Wrigleyville Nation's Podcast - Chicago Cubs Discussion, News, & More · wrigleyvillenation.com

Ep 383 - Guest: James Neveau, Cubs Win 2 in NY, All Star Break, & More

·1 hr·3 clips

Jeremy asks whether Kyle Tucker is worth more than Isaac Paredes, Cam Smith, and Cody Bellinger.

1. Wrigleyville Nation's Podcast episode 383 centers on the Cubs' 3-3 split against the Twins and Yankees before the All-Star break. 2. Jeremy Diemer hosts with Pat, and guest James Neveau joins from NBC Chicago and Home Runs and Handshakes to analyze Cubs moves. 3. The episode asks whether the Cubs can hold first-half momentum and still address third base, starting pitching, and roster depth. 4. The Twins series opened with Shota Imanaga allowing two runs in six innings while Porter Hodge gave up five runs in one inning. 5. Jeremy and Pat note that the Cubs scored only one run in that first Twins loss and then only two runs in the second loss. 6. Pete Crow-Armstrong's two-homer game and Colin Rea's seven innings salvaged the finale and prevented a sweep. 7. The Yankees series then flipped the mood because Matthew Boyd pitched eight shutout innings and stopped New York's five-game winning streak. 8. James Neveau calls Boyd the stopper in the rotation and says the Cubs needed that kind of win before the break. 9. The hosts also point to Jordan Wicks' rough outing and Cody Bellinger's three two-run homers as the major reason Friday's game got away. 10. Daniel Palencia is credited for shutting the door on Saturday when the Yankees threatened a comeback. 11. The catcher trio becomes a major talking point because Carson Kelly, Miguel Amaya, and Reese McGuire are all above a 100 OPS+. 12. Pat says he cannot recall a Cubs season with three catchers producing that well at the plate. 13. Jeremy and Pat think the Cubs may keep all three catchers because the bench bats, including Justin Turner, John Birdie, Vidal Brujan, and Nicky Lopez, have been weak. 14. Third base becomes the clearest lineup concern because Matt Shaw is hitting under .200 with a 556 OPS and about 0.6 WAR. 15. James Neveau argues the Cubs should pursue Eugenio Suárez, saying third base needs a player who can actually win games. 16. Starting pitching is treated as the bigger deadline need, with the hosts mentioning Boyd, Imanaga, Cade Horton, Justin Steele, and Jameson Taillon as reasons the rotation still lacks depth. 17. Pat warns against trading Owen Caissie for a rental and says any such deal needs to bring back a pitcher with years of control. 18. The Kyle Tucker hypothetical turns into a longer debate about stars versus flexibility, with Cam Smith, Isaac Paredes, and Cody Bellinger all in the discussion. 19. The tone stays conversational and baseball-specific, with Jeremy steering the structure while Pat and James trade off examples and deadline scenarios. 20. Cubs fans tracking the trade deadline and the team's catcher and rotation plans will get the most from this episode, while casual listeners who avoid roster-deadline talk may skip it.

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