Monday Morning Cubs Show

A show every Monday morning about the Chicago Cubs from Carl and Mahoney.

Monday Morning Cubs Show is a sports podcast hosted by Carl + Mahoney, with 139 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Carl + Mahoney hosts Monday Morning Cubs Show, a sports show with 139 episodes published.

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  Episode #140

  Game 1 Wild Card Recap + Game 2 Preview

  Sep 30, 202631 minS3

  One hit. Eight runs allowed. Zero room to hide. That’s the kind of playoff opener that makes you question everything, from roster construction to the first pitch plan, and I’m not pretending I’m calm about it. I’m Carl, and this Monday Morning Cubs Show is a special recap and Game 2 preview built for Cubs fans who need to vent first, then refocus fast because it’s winner go home tonight at Petco Park. We start with the hard part: accountability. I break down why starting Matt Boyd in Game 1 felt like a leadership failure, why the matchup against the Padres lineup looked wrong on paper and looked worse on the field, and how a “gutless” vibe can spread once you fall behind early. Then we dig into what actually happened between the lines. Michael King’s movement, command, and ability to work both sides of the plate turned our at-bats into weak contact and ugly swings, and it exposed how quickly a top offense can look lost in October. From there, we turn the page to real adjustments for Cubs vs Padres Game 2. I give a scouting report on Nick Pivetta, why his vertical approach and strikeout stuff create a different kind of pressure than King, and what the Cubs need to do to avoid pressing. On the mound, Kevin Gausman becomes the fulcrum: I lay out why pitching “backwards” with early splitters and discomfort inside can change the tone, and why we need length from him to avoid bullpen chaos. If you’re riding the emotional swing of the MLB postseason, hit play, then tell me what you’re watching for tonight. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan who’s spiraling, and leave a review so we can keep firing these off when the games demand it. Thanks for tuning in! - Carl & Mahoney

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  Episode #139

  Cubs vs Padres Wild Card Preview

  Sep 28, 202647 minS3

  The Cubs are heading to San Diego for a Wild Card Series that feels like a stress test for everything we believe about this roster. The Padres are red hot at 16-3 down the stretch, Petco Park is going to be loud, and the margin for error is basically gone, but we still like the Cubs’ chances because the lineup is deeper and the defense is on another level. If you want a clear Cubs playoff preview that actually helps you watch the game smarter, we break down exactly where the series tilts and why. We dig into the Padres scouting report from the top: Fernando Tatis Jr. as the superstar catalyst, Dustin Harris as the new spark plug hitting behind him, and how the rest of the order stacks up behind Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, and Ty France. Then we get blunt about the one rule we’re not breaking: we’re not walking Tatis, because it changes the entire inning and puts the pressure on the wrong hitters at the wrong time. The theme is simple and unforgiving: if Cubs pitching throws strikes, we can control the game; if we fall behind in counts, we’re playing with fire. We also go deep on the pitching matchup, especially Michael King’s sinker-heavy approach and his ability to attack both glove side and arm side with different breaking ball shapes. That leads into the late-game problem everyone’s thinking about: the Padres bullpen, headlined by Mason Miller, and why the Cubs need to create offense early enough to avoid getting scripted out of the game. We wrap with our predictions, what a three-game series might look like, and the key moments we can already feel coming. Subscribe, share the show with a Cubs fan, and leave a review so we can ride every pitch together. Thanks for tuning in! - Carl & Mahoney

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  Episode #138

  SPECIAL EPISODE: It's Playoff Clinch Night

  Sep 24, 20261h 18mS3

  Clinching a playoff spot should feel like pure champagne, but if you’ve watched this Cubs season closely, you know it can feel like a deep, exhausted exhale too. We’re coming to you with our playoff clinch edition, joined by two of our most recurring voices: CB and the legendary Jake Tui, plus Mahoney in the mix as always. It’s loose, it’s honest, and it’s exactly how real Cubs fans sound when October finally becomes official. We dig into the question nobody agrees on: is making the postseason a celebration or a relief when the team has looked like a World Series threat and also flirted with late-season frustration? From there we go straight into the hot zones, bullpen trust, Craig Counsell decisions, and whether lining up the pitching staff matters more than chasing the perfect Wild Card seed. We also talk about what the front office got right at the deadline, what still scares us, and why certain matchups feel like landmines. Then we spend real time on the heartbeat of the year: Pete Crow-Armstrong. PCA’s 40-40 season sparks a full Cubs history argument, stacking his impact against Sammy Sosa’s cultural peak and Kris Bryant’s MVP run. We also make the case for the underrated bats that could decide a series, including what a healthy Alex Bregman changes and why Seiya Suzuki deserves more respect going into the MLB playoffs. If this made you feel something, subscribe, share it with a Cubs friend, and leave a review so more fans find the show. Who do you want in the Wild Card round, and what’s your one bold prediction for October? Thanks for tuning in! - Carl & Mahoney

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  Episode #137

  Six Games Left And A Wild Card To Hold

  Sep 21, 202655 minS3

  Six games left, the Cubs sitting on the top wild card spot, and our brains are supposed to be melting, right? Instead, we wake up feeling oddly steady, and we try to explain why the vibes are different than those past “huge week” Mondays where everything felt like it could collapse. We also flag the very real variable hovering over the final stretch: weather, travel, and the way one storm can turn the cleanest plan into chaos. Then the real stuff hits. Alex Bregman gets drilled and suddenly every playoff conversation sharpens into one question: how much is getting Bregman healthy worth compared to chasing home field at Wrigley Field? We talk about where he was positioned, Craig Counsell’s response, what the injury could do to timing at the plate, and how the Cubs try to survive if they have to cover innings and at-bats without their best right-handed hitter. It’s not doom, but it is the kind of lineup math that decides October. From there we get into the players and roles that will make or break a short series: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s star turn, Ian Happ’s underrated steadiness, Carson Kelly’s sneaky value against lefties, and the pitching debate that won’t go away. We go Ball Or Strike on Shota Imanaga versus Matt Boyd, and we make the case for Daniel Palencia getting the toughest inning in October even if it shows up in the sixth. If you’re thinking about bullpen leverage, platoons, and how the Cubs actually win tight playoff games, this one’s for you. If you enjoyed it, subscribe on Spotify or Apple, share the show with a fellow Cubs fan, and leave a rating or review so more maniacs find us. Thanks for tuning in! - Carl & Mahoney

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  Episode #136

  Ball or Strike: We Need To Wear Pinstripes Every Game

  Sep 14, 202652 minS3

  A Super Bowl champion running back calls you up, then tells you he just wants to talk Pokemon cards. That is how our week starts, and it somehow fits perfectly with the current Cubs season: electric, improbable, and a little bit unhinged in the best way. Carl breaks down the quick-hit Nashville trip that turned into meeting Leonard Fournette, hearing how deep his Pokemon collecting goes, and why creative work and real sponsors can keep a show alive when everything feels shaky. Then we lock back in on what you came for: the Chicago Cubs playoff push and the stuff that actually decides October. We love this lineup. We love the defense. We cannot stop talking about Pete Crow-Armstrong, and we get into a real debate about what “peak” means when you compare PCA’s all-around game to the best of Sammy Sosa. We also talk about Alex Bregman as the steady hand near the top of the order, plus the sneaky October paths for Pedro Ramirez and a potential Matt Shaw moment. But we do not dodge the problem: the Cubs bullpen is the biggest reason trust gets fragile fast, especially when you picture a postseason matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers. We talk wild card positioning, why hosting at Wrigley Field matters, how Dansby Swanson’s return impacts everything up the middle, and we even make the case for going full pinstripes because baseball is still a vibes sport. If you like Cubs podcasts with real opinions and zero gambling-promo nonsense, subscribe, share this with a Cubs friend, and leave us a review so we can keep building this thing. Thanks for tuning in! - Carl & Mahoney

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