Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Russell Dorsey talks Alex Bregman's fit with Cubs, White Sox's offseason (Hour 4)

Episode Date: January 30, 2026

In the final hour, Marshall Harris and Mark Grote were joined by Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports to discuss how third baseman Alex Bregman was a great fit for the Cubs and to break down the White Sox's offseason additions. After that, they discussed which Chicago athlete should be the next one to have his jersey retired.

This hour is brought to you by Cars for Kids. Russell Dorsey, National MLB Insider for Yahoo Sports. When I was wrong about the Padre series, Robbie made sure to have my incorrect prediction in the open. But he seems to have forgotten my correct prediction. Yeah, the file got corrupted. Sorry, Russ. Insider and analyst for Friday night baseball on Apple TV Plus. Winners and losers of this offseason. For teams like the Chicago Cubs or the New York Mets, it only took a matter of days.

to decide that they were big winners. The Cubs were able to land starter Edward Cabrera and all-star third baseman Alex Bregman, while the New York Mets in that same span were able to acquire Bobauchette, Luis Robert Jr., and Freddie Peralta. Russell Dorsey. I'm Russell.

On 670 The score. The score. Yes, sir. Not only is Russell Dorsey on the score. He is on the score for the next hour here on Rahimi Harris and Grotie. We're performing today. more than ever, because we are in the Odyssey Performance Studio,

while the real score studios are being, let's just say, fitted for FM. And boy, it is looking sharp over there. Russ Dorsey, it is always spectacular to have you with us. How are you, sir? And Robbie can't hurt you anymore. He can't. He can't. Shout out to our guy, Robbie.

I'm doing all right. How are you guys doing? You know, we're embracing the coldness of winter and the coldness of another bull slash Blackhawks season that's kind of feeling like it might be going by the wayside. But here's the thing, on the bull's side, we knew that, right? No. Yes.

No. If they're healthy, it's talking about. If they're healthy, it's okay. Wait, I just got to have them here. Yes. No. Yes. No.

I've got the record. It's what you can expect every year. And they're going to be really happy about the plan. that's that's we know that I expect for the black hawks thing was actually going well for a little while and then kind of bradar got hurt and so then that's sad he's been back for a while he did have a goal last night he did yeah yeah yeah but yeah the bulls I don't know how you can be surprised about what they're doing it's the same thing it's it's a health issue when you depend on depth you better have your depth and when lockland old brick and Emmanuel Miller are playing lots of minutes

that means you have gone did you legitimately I know I we do this thing but like do you legitimately Yes. Yes. You do this thing. Yes. Yes. Absolutely. Still do.

Still do. Like, for real? Like, this is not a bit? It's not a bit. It's not a bit. It's not a thing. What was your expectation for what, like, what their record. Winning record.

Winning record. I know the Bulls are on the score, so I'm not trying to mess up y'all money. You're trying to shade them. That's what I'm trying to do. We're real. Ross, as you would say, we're real ones. You are. Yeah.

So what was your, how many games do you expect them to win? 45 wins. Grady, how many games do you expect the Bulls to win? Probably 43. Under. I take the under. Yeah, I would have taken the under, too. Yeah, under the under, would be the simple way to put it. Yeah, under the 45.

I get it. I get it. I get it. I'm just curious what would make you think that they would be better than 41 and 41 or around there or like the playing team they've been for the last 40 years? And more importantly, a very, very, very weak Eastern Conference. Very weak Eastern Conference. That's not working out. it's fine they've been hurt

they got guys like Josh Giddy didn't play last night Josh Giddy's missed time Kobe White's missed a lot of time Kobe White finally playing back to backs for just the second time all year that's a big reason why and they're still hanging around 500

despite that and what should they do at the trade deadline they should sell they should sell everything they can sell that's not you know nailed down to the floor they should sell they should keep Bozellis they should keep I.O. and Giddy

and then just keep it moving they should keep I.O. too? Yeah they can because they can resign I-O to a much cheaper deal than anybody else, and then he becomes a very valuable asset that they can trade later if they want to, or he can be around for the next iteration of, I don't know, winning basketball. But they should sell. They should get as many draft assets as possible,

maybe some young players thrown in, but they should sell. Interesting. Yeah. Even if they do that, they can still win 40-plus games. Because it's Billy Donovan coaching in a bad Eastern conference. That's the part I'm trying to get you with. We need to have a higher bar around here, man. I'm not saying there should be a higher.

you, but I'm saying like, 45 wins and the play-in can't be the standard. 45 wins to get you above the player. It's become the standard around here. I think it's become the norm. I wouldn't say the standard, but the norm. Not for fans, but for ownership. Which was what matters more. Me and you can yell at each other about it, but it's not really going to change.

I'm more concerned about my white socks. That's why you're here is to talk about my white socks. Let's talk about the white socks. You want to start right there? Yeah. Well, we're going to talk about Cubs. That's the hook. Okay.

They know we're going to talk. Nah, because I know my dad's listening. He's all like, you don't talk about the White's. No, but no, we're saying. We're going to talk about the Cubs in a moment. Okay. First, we'll start with the Sox. Are you not satisfied with what the White Sox have done in terms of making some progress,

giving their financial, self-place financial constraints? I think they've had, the Chicago White's has had one of the better off-season in Major League Baseball when you consider what they are as a team, where they're going, you know, kind of their timeline in terms of what they're building. down there on the south side. And I think when you move a guy like a Luis Robert and the three of us had talked about this for a long time during the season, it's like, when are you going to move Luis Robert? Why haven't they moved Luis Robert? They've been trying for a long time.

And they finally found a team that says, all right, we'll give you this and we'll give you that. And then we'll take Luis Robert. And I think for them, you get a young player in Luis Anhelecunia that didn't really have a spot there. in New York anymore with the Mets. They're able to add a guy in a Tar Anthony Dominguez who is an experienced high leverage arm in the back end was pitching in the World Series

for the Toronto Blue Jays this past season. That surprised you though? That they sign... I think when you're talking about how you go to the next level for a rebuilding team. Young teams lose a lot of games in the seventh, eighth, and ninth inning.

And I think for a White Sox team that didn't make strides and lost a lot of one-run games, you can improve your record by 8 to 10 wins if you close out some of those games, right? So maybe instead of being a 75 win team, maybe you're an 80, 81 win team if you're able to close out some of those games. Did you say 500? I'm saying you could be.

Because the math says 81 is a 500 team. Mm-hmm. Okay. I'm just making sure I'm hearing you correctly. Well, look, you're not misspeaking. For everybody out there, if you weren't paying attention and you probably weren't to this team. The Miami Marlins won 79 games last year. Yes. Right. So, like, you have teams that have been in a similar position to the Chicago White Sox and have been able to, you know,

improve, right? And so I think with the White Sox is what they've been able to do. And the Marlins did a similar thing adding Pete Fairbanks to close out games for them. You add a closer. You, the market comes back to you and you're able to sign a guy in Munitaka Murakami that's going to be able to slug for you in the middle. of that lineup with the young players that they have, Colson Montgomery and Chase Midroth, and you're talking about, you know, the watch to see when Braden Montgomery comes up and plays center field or right field for you. They have pieces there, Edgar Carrow, Kyle Teal. I like what the White Sox have been able to do. And then you know a lot of their farm system are these young

arms. And when you look at a team like the Chicago White Sox that has been building, one of the most expensive things and most prize possessions in baseball is young controllable starting pitching. And if they can hit on some of these young starters that they've drafted in the first round over the last couple of years, they're going to be in really good position in 2026. I love that. I love the white socks. I'm at my all eyes on Grant Taylor. If he can be kind of a multiple inning late inning reliever, I love the idea. I love the idea. So I think, yes, you're right about some of these a lot of one run and two run losses last year. If you could turn that around, They've got some bats.

I like that. All that being said, the Cubs also seemingly have had an adequate offseason. Is that understating it? Hold on a second. Do you think Mr. Dorsey is satisfied with the content, the White Sox talk? Is there-oh, he's pleased. I think he'll be like, you guys started with the White Sox? Nice is going to be talking about them.

Y'all started with the White Sox? Shout out to Mr. Dorsey. If you want to give his full name, I mean, I know you said like. Rick Dorsey. Shout out to you, sir. Hello, Rick Dorsey. Thank you for listening to the score. He's the man. He's like a P1 score guy.

Yeah, he's the guy that got me to grow up listening to the score as a kid picking me up and dropping me off at school. Listening to Mike North in the morning, probably shouldn't have been doing that. Listen to B&B on the way back from school. Oh, hell yeah. And, you know, my condolences to Terry's family, but like that's a big part of my upbringing. And listening to who you crapping on Thursdays was a big deal in our family. So, yeah, we were, the Dorsey's has always been a big score family. I love it.

I love it. Thank you, Rick. And now you're on the score. And because you are a national insider for Yahoo, you could talk about any team that we bring up. That's why we can start with the White Sox. Or the Bulls. As we did. We did do that.

We got something for you, too, that, by the way, in the second segment that we were going to do a full topic with you about who the next jersey number to be retired should be past citywide. But get on with the Cubs there. Okay. So adequate. Is that you think I'm understating that? I do think you're understating that.

Okay. Tell me why. Because I think, once again, the three of us and Lela like all summer, it was like, why aren't the Cubs doing the big move? Why aren't they doing the big move? And I would say, hey, man, until they show me that they're that team, I don't believe it. Okay. And then I am in France, maybe three weeks ago.

Settled flex. No, no. Maybe three weeks. It's the one vacation I get all year. And, you know, you wait and you're like, nah, still got free and see, you know, winter meetings, can't go. Then you finally go and you start getting some texts, hey, look out for this. Cubs are making some moves. And then you got him starting making a phone calls.

And I'm like, all right. Like the Cubs are... Serious. Putting their money where their mouth is. Right? To say, all right, we want a young controllable starting pitcher that has big time upside in Edward Cabrera. We're going to make that move, even if it costs us a guy in knowing Casey who we really, really like. And you're going to trade him to the Miami Marlins.

And then a couple days later, I'm sound asleep. I don't know what's going on in the Bears game. What country? Italy. Okay. I don't know. In a villa in Italy. I don't know what's going on in the Bears game.

I don't know what's going on in the Cubs ethos. And then I wake up to find out that the Cubs signed Alex Bregman. And was I disappointed that I wasn't awake for that? No. Were you more disappointed but for not being away for the Bears game? Yes, actually. Yes, because that. All the same time.

Yeah, all the same. So like, it's like, wow. I think the first thought I had when I saw that the Cubs had signed at Alex Breckman. It was just like, good for Jed because I think in this city, a lot of Cubs fans were very disappointed with the way that the trade deadline went last year. And rightfully so. I could understand why they were frustrated. And a lot of Cubs fans had felt the way that you guys were feeling during the season of like, why aren't the Cubs doing more when you're in this position where like, you're right there and where they were going and how they were playing. They just needed that one move.

And I think this offseason, they said, all right, we don't have a ton of talent on the books in 2027 and beyond. We are the Chicago Cubs. The division is not going anywhere. Let's finally do the thing that we should have been doing. And so you go and acquire a guy like an Alex Bregman to plug him in at third base. But I think more so it continues the culture building aspect of what the Cubs want to do. Because I don't, I think that's a big part of it because you look at what Alex Bregman brought to the Boston Red. Red Sox. That team's really going to miss him. Now, I know it was only one year, but I think when

you put that guy that's been able to win, that's been able to, like, be a dude for a World Series champion, and you drop him in your lineup in your clubhouse with all the other guys that the Cubs have been bringing in over the last couple of years, I think that's a big deal. I gave you my understated. Now I'm going to give you my Ofer stated. Okay. Alex Bregman is a way better fit for the Cubs than Kyle Tucker was. And I see that because of what you just said, both those guys being world champions and whatnot, but it already just days into it and also watching Kyle Tucker and how he received being a Los Angeles Dodger, it just feels like Bregman is a better fit for the Cubs than Kyle Tucker was.

Is that overstated? Let me think about that one. That's why. Bregman, a better fit for the Cubs than Tuck. And when I say that, it's not just what you're doing in the batting order, which obviously the documented struggles against strong left-handed pitching last year, and Bregman obviously being right-handed. Not the Cal Tucker's bad against left-handers.

And we talked about that, like, as they were approaching the deadline, like you need a guy that could hit against left-handed pitching. Like strong left-handed pitching. Sure, because they were also in on Bregman last year, right, last off-season. And this was a guy that you had in your mind picturing him in your lineup. With everything that happened, the way it happened, the exit and him signed. with the Dodgers, I still think Kyle Tucker is one hell of a player. And I think if the year goes differently and he plays to the back of his baseball card and hits

280 to 300 with 30 to 35 homers, steals 30 bags, and wins the gold glove award in right field, there's probably a different conversation. The way it ended with the injuries, the struggles leading into the postseason, and then the way he performed in postseason. I think it left a, that's your lasting image if you're a Cubs fan. And he didn't have the personality to make up for it. Right. Yeah. Right.

That's part of the better. Yeah. So maybe, maybe long term, maybe that's the case. I think at their peaks, I'm still taking Tuck as a player, but, you know, six of one happens as another. And I think Mark and I are just kind of wrestling with the fact that they could be doing more stuff. Well, the Cubs could be doing more stuff, right? The bigger picture of Russ is we just, we're talking about. about the rich getting richer.

Obviously, it's beyond that with Dodgers. That analogy probably needs to be up in terms of what the Dodgers. I mean, they're beyond the evil empire, it feels like at this point. They're the billionaire class with their feet on our necks talking about you guys don't unionize. Don't do it. Yeah, the billionaires club. Maybe that's a good way to put it. But obviously, the Dodgers keep getting better.

The Phillies stayed good with the moves that they've made with bringing back Schwerber, real muto. The Mets acted going crazy with what they're, including Luis Robert. to the Mets. And I guess the overall, and I can go on and on, the overall question is, do you think the Cubs, I know the Cubs are better, the roster is better, but are they in a position with those improvements in this National League to advance further than they advanced last year, which was winning a playoff series? I'm going to say this, knowing that I think last, sometimes people think I'm a Cubs

hater, which I'm not. Most times they think that, even though you're not. You know what I mean? Yeah, I've seen the text line. I think the Chicago Cubs have had a much better offseason than the Philadelphia Phillies. And I think when you look back at this off season, I think the Cubs put themselves in the real contenders in the National League. And I think Cubs fans should take solace in that. And I think the Cubs themselves should feel really good about what they've been able to do to legitimately compete. Like, not just competing, oh, we just want to win the division.

Or we just want to get into the postseason. Right. No, we can go up against some of the big boys in the National League. And I know everybody's going to say, ah, but if you're going to eventually lose to the Dodgers anyway, what does it matter? Baseball is a wild game. It's a wild sport and anything can happen. It takes one injury, one fluky season from this guy. You know, if the big man goes down and, God forbid, that Shoheo Tini gets hurt, like that whole thing is completely different.

You know, they have a ton of starting pitching, but those starting pitch, You know, they've already been coming out talking about, you know, Blake Snell is not going to have the same ramp up this year. And, you know, Yamamoto is pitching in the World Baseball Classic and you got to manage Shoah's innings pitch. I understand that. So, like, there's a lot of, it works. It works for them. Yeah. But it only takes one time where it doesn't work where you're trying to, you know, swap the deck. Shell game.

So I think the Cubs should feel really good about where they are and say, you know, we have a team that can not only win the NL Central. but we have a team that can go toe to toe with a lot of teams in the National League. The New York Mets definitely got better. Like, in a week's time, they went from their fan base saying, what the blank is going on to, oh, shoot, we got who? Okay. You know, and you acquire a guy like a Boba Shet. Not only acquire him, you steal him away from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Your division right. The night before, you're like, I don't know, we got to get to break. The night before the Phillies are saying, man, we're going to get Boba Shet to throw him in the lineup with Shwar. and Trey Turner and Harper, and then you wake up the next day and like, he signed where? And then they go out and get Luis Robert Jr. And then they go get an ace and Freddie Peralta. Like, that's a hell of a week for David Sturis. And we've run out of time in this segment where we can circle back to it.

Is this finally going to make Milwaukee drop a little bit? You got to want, like, they keep doing the devil magic where they trade this guy, they trade this guy, Hater, and Devin Williams and Corby. And they still keep finding ways to win. So I can't, I don't doubt the Milwaukee Brewers anymore. They keep several in the chamber. They're prospects. You already know.

They're great at pitching development. I'll be surprised if Mizorowski doesn't have a big year. You're right. You're right. We are joined here on Rahimi Harrison Grotie by Russell Dorsey, Yahoo Sports National Baseball Insider. Insider and Analyst for MLB Network and Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV Plus as well. And we're going to keep him here for the entire hour, which means that he is at the mercy of our topic. choosing, which is the following, Russ.

That is, beyond Derek Rose. Derek Rose just had his jersey number retired. Who in Chicago sports should be, will be next in any of our sports to have their jersey number retired? Will you think about that during the break? I will. It's next on the score. Rahimi Harrison Grody, Midday's 10 a.m. to 2 on Chicago Sports Radio 670, the score. Who from the Bulls deserves that honor?

in your opinion. Hey, to be totally honest with you, I don't know. I was surprised that I was up next. I was completely honest with you. I saw no champion, no, no rappers, no banner, no nothing. So for me to go up there, I can only imagine who's next. Mm-hmm. Brahimi Harrison Grody.

That is Derek Rose on the Mully and Haw Show. Yeah, I mean, that's tough because it, It would have to be, if they're going to retire another jersey, it would probably have to be another player from the 90s, another championship player you already have. Derek Rose, Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippin, and then going back farther, Jerry Sloan, and Bob Love are among those that are already in.

And we've been, Marshall, we've been threatening to do this topic all week during our pre-show meetings, and finally it felt really good to do it on Friday. In the name of Derek Rose, having his jersey number retired at the United Center, who is which Chicago athlete will be the next to have their jersey retired? Should be or will be? That's a good interesting distinction.

Can we do both? Wow. That's whatever you want, I guess. My answer is someone who I don't think he's going to get his jersey retired, but he should. Try us. By the way, Russell Dorsey is here. Oh, yeah, Russell Dorsey, yeah. Thanks for playing our little games.

here, Russ. Of course. Yahoo National Major League Baseball Insider. You can catch him on various platforms and whatnot because he's always working. It's all good stuff. It's all on Apple TV. It is good stuff for us. So my answer is Mike Singletary.

But the Bears aren't out here retiring numbers. So you see what I'm saying? Singletary is that dude. Well, defensive players here many, many, many, many time first team all pro. Like Hall of Famer. So like, can we explain for people at home the reason the bears are a tough one? Like, they have like a hundred numbers retired. And I'm being facetious when I say that, but they have like a lot of numbers, I think more than any team in the NFL.

And they might have to transition to Ring of Honor. Well, I think that's kind of what they're doing. Like in essentially not retiring jerseys anymore, that's kind of what they're. It's been, what, two decades or so? Who's the last bear to get their number retired? It's a good question. and I'm struggling a bit, but you're right. 50 Mike Singletary should be.

If we're going to do that, if we're going to do should be, then you have to go to Dan Hampton, number 99 for the Chicago Bears. His needs to be retired. Lickety splits if we were going to do the backlog. Here's the guy, though, that when I thought about this, and it is with the Bears, and I almost feel like, and there is recency bias because I get, look, I watched Hampton, I loved Hampton, he's great, he's a Hall of Famer, he should be one of the greatest bears of all time. But maybe, you know, 34 is probably the most popular jersey you still see out there in the name of Walter Payton, but 54, Brian Erlacher will give Walter Payton a run for his money right now.

Like the Erlacker, when he came, because he was such a revelation as a player and a linebacker who played the position way differently than we were used to seeing, and all that is Erlacker, everybody had, has a 54. So Erlacker is the guy that I would probably push to the front of the line right now. And it's more modern, and that would obviously stimulate the fan base more than I think any bear right now. So you're done a little fan service a la Derek Rose with that pick? I guess so. You're just trying to please the people? Is that what you mean? Like what the people think it should be?

I think, I think Brian's as deserving as anybody when it comes to, you know, what he did on the field, what he did for the franchise. You know, and Gertie talked about changing the way we looked at the position. Yeah. Like, there was like a, we'll call it a five to seven year stretch. It was him and Ray Lewis as the best middle linebackers in the NFL. I believe that as a defensive player of the year award in there like that

was the centerpiece of that cover two defense with Lovie Smith 100%. The guy that I'm going to pick out of production but also as a salute to the fan base, 33.

Charles Peanut Tillman. I know there's a lot of conversation about him being deserving to go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which he does when you consider the peanut punch is a staple in how to teach defensive players how to knock the ball loose. But that guy did everything you would want as a player, as a representative of a franchise, what he means to the city even now, and he hasn't played for the Bears in – it's over a decade at this point

because he had that stint in Carolina with the Panthers. I think that would be a guy if the Bears didn't have the issue of, like, all the numbers retired that I would put on the list. I think the clarification here is for this sport specifically, and because of the backlog we talked about, I don't think you should be jump in line until you are a pro football hallfam. I think he will get in.

I think he will get in eventually. But we're dealing with that this week. We understand the rigors of getting into the pro football Hall of Fame. Nobody wants to be in this Hall of Fame. It's nasty. It's nasty work, diabolical, getting in, not getting in, however you want to put it. But I know Mike Dicca was the last guy for the Bears to get his jersey retired. It was 2013.

So more recent than I even thought. But that's still been 14 years. Yeah. Or 13 years. There's three guys that I think are going to get their number retired. I think one is already retired and the other two are active. The two that are active are cane and tapes. Okay.

We have to. Absolutely. The guy who is most recently retired and will have his number retired, one day is Anthony Rizzo on the north side. I think 44 gets retired. I hadn't thought about that, but yeah. He is... I think when you think of the gravity of what he was for that franchise,

I think Anthony Rizzo is going to be in consideration. And I know they have the Cubs Hall of Fame too. And I think that helps for guys where you're on that, should we retire the number, shouldn't we? but that's another guy I think of him like, man, when you talk about a guy that did everything the franchise was looking for at that time, the impact that he had on the World Series championship team, I think 44. I agree.

Like he was, not only was he, all those things, he was the face of the 2016 Cubs in a team which had a lot of people who you could line up as potential candidates. But I covered every second of that era. I know that Anthony Rizzo was the face. of all that. It wasn't necessarily the best player. Pretty close, though. I mean, you could argue that

Chris Bryant in that span made a, he did. He made a bigger impact offensively and defensively did Chris Bryant. But, and think about it too, like if we are talking about the popularity part of it, and you can't avoid that part, it is in the equation.

Rizzo is immensely popular and he's going to get more popular because he is an ambassador for the Cubs. Like he's back in the organization, there was no friction. He walked right back in. Getting that TV money. And he's doing a real TV gig.

He is going to be out. We're going to get more Rizzo. And by the way, oh my God, Rizzo and Votto together. With Kershaw! That is like those two, just watching those two have conversations through the years at first base, that'll be fun. But I love it. I didn't have Rizzo on the mind, but he'd probably be. And we can do a whole topic on who should be the first Cubs to get their Jersey

retired, but I'm down with Rizzo. What did you guys think of the conversation, which they said there was not going to be a statue, but something else honoring all the members of that World Series team? Well, I think there will be. I think that's fair. I think that's fair. Because, like, who are you going to single out? Right.

There are guys. You could probably come up with your top five most impactful guys and do, like, I don't even know it's fair, like a white sock thing. Because I think the hard part is, I'm not bad. None of those guys are going to the Hall of Fame, right? So it's not like they had the career where it's like that guy is deserving of a statue. And even in Cub's history, like, look at the guys who have statues. You're talking about Hall of Famers.

Yes. Ferguson Jenkins, Rino, Billy Williams. You know what I mean? And they're trying to do something to maybe commemorate the moment. Which, and I know you see in Philly, they've got the Bradledge, Carlos Rees, like, celebrating the final out of the World Series from 2008. and is it going to be a mural? Is it going to be a plaque? It's going to be like a memorial style.

I'm assuming it's going to be probably similar to, you know, one of the white talks I have out in front of the ballpark. I think it's going to be something like that to commemorate the whole thing. It is wild to think that on that team there might be one Hall of Famer of consequence. Lester, right? No, I was going to say Schwerber. Yeah, Swarber's my guy. Oh, yeah.

Shwerber's my guy. But Lester for sure is like going to be in that big conversation. Yes. Schwaber's going to have. Three more years? Three more years of what he's been doing? I like it. So Kyle Schover has three.

I was talking about this with my family yesterday. He has 340 homers as we currently sit. Just signed a five-year deal in Philly. If he plays at the level that he's played at in Philly and averages just 40 homers a year over the duration of that contract, he's going to finish with 540 homers. He really is, babe, freaking Ruth. Never late.

Never wrong, just early. Listen, he, best thing to ever happen in that. I know this is going to... They left him. It's a different level of what he's doing, but who he reminds me of, it's going to rub people the wrong way because of his time here, but during his era, not appreciated for what he was doing.

Jim told me? Adam Dunn. Like, I hit home runs, I walk, or I strike out, and guess what? When I hit home runs and I walk, it affects winning baseball. It's just... We saw the bad Adam done here. You saw the worst version of it. Yeah, we don't have...

Yeah. There was a stretch of like four or five years where Adam Dunn was one hell of a player. Walloper. Like Cincinnati Adam Dunn and maybe even that one year in Arizona, he was like a 950 OPS guy. He really did make a ballpark look small. Just with his stature. You felt like he was going to hit the ball. That dude was massive.

But Schwaber, man, like 540. If he gets to 515, not even 540, he gets to 515, that guy. guy's going into the Hall of Fame. And it's crazy how we talk about the front half of a guy's career getting him in the hall. For Kyle Schwerber, if he gets in, it's going to be the back half to get to the end. It's definitely going to be the back half. Which is crazy the thing. Always been Schwerber. It's always like, we go through these guys because if we did this exercise while it was in progress, we'd be like, Chris Bryant, he's going to walk into the hall. Javier Baez with how spectacular this guy is absolutely. He's going to be Anthony Rizzo,

maybe even at one point. It's always been Schwaber all along throughout that whole process, all the prospects. It's Swarber has been the constant. And I will say when they did non-tender him, I was okay with it because he was having a bad time of it. He was not getting the contact that he usually had. It felt

like it was time to move on, but boy, was that wrong in so many different ways. Yeah, hindsight is 2020 there. I think I remember that season after, and he was just like, hey man, they gave me every opportunity. And so when a guy says that, you got to

him and it's where like, hey, maybe the... I don't believe he would be the same player had he stayed. Because the ballpark... The ballpark that he's been playing at is conducive for big-time power from left-handed hitters, and Wrigley Field isn't. Like, there's a reason no player

beyond Billy Williams has hit 40 homerins there in season. It's amazing. I think, all right, ready? The answer to the question, and I know that we wonderfully took it in a slightly different direction. A lot of directions. No, I love it. That's beautiful for a second. about here.

Like this. Yeah, no, absolutely. Who is going to be the person to have? I think after this entire discussion that we've just had, how about Jonathan Taves? Because if they, to your point, and we talked about this during the break, if they're putting married Hosa,

like they did retire, and Hosa was great. I'm not even saying he doesn't deserve it. But if you put Hosa in, the second Taves calls it and quits and he's done and retires, which could happen, like I feel like any season now, Taves is done, gone,

gone, retired. No one's arguing that. It's just a matter of time. Like, when is he going to be eligible? Right. And then Cain and Keith and all those guys, because they're all as good. You could pick 100 dudes off the team. Like, boy, that is a complicated scenario.

Corey Crawford. Corey Crawford. Yeah, you got to give the goalie love. Pretty amazing. All right. Is that right? Is that where we are in life? Yeah. It's our final segment.

Oh, honorable mention. Candice Parker. I think that's one you should probably think about. She got her jersey retired. Did he? Yeah, yeah. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay. All right, good. Good. I'm glad she did. But we have one more segment with Russ Dorsey. We don't have anything planned here. Is there anything that you are hot for? You want to talk Bears?

Oh, we do have something planned here. Oh, we do have something planned here. Oh, we do have something planned? Yeah, and it was on the Take the North podcast, Mark. Oh, I forgot about that. We're continuing on it. You know what? I want Russ's thoughts on this, too.

Okay. Okay. So something from the Bears podcast. It's a long time, a longtime Bears writer, disagrees with a stance that Marshall has had on the show this week about Caleb Williams. It's a disagreement, and we need Marshall's thoughts. We need Russ's thoughts.

Grody, we need your reaction. It happened on the Take of the North podcast. I'm going to sit back and listen in the next segment. That is what's going to happen. It's Rahimi Harris and Grody with Russell Dorsey on the score. Hey, Harris and Grody, midday's 10 a.m. to 2 on Chicago Sports Radio 670 the score. Yeah, it is. Rehemi Harris and Grotie. out with Russell Dorsey, Yahoo Sports National Baseball writer, also with the MLV Network,

and does Friday night baseball on Apple TV Plus. He's been kind enough to do like he does spend the hour on Rahimi Harris. You need a lot of jobs in 2026, gross. Yeah, you do. You do. Like 8.9. That's the way it works, man. I'm unfamiliar with what you're talking about.

One job is all I believe in. Oh. What time you're on ABC 7 tonight, by the way? That's sarcasm. What time are you doing the high school basketball game this weekend? Yeah, that's next weekend. This weekend I'm off. I'm off. I'm truly off this weekend.

Okay. You ever heard this guy do play-by-play, by the way? I have. It's pretty good. It is. I was so surprised. I did. Because he was doing it all.

He didn't have the benefit of replay. He didn't have an analyst when I was watching him, and he's like pulling it off. I'm like, this guy is good. So, yeah, you do great work. Appreciate your support. You also had a great topic. You got this whole week going as a matter of fact. I got the week going.

Innocent old me? Innocent old Marshall. at least the portion in which I have been here. You got the show rolling this week with a question, no, not a question. A statement. That Caleb Williams is the greatest Bears quarterback of all time. So we had fun talking about that for an hour. We've heard other opinions like that of Dan Weeterer, who is my co-host on the Take

the North Bears podcast, who basically implored you to basically stop it. He didn't argue and say he wasn't. He just said, don't go there yet. Stop it. Don't go there yet. And I'm more weederer. I'm not denying the possibility that Caleb could be the greatest, right now, the greatest Bears quarterback ever.

But not now. Let's not do that now. You're so scared of your own shadows. Posh Tani Phil wants to holl at y'all on Monday. I've got one more. Actually, I've got two more opinions. We're going to hear from Mark Potash in a second. And I can't wait to hear what Russ Dorsey has to say about it to a longtime Bears guy as well from here,

all of that. But Mark Podash. was my co-host filling in for Dan Weeder on The Take the North podcast, which is up and running right now if you want to check it out. But here was Mark Podash's take on Caleb Williams being the greatest Bears quarterback of all time on the Take the North podcast. No, he's not the best quarterback in Bears history. That's Sid Luckman.

Okay. You got to remember. Sid Luckman was brought in by George Hallis. George Ellis made a trade with the Steelers to get him with the number two pick. It was one of those things who said, you draft this guy. take him. And they, he knew, he wasn't just a guy who, you know, he wasn't Tom Brady, well, maybe this guy can work out. He was brought in specifically for the T-Formation for run that offense. And George Hallis said many times that he thought that was the guy who could do it,

who, you know, had, you know, everything it took. And so he was right about that. And he made that offense go. It was literally a sensation. I mean, so, so, so, and, and when they won four championships. And they were the scourge. the NFL for six years. This is impossible to do. So when you win championship, hey, of course, this passerating isn't the same or whatever.

Well, right. Eleven game seasons, you know, most attempts ever was 323. That's why this is impossible. I'm just comparing quarterback to quarterback. They're playing the position. Okay. Who's the best quarterback?

A quarterback in that, regardless of era, Sid Luckman did more at that position. Okay, just relative to what he was. He was more responsible for their success. It wasn't just a guy who happened to be in that spot.

He was the reason they were good. Yeah, yeah. I don't disagree with Sid Lugman's accomplishment. He's the most accomplished quarterback. But he did say a key word there, too, that he's a sensation. So he is talking about the quarterback and the plays he made and what he was asked to do as a QB, not just being a winner. So I have, um,

A couple of questions for you, Marshall. Yeah, go ahead. So when you said that that Caleb Williams was already the greatest Bears quarterback of all time, what was your criteria? I said he was the best quarterback, the best player to play the position that the Bears ever had. And I said, one, it's a low bar. Two, let's talk about Super Bowl era because I don't care that much about acknowledging how great you were when people of color weren't even playing the sport. And there was maximum 13 teams in the league. by the way.

It's a different sport altogether now if you really want to think about it. So you're just talking about talent level? Yes. Okay. He's a tremendous talent. I think we saw several times during the season. We saw a ton of times during the playoffs, just how good. Like that dude, two of the greatest throws I've ever seen back-to-back weeks.

Like insane. He's had multiple throws like that in a single game. Yeah, for sure, for sure. Could you say that Because I almost want to agree with you But I want to be really rational here And like at least look at all the angles He's me

He's me Do you think Because you weren't We weren't in town yet when this happened But Groats you were Jay as a like an arm talent guy Yeah sure He had a stronger arm

Like an arm at the same strength level Couldn't make all the throws But he has it He didn't make all the throws. Like Caleb is making all the throw. Caleb, for everything we're talking about, which I'm agreement on, cable is under 60%. Yeah, because he-

And I talked about that too, Gertig, we'll tell you. Because he's like, rather than throw this interception, the play is over, I'm going to dirt the ball. That happened way more. And also, guess who that had the most yards lost by, and just number of drops period this season? I get it. You saw it.

But, hey, Jay Cutler did get the Bears to the NFC title game. And if you didn't get hurt. Did he get hurt? It was a tragic game. If you play it forward. Caleb Haney played, not on the list. What that defense looked like? Todd Cowlitz.

What that defense like? It was a very good defense. Okay. It was a very good defense. I mean, not, yeah. More than solid, would you say? Solid. It is.

But we're just talking about pound-for-pound quarterback talent and greatness. Like, I mean, I don't like the, I think my issue is how you termed it. I just said the best. If you said most talented, I don't think people would have an issue with that. People haven't had much of it. an issue with best. Pottsch's one of the very few people who have pushed back in a major way.

He said Sid Luckman. He took it back to the... Listen. And honestly, he's right. Because, like, the guy holds most of the records. Yes. Listen, listen. As far as... A little respect for Sid. T formation is what that man said. That's like me telling you

a bottle T that I drive is real nice. That's nasty. That's nasty. It's real nice. Where's the Model T now? In a museum. Just like, Sid, Luckman's style of play. If you say

I think Caleb is the most talented quarterback to ever play for the Chicago Bears, I'd be on board. Yeah, he's the best. That's fine. Most talent. And you did the right thing, Russ. You got to just go through in your head. You got to think about... I don't want to just yell at Marshall because I feel like I do

that too much. And so I wanted to give him a bit of the doubt here. And like, I think we are kind of in agreement on this one. I just don't like... As a writer, I just don't like the word. You know what? You're probably just more in the Mark Grody, Dan Reeder camp of, let's not go there. It's too early to ask the question. Which is why you don't have to question the talent level, but like I am a body of work guy.

Okay. I like his body of work. Yes. I like this stat. Who's the bear's biggest rival again? The Green Bay Packers. And if I add up the wins versus the Packers and put color in it. How many wins did color have against the Packers?

I don't know. Yeah. Not enough. Not enough. Caleb's already got three. I don't like that. You don't like that? I don't like that because I feel like your focus can't be on one team, but that's a Russ Dorsey thing.

I know how people feel about the rivalry in the city, but like... Play it to your heart, big guy? Guys, we are thrilled, excited. Russ, I hope your dad's listening right now. Is he going to change his preset or has he already done so? Yeah. I don't know if your dad's an A-I. I don't know if your dad's an FM guy ever, but we are excited about...

our FM debut. It is Monday on 104-3 on the score. That's right. Guys, all score shows, Cubs, the Bulls games on FM, high fidelity all the time, including downtown Chicago. That's right. You won't get the fuzz. The score will still be heard on 670 a.m. But starting Monday at 8 a.m. on Molly and Haw, it is the debut of 104-3 on FM. The simulcast is presented by the official sportsbook of the score.

Circa sports, sports betting the way it should be with no bet fees. Take lower whacker, everybody. Take lower wacker. Go down there and hear some radio. Rainstorm. Yes. Turn the score on. Between buildings downtown.

Yes. Rick Dorsey. How about that? Set it. 104 3. Do it right now. Russell Dorsey, we are always blessed to have you. You're more than welcome to stick around for transition if you would like.

But if this is the end. Wait, are you all, everybody going to be in here? No. No. They're going to be in that. We're the only ones who got. booted out. I was just realizing that. Why did we have to be the ones? They went to the lion's share of work while we were not there. No, I won't

stay on. I'll leave you guys the room to do your thing in transition. Well, thank you for taking time out of your day to come into our studios and spend an hour with us. It means a lot, and thank you to you very much. Long overdue. Long overdue. Yes, that is Russ Dorsey. Coming up next here, we will transition with the Spiegel and Holmes show, which today is being manned by Anthony Herron and Rami McLaugh. Looking forward to talking to those two next on the score.