Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show
5 On It: Has Daniel Palencia peaked before MLB season has even begun?
18 Mar 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This hour is brought to you by Vasectomy Clinics of Chicago. Has Cubs closer Daniel Palencia peaked before the MLB season has even begun? We joked about it because, my goodness, he looked incredible in this World Baseball Classic. And I know he's got a lot of gas in the tank, but that was a lot of gas that he threw out there and at opposing batters.
So this was a big topic on our group thread today.
Chapter 2: Has Daniel Palencia peaked before the MLB season?
You don't want that to happen. So I'm going to say that's not the case. But if he keeps this up the entire season, can you imagine? Number one, all-star. And then number two, bona fide playoff quality closer. And that's something that I feel like we have not been able to say at this point in the year, mid-March, for a very, very long time. Let me start by saying this. He can't keep this up.
Because what he did was give up zero hits in five games. Not a single hit. He had two people reach base. One guy he hit, one guy he walked. He struck out nine over five innings. That's special. In a winner-take-all situation, that is phenomenal. He can't keep this up. But if he can have a whip sub one, if he can have a K per nine... Double digits.
Chapter 3: What were Daniel Palencia's standout performances in the World Baseball Classic?
If he can convert 95% of his saves... I know that's a high bar, by the way. That's 19 out of every 20. So 38 out of 40. If he can have that type of season, I think he will have... Made it. And we talked earlier about a 40-save season being a possibility, which a lot of guys don't do. I don't know if he'll get that far just because I think the Cubs really have to manage his workload.
They really have to, especially early in the season. If you want to have your guy at the end of the season, take it easy on the front end. That's all I'm asking from Craig Council, Tommy Haddavy, and Jed Hoyer and them. So nice to have a guy in that spot, too, that throws the triple digits, that throws 100.
I mean, the last time, I think the last time they had a closer that was doing that had to be a role as Chapman. I know Hector Rondon would hit 100 occasionally back in the day and then the glory years of the Chicago Cubs. But to have that intimidation. that fear factor and other players are obviously watching that, but that's the key. Can he do this for the entire season?
And, you know, he's had his ups and downs getting to the point that he is in his career. I love where the emotion level is. We know that that's not going to go down. And yeah, the, the numbers five scoreless touchdowns,
hitless innings across five appearance or recording nine strikeouts and one walk so it's nice to know that there is an adult in the closers role as opposed to i keep talking about it with alzali and hector narris and then the ryan presley experiment from last year it's all been experimental and it feels like they might have actually developed the closer which would be absolutely amazing for the price that they're getting him for right now especially
Do you think the Cubs are ready to start Matt Sean right field on opening day if Seah Suzuki can't go due to the strained PCL he sustained in the World Baseball Classic? I think they have to. And frankly, if that is the case, if Seah is not ready to go because of that strained PCL, let him heal. And no offense, Nationals, but I feel like in this weather...
When Wrigley Field can be very unpredictable, you know, they say it plays small this time of year. I feel like it played small all of last season. When the wind is unpredictable, perhaps, and the ivy has not grown in, maybe this is the best time to really get some real game experience in right field and acclimate yourself.
And I didn't intend on using that word, but I feel like the climate does matter in this. So Matt Shaw, from an offensive standpoint, pick up where you leave off, continue the spring training performance so far. But then can you think of a truer test for somebody if you really want to get to know the outfield than perhaps next week? That's what I think of.
That's probably the best experience that you can get. I think I'm leaning into the fact that the Cubs said that the MRI and the level of strain on the PCL of Seiya Suzuki is minor in nature, and that's giving me hope that he could be back to possibly start the season. I'm not excited about Matt Shaw, right field, opening day. I also don't think that that's what's going to happen, but...
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Chapter 4: Can Daniel Palencia maintain his performance throughout the MLB season?
Also, a moment of appreciation for Mackenzie Gore not being that dude. Thank God. That's fair. Wish he was on the Cubs. Farewell. Yes, that too. Yeah, that part. Guys, of course the bat, you want Seiya's bat over Shaw's bat. But is it inconceivable... that Matt Shaw could be just as good as a right fielder as Seiya Suzuki is, or even better. Oh, it's conceivable.
Because Seiya Suzuki is not a great... He's fine as a right fielder, but I'm not that worried about Matt Shaw being plugged in in right field. Oh, he's had some adventures in fielding. He's had some adventures in fielding. Don't we all have adventures from time to time? Usually not when the playoffs are on the line. And the Cubs have pulled this off.
Look, they've made Ian Happen to a gold-glove left fielder. Kyle Schwarber was here. Schwarber was shaky at first in left field, I will say. But eventually he came around. So hopefully it doesn't take Matt Shaw time. There's going to be mistakes. There are going to be things that are going to happen, and not every ball has been played correctly. in spring training so far.
So there's going to be moments, but I think the Cubs are going to be just fine out there if they have to be without, say, a Suzuki for a little while, especially defensively. Offensively, of course, you want that bat. Five on it. Number three. This is five on it with Rahimi Harris-Ingrodi right here on 104.3 The Score.
Coming at number three, the World Baseball Classic came to an end as Venezuela takes it all against USA. So I asked you guys, who is your World Baseball Classic MVP today? Well, for the actual game, they said it was Michael Garcia. And I get that. You know, I get that he was... It's hard to argue. The problem is... You want your guy to be the MVP, right?
There's all these players that you're watching and that you're cheering for and that you think could be that person. But Garcia did have an excellent season with the Royals last year. I feel like he's, you know, that kind of continues his resume building. But you could argue for Ronald Acuna Jr. ? You could argue for Daniel Polencia, frankly, after his performance is closing.
Could you even make the argument for the starting pitcher in Eduardo Rodriguez? I think it has to be a Venezuelan player. Is this... For the whole thing or just championship game? That's what I thought. No, for the whole thing. But I'm saying I still could make the argument for those three dudes. Oh, no, no. I was just asking to make sure I had my answer correct. Yeah.
For what I wanted to put out there, whether it was for a game or whether it was for the whole tournament. Right. So for the whole tournament. The whole tournament, yeah. It's Daniel Palencia. Like, I'm sorry. But in every game... If you lose outside of pool play, you're going home. This is the man who they put on the mound at the end of those games after pool play. Again, I'm going to remind you.
He appeared in five games and did not give up a hit. And he pitched in the most crucial of spots, whether it was a one-run lead or a two-run lead in the semifinals. It's Daniel Palencia. Did not give up a hit and was striking people out left and right. It's Daniel Palencia. I had Palencia down, too, with honorable mention to Bryce Terangue. What? He did have... He had some bad defensive plays.
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Chapter 5: What are the Cubs' plans for Matt Shaw if Seiya Suzuki is unavailable?
And there's a second stadium that they're talking. They've already put shovels in the ground for the Chicago fire. And now we're talking about, will the Bears get beaten to this as well? So I can't imagine what they're thinking when they see all this. Yep, another stadium. We couldn't do it, but they can. And then to answer the question,
I think the Bears have shovels in the ground first because I have a lot riding on my prediction of July 27th, 2026. Oh, yeah. Did you put yours in your calendar, Marshall? I did put it in the calendar once you told me to put it in my calendar. August 6th. You got a lot riding on that. I put mine in my calendar, but it's not until next year, so I don't have to worry about it.
Why is your prediction so close to mine? I don't know. You and Ray, right, Ray? You're 2027 as well? Was that correct? I didn't participate in that vote. Oh, my bad. This was Monday. Baby T participated. Oh, yeah, that's right. Sorry, man. It was Baby T. The one time Ray takes off. Baby T? What's up, grody? Yeah. Is that a Baby T impression? Hey, what's going on, Grody? What's going on? Bears.
That sounds like Baby T. Yeah. Yeah. I'm with it. Five on it. Number five. Shout out to Baby T. The best. Foul territory. Ask Team USA's Kyle Schwarber to name the greatest sports moment in U.S. history. This was Schwarber's answer. The Indiana Hoosiers winning a national championship. So that was pretty awesome. Might have teed him up for that a little bit.
How happy were you in that moment watching that game here in Miami? Oh, it was ecstatic. It was electric. Made it somewhat of, I was surprised how many Indiana fans there were, even for a home game in Miami. But, yeah, it was so much fun. I mean, Miami had a great defense, and Indiana just did what they did and stayed to the game plan and walked away.
I never thought I'd see it in my life, but I'm happy I did. This is Kyle Schwarber with Trisha Whitaker. So that's his answer to his favorite U.S. sports moment. But I ask you this question, and I'll even broaden it out. I'm sure it'll be U.S. anyway, but what's your favorite sports moment of your lifetime? I think it still might be the finals that culminated after the last dance.
Because even though I didn't live here, Jordan was larger than life. Everything about Chicago just dominated at that time, even to somebody who didn't live here. there was nobody who you placed on a pedestal more, I feel like, than Michael Jordan. You know, that was from the era of like, are the Bulls so bad or so good they're bad for the NBA? That's Sports Illustrated cover.
So I think, I thought, I mean, Miracle on Ice is before I was alive, so I can't pick that. But I feel like the NBA Finals just accomplishing a sixth title with the same core, that was probably the most...
i think amazing feat that i had seen i don't have a feeling that matches that watching a championship okay so mine's kind of off the beaten path because it's not championship related okay but i remember it very distinctly bo jackson man that was my favorite athlete growing up you know like this dude he could do everything i remember when i went out and got bow nose bow and read the book front to cover in less than 24 hours that's how much i like bo jackson
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