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Speaker 1: Doumble get fired up.

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Speaker 2: Joining me now of tough baseball cards because he got

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Speaker 2: I think the most valuable set of them there is

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Speaker 2: from Still City Collectibles.

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Speaker 1: It's Billy Lesnik. Billy.

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Speaker 2: I was intrigued to see on Twitter you purchased a

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Speaker 2: complete set of nineteen fifty two Tops Baseball cards, which

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Speaker 2: includes the Mickey Mantle Rookie.

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Speaker 1: What did you pay for that? And how'd you track

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Speaker 1: it down?

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Speaker 3: Hey, Mark, Thanks for having us on today. Yeah, so

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Speaker 3: our company has been working on this project for a while.

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Speaker 3: We bought a partial set several years ago and we've

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Speaker 3: kind of been putting it together piece by piece.

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Speaker 4: And you're absolutely right.

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Speaker 3: It really is considered to be the most popular sports

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Speaker 3: card set ever produced. And when you think baseball card,

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Speaker 3: the first card that pops in your ahead is that

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Speaker 3: Mickey Mantle design. So we we have it up right

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Speaker 3: now on our website for about one hundred and eighty

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Speaker 3: thousand dollars.

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Speaker 2: Oh okay, so you're gonna flip it. You're going to

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Speaker 2: sell it now that you've assembled it?

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Speaker 1: For sure?

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Speaker 5: For sure.

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Speaker 3: It's such an iconic set. Baseball collectors absolutely want a

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Speaker 3: set like this in their own collections, and like I

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Speaker 3: said that Mickey Mantle is just so popular right now

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Speaker 3: that you know, even a low grade Mickey Mantle could

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Speaker 3: fetch tens of thousands of dollars easily.

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Speaker 1: Well, what kind of shape is your McKey manel in?

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Speaker 3: So our average Mickey are our average grade on this

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Speaker 3: set is a PSA three, so it's a little on

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Speaker 3: the lower end. However, a lot of the older trading

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Speaker 3: cards set don't grade very high, so when they do,

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Speaker 3: they go for a lot of money. Just a few

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Speaker 3: years ago, the Mickey Mantle that was considered a nine

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Speaker 3: point five and almost perfect, the finest example Mickey Mantle

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Speaker 3: actually sold for twelve point six million in twenty twenty two.

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Speaker 3: So ours is definitely on the lower end, but still

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Speaker 3: just extremely sought out after pretty much by all collectors,

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Speaker 3: all baseball card collectors.

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Speaker 1: And you've got them all like in loose sight cases. Right.

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Speaker 1: That must have been a time consuming process.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, So they all are graded professionally by PSA,

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Speaker 3: one of the biggest trading card graders. So they are

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Speaker 3: a third party service that will come in, they'll take

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Speaker 3: a look at your card. They'll say, all right, there,

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Speaker 3: it's exactly centered top left, right, middle, all the ink

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Speaker 3: is good, all the corners are nice and sharp, that

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Speaker 3: they're original. They authenticate the cards and then they put

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Speaker 3: them in those tamper proof looseight containers with the grade

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Speaker 3: and they give it a barcode as well, so you

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Speaker 3: can find every single card in their system.

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Speaker 2: Now you talk about the grading, and you alluded to

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Speaker 2: this a bit before, Billy, like back in the day.

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Speaker 1: I mean, when I bought.

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Speaker 2: Baseball cards as a kid in the late sixties and

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Speaker 2: early seventies, you didn't buy them with the intention of

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Speaker 2: keeping them in shape.

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Speaker 1: You like flip them.

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Speaker 4: You know that.

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Speaker 1: It was like gambling.

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Speaker 2: You would flip the cards, the topsy's knocked on, stuff

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Speaker 2: like that. So it's actually logical that these cards didn't

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Speaker 2: stay in great shape for the most part, isn't it.

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Speaker 4: Exactly?

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Speaker 3: And that's why there's so soft the I mean, how

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Speaker 3: many people you've heard stories about all my mom threw

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Speaker 3: out all my baseball cards, or oh man, I had

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Speaker 3: that card and the spoke of my bicycle back in

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Speaker 3: the day. It happens all the time. And that's why

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Speaker 3: these high grade cards are are worth so much, and

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Speaker 3: even the low grade cards because this particular set it

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Speaker 3: wasn't super duper printed like some of the other sets

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Speaker 3: over the years have been. They were released late and

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Speaker 3: in small numbers in particular, so you know, the rare

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Speaker 3: of the card, the higher the condition, the more money

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Speaker 3: it takes to get that card.

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Speaker 2: Now, what makes that complete set so rare and expensive?

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Speaker 2: We've talked about the Mantle Rookie, but isn't there a

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Speaker 2: story that Obviously back in the day, when I was

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Speaker 2: a kid too, they put the cards out in intervals

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Speaker 2: like a series they called like series one, series two,

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Speaker 2: so you had to keep going back and buying to

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Speaker 2: assemble the complete set. And didn't the last series that

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Speaker 2: got put out come out in smaller numbers? There a

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Speaker 2: lot of them got thrown out. What's the story there?

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Speaker 3: Yeah, no, you're absolutely right. I believe the set was

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Speaker 3: actually released in a six separate series in the final series,

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Speaker 3: the last ninety six cards are considered now. Officially, they

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Speaker 3: said that they were printed all the same. However, when

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Speaker 3: you look at the numbers and you look at the distribution,

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Speaker 3: it does appear that they were printed far less than

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Speaker 3: the previous.

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Speaker 2: Series before, and that series includes the Mantle Rookie correct,

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Speaker 2: the last series correct.

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Speaker 3: The two biggest cards out of the last ninety six

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Speaker 3: cards would be the Mickey Mantle, which is card number

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Speaker 3: three to eleven, and the Eddie Matthews, which is card

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Speaker 3: four oh seven. So there's four hundred and seven cards

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Speaker 3: in the entire set, and they were released in sets

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Speaker 3: over the years. What's funny is seventy plus years later,

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Speaker 3: TOSS is still releasing trading cards that way, Series one

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Speaker 3: for twenty twenty six Baseball just and as a nice

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Speaker 3: nod to the nineteen fifty two set. Not only do

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Speaker 3: they have a special insert card set where today's rookies

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Speaker 3: are in the style of the nineteen fifty two baseball

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Speaker 3: card set, but they actually took an original fifty two

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Speaker 3: Mantle card and put it in a random pack in.

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Speaker 4: This year's release.

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Speaker 1: Did anybody get it out there right now? No, not set.

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Speaker 3: It has not been bold. It is still sitting in

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Speaker 3: a pack somewhere.

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Speaker 1: How many of.

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Speaker 2: These complete sets from nineteen fifty two exist the top

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Speaker 2: set there can't be too.

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Speaker 4: Many, that's a good question.

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Speaker 3: But for complete sets, I don't know if I would

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Speaker 3: have an exact number on that right now.

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Speaker 4: We don't know.

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Speaker 3: Somebody could have a set out there and not have

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Speaker 3: it public or not have it registered, or not have

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Speaker 3: it graded. So it's hard to know. You usually see

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Speaker 3: one or two pop up at auction each year. I

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Speaker 3: would say more of the Mantle cards specifically, you'll see

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Speaker 3: pop up compared with the rest of the set or

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Speaker 3: a complete set, just simply because it's easier to buy

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Speaker 3: one card than it is to try to get all

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Speaker 3: four hundred and seven cards in that set.

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Speaker 1: Now, is this the most valuable item that your group pass.

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Speaker 3: Right now? No, it is not the most valuable item

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Speaker 3: that we have. We actually have on our website right

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Speaker 3: now and Alexander Ovechkin Rookie card, and it comes out

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Speaker 3: of the most expensive product that Upper Deck puts out

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Speaker 3: every year and has a piece of gay or and

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Speaker 3: jersey in it. It's signed, and we have those that

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Speaker 3: are actually worth more and considered more valuable than the

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Speaker 3: tifty two set.

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Speaker 1: How much is one of those cards worth?

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Speaker 4: So we have them up on our website right now.

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Speaker 3: I believe one is about two hundred thousand and the

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Speaker 3: other ones a little bit more because it has some

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Speaker 3: additional jersey pieces and different colors in it.

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Speaker 1: My god, do you deal in autographs too?

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Speaker 2: We do, Yes, sir, well, I may be calling you

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Speaker 2: about getting rid of some stuff I have at some point,

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Speaker 2: but enough said about that, Billy, this has been great.

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Speaker 2: I think this is just a really cool thing and

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Speaker 2: I look forward to hearing about other acquisitions.

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Speaker 1: Thanks for joining me. Yeah.

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Speaker 3: Absolutely, And you know what it's We've seen more and

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Speaker 3: more kids get into it and new collectors get into it,

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Speaker 3: so it's nice that it's not just the order sets

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Speaker 3: and some of the order collectors. I think kid collectors

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Speaker 3: coming into the hobbyard and all time high players are

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Speaker 3: getting into it. We have you honest messaging people on

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Speaker 3: Instagram looking to buy his cards when they post them.

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Speaker 3: We even have like Damar Hamlin is stopping by our

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Speaker 3: retail store in White Oak this Saturday at four for

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Speaker 3: tops ritt Nite, just to sit and rip packs with

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Speaker 3: people and take pictures and hang out and stuff. So

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Speaker 3: I don't think there's a better time to get into

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Speaker 3: the trading card hobby than right now. Billy again, thanks,

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Speaker 3: We'll do it again, absolutely, Thank you.

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Speaker 4: Mark.

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Speaker 1: That's Billy las.

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Speaker 2: Night nineteen fifty two Tops entire set of one hundred

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Speaker 2: and eighty k.

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Speaker 1: Wow, that's just incredible. The Hanas Wagner card.

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Speaker 2: That's the most expensive single card, like worth millions. Uh

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Speaker 2: Wagner of course from Carnegie. And every day when I

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Speaker 2: go to Bob's Diner. Well I don't go there every day,

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Speaker 2: but on the way to Bob's diner. Uh. I think

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Speaker 2: the VFW has a a mural of the Haness Wagner

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Speaker 2: Valuable Card T two O six card on the side

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Speaker 2: of the building.

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Speaker 1: I used to be really into sports collectibles.

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Speaker 2: I sold all my baseball cards, but I still have

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Speaker 2: all my hockey cards, and like I said to Billie,

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Speaker 2: a bunch of autographs. I probably not to waste any

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Speaker 2: more time selling. ALRIGHTY eight three three four one two wxdx.

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Speaker 2: If you're just tuning in, no surgery for Sidney Crosby.

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Speaker 2: He's day to day for the rest of the Olympics.

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Speaker 2: If you're mad because he might play in the Olympics

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Speaker 2: and isn't resting up to play for the Penguins, then

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Speaker 2: you're stupid because sid don't know us the thing, and

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Speaker 2: he'll be fine. Believe me, he'll be fine playing for Canada,

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Speaker 2: pretty big deal. He's the captain. He'll be fine. And

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Speaker 2: the US despite not playing so hot everybody thought that blowout.

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Speaker 2: Canada did so earlier in the tournament five nil, but

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Speaker 2: the US wins. The women's gold medal in the Games

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Speaker 2: is concluded two to one in overtime goal by Megan Keller.

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Speaker 2: And I will tell you in a moment, how if

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Speaker 2: the US would have lost, how we would have seen

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Speaker 2: that women's sports aren't treated equally. They're actually giving a

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Speaker 2: lot more benefit of the doubts. One oh five nine

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Speaker 2: X every weekday at ten am is yeah, park, welcome,

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Speaker 2: Showy be tating dust to road, American dream, so be.

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Speaker 1: It baby the exit one O five nine.

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Speaker 2: I gotta sit update TSN and Canada's reporting that the

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Speaker 2: plan is for Sid to go for a quick skate

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Speaker 2: in the morning, but it's highly unlikely he will play

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Speaker 2: for Canada in the Olympic semifinal against Finland tomorrow. And

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Speaker 2: that is as I say, respected when I heard Sid

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Speaker 2: didn't need surgery and was indeed day to day. In

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Speaker 2: the words of Canada's coach John Cooper, I think they're

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Speaker 2: equipped to beat Finland with hot Sid.

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Speaker 1: I think they need him to navigate that game and.

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Speaker 2: All the traffic that will be involved in the gold

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Speaker 2: medal against the US.

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Speaker 1: If that's how it comes to pass.

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Speaker 2: So Sid gonna skate in the morning, not expected to play,

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Speaker 2: and if he does not, then Suzuki from Montreal will

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Speaker 2: jump in to Sid's spot.

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Speaker 1: Centering that line if you're.

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Speaker 2: Just tuning in, the US beat Canada to to one

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Speaker 2: in overtime to win women's gold. By the way, four

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Speaker 2: players have Pittsburgh ties that are getting gold medals. Ava

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Speaker 2: McNaughton from Cranberry. She played for pens Elite, the Penguin's

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Speaker 2: hockey program, and also not from here, but having played

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Speaker 2: for pens Elite, Leila Edwards who got an assist today, Hannahbilka,

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Speaker 2: and Gwyneth Phillips. So congratulations to the entire US team,

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Speaker 2: but especially to those with that Pittsburgh affiliation. Now this

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Speaker 2: would actually be a better conversation if the US lost,

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Speaker 2: but they won, and I'm glad they did.

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Speaker 1: They won the two team tournaments.

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Speaker 2: There have been eight gold medals awarded in women's hockey

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Speaker 2: in the Olympics. Canada's won five, the US just won

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Speaker 2: their third. It's a two team tournament, still tough to win.

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Speaker 2: Today's game shows that, but it's a two team tournament.

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Speaker 2: But the US was heavily favored today. They beat Canada

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Speaker 2: in the preliminary round five to nil. They beat just

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Speaker 2: about everybody they played five nil. I think they only

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Speaker 2: allowed one goal in the entire tournament going into today's final,

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Speaker 2: and they very nearly lost today. They had to score

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Speaker 2: with the goalie pool to tie it late and then

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Speaker 2: won an overtime up.

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Speaker 1: They're worthy winners. I'm not suggesting they aren'ts.

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Speaker 2: But had they lost, you know what would have been said,

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Speaker 2: just like with pitt women's volleyball, Well, these girls try

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Speaker 2: so hard and there's so much fun to watch, and

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Speaker 2: they captured our hearts. F that if you want women's

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Speaker 2: sports to be truly equal, what you would have said today,

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Speaker 2: what you should have said today if the US had

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Speaker 2: lost to Canada in the gold medal game after dominating

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Speaker 2: the tournament, what you should have said was that they're

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Speaker 2: choking dogs and they couldn't handle the pressure of the

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Speaker 2: big game. Now they won, so it's what if. But

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Speaker 2: I talked about that with pit women's volleyball. What they've

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Speaker 2: made the final for the last four years, right, and

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Speaker 2: they've never made the final.

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Speaker 1: They losing the semis every time.

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Speaker 2: You know why, because they can't handle the pressure because

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Speaker 2: they choke. That's what you say about a men's team

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Speaker 2: that did similar they choked, pitt women's volleyball chokes, but

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Speaker 2: you never get say that.

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Speaker 1: It's always how they were great. How can you not

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Speaker 1: love these girls?

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Speaker 2: First off, they're women. Second off, they choked. And if

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Speaker 2: you want women's sports to truly be considered equal, you

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Speaker 2: have to react to what they do in the same

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Speaker 2: way you react to how men do. And that is

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Speaker 2: just fact unless you don't want it to be, and

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Speaker 2: a lot of you don't want it to be. But

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Speaker 2: congratulates the US women. And now it's semifinals tomorrow for

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Speaker 2: the men. Canada versus Finland, US versus Slovakia.

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Speaker 1: I think the US has an easy game.

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Speaker 2: I think Slovakia is gonna roll over and play dead

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Speaker 2: because they're just so glad to be in the semis

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Speaker 2: when nobody expected that. I mean, you think about it

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Speaker 2: this way. Slovakia's best players that's Slevkovski from Montreal. He

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Speaker 2: couldn't make the US team. He literally couldn't make the USA.

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Speaker 2: Slovaki's best player is a guy that couldn't make the

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Speaker 2: US team. And that is.

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Speaker 1: All the people need to know.

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Speaker 2: We've been talking a lot about the Pirates, about how

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Speaker 2: it's not up to the new guys, it's up to

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Speaker 2: Cruz and Reynolds, the holdovers to improve on bad years

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Speaker 2: they had last year. We've been talking about Avery Hayes

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Speaker 2: and the heater. He's on two hat tricks at Wilkes

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Speaker 2: during the Olympic break. He scored two goals in his

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Speaker 2: NHL debut for the Penguins against Buffalo right before the break.

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Speaker 2: I call him up and put him in the lineup

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Speaker 2: when play resumes following the Olympics. I think the Penguins

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Speaker 2: need to harness that kind of momentum and energy and again,

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Speaker 2: let youth be served.

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Speaker 1: Yo.

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Speaker 2: We brought up a good point before. As good as

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Speaker 2: Nola Chari is, Avery Hayes is probably a better player

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Speaker 2: right now. And while you don't want to break up

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Speaker 2: Kevin Gorman of the Trip one oh five ninety X.

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Speaker 2: Let's face it, You've always been in love with me

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Speaker 2: and this is just your moment of clarity. I don't

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Speaker 2: five nine they gave the Canadian women's hockey team their

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Speaker 2: silver medals, which obviously for them is an unpleasant experience.

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Speaker 2: Now they're giving them all stuffed animals. They look really

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Speaker 2: enthusiastic to get like these little bears. They should rip

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Speaker 2: the head off them like Jackie did with mister Fluffy

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Speaker 2: Cakes in that seventy show. Joining me now to talk

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Speaker 2: buco baseball. He is with the Powers at spring training.

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Speaker 2: From the trip, it's Kevin Gorman. Gorm talk about what

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Speaker 2: we're seeing from Connor Griffin. I know it's only batting practice,

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Speaker 2: but I guess he's really hitting some bombs.

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Speaker 7: Yeah, I mean he's he's an impressive individual. Just h

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Speaker 7: and every and every facet mark he you know, the

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Speaker 7: guy six to four, two hundred and twenty five pounds.

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Speaker 7: He can hit for average, you can hit for power,

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Speaker 7: he can run, it, can throw and h and he

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Speaker 7: can field. You know, he's a Gold Glove winner. But

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Speaker 7: the VP is what's where he's standing out and and

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Speaker 7: and to be fair like, as you said, it's only

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Speaker 7: batting practice, a lot of the damage that he's doing

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Speaker 7: is off the drugs machine, where you know where a

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Speaker 7: coach is feeding the ball to a drugs machine and

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Speaker 7: he's uh and and he's hitting bombs onto you know.

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Speaker 7: He's on field field one, which the fence that goes

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Speaker 7: over you know, leftfield fence behind it is the batting

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Speaker 7: cages and the clubhouse. And he the batting cages has

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Speaker 7: a metal roof. And so this kid, his batting practices

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Speaker 7: have been loud because he's putting the ball on the

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Speaker 7: roof with consistent you know, with consistent uh power here.

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Speaker 7: But what was more impressive is that he did it

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Speaker 7: in a live batting practice against you know, a Triple

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Speaker 7: A pitcher who you know could be on the brink

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Speaker 7: of making it to the majors this season. That that

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Speaker 7: he you know, that he drilled one there and batting practice,

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Speaker 7: a live batting practice against a real pitcher. So, I mean,

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Speaker 7: you know, Connor Griffin. You know, he struck out against

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Speaker 7: Paul Ski on three pitches. He get struck out against

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Speaker 7: Bubba Chandler on three pitches. I don't want to oversell him,

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Speaker 7: but he hits the ball different, he looks different. He

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Speaker 7: gives you the impression of this is a guy who's.

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Speaker 4: Going to be a superstar.

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Speaker 2: Reading between the lines of things that Donnie Kelly has

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Speaker 2: said and some other people, I get the feeling he's

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Speaker 2: going to start the season in Triple A no matter what.

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Speaker 2: I would keep him in the bigs. But what do

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Speaker 2: you think is going to happen and why?

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Speaker 7: Well, I think Connor has an opportunity here in spring

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Speaker 7: training to make the Pirates decision for them. You know,

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Speaker 7: I think that's the key is if he gives them

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Speaker 7: no choice. If he's that much, you know, a cut

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Speaker 7: above everyone else, I think they just look at it

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Speaker 7: and say, hey, we're going to roll if we really

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Speaker 7: want to be committed to being winners this season. And

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Speaker 7: their offseason spending, you know, indicates that that's not just talk,

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Speaker 7: that they're actually putting some actions behind it. For a change,

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Speaker 7: you have to play your best player at short stuff,

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Speaker 7: and if Connor Griffin appears to be that. You know,

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Speaker 7: from all indications, Jared Treill can play shortstop, but he's

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Speaker 7: better suited at third base. Nick Gonzalez can play shortstop,

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Speaker 7: but he's better suited at second base. I say Trill

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Speaker 7: at third base. These are guys that they can play.

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Speaker 7: They have some versatility. But Connor Griffin, you know, looks

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Speaker 7: like a rod when he was nineteen. He plays like

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Speaker 7: Bobby witwhen he was nineteen. There's going to be a

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Speaker 7: learning curve, no doubt. But he dominated the miners in

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Speaker 7: such a way that that I think he's going to

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Speaker 7: get actual consideration. This was not a courtesy invite. This

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Speaker 7: is a guy who's going to get a real long look,

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Speaker 7: and I think a real opportunity. And I think, you know,

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Speaker 7: if he's that dominant, it's going to be so obvious

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Speaker 7: that the Pirates don't have a choice. But if he

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Speaker 7: gives them any kind of you know, there's any doubt whatsoever,

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Speaker 7: the Pirates could say, hey, look he needs some more

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Speaker 7: season He only has ninety eight played appearances a double

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Speaker 7: A twenty one games above single A. This is a

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Speaker 7: guy that could use a little more seasoning, and we

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Speaker 7: could bring him up, you know, in May or June.

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Speaker 7: I just don't want to see, you know, you're doing

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Speaker 7: it just to protect service time or just to worry about,

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Speaker 7: you know, protecting him for another year from you know,

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Speaker 7: from reaching arbitration too soon.

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Speaker 4: Uh. This is a guy who should.

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Speaker 7: Be and I think already is considered a viable candidate

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Speaker 7: for Rookie of the Year and and and the Pirates

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Speaker 7: should put him in position at every position to succeed,

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Speaker 7: not just to you know, worry about delaying and delaying

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Speaker 7: things and working on his development.

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Speaker 4: I think I think we're at the.

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Speaker 7: Point now where the Pirates have talked a big game

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Speaker 7: about wanting to be a playoff team. You know, playoff

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Speaker 7: teams that want to be in the playoffs are are

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Speaker 7: they're aggressive, not only in the offseason. But they're aggressive

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Speaker 7: and in their roster, their roster moves in terms of.

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Speaker 4: Building an opening day lineup. And I think, you know, we.

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Speaker 7: Have to see him playing some spring training games. But

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Speaker 7: I think Connor Griffin already looks the part I could.

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Speaker 1: I couldn't agree more. I would start the season with

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Speaker 1: him there.

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Speaker 2: I think it gives them a better chance to win

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Speaker 2: right away and like you said, at long last, make

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Speaker 2: the playoffs, at long last, give it a billion percent.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, here's here's another thing, Mark, here's another thing. Mark.

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Speaker 7: You know, you don't have to put Connor Griffin in

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Speaker 7: the two or three whole on the lineup. You don't

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Speaker 7: have to ask him to be a savior. They've got

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Speaker 7: enough guys around him. You get back Connor Griffin ether

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Speaker 7: ninth and say hey, we just want you to go

439
00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,200
Speaker 7: out there and play good defense, be effective on the basis,

440
00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:12,000
Speaker 7: you know, and we'll live with the early mistakes knowing

441
00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:14,000
Speaker 7: that you're going to learn from them. So I think

442
00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:15,760
Speaker 7: that's the big key is that this is not a

443
00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:17,960
Speaker 7: guy who's coming up and being asked to, you know,

444
00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,600
Speaker 7: to turn everything around on his own. There's other players

445
00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:21,600
Speaker 7: that are being paid to do that.

446
00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:26,800
Speaker 2: Now, I understand the optimism with the team because they've spent.

447
00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:28,840
Speaker 1: A little bit more, they've added offense.

448
00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:31,280
Speaker 2: I still think there's some holes and things to be

449
00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:34,639
Speaker 2: resolved going For example, tell me what their rotation is

450
00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:36,440
Speaker 2: going to be to open the season, because I don't

451
00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:37,679
Speaker 2: see a number five starter.

452
00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:39,160
Speaker 1: I don't see a lefty starter.

453
00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:43,040
Speaker 4: No, there's not a lefty in the mix right now.

454
00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:45,920
Speaker 7: Although Hunter Barco is a top one hundred prospect who

455
00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,359
Speaker 7: made his debut last summer and worked a little bit

456
00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:51,399
Speaker 7: out of the bullpen. He's got a lot of promise,

457
00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:53,480
Speaker 7: but he also dealt with some injuries. You know, he

458
00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,359
Speaker 7: was a Tommy John guy when he got drafted. I

459
00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:58,439
Speaker 7: don't think he's ready to start to season the rotation,

460
00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:00,560
Speaker 7: but it wouldn't surprise me if he finished it.

461
00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:01,280
Speaker 2: You know.

462
00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,320
Speaker 7: Right now, whatever the order is, you've got Skeenes Keller

463
00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:09,520
Speaker 7: and Bubba Chandler your top three pitchers. Then you after that,

464
00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:11,880
Speaker 7: you're going to probably have Brax and Ashcraft, who looked

465
00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:15,040
Speaker 7: pretty good last season, and I would imagine Carmen macginski

466
00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:18,320
Speaker 7: is the front runner for the fifth spot, although the

467
00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:21,000
Speaker 7: Pirates went out and signed jose Or Cwiedi, who was

468
00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,359
Speaker 7: a starting pitcher for you know, Houston when they were

469
00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:26,680
Speaker 7: in the World Series in twenty nineteen. Donnie Kelly's familiar

470
00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:28,680
Speaker 7: with him, so is Bill Murphy, the new pitching coach,

471
00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:30,440
Speaker 7: So I would think that he has a bit of

472
00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:34,400
Speaker 7: a built in advantage just because of the familiarity. Mike

473
00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:36,800
Speaker 7: Clevenger is another guy who pitched in Cleveland and was

474
00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:39,280
Speaker 7: really good. It dealt with some injuries and things like that.

475
00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:42,440
Speaker 7: But they have some options. I don't know that they have.

476
00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:44,919
Speaker 4: A true fifth starter the way you'd prefer to have it.

477
00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:45,879
Speaker 4: I don't know that they have.

478
00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:48,960
Speaker 7: I don't know that they have designs on going out

479
00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:51,760
Speaker 7: and acquiring ones, certainly not in free agency. Perhaps if

480
00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:53,879
Speaker 7: they can swing in trade and get somebody, but I

481
00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:56,400
Speaker 7: don't think they're going to do so at the expense

482
00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:58,800
Speaker 7: of their young starting pitching depths. I think they believe

483
00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,040
Speaker 7: in guys like and Thomas Harrington that they have in

484
00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:04,359
Speaker 7: Triple A. That Harrington is a former top one of

485
00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:06,960
Speaker 7: the prospect Barco is a current one. I think the

486
00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,440
Speaker 7: Pirates look at it as like, hey, we're not going

487
00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:11,439
Speaker 7: to sell you know, somebody who's going to be very

488
00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,920
Speaker 7: good in the future just for a short term solution

489
00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:15,760
Speaker 7: for the first couple months of the season.

490
00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:17,639
Speaker 8: Uh.

491
00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:19,760
Speaker 2: We hear a lot about the new guys, about Wow,

492
00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:24,040
Speaker 2: about O'Hearn, about Ozuna. I think so much depends on

493
00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,880
Speaker 2: Cruise and Reynolds, the two holdovers. I didn't think either

494
00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,800
Speaker 2: one was good last year. In Reynolds's case, I just

495
00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:31,600
Speaker 2: think it was a bad year. I kind of expect

496
00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,760
Speaker 2: him to bounce back. How about you, Gorm I couldn't

497
00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:35,640
Speaker 2: agree with you more.

498
00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:37,720
Speaker 7: And I think those are the two guys that are

499
00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,840
Speaker 7: going to benefit the most from the offseason acquisitions. Now,

500
00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,200
Speaker 7: wherever you put Cruise, whether you want to beat him

501
00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,400
Speaker 7: first or sixth in the lineup, I think you want

502
00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:49,240
Speaker 7: to take advantage of his speed and get him in

503
00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:51,520
Speaker 7: the lineup as soon as possible. But let's just say,

504
00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:54,800
Speaker 7: for example, the Cruise is batting first and Brandon Laws second,

505
00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:56,800
Speaker 7: you have you know, an all star batting behind Cruz

506
00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,560
Speaker 7: and in front of Brian Reynolds third, and behind Reynolds,

507
00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:02,080
Speaker 7: you're gonna have Azuna and Ahearn. You have some you know,

508
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:04,440
Speaker 7: thirty home run guys in there. You have a bunch

509
00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:06,879
Speaker 7: of twenty home run guys in there, you know, So

510
00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,520
Speaker 7: you're you're one through five is a pretty solid lineup.

511
00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:12,000
Speaker 4: You know, it's got some all stars in it.

512
00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:14,600
Speaker 7: It's got some guys who have who have some considerable

513
00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:15,440
Speaker 7: proven power in.

514
00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:16,080
Speaker 4: The major leagues.

515
00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,720
Speaker 7: And I think that benefits Brian Reynolds in terms of

516
00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,080
Speaker 7: having protection both in front of and behind him. I

517
00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:24,480
Speaker 7: think that protects O'Neil Cruiz is that he's gonna see

518
00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:27,680
Speaker 7: pitches if he's batting leadoff, and if you have, say

519
00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:31,040
Speaker 7: Connor Griffin batting ninth, you're turning over that lineup. If

520
00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,240
Speaker 7: Griffin gets on base and cruises up, you know you

521
00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:35,200
Speaker 7: got guys who can score for score from her first

522
00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,960
Speaker 7: base and that that's the type of speed we're talking about.

523
00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:40,000
Speaker 7: And so I think they have a chance to be

524
00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,280
Speaker 7: a much more dangerous lineup. But it is all going

525
00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:44,680
Speaker 7: to depend on the production of the two guys that

526
00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:47,560
Speaker 7: this team was originally built around the foundation of their offense,

527
00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:49,000
Speaker 7: and that's Cruis and Reynolds.

528
00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:51,480
Speaker 2: I don't have as much confidence in Cruise. I don't

529
00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:53,040
Speaker 2: have a lot of confidence he's ever going to live

530
00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:54,880
Speaker 2: up to his talent. I think he's gonna waste it.

531
00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:57,520
Speaker 2: And people talk about he's a kid, He's no kid.

532
00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:00,919
Speaker 2: He's twenty seven. They talk about a Dominican mentor, but

533
00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,560
Speaker 2: he made his major league debut did Cruse in twenty

534
00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:05,840
Speaker 2: twenty one. I just got a feeling that if we

535
00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:09,080
Speaker 2: don't get thirty thirty or something like that soon, gorm

536
00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,800
Speaker 2: the what we see is just what we're gonna keep getting.

537
00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,200
Speaker 7: Well, you know, he gave him twenty and sixty three

538
00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:17,240
Speaker 7: in a bad year, in a year where he'd batted

539
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:21,320
Speaker 7: around the Mendoza line, finished with a two hundred batting average.

540
00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:24,080
Speaker 7: A good year should be for O'Neil Cruz. And I'm

541
00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:26,400
Speaker 7: not saying this for the sake of hyperbole, because he

542
00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:29,760
Speaker 7: was on this pace last year in May, April and May.

543
00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:32,600
Speaker 7: A good year for him should be a Ronald 'cunya

544
00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,920
Speaker 7: MVT type season. He's a get guy who is capable

545
00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:38,879
Speaker 7: of a forty home run, seventy stool and base season.

546
00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,119
Speaker 7: He's got that type of talent. I agree with you

547
00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:44,000
Speaker 7: that I'm not sure if he's ever going to live

548
00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:45,920
Speaker 7: up to it. I don't know that the Pirates need

549
00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,440
Speaker 7: him to be a forty home run, seventy stolen base,

550
00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,000
Speaker 7: hundred RBI guy, but he's got to be better than

551
00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,119
Speaker 7: he was last year that. There's no question about it

552
00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:56,560
Speaker 7: that O'Neil Cruz, We're no longer talking about a prospect.

553
00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:59,000
Speaker 7: We're no longer talking about a young player. We're no

554
00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:02,159
Speaker 7: longer talking about somebody living up the potential. It's kind

555
00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:04,080
Speaker 7: of like a now or never. You know, the guy's

556
00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:07,040
Speaker 7: making three million dollars this season, he's he's a proven

557
00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:11,399
Speaker 7: major leaguer who I'll say this, around the Dominican players

558
00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:13,159
Speaker 7: at the All Star Game, the festivities, when he was

559
00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:15,400
Speaker 7: in the home run Derby, it seemed to bring out

560
00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,719
Speaker 7: the best in him. Being around not only Marcelo Azuna,

561
00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:25,600
Speaker 7: but Dennis Santana and Johann Ramirez and Gregory Soto and

562
00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:28,560
Speaker 7: Sodo and Santana are going to be on the Dominican

563
00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:31,400
Speaker 7: World Baseball Classic team with him. That seems to bring

564
00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:34,320
Speaker 7: out the best in him. We're seeing O'Neil Cruz smiling

565
00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:35,240
Speaker 7: and laughing.

566
00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:36,440
Speaker 4: And more relaxed than at Ease. Now.

567
00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,440
Speaker 7: I don't see the guy who looks disinterested. I see

568
00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:42,200
Speaker 7: the guy who's having fun for a change. You don't

569
00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,719
Speaker 7: know if that's going to transfer to him playing up

570
00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,480
Speaker 7: to his potential, but O'Neil Cruz certainly looks like a

571
00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:50,280
Speaker 7: happier guy, that he has some fellow Dominicans around him,

572
00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,080
Speaker 7: that they can speak his language, and that they keep

573
00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:54,800
Speaker 7: them I hear.

574
00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,359
Speaker 1: You, Gor, But he shouldn't need that at twenty seven.

575
00:27:58,200 --> 00:27:59,480
Speaker 4: No, he should be a superstar.

576
00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:01,520
Speaker 7: I mean, this is a guy who hits the ball

577
00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:05,199
Speaker 7: as harder, harder than Aaron Judge and John Carlos Stanton.

578
00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:09,399
Speaker 7: He's got Vladimir Gueriro type talent and he's not an

579
00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:11,840
Speaker 7: All Star yet in his career. No question, the guy

580
00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,920
Speaker 7: needs to be better, and so does Reynolds. But I think,

581
00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:18,760
Speaker 7: and I had somebody who's in the Hall of Fame dumminess.

582
00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,040
Speaker 7: I can't say who because he didn't want his name attached,

583
00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,159
Speaker 7: but a Hall of famer told me O'Neil Cruz is

584
00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,600
Speaker 7: the key to this entire season for the Pirates. If

585
00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:28,680
Speaker 7: he can play at a higher level than he did,

586
00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:30,280
Speaker 7: this is going to be a very good team. If

587
00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:32,080
Speaker 7: he doesn't, they're going to be disappointing.

588
00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:32,320
Speaker 4: Again.

589
00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:36,600
Speaker 2: I really like the bullpen. I think quietly they've assembled

590
00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:37,320
Speaker 2: a lot of pieces.

591
00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:37,840
Speaker 1: How about you.

592
00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:42,480
Speaker 7: I think the additions of Gregory Soto and Mason Montgomery

593
00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:45,520
Speaker 7: this offseason, a pair of left handers who throw you know,

594
00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:47,640
Speaker 7: around or above one hundred miles an hour was a

595
00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,320
Speaker 7: big addition. You know, Santana grew into the role as

596
00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:51,920
Speaker 7: a closer. I don't know that he's going to be

597
00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:55,880
Speaker 7: a traditional closer as much as maybe a guy who

598
00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,520
Speaker 7: pitches the ninth inning when the matchups are preferable. You

599
00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:01,760
Speaker 7: could see in the ninth inning. You could also see

600
00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:04,480
Speaker 7: Justin Lawrence in the ninth inning. Who's a guy who

601
00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,600
Speaker 7: held that role for a season in Colorado. You know,

602
00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:12,360
Speaker 7: Kyle Nicholas has closer type stuff. You know, They've got

603
00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:14,880
Speaker 7: a lot of guys and Isaac Matison last year had

604
00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:18,400
Speaker 7: a fastball. Everybody talked about this disappearing fastball. They've got

605
00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:20,680
Speaker 7: a lot of talent in the in the bullpen, especially

606
00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:23,080
Speaker 7: the back end. I think their bullpen would be even

607
00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:25,520
Speaker 7: better with Maginsky in it. But I also see a

608
00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:28,480
Speaker 7: guy who has a seven pitch mix and really grew

609
00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:30,320
Speaker 7: as a starter last year, especially in the second half

610
00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:33,000
Speaker 7: of the season, is deserving of a chance to be

611
00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:37,000
Speaker 7: in the starting rotation. But if Carmen Maginsky doesn't do

612
00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,280
Speaker 7: well as a starter, and same with Brax and Ashkrep,

613
00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:41,640
Speaker 7: these are guys who could thrive in the bullpen as well.

614
00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:44,000
Speaker 7: So I feel like the bullpen's a lot stronger and

615
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,000
Speaker 7: deeper than it was last season. Donny Kelly said as

616
00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,800
Speaker 7: much that he feels the same way. But they've got

617
00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:50,000
Speaker 7: to go out and do it. You know, you're you're

618
00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:52,760
Speaker 7: only as good as as your last performance. And you

619
00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,800
Speaker 7: know they did trade David Bednar, who you know, the

620
00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:57,560
Speaker 7: last two seasons for him were up and down. The

621
00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:00,520
Speaker 7: previous two seasons he was lights out. Uh, they need

622
00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,920
Speaker 7: somebody to be lights out in the back end and

623
00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:04,920
Speaker 7: have that confidence of knowing that you got a one

624
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:07,360
Speaker 7: or two run lead late in the game, that your.

625
00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:08,520
Speaker 4: Bullpen's going to finish it out.

626
00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:12,760
Speaker 2: What are realistic expectations for this team? Gorn, Because I

627
00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:16,480
Speaker 2: mean I like them, I think they're better. I still

628
00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:18,800
Speaker 2: think like seventy seven to seventy eight wins. I think

629
00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:22,080
Speaker 2: more are possible, But I think that's where this roster

630
00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,720
Speaker 2: settles in at cause Skeens, I mean, we haven't even

631
00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:26,960
Speaker 2: talked about him yet, but he can't pitch every game.

632
00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,440
Speaker 7: No, but he can certainly get better results. You know,

633
00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:32,600
Speaker 7: I think Paul was something like I don't know if

634
00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:34,080
Speaker 7: it was seventeen and fifteen.

635
00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:34,800
Speaker 4: In his thirty two starts.

636
00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:37,760
Speaker 7: You know, ten, ten and ten record, Right, you got

637
00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,160
Speaker 7: to take advantage of the twenty one quality starts that

638
00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,880
Speaker 7: he gave you, the seventeen quality starts that Mitch Keller

639
00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:45,960
Speaker 7: gave you. That the Pirates have to produce more offense.

640
00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,520
Speaker 7: You know, somebody said if the Pirates score for more

641
00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:52,040
Speaker 7: runs or more, if they average that, then they're going

642
00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:54,720
Speaker 7: to be a playoff team. Well, let me remind you

643
00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,960
Speaker 7: that last May the Pirates had a twenty six games streak,

644
00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:00,960
Speaker 7: which tied the major major league record of scoring four

645
00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:03,880
Speaker 7: runs or less than twenty six consecutive I mean, that's

646
00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:07,680
Speaker 7: a big jump. Going from seventy six to a playoff

647
00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,120
Speaker 7: You know, thing is not unreasonable because it's essentially what

648
00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:12,880
Speaker 7: the Cincinnati Reds did last year, going from a mid

649
00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:16,040
Speaker 7: seventies win team to a playoff team. The Pirates took

650
00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:18,600
Speaker 7: a step backwards by going from seventy six to seventy one.

651
00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:21,840
Speaker 7: So now you're asking them to make you know, eleven

652
00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,600
Speaker 7: twelve game jump just to get over five hundred, which

653
00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:27,200
Speaker 7: is certainly possible with the offseason additions they made in

654
00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:30,080
Speaker 7: the starting rotation they have. But you're also, you know,

655
00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:33,640
Speaker 7: taking a team that hasn't won and putting expectations on

656
00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:36,400
Speaker 7: them that they must win, and sometimes there's pressure that

657
00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:39,280
Speaker 7: comes along with that. I think that the additions that

658
00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:42,680
Speaker 7: they have are veterans who come from winning organizations helps,

659
00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:44,719
Speaker 7: but the young guys have to learn how to do it.

660
00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:47,360
Speaker 7: I think the key to that is that Paul schemes

661
00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:50,400
Speaker 7: more than anyone, but he's certainly not alone, but more

662
00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:51,160
Speaker 7: than anyone.

663
00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:53,200
Speaker 4: This guy is all about wanting to win.

664
00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:56,120
Speaker 7: He's not talking about making the wild card, He's not

665
00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:57,719
Speaker 7: even talking about winning the division. This is a guy

666
00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:00,960
Speaker 7: who wants to win a World Series and national championship

667
00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:03,440
Speaker 7: at LSU. He feels like he knows what it takes

668
00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:06,960
Speaker 7: and he very much has become a leader on this team.

669
00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:09,640
Speaker 7: And to some degree, I'm not trying to make a

670
00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:12,280
Speaker 7: correlation here, but I don't know if the Pirates could

671
00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:15,120
Speaker 7: have kept Andrew McCutcheon and had them pass the baunt

672
00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,680
Speaker 7: button to Paul Skeins and asked them to be the leader,

673
00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:19,200
Speaker 7: I think there would have been a level of deference

674
00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:24,760
Speaker 7: to McCutcheon. I thinkint yeah, to some degree, that the

675
00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:27,880
Speaker 7: Pirates needed this to become Paul Skein's team as soon

676
00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:31,560
Speaker 7: as possible, and I think he's taking that baton and

677
00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:34,000
Speaker 7: running with it. I think he's very much become from

678
00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:36,520
Speaker 7: talking to the guys around him, that he's very much

679
00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,160
Speaker 7: become a leader, not just with his performance on the

680
00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:42,320
Speaker 7: field and his work ethic between starts, but also the

681
00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,720
Speaker 7: private conversations that he has with his teammates outside of

682
00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:46,360
Speaker 7: the public eye.

683
00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:48,160
Speaker 4: That this is a guy. So you know, today he

684
00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:51,880
Speaker 4: went out and through three innings, stimulated game.

685
00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:56,200
Speaker 7: He faced in order Omil Cruz, Brian Reynolds, Marcelo Zuna,

686
00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:59,520
Speaker 7: and Nick Gonzalez, and three innings, had six strikeouts, one hit,

687
00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:01,600
Speaker 7: one walk, you know, gave up a couple of fly

688
00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:02,840
Speaker 7: balls for else.

689
00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:04,520
Speaker 4: I mean, this is the guy who went out.

690
00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:06,440
Speaker 7: Against you know what could be you know, three of

691
00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:08,320
Speaker 7: the three of the first four batters in your order

692
00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,080
Speaker 7: and went out and absolutely dominated. And you expect starting

693
00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:13,080
Speaker 7: pitching to be ahead of the pitters at this point

694
00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:15,600
Speaker 7: in spring training, and Paul Skin's a week ahead of

695
00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,440
Speaker 7: everybody because he's training for the WBC. But it gives

696
00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:20,360
Speaker 7: you an idea of you've got one of the best

697
00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:22,840
Speaker 7: players in baseball, one of the top ten players of

698
00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:27,080
Speaker 7: baseball position player or pitcher, and he's capable of being dominant,

699
00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:29,440
Speaker 7: and he's already down in a week in the spring.

700
00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,880
Speaker 2: Training Gorham great stuff. Enjoy Braydon till we'll talk again soon.

701
00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:33,280
Speaker 1: I hope.

702
00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:36,120
Speaker 4: Hey, thanks for having me Mark always a pleasure.

703
00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:38,400
Speaker 2: That's Kevin Gorman from the trip Done and Brydon didn't

704
00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:40,360
Speaker 2: cover in the buckos. Now it's time to ask Mark anything.

705
00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:43,680
Speaker 2: Four one two three three three wxdx. That's four one

706
00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:47,840
Speaker 2: two three three three wxdx. That's the double secret probation number.

707
00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:50,720
Speaker 2: Get you on Quicker. You can also co eight three

708
00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:54,240
Speaker 2: to three four one two wxdx, or leave a talk

709
00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:57,840
Speaker 2: back via the microphone icon at the iHeartMedia app one

710
00:33:57,880 --> 00:33:58,760
Speaker 2: oh five ninety X.

711
00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:00,200
Speaker 5: Time now to.

712
00:34:00,280 --> 00:34:04,000
Speaker 1: Send in your questions for ask Mark anything. Use I

713
00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:06,760
Speaker 1: period What's up X at one oh five nine.

714
00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:16,200
Speaker 2: This same remuglas by People's Natural Gas Safe, Reliable Natural

715
00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:18,399
Speaker 2: Gas Energy, People's Hyphengas dot Com.

716
00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:20,239
Speaker 1: Here's a crazy sound by.

717
00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:24,400
Speaker 2: It's Jason McIntyre on Fox along with Willie Clowne, the

718
00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:29,279
Speaker 2: former Steeler and Jason McIntyre out Not accuses Ben Roethlisberger

719
00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:33,080
Speaker 2: of racism for criticizing former Steeler coach Mike tom and

720
00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:34,200
Speaker 2: it's quite amazing.

721
00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:35,880
Speaker 7: Willie.

722
00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:38,040
Speaker 5: Do you think there's a racial element to this Big

723
00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:42,640
Speaker 5: Ben Tomlin Porter, No, not that nonsense.

724
00:34:42,719 --> 00:34:44,320
Speaker 1: I know, I don't. I don't even know what that

725
00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:45,320
Speaker 1: component would be like.

726
00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:47,920
Speaker 8: You would have to help me, I don't even Ben

727
00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:48,440
Speaker 8: seems to.

728
00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:51,520
Speaker 5: Be taking a lot of shots at Tomlin on his

729
00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:54,240
Speaker 5: way out the door, and I'm just like, why Tomlin

730
00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:56,840
Speaker 5: was beloved and then Big Ben. I don't want to

731
00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:59,520
Speaker 5: say he started it, you know whatever, but he seemed

732
00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:01,960
Speaker 5: to go after Tomlin a little bit down the stretch.

733
00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:04,400
Speaker 5: We need a new voice in the locker room and

734
00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:10,080
Speaker 5: unable to win postseason games, it just felt weird Tomlin again,

735
00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:11,320
Speaker 5: nobody goes after Tomlin.

736
00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:13,600
Speaker 7: I mean.

737
00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:16,640
Speaker 8: The reason I'm confused about the racial component because there's

738
00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:19,920
Speaker 8: another person who's African American who's been very vocal about

739
00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:23,600
Speaker 8: Mike Tomlin and as James Harrison, right, And so that's

740
00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:25,400
Speaker 8: why I'm going to confuse with the statement.

741
00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:27,279
Speaker 1: Nevertheless, man, it's okay to.

742
00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:30,440
Speaker 8: Have gripes about how you felt about the great Mike Tomlin.

743
00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:34,320
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's way out of line by McIntyre. He should

744
00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:37,080
Speaker 2: be called on the carpet for that. Except in media today,

745
00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,680
Speaker 2: if you accuse someone of racism, you get a promotion

746
00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:43,680
Speaker 2: in a race because that's just the way we go. Now,

747
00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:47,240
Speaker 2: anything that we don't like, we accuse somebody of racism,

748
00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:51,080
Speaker 2: and sometimes it sticks and almost never should. Yeah, mcintarre

749
00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:53,279
Speaker 2: way out of line there. Good for Willie Cologne for

750
00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:56,400
Speaker 2: saying it like it is. There's not an once of racism.

751
00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,440
Speaker 2: And I don't think anybody's criticism of Mike Tomlin be

752
00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:02,880
Speaker 2: loving and doing a good job or two different things.

753
00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:07,080
Speaker 2: And Ben's criticism of Mike Tomlin was very studious, analytical

754
00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:11,839
Speaker 2: and correct. Again, shame on Jason McIntyre. I've always thought

755
00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:13,320
Speaker 2: he was a hack in the first place, but that

756
00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:14,880
Speaker 2: is about as hacky as it gets.

757
00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:20,360
Speaker 1: Let's go to Billy down Town Billy. You're on with

758
00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:20,880
Speaker 1: double m.

759
00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:24,480
Speaker 6: Hey Marko to talk to Hey with the passing a

760
00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:27,160
Speaker 6: year ago, Mike Lang, I'm just sure. I'm sure you

761
00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:29,360
Speaker 6: spent some time with him, and I just want to

762
00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:31,840
Speaker 6: know what your fondest memory of time you spent with

763
00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:32,440
Speaker 6: Mike was.

764
00:36:32,800 --> 00:36:35,320
Speaker 2: Mike gave me some of the best advice I've ever gotten.

765
00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:37,920
Speaker 2: He said, Marco, you gotta go out and be with

766
00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:41,080
Speaker 2: the people, meet the people, you build your audience that way.

767
00:36:41,120 --> 00:36:44,520
Speaker 2: It's really is important, and Mike certainly did that, and

768
00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:47,200
Speaker 2: I did that at his beheston. It really has benefited

769
00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:50,080
Speaker 2: my career a great deal. I'm out in public all

770
00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:52,719
Speaker 2: the time. The guys on the you know, the guys

771
00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:55,440
Speaker 2: that are in my profession, locally, you never see them

772
00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:57,000
Speaker 2: anywhere unless they're paid to be there.

773
00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:57,720
Speaker 1: You just don't.

774
00:36:58,200 --> 00:36:59,880
Speaker 2: And certainly I'm paid to be a lot of places,

775
00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:03,200
Speaker 2: and thank god, but I go everywhere. I talked to everybody.

776
00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:06,440
Speaker 2: You know, I'm very accessible and those guys aren't. Now

777
00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:09,680
Speaker 2: they have families and I don't. But I just think

778
00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:12,520
Speaker 2: it's been a big part of my game plan, and

779
00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:14,239
Speaker 2: that was inspired by Mike Lang.

780
00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:17,160
Speaker 4: One other thing Mike did.

781
00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:18,680
Speaker 6: Did you ever or more did you ever get a

782
00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:20,440
Speaker 6: chance to go out and see a blues band with

783
00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:21,640
Speaker 6: Mike No.

784
00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:24,680
Speaker 2: I ran into Mike a couple of times when he

785
00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:27,359
Speaker 2: was at what's that place on the South Side.

786
00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:31,440
Speaker 1: It's the Priman he's now the Blue Notes. Yes, I

787
00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:32,160
Speaker 1: was there one time.

788
00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:34,160
Speaker 2: There used to be a guitar player named Tony jan

789
00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:37,080
Speaker 2: Floone who would walk on top of the bar while

790
00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:40,719
Speaker 2: he played, And I saw Mike there a couple of times.

791
00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:42,160
Speaker 2: I just happened to be in the neighborhood and I

792
00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:44,680
Speaker 2: stopped in and sat down with Mike. So yeah, that's

793
00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:47,400
Speaker 2: but that's the only context in which I watched music

794
00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:50,520
Speaker 2: with Mike. Coincidentally, but Mike was a big blues guy

795
00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:53,959
Speaker 2: and a really knowledgeable blues fan as well.

796
00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:56,160
Speaker 1: Let's go to a talkback.

797
00:37:57,080 --> 00:38:00,160
Speaker 4: Mark with the Olympics taking place in Milan. Do you

798
00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:03,000
Speaker 4: like the Italian cocktail and apparel sprits?

799
00:38:06,239 --> 00:38:09,600
Speaker 2: I don't even know what that is brov I like beer,

800
00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:14,400
Speaker 2: I like blueberry whiskey and lemonade. I like vodka with

801
00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:17,400
Speaker 2: a lot of stuff. I really do keep it very simple.

802
00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:22,760
Speaker 2: Lea's a line open eight three, three, four one two wxdx.

803
00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:27,399
Speaker 2: We've been talking about Sid on and off all day. Sid,

804
00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:30,800
Speaker 2: I know for a fact from an unimpeachable inside source.

805
00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:33,520
Speaker 1: I actually have some that exists.

806
00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:36,400
Speaker 2: SID does not eat surgery, and it's not one of

807
00:38:36,440 --> 00:38:38,880
Speaker 2: those deals where they're playing it by ear. And he

808
00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:41,040
Speaker 2: probably does and he might try to play, but then

809
00:38:41,080 --> 00:38:44,480
Speaker 2: he gets surgery. The injury is not severe and TSN

810
00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:47,680
Speaker 2: in Canada is reporting that he will take a skate

811
00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:50,840
Speaker 2: in the morning tomorrow, but it's unlikely he plays in

812
00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:55,919
Speaker 2: the semifinal against Finland, and I'm drawing the conclusion from

813
00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:58,759
Speaker 2: that that the gold medal game, presumably against the US

814
00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:01,280
Speaker 2: on Sunday, is Sid's likely target.

815
00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:02,319
Speaker 1: But we'll have to see.

816
00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:05,200
Speaker 2: It is not something that is expected to keep him

817
00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:08,960
Speaker 2: out for a lengthy period of the NHL season when

818
00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:11,880
Speaker 2: play resumes, although you know he could, he could, you know,

819
00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:13,920
Speaker 2: aggravate the injury, get a different injury.

820
00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:15,319
Speaker 1: There's always risk when you play.

821
00:39:16,239 --> 00:39:19,240
Speaker 2: But you know some people locally who don't care about hockey,

822
00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:22,240
Speaker 2: the Penguins at all and only talk about it in between,

823
00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:25,480
Speaker 2: you know, talking about the Steelers ninety percent of the time.

824
00:39:26,280 --> 00:39:28,600
Speaker 2: If Sid wants to play, he should play. He's there now.

825
00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:32,720
Speaker 2: I don't think NHL players should be at the Olympics

826
00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:37,239
Speaker 2: because it's putting NHL assets, team assets at risk without

827
00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:38,320
Speaker 2: any tangible return.

828
00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:41,200
Speaker 1: But since they are there, you got to play.

829
00:39:41,560 --> 00:39:43,440
Speaker 2: And nobody should be mad at Sid if he plays

830
00:39:43,480 --> 00:39:46,400
Speaker 2: for Canada and then isn't one hundred percent or you

831
00:39:46,440 --> 00:39:49,160
Speaker 2: were ready to play right away when the Penguins resume

832
00:39:49,239 --> 00:39:53,000
Speaker 2: their schedule. Nobody who's a real Penguin fan would find

833
00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:56,560
Speaker 2: fault at Sid. With Sid for this, not anybody who's

834
00:39:56,600 --> 00:40:00,919
Speaker 2: remotely a real Penguin fan. US won the gold medal

835
00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:04,359
Speaker 2: in overtime in women's hockey beat in Canada two to one.

836
00:40:05,239 --> 00:40:06,440
Speaker 1: Would have been a huge upset.

837
00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:08,600
Speaker 2: The US was heavily favored and had to score late

838
00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:12,680
Speaker 2: with the goalie out to tie it, but won in overtime,

839
00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:14,120
Speaker 2: and all's.

840
00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:14,680
Speaker 1: Well, that ends. Well.

841
00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:17,160
Speaker 2: They don't ask how, they ask how many, And the

842
00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:20,400
Speaker 2: US now has three women's hockey Olympic gold medals to

843
00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:21,520
Speaker 2: Canada's five.

844
00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:24,160
Speaker 1: I said earlier that.

845
00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:32,600
Speaker 2: The only way to treat women's sports equally, like we

846
00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:34,719
Speaker 2: keep being told we have to do, and hey, I

847
00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:35,520
Speaker 2: got no problem.

848
00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:38,360
Speaker 1: But if the US women would.

849
00:40:38,120 --> 00:40:40,480
Speaker 2: Have lost, they should have been referred to as choking,

850
00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:45,160
Speaker 2: choking badly given the odds that favored them dramatically in

851
00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:45,680
Speaker 2: that game.

852
00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:46,640
Speaker 1: But they won.

853
00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:49,480
Speaker 2: But I always say about the women's volleyball team, they've

854
00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:52,600
Speaker 2: been to four straight NCAA Final fours and they've never

855
00:40:52,680 --> 00:40:55,359
Speaker 2: made the finals, so they choke. And if a man's

856
00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:57,000
Speaker 2: team did it, you'd say they choke, So you have

857
00:40:57,080 --> 00:41:00,640
Speaker 2: to say a women's team chokes. Two And I love

858
00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:03,480
Speaker 2: when people say you're this lib. What's the phrase they use?

859
00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:05,080
Speaker 2: I don't think I could say it. I'm not a

860
00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:08,280
Speaker 2: lib I vote a Republican in every election in my lifebook.

861
00:41:08,360 --> 00:41:08,880
Speaker 4: But two.

862
00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:13,120
Speaker 1: And I am conservative except when it goes too far.

863
00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:16,799
Speaker 2: So in that vein, you know, saying that women choke

864
00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:19,719
Speaker 2: if they lose at sports when they should win, I

865
00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:21,719
Speaker 2: think that says I look at things pretty straight down

866
00:41:21,760 --> 00:41:25,440
Speaker 2: in the middle. And here's another one. ESPN doesn't have

867
00:41:25,520 --> 00:41:29,360
Speaker 2: Sunday Night Baseball anymore. They plan to replace it with

868
00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:35,600
Speaker 2: Women's Sports Sundays, a show spotlighting top matches from the

869
00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:38,640
Speaker 2: WNBA and the National Women's Soccer League.

870
00:41:40,680 --> 00:41:42,520
Speaker 1: Nobody is going to watch that.

871
00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:47,719
Speaker 2: If they do, it'll be out of perceived obligation for

872
00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:50,920
Speaker 2: treating women's sports equally, which is why ESPN is putting

873
00:41:50,960 --> 00:41:54,120
Speaker 2: it on in such a prime spot in the first place.

874
00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:57,240
Speaker 2: Not because they think people are going to watch, because

875
00:41:57,320 --> 00:41:59,759
Speaker 2: they won't, but because they think it makes them.

876
00:41:59,719 --> 00:42:07,960
Speaker 1: Look enlightened liberal whatever you want to say. I'm not liberal.

877
00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:10,920
Speaker 2: I'm more conservative, but I look at every situation equally,

878
00:42:10,960 --> 00:42:14,880
Speaker 2: which is what intelligent people do instead of picking sides

879
00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:18,759
Speaker 2: and playing to the lowest common denominator. Not to be

880
00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:21,480
Speaker 2: critical of those who do, except I am