Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Best of the Cubs: How much playing time will Matt Shaw get?

Episode Date: February 14, 2026

In the Best of the Cubs this week, Mike Mulligan and Brad Biggs discussed what the club's starting rotation will look like when when the 2026 regular season gets started and pondered how much utilityman Matt Shaw will play; Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes discussed how trade talks recently played out between the Cubs and Red Sox; and Leila Rahimi and Marshall Harris discussed what the expectations are for Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga after he had a disappointing end to the 2025 season.

I mean, I think the important part of it is just, again, it's like a foundational piece of it. It's like it's in us. So that part of it is in us. That experience is in us with a lot of this group that experiences in us. That's the important part of it. It doesn't, I don't think it's going to do anything for us this year necessarily on the field. But for the group, it's kind of in us collectively as an experience. And I think that part's important.

Molly and Haw, Brad Biggs in for David this morning, and you're the right guy to be here because Bigsy is one of the all-time baseball fans. Everybody knows how good you are with football. Maybe people don't realize that you've been a lifelong baseball fan. You're a baseball player. I've seen your card as a pitcher, and you love the game. And we just heard from Craig Counsel, that is, of course, the Cubs manager. I want to give a shout out to everyone, the audience watching us on CHSN.

Got the hat on this morning, Brad. Appreciate it. Anytime anyone gives me anything for free, I will wear it immediately. I'm like a walking billboard in a way. There you go. But you love baseball. You've been to plenty of minor league park. Have you been to every park in Major League Baseball?

All of them? No, I've been almost all. Yeah. Oh, I know. So you hear from Craig. counsel and he's talking about, and we know that every season is different and the carryover is limited, but I'm curious when you have a run like they had last year. And this applies to the bears, quite frankly, because you saw the same thing. You saw the crowd out at Soldier Field,

the way they reacted. Certainly you saw that with the Cubs at Wrigley. It was absolutely incredible the atmosphere for a playoff game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, both places. I'm wondering when you look at that is the carryover effect that, man, it's super cool, these people deserve it, I'm glad I'm here, or is it, can you believe those guys took a photo with an L sign and we owe them one? Because that happened in the aftermath of the thing. but it felt like the Cubs was great they made the playoffs but it felt like they didn't get enough done

in the playoffs, right? It felt like they could have gotten farther. Yeah, I think the better team won that series but that's last year. They've got high expectations this year and they should. And you look around the division

and you say this thing's set up for them to win it. You said that last year. I mean, we thought last year that that was the end of the run. But the brewers, they traded Freddie Peralta. I know. They just keep.

Who did they trade the year before? Devin Williams. The shortstop, the clothes. I'm just saying. And they just reload and they've got more young guys in the pipeline coming up. Okay. Here's one thing I'm curious about. Is there any impact from yesterday's move in Baltimore where the Oriole sign Chris Bassett

to a one-year deal for roughly $18 million because the Cubs have been linked, I think Bob Nightingale who's on the show from time to time, have been linked to Zach Gallen. There are four teams after him. The Orioles are one of them. Yeah, so now you're down to three. If all the reports are accurate,

the Cubs, the Padres, and the Diamondbacks, Gallen turned down qualifying offer. of $22 million for this season. He's represented by Scott Boris. Boris generally does very, very well for his clients, for the players he represents. When you're in that negotiation game, you don't necessarily win all of them, okay? I don't know if he's in a spot where he can win with Gallin. Gallin last year in the first half was bloody awful.

and it even bled over, I think, into the second half. In the first half last season for the Diamondbacks, his ERA was 540. He gave up 21 home runs in the first half alone. In the second half, the ERA was 397 for just a touch under four. You can live with that. Got it down to 10 long balls. But he gave up 31 home runs for the season. He's 30 years old.

Strikeout percentage dropped this past season. Fly balls went up. Did he figure it out in the second half of me? He's a veteran. He's been around. He's pitched at a high level for a while. But this past season was not a high level. What is the market for him?

Is it a one-year deal to reestablish his value? But the problem is he's apparently looking for a multi-year deal, right? We've heard that he wants at least three years. and I think when you talk about the money he turned down, doesn't it start with more money than that? Doesn't that start a point per year? You would think that Boris is aiming for that? I don't know what's going to be there,

but I do know that Baltimore is no longer an option. You're out of it. Yeah, and I think in the Cubs, you look at the starting staff because that was a huge question. I think if you were honestly evaluating the Cubs who had a fantastic start to this season last year. Yes, they did. April and May.

You looked at it and you said, how's this starting pitching going to hold up over the course of the season? And they've got guys now that if they're healthy, all of them, you look at it and you say, okay, yeah, I feel pretty good about that. But Boyd, Cabrera, Tyon, I mean, I'm anogamist, a good chunk of time last year. Yeah. And then Horton,

hopefully, because he was electric, absolutely electric. And that's David's guy. Oh, yeah, no. No, I know. No bad words about Kate Horton allowed on this show. But you need seven or eight starters. Yes. And they've got a lot. There's more depth than just those guys.

Yeah. But how would you line them up? Who's your opening day starter? Did Matthew Boy do enough? to become an opening day starter. Yeah, I mean, maybe you give it to... J-M-O was there forever and is, you know, a veteran guy... It's sort of... It's not Shoda, not after what happened at the end of the year.

I don't know if you want to put that on... Kate Horton? Maybe if you... Do you want to put that on them? Maybe a tip of the cap to Boyd. Some of that stuff like opening day starter is a little... It's a nice talking piece. Guess what?

Five of them are going to go through the... get their turn and then you're going to do it all over again. You're not talking about setting up your rotation for the postseason. What they need is Horton to take that sort of next step. What is the next step for him? Well, I think that's going out and... It's more innings, right? Yeah, I think that's going out and putting up 170 innings.

If he can pitch the way he pitched, it's perfect. Well, and then Edward Cabrera. It would be great if you could get him regularly beyond that. Edward Cabrera. Is Cabrera the opening day starting? No, no, no, no. Never. No, but he's a guy that he's a guy that has the toolbox to, you say, maybe down the road.

Turn into an ace for you. Or, you know what, if he turns into a number three that you've got for a couple years, that's a really good move for you. That's a really, that you're winning that trade by a slam dunk because, you know, Owen Casey, like that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that. If Owen Casey had been good enough, I really believe they'd have brought him up and played him. He would have played last season. That's what I'm saying. Yeah. And I know there were picky-tech injuries.

That's right. Yeah, they told you what they thought of Owen Casey by how much time he paid rent in Iowa last season. That's it. That's exactly correct. So you like their pitching, but if they got Zach Gallen, where would he fit in? Well, if you pay him, he's got to be in the mix there somewhere, right? That's what I'm saying. Yeah.

You pay him, he's definitely. Yeah, and I just, I don't know. Like, are they really going to go out and let's just say the floor for Gallen now is something in the neighborhood of what Bassett got? Yes. Are they going to go out and spend that kind of money? He got 19 million? I think 18. 18.

He was a good piece. Bassett probably pitched better last season, certainly from start to finish, than Gallen did. Right. Important part of the Blue Jays staff in the postseason run to the World Series pitch out of the bullpen a little bit in the playoffs. But I just don't know if the Cubs are looking to throw that kind of money around on another pitcher, but it's been interesting. Sometimes, and I'm not saying it's the case here, but this happens in all sports, not just baseball, not just football. you'll have teams linked to a player because the agent is desperate to create a market. Yeah, make the market appear to be more robust than it actually is. Do you believe the Cubs are serious about this?

I don't know. I don't know. Yeah, that's interesting. They could be just used as a... And it could be that Gallin would have been better off taking that $22 million qualifying offer. Again, Boris generally wins and wins with landslides. If he goes back to Arizona, will he get that money? Would they give it to him?

Who knows? Yeah. It was there. I know. You declined it. Do you still want it? Yeah. Although, he props to especially pitchers, but props to players that bet on themselves, right?

The roll the dice. No question. I'm going to bet on myself. because those are the guys that... Let's talk about Matt Shaw for a second. So Matt Shaw no longer has a starting position. I mean, he has been replaced by Bregman, who's going to start third base, is a better third baseman than him

and is obviously a much better hitter. I talked to Ron Coomer about him, and we had a long conversation about him kind of off the air. And I was saying to Ron that the problem I see with him is like, what was the kid's name, Paul Edinger, the kicker, where he had this corkscrew method of kicking. It was different than a conventional method of kicking. And I remember having a conversation with Dave Tobe, who was saying that when the kid went off the boil, and that happened, as you remember. He went back. He tried to watch tape. He tried to, he couldn't teach him what you were doing

wrong because it was such an unconventional method of his kicking. Is that what's going on with Matt Shaw? Is he not able to hit the major leagues in part because the way he hits is weird. How do you correct it? I think he's sort of adjusted his approach to the plate. I think he's made some changes to the leg kick. It's not working. Not to the degree it needs to to have a steady position. Well, let's see. Hey, let's see what he looks like this.

Spring. And how will that work moving from third base to right field? That's what they're telling him to bring an outfield his glove with him. That's where there's an opening there where you could fit in. Because, you know, Sayya Suzuki, I get it. Everybody wants to say he's fine there. He did a great job. Go back a couple years ago.

There's a reason they moved him to D.H. Well, I think with Shaw, and I'd say this about almost every team, like there's an opportunity for Shaw to go out there and get, 350 at bats, 400. Right? By moving around the diamond a little. By being a guy that can carry a glove for just about every. free infield position.

The infield, no question. A guy that can, hopefully if he proves that he's capable as a corner outfielder. Yeah, but he hasn't been that before. And then, he doesn't, I mean, you're not asking him to go out there and replace a gold glover, right? But don't you think that one of the problems? And then the DH. Well, the D. See, the D.

See, he's going to get D. It's Beliseros, isn't it? He's a hitter and he's a steady hitter. But he can't play catcher. He does. There's not a spot for him. I don't think Byosteros is going to be a guy that gets 550 a bad. Okay.

Like, how are you going to use it? Is Shaw, is Shaw a guy potentially that's in the lineup almost every time you face a lefty? Are you finding? Yeah, that sounds fine. Okay. And then with the stuff that happens during the course of a week, a month, and a season, you're finding. He gets spots here and there. Yeah.

I mean, there's plenty of work for him. All right. I mean, I'm just asking where he fits in. Dustin, where does he fit in? Do you want Belisteros as your DH or do you want to say a playing D8? I really think, and that's a, I'm glad you asked me the question. That is my most curious thing in spring training. I want to see how much he hits. I mean, he doesn't strike out, so there's that. But it's a lot of groundouts. He's got no speed, obviously. he doesn't really have a ton of pop

he's not a slug guy so I'm very I'm very curious and also at the same time can Matt Shaw play right field and then let Seya still be in the lineup in D.H. if Byesteros isn't getting the job done. Yeah I mean

Byestero's having that DH job locked down and he's going to be maybe he does develop I don't know I think he's a good hitter. And when you talk to everyone, he's like a line drive hitter. And he hits the ball all over the park.

And he's a tough out. Everyone says that about him. But you're right. You know, he can't really catch. He doesn't really fit man. He doesn't have a position. Right. Molley, did you see one of your favorite ex-cubs is available?

He doesn't even have a locker, apparently, at spring training for the Phillies? Do you see that story, Brad? Oh, Castiano. Castiananos. Yes. They told him to, well, they're going to, don't even show up. Don't even come. Yeah, they told him no.

Well, they're going to either trade him for nothing or release him. But is it worth bringing him in as a flyer? That guy's got some slug. Oh, that guy could be your D.H. He's only, boy, you only want him hitting against lefties. Well, that's okay. I mean, maybe, I'm just saying if Biosteros isn't the option, I'm just, if this is a team with expectations.

You know what I loved about him? It was his patience and the way that he was. the way that he hit was different than anyone in the Cubs lineup when they brought him in, and it changed their team. People see that, and they got more patient. It just changed their team. And then I thought they should have held on to him, Dostino. That was my problem.

I know you liked him a lot. I did like him a lot. I thought he was a good player. And he is a good player. He's just old. You get old. It happens to people. You slow down.

What are you saying? I mean, he's a guy who I think could come off the bench, right? He could play a little. Does he want to try to win still? I mean, nobody's going to pay him. Right, but does it, well, he's going to get paid. He's under contract. I understand.

Like, he's a guy who has played, he's an everyday player. But the Phillies are going to have to take that money, right, Brad? I mean, I'm just saying, like, if the Cubs, if he were to get cut, I wouldn't trade anything for him because you can trade, you have to take on his contract. But if he's cut, the Phillies are on the hook for it. and then the Cubs are working on some kind of like a veteran minimum, I'm assuming. Yeah, I mean, maybe you get a, I'd want to know what his mindset is. He's going to be, he's 34. How much, how much would it cost you?

Yeah, probably wouldn't cost much. Nothing, right? I'm saying maybe he wants to go to the south side. Maybe he gets more fast. Yeah, but you're talking about bringing in a guy who you absolutely under almost no circumstance want to have out in the field. and I don't know that you can have two of those guys on your roster. I don't know that you can have him and Biosteros in the same dugout

because you've got two guys that don't even need the – don't bring a glove to the ballpark. Right, but I'm saying if Biostero's – my point is if Biosteros is struggling, that might be an option. You get Biostaros to go back down. Okay, but you're not making that decision until what? Late May and Castiano's – Well, I'm saying if he's really bad in the spring training, Brad.

I'm saying like if he goes on one of these like old furs or something. Yeah. Now that the catcher's healthy, will that be a will that remain a plus position? It was a plus position last year, but unexpectedly. Maya,

Maya went healthy as good, right? Yeah, it's all about how they, how they handle the pitchers. Yes. The defense. It's really, like any offense you get from that position is, that's just a bonus.

Sneak O'Horner, they want me to give you a score better best T-shirt. We did there. See? We are never afraid to co-opt. 104 the score. Let's go. How about it?

See, now that's a man that's going to be a talk show home someday. Afternoons on the score. So listen, we are thinking about as a show, a way to get all of this baseball stuff that Speaks desperately wants to do out for the people. We don't know what we want to call it, like, bursting at the seams or baseball scenes. Baseballs have seams. Yeah, they do. We don't know if that's what we want to call it, but we do need to figure out a vehicle for him to get baseball thoughts off before we were, what, two weeks away from there being spring training games played?

Yeah, pitchers and catchers is very, very soon. First, Cubs game is the 20th, so that's two weeks from Friday. but yeah, we're super duper close. But there's always stuff. You know, Lawrence, there's always stuff. I needed to share this. The second base market has been fascinating this whole offseason. Are they where the Arizona Diamondbacks going to trade Coutel Marte?

No, they didn't. Where the Cardinals are going to trade Brendan Donovan. They did. He went to Seattle. The Giants, did they want one yet? They signed Louisa Rice. They're going to have him play second base. Yee.

We'll see how long he plays second base. Yeah, they'll bring in defensive replacements for a lot of games. But anyway, Nico Horner going to get traded? He has not. And I don't think he will be. I think we can close the book on the idea that Nico was going to get dealt because the last team that desperately needed a second baseman and an infielder really to try and sort it out was the Boston Red Sox.

And some stuff went on this week. The Boston Red Sox did call the Cubs about Nico Horner. they ended up talking more about Matt Shaw than Nico Horner. And then the Boston Red Sox traded with the Brewers for Caleb Durbin. That fills their need. They did not get what they wanted from the Cubs in terms of Nico. And the Matt Shaw conversations apparently did not go well enough for both sides to consummate something there. but I think we can sit in good thought that Nico Horner will be a member of these Chicago Cubs.

We can relax about that, at least for the start of the season and what will hopefully be a run towards the playoffs. Okay, well, then that leads me to another Nico question. Does that mean that Nico is going to get an extension? Or is this a conversation that we then have to have again, depending on what the Cubs are doing near the trade deadline. I think without an extension, that conversation won't go away. It, even if, probably, even if the Cubs are doing well, because you could talk about the needle thread kind of trade that has been brought up before, I just, I don't think it's

going to happen during the season, but an extension would lock that up for it not happening, you know, during the season. That would lock the conversations away. would keep the distractions of those conversations away. And there's no way that if they can't come to an agreement, let's say the Cubs are 10 games over at the deadline. There's no way, right, that Nico's name going into a walk year would be bandied about, would it? I don't think so, but, I mean.

I just want to check. The name might be out there, like where this stuff comes from, you know, you can't control that. if there's an extension, then nobody would end up being throwing it out there. I just do love, and I got, I got this on good authority from an outside Chicago source. I'll say that, that Red Sox called about Nico and ended up having to talk about Matt Shaw instead. Were they from Portage? No, no, they were not. It's not, there's more than just Indiana in the world, Lawrence.

That's not what the commercial says. There's more than corn. I like this. 847, Texas says, call the new Speed segment spraying to all fields. There you go.

That's not bad. We got options. I was like hit and run light. That's something that we could do. Yeah. Well, then we've got to do the whole thing. Then we've got to get Sean Sears in here.

No, we don't. That's why it's light. There's no Sean? Yeah. We'll be back March 22nd. Pull Rubin out of school for these seconds. And I got even better news for you, Speigs.

It's not two weeks from Friday. That's the first game. a week from Friday. Oh my God, you're so right. It's a week from Friday. That's outrageous. We had game. Cup socks. Game on everybody. Cup socks on this radio station a week from Friday. It's really interesting to me like seeing people, I saw our frontina win out at Camelback,

like talking to Chris Gets and stuff and like, oh, I guess we're here. I guess we're here now. I think we are because the WBC is early, so a lot of stuff is starting early. Well, look, in that regard. We've been watching the Caribbean World Series here in the studio. Yes, we have, man. And it's a beautiful thing. And the WBC rosters

got revealed in. Do you see Alexei Ramirez is on the Cuba roster? 44. Alexei! Come on, man. But Javi is not on Team Puerto Rico because of weed. There's all kinds of insurance issues that are going on for all sorts of different teams.

How about Bad Bunny? Offering to pay for the insurance for guys like Correa and Lindor, but the team's not allowing their guys to play in the WBC. Wow. Wow. I didn't realize Bad Bunny at all for to step up on that, and the teams are not allowing it. They've got to find a way to allow these guys to play, man. Yes, that's the beauty of all of this. It really is. It's the magic of it.

Where you end up with Shoahe Otani versus Mike Trout at the end, and you're like, this is exactly what I want it! And then, you know. Hey, congrats to you guys and getting Eric Fetty back on a White Sox roster, too. Just to trade him again, if he's good again. By the way, what the hell is that? You know what it is? You know what it is. I do. I do know what it is.

What's what? What are you talking about? The passive-aggressive baseball talk. See? That's why I didn't listen to all of last year. Oh, that's not why you didn't listen. Well, I didn't run. You just had better things to do. I got a surprise. With the success of that segment with Boo and Jason Benetti, I got a surprise for Spee's next week, Pat You and John Shiffin. We're going to cross, we're going to put both those guys on and then.

Oh, no. No? We're not doing that? I'd be happy to talk to Pat. I'd be happy to talk to John, too, if he'd want to come on. Radio Losers. That's us. I still haven't talked with John. That's amazing.

You, you, that's your opportunity. It's a window. I'm not opposed to it. I know you're not. I just haven't. There just hasn't been an opportunity for it to take place. So, you know, maybe it does this year. Maybe it doesn't.

White Sox baseball, I'm trying not to get, overly excited about it because I don't think they're going to be very good. But, you know, hope springs eternal. Yeah. There's going to be a lot of people worth watching. There's going to be a lot of development worth watching. I didn't say I'm not watching. I'm just saying not excited about it.

I'm watching the Bulls still. That's God's work right there. It really is. You are doing God's work. So you saw Colin Sexton giving the finger to the rim last night. I did. I saw them lose to a really terrible. team and I think that's going to be a thing. At some point, we should have a Billy conversation, but I'll save that for later on. Cam Buckner represents the city

and the state legislature. Let's talk to him about what's going on with the Bears and Stadium proposals. That's next here on the score. 104-3, the score. Chicago's number one sports station. Pete Currell Armstrong, it's home runs here. It's got a chance. Matas Bazzellis slam dunks here. A deep dish. They're always talking about the Cubs and Bulls. And we're Chicago comes to talk bears. We are 104-3, the score.

Chicago's number one sports station. Rahimi Harris and Grotie. Midday's 10-2 on 104-3, the score. Leaded at first by Jackson Merrill, the pitch. Swing and a miss. Strike three, and that's out number one. Excellent pitch by Shoda as he goes at the breaking ball. He's not having a great feel for that split,

so he goes with a little slower hook, throws it down and in, and Bogart's... Really not ready for that pitch. Well out in front of them. The dagger for Shoda? What are we doing here? We're getting out of control. This is Rahimi Harrison Brody on 104 to score.

Now my hockey brain is combining with my baseball brain, and I'm still not over football brain. And I don't know what names are going to come out of my head, and I apologize in advance. But one thing we do know well is that Shoda Imanaga was the recipient of savvy time. and a very interesting contract structure. Shoda had an option.

We were all trying to figure out what it was at the end of last season. It was a mutual. The club declined the option. Then he had the option to opt back in with a raise or test the market. And if so, the Cubs were going to get a compensatory pick. As we know, he did not test the market. And now Shoda Imanaga got a raise. Up to $22 million is what he is being paid.

and the concern is he started with a 265 ERA in the first half with an 093 whip and then had a 470 ERA and a 104 whip in the second half. Is that bad? It got worse in the playoffs, and the home run became something that was a common result of what we saw of him at the mound. Layla, look at it like this. Well before the regular seasons ended, what did I tell you about Shodeminaaga?

He can't be a part of your playoff rotation. He gives up too many home runs, and we know by and large, home runs are the deciding factor in most playoff games, not all, but most. And when you look at what this guy did, first half versus second half, understand this. He gave up almost twice as many home runs in the second half as he did in the first half.

He gave up 11 home runs in his first 12 starts. He gave up 20 home runs over his last. last 13 starts. And I think he still has a street going of giving up a home run in starts. Am I correct that? I'm going to look it up to make sure. Yeah, I've just got the splits in front of me. That's why I was able to see those easily.

Let's look at the old game log. Well, so according to the game log, I'll tell you this. He as he famously did not pitch in the postseason in his last opportunity to pitch. The Cubs skipped him, did not throw him out there. He gave up three home runs over two postseason appearances, so he gave up home runs in each of those. And if you go back to the regular season and add his last nine regular season starts, he gave up 11 straight starts home runs. Yeah, you have to go back to August 5th against Cincinnati, who now has Ahayneos Juarez, to see the last game where he didn't give up a home run. That was a five to one loss.

He still ended up giving up one-earned-run, at least in that ball game. But that's fine. Six in the third, three hits one-on-run. That's the show that you thought you signed up for. Yeah, not the eighth spot that he gave up to the Mets. You and I watched that show, actually with our guest at New and Clay Harbor, if you recall, at Old Crow. That was bad. The four earned runs against the Milwaukee Brewers was not great.

That was two home runs and that, but that was only two-thirds innings in that outing. And that's the last time we saw in pitch. That was on October 6th of last year. Sharda gets the raise. The Cubs end up having to pay him. And we've batted around the idea of a six-man rotation when it comes to trying to figure out how he fits in on this team. I think it's clear that as of right now,

he feels like insurance. Because you look at the other starters in this rotation to start it off. and I think honestly, unless something, I don't always say drastic changes, unless there's a return to what he looked like in the first half of the season, he's not in your top five pitchers. And that's including Colin Ray.

I'm going to be honest with you. I mean, the other part of this, too, is Justin Steele. We know it's probably at least two months before we're talking about a return from him. And that's what makes this tricky. And we still don't know where Zach Allen is going yet, so that also adds to the intrigue. And I think whether or not you see,

say he feels like insurance, he needs to be insurance. Well, sometimes insurance is costly depending on where you live and what kind of weather patterns are happening, like, you know, to get insured in Florida now as an arm and maybe both your legs. It's Matthew Boyd, it's Eduardo Cabrera, it's Kate Horton, it's Jameson, and Tyone, and then it's Shoda Imanaga. And you could argue it should be Colin Ray, the spot starter, the sixth swing man, ahead have Shodemanaaga. But the Cubs

obviously, obviously, are very confident that they can fit Shodda Eminaga's problems. Otherwise, why would they give him the qualifying offer? Yeah. Oh, wait. They thought he was going to sign somewhere else. They did. I am convinced they thought that because of the pitching market, or what they

thought about the pitching market, that he was going to go to the market and then the Cubs were going to get a pick. Confident. Here's what we know. We know that that's $22.9 million of the Cubs budget that they don't have available to them right now. And if Zat Gowan, who's still out here, looking for a job, was out here and the Cubs had

an extra $22.9 million, maybe Zach Gallen was already a Cubs right now. Man, and that's it. It's that, you know, we're not talking about the Dodgers payroll here. We're talking about the Cubs payroll. So that money does matter. And it takes up probably a spot for somebody else. And that's what the concern is. so Shota Imanaga was discussed yesterday appropriately as pitchers and catchers reported to Mesa

and Craig counsel was asked about Shota and the process to get him back in his groove with some of the factors that were in play with Shota in the second half like what's your optimism that he can kind of get back to who he was before the injury kind of the domino effect yeah I mean I'm very excited for Shota to have an outstanding season I really think look, look, this is, he is going to respond kind of to the things that happened at the end of the year. And, you know, he wasn't happy how he pitched. And, you know, that's what great competitors do. They respond to things like that.

And he will absolutely respond, and I'm very confident in that. If you could pick one thing he kind of did in the offseason to sort of move forward, what might it be? Yeah, I mean, there was not, it's all very subtle. Like it's not, it doesn't have to be a big thing. I think that's, that's the, that's the difficulty of Major League Baseball is that these guys are at a level where the difference between success and, and, and struggle is, is very tiny. And the adjustments, they're, they're small.

And, and also sometimes, like, that's, that's why, you know, we, you think you can fix yourself, like, immediately. but it's just a very subtle, the subtle things like can get you off track. And sometimes you need to step back a little bit to see that, right? And I think, so I think as much as anything, you know, showed it probably needed a little bit of time to be able to step back a little bit. And that gives you some clarity as much as anything.

I mean, that sounds good. but my biggest concern about Shoda isn't time, isn't time off. It's that his pitching profile is a high fastball tunnel with a splitter. And that high fastball ranges in the 90 to 92 range. It feels like the location has to be so precise for him to get away with what he was trying to get away with in the second half of the season. And is that velocity going to tick up? There's no indication that it will. I mean, even in hearing that answer about Shoda

and what needs to happen for him to get back to the guy that he was, there was not a bullet that let you know, this has to happen. It was more of a, he just has to get away from the game and get a feel back. I don't like that. When the way you pitch is eventually going to lead to these results, you know the deal you're making.

It's just a matter of how long you want to let that ride. Maybe the question is, How often do you want to let that ride? Well, yes. Because the six-man rotation can kind of take away from having to deal with that every day and maybe five days' rest as opposed to four days' rest even can help Shoda regain something. And you see how I'm kind of grasping at straws? I feel like everyone in this situation is grasping at straws in the moment.

I feel like we're just picking up where the team left off in the playoffs. We are, what did they do? You know, it was one game they prevented Shoda from being an opener. another one they decided to go ahead or being an opener, being a starter. You know, there was an opener for Shoda. Another game they tried to balance it in a different manner.

It was piecemealing everything you possibly could remixing the opening day starter or the home opener starter. No, he was the opening day starter. Yeah, he started the first game, but I think that has as much to do as being in Japan as anything else. But he started the home opener too,

so there was that. But remixing, arguably who should have been your first or second best pitch at that point and having to take that approach in the playoffs. And I understand it led to Jed Hoyer and Craig counsel saying pitching was a priority.

But when you have to take those steps, how are we not just picking up where the Cubs left off when it came to trying to manage him in a way that would provide some results? I don't think we're getting any more clarity. I thought maybe we'd get a little something extra on, you know, start of spring training. But it appears that we're just getting,

started and we're not as far long as I would like to be in analyzing what the problem is. More importantly, what is the solution for Shoda and Iga on a one-year $22.9 million deal? I mean, that's it. It's hard to be so lamenting his raise, but when you understand that it could have been avoided, that's what makes this so difficult. Like, he's on your team and you're going to have to use him and you're going to have to figure out the best way to be able to do so while you're still waiting for Justin Steele to come back. It's crazy. After his first three starts this season, remember he had four no-hit innings and just

wasn't stretched out in that game against the Dodgers in Japan, but he gave up a run over his next two starts and went seven innings and then seven and a third. Didn't he still have four walks in that outing? He did have four walks. Yeah, so even then, even then you knew it was a little bit different of a performance than we had seen the year before. And so what is it going to be this year and this time around? And frankly, I know the ball flies in Arizona,

but that's as good of an understanding as to what he's doing as anything. Yeah, got to keep the ball in the park. That's goal number one at this point. Well, but even if he doesn't, then have that urgency and have that feeling of knowing what it's like to see the ball go out of the park again and try to figure that out. But I'll be very curious to see how much. he uses that splitter related to his fastball,

and if the fastball command is better than it could be after last season. And frankly, also tipping pitches. Let's not forget that that was an issue, too, when he tipped all the pitches to the White Sox, and they were able to tee off on him pretty well. Speaking of the White Sox, it's viral. We have to discuss it.

Chris Gets traded away his most established homegrown hitter for somebody who, uh, He has said multiple times. Was a switch hitter, except he wasn't. And it's one thing to do it in one media availability. But we've got the receipts knowing it's not the only one. Let's examine next.