Away Games: A Chicago Cubs Podcast

Kevin & Adam reflect on their road trip to St. Louis (sorry), the Cubs matching their opening week slump, the addition of Carlos Gonzalez, and quick analysis of the Cubs first five picks in this year's draft. They also talk about Almora's scary situation and extending the netting at ballparks. Oh, and sign Kimbrel.

Hey, remember disappointing Cubs weeks? It's been a while! The Cubs just can't seem to beat the Reds, and have had a rough go in Houston, but Kevin & Adam are hoping for a turnaround as they drive to St. Louis for this weekend's series with the Cardinals. (Come say hi! Tweet us @awaygamespod) KB is hurt, Javy is recovering, Lester struggles for feel, but Captain Rizzo is having possibly the best month of his career and trying to keep the Cubs on top Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod

Adam & Kevin went on the first Away Games road trip of the year to see the Cubs beat the Nats after the Lester, Rizzo, Schwarber, Almora drinks & McDonald's night. The game also pushed Adam's in-person winning streak to 11! We look forward to a weeklong homestand before the Cubs head to Houston for a battle of this era's titans. Follow us! Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Hosts @adammamawala & @kevinmccaff Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com

As Adam tweeted from @AwayGamesPod this week, if you're a Cub and you HAVEN'T hit a walkoff this week, what even is your deal? Heyward, Bryant and Contreras walked off wins with homers this week, 4 of the 5 starters continued their dominance, and the Cubs took over the best record in the National League. Things are good right now! Bryant is back to MVP level, Javy will NOT be displaced from SS. We also discuss unfortunate Ben Zobrist news and roster moves we'd like to see, but mostly? We talk Cubs wins.

How do you follow "The Tyler Chatwood Game?" With "The Taylor Davis Game," of course! The Cubs 3rd catcher blasted a grand slam in the middle game of a 3-game sweep that put the Cubs into first place. Taylor's granny was so fun, Kris Bryant stole his idea the next day. It seems like *almost* everyone in this rotation and lineup is clicking now, Rizzo's hot, and Javy & Willson might be the best players in the world at their positions. NBD. Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod

So it's May 1, and we've already had TWO "The Tyler Chatwood Games." Baseball be crazy. We talk about Chatwood's heroics, Javy getting impossibly better, Bote's biggest bomb and the cowardly Diamondbacks, and a hell of a starting rotation that might even (knock Chatwood) include Yu Darvish now. Follow us! Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Hosts @adammamawala & @kevinmccaff Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com

The Cubs are above .500, the rotation (even Chatwood!) is dominating, and Adam and Ken Schultz (BP / Cubs Den writer) talk about the best week of the year so far. We also talk bullpen uncertainty (Morrow), how to fix it (Kimbrel), Bryant's first real extended slump, and the weirdness of Joe Maddon's handling of Yu Darvish -- and the best comp for Yu Darvish's stuff yet, which DOES involve a Marlin's junk. Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Hosts @adammamawala & @kenschultz_

Appropriately, episode #62 features talk about the man who wears the number: Jose Quintana. Q went back-to-back with GREAT starts when the Cubs needed them most, in a week when Darvish also looked good for the first time this year -- 99 mph good. Javy looks somehow improved, Contreras is slugging in a Ruth-ian manner, and there are finally some good things piling up. (Ignore the weird handling of Schwarber's slump, questionably quick-hooks for starters, etc. Let's have fun and get back to .500, cool?)

What if I told you...the Cubs have SEVERAL wins now? That the Cubs bullpen threw 7 shutout innings in a win? And that Jason Heyward had one of the best offensive games in recent Cubs history? It's not even mid-April yet and this season is already weird. Kevin and Adam talk about all that, the great offense, the weird pitching, Jon Lester's injury, and some exciting news from the minors. Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com

Well, the offense was good. Except for 25% of the time when they got shut out by mediocre pitching. Otherwise, YIKES! A weird first week leads to Kevin & Adam talking about the great lineup, unreliable bullpen, the idiocy of sitting Kyle Schwarber, and weird Cubs Twitter's view of what players are "untouchable" and what players aren't. It's been a bad week. LET'S START WINNING MORE THAN 25% OF GAMES AGAINST BAD TEAMS SOON. Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com

We've watched one game and we're FREAKING OUT! Baseball Prospectus/Cubs Den writer Ken Schultz is in town, so he and Kevin do a bonus pod to go nuts about the Cubs opening day 12-4 win. Would we have done this if they lost? Maybe, but it would not have been 25 minutes long. WHY ARE THE CUBS OFF TOMORROW? LET'S PLAY AGAIN TONIGHT! Subscribe, rate, review, and thank God for Javy Baez. Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Hosts @adammamawala & @kevinmccaff Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com

Comedian & Cubs fan Roy Wood Jr. (Daily Show Correspondant, specials "No One Loves You" & "Father Figure") joins us to talk about his Cubs fandom, and what he thinks about this year! Kevin & Adam also talk about the Happ demotion, and the late breaking news of the Kyle Hendricks extension. Time to play ball, ya'll Follow us! Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Hosts @adammamawala & @kevinmccaff Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com

THE SEASON IS NEAR! Also near: Ken Schultz, bff of the show and Baseball Prospectus writer. We look forward into 2019 and make a sh*tton of predictions: Cubs MVP, breakouts, Game 1 playoff starter, and most importantly: would you rather a team made of 2 Bryants, 4 Contrerases, or 8 Coghlans? Yes that was a listener question, and no, it wasn't asked by Will Ferrell's Harry Caray. Follow us! Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Hosts @adammamawala & @kevinmccaff Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com

We talk GAMBLING, as Adam left Atlantic City, as Kevin headed INTO Atlantic City. They have this in common: betting on the Cubs for the 2018 season. We talk Yu Darvish, gambling on sports, gambling in general, the Cubs new YouTube shows, Nico Hoerner’s hot spring, and possible Cubs extensions. Next week, we get REAL: SEASON PREVIEW EPISODE! It’s real baseball podcasts from here on out, baby. Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Hosts @adammamawala & @kevinmccaff Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail

The Bryce saga is finally settled, and we can fully move forward, with one million nearly-equally talented relievers, "no-walks" Tyler Chatwood, slugging Mark Zagunis, an optimistic Yu Darvish, and a bunch of hitters who are simultaneously reaching a defining year. And if the Cubs finish last in the division, Adam will get a Cardinals tattoo. Follow us! Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Hosts @adammamawala & @kevinmccaff Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com

Author Doug Wilson joins Kevin to talk about his latest of many great baseball books, "Let's Play Two: The Life and Times of Ernie Banks." In this bonus episode, Doug tells us about how the Cubs found and signed Ernie from the Negro Leagues, how he revolutionized the shortstop position, and how he still might be underrated. Get it on Amazon! Follow us! Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Tumblr: awaygamespodcast.tumblr.com Hosts @adammamawala & @kevinmccaff Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com

FINALLY, some kind of baseball is BACK! Kevin & Adam talk about Spring Training beginning, the mildly-mad Kris Bryant, Schwarber saying "screw it" and going back to his old stance, being over Bryce Rumors, how Sirius XM baseball coverage is good and Baseball Tonight is bad, and how Jon Heyman makes you wanna say "Hey, man, you suck buddy." Follow us! Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Tumblr: awaygamespodcast.tumblr.com Hosts @adammamawala & @kevinmccaff Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com

Episode 52! We've been doing this for a year?! Kevin is in the Midwest telling jokes (and possibly hungover) so Adam hopped on the phone with fellow NYC-by-way-of-Illinois comic Tommy McNamara. Adam and Tommy talk about his history as a Cub fan, including being at Mark Prior's first start, the freezing cold 2015 NLCS in NY, and his lucky fake Cubs tattoo sleeve (we need to make this a thing). We talk Cubs past and present and of course, the Machado signing.  Follow us on twitter & instagram @awaygamespo

This week we have a great guest: Bryan Smith, whose work you have probably enjoyed @CubProspects on Twitter, and who is the newest writer at @BleacherNation. We talk Cubs Prospects: which of the many pitchers down on the farm might actually break out, which sleepers have a chance to be top 100 prospects overall, and who might we see make their debut at Wrigley this year? Before Bryan joins us (at the 17:30 mark), Kevin & Adam talk about possible rule changes and PECOTA hating the Cubs. Follow us!

The Cubs racist grandpa tried to ruin our week, but we won't let him - we're too psyched about the phenomenal Luke Hagerty story. There was also an interesting Tony Barnette signing, some Giants/Cubs trade rumors, and, uh, Gary Scott?! YES! It's a great talk with Cubs Den writer Ken Schultz, who pinch-hits for Adam this week. Follow us! Instagram & Twitter: @awaygamespod Tumblr: awaygamespodcast.tumblr.com Hosts @adammamawala & @kevinmccaff Message us at awaygamespodcast@gmail.com