1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: No one covers the Bengals like ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: Sports station. Right, that's right, it's four minutes after five o'clock. 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: This is ESPN fifteen thirty. I'm oegar. Thank you so 4 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: much for listening. I hope you're having an awesome Thursday afternoon. 5 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:21,240 Speaker 1: The weather has been gorgeous in Cincinnati today and hopefully, 6 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: if you haven't already gotten a chance to enjoy it, 7 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: maybe you will this evening. We will see. Not a 8 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: great afternoon, though, from a Reds perspective, Beaten by the 9 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: Fish eight to one, blown out today. Rhet Louder didn't 10 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: have it. The Reds defense didn't have it. A u 11 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 1: Haano Suarez made an error which we're gonna spend some 12 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: time on here. In just a few minutes, South Stewart 13 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: hit a homer, which was cool, but that was pretty 14 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: much the extent of the Reds offense. 15 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 2: And a road trip, good road trip. They went five 16 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 2: and two. 17 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: It's interesting and funny how baseball works, though, because you 18 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: start five and zero and you lose the last two 19 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: and it feels kind of underwhelming. But if you go 20 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: five and two on the road trip and you went 21 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: like three and two in the first five, and then 22 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 1: won the last two. 23 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,320 Speaker 2: It feels like you're charging home with momentum. 24 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: Reds are home this weekend and for three games next week, 25 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 1: six game homestand first of three against the Angels tomorrow. 26 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: So this was true on Monday and Tuesday. Monday, we 27 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: did the show. The Reds were coming off a win 28 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: on Sunday, and we did the show on Tuesday, and 29 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: the Reds were coming off a win on Monday. And 30 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: we did a show yesterday, and the Reds were coming 31 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: off that thrilling win, my favorite game of the year 32 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: so far. It's obviously very early, but this was true. 33 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: This was true on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The Reds 34 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: they have some offensive issues. Now they were winning, and 35 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: so it's you know, I get how this works. 36 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 2: Hey, who cares. They're winning. 37 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: But it was fair then to wonder how can they 38 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,799 Speaker 1: get more offense? Will they get more offense? Will offensive 39 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: improvement come from within? Will offensive improvement come from somebody 40 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: coming from outside? Reese Hines has been talked about a lot. 41 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 1: Reese Higins in Noelve Marte. The comparison there is interesting 42 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: to me. Noelve Marte is twenty four years old Noelvea 43 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: is struggling. He's not playing every day. I don't know 44 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: what the consensus view of him and the organization is. 45 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 1: Tito Francona during spring training had some very lukewarm things 46 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: to say about Noel V Marte kind of midway through 47 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 1: spring training, challenged him a little bit. But he's not 48 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: playing every single day, and you could argue he doesn't 49 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: deserve to play every single day. But it's interesting. So 50 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: Reese hines as a great spring gets sent down, and 51 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: the reason expressed by the manager is he's gonna play 52 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: every day and he's not doing any good on the bench, 53 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: and there's validity to that, like, okay, cool, that's a 54 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: sign of depth. The fact that you don't have to 55 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 1: bring Reeshigins north and JJ Blede by the way, the 56 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: fact that you don't have to bring those guys north, 57 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: the fact that you don't have to have those guys 58 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 1: in your opening days starting lineup reflects depth. That's good. 59 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:26,399 Speaker 1: That's good, terrific, great, except the season starts and there's 60 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: offensive issues and Noel J. Marte not producing, not hitting 61 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: all while he's when he plays, he's playing a position 62 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: that he needs work at. 63 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 2: It's interesting. 64 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: They don't play him full time, They don't play him 65 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: every single day. Noel ve Marte is twenty four years old. 66 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: Rees Hines not only had a bang up spring training, 67 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: but he's also done nothing but hit since he started 68 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: the season at Louisville. Why is Reshines sent to Louisville 69 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: because he has to play every day? But Noel j Marte, 70 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: who's younger than resigns. Why see up here not playing 71 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: every day when the position that he's at he's new to, 72 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: which would suggest it would make sense for him to 73 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: play every day. Also, when he plays, he's not hitting. 74 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: Doesn't make a lot of sense. This team's got to 75 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: find some offense. And if you look at early season numbers, 76 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 1: you can be I don't know, you can be fooled. 77 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 1: Sometimes you'll look at a guy's numbers at this stage 78 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 1: in the season, two weeks old, and they will be 79 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: through the roof and the guy will be batting like, 80 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: you know, four to seventy five, and it's like, Okay, 81 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: he's he's probably not going to hit four seventy five. 82 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: He's probably not that good. And conversely, you could look 83 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: at some numbers that are on the down side of 84 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: things and you're like, all right, this this player, whoever 85 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: it is, maybe for the purposes of using examples on 86 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: the team right now, it's TJ. Friedel or Tyler Stevenson. 87 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: Their numbers are ghastly because there's wide swings in what 88 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: numbers look like based on what happens in one game. 89 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 2: But this team has offensive issues. 90 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: This was all along probably a little bit of a 91 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: low ceiling offensive team. They're better at hitting the long ball, 92 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 1: which is awesome, but like they're still really struggling to 93 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: score runs, and that falls on a lot of people. 94 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 1: They need more production from Tyler Stevenson, and it's fair 95 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 1: to wonder if they're gonna get it, because they probably 96 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: in the short term need him to play a little 97 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: bit more because Jose Travino is not here. And it's 98 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 1: hard to look at a lineup that has TJ. Friedele 99 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: leading off and feel like that's the right decision because 100 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: he's not getting on base, and in some of these 101 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: instances you can't help but wonder, are we seeing a 102 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: continuation of things last year? TJ Friedel in the second 103 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 1: half of the season last year was not good, and 104 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: Spencer Steer for a large chunk of the season last 105 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: year was league average, not great. This year he's been 106 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: well below league average. So the offensive issues are not 107 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: about one guy. It never is. It's never hey ever, 108 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 1: everybody is hitting except this one dude. 109 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 2: It's not that. 110 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: But the key Brian Hayes thing, the keep Brian Hayes thing, 111 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: is what's interesting. It's interesting from a few different perspectives, 112 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 1: but it's worth talking about from a few different perspectives 113 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 1: as well, because, unlike a lot of these other guys, 114 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: keep Brian Hayes is elite at one thing. He's elite defensively. 115 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: You will find some who claim him to be the 116 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: best defensive player in the sport, and based on stuff 117 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 1: that I look at that has married. He is awesome 118 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: with the glove, but that needs context, and the context 119 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: can come in the form of what he does offensively, 120 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 1: which he's never been a very good offensive player. I 121 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: used the number a week ago, and it was originally 122 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: in a piece that I saw on redreporter dot Com. 123 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: This offseason. Weighted runs created plus an advanced metric, but 124 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: not an insignificant one. If you took all the players 125 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 1: over the last two seasons that had and I'm doing 126 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: this off the top of my head. I guess I 127 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: could find it played in over two hundred and fifty 128 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: games or had a certain amount of plate appearances, and 129 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: if I was a good talk show host, I'd have 130 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: this in front of me. But in that particular metric, 131 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: among all the players who had achieved a certain amount 132 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: of plate appearances, Kee Brian Hayes was second worst in 133 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: baseball among third basemen, and third base is a position where, 134 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: let's be honest, you typically associate it with offense. He's 135 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: below average, So, like there's a few different ways to 136 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: look at this. 137 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 2: One is. 138 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: What does his offense have to look like for us 139 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: to quit talking about him? Like we acknowledge he's never 140 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: gonna be a guy that you want batting third or second, 141 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: or fifth or fourth. You always want him near the 142 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: bottom of the order. You understand his limitations with the bat. 143 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: He's never gonna hit a ton of homers. He's never 144 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 1: gonna hit for a high average. He's never gonna have 145 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: a string together a ton of extra base hits. He's 146 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: never statistically gonna do anything offensively that really jumps off 147 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: the page. But you need something, right, you need something 148 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: to make you go, look, the glove is great just 149 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: give us this offensively, what does this look like? I'm 150 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,439 Speaker 1: asking because I really don't know the answer. But what 151 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: this looks like can't look like what it does right now, 152 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:44,199 Speaker 1: and I will acknowledge. Keep Brian Hayes hasn't struck out 153 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: a bunch just three times this year. Keep Brian Hayes 154 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 1: is actually hitting the ball slightly harder on average right 155 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: now than he has for his career. The guy has 156 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: three hits this season. Guy gets on base fifteen percent 157 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: of the time. Offensively, he's I hate to say a zero, 158 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,959 Speaker 1: but it's kind of what he is. It's great as 159 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: he is with the glove. He's a negative war player. 160 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: Small sample size, but that's a fair question, right, Okay, 161 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: he's great field, no hit, but you gotta hit at 162 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 1: least a little bit to justify being used in the 163 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: lineup close to every day. He did not play today, 164 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 1: And by the way, Ayuhanio Suarez made an airplaying third 165 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 1: base in the first inting that led to a run, 166 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: and so the Key Brian Hayes fans on social media 167 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: were like see, like, oh, okay, are we gonna do 168 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: that every time Key Brian Hayes comes up in a 169 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: big situation and doesn't get a hit, because then this 170 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: season's gonna be intolerable. 171 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 2: So there's looking at him. 172 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,599 Speaker 1: Through the lens of like, all right, he's not a 173 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: good hitter, but doesn't he have to hit at a 174 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: certain level where you go, okay, fine, if he does 175 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: this and you get the defense, we're good. 176 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:55,959 Speaker 2: Leave him alone. 177 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 1: We're not there right now. There's also looking at the 178 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: value of the position. And you know, one of my 179 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: all time favorite Reds is Scott Roland. Scott Rowland. I 180 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: loved everything about him, loved the intangibles he brought to 181 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: the table. I was lucky enough to interview him a 182 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: year or two into his Reds ten year, and I 183 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: loved chatting with him. He was self effacing. He just 184 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: seems like a good guy. Doesn't take himself too seriously. 185 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 1: Was a very good player, a very good hitter, and 186 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 1: one of the best defensive third basemen of all time. 187 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: And so there's value in that. There's value in having 188 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: a guy at every position who can play. There's value 189 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 1: in every position having somebody who can can catch the 190 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: ball when it's hit to him, can make the throws, 191 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: can make all the defense, doesn't commit errors, doesn't give 192 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:52,959 Speaker 1: away extra bases, doesn't give away extra outs. But third 193 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: basemen handle the ball less frequently than players at other positions. 194 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: Red's third baseman coming into play today thirty five chances 195 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: in what was that twelve games? Second base fifty shortstop 196 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: forty six. Those are just chances. And if you watch 197 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: I was gonna say enough, watching a handful of baseball games, 198 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,079 Speaker 1: you see how much more frequently the other infield positions 199 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: are involved than the third baseman. So, like historically you 200 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: think great field, no hit, you're not thinking third baseman. 201 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: You may be thinking shortstop, you may be thinking second base. Now, 202 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: ideally you'd have a guy at every position who was 203 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: awesome with the glove and awesome with the bat. And 204 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: you know, every team had Joe Morgan at second base, 205 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 1: or Scott Rolling at third base, or Barry Larkin at shortstop. 206 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 2: But they got a guy who's great field, no hit. 207 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:48,439 Speaker 2: Does that work at third base? 208 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 1: So you look at it from that perspective, Yes, he's 209 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: awesome with the glove. But if a guy's on the 210 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: team because he's awesome with the glove, wouldn't you be 211 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 1: more comfortable with that if he was playing a position 212 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:07,199 Speaker 1: where he was in the game on the field a little. 213 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 2: Bit more involved. 214 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 1: There could also look at him from this perspective, like, Okay, 215 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: nobody's talking about Key Brian Hayes. If the other dudes hit, 216 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: that's undeniable, right, Like my thing coming into the season 217 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 1: was if the Reds get great production from a handful 218 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: of guys and good production from another handful of guys, 219 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: and maybe league average production from one other dude. All right, fine, 220 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: I got a guy batting ninth, don't care what he does. 221 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 2: That's not happening on this team this year. 222 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: And so if they're getting better production from the top 223 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: two spots in the batting order, and if Gino starts 224 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:46,439 Speaker 1: to hit a little bit more, and they're getting more 225 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: from catcher and TJ Friedel starts performing, and one of 226 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: the outfield spots brings some offense to the table, regardless 227 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: of who it comes from, whether it's Benson or Marte 228 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:02,599 Speaker 1: or Steer or Hinds or day Meyers who made a 229 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 1: great catch today or JJ Bleda. If if you get that, 230 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: then you're you're less focused on what you're not getting 231 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 1: from this one dude at third base. 232 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 2: But the fact that that's not happening. 233 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: Makes you go, okay, if the idea is well, third 234 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:25,439 Speaker 1: base offensively is gonna be some dead weight, but everybody 235 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: else is gonna be able to help carry that dead 236 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: weight because they're gonna be more productive. That's not happening, 237 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 1: And the other way to look at it is keep 238 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: Brian Hayes was traded from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati along with 239 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: his contract, and what he's gonna make on an annual 240 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:49,200 Speaker 1: basis might might not be like the most eye opening 241 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 1: amount of money. He's due seven million dollars this year, 242 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 1: but he's also under contract for each of the next 243 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: three seasons seven next year, eight, the year after that, 244 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 1: eight the year after that. There's a team option for 245 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,559 Speaker 1: twenty thirty twelve million bucks. You were on the hook 246 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: for key Brian Hayes and his contract for the rest 247 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 1: of the decade. He is going to be thirty years 248 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: old at the end of the season, so be honest. 249 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: Chances are there's not going to be like this thirty 250 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: thirty one year old sudden offensive resurgence that nobody saw. 251 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: He's probably not going to get better as a hitter. 252 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: He may only get worse, and perhaps some of his 253 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: defensive skills start to slip, although I don't believe that's 254 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: gonna happen. So you're on the hook. A lot of 255 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: these other guys you could talk about they need to 256 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: perform better, But like, let's make the key Brian Hayes 257 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: conversation about beyond twenty twenty six. If you're just going, hey, 258 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: he's on the team we traded for him and the contract, 259 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: knowing what he is, which is great field, no hit, 260 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 1: he's playing third base, playing most of the time no 261 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: matter what. Well, then you're gonna have to do a 262 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: really good job of building a team around him. And 263 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: maybe by the middle of this season we say that 264 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: the Reds have done that. Right now you can I 265 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: know they're eight and five, and that's awesome. And they're 266 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 1: eight and five and I think genuinely a better baseball 267 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: team than they were last year today. Notwithstanding, they've been 268 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 1: better defensively for the most part, they've been better on 269 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 1: the bases. They have more home run potential. They've hit 270 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: eleven and thirteen games. There is a tremendous amount of 271 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: upside with the starting pitching. Despite Brady Singer not getting 272 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: past the third yesterday. There are more options in the bullpen, 273 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: but they are dealing with an offense that this to 274 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: this point of the season hasn't been very good. And 275 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 1: chances are this team this season offensively is I keep 276 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: using the term not a high ceiling team, but they're 277 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: probably not. That's got a change. It's got to change 278 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: this year. But moving forward, you're gonna be building teams 279 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: around a guy who plays again third base, who's a 280 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: below average league hitter or a below league average hitter. 281 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: Are you gonna be able to build teams around Keep 282 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: Brian Hayes? That get us to stop talking about him. 283 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: I know it sounds like we're picking on the dude, 284 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: and that is never my intention. While we're judging his performance, 285 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,800 Speaker 1: the performance speaks for itself. Keep Brian Hayes, by all accounts, 286 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: is a terrific guy. There's a place on the team 287 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: for him. There's a place in the league form what 288 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 1: he does well. He does exceptionally well, and yeah, that 289 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: has value, but the value is kind of limited by 290 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: the position that he plays, and the value is kind 291 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 1: of compromised by the fact that he didn't bring anything 292 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: to the table offensively, at least hasn't yet, and the 293 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: fact that he's not bringing anything to the table offensively 294 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: you could swallow, you could deal with if the other 295 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: guys would. 296 00:16:57,600 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 2: Right now, nobody is. 297 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: Let's be hop when we talk about the guys who aren't, 298 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,640 Speaker 1: we're kind of sifting through a lot of familiar suspects 299 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:12,200 Speaker 1: here Freidol, Benson, Marte, Steer, Stevenson, like, not a whole 300 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: lot of dudes who before the season we were talking 301 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 1: about having great years. So there's a lot there. Man, 302 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,359 Speaker 1: I admit that. Five point three seven four nine fifteen 303 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: thirty And I promise you, man, like, this is not 304 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,640 Speaker 1: pick on key Brian Hayes day. That's that's not Look, 305 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:28,920 Speaker 1: they didn't lose the game. Keep Brian Hayden and play today. 306 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,359 Speaker 1: As I might came to work this morning thinking like 307 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: I want to talk about this because I think why 308 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: he's on the team and what he doesn't do and 309 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: what they're trying to do with him and the lack 310 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: of other options is really interesting. This in my opinion, 311 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 1: and it's just me, the most interesting team dynamic is 312 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: having a guy who plays third base who doesn't hit. 313 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 2: For the rest of the decade. 314 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:57,439 Speaker 1: Five point three seven four nine fifteen thirty is our 315 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 1: number at Muleger on Twitter thanks to Delta Dental. Delta 316 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:04,360 Speaker 1: Dental is building healthy, smart, vibrant communities for all good 317 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: at Delta Dental, oh dot com. We are a little 318 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: bit late here an update from Augusta coming up. A 319 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: few more Bengals odds and ends as well. Twenty two 320 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:17,160 Speaker 1: after five. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports. 321 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:20,560 Speaker 2: Station, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. 322 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 3: Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center. Considered becoming a 323 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 3: living kidney donort and during Donate Life Month, the experts 324 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 3: a u see health can answer all of your questions. 325 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 3: A gamester of life begins with one step. Learnmoreu seehealth 326 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 3: dot com. Slash transplant. An improving picture on the freeways 327 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 3: with seventy five north bonded Paddock accent cleared two seventy 328 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 3: five east of the Comb Saale Bridge. That accident down 329 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 3: to the way so downs on Fort Washington Way eastponded 330 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,119 Speaker 3: seventy one two lanes taken up. An accident here in 331 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,199 Speaker 3: Hamilton at Spring Grove as a crash. My Rick Shrimp 332 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:53,360 Speaker 3: with traffic. 333 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 1: Greater Kenwood area. I will be at Rally House on 334 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: Montgomery Road from noon to two hanging out. Say hi, 335 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:05,120 Speaker 1: buy some Reds gear. Buy me some Reds gear. Buy 336 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,480 Speaker 1: me one of those quarter zips that Jeff Brantley and 337 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 1: John Sadak we're wearing on TV today, and when one 338 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: of the gift cards that I have, I've got some 339 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 1: Rally House gift cards I'll be giving away. 340 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 2: Now, this isn't one of those deals. I can't make it. 341 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: Keny, No, you've got to come to rally I'm giving 342 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 1: you time, stirring lunch, Rally House and Kenwood. 343 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:26,639 Speaker 2: Now, we obviously love all the Rally. 344 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: House locations around Greater Cincinnati, but we'll be at the 345 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: the Kenwood location tomorrow from noon to two. I'll be 346 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 1: calling in to Tony and Austin and that's always a 347 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 1: good time and giving away gift cards and hanging out 348 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 1: and just enjoying a nice Friday afternoon Rally House in Kenwood. 349 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:46,159 Speaker 1: We hope to see you there tomorrow in the show 350 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: Hey do you Wantney from Apple TV. Red's are the 351 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: Apple TV game tomorrow and NFL Draft expert Mike Renner 352 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: will be on the show at four oh five. We 353 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: are two weeks away from the NFL Draft and the 354 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: possibility he seemingly endless for the Bengals as we inch closer. 355 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: I brought this up yesterday with cornerback kind of gaining 356 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 1: steam as something that a lot of people who do 357 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 1: mock drafts are focusing in on the fallout from that 358 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 1: this offseason, Like, let's be honest, free the waves of 359 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 1: the Bengals offseason are typically free agency, then the guys, 360 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: the players come back for the offseason workout right before 361 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,360 Speaker 1: the draft that starts on the twentieth, Then the draft, 362 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: and then we get into OTA's in mini camp. In 363 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: the middle of all that, we find out which players 364 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: are unhappy with their contract status or maybe which players 365 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 1: get signed if they take a corner with the tenth 366 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: overall pick, either Dax Hill or DJ Turner, or maybe 367 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 1: both ain't getting signed. Who makes a stink? 368 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:52,159 Speaker 2: Who gives me? 369 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:57,199 Speaker 1: Sports talk radio topics in June and July. It's one 370 00:20:57,240 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 1: of the storylines five point thirty sports headlines. Next the 371 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 1: fifteen thirty Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty traffic from. 372 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 3: The UCA Health Traffic Center. Considered becoming a living kidney 373 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 3: donor and during Donate Life Month, the experts you you 374 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 3: see health can answer all the questions the gamester of 375 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 3: life begins with one step. LEARNMOREU seehealth dot com. Slash 376 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 3: transplant accident reported on Fort Washington Way at seventy one 377 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 3: and two lanes are taken up. The last lanes affected 378 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 3: here on to seventy five At seventy five, an accident 379 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 3: has three lanes blocked. We're watching heavier traffic on seventy 380 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,639 Speaker 3: five norths between Mitchell and Paddock. It's about a ten 381 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 3: minute drive. I'm Rick Shrimp with traffic. This report is sponsored. 382 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:43,400 Speaker 4: By Cincinnati's Sports station. 383 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 2: Sports and Lines are a service money by Nature. 384 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: This is uh one of my favorites. 385 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 2: October of ninety one. I think this song came out 386 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 2: sports set. 387 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 1: Lines are not a service of Naughty by Nature, They're 388 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 1: a service Kelsey Chevrolet. He I don't know that anybody 389 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: wants that to happen. I have sang karaoke once in 390 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: my life and it didn't go well. It went I 391 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: had a blast. The patrons at the place that I 392 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 1: was at they did not enjoy that that much. And 393 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:20,439 Speaker 1: know it wasn't opp a service at Kelsey Chevrolet, Home 394 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: of lifetime powertrain protection and guaranteed credit approval from their 395 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: family to yours for life. Kelsechhev dot Com. Red's lost 396 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,160 Speaker 1: to the Fish today eight to one in Miami. RHT 397 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 1: Ladder did not pitch well, Reds didn't hit well. Salth 398 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: Stewart did. Salth stewart Is awesome fourth home run of 399 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: the season. It went for naught. Red's finished the road 400 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 1: trip five and two, but with two consecutive losses to 401 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,679 Speaker 1: wind it down. Their home tomorrow, first of three against 402 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: the La Angels at GABP. This is an interesting story 403 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: and one certainly worth paying attention to if you're an 404 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: FC Cincinnati. 405 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 2: Fan, or if you're a soccer fan. 406 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: According to the Athletic, FC Cincinnati is engaging in preliminary 407 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: discussions about Naymar potentially moving to Major League Soccer. This 408 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 1: according to Tom Bogert and Paul ten Oreo Tenorio Paul 409 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: Tenerio I tried anyway. 410 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:24,639 Speaker 2: They report that very early. 411 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 1: It don't get too excited, but Naymar and FC Cincinnati 412 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: engaging in internal conversations about his interest and requirements, So 413 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: keep that in mind. Pay attention. AUGUSTA National Round one 414 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: of the Masters, Sam Burns and Roy McElroy, both in 415 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 1: the clubhouse atop the leaderboard at five under Jason Day, 416 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: Patrick Reid, and Justin Rose are two shots back. A 417 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,959 Speaker 1: whole bunch of other dudes are three shots back. By 418 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 1: the way, I'm watching folks on social. 419 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:00,919 Speaker 2: Media, they're there. 420 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: Are conversations about one of the features of attending the Masters, 421 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: which is you can't bring a cell phone. And I 422 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 1: was very lucky in twenty nineteen because of a friend 423 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: of mine who had access not on the secondary market 424 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: to badges. I went to Thursday and Friday of the 425 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 1: Masters and it was awesome. Now I don't get into 426 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 1: some of the more small sy romanticizing of that place 427 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:32,119 Speaker 1: like others, but it was an unbelievable experience, and it 428 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:35,160 Speaker 1: was amplified by the fact that I didn't have my phone. 429 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:38,159 Speaker 1: I could take in cigars and no phone and I 430 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:42,160 Speaker 1: was in heaven. I said, it's part of the charm. 431 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 2: Of that event. It was great. 432 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 1: I'm watching people on social media debate whether or not 433 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:49,360 Speaker 1: there are other places who should adopt something like this, 434 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 1: maybe like a no cell phone bar or restaurant, which 435 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 1: in some cities I guess these establishments exist. So there's 436 00:24:56,760 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 1: our poll question, thanks to United Heartland and Insurance, would 437 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,120 Speaker 1: you patronize an Augusta national theme bar restaurant that prohibited 438 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: cell phone use. And there's three choices, yes, which is A, 439 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: or B which is I'll say yes because this is hypothetical, 440 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 1: but if such a place became reality here, I really 441 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: wouldn't go. 442 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:20,480 Speaker 2: And no. 443 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 1: And right now, the majority of folks say be or C. 444 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:27,159 Speaker 1: You can vote now. Poll questions on Twitter seem to 445 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 1: be kind of broken, and I don't necessarily know why 446 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,199 Speaker 1: we brought that up yesterday. Anyway, vote now, or at 447 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:38,720 Speaker 1: least try to vote. I was gonna make a joke 448 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,240 Speaker 1: there that it's probably best that I don't at moager 449 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 1: thanks to United at Heartland Insurance. No matter what you're 450 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 1: paying for insurance, you should take a look at what 451 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 1: the folks that United Heartland Insurance can do for you. 452 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:53,919 Speaker 1: Those folks are wonderful home life, auto, boat, motorcycle, but whatever. 453 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: If you need it insured, they can help you. Go 454 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 1: to uhins dot com and I promise you they will 455 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:04,880 Speaker 1: say you yes. MO money. Hockey Tonight, the Jackets skate 456 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: at Buffalo. Four games remaining for Columbus and a big 457 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:10,919 Speaker 1: win over Detroit the other night. Jackets are two games 458 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,360 Speaker 1: behind Ottawa in the hunt for the last Eastern conference 459 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: wild Card Spot five point three seven nine fifteen thirty 460 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 1: is our phone number. I'll try one more time, Mike, 461 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: go ahead. 462 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:29,959 Speaker 4: My apologies as usual. 463 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,160 Speaker 1: Well, there are very few people that I would give 464 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: a second chance to for not being not being ready 465 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 1: to go when we came to you, but we make 466 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:40,120 Speaker 1: an exception for you. 467 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,160 Speaker 4: I'm very honored that you do that. Thank you so much. Sure, 468 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:51,360 Speaker 4: sometimes the medical staff rules over anything else I do, 469 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 4: so I understand. Anyway, Yes, good to hear your voice. 470 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 4: Enjoyed the show today? 471 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 2: Well, thank you? 472 00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: Thank you because I know I know you don't enjoy 473 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: the show every day. 474 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 4: Well I typically do. Sometimes I'm just a little complainer 475 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 4: in a wreck. 476 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:09,119 Speaker 2: That's okay. 477 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,399 Speaker 1: You know what, The reasons why people listen don't matter. 478 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:16,439 Speaker 1: The fact that you do does. So you could hate listen, 479 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,360 Speaker 1: right like Howard Stern and people like that. Rush Limbaugh 480 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 1: made careers out of people hate listening. So you could 481 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:25,639 Speaker 1: hate the show as long as you listen to it. 482 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,879 Speaker 4: Well, as long as they don't bother you afterwards personally 483 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 4: with an email. So that's something I get it. 484 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:37,880 Speaker 1: We like any and all correspondence. Any and all correspondence 485 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:38,439 Speaker 1: is welcome. 486 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 4: Well, you will never have a more devoted let's learn 487 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,440 Speaker 4: it than me. I'll tell you that. Well, thank you anyway. 488 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:49,760 Speaker 4: I like Ludwig Ludwig Obert to win it. I got 489 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 4: him at sixteen to one. Where are we at on 490 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:54,359 Speaker 4: the leader board, Karen? 491 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,880 Speaker 1: You know he's right now tied for forty seconds. He's 492 00:27:57,920 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: two over through fourteen. 493 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, he'll come up. He's gonna come up. My boy, 494 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:07,720 Speaker 4: my sweetish boy, Ludvig. I love it, you like it? 495 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:09,880 Speaker 2: Uniforms, I do. 496 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,440 Speaker 1: I like it when they when they lean into red 497 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:15,400 Speaker 1: more than black. Nothing against the color black. I'd root 498 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,359 Speaker 1: for teams where the primary color is black. But I 499 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: like it when the Cincinnati Reds lean into the color 500 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 1: they're named after. I do think they would be interesting 501 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:26,639 Speaker 1: to look at if the pants were white. I like 502 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: the pinstripe. I like the color red. I am a 503 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 1: count me as a fan. 504 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 4: I love it. Yeah, you're the red legs, You're not 505 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 4: the black legs. Okay, yeah, I like it. 506 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: I mean I think the black the black City Connect 507 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: uniforms I think are esthetically pleasing. I don't dislike them, 508 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: but when I think of Cincinnati Red, I think of 509 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:50,520 Speaker 1: the color red, and my favorite Red's looks historically either 510 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 1: involve white and red and that's it, or that real 511 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: old school red and navy. 512 00:28:57,080 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 2: Blue, which are the colors that those pull over. 513 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 1: Is that John Sadak and Jeff Brantley were wearing on 514 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 1: TV today that if one of those happened to be 515 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 1: laying around, I'd. 516 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:10,240 Speaker 2: Buy what are? 517 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 4: Who are? The two teams that don't buy into the 518 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 4: now are Dodgers Just the Dodgers city connect are garbage. 519 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 4: They're stupid. No, actually they're paying. They're paying a tribute 520 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 4: to the Memorial Coliseum, which is where they played when 521 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 4: they first came from New York. But the uniforms are stupid. 522 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 1: So the two things about this one the Dodgers don't. 523 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 1: The Dodgers city connect unis are bad. But the blue 524 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: jersey they debuted on the road this year, which looks 525 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: like a spring train, that is I like that. That's 526 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: a Dodger blue. The two teams that don't do a 527 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: city connector are the Yankees because they're the Yankees, and 528 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 1: the Athletics because they're technically not affiliated right now with 529 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 1: any city, and. 530 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 4: Because the Athletics, in my opinion, have the most aesthetically 531 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 4: pleasing uniforms in all of baseball, and I felt that 532 00:29:57,880 --> 00:29:59,240 Speaker 4: way for about forty years. 533 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 1: The a's road uniform is my favorite in baseball. We 534 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: are of like mind there, Mike, Oh, really beautiful? 535 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 4: Can I switched to the NBA real quick? 536 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 2: Can do it? 537 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 4: Actually? Actually my Dodgers went up there and we almost 538 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 4: swept those dog on Blue Jays. We just swipped a 539 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 4: little bit last night. But show hey, Joe. I heard 540 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 4: an interview with Roberts today and he said, show Hay 541 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 4: is obsessed with getting ASA young this year, so we'll see. 542 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 4: He had a hell of a game last night. SGA 543 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 4: Ska should get the MDP in your mind. 544 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't have an issue with that. 545 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 1: I mean, I know there are folks who object with 546 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 1: the way he plays because it's not the most visually appealing, 547 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 1: but he's the best player on the best team. The 548 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 1: thunder have wrapped up the one seed in the West. 549 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:56,400 Speaker 1: They're gonna win sixty five or sixty six games. He's 550 00:30:56,440 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 1: averaging over thirty per he's he's played in above the 551 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: sixty five game threshold, which is very controversial. You know, 552 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 1: Wemban Yama is my favorite player to watch. His time 553 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 1: is going to come. I wouldn't have any objection to 554 00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:16,080 Speaker 1: anybody who voted for him. But I think if I 555 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:20,320 Speaker 1: had a vote, I would probably lean I'd probably lean SDA. 556 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:25,720 Speaker 4: No, if you had to start a team, who would 557 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 4: be the guy you would pick? It's got to be 558 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 4: the Joker Man. It's got to be now. But I'm 559 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,640 Speaker 4: just telling you, did did you see what the Joker 560 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 4: did to him last Saturday? I did put that fadeaway 561 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 4: jumper on the baseline. He got forty on him. 562 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 1: Joker is Joker is a Joker is a multi time MVP, 563 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 1: and yet he's still underrated. 564 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's right. 565 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 1: But if, but if, but if, but if I had 566 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:53,920 Speaker 1: to start a franchise, give me a seven foot four, 567 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:57,240 Speaker 1: twenty two year old who's already a star, who can 568 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:00,520 Speaker 1: shoot it, who can handle it, who's a great rebounder. Like, 569 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:02,760 Speaker 1: if I'm starting a franchise right now, I don't even 570 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 1: have to think about this. What he is going to 571 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 1: be as a twenty five or twenty six year old 572 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 1: is I can't He's already awesome. I can't wait to 573 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 1: see what his future has in store. If I had 574 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 1: to start a franchise with one guy, I'll give you 575 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 1: everybody else. 576 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 2: I'm taking Wemby. 577 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 4: I'm with you. You give your Knicks any shot to 578 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 4: get out of the East. 579 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 2: A little bit because they're healthy. 580 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: But the problem is, like this stage in the season, 581 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 1: I don't like it when a team that's supposed to 582 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:39,480 Speaker 1: be a contender is still trying to figure out who's 583 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:44,000 Speaker 1: going to be in the rotation, who's going to start, 584 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: how they want to play Defensively, there's just at their 585 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: best and this is not me being biased. When they 586 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 1: are at their best offensively, I think they're the most 587 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 1: fun team in the league to watch. The problem is 588 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 1: a they're not always at their best. They have these 589 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: extraordinarily long defensive lapses. They are so puzzling at times. 590 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:09,960 Speaker 1: I struggle to believe that they can beat the Boston 591 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:13,760 Speaker 1: Celtics four times. I have a tough time believing now 592 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:15,800 Speaker 1: that Cunningham is back, that they can beat the Detroit 593 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: Pistons four times. I am deathly afraid. And Tara and 594 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: I were talking about this in the office yesterday. Now 595 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:26,160 Speaker 1: we'll see Philadelphia has lost their last two. They're not 596 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: gonna have embiid. Philly for a while was occupying that 597 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:32,400 Speaker 1: sixth spot. The Knicks have a decent chance to be 598 00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:34,560 Speaker 1: the three. They've got to hold off Cleveland. The Knicks 599 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 1: have a tough game tonight at home against Boston. I 600 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 1: do not want to play Philly. If they play in 601 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: Round one Atlanta or Toronto, I think they will win. 602 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 1: If they played Cleveland in a series, which that would 603 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 1: have to be in the conference final. I think that's 604 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: a coin flip. I think they would be really hard 605 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 1: pressed to win four games against Detroit. And I see 606 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 1: no scenario where a fully healthy Boston tea allows New 607 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: York to beat him four times. So I'll give him 608 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 1: a puncher's chance. But no, I don't think they're gonna 609 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:08,200 Speaker 1: come out of the East. 610 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:11,880 Speaker 4: I love talking MBA with you, and I'm sure you 611 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:15,600 Speaker 4: and Taren have good conversations as well. So thanks mor 612 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 4: for the time, and you have a blessed weekend. 613 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 1: Brother, you too, Mike, thanks so much. Good to hear 614 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:21,400 Speaker 1: from you. As always, we got to go. 615 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 2: Terren's playing the music. It means show's over. Gonna go 616 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:25,800 Speaker 2: see it. 617 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 1: Get out of here, don tomorrow. How do you want 618 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 1: any from Apple? And on baseball because she's working the 619 00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:37,359 Speaker 1: game tomorrow. Reds and Angels and Mike Renner NFL Draft guy. 620 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:40,439 Speaker 1: He's the best. Albe at rally house tomorrow from noon 621 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:43,439 Speaker 1: to tube giving out gift cards. So stop by and 622 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:46,879 Speaker 1: we're done. Anything you ams go find on the iHeartRadio app. 623 00:34:46,880 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 1: Thanks to Long Neck Sportsquirrel, thanks to Tarren Bland for producing, 624 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:52,280 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening. 625 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:53,000 Speaker 2: Have a great night. 626 00:34:53,080 --> 00:34:54,759 Speaker 1: We'll talk to you tomorrow at three oh five on 627 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,040 Speaker 1: ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. 628 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:15,560 Speaker 2: Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. 629 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:20,719 Speaker 3: Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center considered becoming a 630 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:23,920 Speaker 3: living kidney donor and during Donate Life Month, the experts 631 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:26,320 Speaker 3: a you see health can answer all the questions. A 632 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,439 Speaker 3: gaft of life begins with one step. Learnmoreu see health 633 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:33,640 Speaker 3: dot com. Slash transplant accident on two seventy five. He 634 00:35:33,719 --> 00:35:37,280 Speaker 3: spotted seventy five in Ohio. Three right lanes are blocked. Also, 635 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:40,400 Speaker 3: we're looking at seventy five sowing southbound Ronald Reagan Highway 636 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 3: to Norwood Lateral and from the viaduct to the Brent 637 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:47,160 Speaker 3: Spence Bridge. Northboond seventy one is sewing Smith Edwards and 638 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:50,200 Speaker 3: Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway. I'm Rick Shrimp with traffic 639 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:50,760 Speaker 3: this report