Chicago Cubs have GREAT rotation depth | Justin Steele MAJOR update

0:00The Cubs have great depth and they're starting rotation and they might need it. You are locked on Cubs. Your daily Chicago Cubs podcasts, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. You are locked on Cubs, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, the number one sports podcast network. We are your team every day alongside Sam over. I'm Matt Kozy, Sam and I are lifelong fans, taking our passion into a discussion with you on all things Cubs. This episode is brought to you by our new partner at MLB The Show 26. Visit MLBTheShow.com slash Lockdown and use code Lockdown to unlock Capac for use in diamond dynasty pre-order now available March 17 on PlayStation 5 Xbox and Nintendo Switch rated E for everyone. Opening day countdown continues with some trivia and history,

1:05later news, notes, overreactions, observations from the weekend and spring training a major just in steel update and we start to that point in a way with the starting pitching depth overall. A little bit highlighted by what happened Saturday and spring training, Sam, but and there's a home run. Welcome to a new week. Welcome to March. This month, the Cubs play a real game. Awesome stuff. Great energy, great buzz. I'm not going to let the fact that Emma Noggin, Tion, they've given up 364 home runs and their outings, deteriorate. One for every day of the year. But I will say, well that's 365, but I will say this, when we get into the outlook of the starting pitching and I'm excited to talk about. If Emma Noggin and Tion came out, let's say we're just like walking people, I'd be like, oh, that's just weird spring training stuff. They have no history of that. The fact that Tion has a

2:06history when he struggled in a cub uniform, which wasn't much in the last two years of giving up lefty slug and he's given up a lot of lefty slug. And the fact that Emma Noggin, when he's struggle is giving up a lot of home runs and he's giving up a lot of home runs, I think it's concerning. It's not the word I would go to. That seems inappropriate and strong. I would say noteworthy. I would say noteworthy, but on the other side of it, Matt, I had a chance because of the marquee network showing the game on Sunday afternoon to watch this closely. I actually thought Emma Noggin's stuff looked crisp. It looked, he was throwing 94. One of the home runs he gave up was 94 at the top of the zone. And remember, the White Tax is the team that he had the tipping pitches issue with. So not concerned, but I will say it does feel good. I'm glad we're doing a topic updating Steele's progress. Talking about Brown, talking about Assad, because you know, you just don't know with some of these starters. But at the end of the day, it's March 1st.

3:07When this comes out, it'll be March 2nd. And it's far, far too early to be concerned. Yeah, it is. And I think I am eased by the number of pitchers that could start a game tomorrow. I've counted nine. And then I'll list them in a minute. Then two of them who will get there based on health or performance or both the case at least of Jordan Wicks. But this is a group that what I'm what I'm trying to judge right now is basically this. Like is this one of the biggest strengths of the team? Is it really is the volume of Mirage for for their upside? You know, how high is their floor? But how high is their their ceiling? And yes, I'm comfortable with the with the nine dudes and with with Horton Boyd Tyrone showed a Cabrera Steele Ray Assad. And Brown, yeah, they could all start a game tomorrow. And then you have Wicks and Wiggins behind them. But I am starting to to wonder a little

4:12bit if the computer was right, basically, you know, and all these projection systems like the Cubs, they love their defense, not a surprise. They they like their offense. They like their bullpen even. And they don't like the rotation. And you know, the results in spring training like you you've pointed out many times, take it with a grain of salt. Yeah, great. But a couple grains, you know, there's there's things to be curious about at least. And I think noteworthy was a was a good word choice. And you know, I think there's some interesting names here, whether it is Ben Brown, who looked outstanding on on Saturday, whether it is Kate Horton, who finished the year on the injured list and so on. Of course, the upside with the new guy and Edward Cabrera. But but yeah, there's there's there's nothing if not a deep group. I would almost divide the starting

5:16pictures into tears, meaning let's say you have your your extremely high ceiling tier, Edward Cabrera, Kate Horton. And that's the only two guys. Yeah. Then you'd have your your steady veteran presence that you you think over the course of the year should be there for you. Boyed Taeyong. You have your question mark, performance wise, Shota. You have your injury question, steel. Then you have kind of your depth tier, which is the ray, the brown, the Assad. I almost think that's how you have to look at it. And I think if it gets answered like like if if steels back, which we're going to talk about in the second segment, but if steels back and he's rolling by July like and I might say back rolling. I mean, he's been back, but he's in top form by mid to late July. Then it changes how you look at all the other tiers. Do you know what I mean? Or because

6:20would he join the Horton Cabrera tier? I think he's in his own tier because he has he has really two and a half established years as a top level guy. So he'd be more like a kind of like I would have like a backbone tier, you know, or like the leader of the rotation type tier. If he gets back to where he was at, I'll start tier really. That's right. Right. Exactly. Exactly. But I think, you know, if Cabrera and Horton answer the bell, then it really becomes a lot less important. Do you know what I mean? There's just a lot of questions that need to be answered. And if it gets answered, you know, they need about three quarters of them to go their way. Like Imanaga can have a totally bad season, which I don't think you will. But if he's if he's really bad, but Horton and Cabrera stay really, really healthy and are good the whole year, you'll take that trade off all day because it comes would have enough to replace it. I guess that's what I'm trying to say.

7:20Well, on the straight, the numbers would only be helped by by the health of the group. Yeah, I think I did a good job explaining that because one of these guys won't even be in the rotation if all all these people are healthy. Well, yeah. And I think they need a six man that that's I I wrote when they're all healthy and let's say it's memorial day, starting June 1. Yeah. Yeah, starting June 1 Memorial Day, whatever time. Please, if everybody's healthy, go six man. Please. Give me a golden around the break. Yeah. And then build it around September one again as well. That'd be my suggestion. I agree with you wholeheartedly. Hunter Harvey didn't look great today. Justin Steele is done going to the doctor. That's the goofy way to put it. But on Saturday, he revealed some fantastic news. He filed up with it on on Sunday with reporters as well. We get you those details and more next. This episode is brought to you by a fan duel. It's March.

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9:24it. Head to fan duel dot com to get started. That's fan duel dot com fan duel. Play your game. This episode is also brought to you by indeed workplace chaos deadline stacking up inbox overflowing in the one position you have to fill still sitting open when the pressure is on you need the right higher. This is a job for indeed sponsor jobs. It helps you reach the people who actually fit what you're looking for the skills the experience of location. So you're not just hoping the right candidate stumbles across your post. And here's a stat that says it all in the minute I've been talking to you companies like yours made 27 hires on indeed according to indeed data worldwide spend less time searching and more time actually interviewing the right candidates who check all your boxes less stress less time or results when you need the right person to cut through the chaos. This is a job for indeed sponsored jobs and listeners of this show will get a 75 dollar sponsor job credit

10:29to help get your job the premium status it deserves at indeed dot com slash podcast just go to indeed dot com slash podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about indeed on this podcast indeed dot com slash podcast terms and conditions do apply need to hire this is a job for indeed sponsor jobs. Baseball is back and you can join the everyday club which gets you ad free episodes go to lock down cubs dot supercast dot com or tap the link in this episode description. Saturday was the last scheduled visit with doctor Keith Meister for Justin Steele who was cleared for all baseball activities things are still going as planned Steele talk to reporters on Sunday to clarify that in a way next step is a full arsenal in the bullpen's he's already up to two innings 40 pitches but

11:31with limited pitch variety now he'll add the curveball in there I'll increase his workload he called it a breath of fresh air he said he felt like a baseball player again no more doctor visits and continue over the month of March implement all the steps like adding a curve increase workload go from two innings to three innings in the pen putting hitters in the box and so on and he said the timeline is the same late May early June but I love this quote Sam it's the only one I quoted exactly from Steele quote all of this is with the thought in mind that the audience in October and November are going to be the ones that matter the most close quote it would be really special to see him out there in October I am going to stop fixating on the dates in mind like oh May 26th or you know what June 2nd or whatever but I think that the number in mind that we don't

12:36know is is some kind of innings total and so however the cubs want to distribute that with Steele available to get them to the final four right or beyond I think that's going to be the plan it does sound like that's what he wants to do as well I think this is what I think and I have not you know spoken him at all about yeah but I this is what I think I think if the cubs needed it he could be ready by early May late April but because they don't because of what we just talked about in the first segment with the depth that they have I think they're going to do the best thing possible for him which then in turn would be the best thing for the team long term which is to have him best at his best later in the season that's just my takeaway from it because like when I read when I read the post and I listened to this stuff it's like all right he's cleared obviously now he's like you said he's got a facelive hitters he'll probably do some Arizona sim game stuff some minor

13:39league stuff but like you could just hear it in his voice he's probably ready to go I don't know in two months like it just feels like like if he's clear two months later I feel like he's ready to go but I don't think that the goal here is for Justin steel it'll be at his best you know I think October November more so the stretch run you know right right second half of the season you know rolling being able and then and then by August September every fifth day and then by the post season your point like you know let's say it's a game two against the brewers or whatever it is I don't want him to have to come out in the fifth inning of a playoff game because of an innings limit right or or something like that so now the Cubs got to get to the playoffs first and that this is a good team this is a good team but they're not good enough to just assume that that's going to happen right so we got to we got to get there and I think that he's going to help them do that but yeah it's a huge addition I'm glad that it's finally become the biggest story

14:44probably right now going because it was oddly quiet around the winter time I mean so much so that it wasn't even mentioned in Jed's a post season presser and I think it's a big deal like obviously Cade was the best pitcher on the team in the second half obviously Matthew Boyd was the best pitcher last year in total but before that I mean steel was excellent in 24 people don't realize that because it was such a mediocre season for the team but he battled injuries 23 obviously was the banner year second half of 22 this is a a really big a really big addition for the Cubs and also a variety addition right him and I could gives up a bunch of home runs Tione gives up even when he's what good a lot of home runs now you're adding a guy that when he's right doesn't give up a lot of home runs has the ball on the ground a lot to the left side um you know could pitch in any ballpark so like it gives you a little bit of a some flexibility to playoff series

15:46it's like all right you know what the winds hauling in you know that's good you know maybe we save steel to go into Milwaukee so we don't have to deal with Andrew Vaughan you know hitting home runs every other time so yeah it's good news I'm not surprised um you know obviously you know been on the show highly competitive guy and uh not surprised that he's ready to go fairly quickly well I'll look this up again officially to get you know whether it's ERA or fit or whatever it is but from June of 22 through the 24 season he was one of the best pictures in baseball I think he was in I think it was the top it was like 10 or 12 it's like top 12 maybe 15 if you want to give some more elbow room right and that that's a really good group to be in uh you know he we didn't really see him last year and and the sustainability was there it wasn't fluky yes that's a long period of time right and I think the cubs did feel that last year

16:50they for sure felt it when when October came across and for the best for for all parties I think the slow play is appropriate um I'm excited to continue to to see him progress I can hear the excitement in his voice and it's it's big time it's big time news like you said and I'm glad it's more at the front of our our minds instead of the back uh the cubs stacked three could be starters in Saturday spring training game Sam they all had uh a little bizarre they basically all had the same pitching line um Ben Brown, Colin Ray and Javier Assad went two innings three innings three innings respectively all gave up one hit no runs no walks uh Assad had the most strikeouts with four Brown had three Ray had two what was notable here is Brown hit 99 on the fastball but also featured

17:50a sinker and change up and I think he is the name that's intriguing in terms of what the cubs might do with him in the near term or long term or both uh they they clearly want him to start the years as a starter but with his arsenal expanding with with no walks hopefully becoming more of a thing or a walk in appearance I think there's going to be a lot of different things you could do with him yeah I I need a little more to get there with with him um you know he's kind of he's a polarizing guy in cubs world there there there there's a lot of people rightfully so that are just so high on his upside because the upside is there um but it's just it just seems like every time I I'm not there I'll I'm going to let you take that I'm not there yet um I need to

18:54see him be really good for like like a good month plus to really to really kind of talk myself into him uh okay but but but this happens right like Corbin I mean I always use the Corbin Burns example on the show uh the year before he became great he was like the worst pitcher in baseball like literally you know so so it like literally it so it an ebbs and flows and brown has that type of stuff but I just I need to see it more I just need to see it more you know it not just a couple good outings in spring well and I think some of that or most of that that is going to be at the triple A level which if that's where it is let's see if he could yeah absolutely supposed to do there oh and at the triple A level I would need to see probably look maybe six to seven out if if he six to seven outings he's looks like a guy you break because you bring him up because he has the ability but it's just it's just so up and down um and I'm just I'm not ready to go there yet uh before he goes off to the WBC to pitch for Mexico Javier Assad had a good outing 94 Saturday as

20:01well yeah 94 uh featured a variety of pitches four strikeouts no walks remember he kind of had a coming out party in the WBC in 23 remember that like totally all the sudden you I think he was sitting like 95 96 and when and it was 24 when he really contributed to the team right I think it was late 23 Matt maybe I'm wrong maybe I'm wrong I remember a blue J start where he's really good was that 23 I think that was late was it in Toronto yes yeah that was late 20 apple television yeah it was late 23 and equal horn or the Homer night game we were at we were at a party remember yes we were Nick and V is yeah the TV was in the garage good times yeah that was wow that's that's almost that's two and a half years ago already oh yeah yeah wow I was good to know speaking of Assad Sam that there is a you specific usage rules for WBC pitchers for example if you throw 50 plus you have to sit for four days and you can only pitch two consecutive days in a

21:05reliever case provided the first day was under 30 so there's good rules established one last question I have for you from the weekend because Michael Conforto made his debut Sunday yeah I know Moistus by Astero survived last weekend like when is he gonna make his debut by Astero's play today he did yeah yeah he started today oh so he and Conforto made their debut yes yes okay that's good to know yeah over two of the strikeout okay well I'm glad he's in there and he should be in there a lot now moving he added ninth which I thought was a bit interesting but okay so coming up next we have we continue the opening day countdown Billy Williams directly Dexter Fowler also want to get into some some other start of the season stats as well trivia please stay tuned

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23:11series visit MLB the show dot com slash locked on and use code locked on to unlock a pack for use in diamond dynasty internet connection required you can pre-order MLB 20's MLB the show 26 right now it's available March 17 on PS5 Xbox and Nintendo Switch rated E for everyone you have to check out MLB show MLB the show 26 welcome back to lock down Cubs the number one podcast on the Chicago Cubs will give you everything it comes fanc want all in a 30 minute daily podcast all right we're down to 24 days left till opening day and I guess we'll go up in numbers here because the other day Sam was the 10 year anniversary that Dexter Fowler number 24 surprisingly showed up a Cubspring training agreeing to a one year deal which ended up being his last year did see

24:17as the Cubs won the world series he did that two days after ESPN's buster only reported he signed a three year deal with the Orioles remember this yeah um so relieved to to to have that happen uh 25 Derek Lee seven great years with the Cubs we've talked about this before is 2005 season he slashed 335 418662 an OPS of 1080 46 homers 50 doubles 107 runs batted in and he was still hitting 395 on June 23rd 71 games into the year man yeah Cubs MLB the show like yeah absolutely Cubs Hall famer um Hall of very good in the big leagues no excellent player a Hall of Famer Billy Williams

25:21good old number 26 20 plus homers 13 years in a row the dad's favorite 30 plus five times and in 1970 he slashed 322 391 586 OPS 977 42 homers 34 dubs 129 runs batted in finishing second to nationally MVP 2 Johnny Bench Johnny Bench and this is your dad's favorite player correct favorite athlete of all time wow he uh Billy Williams last Cubs also to hit 40 homeruns from the left side of the die of the plate in 1971 yeah which isn't a good stat um uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh you know I understand I mean it's nice considering I mean we've had some dynamite left-handed hitters on this club particularly in the last 15 years swarrow hits 50 a year um you know I think he hit 38 39 of course auntie Rizzo a pillar of this franchise uh but nobody was able to get to

26:2540 maybe this year it changes yeah maybe it's PCA or Bush yeah app no uh hey I wanted to remind you uh so the next two years I think either this week or next we should dissect the first part of the schedule was my only trivia the Johnny Bench thing yeah pretty much uh and uh so more maybe we'll do more trivia later this week okay although this could be kind of some trivia what's notable about the 1997 Cubs speaking of season starts they started O114 O114 uh on the opposite end the 2016 Cubs started 11 and 3 then 25 and 6 2020 Cubs started 13 and 3 and as far as I could tell they started as 13 and 3 in 2020 yeah as far as I could tell that's the best start to a season that early in team history wow

27:25I knew they got off to a good start in 20 and then it just they were mediocre for a while yeah they were 5 and 10 now over their next 15 after that 13 and 3 start yeah that year I mean that year almost just seems like a skip now for me I mean Alec Mills through a no-hitter I know the year we started podcasting yeah Alec Mills through a no-hitter Chris Bryant and and and half the main guys were non-factors half was an MVP candidate until literally like the last month of the season and I mean I always forget about Jeff Jeffress the this closer Jeffress yeah Jeffress yeah I mean what a what a weird year is say what you want about this schedule but the first oh here we go the first sit I'm just now I'm just I'm just narrowing it down to the first the first six games because they're at Riggly the first six games on paper against the nationals and angels they will be against two of their weakest opponents the entire 162 they will I know that man so to

28:28to have teams of like a 13 and 3 you go 5 and 1 bro yeah I just think about how fun that would be I am yeah I just think it's tough you don't want to play teams at early in the year with the weather I think it'll be random you know I'd be I'd be thrilled with a 4 and 2 to just thrilled I think is a stretch I just think early in the year things are weirdered okay all right that's the show that's a top analysis you can get by coming here and it was a packed show today but a lot of good things for the cubs also a lot of uh you know wait a minute that are no that are no worthy wait a minute and there's a home ride oh no just landed in your parking lot I just saw it right there just uh yeah just right by my windshield thank you for tuning in keep them all the park make sure to stay with us all through spring trading lean up to opening day and make sure you subscribe and follow locked on cubs so you get the latest episodes

29:30for those of you on video we send you to the first ever 24-7 national locked on podcast network youtube channel and on audio make sure your second listen right now is locked on fantasy baseball is you get your fantasy rosters ready for the season Sam when you're are you doing fantasy again yeah the Sunday before the season is your draft yeah I got a lock-in man all right yeah you have to do some research and listen to their show maybe I'll pick Ben Brown nice job he's Sam over I'm Matt cozy you're locked on cubs