Ivy Envy - Chicago Cubs Fan Podcast (UNOFFICIAL)

Welcome to the last episode of our sixth season of podcasting on the Cubs, which is our 296thepisode. If you are looking for our usual Cubs talk, you won’t find much of it on this episode. The three of us have the opportunity to record in the same room about twice a year, so you’ll have to excuse the “hangout” vibe this episode has.

Michael from Galesburg (and The Awesome 80’s Podcast) joins us and earns the title of the official Ivy Envy Regular Guest.

If you’d like to hear the first baseball card episode we recorded, all the way back in 2009 (our 1st season of podcasting), you can listen to it here: Podcast #26 – Baseball Cards

Prior to the recording of this episode, we got this tweet.


 

 

If you’d like to watch the video of this episode and see most of the cards we talk about, here it is:

 

You can support The Ivy Envy Podcast through Patreon for just $1/month. Check out the Patreon campaign and perks at http://patreon.com/ivyenvy

Direct download: Episode_659.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:29pm CDT

Welcome to the 295th episode of The Ivy Envy Podcast.

Cubs pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in Mesa this week and we start the build-up to Cubs Spring Training by discussing the list of non-roster invitees. We also tell you where you'll be able to hear and watch Cubs Spring Training games this year.

The Cubs battle with the rooftop continues and Kurt gets us up to speed with the latest developments in the story.

We also answer several listener questions on various topics:

  • MLB.tv vs. MLB Extra Innings
  • Tom Tango
  • Which is better at Wrigley: Cubs more likely to win or a game vs. a rival?
  • Shrinking strike zone
  • Cole Hamels or free agent next off-season?
  • Chances a Cubs rookie wins 2015 NL Rookie of the Year
  • Last time we had this much hope for the Cubs headed into Spring Training.
  • Lester gets a hit vs Baez walks 50 times?
Direct download: Episode_658.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:57pm CDT

Welcome to the 294th episode of The Ivy Envy Podcast.

This week, we have an interview I did with Sahadev Sharma of Baseball Prospectus. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and I think you will too. We touch on several topics in this discussion and Sahadev provides valuable insight.

We start things off by talking about the PECOTA projections and what these projections say the 2015 Cubs could look like. We know that we’ll most likely see Kris Bryant up with the Cubs fairly early in the season. What’s not as clear at this point is when other prospects will get the call and I ask Sahadev if he thinks we may see Addison at Wrigley in some point in 2015.

Joe Maddon will be a management style we’ve never seen before with the Cubs, from his on-the-field philosophies to how he deals with the media and fans. Sahadev talks about the previous two Cubs managers and describes what the team will look like with Maddon at the helm.

Edwin Jackson was the first bigger free-agent this front office signed and things have definitely not gone as planned. Sahadev talks about where Jackson’s head is right now and he has a pretty good explanation of what went wrong with Edwin.

Javier Baez’s strikeouts are a big concern right now. For Baez to realize his potential, his strikeout rate needs to significantly drop. If you were looking for the strikeout rate to drop for Baez over winter ball, that didn’t happen. Sahadev does have a good explanation that should make step back from the ledge a bit.

We also look ahead to the 2015 trade deadline and Sahadev predicts what the Cubs mindset will be in regards to selling off prospects if they are in the thick of things later this season.

If you’d like to follow Sahadev on Twitter, you can find him at @SahadevSharma. You can read Sahadev’s written pieces on baseball at Baseball Prospectus

Click here for information on the Ivy Envy Cubs Bus Trip.
Click here to support The Ivy Envy Podcast through Patreon.

Direct download: Episode_657.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:39pm CDT

Welcome to the 293rd episode of The Ivy Envy Podcast. Our plan was that this would be an episode with Michael from Galesburg and we were going to talk about baseball cards. Unfortunately, Mother Nature did not work with us and a blizzard shut our plans down. The baseball card episode will be rescheduled, probably later in February.

PECOTA projections are out for the 2015 season. Those projections say the Cubs will end the season with an 82-80 record and miss the playoffs by one game. We talk about those results and the individual player projections to get them to that 82-80 record. Some of the players we discuss are: Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, Starlin Castro, Edwin Jackson and more.

In case you didn't know, the Cubs have a highly-touted farm system. I think you've probably heard about this. MLB.com released their Top 100 Prospects list and the Cubs have six players in the top 57. Keith Law also identified the Cubs as the top farm system in baseball. We talk a little about the players on the list and the timing of their impact on the major league team.

Major League Baseball has a new Commissioner and we talk about some of his comments since taking over. This opens up a discussion on the state of the sport of baseball and the issues impacting it's popularity with the youth of today. Do you think the pace and length of games is an issue?

We answer a handful of listener questions and read some Internet Muscle Flexes.

Congrats to Patreon Associate Producer, Matthew Maser for winning the Iowa Cubs Javier Baez t-shirt jersey.
If you'd like to support The Ivy Envy Podcast, check out our Patreon campaign.

General tickets for our 2015 Ivy Envy Cubs Bus Trip go on sale this Friday, February 6th. You can buy tickets here: Ivy Envy Cubs Bus Trip.

Direct download: Episode_656.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:50pm CDT

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