Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Full Show -- 8/19/2026

Episode Date: August 20, 2026

You can call us the score. This hour is brought to you by Cars for Kids. The views and opinions of Laila Rahimi, Marshall Harris, and Mark Grody should not be taken too seriously. Especially when they give advice. Do not take Marshall's analogies, literally. Especially when it comes to Russell Dorsey. The sports thoughts of Rahimi Harrison and Grody may change at any time. It's just sports.

Okay, thanks. Bye. Rahimi Harrison Grody. 10 to 2 on 1043, The Score. Ben Johnson talked about Kylie. Gordon. Can you provide any more update on Kyler Gordon? We pretty much got a non-upjure. Yeah, there's nothing to add right now. Have any interaction with him or see him? I see him in the building.

I feel like he is progressive. Yep, there's a plan and he's working towards that plan. What does he do right now? He's rehabbing. I have had more interaction with Kyler Gordon than Ben Johnson, it sounds like. Whoa, that sounded tense. Phrenetic would be the best description. He's intense. We need to isolate the Jason leisure. What does he do right now? because I feel like that's just going to come in handy in life.

What does he do right now? Oh, a whole lot of nothing. How can you not listen to that and think this man is disgusted at the fact that he can see Kyle Gordon in the building, but he can't see him on the field? Well, right. I mean, every single time he has spoken about, he has not changed his tone. What's been your message to Kyle Gordon? Get healthy.

Do you know what it reminds me of? Anytime you would ask Ben Johnson about the Lions game last year. You say the one face of the offense? Yeah. In particular, I was not pleased with the offense today. when you say a simple thing plan were you

hold him back at all Nope Nope Okay, let's go With a Mount Rushmore Top four things Matt LaFloor Yeah

The floor is number one LaFloor Oh you think he's number one Oh, Absolutely No, it's the lion's losses Oh, I'd put Kyler before The Lions' losses

I put Tyler before Honestly, I would put the Kyleor Gordon situation Above Matt LaFloor What's another one? We need one more, right? So we got Matt LaFlor, Kyleor Gordon

The Lions losses And Oh, maybe the 33-year-old guard is the only one in the picture. You can do it. Get that old ass of yours in the end. 847, things Ben Johnson hates. Half-time interviews going to or from the locker room. Oh, fair.

You need to change what you're doing. I don't know. You think so? We're on waiting just fine. Marshall Harris. Mark Grody. Midday's 10 a.m. to 2 on Chicago Sports Radio 104 3. the score.

Yeah, that just didn't sound any better the next day either, and that's probably my third or fourth. Listen to that discussion. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104-3, The Score. We are coming to you live from the Cubby Bear today, courtesy of our friends with Yingling, ahead of the Cross Town series finale. If you're going to the game, come by, say hi.

We will be here until 1245, followed by Zach Zadman's pregame show, until first pitch. It is all brought to you by Yingling. flight the next generation of light beer. We're already happy to see that we're not the only ones here. We got we got some early risers getting ready for the game. In fact, Sam Antinacci is sitting at the bar. Oh, that's just his jersey. Careful. Careful. Don't get hit by a pitch. Careful. Yeah, yes. Careful Sam Antanachi jersey. Don't get, don't go hanging over the plate with your elbow and then get hit in the elbow pad. No, wait a minute. He likes that. Sam Antanachi

likes getting hit by pitches. I'm worried sick about Sam Antinac. Well, Colson Montgomery's right behind us. Oh, yeah. We got a lot of multiple Montover. Yeah, there's number 12 Montgomery.

I can say flare. That's appropriate, right? I think it is. I think it is. Yeah. Can never have enough

flare. Nicely done, Sam Antanachi. We look forward to seeing you play. I just hope he doesn't lean into anything over there.

I know. Yeah. When you have the Sam Antanaj jersey on, you might leave into something. Well, you won't be feeling pain.

Well, you won't be feeling. It's guzzling those years over there. But this is a good example. There was a pause this morning. You know, I love that sound like. I'm sorry, I couldn't hear.

I know we're still working on the mix a little bit. It's a team sport. If you're mad about it, you know, take your ass to go play, you know, tennis or play an individual sport. Oh, yeah, yeah, Antonagia after the job. His tone is so pleasant. It's the tone. Go go out there, take your ass. I think he also had trouble figuring out what wasn't a team sport because he's so used to playing team sports there.

That's fair. Yeah. That's fair. Look, golf. Well, golf can't be. be a team sport. Right. That's the thing. Well, yeah, there was the team sport golf concept, but I think it got absorbed or something. The point is there's a buzz here already. It is 10.09 in the morning. People are getting ready for game three of Cross Town. I'm not surprised at all, given what

we've seen the last two games on the north side, given what we saw in the three games on the south side, that people are up, they are buzzing, they are ready, and they are ready for this day game. How about the crowd that stayed last night through the hour and a half rain delay? You know, they're singing, first of all, they played Bear Down Chicago Bears. That was tremendous. That's on our score social media pages, the score Chicago, if you want to check it out. And then they also had the tarps off who infiltrated the expensive seats, which I also loved. Did they get kicked out?

How did that work? First of all, how do they get down there and how do they get the people who are sitting there get their seats back? Is that just strictly during the rain delay? I was trying to figure that out. I'm not sure. Yeah, the ingress and egress, if you will, was not a, it was not discussed. Wait, are we just dismissing the? possibility that those were their seats?

Are you guys just assuming that those guys were not actually sitting in those seats? Something changed then in Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde fashion when the rain delay came on if those were indeed their seats. Because that was a very different type of crowd than I saw before and after the rainwater line. I know at stadiums, or I don't know

necessarily Wrigley Field, but there are some ballpark stadiums that allow for fans in situations where the lower bowl, like if there's people not down there or rain delays or whatever, they allow people to push down. I have no idea if that's the case of Wrigley Field. I am just going to assume that they had those seats.

Yes. Okay. Yeah. That's fair. My fault, 1917 ticket holders. I underestimated your game. Nicely done with Tarps off. But either way, a different vibe than what we saw, I think, even the day before.

But same results. PCA has a lead-off home run. The Cubs walk it off, thanks to Alex Bregman. And the Cubs win yet again. The rain delay, I think, probably helped the Cubs. It hurt the White Sox. and I think also credit is due because it wasn't the original plan. But my goodness, did Javier Aside and Eric Fetty go out there and do their absolute best?

I thought that those two really helped tell the story of success in this game. And then Javier aside, when I saw him walking off of the mound to the Wrigley crowd after going three innings and three very hard-earned innings when you consider Kevin Gossman had to leave with that hand cramp, that was something to see. One of those games were both he and Eric Fetty. should deserve and get their flowers today. It's disappointing if you are a White Sox fan, certainly. And if you're on a team where you feel like your bullpen was already stretched thin,

your starting rotation was stretched in, to get that type of performance from Eric Fetty, where he goes out and gives you four and two-thirds bulk innings, no runs, only gives up three hits, walks a couple. And strikes out five. I know Cubs fans had to be losing their mind out by out. Like, wait, Eric Fetty, we can't solve Eric Fetty, a guy who got demoted to the bullpen.

And yet here he was. And the thing is, the White Sox for the second straight game, had a lead, blew a lead. And then their bullpen, because it's still stretched in from what happened over the weekend in the series sweep against Detroit. They just had to eat it.

Sometimes you just have to eat it. You have to hope that the guy that's out there, this time Richards, could hold it off, and he could not survive the top of the Cubs order. On the Javier Assad side of things, and I agree with you on Eric, Thetty, but the fact that he immediately comes in

and after the Gosman nightmare, by the way, and I know we're going to talk about that, and I'd like to tell you guys how I was feeling when that Gosman stuff was going on, when we do indeed address that in earnest. But he comes out, Javier Assad, boom, induces a double play,

restores order for yet another starter. It reminded me of this Assad performance. The one I'm going to talk about was actually better, but it reminded me of guys, and this feels like seasons ago because the player doesn't even play here anymore, do we remember June 7th in San Diego when James and Tyone pitched one inning and then he was hurt? I don't even think he made it through an inning.

In comes Javier Assad, pitches six shutout innings. He has been a pitcher this year that has restored order. I don't know if anybody has, on the Cubs, done their job better or jobs? plural better than Javier Assad has done for the Chicago Cubs this year. So it was a terrific outing for Assad. And I'll say this. I understand

a lot of people are like, why not use him more? Why does he keep going down to the minors? Sometimes, this is a case of good managing by Craig Counsel. Craig Counsel knows how to use Javier Assad. Understands that there are limitations sometimes of Javier Assad as well. Maybe

it's not fair. Maybe he should be a fourth or fifth pitcher in somebody starting row but they have managed him well whether Javier Asad likes it or not. No, I think Javier Assad was as valuable yesterday to the Cubs as Alex Bregman because he was able to at least keep the socks runners at bay as we saw. He goes three innings. And yeah, the Kevin Gossman thing, I think we're going to get into a little bit more in depth in our second segment

because Tommy Hadovy was really good this morning on Mully and Ha talking about it. Gossman gives out three earned runs and kind of looked like the pitcher a little bit that we saw in his start against the nationals that second timeout, not the one we saw against the Royals in his first timeout. But I think that is so difficult to do what he did, to come in in the ways that he is asked to perform. And it doesn't necessarily have to be a clean inning. Doesn't necessarily have to be with base runners or not with base runners.

Just be the Band-Aid. And he does it so well. And even when they took him out, you know, it was after that first inning or the first out of the next inning after he had thrown three, the crowd cheering him on and just, I don't even think he realized in the moment until he almost got to the dugout how much they were cheering for him. He was hyped up himself. You know, like he was hyping up himself as he was walking off.

And I think only then, after a couple steps, did he acknowledge the crowd who was very much giving him his flowers? He deserved every bit of that last night. I think you can sum it up if you just look at simple stats for a side, period. understand this. He has a 1.2 B war. Do you know how many Cubs pitchers have a higher B war than Javier Assad? There are two of them, and one of them, well, he's not pitching right now. Ben Brown has a 2.2 war this season.

Shodemunaga has a 1.6 war. Nobody else on that staff is higher than Javierasad in the motley roles that he plays. That's something that tells you exactly how effective he has been in whatever role he's been asked to do and on whatever notice. he's been asked to do it on. Yeah, that's really hard. I mean, that's really difficult. That's why I believe he's done his job better than anybody else on the team.

Doesn't mean he's the most valuable player on the team. I think we know who the most valuable player on the team is, and that's the guy that, again, started the game with a home run. What's up, everybody? What's going on, PCA? Yeah, what's up, Pete? That was pretty good. Unbelievable.

Unbelievable. The first inning, two more home runs for the Cubs, and you're like, here we go again. This series is just, been absolutely deluxe so far this year. What will they have in store today? Probably like a two one game or something like that. No, no, no. There's

no way. But I think in the department of that guy needed that, once again, Alex Breggman pulls through the two-out hitting, especially, you know, credits to the Cubs and then how Breggman was able to stay within himself and get the walk off. That's the guy you want to see. If it's not Peekro Armstrong,

you want to see it be some combination. Also, nice to see Michael Bush get the home run last night. That was absolutely valuable. Great to watch. But Alex Bregman coming through. I think he's made adjustments at the plate. I think there's no better person to talk about the third baseman with than Ron Coomer, who will join us at 11, thanks in part to our partners at yingling. But let's listen to what Alex Bregman told Taylor McGregor about how he was able to stay and hang with him through that hour and a half rain delay. Hour and a half rain delay. How do you stay ready for a moment like that?

Honestly, just went inside and had some pizza in a document member. What kind of pizza? It's a little bit harder for us to answer the phones when we're at the cubby bear, but you know, we're around. You can call us, you can text us that way. We're also on Twitch. Twitch.tv slash the score Chicago. The mob is up in chatting, and our chat is active on YouTube as well. The Score Chicago is our address there.

C.S. Henderson is here as our engineer. We've got Miles as well, one of our promotions crew, help. And now we also have Connor O'Donnell in the house today at the Covey Bear. Cody Westerlin, Jacob Stutz, and Max Curtis help us out too. So coming up next, let's listen to what Tommy Hott if he had to say about Kevin Gossman's unfortunate

cramp in his non-throwing hand and just some of the pitching moves that were made that we'll take a deeper look at. That's next. Rahimi Harris and Grody. Oh, sorry, but... Watch your profanity. You said pop of the mind. No, no. You know what?

You've got to let it flow. Our poor producer, Ray spilled his coffee. So thanks for christening our studio over here. No, no. It's okay. Middays 10 to 2 on 104.3, the score. Greg counsel back out with Dick Rangela. Nobody's up in the Cubs bullpen. I think it's unfortunate. He hung in there. Gossman forced to exit. Yeah, unfortunately, Kevin Gossman was forced to exit. That was Booghambi and Jane Jashay's, courtesy of the Marquis Sports Network. Kevin Gosman goes only four to third innings.

He gives up three earned runs, two walks, five strikeouts, and he just had trouble with his non-throwing hand. He had a cramp in his left thumb. You saw everybody was looking at it. They mentioned Nick Frangelo, the head trainer. Not ideal and something that I know he talked about after the game, but we wanted to see a rebound from Kevin Gossman. Not the guy we saw against the nationals,

the league's best offense, but maybe somebody akin to what we saw in the Royals game. But unfortunately, just a concerning moment for him as you hope this isn't persistent. And it felt like when I watched him pitch that the White Sox were getting good licks off of him and that things came to an abrupt talk when Javier's side came to the game.

So it's almost, I don't say fortuitous, but it worked in the Cubs favor that he got out when he got out. He was in a jam when he was dealing with the hand cramp. And it was weird. I've had hand cramps before, but never like to that level and for that long and you see him take the goo. And I was like, is this guy going to be okay?

But also, it's not a major injury, which is what we are accustomed to seeing from Cubs pitchers over the course of the 2026 season. Knock on what? Oh, Mark Roddy's mic isn't on. Well, we had Mark for a second. Something has occurred. Oh. Oh, you turn on the wrong headset.

He put on the wrong headset. It's fine. I think that, okay, that moved over there. We're all good, CS. We're all good. We have four headsets. to the cubby bear because we have a guest coming on. I realized immediately when I saw the headset over here and this on the edge.

Oh, wow. So you were saying. I was, now I'm angry at myself, I was all pissed off. When I saw Nick Fragelo walking out there. Poor Nick. I was, and the manager walking out there because we've seen this way too many times this year. I'm like, what is it a requirement for every single Cubs starting pitcher to have some sort of injury this year.

So my emotion was not concern or worry. It was angry. I was like, what is going on? Why is this pitching staff starting staff been cursed this year? So I got over that. And then I was like, what is this goo he's slamming? It was so weird, man. Get him the goo.

I'm familiar? I did not know about the goo. It's electrolytes. I've since learned about the goo. Don't act like you guys have seen somebody slamming goo on a mound before. Yeah, because we've run and done some. No, but in that scenario. It's been advertisements and stuff.

Yeah. Have you ever seen a pitcher slamming goo? Ray's being honest, at least. He's saying he's never seen that. I've seen the goo blocks, but I've not seen anybody intake the goo. Like the weirdness of, okay, or take a little bit of this man. Here, what else we got here? Let me get some of this goo.

They should have brought out a bag of potato chips. Anyone who is familiar with running understands exactly what was going on. Oh, I know, but I'm talking about the weirdness of watching a pitcher consume something on the mound that's not water. Even if, like, he slammed a cup of water, that probably, it would have been weird. Back in the day in 2016, Jason Hamill. Jason Hamill famously would also cramp up the next day. I remember, I was there.

I was in the Cubs Clubhouse. This huge bushel of potato chips. I don't remember the company had arrived, and it was this big, hilarious thing going on in the Cubs Clubhouse. But I don't know. The whole scene was very alarming. The whole scene was very weird to me. It's okay if you were scared, Mark. It's okay if you were scared.

I was angry. I mean, of course, like, I guess a little bit of scared for the Cubs staff and all of that, but I guess cramping or getting the wind knocked out of you, like there's always a little bit of relief because it feels like that can be cured. Right, right. But in this case, it wasn't. But he had thrown 80 plus pitches to that point. Yeah, and also, we talk, I want to, before we get into him leaving the game,

there was also, you mentioned good licks off of Kevin Gossman. Muna Takamurukami hit every bit of that ball. My word. Off the tip of the bat, too, by. the way. You understood that they didn't want to pitch to him. You can just listen to Jacob Webb's post-game interview on two nights ago, where he talks about, you know, I threw him a strike and I was like, nah, not you, and threw nothing but stuff for him to chase. He had walked three times in that game to avoid him. They had voided him with the one walk in this game, but you got a

quick reminder of why you don't pitch to Mune in a game that is tightly contested. That was a good pitch, though. That was a pitcher's pitch. He went down a little bit and got that one, but you see where it was off of the bat. And he did damage the video board, right? That's what we figured out. He left a mark. Destroyed some bulbs.

It's just a black spot where there used to be color. There's no color there anymore. It was very, reminded me of two players specifically, reminded me of Ryan Howard and his heyday with the Phillies. And then also heyday with the Phillies, but later the White Sox, Jim Tomey. Like, if you could take the ball the other way, just flick of the wrist.

And he got all of that. That's one of the people that he is comped to sometimes. Yes. Like that sort of raw wipeout power, I'll still argue that Tomi was a little more sudden than Munataka Murakami, but maybe not by much. That was something to see. And yeah, like you said, he'd been walked four times.

They had a plan. Craig Counsel had a plan in this series. Stay away from Munitaka Murakami. You can't. Just one word. Don't. You can't. Don't.

Yeah. He was inevitable. I want to hear from Tommy Hoddavy because he talked about the mechanics of what happened to Kevin Gossman. This was him this morning with Mully and Haw. It was just cramping. And it was a weird thing for him is he had it. It was in his hand.

It was in his glove hand. He's never had it in game before. He said it's happened to him before post games. So I think that's kind of a. why he knew how to react to it, but it just wouldn't go away. It wouldn't go away. He just kept grabbing on him. Even Count said when he went out to check on him, you can see it like it would relax

and then it would just grab again. So, yeah, just one of those things, you know, talking to him afterwards after the game, obviously he was frustrated. He said that the first time he's ever had to leave the game due to an injury or something like that. And he said he's been hit by, you know, 108 miles. our comebackers and have little things that have happened but never had to leave the game, you know, for anything.

You know, just we've been talking about it all morning and, you know, his glove is immense. I mean, the man's got a very large glove. I don't know that that's involved in any fashion, but I heard someone say that he does that, to because of it's a particular pitch that he's trying to to hide as he puts his hand on the ball. Can you tell us why he has such a large glove and that obviously is not a reason for a hand cramp, but it was a very hot day. Yeah, yeah, I think most guys when you have, you know, big gloves, you're trying to mask as much of the like hand movement, grip movement on your pitches.

You know, it's something you've seen a lot more over the last, you know, probably, I'd say, three to four years guys using bigger gloves because it does, more space does allow you to kind of mask more of the grip and the glove. And, you know, on top of that, with the bigger glove, also with the runner on second base, you're using, you're putting your hands in different positions as well, trying to mask it, hide it, you know, disguise it from the runner on second base. And so you're kind of putting your, you know, for him, not only is he putting his hands higher, he's also turning his hand or his thumb out almost like toward third base. So he's like kind of wrapping it around his gloves or his throwing hand. And so all those things just put you, you just put him in a weird position. And on a hot night, human night, you know, obviously just had some cramping going on there. It feels like there's so much.

at play here? Because it's not just the cramp itself, it's maybe the glove is causing the gramping? Like, what's going on for real? Well, and I get that he wants to use it as a mask to prevent it from tipping pitches, but in theory, you're having to hold on to it every time. That probably causes that. I will also say this, because he talked about being dehydrated. If your forearm is tight, like if you don't stay loose in your arm, you know, on your left arm, for example, it will cramp down the line. Like the chain will cause a reaction of cramps in your hands. Just like if something is tight in your legs,

you can cause cramps in your foot. It's not just magnesium potassium in the light. I got an idea. I just solved the problem. You guys have given me all the education on the goo. We take the goo. We put three tubes of the goo in the big glove. If he's got all this extra room in the big glove,

You put the goo in the gloves, maybe crack up, just take some potato chips and crunch them up in there. Maybe put a banana in there. Olive oil. Olive oil is the Persian cure all for everything. Problem solved. You're welcome, Nick Franchella, you're welcome, Craig Counsel. You're welcome Tommy Hadovie. What's that, Ray?

Just put some tussin on it. Tussin. And vix. And now we've got everybody covered. All of the cures are handled. 312 cracks me up on the text line. The fact that Kevin's already heard shows that he belongs on the Cubs this year. I mean, that's just it.

Welcome, you are a Cubs. I couldn't believe it. Like, really? The guy that you trade for it at that, that's, welcome to the party, pal. We're going to, here's the thing. Can he come in, you're going to contribute. We're going to need you to get injured just because that's what Cubs pitchers do, but then you're going to rebound and you're going to be just fine.

And we're going to give you some goo. Is this similar to the goo from Ghostbusters 2? Of all the movies I haven't seen, I have seen Ghostbusters 2. I don't remember Ghostbusters 2. Yeah, it's a really bad reference. I should actually be punished for that. I think that spawned the soundtrack which had Bobby Brown on it. I think there's a poem about Goop too, isn't there?

The Goops? Well, there's Quiddeth Paltrow's company, Goop. Oh, okay. Does that still exist? I don't buy from it, so I don't know, but yeah. I also want to get into this, speaking of the pitching and the management they're in, and I know we're up against a break. But it's worth listening to Will Venable talk about how this rain delay

hurt the white socks because the last thing you want is for the socks to be in a situation like this again, knowing you were already behind a little bit because you had to start Hudson to make way for Feddy and the like. Yeah, I mean, Grant was going back out there and obviously we weren't able to get his inning there, which puts you in a tough spot. We're already in a tough spot and that's not, you know, making excuses, but it just, it hurts. So you understand why I think they got it right. It rained pretty heavy there right when they thought it was going to. and Trevor came in and did a good job in what would have been grant standing anyway. So a tough spot, but Trevor did a good job there in the 8th to do what he could to put up his zero.

They've been playing pitcher catch-up since the weekend. Luis Castillo couldn't go deep enough in the game compounded by extra innings a day ago or a couple of days ago. And now somebody's just going to have to eat it. One of these guys is going to have to eat it because when you're playing 16 games in 16 days, somebody's got to be the end of the line for the White Sox pitching staff. And I agree. I agree with what Will Venable is saying. Talk about Trevor. That's Trevor Richards. Yeah.

I thought he did a really good job. He gives up, and he got the two outs right there. It looked to me like the socks were going to get out of it, and the game would continue, if not for the Alex Bregman, big hits, a big, nice shot right up the middle for him. Yeah, I just think it's worth being mindful of because they were both in very pitcher-specific situations from a strategy standpoint last night. How about some bears next?

Let's get a live report from Herb Howard, who has. is at Halis Hall. Bears reporter for the Biggs Media. He'll do a bear hit with us next on the score. Bears beat reporter for the Biggs. Herb Howard is joining us. Herb Howard is here from the Biggs. Herb joins us in studio right now and, and Marshall. He smells great. And that to me, that is bonus points. Herb immediately showed he was going to be somebody asking meaningful questions. He's going to ask a question that everyone else in the room is going to want to know the answer to. Breckton, have ever had a fight? Had a fight? It's funny. You ever have one? Yes. Yes, I have. Well, thank you so much, Herb, for joining us. This has been a lot of fun.

It's always fun with you guys. You are absolutely amazing. I listen to you guys when you don't invite me. So it's really good. We'll see you in here tomorrow, buddy. Yeah, in your live in studio. Can't wait. I'm looking forward to it. Grady can talk about how good you smell. That's what he's obsessed with it. I'll make sure I'm ready for you, Grody. With Rahimi Harrison Grody. Get a talk of this guy. He smells great. I'm telling you. On 1043, the score.

I mean, what's better than that? Bears knowledge and you smell good. Is there anything better? I mean, I hate to say this, and I didn't say because I don't want to hurt Herb's feelings. But I don't know if you guys noticed it, but Russ smelled really good in the studio yesterday, too. Russ did smell good. Yeah, yeah. And so did Justin Turner's wife, Courtney.

Oh, she smelled expensive. Yeah. Yeah. We've had a lot of good smelling people at our station. She smelled a luxury. She smelled luxurious. I will give her that. Yeah, everybody, shout out to your perfumes and colognes, nicely done.

And just deodorant. Yeah. Yeah, I just wear bear glove. That's my body chemistry. I went with degree today. I'm sorry. So all of that said, let's go live to Hallis Hall and check in with Herb Howard, Bears and Beers Reporter for the Biggs Media.

Follow the Bigs Media on YouTube for the latest from Herb. He joins us via our hotline. Herb, how's it going out there? I am good. I am good. How are you guys doing with it? I mean, we're good. I think I made this joke earlier.

We played the Ben Johnson. back and forth with the media yesterday about Kyler Gordon. And even on the fourth listen, it didn't sound any less tense. What did you think? Herb, you there? Oh, no. The next time one of us asks coach about

Kyler Gordon. I think we're having trouble with Herb, aren't we? We've stumped Herb. We were playing a little game. Stump Herb. It seems like we're having a little bit of trouble with the connection from Hallis Hall. So we'll try get him back on the line and figure that out. But yeah, again, when I listen to, to what Ben Johnson had to say, guys, yesterday.

Poor Herb just, I think he was also in that media core that had to deal with a very curt Ben Johnson on Kyla Gordon. I think Herr's back. Herb Howard, you back, my man? Yeah, I'm back. I'm sorry. The Bears are moving out right now, like they're currently on their way to get ready for practice, but everybody else is moving their stuff to the buses

to get ready to fly to Cincinnati. I think they're taking the Wi-Fi with them. Fair. I am, no, I was certainly there, Leila, and I think the next time one of us asked Coach Johnson about Kyler Gordon, we're going to get cursed out. He's clearly sick of the conversation. We talked to DA about it today. He was not quite as dismissible about it as coach, but he's clearly sick of it too. He says, I just don't have time to worry about the Kylea Gordon situation. I've got to get guys like Malik Hamer, whomever, ready to play that nickel spot. And so I think they all understand how talented he is. They're certainly frustrated with the process and they're tired of answering questions about it. Herb, what's your understanding of where they are with that nickel spot now, with guys being down, and we have a preseason take that we can look at now to see what Dennis Allen thinks of the situation? Yeah, I think they're just trying to find solutions for it right now. They obviously invested a fourth-round pick and Malik Mohamed,

and I think they've been impressed with him and why I believe that it, because they continue to put more responsibility on his place. So he's out, he's playing outside corner, he's playing inside a nickel. We saw that in the preseason game, week one, where he was playing outside and then moving, into nickel in the sub package, and he's doing that here at camp. Right now, he's running with the ones at the nickel position. He's performed better there than we've seen from veteran like Josh Blackwell. And then you also have Cam Lewis, who's in that conversation,

but he's been forced to play so much safety with the turnover that they had there. So right now, if I had to guess, I would say that Malik Muhammad is the guy that you see that will probably be out there with them if they had to play a regular season game right now today. So I don't know if that's a byproduct of how well he has performed. or just necessity because they have to have some guys out there. I asked the A just a few minutes ago in his press conference. Yesterday they had a dime package in the game where there was Dylan Thineman and Jalen Johnson and then respectfully to those guys.

They had four other guys who were not intended to be front-line players for them. And I was like, I understand this next man up and, you know, you're not going to make excuses about it. But at some point it has to become difficult to field a unit out there. And he acknowledged that. But he says, listen, we got to create opportunities for guys. He referenced the fact that they had a similar situation. There he goes. Yeah, they took the... I know, we know the chaos.

Like, the bears, they've used the media room as TSA as they get ready to head out to Cincinnati. And that's where I was going to go with Herb next is, man, these joint practices, every single year in the NFL in general, seem to become way more important. And we've seen it with the bears. We saw it with the bears last year. when Miami was here. What a physical practice that was. And some of the players taking exception to it. Yeah, that was the first red flag. The things were going to go south in Miami that season, actually. Great point. They have a new GM and head coach after that.

And this joint practice in Cincinnati is going to tell some truths because Press Taylor was up there telling everybody that as it pertains to the left tackle battle, they're going to test these guys. They're going to let them play on an island. They're going to let them go one-on-one and see if they're it handled the edge rushers without any help. That's not the way it's going to happen during games, obviously, but they are going to see that the operation with Caleb Williams. It hasn't been ruled out that he won't play in the preseason game. It all depends again on joint practices and whether or not they can perform and thrive in these. Okay, so I think we got Herb back.

Do you want to rephrase? For Herb, you were mid-thought there. Do you want to rephrase what you were saying? Yeah, no, I was just saying I also, you know, in terms of, of what's going on the nickel spot and obviously having Malik Mohammed taking the majority of those snaps yesterday they had a dime packaging yesterday and Dylan Phenem and Zailin Johnson were the two guys out there and with all due respect to those other guys the other four guys in the dime package were not intended to be frontline guys and I was asking DA like I know he's not

going to make excuses for it and it's next man up but at some point it becomes tough to just field a unit he ignores that difficulty but he also said it creates opportunity similar to the situation that they had last year when injuries created an opportunity for Nishon Wright, he referenced, and he went out there and performed well. So maybe they're hoping for that, but I think it would be much, much better if they were able to somehow get at least the majority of their front line guys back and got obviously Kyler and Kobe out right now, but Tyreeks has been out for several days now at this point as well.

Yeah, yeah, that scared me a little bit, too, that Josh Blackwell was playing on the outside with Tyreek Stevenson. I hope that, obviously Ben didn't talk today, so I assume that there's no update on that. But, Herb, quickly, your thoughts on these joint practices, because it feels like the are putting more stock into these joint practices than anything that they've done going back to the offseason program or even here in training camp. Yeah, I think Coach Johnson values the ability to be able to control certain situations. I think he also values the opportunity to go against another team without necessarily putting Caleb at risk. Talk about him wanting to evaluate those left targets like you were just saying,

giving an opportunity to see those guys one-on-one against other past rushers, not necessarily giving them help. Because even if they get beat like they stole something, Caleb isn't going to get hit. So I think they want an opportunity to be able to evaluate those guys. And then you flip back over to that secondary, like we were just talking about. They're very banged up right now. They're not going to get a much better test in the opportunity to go against Jamar Chase and T. Higgins with Joe Burrow in that offense. So you want to see what Jaylen Johnson is able to do.

I asked VA about that today. He hasn't really seen Jaylen Johnson at full strength playing at his best football before coming into his training camp. And so I'm sure he's eager to see what that looks like, putting him in man coverage against Jamar Chase, T. Higgins, seeing how he can hold up because he wants to know, hey, can I play Jaylen Johnson and man? And then what does that allow me to do with the rest of my defense if I'm secure that Jayland Johnson lock down their top receiver or this side of the field?

Herb, thank you so much. Sorry, the Wi-Fi is spotted from Hallis Hall. We will talk to you soon for sure. Sorry about that, guys. My pleasure. Thank you, Herb. It's not your fault. It's not your fault, Herb.

Football fans join Dan Weider and me, Mark Grody, for a special Take the North Live this Monday, August 24th. It's about to go down. It's going to be from 6 to 8 p.m. at Gurney Hyundai, featuring appearances by Tyson Bajent and D. Andre Swift. How about all that? As well as a complete breakdown of the biggest training camp storylines ahead of the season. It's a fluid situation.

Who knows where we'll be by then. It's all sponsored by the Rorman Automotive Group. Get a full synthetic oil change. For only $50, visit roorman.com. Thank you so much, Mark. Coming up next here on Rahimi Harrison Grotias, we are live from the Cubby Bear. Good day to talk about being a third baseman thanks to Alex Bregman last night. So Ron Coomber joins us, Coombe, live from the Cubby Bear next, as we get you ready for game

three of Crosstown on the score. This hour is brought to you by Cars for Kids. Brickman lines one to center base hit. Kelly's going to try to score. Here comes the throw by Peters to the plate. Not in time. Cubs win. Cubs win. to walk off planet Wrigley. That was Pat and Ron on the call on Northwestern Medicine Cubs Radio Network. We are excited to be your

entertainment as we broadcast live from the Cubby Bear here, courtesy of our friends with yingling ahead of the Cross Town Series finale. If you're going to the game, come by, say hi. It's a packed house here at the Cubby Bear already. We will be here until 1245,

followed by Zach Zadman's pregame show until first pitch. It is all brought to you by yingling flight, the next generation of light beer. And a reminder this afternoon, Cubs and Sox wrap up the Crosstown series at Wrigley Field. Pre-game coverage is coming up next. After our show at 1245, first pitch at 120 in crystal clear FM quality on 1043, the score and the Northwestern Medicine Cubs Radio Network. And as we await the arrival of Coom, Coom Dog, the Dog, we got to ask him,

how does he feel about the dog? I've got an explanation for it too, like why I have called it the dog as opposed to Coom Dog, which is one of his nicknames. I like it. So as we await for him, I would like to get back to something that we didn't get to play because we were chatting.

We were yapping in our first hour. And that was Tommy Hadovy comes pitching coach on with Mully and Ha this morning, talking about Javier Assad, because we said, this day belonged to the relievers, the long relievers of Eric Fetty and Javier Assad as much as it did, Alex Bregman,

So here's what he had to say about Javier aside going three strong before he left after that first batter in the eighth inning. It's incredible, you know, to do what he does. It's admirable to be around it and watch a guy who can pitch in different roles and ride that up and down, you know, train between, you know, the big leagues and AAA, even though you deserve to be in the big leagues the whole year. And that's, I think, when you look at a season and there's a lot of decisions that are made throughout the year that are, you know, probably not necessarily best for the player. They're best for the team. And when you have options and when you have, you're still in that part of your career where you have options to go up and down, unfortunately, those are just something sometimes the team needs to use to do what's best for the entirety of the group, you know, not just one player. And I think the one thing I love about hobby is he doesn't care.

I mean, he cares. Like, don't get me wrong. Like, he's frustrated and he knows he's a big leaker and he knows he needs to be in the big leagues competing. But he doesn't care in the grand scheme of things because he knows as long as he keeps doing what he's doing and controls what he can control, everything else is going to work out. And it's something refreshing. It's something to be learning for all of us, you know,

with things that we deal with in life that don't go our way and we overreact and we let it affect the next thing like hobby just does not do that and um you could talk about we talk about every every year guys like him and Colin Ray guys that are your MVP's of the season that that pitch in different roles and and are asked to do a lot of different things and do it with with you know little to no complaining and keep going out there and putting up numbers it's a reason why our team is where we are right now. And last night's another example of that. Look, this is a guy who, whether he has been a starter or a lever, has simply gotten the job done. And it's been very clear in the second half, as the White Sox would tell you last night,

the Cubs have depended on him in a way that you don't want to depend on someone who's been up and down three different times from the minors to the majors. Listen to this. In the second half, a 1.64 ERA over nine appearances, excuse me, seven appearances, two starts, four relief appearances, last night being one of those relief appearances. But if you're putting up sub two ERA, whether you're called upon as a starter or as a reliever, you're in good shape. I can't say enough about how hard that is, and I know we talked about it a little bit in our first segment, but just being able to adjust like that, being able to adjust like that, being able to go in and your option, but then you don't even leave town because you get called back in because of the injuries and the whole situation that occurs. So Javier aside, just yet again, I can't even imagine what the mindset has to be in order for that to happen, but it was worth a good listen from Tommy Hadovy, who knows the work that he

has put in day in and day out. That's how you make an entrance, guys. Ron Coomber. Hello, boys and girls. You do it. Mark Grody dusted off his seat. We're happy to see you. Coom, thanks for coming in with us today. Good, good, good, good. Sorry, I'm a little tardy. Oh, yeah, you're good.

It's a day game. Travel day is always an issue, but I'm here. No, we're happy to see you. I was playing like I was in the Bears coming across the street, but that's okay. Look, you know what's crazy is that every time I look at what's going on with the Cubs in particular, right? And we get to this point in the season where we're like, all right, well, the Cubs, Cubs, they do pretty well at home as far as just level of excitement. You now have, to lead the majors, 13 walk-off wins.

That is a lot. But it's especially a lot when you think about the fact that they've only got 38 wins at homes. That means basically better than a third of the time you're winning in walk-off fashion. What can you say about, one, the atmosphere, but also just this team's ability to make it happen at the end? Well, you can look at it a bunch of different ways. I'll say this. You have a superstar player in the making that has a flare for that, which I've seen, and so have you, Mark, here in Chicago.

We've had, I had a teammate that got to play right field years ago that had a little bit of that flare. Same with Sosa. But, you know, there's some guys that have that thing, and Pete Crow Armstrong has that thing. There's no doubt. But then there's other guys, like a game like last night, Bregman, who's now starting swing.

the bat much better. You know, you're a veteran player, and you got quite a few of them, and they know how to have good at bats in big moments, and they can, you know, take the game from it being really fast to slow in the game down. And that's what we saw last night with Bregman. He knew he was going to get a breaking ball. He got one away and just shot it back through the middle of the game winner. Well, and that's big to me, Coom, because when you consider number one, how breaking balls really ate up the team in May. No doubt. And the adjustments that they it made. What I saw last night was a hitter and Alex Breggman who had a clear two strike approach that worked for two RBIs of consequence, one being the game winner, as we saw, two out approach

rather. So we see the two out approach happen. Then we see a hitter who had a clear approach when it came to facing that breaking ball, not looking at it go by him like we had had seen previously in the season. What do you think about the adjustments that he's made? This is not a flash in the pan yesterday. This is culmination of, I'd say, a few weeks of work now. Months, actually. Yeah. Reggie had his, you know, a lot of guys have issues when they first come to a new team and they sign a big deal. I saw it in New York with Jason Giambi.

You know, we all signed in New York, but he's the one that really signed. He got the big money. Breggman got a lot of money. And you're playing, you want to really do well in front of your home fans and you want to do well for your new team. And he's starting to get there now. But I just saw a guy yesterday that, you know, and in the last. two weeks of using the other side of the field, it's starting to click for him. And that couldn't be, it couldn't be a better time for the Cubs, especially with Dan's

be going down. But Bregman's an established big league hitter. He's going to eventually be okay, and you knew that. But, you know, when you're going through it and you're the guy, it's not very much fun. I remember in 2015, John Lester got off to a sluggish start, remember? And he even admitted, like, he was putting too much pressure on himself. Bregman has been somebody that comes of desired for two years.

So he knew how much they like. A five-year deal, he ain't going anywhere. So I was, as a human being, I was relieved for Alex Breggen and relief for him and hopefully this will click and it will continue for him. We were just talking about Javier Assad and the role that he has played on this team this year.

I think two things. I think that he has been managed perfectly this year and I know he doesn't want to be sent down and I know he'd prefer to be a starter. but sometimes you manage guys as to not get them exposed. I also think that he has done his job maybe better than any other Cub. He's not the most valuable cub, but he's done his job better than maybe any cub this year. I couldn't agree more with you, Mark.

Last night is a perfect example of sitting in a bullpen probably sipping on a cup of coffee and thinking, you know, we're just watching our new star pitcher go to work. and then next thing you know, his thumb is a mess with the cramp. It was very bizarre. And guess what? The phone rings you're in. And you got like all of 30 seconds to grab your glove, your hat, put that thing in your hat for the signs, and off you go. And he comes in and gets a double play ball.

And he's just, it's awesome. And I just look at him and he reminds you of old school baseball. He's not popular with what he. throws, it just works. And that's that sink or slider change-up combination, puts the ball in play. And with our defense, it works. Do you feel like the Cubs have simply done a better job handling the other team's most dangerous hitter as opposed to the White Sox approach to the Cubs, most dangerous hitter

when you look at Mune. Mune got his last night. Don't be cool. But they have done a good job of just navigating around him as opposed to PCA who's just, you can't stop him. Yeah, well, I would say I listen to Will's comments after the PCA walkoff Homer, and I understood it. There's different trains of thought, and we were talking about this in the booth yesterday, well before the game with, you know, Darren Jackson and Jeff Frankor, and, you know, ex-players that played the era before this.

And we were always taught, and this is straight from my manager. This is from Joe Torrey and Kelly, Tom Kelly, with Minnesota. They would flat out say in the team meeting before the series, if they had a star player, we are going to do our best not to have that guy beat us. And I watched Roger Clemens in the final game of a series ready to chew nails because Joe would not let him pitch to Barry Bonds. And finally, we're up 8 to 2 and a 7th. And Clem just looks into the dugout, and the skipper just gives them the shrugging the shoulders.

Like, go ahead, big boy, go get him. And I'm playing first base and holding the runner on, and I come off the bag, and Bonds hit a ball so damn hard. I went like, whoa, and the ball went over my head and hit the upper deck, the third deck, and I flinched. And I was like, oh, my God. And it makes sense, right? And I went, boy, skipper's pretty smart, man. he's had my life in his hands me playing that close to the hitter

that was no good but you know that's such a good illustration because we know Clemens was an absolute game on nobody wants to be put in a situation where you want to have to walk because he's thinking he's one of the best in the game at the time when that went down there's no doubt if it wasn't the godfather Joe Torrey

Clemwood and Rockin would have never agreed to that he'd been uh-uh I'm pitching to him and what are you going to say to Clements right love it exactly take the ball go get him somebody's going to be upset up there and it's either going to be on a result or a prevention. We all had so much respect for Joe that you would never cross Joe Torrey, but I, you know, I watched it.

And then that's the hardest ball I've seen hit in my life. In the pitch, we all looked at it because then we're messing with him the next day once he's calmed down, Clemens. The pitch almost hit him in the chest and he hit it into the third deck. I would. Yeah, that was unbelievable. I do want to ask you, too, about the use of the bench because we see Craig Counsel, I think, it's a wrinkle that I don't know is going to be mentioned up front because of all of the things that happen in this game.

But Kevin Alcounter gets brought in as a pinch runner and glides home. You see that happening. He has the nice fist bump. Then you know that brings up Carson Kelly. Well, who's getting on base for Alex Bregman to help bring home? Like that worked out really well how that all went down and just the use of the bench there. Yeah, and counts, you know, he likes to play his lineup night after night after night. He's always been that way with Milwaukee.

he's that way and he has he's had the teams to be able to do that and he does here but there comes a time at this period of the season usually where there are guys that go down and then all of a sudden you have to use your bench and I think he's done a he's navigated

this season well enough to where all these guys that are on a bench, Comforto Ramirez they're all playing enough to where they're sharp they're not totally rusty and so Ramirez is playing well I think the catching situation has been awesome for the Cubs, you know, and they're fresh.

So, you know, and then some of these kids from the minor leagues are bouncing up and down like El Contra. And, you know, he made a contribution. He scored a run yesterday. It's a big run. All right. Let's get to the Kevin Gossman weirdness from last night. I know that obviously players cramp up. It happens that's part of the game.

Have you ever seen it like that where it's the glove hand and they're slamming the goo on the mound? That I've seen. Now that happens, not on the mound, but I've seen it in a field. Okay. You know, this new gel that they have instantly gets into your blood system and starts working. So the first time it happened yesterday, I know they were trying to get two outs. So you're trying to get that stuff in his system. So you get the third out, now you can come to the bench.

You hope you have a long inning on offense and then things can work out. Well, it didn't quite work out that way, but he's still pitched. You know, there are some guys you look at and you go, this guy's, baseball player. He's a pitcher, but he's a baseball player. And I think Cubs got a couple of them in this trade that, you know, homes the same thing. He's a ball player. You know, and that's, because you could have came out of the game then. And he was fighting to stay in. And that to me tells you all you need to know about a guy pitching, you know, in late August trying to get to the playoffs. And as far as you can see, he's all right. I don't know if you talked to the manager today. I'm right out of my car.

No, I, yeah. It's a travel day. It's travel day. It's travel. He had to get his stuck together. Come on, you remember that. He shot over here. This is why he is the dog. Okay. Ryan, yeah, yeah. Tell me about the dog.

Tell Kuma about the dog. I had a police escort from Ryan Ports coming over here. He's a good blocker, man. He's a big guy. I want Mark to explain because he's gone from calling you, you know, Coom Dog. Now he's just the dog. Here's the thing. There's a lot of dogs out there.

You got a Snoop Dog. Right? You got one dog. Remember Lance Johnson back today? Nobody accused me of being Snoop Dog. I don't think. No, no, I've met the guy. Very nice guy.

But what I'm saying is I am proclaiming you as the dog. Yeah, the dog. There's a lot of dogs out there. You are the dog, and I mean that in the dog the good way. Maybe here around Wrigley Field. Ladies and gentlemen, the dog. Yes, we clap for the dog. Are we ready for a good ball game tonight, folks?

Let's go. We've had a great series. It's been a lot of fun. Let's keep it fun, easy, no fights, and let's have a Cubs victory. Let's keep it, Yingwe. Let's keep it, Yingwe. Yeah, well, and that's another thing. I know Friday, August 28th from 7 to 9,

you can go to Coombs Corner in Lockport after the game and meet the dog, Ron Coomber. Enjoy yingling bucket specials. Score some yiggling swag. Don't miss the post-game party at Coombs Corner with yingling flight. Next generation of light beer. Really good on a day like this where it might be a little steamy. I'll have one after the game.

I can try to, thank you. They're ready. Yeah. There you go. Uh-huh. I do want to point out the atmosphere there is going to be great at It's really great inside the cubby bear right now. We have a wonderful crowd.

It's always good here at the Covey Bear. You know that. At sound of the frustrating fights that we saw. Yeah. What can you say about that? Even last night during the rain delay, what was it like to kind of observe the vibe that was going on? It was hilarious when all that, so I had family in the booth,

and all the kids had piling behind home play. It's just funny. And it just tells you how fired up fans are for this series. And when the kids all come to the ballpark, you know, that was me when I was 16, 15, 16, 15, 16 years old coming to Wrigley on a night that you could get here and you just loved being here

and I think people of the brain, it didn't matter they were going to hang out here at the ballpark and have a great time and they did. I thought Cubs did a great job. We got back on the field and played the grounds crew did an unbelievable job and it was just, it was a fun night and once again you know it's always

even that much more fun when you win like like we were talking with a walkoff you know that's pretty cool. Yeah. No, I I wonder what today is going to be like just because you've got Clay Holmes on one side and you've got, I don't even know, on the other side of the White Sox, right? You know, the White Sox, coming into this series, we knew in talking with Stoney and Darren Jackson that their bullpen was pretty beat up coming in, they used them a lot.

So this was going to be one of them series where you really want to win, right? I mean, it's Cub's Sox, but you're also like pretty depleted in the pen. And so we've had series like that where we played St. Louis, and our pen was depleted. And, you know, so it's one of those situations for the White Sox. This is a big, big series for our city. Playing in October is bigger for everybody. Absolutely.

Well said. Ron, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you, Ron. We'll let you get back to the getaway date and game three of what. It should be a great series conclusion. Yeah, and we've had a packed house. It's been a lot of fun. Thanks for having me on.

Of course, man. Thanks for making us your first stop, buddy. Enjoy your yingling. post game. Yes, I will for sure. Absolutely. That is Ron Coomer. We are happy to have him. The Cubs Radio Network analyst eight seasons with the Twins, Cubs, Yankees, and Dodgers. Let's go. How about a little round of applause for Ron Coomber? 1999, All-Star, and the dog, as Mark Roady dubbed him. So we are happy to get you ready for game three of Crosstown here from the Covey Bear. Thanks to our crowd who is here. Thanks to everybody providing a good vibe. We'll talk a little bears next. There are some finer points

to the Ben Johnson Press Conference that probably deserves some more attention. So we will examine as they get ready for joint practices. And we're alive here from the Cubby Bear. Thanks to Yangling. Next. Rahimi Harris and Grody. AJ, how are you? Good.

I can't believe how fancy you all are now. I mean, it used to just be a radio calling show. Now I got to put clothes on to do this thing. I can't peek too early. I got to kind of try to control my peaking. So it's a little early to already put a shirt and a hat on. Middays 10 to 2. On 104 3, the score.

The Pope knows who A.J. Piersinski is, and yet here he is saying that to us. What scandalous, man. Coping ain't easy. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043, the score. We are live from a very buzzy cubby bear. I added this third and final game of the Crosstown series. The crowd is packed. They are having fun, and we are here thanks to our friends at Yingling.

Going to the game, come by, say hello. We are here until 1245, followed by Zach Zainman's pregame show until first pitch. It is all brought to you by Yingling Flight, the next generation of light beer. Good on a sunny, steamy day like this. We had a couple of observations. I know we talked about it, guys, from Bears camp. Ben Johnson spoke yesterday, and he talked about the joint practices, the all-important joint practices. Should we come up with a name for them or something?

I feel like they've gotten so special. a name. It's the Super Bowl of the Bears' entire off-season program. At least that's the way it seems to be being built up. The Super Bowl of the Bears entire off-season program. That's not great, I know. No, hold on. S-B-O-O-B-O-W-W-E-O-W-E-O-W-E-O-W-E-O-W-E-E-O-B-E-E-O-B-E-E-E-O-E-B. But it's not a

It's the Spohyop. The Spohy Op. That is very relatable. I die because it's not a game. That's right. This ain't no game, man. There it is. But we knew that they were important, major key, spohyop, whatever you want to say.

It rolls off the tongue. It doesn't it? It's like Fasasmas. Jokes on me. Liam Cohen had an excellent season last year. Spohy app is everywhere. But I think before we get into what Ben Johnson had to say yesterday, Mark, there's been a comment by Press Taylor that's been rattling around.

your bear's brain that has stayed with you. It has. And Ben Johnson, like when asked about Caleb Williams starting at any of these preseason games, obviously he did not start in the first one, Ben Johnson came pretty close to saying that he would not play in the preseason, but he didn't completely rule it out. And then along comes Press Taylor, the offensive coordinator for the Bears, the other day.

And he was asked about, you know, is Caleb good? He doesn't need to play in any of these games? And Press Taylor seemed to take a little bit of an exception to the idea that there's no chance that Caleb Williams will be playing in any kind of preseason games. Has Caleb shown you enough to where, that he's mastered the system enough, to where you don't need to see him in a scenario

where he can actually take a hit like preseason? Well, I don't know if I'd say that. I mean, I think he's getting closer and closer every single day to improving in his mastery of the system. I don't know if he's ever going to get there. I don't know that anybody ever will. I think us as coaches, we continue every day to learn a little bit more about the system

and where it can go and how we can evolve it. and grow. And so I think all our players are getting better at it and making it their own. It's always going to evolve. But I think in terms of him playing in a preseason game, I think that's kind of a case-by-case basis. I don't think we're going to make any definitive statements today on what he's going to do in game two or game three because we want to see what the week entails. If we get some good work and we're confident, then maybe they won't play. If we want to see a little bit more or change the situation or the dynamics, then we can reserve the right to make that decision when the time comes.

Okay. So when you hear that, what did you think? Well, number one, every single day, the evidence continues to build that these joint practices are everything, whether it is putting the left tackles on an island, whether it's Caleb Williams, whether it's Roma Dunzei, whether it's the nickel cornerback. This is going to tell some truth, and if the truths aren't told it doesn't look good enough, that it's not out of the realm of possibility that we see somebody like Caleb Williams getting just a little bit of time out there. So I kind of like that idea that could possibly happen. There you go, Brooke.

This is a sip and see. I feel like it's like everybody comes to hang out when they can. And now we're joined by Brooke Fletcher. Brooke is good to see you. Hi, guys. Get your headset on. Hey, yeah, we're happy to have you here. The last time I talked to you was after you had made history with the White Sox.

So congratulations again and it's great to see you. Well, thank you. It's great to see you. This is such a cool setup. I didn't realize like we were on a stage and all over the loudspeaker. So hi, everyone. Hello, this is Brooke Fletcher. She is the sideline reporter, field reporter,

and sometimes television analyst for the Chicago White Sox joining us here on CHSN on Rahimi Harrison Grotie. And thanks for taking the time. I know visiting Clubhouse, getaway day for the Cubs. It's a little bit of a fluid situation. Yeah, you know, especially after the rain delay last night, a lot of people got in late. And so it was a quick clubhouse after the game. And guys were, you know, they're drinking their coffee this morning, just trying to get ready

for game three. Hopefully the Sox can take this one. You know what's really interesting to me is that everybody in this rivalry, this version of the rivalry, everybody gets along. The managers seem like their buddies. The GMs are literally friends whose kids play together. And then you and Taylor McGregor hanging out doing videos together. It's pretty cool to see that.

And like the supposed rivalries all coming together at Wrigley Field. I know. It is a little friendly rivalry, if you will. But it's funny because Taylor and I actually have been friends for probably like eight or nine years now. Oh, really? Okay. So coincidentally, she got the job when she was with Rockies.

and she got the job with the Cubs. I was still in Detroit. And then I coincidentally got the job here. And it's just been kind of a full circle moment. Our dads used to work together way back when with the Rockies. And so, yeah, this has been fun just to kind of, you know, share this little friendly, friendly rivalry and make a few TikToks on the way. Brooke, what have you thought about the way this has played out?

I mean, obviously, we know the White Sox coming off such a huge series, a sweep in Detroit, and then have to come back knowing that you kind of had spent everything just to get through that series. and it has to be frustrating for the players for Will Vennel to watch how this is played out because so close yet no cigar. Yeah, no, I mean, that Tiger series, that was an emotional series. It was a big learning experience for these guys. But that was the priority. You know, when you have the Tigers, they're one of the hottest teams of baseball right now.

You look over your shoulder and they are right there. You've got to, you know, get everything you can in order to take that. But it did put us in a unique situation. Obviously, with Davis Martin going on the aisle, that was really unfortunate because our pitching staff now, we're taking it day by day, and that's what you've seen, just kind of piecing it together. Will Vinnable was really happy with what he saw from Eric Feddy last night, this bullpen doing what they can to keep us in it.

And so today, it's going to be kind of a fluid situation as well. You're going to see your Kiti potentially getting a bulk roll with Sean Newcomb opening, and then tomorrow we'll be back on schedule. But, yeah, you know, it is depleting because you are at that point in the season where everybody's experiencing this for the first time. And so guys are just trying to, you know, come together and maintain that energy. and when you're coming off a big series like that and then you're going to play your cross-town rivals,

yeah, it's tough. But this group, they're taking it one day at a time and they're coming together and they understand the potential of this group and they're going to keep moving forward. I think the Sean Newcomb comment is as good as an example as any. We've had to see some of the big names that we're used to seeing be the horses in the pen.

You're Hudson yesterday and now Newcomb today, guys that we've come to rely on getting these opening roles. What do you think about Newcomb just getting that nod today? I mean, he's been, I think, probably the, maybe not unsug here, but he has been the steady force, I would say, in that bullpen all season long. You know, coming into this season out of spring training, he was fighting to be a starter.

And, you know, he has been a starter. Now he's serving as the bulk guy. And so he's been able to serve in just so many different roles and just being consistent. And, you know, you talk to him in the clubhouse. He's just never, he's so even keel, he's never wavered. And I think he's just been somebody that they really can rely on. And so they're going to see what they can get from him here today, you know, how many innings.

as Will said he wasn't sure. But yeah, I think it's a smart move, especially going up against this Cubs lineup. And he knows Craig Counsel. He's going to counter whatever Will makes, what move he makes. And so we'll see how it goes. Do they just intentionally walk PCA in his first ad bat in this game?

I mean, crazy the at-bats that he's had against the stuff. Oh, my gosh. Well, it's funny because, you know, coming into this series, everybody's like, okay, PCA is slumping. He's three for his last 27. And then, you know, you can never count him out. This is a guy that just can beat you in so many different. ways. And I even asked Anthony before the series and he obviously didn't pitch, but I was like,

how do you, what do you, how do you handle a guy like him? And he goes, you just keep him off the base pass. Do whatever you can because he's got the speed, obviously his defense, but showing off his power as well. So, you know, it'll be, it'll be interesting to see how they, how they pitch to him here today, but obviously a dangerous force. Brooke, do you have any indication of what the plan is the next time through the rotation? As you said, back on schedule tomorrow, 16 games and 16 days, you don't have a lot of leeway for pitching, but you need guys to fill those starters roles. So you're not back in this position.

Yo, let me rob Peter to pay Paul. Yeah, and I asked Will that. I said, is tomorrow just back on schedule, and he said, yeah, so you can expect Anthony Kay. Obviously, it throws a wrench in things when you have to do a makeup game versus the Braves. You don't get that off day for your bullpen and your arms just to kind of reset.

But he said, back on schedule with Anthony K tomorrow, then we're going to see, you know, Sean and so forth. But, yeah, hopefully Davis this time off, his finger can heal, and it was a nice mental reset for him so he can get back in the mix. But again, a lot of credit to this bullpen. They're going to continue to rely on those bulk guys just to kind of carry the heavy workload as they've done so as of late. Now we saw in the ninth inning, Brooke.

Will Venable came under a lot of fire, and he defended his decision previous to the game yesterday. Ninth inning last night, we see Pekro Armstrong has intentionally walked. What do you think about just the decisions that Will made in those situations and what were your takeaways from what he had to say about it and how it was addressed? I mean, the one thing with Will is he's so confident in who he is and as in his process. And we heard from him before the game yesterday. And he still stood on that move.

And he said, no, you know, we decided to pitch to PCA. We put Hagen Smith in that spot so we could get to say a Suzuki there. But yeah, he said, you know, we asked like just what his process is because especially at this point of the season and as a manager, it's like, okay, you can look at the eye test and the feel for the game, right? But then numbers are huge part of it. So we were like, how do you find that balance, especially in a game? game like this, right, and given where your pitching staff is. And he said, you know, what he does is he takes the information that he has in hand. Then he talks to his committee,

his coaching staff, and then they kind of decide what the best course of action is. And so we were saying before the game, okay, well, you walk or you pitch to PCA, if you're, are you going to take that same approach in this game here today, given what he was able to do to you? And he goes, absolutely. He's like, I'm not going to deviate from who I am as a manager. You know, I'm going I look at the facts and what information I have on hand, I'm going to talk with my staff, and we're going to go about that. So I do respect that as a manager, because it could be a little tricky, especially when you hear in a rivalry like this and you hear the fans talking, but Will is so confident

in who he is and what they've been doing all season long, that, yeah, he just sticks to his plan. I'm really curious how you feel about the energy for this series, this city baseball is that is kind of flipped on its head after back-to-back-to-back 100 lost seasons for the White Sox. It's been so cool just to see how the city has continued just to rally around, you know, obviously the Cubs, but the White Sox and just what this young group has been able to do. Guys, we've had 15 debuts this season. And so just how young they are, but just they're experiencing this for the first time and they're just continuing to ride the highs.

It's funny. I actually talked to Patrick Kane before the game yesterday. And, you know, he was just talking about the successful teams that he was on with the Blackhawks. And in his words, he said, we were almost too young and dumb to realize, like, what we were doing. but we were able to kind of use that to our advantage. And I kind of gave him some insight into the White Sox, and he said, you know, you just got to continue just to keep doing what you're doing,

but he loves the support that the young stars in this city have for one another. You saw Modest there last night. You see PCA, you see Munataka Merakami, Caleb Williams, and it's like, that's just so unique, especially in a large sports city. So it's just kind of cool just to see how all these guys are coming together. I'm glad you brought up Canter. I mean, he gets a massive standing ovation from the crowd.

Yeah, it was cool. pitch. I'm glad you got to talk to him. And speaking of that, I love some of the interactive stuff that you guys do in games over there with Mike Vassel, obviously, being a big part of it. Who have been, who are some of your favorite personalities in that clubhouse amongst a bunch of personalities? I don't know if there's favorites, but what's funny is they're all unique in their own way. So you have, you know, Mike Vassel, he's the life of the party, he's that glue guy. Then you have a guy like Sam Antanachi where he's just like a bulldog and he's just like unique in his own way. But I love, you know, talking to him and getting to know him. Kyle Teal is so fun. He's a sneaky good one. But it's just, I mean, there's so many unique guys in that group and just somehow, and I think a lot of people underestimate team camaraderie and chemistry and what that, how that can equate to success on the field. And something about this group, it's just like Chris Getson, this front office have really emphasized that, obviously the skill set you bring to the field, but just the type of personalities and how it fits. I almost describe it like a puzzle piece,

right, and how they just really come together and they make it work. It's a really good group. When we talk about young teams, we usually talk about there being an adult in the room. Is that like Andrew Benintendi on this? Who's the adult in the room when you talk about these hitters? The supervisor, if you want. He's like the very laxed adult, I would say. He's just, he's a type of guy.

Will describes him as like almost the right type of leader that you want in the clubhouse, especially for this type of group. His locker is always open. Guys will come to him. Hey, what are you seeing? How can I be better here? And he's like, yeah, but he's number four. forcing anything on some of these guys.

And it's kind of what you're seeing in clubhouses now. Whereas, you know, before in clubhouses, the old baseball way, hey, you've got to do this, right. You got to do this. But they're allowing guys to be themselves, which I think has just kind of allowed them to flourish on the field because they're not too scared stepping on people's toes. So I think Benny has been a really good influence for that group.

Also, Randall Gritchick, you've got to give him a lot of credit. They call him the dad in the group. They even got T-shirts. Yeah, they even got, like, T-shirts made. So it's just a fun group. Yeah, so I would say probably Andrew Benintending. Well, Brooke, thank you so much for taking the time for stopping by. Brooke has to get back to work.

So she walked across the street to get to us at the Covey Bear. We really appreciate you doing it. Thanks so much, Brooke. Thank you guys for having me. Great to talk to Brooke Fletcher, who got the orange and red memo. I am out on this. Brooke Fletcher, the on field reporter for the White Sox on CHSN, also TV analysts work as well.

So we're happy to see her. Brooke, have a great call today. Good luck with the rest of the stretch of a billion games in no days. That was Brooke Fletcher joining us as we get you ready for game three of Crosstown here, live from the Cubby Bear. Coming up next, it's halftime, and do I have a negotiation for you? It involves a lifetime supply of something. That is next. What time is it?

It's halftime, and you know what we've been doing. We're broadcasting live from the Cubby Bear today, courtesy of our friends with Yingling ahead of the Cross Town series finale. So if you're going to the game, come by. Hello. There's a lot of people here. You might see somebody you know. We're here until 1245, followed by Zach Zavans' pregame show until first pitch. It is all brought to you by Yangling Flight, the next generation of light beer good on a steamy summer day like this. We talk Cubbs socks. We talk bears. That's really all you need sometimes. So that's where we've been at with this. Ron Kumer stopped by, Brooke Fletcher from CHSN, stop by. And now it is time for halftime.

It's a half time. Exactly. Here's what got me, Mark and Mark and, Marshall. Von Miller is trying to get his number 40 from fullback Hunter Lefke with the Dallas Cowboys and he has offered him in exchange for number 40 a lifetime supply of chicken because he owns Texas-based Greeter Pastures chicken. So Von Miller was like, hey, if you give me your jersey, I'm going to give you chicken. There was another time where Adrian Wilson of the Patriots got his number 4, 24 with a lifetime supply of diapers because the player who he was trying to take it from had

just had a baby. That was Kyle Errington. But then there's Juan Soto who got Brett Beatty a $92,000 Chevy Tahoe. So people can be bought. But a lifetime supply of chicken or diapers may be the most creative ways I've heard. The way we started this story,

my first question is, does he want the number 40 because he is 40? Then I looked it up. He's only 37 years old. Bond Miller just looks 40. Von Miller somehow looks old, and I don't know how that happened. I think he's got to pull the U and shave his head. Yeah, he's got kind of a balding situation going on, and that'll add a good 10 to 20 years to your life long.

I do not want to say that to Von Miller. I don't want him to come after me. I would tell him. I'd be like, look, brother to brother, listen. You want to face Von Miller on a line of scrimmage? No, not on line of scrimmage. I would tell him in real life if we were to meet in a social situation like this. Hey, man, it's okay.

You can come on home. Or I got a guy My guy said in advance hair I can probably hook him up man Maybe that's what he is a lifetime supply of that Lifetime supply of hair Yeah I'll give me I'll give me a nephewie You know

Don't you just want cash Well I guess I guess I guess they're already rich They don't need cash gifts are better I suppose But I just like just give me an envelope Put a bunch of cash in there You said you had lifetime supply thoughts So what were they? Well I don't I don't know necessarily

what I would want is a lifetime supply, but I know, like, in my family, we got my dad a lifetime supply basically of mustard. Mustard? We put him in a, Ray likes that. We put him in a mustard club

for his birthday, and the mustards kept racking up, and my mom put an end to that. Gene didn't want mustard? No, Ging was like, we joked with her about, well, we're going to renew the subscription, and make sure he's stays in the mustard of the month club permanently.

No, we're not doing that. Mustard of the month? That's a real thing? Every month. I knew about wine of the month or cheese of the month. I'm not even kidding. Every month at my parents' house, mustard would show up. A different kind of mustard. And the mustard just, you know, my dad would use it. You know, you don't use mustard every day, right? You use mustard.

I don't know. Like, how much does one use mustard in there? If you make a sandwich every day, you use mustard every day. I do not. I use mustard maybe once every two weeks. Right, right. That's probably about it, and that's what happened at the Gene and Gary household. Three weeks.

Two much mustard. Follow up question. Do you refrigerate your mustard? Yes. Okay. Because I don't have to. Once it's open, I refrigerate it. Okay, I don't do that.

Let me ask you this question. Because I struggle with this one. I go back and forth. Do you refrigerate your barbecue sauce? I refrigerate everything once it opens. Really? If it's open, it's going in the fridge, period, paragraph. Okay.

I don't refrigerate my barbecue sauce, and I'm doing just fine. Your kids are crazy. Yeah, I'm living on the edge. If it was a lifetime supply of anything outside of, I guess, cash, because cash rules everything around me. Dalla, Dala, bill, y'all. Yeah. But I think it would be a lifetime supply of medical health and wellness services.

Daniel just tweets at us a picture of Sanford is Von Miller. That's George Amos. He of good times. Yeah, it's good. Yes. And Roots. Thank you. That sent me. I'm sorry. I was laughing too much. That is kind of what Von Miller looks like, though.

Really? I haven't seen these updated Von Miller pictures. Show him the one picture you showed me in the article. That one I've seen. Yeah, I love that. No, the article that you put out. John Miller's going to come after us. He's yelling at JJ right now. Do you want to upset Von Miller and have him come after us? Doesn't he look a little aged in that? Because he's got the patches on the side and the balding on top. He looks like George Jefferson a little bit. Yeah, like it's clearly his hairline is running away from his.

face. That's the distinction that needs to be made here. And you know what? That's okay. I fired my hairline before it quit on me. That's how I rolled. You're doing a good job. We're playing with fire, tempting Von Miller to hear that we were talking about him. There's ever anybody who would rush through a door? He's not Terry Tate office linebacker. It's Von Miller. Hey, he could have signed with the bears that he didn't. So, you know. Yeah, we don't care about him. So he grew up a Cowboys fan. Okay. Good for him. There's that. Go Von Miller. Govon Miller, I don't know if the lifetime supply of chicken is going to do the thing for the number 40, but good to know mustard might be also in the mix.

Mustard. Yep, not going to happen. It is next live from the Cubby Bear. We're getting you ready for game three across town on the score. This hour is brought to you by Menards. Save big money at Menards. And the Bears and whatnot. I got five.

It's time for five on it. Rahini Harrison Grody. Bring you five topics on their minds today. On 104-3, the score. I got five on it. Number one. This is five on it. This is Rahini Harrison Grody.

This is 104-3, the score. We're broadcasting live from the Kobe Be there today. Courtesy of our friends at Yingling, ahead of the Crosstown series finale. If you're going to the game, stop by and say hello. The place is packed. Come and say, what's up.

We'll be here until 1245, followed by Zach Zayman's free game. until first pitch. It's all brought to you by yingling flight, the next generation of light here. We got a Pope hat in the house. I was waiting for somebody to bring the first Pope hat.

It is here. No, I think that is the Pope. Somebody was taking a picture with them. I think they thought that that is the Pope. Pope. Provost? There you? Brody, stop trying to get us struck by lightning. Hey, Bob?

No, I don't know. Maybe it's not him. The Pope. This segment is brought to you by almost free teeth.com. Save on Dental implants today. our first question. From the Cubs perspective, what was the best aspect of the four three win over the white side? I'm sorry, Alex Bregman. I think you did a tremendous job, especially with two out hitting. Hits of consequence, hits to win your ball games. But my award

goes to Javier aside. His three innings leaves after the strikeout of Andrew Benintendi's swinging, pumps himself up as he goes back to the dugout. That poor guy has been shuffled back in forth between here and Iowa more than any person should. And the last time he got shuffled so much, he didn't even leave Chicago. I cannot imagine how difficult that is mentally to have to deal with. Javier Asad did everything ask of him and more. Three innings of shutout baseball, only two hits. He had two strikeouts, but most importantly, he answered the call yet again.

So for me, all the flowers go to Javier Assad, but also Alex Bregman, but for me it's hobby. Yeah, shout out to the Cubs only Mexican player, by the way. Your boy, Ray Diaz appreciates it. Vamos Xavier. See, see. Yeah, for me, I am going to go with Alex Breggman. He's now played 17 games in August. He's hitting over 300.

His on-base percentages is 395. And he's slugging 582. And when it came down to the clutch, the man getting paid all the money. He delivered cash money in the bottom of the ninth on the walk-off. This is what they need Alex Breggman to be if they're going to achieve their season-long dreams of going to the world. series and I don't know, maybe even finding a way to win that thing. Alex Breggman went to LSU.

I see the cash money reference there. I see what you did. It's Alex Breggman for me too. I mean, he saved the day twice for the Cubs in that game yesterday. In the seventh game, the tying single off Grant Taylor, who was absolutely dealing yesterday. That was massive. And then he saves the day with that game when he hit in the ninth inning because it wasn't

going well. Carson Kelly had gotten a double to lead it off, and it felt like they were going to waste it. Michael Conforto with the strikeout. PCA intentionally walked. Thank you very much, Will Venable. Save Suzuki then with that meager little pop-out that Mutataki Murakami makes a really nice play on, and you're like, oh, man, we're going to be here all night because some of us stayed up. Not me.

I did. Rain to lay. I'll see you all in the morning. So maybe that's why I'm actually giving Alex Bregman, the flowers. Everybody got to go to home. Everybody got to go to bed. A sharp single up the middle. And man, this guy's going to be here for five years. It's been a rough go getting started for him. It was just so important to see that when the stakes were high. It's Alex Bregman for me. Number two. From the White Sox perspective, what was the worst aspect of the 4-3 loss to the Cubs?

I think from the White Sox perspective, the worst aspect of the loss was the, the fact that you had to shuffle your pitching staff yet again. Brooke Fletcher from CHSN just talked about it with us. You had Brian Hudson starting, who is normally one of your hosses in the bullpen. But he gave up two easy home runs. One to Pete Crow Armstrong to lead off the game and then another to Michael Bush. So then you had to have Eric Fetty come on. And then he deserves his flowers for his war in two thirds.

What's got about Brazzavann? I don't think fair too well. He ends up walking two batterers. He gives up an run run himself. so he only lasts technically a third of an inning plus. And so you had to use your pitching staff in a way that puts you behind yet again. We didn't know that Sean Newcomb was going to be the guy until late last night after the game. So I think that's the hardest part for the socks.

Yeah, you can go back to normal tomorrow against the Braves, but oh, by the way, it's the Braves. So this doesn't necessarily get easier for them. No, I think you're making a good point there, especially with how many pitchers they've had to use. I'm being honest with y'all yeah once it got to tie game I was like hey if the Cubs are going to win this game just winning in nine innings the white socks can't afford to use any more pitching in extra innings so I'd rather just take the regular regular regulation

loss than an extra innings loss because they couldn't afford back to back extra innings games they're still going to be in trouble today but for me the worst aspect of this two for 11 with runners in scoring position you got to come up with better hits and look Miguel Vargas has two hits in this series, but he doesn't have any hits that change the game. And that's part of the calculus here. If you're going to lose two straight walk-off games, you want to feel like your best players are doing their best. And while Vargas, again, he has a hit in each of these games, he needs to have a bigger impact in this game today. Very simple for me.

Worst aspect for the White Sox was who Oscar Brazzabon, your high leverage reliever, maybe one of the most important deals you made at the trade deadline in that seventh inning. He's just walking. He walks the first guy on four pitches. And then the second guy he walks. He puts runners on first and second. Will Venable at that moment has no choice in a high leverage game like that to march out, take him out. Grant Taylor comes in, pitched well.

But Grant Taylor is the one that gives up the game tying hit to Alex Bregman. They don't tie the game there. Who knows what happens? The White Sox might win the game for me, very simply, for Oscar Brazabon, the worst part of the White Sox game last night. Five on it. Number three. This is five on it on 104, three.

The score with Laylor-Rahini, Marshall Harrison, Mark Perodi. We are broadcasting live right here at the Cubby Bear. Bear. It's all brought to you by Gingling Flight, the next generation of light beer. Here's question number three. This is what Bears edge rusher, Montez, sweat, said to reporters regarding right tackle Darnel Wright. The stride is that Darnell has made within his, his technique, his work ethic, and just the way he goes around the building is tremendous from

when I got here and where he's at. Now, I don't think I beat him in a one-on-one rep, honestly. And it's, it started off with me making him better. Now, I think it's the other way around him making me better. That is Bears Eddrusher, Montez Sweat, talking about right tackle darnall Wright. After hearing that, does that make you more concerned about Montez Sweat or more encouraged about darnall Wright? More encouraged about Darnel Wright because of the situation you have on the left side of the line.

It's nice to know and to continue to think about the fact that you have that particular position locked up. And I think if Montez Sweat was truly worried about that, about losing the one-on-one battles to Darnel Wright, like as if there's a problem with his game, then he wouldn't have said it. So I think that was his way of going out of his way to be complimentary towards Darnel Wright. I'm not worried about, I feel pretty good about Montes Sweat. I love the way he played in the second half of last season. I know that we're all expecting more from him relative to what he was paid. I want to see that Tez effect, but he did get the double-digit sacks last year.

So I guess I'm just not worried about Montes Sweat. That was more encouraging to see Darnall Wright do what he did and continue to do that. I want to be very clear. Darno Wright is a superior football player to Montes Sweat. Montes Sweat now objectively can see. that and therefore base his improvement based on what he does against a guy who's better than him every day at practice. So it doesn't surprise me that he hasn't beaten him more on ones. It doesn't surprise me that he's saying what he's saying. And I absolutely am more encouraged

by Darno Wright's performance and his kind of, I guess, coming out party last year when you talk about a guy who got the money that he has earned as the prize so far of Ryan Poles and his process. So it's darn all right. Darno right. It's going down, guys. Oh my gosh. It's going down. It's going down. Let's go. Green Bay sucks. Let's go. Yeah. You hear it in the background. Nicely done, guys. Very good. Very good.

Hey, hey, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. What does Green Bay do again? What do they do? They vigorously inhale. Is that what we're calling snucking now? That's what Lescaropsie used to say occasionally. That's tremendous. away from the word suck. You vigorously inhale for that you suck. So is it just Tyler and me then? Is it Tyler Bueberma and me who are both like, oh, I'm a little bit, I'm a little bit interested in why Montes-Wet says he can't win this one-on-one battle after his head coach said last year he needed him to win more one-on-one battles. Yes, Darnell Wright is a good player.

I love that Montes-Swed is gassing him up. But at the same time, I need somebody to rush the quarterback on this team. somebody and I need that to be Montes sweat it many times and I love that you're practicing against darn all right but I need you to try to get him sometimes iron sharpens iron though Layla it's one of the yes but it also dulls the other object if it doesn't get sharper because of it sweaty can't be dulled don't you worry he was dulled for the first half of the last season and he ended up when you needed him most he was good I again I don't know if I need to be motivating pass rush was over here after we said what we said about

Von Miller. Maybe Montess Wet comes rushing through the door at the cubby bear. But as complimentary as he was and I think that it was met well, it was in good faith, it was a kind thing to say. I also I just, I need you to win some of those one-on-one battles. Some of them

be 50-50, that would be great. Number 4. Yesterday, Bears coach Ben Johnson provided this update on quarterback Kyler Gordon, who is dealing with a cap injury. Can you provide any more update on Kyler Gordon? We've pretty much gotten a non-up.

Yeah, there's nothing to add right now. Have any interaction with him or see him? I see him in the building. Yep. You feel like he is progressing? Yeah, there's a plan and he's working towards that plan. What does he do right now? He's rehabbing.

That was Ben Johnson's update on quarterback Kyler Gordon. On a scale of 1 to 10 on the newly created cold-as-ice meter, trademark, where would you rate Johnson's comments on Gordon. Give me the easy and even dozen. It's a dozen. It's a 12. That man wants no parts of Kyleor Gordon until Kyleor Gordon can put on pads and hit someone and and not get hurt in the process, not have a setback after doing so. He is done with Kyleor Gordon. Kyleor Gordon does not exist to him. Kyle Gordon, why are we speaking the name? Moratorium on Kyleor Gordon. That's what he's trying to give the beat at Hallis Hall right now. I was like, don't bring this man's name up to me. I am going to

So I'm with you on 12. Here's what I remind. He is so cold. You know how cold this is? How cold is ice it is? How cold is it? Thank you. The scene in Goodfellas.

Oh, no, no. The men are frozen on the meat hooks. And I believe the narrator there, Ray Leota says it took them like weeks to thaw out. That's how cold it is right now for Kyler Gordon, for Ben Johnson, as it pertains to Kyler Gordon. That's pretty cold. Dude, you really shouldn't have talked after the Latanza heist. They weren't supposed to talk. Take off that fur coat. What are you doing?

He's gone and there's nothing we can do about it. Okay, I'm going to go with a 10 because you two have already said 12, so I'll just go with the 100%. Ben Johnson has a really good way as the best teachers do of making not only the person he's mad at in school feel it, but everybody else feel it guiltily. Like, wait, I know he's not talking about me, but is he talking about me? Am I also not following instructions?

And in this case, yeah, I understand that he doesn't want us to say his name anymore, but guess what happens? Reporting means you have to be a respectable pest, and you have to ask about the status of players, because they're not just going to give up that information. They make us work for it. So we're going to have to keep asking about Kyler Gordon because he's important to the team,

because you have two people available in the secondary again, and I didn't think that I was going to be dealing with this. Jalen Johnson, wrap yourself and bubble wrap. I don't know what you need to do. Sleep in a hyperbaric chamber, something. But the secondary already being as injured as it is, it creates opportunities for guys like Malik Mohamed, but it also means that we are going to try to see what happens with Kyler Gordon.

Every single time, it's appropriate to ask, which is usually about once a week, I'd say, once every two weeks, it's usually what we do. So 10 for me. What does he do right now? He's rehabbing. Number five. Final question on 5 on it at 1.04 through the score.

What did you do during the Cubs versus White Sox rain delay last night? Oh, you're looking at me? Like, I need to answer. Answer to the people. I sent a text to the group chat as the rain delay, as the tarp was being put on the field. I said, good night. I'll see you tomorrow because I'm going to sleep. And I did.

I went to sleep. And I'm glad I did not stay up to wait 88 minutes to see what transpired after the tarp came off the field. I got up this morning. I went to my app. I watched the end of the game. I watched the little post game. And I was very much happy about the fact that I got a full night of sleep, not waiting and wondering when this game was going to be resumed.

I love Layla that when we had our little pre-show meeting here, when the doors had barely just opened at Cubby Bear, Marshall was like, I'm serious. I went to bed. Nobody didn't believe you. We all believe that Sleepy Marshall went to sleep. Yeah, that wasn't exactly a shocker. Oh, sleepy.

We know you went to bed. On the surprised meter, that was not a surprise. Look, sleep is important. I don't care what y'all say. No, you're right. I'll need a nap today and you won't. I got a walking pad. And so occasionally when I'm at my house,

I'll just watch the game on the walking pad to get some steps in. It's like a treadmill, but without the incline in the arms. So like it's just the bottom. It's not like, it doesn't have the apparatus at the top. So I was like, well, guess I'm going to get some more steps in. I got in 15,000 steps yesterday. Oh, congratulations. So I just kept walking on the walking pad.

And I double checked. It was like, was Ben Johnson really as harsh as I thought he was yesterday? So then I watched the Bears video again from yesterday, Roma Dunes A, Montes-Swit, and Ben Johnson. I was like, oh, yeah, that didn't get any better for me about Kyler Gordon. Okay. So I got in 15,000 steps total, and I watched Ben Johnson and the Bears YouTube channel. Nice. I love your YouTube channel.

You know how I feel about it. I even let the ads play because I feel like they deserve my money. No. Wow. That's step too far. We use it for a resource for work. Thank you. Hey,

hey, we use it for a resource. The least I can do is let the ad play. Was this on YouTube? Yeah. That's why I have YouTube premium, no ads. I pay the extra money. Wait a second, though.

I have to clear this up. I have had YouTube premium for years because of the fact that there are no ads. And now I'm starting to see ads. I don't see ads. I'm on YouTube premium. Whoa. Yeah, you need to pay your bill, right? You need to talk to your people about that right.

Google? Yeah. I watched Instagram stories for a little while because that's an easy way to waste like 30 minutes. My new favorite band, Turnstile, is all over the algorithm right now, so I'm enjoying that. And Dave got a little playtime as well. There's a new game we're playing where I hide stuff under the cushions on the couch, and Dave the Cat just absolutely loves that. So we got about 10 good minutes of hide the toy underneath the toy.

the cushions and like he likes it he likes a high degree of difficulty what does he do does he dig like yeah he digs into it exactly he loves it like it's funny like i'll put stuff under my my comforter in my bed like he doesn't like it easy he used like he's like no bro make it a little make the degree of difficulty a little higher for me so little day play time i think he thinks he's putting you to work and making you hide things i'm sure absolutely no i think he thinks he's got you figured out not the other way around. I think you're right. Cats are smart like that. Also, oh, okay, so Scott

Riles on our Twitchmob says turnstile was great at Lala. Oh, that's where I discovered them to some degree. Like, they closed out Lala with their song, I think it's Birds, I think it is, and I suggested, we did this on a halftime recently, and I

said that that song, the song that close, I will put it back on my Instagram stories here, or on my story, Mark double underscore Grotie, after during this break. I suggest that the Bears use that as one of their hype songs at Soldier Field. The live version that

they closed out Lollapalooza with is sick. I love a group project. Yes. So if anybody wants to get your steps in, highly recommend the walking pad while watching a game. Bears. Five on it. That was five on it here on Rahimi Harris and Grotie.

A friendly reminder because it is a party here. We broadcast live from the cubby bear today, courtesy of our friends with Yingling ahead of the Cross Town Series finale. If you're going to the game, come by and say hello. There's a chance you know somebody in here because it's so busy. We're here until 1245. Then it is Zach Zadman's pregame show.

Until first pitch. It is all brought to you by Yingling Flight. The next generation of light beer going on a summer day like this. Let's get you ready for game three of the Cubs and White Sox next on the score. Rahini, Harris and Grody. Really, really love listening to guys. You do a phenomenal job. Middays 10 to 2.

On 104 3, the score. The lefty is ready. The base is PCA. A lead off home run, and it is one to nothing. Yeah, that's how PCA led off the ball game yesterday. This is Rahimi-Earison Grotie on 1043, the score. That is courtesy of the Marquis Sports Network. One more time, we are live from the Cubby Bear,

courtesy of our friends with yingling, ahead of the Cross Town series finale. It is a beautiful day for some baseball. If you're going to the game, come by, say hi. We'll be here until 1245, followed by Zach Zadman's pregame show until first pitch. It is all brought to you by Yingling Flight, the next generation of light beer. We hear the lead-off home run there as we get you ready for what could be another lead-off home run. What do you see, Marshall Harris?

What you got? I see PCA right where he's supposed to be. leading off. What? Oh, I thought he was going to be batting seventh. Well, it could have been ninth. I don't know. Did you remember when he was hitting eighth?

The last time of the Cubs and White Sox played. He wasn't batting lead. I remember when he hit ninth. What are we talking about here? This is another leadoff guy. But PCA will bat lead off, but he will also play DH, not in center field today. Say, Suzuki is in right field. He will bat second.

Alex Bregman back in that three hole. He will play third base. Michael Bush will bat clean up and play first base. Do it right. You're right. Bush. Bush. Ah.

Oh, is it, no? No, it's okay. That's two Cardinals anyway. I like the feedback at the end. Well, that's the Dustin Rhodes thing. Well, he's two Cardinals then. Okay. Nico Warner will bat fifth and play shortstop.

Pedro Ramirez will be your second baseman. He will bat sixth. Carson Kelly behind the plate. He will bat seventh. Ian Hap, all the way down in the eight hole today. He will play left field. And in center field will be the actual nine-hole hitter, Tyrone Taylor,

putting his speed on display, giving PCA a day off his feet. Yeah. Oh, you want the White Sox win? Yeah, I want the White Sox lineup. That's a White Sox winner. Also, let's just start with who is pitching. Clay Holmes will pitch for the Cubs. Sean Newcomb will be the opener against the Cubs.

He will pitch for the White Sox. Sam Antanachi will lead off and he will play left field. Muna Takamurakami will be the first basement and bat in the two spot. Pretty good. Miguel Vargas will bat third. He will play third base. Andrew Benintendi back at the cleanup spot. Benintendi at D.H.

He will be D-Hing. Braden Montgomery will bat fifth ahead of Colson Montgomery and playwright-filled as he has been recently, but I got to tell you, after watching Colson Montgomery get three hits, thought he might not be in the six-hole where he finds himself playing shortstop. Chase Midroth, playing second base, batting seventh. Tristan Peters will be the eight-hole hitter.

He will play center field, and Jake Rogers will be the backstop for the White Sox. he will bat in the nine hole. Credit to Jake Rogers, man. I think he's done a nice job manning behind the plate. He can throw it some people. I will say Romo's done a better job with that ABS the last two times those guys were out.

I don't mind seeing Rogers do his thing. Well, Rogers had that pickoff, that sick pickoff of Alex Bregman the other day where he pump fakes the throw to second and then catches Alex Bregman off guard. All was well that ended well for the Cubs, but fortunately we didn't have to focus on that as much from a Cubs perspective. Well, we appreciate the like. And yeah, knowing that Sean Newcomb is on the mountain today because that was decided late last night.

Craig Counsel met with the media ahead of today's finale against the White Sox. And he talked about the flexibility they have with their pitchers. This is like a flexor ritual of the socks. I don't know. I mean, I think we have a lot of guys that are doing that. And I don't, and I think, you know, this is about how you, this is how you put together good teams. Like, I think it's, you know, it's not always going to be like this cookie cutter, this. this is how it's going to be in terms of roles.

And I think you have to be, you have to prepare for it not to be that way. You have to understand that it's not going to be that way. There's too much thinking that it just has to be that way. It's not going to be that way. Not going to be that way for a baseball season, for a good team. So you're going to need players to do that. And I think we've had a number of guys, you know, whether it be Colin Ray, whether it be David Peterson, and then our,

understand that. Edward Cabrera moving forward is going to have to do that. And there's going to be more guys that are going to have to do that. How much does your experience from the last 10 years allow you to have a better handle on things right now through the end of the year as opposed to when you first started managing a baseball team? in particular bullpen situations yeah i mean i don't i'm not sure i mean i always think there's there's sometimes there's advantages to um not having an experience um but now that i have it i like it

kind of thing um so you know you just you get decisions come across your desk new things things you've had before and you try to do the best to do the best by your team and your players. And that's, you know, when you have experience, you certainly rely on past successes and failures. You know, that's the advantage of it. But hopefully, you know, I think the challenge of it is to not let it box you in to a certain way of thinking. I've talked to last night about the consistency that you guys have been playing with in the second half,

kind of comparing it to early hot streaks, early cold streaks. What have you noticed from the consistency standpoint? Is it kind of at the level where you think it needs to be pleased? Yeah, I mean, you never get, like, it doesn't matter how it's bad. It's about where it's going. So it's, you know, we've got to, and you've got to prove that and compete your way into that every day. Yeah, I mean, we play a good. baseball game last night. Let's go out and play a good baseball game today and not get too far

past that. Got an off day tomorrow. That's a good thing for a lot of guys. But the consistency of it is like it's today. You know, last night's over and now it's today go win a baseball game. Do you have a team that's unconventional in the way that it can win a lot of baseball games with being out home. Can you get out slugged and you see your team as a team that can still win those games? I mean, I think we are going to need some hit-hit home runs to win on a consistent basis, but I think on a one-off night, yeah, absolutely. Like, I think we are skilled, we have enough other, we're a good team because we have

multiple ways to win games, so I think there's some occasions. you can win without, you know, with being outslugged. You know, over the long haul, probably not. What's the plan for Blentia on Friday? Yeah, Daniel will be active on Friday? And would Danzby go on the road with you guys? Or what's his... Danzby is not going to go on this road trip.

He's just going to just better just with multiple travel things in the first 10 days of this injury. We're going to just, we're going to keep him in Chicago for the week. And then we've could have limited travel after that. So that should be good. That was Craig Counsel ahead of the game against the Cubs and the White Sox. And how about that nugget he threw in there? Daniel Palencia is set to be active on Friday. So he will not be active for today's game.

But in time for that Seattle series where that's a pitcher's ballpark, guys. And there's never been a better example than how the Seattle Mariners are doing right now this season. Good for them to get another weapon back in their bullpen in Palencia and understanding that he's not going to just go right back to the closers role because you've got a guy at Jacob Webb, who's now gone, 22 straight scoreless appearances. I was more intrigued about what are you talking about with the power. Like, the Cubs do have 164 home runs this season.

That is tied for sixth in the major leagues. It's not like they don't hit home runs. I'm curious, like, how much more power do they need to show on a daily basis? More. More power. More power. I love that Palencia is back and hopefully he is back back and he can give back into the high leverage because now everything starts to fall in line in the bullpen assuming he comes back as David Hall would say

Gasolencia you got Jacob Webb Ryan Zephyrjon who I know has had his struggles but I still love Zephijon in there and then all of a sudden Ryan Rawlson has a little bit more perspective all of a sudden Colin Ray in the bullpen all of a sudden feels pretty good. Javier Sad like we've been talking about. Marshall Harris in the bullpen? Fieldbar had a scoreless eighth inning yesterday. I have a question. Who's getting off the roster to make room for Palencia?

Well, I don't know. Yeah, that's that. I don't you do this to Javier Assad again. Don't you do this? Well, no. I can't handle this for that guy. He doesn't deserve it. He will run out of options one of these days.

It will happen for him. Yeah, and I'm mad about that too. I'm mad that you have to waste so many options. on Javier his son. Thanks to everybody who came out to the Cubby Bear. Thanks to our friends at Ying Yingling. Yingling Flight, the next generation of light beer. Have one today a good day for it as well.

Thanks to Miles and Annie in promotions. Thanks to the Cubby Bear for having us out. Thanks again to Yingling. C.S. Henderson, our engineer today. Connor O'Donnell, helping us out on the video stream. Ray Diaz is in the house today. Thanks to Connor O'Donnell, like I said, he deserves another thank you. Jacob Stutz, Max Curtis, Tyler Buterbaugh, back at the station at Baby T, Cubs Baseball.

Zach Zadman's pregame show is next. Thanks, Ben. Your Cubs.