt Shaw thing, like, the Cubs believe he can play. They had him just last year as part of their lineup. They will have them this year as part of their lineup. It's just going to be kind of a role where he plays different places, different times. And I think that because of his athleticism that's been on display, because he has a canon and a great glove, I think it will transition well to many different places, whether that be right field, second base, I could see it. Don't you think it also comes down to whose bat needs the most regular reps?

Is it going to be Sayah Suzuki? Is it going to be, Sayah's already proven he can be a DH at times. Michael Bush, I think, is playing at first base. That seems to be settled science. So who needs the constant play? You know, is it Sayer or is it match? So that may be the question that has. to get answered. Yeah, what is the projection from the Cubs on Matt Shaw? Like, did they still think

that he, even though they've replaced him at third base, did they still look at him as an everyday ball player? Did they still look at him as a member of the core of this team? It's trending, no. And I would suggest that, say, Suzuki should have a lot more at bats than Matt Shaw. At least that should be the blueprint, the game plan going into next year. But how much do they want to develop Shaw as well? Exactly. How are they projecting it? It's what I'm asking. Yeah, I don't know. is their plan B when last year they didn't get Alex Bregman. And I don't think abandoning developing as bad as a good idea either.

So therein lies trying to figure out how they make this happen. Like does it become, does it become he's going to have to develop without having regular baths or regular time in the field? Like that, we might not necessarily know until we start seeing just a pattern develop in spring training. Can I present something to you? and this is something that we talked a little bit about last year, but I just want to re-emphasize these stats for Sayas Suzuki.

Yes, sir. Last year, as a right fielder, he hit 304 with a 360 on base and a 664 slug. That was in 32 games, 139 plate appearances, an OPS of 1024. That's as a right fielder. In 102 games, 444 plate appearances, as a DH.

He hit 232 with a 322 on base and a 423 slug. That's a 745 OPS. That's a drop-off of nearly 300 points. Listen, it's a smaller sample size than maybe you would like, but I think that sample size does say something. In a third of the abats, he hit 13 home runs compared to 16 home runs as a DH. 13 home runs in right field in 1339.

plate appearances, 16 home runs and 444 played appearances as a DH. He was a better hitter when he played in the field. And he said as much. Like he talked about the benefits he got from playing in right field and also being at the plate. The bigger issue I have is his batches fell off the second half when Kyle Tucker wasn't giving him consistent protection in the lineup anymore. Like that's what we can't see.

We can't see his offensive production be married to somebody else's. Yeah, I mean, that was the theme of last year. Just extraordinary start for the offense. Like, oh, my God, they can't be stopped. Are they really going to average seven runs a game? And then they all fell off the table. And he's certainly symbolic of it. Let the league and RBI at the All-Star break, right?

What's that? Led the league and RBI's at the All-Star break, right? That sounds right. Hit 213 after the All-Star break. 2-13. The good news is defensively, you got two gold glovers out there in Ian Hap and PCA. if you're not sold on, and I'm not sold on Seizuuki's defense. It's opportunity costs.

I get it. I would rather have him out there and have the hit tool. The offensive production. Because it's so good, as you just outlined very well. But that doesn't mean his defense doesn't scare me still. See, it's a real problem. It's a problem. I have a feeling, thanks to Grady's consternation, this is a story we will continue to track.

Just a feeling. Absolutely. Coming up next year on Rahimi Harrison Grotie, we're excited to talk to Kalin Kaler, a VSPN. She was the pool reporter for the Super Bowl and had many interesting experiences. So we'll get to all of those next.