Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Who impressed you more in White Sox's 3-0 win over Cubs: Jose Urquidy or Braden Montgomery?

Episode Date: August 20, 2026

It's time for five on it. Rahini Harrison Rooney. Bring you five topics on their minds today. On 104-3 to score. I got five on it. Number one. Who impressed you more in the White Sox three-nothing win over the Cubs? Jose or Kiti or Brady Montgomery?

Brady Montgomery is really impressive. I feel like I forget that it is his rookie campaign. He does things every day that makes me just impressed with how he plays baseball. You know, like he has veteran moves, whether it's a challenge call, whether it's, whether it's just like gutting somebody down like he did yesterday at third base with that fastball that we've talked about so much at 95 miles an hour. The guy just has a real combination of baseball IQ and ability that you cannot deny. But I'm sorry, it goes to Jose got his groove back, Urquite. That was just a really impressive performance all the way around. And he talked about it, you know, still coming back from that surgery.

He had in 2024, Tommy John, which he had previously in 2017. And it made me wonder, how long does it take for somebody to truly get healthy after Tommy John number two? And he just mowed batters down yesterday. There was no other way to put it. Six innings, eight strikeouts, a mere two hits. He had 68 pitches. It was just an incredible performance. And one where I think the White Sox come away saying,

Thank God we got that guy. Thank goodness we traded for that guy. And Marshall, you said it. I don't know how he didn't make his case for a spot in the rotation after that. I mean, that was absolutely great. So he saved an option potentially from happening, calling somebody up. He helped get the socks right on the pitching staff side. Jose Orkitti, man, just an incredible performance.

So Jose Orkitti was absolutely fabulous. Anybody who can go up against the second high-scoring offensive baseball and throw six innings in which you face just one over the minimum, that is to be more than noted. It's to be celebrated. You're absolutely right, Leila. They need to give him another chance. I think he's earned another bulk spot, if not an actual start the next trip through the rotation as they have played nine of 16 straight days with games. And they are five and four in large part because of him. at the same time, I will say I was more impressed with Braden Montgomery because in a 1-0

game, he made sure that there was separation. One, he made sure that there was not the chance for a tie game because in the sixth inning, when you see Tyrone Taylor get the double, one of just two hits, both Tyrone Taylor hits, off Cubs pitching in the game. And to erase him from the base pass, now part of that is on Taylor because he definitely he leaned the wrong way on a line out from PCA to right field. But for him to have that type of accuracy in that big of a moment, it could have easily been a one-one game with the heart of the Cubs order coming behind him

and said it was two out, nobody on, which is ideal for a guy like Erkiti. He had his back as well as Sam Antanachi. But then for Braid Montgomery to get two hits match the Cubs total on the day, including a two-run double. Taylor's total, actually. Yeah, two hits. and yeah, Taylor's total, Cubs, however you want to put it.

I just think that Montgomery needs to be noted and while Orkidie may be a flash in the band, hoping he's not, by the way. If he is, he's a hot flash. I think Braden Montgomery from his debut, you remember his debut, right? Walk off home run to win the game. To this point has been so instrumental

in the White Sox being able to have the lead that they have in the A.L. Central and appear to be headed towards the playoffs and perhaps even a division. title. I got to give it to Montgomery on this one. I just, I like what he means for the White Sox going forward, not just in this series, but in the season, and for many years beyond. Number two. How badly is the Cubs infield defense missing shortstop Dansby Swanson? Yeah, this is in respect to what we saw yesterday. Ray and I just observing how many

fielders choices there were, forceouts instead of double plays. And what I found compelling was that there were more failed double plays in this game than there were Cubs hits. That's not supposed to happen. First of all, you're supposed to have a few of each. More than two and more than, I want to say, right, were there four? There were at least four failed double plays. That count sounds right to me. Yeah, I mean, I want to say five, but I feel like that's probably exaggerating,

given there's only nine endings in a baseball game. But it was probably four failed double plays, and that's just outrageous. And, you know, especially with a ground ball pitcher on the mound like Clay Holmes, you just want better defensive positioning as well. You can't shift, but you can certainly understand where a ball is likely to be when a guy hits his spots. And I think there were pace issues. I know Nico, you know, has some adjusting to do at shortstop. This isn't really an issue with Nico Horner as much as it is. I think Martinez is a speed too at times, just understanding what speed it takes to turn around and throw the ball over to first.

So I'm hoping that that gets ironed out a little bit more effectively, especially when you have a guy like Holmes on the mound. Here's the reality. The Cubs don't know when they're getting Danes v. Swanson back for certain and whether that will be in the regular season or postseason if they last that long to allow him to return. Nico Horner, I think he's an above-average shortstop. I think it's more about the chemistry between him and Pedro O'Mears and getting that down.

And that's probably going to take some getting used to. It's going to take some time. and I don't know how much time the Cubs have. That's what the issue becomes. I think the rest of this week is going to be a tell because the Cubs head out west. They'll face Seattle, followed by Arizona. Two teams very much, even though the Mariners are seven games under 500,

they're only two and a half games out of a playoff spot and we know the bottom of the AAL wild card standings is volatile to say the least. Or it's just there. It's all there and it's just a. matter of who kind of gets out of it. But my point is all those teams are playing harder than they normally would be if they were out of it per se.

And I think they need to get it together and quickly because when you have the Braves playing the Brewers over the weekend, you're not going to have many better spots besides the seven head-to-head matchups you have left to maybe gain some ground if the Braves play at the level that they've been playing all season. So I think it's just a matter of can they get the chemistry down between Pedro Ramirez and between obviously you look at Nico Horner but also Matt Shaw's coming back they've made a change in adding heirs to the roster now there's other guys involved and it's not going to be as clockworked it as it has been all season long with Horner and with Swanson

number three this is five on it a 104 through the score with Layla Rahimi and Marshall Harris here's question number three what's your biggest takeaway from the reports that out of the Bears joint practice with the Bengals? I think my biggest takeaway might be who was in at left tackle during the two-minute drill. And reportedly, it sounds like that was Theo Benedet. So if that's the case, is that who we can expect to say in at left tackle, perhaps, to start on Saturday? And the left tackle position is not going to be one where guys get time off to rest. That's obviously a position of evaluation.

So is it Theo to start? Is it possibly Braxton Jones, even though I know we're still trying to figure out his health? How's Jedrick Wills doing? How's Karan Amagaji doing? So again, I point back to left tackle and understanding like Caleb Williams, okay, throw an interception. The whole point was to not be as afraid of throwing interceptions last season. I think that carries over to this one. That doesn't bother me.

But you better know who your left tackle is in these scenarios, at least to start. I'm looking at some video right now. Yes. It's going to concern one Laylorah Rihimi because the Caleb Williams interception, it was batted at the line of scrimmage by Dexter Lawrence. This was a problem last year. I know that's one of the main things you harped on. Like you can't be having balls batted because tips and overthrows, got to have those.

And this qualifies in the tips category. We did see a lot of batted balls at the line of scrimmage. You remember one named Max Crosby? he seems like he might have a future in this league. Remember him doing that as well? And just how many times on the left side guys would come in and try to bat a ball down or two or three? Number four. Yesterday, ESPN's Adam Schaefter reported that two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea

and the Buccaneers have agreed to terms on a one-year extension for $30 million. The Bears were reportedly among the teams that had interest and called the bucks about Vaya. So the question is, on a scale of 1 to 10 on the disappointment meter, trademark, where would you rate your level of disappointment that a trade sending Vita Vaya to the Bears never materialized?

Look, you may want Vita Vaya. You have wanted so many other guys that you've heard. I think... Why not, though? People who follow the Bears. Why not?

Well, because money. That's why not. Because cap. that's why not. I don't mean cap isn't someone's lying or not telling the truth. No, this is actually the opposite. Salary cap. The truth is out there in terms of how much you're allowed to spend on a yearly basis.

And I understand you can restructure. You can rework deals. But clearly the Bears have picked a lane. And that lane is offense. Offense, offense, and more offense. As in resources tied to the offense. As in you already made your investment in the defense. Now make those investments.

Pay off. Remember, every investment you make, this is monetarily speaking now, in the stock market. Every breath you take. Yes, we're going to go with the previous version, not the updated version of that particular. Oh, yeah. That is not even updated anymore. That's just the slightly newer version. Well, I'm just saying I make sure people are clear on who I'm not aligned with as we take those lyrics.

look, for the Bears and for the Bears fans and for media following and critiquing the Bears, there comes a point when you have to understand the disappointment meter is really about being a realistic meter. And it was never realistic that the Bears are going to add someone who just signed a one-year $30 million deal. How are you going to make that money work?

Let me give you a hint. You weren't. Make that money. And so that's why on the disappointment Meater. In no way you can fake that money. For the first time ever, I'm going to go with the negative. It's a negative one.

Wow. It's a negative one on the disappointment meter. At no point did I think the bears were getting Vita Vaya. At no point. I didn't either because of the $30 million, which the bears have like $5 of open cap space right now. But here's the thing. The disappointment meter for me is higher.

It's at like a six because of the sack total and his numbers last season. So Vita Vaya had 34 total tackles in four and a half sacks starting all 17 games for the Buccaneers last season. Now, by no means is that a career year for Vita Vaya, but here's the issue. That would tie him for third on sacks in 2025 on the Bears because Austin Booker was third with four and a half behind Montez who went with 10 and Jervon Dexter was six. So as you can imagine selfishly for me, I'm like, ah, things look a lot. better when you consider the team total sack number was 35. Four and a half is statistically significant in that scenario, meaning Vita Veyer's numbers would greatly have improved the bear's sack total. So, yeah, I'm slightly disappointed and I understand why they were interested.

They couldn't afford 30 million. What's the number then? I said like six. Six. Okay, so here's the thing. It ain't even about the sacks to me. It's about last time I checked, the bears weren't stopping the run all that well, right? That, do can do a lot of stuff in the middle of your he would immediately be the best interior defender on the team. So that just, yeah, and you're still not disappointed though?

No, because I understand reality. Again, the realistic meter, it's that's what I want to replace this with because it's negative on the, I can't be disappointed in something that I never thought was a possibility. That's just that's how I operate from a brain standpoint, the way I think,

analytically speaking. It was never a problem. because it was never going to happen. I mean, I kind of, I don't know, man. Because this is just the last and a long line of players that we thought, oh, that guy would look good on the bears. When the bears are as paltry as they have been on their defensive line, that's edge or interior.

Yeah. Everybody seems like, that's a guy you should get, that's a guy you should get. That's the problem. The reason we're interested in everybody is because everybody would probably be an upgrade. Yep, yep. That's... Do I need to say the quiet part of it? out, I guess I do.

And I don't know if you don't, if you disagree, show me. Show me that it's not an upgrade. Show me your wins above replacement. Number five. Because you didn't last year. Today is National Radio Day. Happy National Radio Day to everyone who celebrates. So I ask you guys, what is one of your most memorable moments in your radio careers?

I think for me it was probably how I got started. started in the business, just calling into the Dallas Cowboys postgame show as a teenager. And then my mom found out that there was a scholarship that the Dallas Mavericks were giving in the name of the late Mark Holtz, who was a broadcaster for them. And I did not know that this was common practice. It just seemed like a good idea because I was also a musician at the time I was playing in my school's orchestra, which fed into the University of North Texas, which was one of the best music schools in the country.

So they always had this practice of you, put your best work on a cassette at the time, and then you submit it for your chair seating. And I'm like, well, maybe I should just do the same and like submit my best calls because I recorded them all thinking it was a good idea. Not knowing that this was the practice. There was no way for me to know at the time. Your first resume rule is you calling into a Dallas station. I submitted a cassette tape of like four or five of my best calls, new to do that somehow.

Somehow, I'm not even kidding. And I think I based it off of like the idea of what I did for orchestra and then mailed it with an essay. And I did not realize that I was doing at the time what was common practice. Cassette tape. And that's what got me the scholarship, which ultimately got me an internship before I even officially started college. Congratulations on all that. I love this answer because I just learned something new I did not know about Layla Rahimi and her radio journey. My story is similar.

first time I was ever paid to do anything on the radio. Freshman year in college, Mississippi State University, there was a school in town that needed a play-by-play announcer. And I'd gone through the student newspaper, the student radio station, I'd gone everywhere. Hey, can I help out? Can I volunteer? Like, whatever.

I just trying to get my foot in the door. And the guy at the student radio station called me back two days later. I thought he was calling me because someone had not shown up or whatever. He was like, no, actually there's a commercial radio station in town that needs someone to do play-by-play for their high school football games. Have you done play-by-play? I said, no, but I would love to do it. And this is why I always tell people,

play-by-play was my first love. And so this school, Starkville Academy, this was two days before their first game. I had just enough time to call the coach, try to find out. Remember, the internet did not exist. That's how old I am. The internet did not exist.

Mine did, but it was like in your heart and on GeoCities and dial-up and stuff. Yeah, like, I guess technically it existed, but it didn't exist in like a Google world. Like, this is still very much dial-up internet. Ask Jeeves didn't happen until like 2003 or four, I think. Yeah, for reference, this was 1996, just so people know what year it was. And so I go to this school, not knowing anything about the school, because I'm from Alabama,

and it turns out that this was a academy of the academy systems, which are separate from the public schools, because there's this thing called White Flight in Mississippi. And so I end up. going to the school with my little calm unit that I had never used before and it was nothing but white people in the ground I see white people and not only did I see white people

guess what they had eyes so they saw me and they were like what is this dude doing here and they were like why is he going up to the press box and why is he setting up shop and it was kind of a terrifying moment to be honest but the headmaster of the school because you know headmaster I mean, the fact that it's a headmaster, right?

Look, not headmaster, but principal. I just thought there was a term in movies. He comes up to me. I was one of them public schools. He introduces himself. I tell him who I am and why I'm there. And he's like, okay. And he, if you need anything, let me know.

And he was like, the kindest, most gracious guy. Some of the people in the stands were not. And I was terrible, to be fair. But I got better as the season goes on. I did it for three straight years. And they got used to me being there, I guess. and I even got a couple of compliments by the end of like year two

and that's how I got my start in the radio business but I was absolutely terrified and sometimes you just got to be uncomfortable somebody told me in football you have to get comfortable being uncomfortable and years before I heard it from an NFL head coach I lived it. But the sad part is you had to still suffer

so other people could learn to just be comfortable with you existing doing your job. You know what? The greater good was served but it was still at a price you had to pay. Look, I paid kind of a social terrifying price, but at the same time, I also got paid 50 bucks a game. Who's laughing now?

To do something I would have done for free? That part. And also, do you know how much 50 bucks was back in 1996? Do you know we could buy with $50 back in 1990s? Two tanks of gas for one, maybe three. That is absolutely true. Yeah. Three. Honda Accord. Hell yeah. Oh, we didn't have time for you guys.

I think we should talk about you guys at 140. Did we have a 145 plan? Oh, we have a great thing at 145 scheduled, which is a bull's player has not learned his lesson. A current bull's player? A current bull's player has not learned his lesson. He had a big lesson that he should have learned last season, and he clearly didn't learn it. All right. Well, if we have time, let's get to you guys as two during our show, because I feel like that's fair and just.

as we all are in this as a team. Happy National Radio Day, everyone. Vinnie Doober, who's now the Cubs writer for the Sun-Times, is next.