Swinging a base set to right.

Koss is going to try to score the throw from right field not in time.

And the Giants have beaten the Cubs by a score of four to three.

We're back live from Sluggers in Wrigleyville with more of the Spiegel and Home show.

With your hosts Gabe Ramirez and Jutson Richards on Chicago's Sports Radio 670 the score. All right, we're looking to change those vibes. The way the afternoon ended yesterday, it's like, Michael Parsons heading to the Packers, and the Cubs are just swept by the Giants. He is Gabe Ramirez, Jetson Richards, back here with you, live from Sluggers. It is filling up on a Friday night. The Cubs are away, so what? People will play. We got batting cages upstairs. It's a good time. It's a good night to be out. And, hey, game, September is right around the corner, which means October is still a month away. Plenty of time, right, for the Cubs to still get back of the swing of things.

Yeah, I mean, listen, I think the fact that the matter is, I think if you ask the Cubs if the playoffs started today, they still feel good about themselves. The players, I'm talking about, not necessarily the fans. The players would feel like- Do you believe them? The players? Yeah. Yeah, I think that when you're looking at guys like Tuck, PCA, Danesby Swanson, I mean, these are gamers.

These are E.N. Hap, I mean, these are gamers.

These are Ian Hap, I don't want to mess. I'm talking about Chris Emma. I don't want to mess with Ian Hap. I mean, these guys know what they're capable of. You think Ian Hap feels good when he goes to the plate? I think say Suzuki feels good about things when he goes to the place. say good about things you mean like the current state of the team or the

selves yeah I think I think when they I mean this is a team that had the best record in things when he goes to the place. When you say good about things, you mean like the current state of the team? Just themselves.

Yeah, I think when they, I mean, this is a team that had the best record in baseball a couple of weeks ago, right? And now they don't. Right, but still. They're what, sixth that last check? But we just talked to Lanz Brozdaowski that said, you can't look at things in a one game, you know, one game lens. You got to look at things on a more macro level. I'm looking at things second half of the season.

Yeah.

So you think the Cubs... said you can't look at things in a one game lens. You got to look at things on a more macro level. I'm looking at things second half

of the season. Yeah. So you think the Cubs listen, I think there's two conversations that can be had. Do I think the Cubs are going to make it to the World Series and win it? No. Right. And I think that's... That would be nice. But I think when we're talking about that, that That could be a conversation.

No.

But when you're talking about can they compete,

can they be one of the best five teams

in the national league?

The answer is yes they can be in that space and I think that's where they view themselves and then we all know in baseball if you can get hot at the right time you can take that into into the fight I think the biggest issues that are facing the Cubs right now is they're starting pitching I mean it's something that they did not or weren't able to address. Obviously, they made the move at the trade deadline. He gets injured, and they have no backups as a result of that. Show to Emanaaga, when you're talking about second half of the season, he's a guy who hasn't necessarily performed as well as he had in the beginning. Of course, he had a couple of good starts as of late. The last start against the San Francisco Giants pitched well outside of a couple of bad pitches to Adamas. So, I mean, this is a Cubs team again that I think can compete, can get things back on, but you know what's the perfect recipe for a team that's struggling? The Colorado Rockies, right?

A team like that where you can come in, like you mentioned, put up 20 runs today and then feel good about your offense, and then you're asking. I mean, listen, before the Giants series, they were asking that about the Cubs when they won, when they beat Milwaukee Brewers, are they back? The series against the Angels, is this what they needed? Are they there? And then the sweep comes, and then obviously you're bringing up these questions again.

I mean, it's a tough, tough road for the Chicago Cubs, but the fact that the matter is, if they get into the playoffs, then they're going to be equally as dangerous as anyone else, including the Milwaukee Brewers. What if I told you I felt better about their pitching staff right now than do their offense? In the present? Yeah. That'd be tough because I'd be like Matthew Boyd. You know, Colin Ray struggled. I don't know. It's tough. It's not a good, it's not a good enough rotation because here's the questions that I have when it comes to playoffs. If you got show to starting game one, you are then depending on a rookie and Kate Horton to come in for game two.

Who's one of the best pitchers in baseball? Still depending on a rookie to come in in playoffs, which is a completely different environment. I feel better about Kate than I would have Colin Ray or a Javier Assad or a Ben Brown, whoever is next down the line. And that's my point, that's why you're actually helping me with my point, which is that the

pitching staff is what I'm worried about, you know, when you're talking about the playoff, not necessarily in the present or a series against the Colorado Rockies. This is when you've got to go up against the Los Angeles Dodgers. When you got to go up, you know, in a seven-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers. And it could be the Dodgers, by the way, in that wild card spot.

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