Are you listening to The Compound, the podcast started by Ian Happ, Dakota Mekkes, Zack Short and Nico Hoerner during the offseason lockdown? I get it... podcasts can be boring, and these guys are just ballplayers, and they even dumped Nico (well, he quit), but The Compound is consistently entertaining! I promise! And I'm not just saying that to kiss up to them! So, if you're not yet hooked on listening to these three ballplaying knuckleheads talk about their craft and other things, I give you...
Top Ten Reasons to Listen to The Compound
10. Dakota Mekkes sounds as big as he looks.
At 6'7", 275, Dakota, AKA Meeksy, is a lot of human being, and he sounds as big as he looks. Meeksy talks in ALL CAPS. It's pretty funny, actually, and gives you an audible feel for what it must be like to stand next to him.
9. They let Zack stay even though he's a Tiger now.
Did you know Zack got traded to the Tigers for Cameron Maybin? I think the other two guys are in denial about it, because the podcast's official media still has Zack in a Cubs hat. Still, Zack isn't some slapdick prospect--he's a legit infielder who could really impact Detroit's club in a meaningful way in the near future. That said, he also provides a cheerful, happy medium between Ian's dry humor and Meeksy's, uh, audible bigness that is much appreciated. We're glad they didn't dump him like they did Nico (even though he quit), despite his love for Cub Killer Kiké Hernandez.
8. The guys give actual, real insider perspectives on what it's like to be professional baseball players.
We already know some about Ian since he's on the Big Squad, but the pod allows him to get even deeper into his thoughts about certain games, like how he felt leading up to the end of the season and the suckiness of the Wild Card series with the Marlins. Zack and Meeksy give regular perspectives on what it's like to be minor league players, and it's been fascinating to listen to them talk about their experiences through this very weird season with no minor league ball. They talk hitting! And pitching! And are guys who actually know about these things instead of being bloggers/podcasters who just think they know about these things!
7. You get to learn about RESTORE Hair treatments.
Did you know Ian was losing his hair? Well he's not anymore thanks to RESTORE, and you get to hear about it periodically on the pod! Except honestly, no one is looking at Ian's hair, and even he knows it. (The Muggsy Jeans, however...)
6. They brought in a lady!
The Compound now employs Intern Nora, a fan and university student who reached out to them offering her services on social media to help them increase their presence around the interwebs. They also devoted half of an episode to "interviewing" Nora, talking about her career aspirations and basically giving her free publicity for her future. Which is amazing! As a site that employs (we don't make any money, but whatever) three women, we can get behind this move 100%! Diversity and wimmins in sporpsball! Yay! Go Nora!
5. Ian Happ is sneakily charming.
We've gotten a little flavor of it on his social media, but Ian, who once refused to smile, has a charming, dry wit about him that really works well as the lead on the podcast. Even when he's hawking Parce Rum (every bottle saves a tree!), it's not annoying at all! Which is quite a feat!
This totally counts as a smile, BTW.
4. They have guests, and sometimes they're very good.
The guys bring in guests from time to time, and depending on your interests, they can be pretty good. Kris Bryant, Jon Lester, Jason Heyward, Alec Mills, and Anthony Rizzo have all been on, as have non-players like Jeff Garlin, Pat Connaughton, and fan morale expert extraordinaire DOM Frederic. They should definitely have more ladies on (I'm available, guys! Hit me up!), but they're great with their guests regardless.
3. They talk about the same dumb stuff you do.
Who has the best bat flip? Did you see when Belli separated his shoulder bashing after his homer? What are some good new recipes? These guys discuss the same dumb stuff you do in your DMs with your friends. Except they're pro ballplayers, and somehow that makes it more interesting!
2. It's fun to hear them pick on Meeksy.
There was an episode where the guys spent several minutes making fun of and telling stories about Meeksy getting bloody noses. This is pretty on brand for how the guys talk to and about Meeksy, and it's hilarious. Every group needs a Meeksy.
1. It's a good escape from all the DOOM.
Let's be honest: Cubs social media can be a pretty doomy place. We try to keep it positive, but if you're on Cubs Twitter or Facebook at all it's impossible to escape the near constant doom boners flying around over the excruciating minutiae of every little single piece of Cubs news. The Compound is a nice weekly bit of positivity, fun, and insight from three guys who live inside the reality of the game. It's a nice uplifting half hour of Cubs content every Tuesday that everyone could probably use. I know I can.
If you want to listen to The Compound like you know you really should, you can find links to their podcasts on iTunes and Spotify right here! They even have Obvious Shirts if you're into that sort of thing.