Cubs' bullpen needs reinforcements (Hour 3)

0:00Ha and Peyton in the mornings on 104-3 the score. McGill working on Suzuki. Ground ball to short. Matt will go to first and the ballgame is over. Milwaukee, after losing the opener to the Cubs on Monday night, the Brewers have come back to win the next two. The final tonight, nine to five, Brewers. X-ray for negative on Jacob, fortunately. He's got a, you know, he's in a little bit of pain and he's got a pretty big. I don't know, Brewers are, it's going to be a big Brewers, so he's a little sore, but X-rays are negative. Even the right forearm, yeah, and the kind of the meat part of the forearm. Welcome back on this beautiful Thursday morning in Chicago. It is the Ha and Peyton show right here on Chicago Sports Radio 104-3. The score, David Ha, Jared Peyton. The guy with the meaty forearms. What do you got your meaty forearms? What do you flex it for? Yeah, I know Craig Consul said the meaty part of his forearm.

1:02You could relate to that more than most people. Yeah, but you got the meat on the forearms. That had to hurt. Oh, it did hurt. Come on, Paul, you do two miles per hour. Like, yes, and then trying to make a play after that. And probably being in shock that the ball is coming back that fast at you. I don't care if you're a big league pitcher or you're just a local kid playing. A ball coming that fast at you, you got to react. Well, it was injury added to insult because the Cubs, they solved the miz. They handled the miz. The presumptive Sai Young Award winner did not have his best night. In fact, it was his worst outing of the season. And the Cubs jump all over Jacob Mizraowski for five runs and four innings. And then they manage a measly hit the rest of the way against a brewer's bullpen. That locked it down. Locked it down in a way that Cubs bullpen has not. All right. So I was more surprised that they jumped out on the miz like they did.

2:05But I was also surprised as well as that once the game went on, that the offense went stale down the stretch. That's what I was not. I thought this was going to be a back and forth, back and forth. Milwaukee just had a little bit more juice in the tank. And it's not about fences weird. It's feast or famine. They lead everyone in home runs and then they jump off and outspragman drives in four runs. And he goes deep and all of a sudden then the bat's going silent. So half the game, it was great. The other half it was silent. It was a microcosm of the season offensively. Okay. But you were hopefully, you're hopefully getting more from your starting pitching. But this bullpen has been a little shaky. I'm sure as it's going to be put on this Cubs offense to be able to get it done, which is something that I don't know is how tough that's going to be for that. Well, it's going to be very difficult because the bullpen is not performing. And we'll talk to Tommy Hyder via 825, the Cubs pitching coach and friend of the program,

3:06a regular here. I looking forward to that conversation, even though it will be a difficult one. Where is help and is it on the way? Could it be eventually in the form of Justin Steele, who was in inning and 2-3rds at Iowa last night, gave it one earned run, struck out to two guys. But more importantly, aside from the baseball, it represented a human triumph. He had not been on the mound since April of 2025. That's huge. Can you envision him though coming back? Craig Consul said, I think during the afternoon show, or maybe it was pre-game, that Justin Steele probably has a couple more outings. But the Cubs only have 22 games left. Can he be a guy that is a factor down the stretch out of the bullpen? I don't love the story. Love the comeback. Love the triumph. But I don't know how much you can count on him. David, I just, it's putting a lot on a guy that hasn't pitched in a long time. And you're asking him to come back. Not in any starter role, but if they do see improvement, he'll be able to help a little bit

4:11because as of right now, this bullpen, they need help. Because over the last 12 games, these are the stats. 40 and 2-thirds innings. They've given up 40 hits. Overall, the earned run average collectively is 6.2 with 15 walks and weight for it. Nine home runs, offer leaf pitchers in the past 12 games. One of those guys really struggling, Daniel Polencia. He obviously isn't the pitcher we remember from last year. He isn't the pitcher that we saw during the World Baseball Classic. And you have to understand that and maybe give him some grace. The Cubs are also going to continue to give him opportunities. He was bad last night. Maybe worse than he was the night before. That's a debate, maybe not. But Craig Counsel nonetheless, I don't know what choice he has, but to keep putting him out there. And that's what he said after the game. We need Daniel, you know, the results have not been good. And the best thing we can do is to get him out there as much as we can.

5:12This was his first time pitching the back to back day, but that's going to happen. And so, you know, we just got to keep getting there. We need our bullpened guys to get out. And Daniel's one of the key guys we need to get going. So, we're going to keep putting him out there. Is that the best thing they can do? 3-1-2-6-44-67-67. Do they have other options? Daniel, Palencia looks like he's just the night before he was struggling with command and composure. And he had a block and it seemed to, he lost it. Last night, he had the awkward pick-off move and then he had to come out to look at him because it looked like he's strained a muscle. Well, I understand where we're going with this, but who... Where are we going? I don't know. You want... It sounds like you're saying why did Craig go back to him last night? I wonder. But who else is there to go to?

6:12And I do, I agree with Craig because I think the division now is completely out of reach. And Daniel Palencia, when right, is really good. I mean, David, we could play 10 drops between the two of us about gasoline and all of our respect for Daniel Palencia, right? We could do that. So if you were to just ship him off to Iowa, let's just say, who you bring it up? Is there... is the cavalry coming? I heard this on the afternoon show yesterday. Spiegel brought this up. This great research about last year's MLB post-season and guys participating in massive high-leveraged situations that were not good and or not even with the team until September. Yeah, that's baseball. That's baseball. Who is that guy, right? Craig Councilor, does that guy exist? Well, he could. I don't think it's Jackson Wiggins if that's what you're getting at. Well, I'm saying like Jackson Wiggins can't control his pitching. He's walking guys. You can't afford to walk guys in the post-season.

7:12You're freebies. No. Well, the brewers have tried and true battle-tested Ashby Yerebae McGill. And they had the numbers that said basically when they pitch, look at the winning, look at the ERA, they collectively could be the best trio in terms of a bullpen that you're going to see. I don't know. The cups don't have that. No, they don't have that. But keep going back to Plenzi, though. I mean, that's what he, Craig has to do. I just don't know. I'm what does it. I don't know where, where that help is coming from. Well, is it almost like, is it almost like, is a running back? You didn't get, you didn't get three yards on the first touch. And then on the second carry, you fumbled the ball. Are they not supposed to give you the ball back? No. You got to give the guy the ball back. So you got to give Plenzi the ball back, right? I'm sure you fumbled once or twice. Yeah, it's on YouTube somewhere. Okay. Just don't find it. Don't find it. Don't.

8:12Don't find it. Yeah, I feel like I get that part, but at some point, though, yeah, pitching a little bit different because you have, if the command is not there, you're not syncing your pitches, then now it becomes an issue. And you have, you have stats and numbers over that over your last couple of starts, where that seems to be an issue. When your ERA is that high, like, hi, it's like, what are we doing here? By the end of the season, and we're almost there, 22 games to go. I wonder if Zepharjian, Plenziah and Webb, who I'm not sure, is going to be available for a while. We don't know. The X-rays were negative, but the well is going to exist. And the pain will be there, right? Yeah, there is. So it's hard to know when he's going to be able to pitch again. Could it be Thielbar? Could it be a guy that people wanted to DFA? Could it be, you know, one more, you know, he's going to squeeze that rag. There's no last little piece. There's no question that Craig is going to go to Caleb Thielbar and Ryan Rallison,

9:12because there's a left handers. But you're talking about the question. And you ask about Matt Speagle addressing, Craig, council talked about it during the afternoon show. Who is it that doesn't isn't here now that could contribute later? Well, Edward Cabrera, Justin Steele, Javier Sade. There's your three pitchers that could have live arms by the time the playoffs arrived. And how often did Bruce say, and you and Bruce, but it heads on this, about the use of Edward Cabrera down the stretch, right? I know, I know. I tell me Bruce was right. He has the potential to be right, yes. I know. Okay. He's our square baseball inside. Let's go out to the phone lines. Three, one, two, six, forty, four, sixty, seven, sixty, seven. Tell me how wrong I was. People out there. Patrick is in Logan Square. Patrick, welcome to Han Payton. Hey, Patrick, we lost Patrick. Oh, man. Patrick. He's unholded and is ready to make a great point. Man. But that is a possibility. And I think when you look at where the Cubs are as a pitching staff, you do have to consider any and all options.

10:14Because I do believe, Jarrah, even though there is a wild, I think, inconsistency with the offense, which can be streaky, can carry your time, 17 to three, then all the home runs, and look at August. But the offense is good enough, I think, to believe that it could take you a long way in October. The bullpen isn't. Not now. It doesn't have to be a whole collective of things for you to have success. You mean, you talk about having your first three pitchers for a series, and then you need your offense and a defense. And the one thing that this team has done all season long, and what they're known for is, as their defense offensively, we know they can be streaky. But if you don't have your starting pitching on point and your bullpen on point, I just don't know how far you can actually go. Two and seven Texan, if you're looking for blame for the bullpen, blame Jedhoyer and Carter Hawkins, the only thing they've done in the off season to address it,

11:15have been big fails. Phil Mayton, and anyone else, counsel was behind the eight ball from day one. I don't know that I want to blame Jedhoyer right now, because I think at the deadline, there was a feeling around baseball, and certainly in this studio, that the Cubs won the deadline. They went out and they got two starters. That hurt and pack all together. See one of them tonight, Kevin Galsman. Clay Holmes is the de facto ace of this staff. Ryan Zepherjohn, Craig Counsel alluded to this during the afternoon show, I believe, coming from Anaheim to Riggley Field, going from a team that doesn't care about winning to one that's in the midst of a pennant race, can have an effect on certain guys. Ryan Zepherjohn has not been the same pitcher since he came from the Angels of the Cubs, and that could be contributing why. Maybe the stage is a little big so far. He can maybe adapt. I'm not giving up on him yet, because he's got electric stuff.

12:17He just hasn't been as effective. I think it's hard when you make that move. I think most times when you see someone actually making a move at the trade deadline, you think that a new opportunity, new settings, it gives you a different vibe. But I think the vibe is a little different because of the expectations that are always put on the Cubs and on the north side and what it means to be able to play inside of Riggley. I think there is something that goes with that a little bit, David, when it comes to the expectations and a little bit of the bright lights. You're listening to the Hawn Payton Show. We're the new morning show here at the score 104-3, and we're going to be on until 10 o'clock. Obviously, you want to keep it here all day long, because the Cubs, this is the only local broadcast for tonight's game, pre-game coverage at 541-Pitch-615. And it's going to be heard at 104-3, the score in the Northwestern Medicine Cubs Radio Network, Zach Zabin's pre-game. You're going to see a match up between Kevin Gawzman and Logan Henderson. On the TV side, it's interesting because it's a national broadcast.

13:20The White Sox are playing this afternoon, and it is a national broadcast. When was the last time? We were unable to find this, because I don't know if there was ever a time. When was the last time both the Cubs and the Sox were on national television on the same day in September, or at all? I don't know if I can give you those numbers. Fourth and never would be my guess. I would think never. That's how unusual this pennant race is. The White Sox are down in Houston. They played the Astros in the finale of that series. They were shut out last night, two to nothing. Not a great night for fundamental baseball. Tristan Peters caught in a tough spot on the bases. You had Will Vennable and that with his finest hour, and necessarily could have been pitch running for Jerome O. You have a team that got a very good outing from Davis Martin. Davis Martin, five and two-thirds, shut out baseball. Couldn't ask for anything more for him coming back and make this start last night.

14:22It gave you an opportunity. He did. It gave you an opportunity. That's just where Colt. That's where Colt, moon and maracame, continues to be in a slump. I like what Aussie suggested. I think you got to move down. Move them down. I just think it's a lot of pressure. It's a lot of pressure trying to get your mind right and feel like you have to produce when you can slide back in the order and feel a little bit more comfortable. I think that would help. They have to feel good about their pitching though. This series, Sean Burke was good. Last night, Davis Martin returned and today Castillo has a chance to go out and be the picture. They know he can be because he's due. Last couple of outings, a little shaky. If they salvaged the split out of this series, they would, I think, welcome that. I did some research for you. The last time that the Cubs and the Y-sox were both featured on national television. In September was September 27, 2020. That was the shortened season, but they played each other. Yes, that's it.

15:23But that was when they played each other. When they played two separate games, I don't know if that's ever have a great research brand. Brandon, you're amazing. That was fast. That's right. Let's go out to the phone lines. Jeff has been listening and waiting patiently on the Odyssey app and he has a thought about the White Sox and Will Venable. Jeff, welcome to Hawn Peyton. Good morning, gentlemen. David, you kind of hit on it. Sure, Will Venable is better than Pedro Gryffold, but we really don't know how good he is yet. Things that I noticed from that game and it's been happening too much lately. You said pinch hit for Gryromo. Okay, they don't pinch hit for Gryromo when there's a runner on third. He gets a walk. Then you have to pinch run for him. He doesn't pinch run for him. And then he gets the second or the well, then there's the contact play. You don't run a contact play when there's nobody out in the infield is in because the ball is going to get to the infielders quicker and you're going to hit. You have a hell of a time trying to score. If it gets by him, you're scoring anyways. There's no reasons to do a contact play there.

16:24And then Rommel gets to second. Why are we not pinch running for him when he's on second? That base hit by Maricami was not right at Cam Smith out there in the right field. It was to right center. He had to go get it. And then Gryromo can out score from second. That's a big blunder. And finally, well, you got Newcomin. Newcomin is great. Newcomin has been a godsend to this bullpen. But he's through 30 something pitches in one inning. And you leave him in there to face a right hander with the game on the line when you have Grant Taylor in the bullpen. And I know they were going to use Grant Taylor because he warmed up in the ninth inning. So just bring him in earlier. Take care of that. You had a game that was zero to zero. You had to play for the one run that late in the game. You needed to play for the one run. He did not. A manager probably doesn't lose you too many games. A manager doesn't win you too many games. But a manager has to put you in the best position to win games. He has not done that lately.

17:24And this, I don't know if it's going to cost him a manager of the year. If they win the division, I'm pretty sure he's winning the manager of the year. But he's got to be better because we got to win these games. These games all matter. Today you're going against Houston's best pitcher probably. You should have known that the night before knowing you're going to have a tough time today and get that win last night. You have a good one. Great call Jeff. A lot of frustration there on the White Sox. They can still salvage a split today this afternoon on CHSN. The Cubs, they can salvage a split as well. Tonight with the starting pitcher Kevin Gosman, what do we need to see from him? We'll ask Tommy Hadovi, the Cubs pitching coach, that and many other things. Next on Hawn Payton Chicago Sports Radio 1043 this score. Pitching coach Tommy Hadovi of the Cubs. We're in the blue pullover. Tommy Hadovi pitching coach for the Chicago Cubs. You're transitioning from being a player to kind of getting into base by you. On the class was it a Boston Youth Saber metrics 101? Yeah.

18:24I was a finance major in college and I had an economic minor. A lot of it was too. I'm going to refresh all my econ knowledge and I'm going to do it in the baseball courses. It's like one of the best things ever. There's just a lot of trust there with Tommy. We know he's such a hard work. He puts in all the hours and really, really knows what he's talking about when it comes to pitching. Tommy Hadovi breaking down the starting rotation and bullpen on the north side. With Hawn Payton I'm here for one reason. I want to help these guys get better and win win win baseball games. Tommy Hadovi on 1043 the score. Welcome back. It's Hawn Payton. Chicago's 4th radio 1043 the score. Time now to go out to work. Plumbers 9-1-1 hotline. Plumbing emergency call 183-3-3-3-3-9-1-1. Local 130 plumbers. Get the job done right the first time. Always a pleasure to be joined by Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hadovi. Good morning Tommy. How are you? I'm doing all right guys. How are you? Doing well. Thank you for joining us. Rough night last night. You got an opportunity to salvage the series tonight. Against the brewers in the finale of the four game set.

19:26Let's start with Jacob Webb. That was hard to see. It was immediate and Craig Consul said after the game X-rays were negative. How bad is it and how do you replace a guy like that if you have to? Yeah I think we're kind of at that point where we've got to see how he feels and responds today. He's next two days. Like Count said last night, the X-rays were negative. So that's extremely positive. But when any time that you're throwing arm, no matter how, you know, no, there's no broken bones. But there's always going to be something underlying there that we got to deal with. So he's a tough dude. He's a guy that's that's, you know, battles and stuff in the past. So I think, you know, he'll, he'll be, you know, back here quick. It's just need to see how, how these next, next few days progress and we'll, we can get it back out there. I think he's, he's being extremely important to us and, you know, he's, he's covered so many big high leverage moments for us.

20:29It's back down the game. So, you know, definitely optimistic with the first sign. But we need to see how he's dealing today, obviously. Tommy, are Daniel Pluintzias issues more confidence or mechanical, you think? Well, I, you know, I think sometimes I go hand in hand. I think right now, honestly, I think it's a little bit more of a confidence thing. He wasn't feeling great mechanically. I think as he was getting back during his rehab and trying to kind of get things in sync and, and some of that does translate into not having the concerts of driving the ball where you, you want it or you expected to be, you know, in the past. So, I do think for him when he's right mechanically, he's driving the fastball through the top of the strike zone and getting a slider down and, and yesterday we did see some flashes that then, you know, he did get a, you know, left the heater down in the zone for the single. So, he's a guy that needs just needs more consistent reps.

21:31And we're going to continue to give him opportunities to work through those things. He's shown that he could be a dominant reliever in, in, in this game, showed it in, in the post season last year and during the season showing that WBC is just getting back to, to that guy right now. What's the approach with Ryan Zepherjohn and how much do his struggles have to do with just maybe being as simple as going from a team that really wasn't playing many high leverage games to a team that's in the midst of. A pen and race with you know how wriggly field is you know what it's like to be a cup. Yeah, I think originally it's that onboarding process of what, what are your strengths? What do you lean on in big moments and, and for him, you know, most of the season that was that sweeper in the four seamer. And so, you know, establishing that as kind of his, his focal point, you know, when catchers are getting to know you, that's what they tend to lean on the most. And when you looked at Zepherjohn, you look at his mix, he really does have four pitches.

22:31He has a sinker. He can also throw and he's got this kind of downer gyro slider. And I think as catchers are trying to get in the flow of the game calling component of it, when he's pitching high leverage situations, you want to lean on, you know, quote unquote his two best pitchers. And then he's got his two best pitches, the most often you can't you can't blame any of them for wanting to do that when he's getting thrown into those situations. What makes him really good though is the fact that he can mix those other two pitches in it at a high clip and kind of keep. And then he goes off balance being able to use that sinker and varieties to protect the sweeper and things like that. So I do think there was some component of just getting in the flow with the catching group and making sure that, you know, for a pitch calling standpoint, everybody was on the same page. And then from a delivery standpoint, he had kind of shifted on the rubber about, I would say about three weeks before we got him, just trying to create a little bit different angles.

23:33And he was starting to see just some mechanical things were popping up that weren't there before from that shift. So just kind of getting from us on the coaching side, getting him, getting to talk to him and understand what he's trying to accomplish with the delivery and how we can help him support that. And now he's his stuff is electric. He's he's going to punch out a lot of guys is going to pitch some high leverage moments and get and get a lot of big outs. He just had gotten hit by a few mistakes. And we're really excited about the way stuff is trending and how important he's going to be for us. Tommy, how do you have your side's name keeps popping up on this show. He's had several trips between Iowa and Chicago. My question is, how is he handled that and and when do you think we could see him back here? Well, I mean, he's handled it amazing. He's he's a special special person, special human does everything you ask works works is tail off no matter where he is.

24:34I've saying his praises on here, ton before and that that that's not going to stop because I know who hobby is and how hard he works and and yeah, I mean, I think, you know, hopefully there's a chance we see him up here soon, you know, with with the option. There's a certain amount of time. Yuck obviously have to wait. But you know, we he was able to go down and get two starts in where you could build and get stretched out to about 75 pitches. So still some things we need to work through obviously, but you know, for hobby, he's done everything he can and and and will do to help us to. So when my Cubs pitching coach Tommy, how do we hear on Holland, Peyton Chicago sports, 104, 3, the score Tommy, obviously yesterday tough loss because you get to the miz and you think it think good things are going to happen. And so in Chicago, that's a it's kind of a let down. But meanwhile, there was a big moment for the Iowa Cubs that I think affects you in a way everyone does everyone in the organization, Justin steal back on the mound for the first time since April 2025.

25:37Any in two thirds gave an earned run 36 pitches to strikeouts one earned run and you got to feel like just him being on the mound represented something special. What's realistic to expect from Justin steal there are only 22 games left, but might he be somebody that provides an option in the bullpen? Well, I think you know, it's just a special day in in total for just for Justin in the journey that he's been on the work he's put in. It's been it's been a long stretch. You know, feels like it's almost been a full two years since he's been able to compete, you know, in in the game at any level and to see him. So he can do that and and get through it and compete and get back to himself was was fun to see. I haven't had a chance to call him yet today. Obviously it's early, but I'll connect with him today at some point just kind of get his sense of how he felt like it went and knowing Justin how much he's he's a competitor. He's going to want to have better results, but it was just so cool to see him out there again and competing and and he'll have you know the fun part for me when you have this guys go through long rehabs is now like getting getting your mindset out of rehab mode.

26:55So how you feel how how your recovery is and to back to like okay, what could have done better from a competing standpoint, you know, getting back to controlling the running game and doing little things like that that you don't really think about when you're going to that rehab process. So really, really encourage and fun to see him out there competing and then yeah, I mean, I think we're kind of leaving everything open and they would just him. You know, we don't really know how these next few weeks are going to go. He needs the pitch. He needs the log innings. Like I said, he hasn't thrown many innings now since, you know, the beginning of 2025. So it's been almost two years. So he has competed at high level. So just just need to get him on some consistent work and consistent routine and just kind of see what we have. Tommy last time we saw a show to him and I go on the mountain gave up three home runs. That's been kind of the case for him this season. How do you get him back on track and what's the plan for him?

28:00Yeah, I mean, he's the big thing for me. He's got to keep mixing his pitches. I think there's games where he feels really good with the fastball or really good one pitch and and will lean on it. And that's that's great. I want a love our guys to have confidence in what they want to do and confidence in their in their pitches. But that also when when it pitches get overused, I think you saw it last night too with Danny. Danny's got an electric fastball and the night before he gave up a home run a slider and it was a little hesitant to throw it last night. But when you throw seven fastballs and then back to it, hitter. I mean, they're major league hitters are really good. They're going to they're going to make adjustments. And I think with showed the importance of being able to mix his his off speed, not just a split the slider, the curveball and the sweeper all in helps protect the pitch that you feel really good about, which might be the fastball and in sense for that game. It felt like it was a little fastball heavy in that game. And when that happens, the execution rate has to be high. It just has to go up and and that's because the larger for the air comes down. So I think I think for show that just continuing to mix his pitches and feeling confident and working on the other the other three breaking balls to help protect those two two pitches that are really good for him, which are the split and heater.

29:21So Clay Holmes and Kevin Gosman have been here just a little over a month, maybe maybe exactly a month. And Clay Holmes looks like he's asserted himself as a top the rotation started, maybe the ace of the staff. Kevin Gosman big start tonight for him. And he has been more good than bad, but I just curious how much we talked about it when the trades were made and the acquisitions were completed about how you find that balance between offering information that you may have from a new set of eyes to letting veterans know what they're doing. And it seems like they both fallen into pretty good rhythm, Tommy, how much how rewarding has it been to see those two guys have the success they have. Yeah, it's been I mean, they both have been great additions for us. They they both have kind of helped stabilize the rotation. And we we've leaned and leaned heavily on and asked a lot of guys to do a lot of work there this year. And I think we're at that point now where it almost feels like they've been here all year. You we've gotten to know them well. They've acclimated themselves with the team with the coaching staff, training staff, everybody around.

30:29And now it just kind of feels like we've been doing this for a while now. And conversations are are changing. They're they're less about to get to know you. They're more about how can we get better? How can we work on this? You know, both both of them are hungry for information and then want to learn and continue to grow. Because it's you know actively wants to keep working on that on a slider version of a slider to help pair with with that fastball and splitter. He's throwing one, you know, over the years and variations one over the years and knows that it's important with as a two pitch pitcher to have a third pitch that you can trust and in in moments to keep guys on us. So those that's where the conversations are now and and to me that that means there's comfortability there. There's guys that feel like they belong in a group and it's definitely what it feels like when you get the whole you know the whole group together and the guys together. They're talking baseball and they both have been outstanding additions.

31:29Quickly quickly before let's go. Is Edward Cabrera close? I mean, Edwards getting closer. He's going to throw again tomorrow and Iowa. He had that one ending outing the other nights. I think it was Tuesday night. I'm just keep getting him wrapped. We're going to try to do a simulated you know one plus. I think tomorrow where he comes in the middle of the inning and it has to go back out trying to just expose him to what a normal majorly reliever. You know, would have to do and then also making sure the finger responds to that goes are important things, but he's obviously going to electric arm and would be big for us to get back great stuff. Tommy. Hang in there. Alright guys, thank you. Appreciate your time. Tommy. Howdy. The Cubs pitching coach talking about pretty much everybody in the bullpen. We talked to him about every starter and every bullpen lots of questions because the Cubs bullpen has struggled and that's been a big part of the last couple weeks, but one thing about Tommy. Howdy. He does not shy away from any issue and any question.

32:29No, just great insight though, just by giving us what we are looking for. I think what the fans are looking for as well for a lot of questions they have. What did you hear and what do you want to see with the back end of that bullpen? Do you trust Palencia? Are you worried about web? What about Zephyr John and could there be another one, two, three punch coming out of the bullpen for the Cubs? Three, one, two, six, forty, four, sixty, seven, sixty, seven. Let us know what you think about Tommy. Howdy. We had to say, it's Jared Payton, David Ha, it's Hawn Payton right here Chicago Sports Radio, one, four, three, the score. Welcome back to Hawn Payton on one, four, three, the score. We were pitches first outing last night. He pitched one inning and so he'll be back out there, did the check Friday or Saturday for another outing and probably like to get him at least two more outings and then we'll kind of evaluate where we're at and how he feels in some shorter stance and how he's recovering and we'll go from there. I think Justin's, he's got to be fired up right now. He's pitching tonight in Iowa and I'm just one I'm happy for Justin as much as he's pitching it all in a real game and it's not a Chicago Cubs game. It's an Iowa Cubs game but when you've missed as much time as Justin has, this is a really big day for Justin.

33:46So I'm happy for him today that he's going to go out there pitching now. Having said that we do have to understand he's missed a significant amount of time and I think he is a healthy pitcher right now. I think but he's a pitcher that hasn't competed in almost two years. Welcome back. It's Hawn Payton, Chicago Sports Radio, one, four, three, the score. Thank you. Craig Council. Thank you for that sobering reminder of as much as we love him. We love the story of Justin Steele and the path that he took to get back to the mound last night. We've talked about it now a couple times. One would be great. Justin Steele, last week of the season the Cubs are fighting to that hold on to that number one wild card spot and here comes Justin Steele in that ninth inning or the eighth inning or the seventh in a high leverage situation strikes out the side or retires get some key out as an outgetter.

34:46I've got to ask and as much as the narrative is irresistible. Got to throw some cold water there. I think I got to check myself the reality check every now and that's good. I think you got to you love the story of fall in love with the the journey and with this in this case I think the Cubs. The Cubs if he if he does contribute great but I don't think it's something they can put themselves in a position to count on. We talked about we love the story. It's a great story and we want the story to keep going on. I think we were just enjoying this ride of seeing with Justin Steele and just making the the his way back in doing his thing and doing what he loves. But I do believe you would be putting a lot of pressure on that and a lot on him to be able to come back and think that he can be effective for a team that is struggling in a and I think you heard that from Tommy hot yes that's what maybe throw the cold water yeah it's more of the story like let's just I'm happy for him and then listen in the Craig coming back from break it's a great story it doesn't seem like this is a part of the plan they're trying to maybe read just.

36:04Yes because him being on the mound for his career and for I think his place in organization represents a victory in itself now can you play fantasy baseball in your wildest imagination see him coming up to face Schwarber and Bryce Harper in the wildcard round I really feel then striking up both of them in an eighth inning to kill a Philly rally now that's fun to consider. I also think it might be folly I just don't know how realistic it is earlier earlier in the show you were you and I were having the conversation you were talking about Ryan's ever John but you weren't giving up on him but listen but listen to Tommy yeah what he was saying it gives me a little bit more confidence that it's there it's there it's just you got he's got to figure it out yeah I think that was good to get Tommy hot of his perspective on that because he somebody that when you look at just the results and we're not dealing with him behind the scenes.

37:04We're not we're not working with the shape of his pitches and the all the things that go into a modern day pitching coaches approach to getting the best out of every guy. Zephyr John does not somebody I've given up on yet I also think that it's interesting of the two guys that we heard Craig council reference coming in and we asked Tommy how to be about Edward Cabrera will be in a position to contribute and I think should be put in a spot to count be counted on he can be a high leverage guy he had a blister. That was the whole that was the whole plan from the beginning was he to be one of those guys but now he's going to be coming out of the bullpen or so it seems not not as much pressure. To be you know that that's how I would feel about it that's why he's going to have to look at it he's going to have to work his way I think so the addition of obvious odd maybe is early Saturday. The return of Edward Cabrera. Ideally it's going to have to maybe help offset what I think could be the loss of Jacob Web indefinitely I don't know we'll find out later today when Craig council meets the media about just how sore or damaged Jacob Web's meaty forearm is.

38:14I think it's going to be a little bit it's going to take a little bit that swelling is not really going to come down overnight. It's going to take a while so I don't know if we got any closer answer in the question Dustin about what guy not on the cubs current roster is going to contribute in a meaningful way in the bullpen later this month. I don't think we got you an answer I'm waiting I could link a braille though. Does that does that count I think I think it's not with the team right now yeah I guess Cabrera would be the only logical answer I don't know anybody I know not with the team right now technically a sod he's an Iowa and I think a side on September the fifth needs to come back not as a starter but as a reliever you don't you don't need have a side to start in the regular season except are we worried about is anybody else worried about the cubs missing the playoffs. Oh my gosh what take a look at the schedule take a look at it and it's easy down the stretch David they're not winning the division are they going to make the postseason question makes me want to talk football and that's we're going to do next he's

39:20he's a harbors here stop avoiding this I'm not avoiding it's a real thing I'm looking at the clock we're we're going to watch on our friend that our friend clay harbors is he's here to talk bears do you join this next in studio on hot paint and Chicago sports radio one or four three the score.