5 On It: Which Cubs player needs to step up against Astros? (Hour 3)
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This hour is brought to you by Vasectomy Clinics of Chicago.
Who needs to have a big series in order to ensure the Cubs a series win over the Astros at Wrigley Field this weekend?
Is it too easy to say PCA? It probably is, right? Like, that's too easy.
It doesn't seem like anything's easy coming to PCA right now. Ray has a good point.
Fair.
Which Cubs player needs to step up against the Astros?
And you know what you don't want to do? Be the team that loses to the Astros for the first time since 2013 at home. I live that lineup, guys. And I am here to tell you that those were some interesting times. It wasn't. It was really hard. It was three straight losses of seasons of 100 plus losses. Like some interesting names there. And it was Ronnie Cedeno, the former Cardinal. Sorry, been a minute since I thought about those dudes. Baseball, respectively, RIP. Not really, but you know, to that lineup. So you don't want to be that team is the point. We heard Jeff Blum talk about it earlier. The struggles at Wrigley by the Astros, notable, but these are two different teams.
Is PCA the obvious choice for the Cubs' success?
I'm going to go with the second easiest choice here. Nico Horner. He goes, they go. I know at times he's the only dude hitting for this team, but I need somebody to get on base and that will make me feel much better about everybody else. We see that Seiya Suzuki moved down in the lineup. I had the harebrained idea of putting him next to Nico to give him the most protection possible in the lineup because put him next to the guy who you know is going to get some hits. But... I see some tinkering, so we got to see how it plays out. But I still think the leadoff batter is who needs to produce the most to just make everybody else feel better, because he can. I feel like putting pressure on him is fine.
I feel like this question has never been as open-ended in terms of where you go with your answer. You can go almost any direction, and it makes sense.
Anything is possible, mostly because there's not a lot of room to go down.
Yeah, they're coming off definitely a lowered floor after getting swept by the Brewers in their own ballpark. I think the magic of Wrigley does return to some extent, but for me, it's very simple. It's the three-hole hitter, Alex Bregman. Former team. Unless Nico Horner or Michael Bush are driving themselves in, which is possible, especially for Bush, who's been absolutely great in the month of May, unlike the rest of his teammates.
Sorry, Michael Bush.
Bush is going to get on base. This is something I'm certain of.
B-O-B? Bush on base?
What lineup changes could benefit the Cubs during the series?
Yes. Bob. I was hoping for another B.O.B., Bombs Over the Bleachers.
Come on. Bombs Over the Bleachers.
Yes. Again, yes. But let's be honest, guys. If you look at this lineup and understand that Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are batting fourth and fifth, and then Nico Horner are batting first and second, the guy hitting in the three-hole either has to get on base or he has to drive in runs. He can't be dead weight. And Bregman has not been good. His slug has been way too low all season long. I don't need him to hit 35 home runs, but he needs to be able to have a threat of hitting doubles and homers.
Stop playing a garbage.
Yes.
Everybody.
Yeah, that's it.
But here's the thing. Swing it something because you guys are just watching stuff go by.
Last I checked, they paid Alex Bregman a whole lot of money to come here. Bregman does not have to be the hero, but he can't be... a gap in the lineup. And right now in the three hole, he's a gap. Look, Layla, to your point, I wanted to say a batting third and Bregman moved down the lineup. It didn't happen. So now Alex Bregman against, as you mentioned, his former team, he's got a pony up.
Well, and at some point, I don't know if it happens in this series, but do you move half out of batting cleanup? You know, I said, I think Michael Bush may go there. Like maybe, but I'm not the handedness lineup person. Not even about handedness though. I'm about like people hitting next to each other because they like it.
You need Michael Bush in the two-hole because that gets him more at-bats. He needs more plate appearances.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:34
2
Which Cubs player needs to step up against the Astros?
0:34–1:21
3
Is PCA the obvious choice for the Cubs' success?
1:21–2:50
4
What lineup changes could benefit the Cubs during the series?
2:50–4:37
5
How important is Nico Horner for the Cubs' performance?
4:37–7:18
6
What role does Alex Bregman play in the upcoming series?
7:18–9:14
7
How can the Cubs improve their hitting with runners in scoring position?
9:14–19:52
8
What are the expectations for the White Sox series against the Giants?
19:52–30:45
Speakers
4 identifiedMore from Rahimi & Grote Show
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Anthony Herron shares observations from Bears' ugly loss to Vikings (Hour 2)